Deadly Conception

by Patrick Blake

  Firuzeh picked up Gabriel’s lead. “After Asrani died I had to go through all his things. That’s when I discovered these files. As you can see, he played a direct role in the robbery. He set up fake companies, foundations. Everything. That’s how he channeled the money to your lab.”

  Nia thought about that. Did Asrani get greedy? Is that why Smeets had him killed? She looked up from the folder. “This is too much to take in…I need a moment…why would he do it? I don’t understand. He’s not a crook.” Nia was red faced and her eyes were swelling. She was on the verge of tears.

  Firuzeh sent a text to Raimy.

  Show time.

  “Dr. Katiakan?”

  “Yes…sorry…yes, Mr. Sweeney?”

  “I realize this is a lot for you to absorb…but there’s more.”

  “What?”

  “Asrani didn’t die from a heart attack. The pathology was wrong. He was murdered.”

  Nia knew Asrani was killed but the reminder was the drop that broke the dam. Damn you, Smeets. He was one of us. Even if he got greedy you didn’t have to kill him. You bastard. Nia burst into sobs.

  Firuzeh moved next to her on the couch, and Nia sunk into her, shuddering, and mumbling her disbelief in bursts.

  “It’s not right…he didn’t deserve it…”

  When the doorbell rang, again, Nia didn’t even move. Gabriel went to the door, let Raimy in, and brought him up to speed.

  By the time the two men entered the living room, Nia was pulling herself together.

  “Firuzeh, who is this man? What’s going on now?”

  “Nia, this is Dr. Raimy Robinson. He’s the Boston pathologist who conducted the autopsy on Asrani.”

  “Good evening, Doctor Katiakan. I guess you don’t recognize me?”

  “I’m sorry… Do we know each other? Wait…”

  Nia stood up and walked over to Raimy and stared into his eyes. “Raimy? Raimy! Oh my god. Radioactive Raimy Robinson. My god, I haven’t seen you since…Jesus…since Oxy.” She hugged him, and Raimy looked up at his friends and made the “I-didn’t-expect-this” face.

  “Yeah…it’s me, Doctor Katiakan. I didn’t think you’d recognize me.”

  Firuzeh and Gabriel exchanged glances, both silently mouthing Radioactive Raimy under furrowed brows.

  “Raimy…it’s Nia…for goodness sake. What are you doing here? How do you know these people? What’s going on?”

  Raimy dove right in. He explained his role as a pathologist, how Asrani Patel ended up in his morgue, and how he picked up on the chemical anomaly in the tox screens. “Nia, what I found does not exist organically or synthetically. It’s not found on earth. Mr. Patel was murdered. The heart attack he officially died from simply does not add up.”

  Nia listened intently. When Raimy finished she pushed her drink away and leaned in toward him. “Raimy, what exactly did you find?”

  “I reviewed every page of the toxicological reports. One of the tox-screens, the one for diamorphine, included a mass spectrum test. It was…well…it was different. Some of the markers were missing…but others showed up that shouldn’t be there.”

  “Raimy, are you sure?”

  “Yes. Dead certain.”

  Nia froze momentarily. Son of a gun. Damn right it’s not from earth. I can’t believe you fucking found it. Impressive.

  Raimy’s tone became gravely serious. “Nia…do you know something about this?”

  She nodded and continued her deception. “You found something from my lab.”

  “What? This is your work? What the frog?”

  Nia stood up, taking a few steps away, deep in thought.

  She turned and looked at everyone. “Raimy, what you found…what you discovered…is something no one has ever seen. It’s from my lab…something I’m working with…in one form it’s lethal. I don’t know how it got out.”

  “What do you mean it’s something you’re working with?”

  Nia continued. “By itself…it’s deadly…basically it does the opposite of reversing infertility…it kills. But I found a way to use it in combination with other things that actually reverses infertility. It’s remarkable that you found it…and, frankly, it’s remarkable that I found a way to make it work with something else to restore fertility. But my techniques are, well, unaccepted by conventional science.”

  “You mean that what you’re doing is illegal…banned?” Raimy said.

  Firuzeh heard enough. “Who the hell would remove that from your lab and kill Asrani with it? And why?”

  Nia lied. “I don’t know.”

  “Who else knew about this?” Raimy pressed.

  “My team, of course. I have three full time postdocs working with me. I can’t believe any of them would remove it.”

  “Anyone else?”

  Nia lied, again. “No one else. I have security cams everywhere…and all this material is kept in a clean room…no one has access to it except me and my team.”

  “Someone removed that material…and used it on Asrani…or gave it to someone else who did,” Firuzeh said. “Nia, I need to check those security cameras...someone used your material to kill Asrani.”

  “Of course, of course. I just can’t believe this,” Nia sunk into a chair. “Bloody fucking hell! It’s over…all my work…down the drain.”

  “What do you mean?” Gabriel asked.

  Nia drained her wine glass…this is it, sell it big…or Smeets will have no choice. She banged the stemware on the table, shattering glass.

  “Our funding is from a bank robbery…a deadly material killed my biggest patron. We’ll be shