Murder by Prescription

by Breakell Richard

  Clay started walking toward Dr. Kenmore. “Dr., I really don’t want to start with you again, so I am going to say this just once.” He turned to everyone, “As of now, we are treating this suspicious event as a possible crime and being as it involves a member of the United States Congress, I have the authority to do whatever is necessary. For us to expand this investigation, the victim and all individuals in this room need to be within the United States jurisdiction.”

  “At the moment, there is no crime, so therefore we are free to leave. The local medical examiner has signed off on the heart attack and we have permission to take the body back to the U.S. Further…with my authority, I caution you all that this is considered a matter of national security and therefore, you are sworn to secrecy.”

  Dr. Kenmore started shaking his head, “I am not sure that you are within your legal rights to hold us in this manner.”

  Clay glared at him. “Captain,” he called.

  “Yes,” responded Luke.

  “Would you please inform Dr. Kenmore that you are in concurrence with my previous statement and as you are the law on this vessel, you will enforce my statements.”

  “Dr. Kenmore… that is correct.”

  Kenmore snorted arrogantly, “Well, I want you all to know this will be addressed when we return home.”

  Clay surveyed the group. “I will talk to Washington shortly to confirm our schedule. In the meantime, why don’t you all go and pack up while we wait for our transport. Miss Styles, you can inform your boss that we need an aircraft that can handle six as soon as possible.”

  His cell chirped. “Excuse me, this is Washington,” he said and walked away while the rest sat in stunned silence.

  It had been a long fourteen hours and the tension was now wearing on them all. Even Dr. Kenmore seemed drained of his normal pomposity as he sat morosely, fingering his beard.

  The atmosphere was heavy, swirling in a potpourri of emotions. Shock, fear, sadness, but mostly, confusion. Surely, the suspicions couldn’t be true! …and yet, there certainly were some strange coincidences.

  Marty’s phone buzzed. He rose and walked into the hallway. “Yes, Tom.”

  “What the hell is going on over there?” boomed Tom Chiles. “How can a heart attack turn into a possible crime.”

  “Sir… we don’t know anything for sure except that the secret service wants us back on U.S. soil ASAP. I believe Kelly is arranging a charter as we speak. We will have word from Washington very shortly.”

  “Give me the capsule version of the situation,” barked Tom.

  Marty spent the next three minutes explaining what had happened and what was known. “…as improbable as it sounds, it is suspected there was some foul play in the congressman’s death.”

  Tom sighed on the other end just as Clay came back in the room.

  “Mr. Chiles, hang on a moment… the secret service man has some news.” Marty covered the mouthpiece and called Clay, “…any news?”

  “Yes,” replied Clay, “we are to leave as soon as possible. Have you arranged the charter?”

  Marty nodded his head and pointed to the phone, “We are doing it right now.”

  “Mr. Chiles… We have been ordered back to the U.S. right now. Derek is aware of the situation and Kelly is waiting for the decision so she can order a charter.”

  “Who the hell is paying for that?” bellowed Tom.

  “Initially… Us, and then the government will reimburse us.”

  Tom grunted, “What a ‘cluster’ this has turned into.” Little did Marty know how much Tom meant those words. Rob Schafer’s words were ringing in his ears, ‘…you are entering an arena that you are not equipped for.’

  Tom continued, “…all right. I’ll have Kelly arrange for a G6 and she’ll call you back.” He clicked off. Marty walked back to the group. Looking at Clay, he said, “I should have a call shortly, confirming our charter.”

  “Thank you. Good work,” said Clay, “the sooner we are out of here, the better. Some bureaucrat could get it in his head to hold us here.”

  ***

  Tom slammed down his cell, startling Kelly.

  “Kelly, get in here,” shouted Tom.

  “Yes, sir,” said Kelly as she bustled into the office.

  “Go ahead with the charter for the group as soon as you can.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He needed to start a plan immediately. If the Feds were so ‘into’ this at this early stage, there was no time to be sitting on the sidelines. He speed-dialed Rob Schafers’ number on his cell.

  ***

  The switchboard paged Kelly as she exited Tom’s office. She picked up her phone. “Yes, Crystal.”

  She listened for a while, “Thank you… get him on the line again for me.”

  Through all of this, she couldn’t get the thoughts of what she had seen earlier out of her head. Could this be a confirmation of what Nancy and she had thought? It couldn’t be! It was just too abhorrent to even be considered, and yet, the pieces were beginning to fit.

  She answered her phone, “This is Kelly Freeman.”

  “Miss Freeman, this is Jim Shore at World Wide Charter. I have arranged to have a G6 at the private terminal in Split, Croatia within two hours.”

  “Excellent, Jim. That’s fast service.”

  He chuckled, “We do our best. I will email you the contract and you can send me the contact information and we will go ahead with the order.”

  “Perfect. I will have that information to you immediately. Thank you again, Jim.”

  “My pleasure.”

  Kelly texted the information, then left the desk and went to the restroom. She made sure the stalls were empty, then locked herself in and called Pam.

  Pam answered on the first ring.

  “Pam… it’s Kelly.”

  “Oh… Hi, Kelly. What a day, huh,” she said as she walked away from the group.

  “Yeah… listen, Pam, I don’t have long to talk. I am in the ladies’ room and someone may come in. First of all, I have the charter arranged. It will be at the private terminal in two hours. Save me a call and tell Mr. Cooper that I had to get something from you and that’s why I called you instead of him. OK?”

  “Yes.”

  “Pam, what is going on. Tom is, to say the least, in a bad state.”

  Pam frowned, “Kelly, I am sworn to secrecy about anything that has gone on here.”

  “…hmm. Bummer. Well, listen… I may have some additional information that I think I should talk to you about before we get too far with whatever investigation is starting.”

  “OK. As soon as we land, we can talk.”

  “Good. Have a safe trip. Let me know your ETA.”

  “Will do. See you soon”

  ***

  Rob Schafers answered on the first beep.

  “Rob… we got problems. Can we get together right now?” asked Tom.

  “Give me an hour and I’ll be there.”

  “Not here… Let’s meet at Leon’s, in Addison.”

  “OK.”

  Tom walked out to the desk just as Kelly was arriving from the ladies’ room. “Kelly, I have to go out in about thirty minutes and I’ll be gone for the day.”

  “OK, Mr. Chiles.” She sat down at Pam’s desk just as Derek Maurrel walked up the stairs.

  “Is Tom in?” he asked brusquely.

  “Yes, Mr. Maurrel. Let me call him.”

  Striding to the door, he said, “Never mind,” and opened the door as Tom was reaching into his garbage can. He looked up guiltily, “What the hell… Do you allow people to walk into your office unannounced?”

  “Sorry… but this is important. I just had a media person call me and ask about Congressman Barnes.”

  “What! What did they say?”

  “Just that there was a rumor that his death was not natural.”

  “Goddamn media jackals. Where in the hell would that come from?” Derek scrutinized Tom carefully, “could there be any truth to it?”


  “Of course not,” roared Tom, “…and besides, how could anyone know anything over here when our people haven’t even left the ship yet.”

  “Who knows. It could have been a crew member, a passenger, a waiter …anyone.”

  Tom fumed, “Did you shut it down?”

  “I think so. It seemed more like a feeler than having any substance.”

  “Well, keep on it. In the meantime, our group will be in the air within two hours. That should put them in around 7am. I want everyone but Norm in my office immediately after they land.”

  “Now I have to leave. I should be back in an hour or so.” Tom said as he walked around his desk and headed toward the elevator, leaving Derek and Kelly scowling apprehensively.

  Derek started down the stairs and Kelly went back to her work as she replayed in her mind Derek’s sudden arrival. He had left the office door open and Kelly had not only seen Tom pulling away from the garbage but had overheard the exchange. Tom’s outburst was strange. Why would that cause such a reaction?

  She recalled the cellphone had been trashed and her curiosity got the better of her. She went into the office, closed the door, and walked over to the trash. There it was! What now? If she took it, would he recall he hadn’t retrieved it? …and what would she do with it anyway? …but if her suspicions had any reality, it could be a major piece of a puzzle.

  She leaned over to pick it up and then hesitated. What about finger prints? Better safe than sorry. She walked to the cafeteria, grabbed some medical gloves and went back to the office.

  Carefully lifting the cell from the trash onto the desk, she noticed a big finger print. She tore off some scotch tape and carefully lowered it onto the print, then pealed it off. She had no idea if this was even useful.

  Noting the manufacturer’s numbers on the back of the cell. she grabbed a note pad and wrote down those numbers and the ones inside. Returning the phone to the trash, she walked out and sat at her desk. She was sweating and her heart rate was up. Now what, she thought… call Nancy!

  “Hi, Kelly.”

  “Nancy. Are you terribly busy, or could you come up for a minute?”

  “Sure. I’ll be right up.”

  As she waited, she pondered why she felt this urgent need to tell Nancy.

  Chapter 13

  The van was waiting at the gangway as the Dallas group walked off the ship. The tension was intense, expecting at any moment a call delaying their departure. Now the only concern was clearing the departure at the airport. They all said their goodbyes to Captain Lucania Papadakis and shore coordinator Antonio DeAngelo.

  Dr. Kenmore was in a continual state of irritation and was trying the already frayed nerves of his traveling companions.

  As per the caution from Clay Dearsome, talk among the group was studiously avoiding the subject of Congressman Chet Barnes, but speculation was rampant.

  The atmosphere between Dr. Kenmore and Norm Arthur of COSM had been simmering. Norm had managed to keep his usual dispassionate and polite demeanor until, as they rode in the van, the Dr. finally breached Norm’s boundaries

  “You realize, Mr. Arthur, that this whole incident is because of you and your cohort’s constant interference in the natural evolvement of medicine.”

  Total silence enveloped the van. Norm turned to stare at Dr. Kenmore and, with a patronizing smile, said, “Dr. Kenmore, I realize that in your ivory tower, academic world, your utterances are received with awe. However, in the real world, we find it quite exhilarating to expand our mind with the exploration of alternative ideas, especially when they are supported by outside scientific facts that are available for corroboration.”

  “Mr. Arthur, your insults…”

  “I’m not finished. The only fortunate aspect of the termination of this cruise is that we won’t have to suffer further with your opinionated prattling. I would be happy to have further discourse with you at some time when we can have an exchange rather than a lecture. Now, I’m finished.”

  Norm was met with suppressed smiles as the Dr., once again, harrumphed and turned to look out the window.

  Marty, although quite entertained by the outburst, was concerned. The Dr. was the strongest advocate for Chiles, Arken, and Associates and it was Marty’s job to weld this rift into a solution.

  His personal admiration and fondness for Norm wasn’t helping. As much as he was appalled at the outburst by the Dr., he needed to facilitate a ‘cease fire.’ It seemed like an insurmountable mission.

  ***

  Tom tossed the keys to the valet guy, walked into Leon’s and spotted Rob reading the menu in the corner booth. “You ordered a drink yet”

  “Not yet… and hello to you too.”

  “Niceties are not on the menu at this time.”

  “I wouldn’t have guessed,” chuckled Rob.

  Tom rolled his eyes, then looked around just as the waitress came. “I’ll have a double vodka martini with extra olives.”

  “Just bring me a Heineken,” said Rob.

  “You might need more than that when you hear what I have to say.”

  Rob just looked at him with a detached stare, then spoke, “First of all, you need to know that I have been following the news about the sudden death of Congressman Barnes and the coincident timing of this meeting leads me to believe you are planning for me to hear more.”

  Tom sighed… “How perceptive of you.” He rejoined sarcastically, “As you know, the cause of death was a heart attack. Apparently, because of his importance, it is protocol to have the secret service sign off on things of this nature. In this case, the agent discovered some anomalies and thus has ordered the entire Chiles, Arken team returned to the U.S.”

  “Do you know anything about the ’anomalies?’”

  “No, and that’s what’s got me worried. Do you recall our conversation in the…?”

  “Tom,” blurted Rob, “Please, don’t say anymore. Right now, I am totally devoid of any knowledge other than what I have seen on the news, and I prefer to keep it that way.”

  Tom started squirming in his chair. “…But, Rob, you have been my confidant forever.”

  “Yes, I have, and I have always been able to rationalize some questionable things we have done, but I recall in previous conversations that there were some things that I did not consider within my guidelines and I told you so.”

  Tom reddened, “Are you telling me that you are no longer willing to work with me?”

  “No. I am telling you that there are some things that I did not consider to be in my purview. Let’s say that, hypothetically, you had considered a plan to do harm to an elected member of our government and again, hypothetically, suppose you attempted to discuss that with me, I would have responded with a caution that it would not be a wise decision.”

  Tom leaned back with a startled look.

  “However, as I know nothing about this situation, this discussion is all moot.”

  “You son of a bitch… after all we’ve been through, you’re going to bail on me now.”

  With an unwavering look, Rob retorted, “Tom… yes, we have been through a lot and seen a lot together, but in reviewing our history, I have always stayed just on the edge. I am not proud of some of the things, but I know I could swear before a judge and jury that I didn’t break the law. Now, please, could we save the rhetoric and continue this in a civil manner.”

  Leaning forward with a menacing snarl, Tom responded, “Do you really think that you can just smile and walk out of our relationship with no consequences. Your hands are as dirty as mine. Just because I suggest a solution to our problem and you go all soft doesn’t give you the right to opt out.”

  “I couldn’t ‘opt out,’ as you say, because I was ’never in.’”

  Tom smiled evilly, “This ‘holier than thou’ shtick is not going to work when the ’feds’ come calling. You’re up to your ass in this Congressman Barnes thing just like me and I’m here to remind you. We’re a team!”

  Rob stared evenly into Tom�
��s eyes and for the first time in their long association, he saw a depth of evil that startled him. It pained him to realize he had fooled himself over the years in thinking he could blindly walk the line and not be tainted.

  When Tom had suggested the removal of Congressman Barnes, Rob had chosen to not believe Tom would follow through. He was certainly somewhat culpable with his weak attempt to stop him, but his conscience was clear as to any knowledge and participation in the abhorrent act.

  Rob rose from the booth and threw some dollars on the table.

  “Let me buy us our last drink. This ‘team,’ as you call it, is no longer functional. We have stood together for a long time, Tom, and we made decisions that were expedient rather than right, but I am not, nor have I ever been a part of whatever you have done, I have watched you bully others, but I am not one who responds to threats. I wish you the best, but I am ‘done.’” He turned and walked away.

  “You’ll regret this,” shouted Tom.

  Not as much as you, thought Rob as he removed the recording device from under his shirt.

  ***

  Derek Maurrel was perplexed. Between trying to come up with his own game plan and trying to figure out Tom’s game, he had purposely stayed away from any unnecessary encounters. He was fairly certain that Tom had concluded he was the ‘break in’ artist. The question was, What was he going to do?

  ***

  With the news of the congressman’s death, and Kelly informing him that the entire Dallas ‘team’ was returning on a private flight, Derek’s imagination was running wild. He knew something untoward had happened, but what could it be that would bring the entire team home.

  Maybe Kelly knew more. He picked up the phone and called her to his office. Tom’s office door was open and Tom heard her responding to Derek’s call. When she was done, he called her in.

  “Kelly, I haven’t had a chance to tell you, but we are all sworn to secrecy by the secret service regarding anything to do with Congressman Barnes and that includes Mr. Maurrel.”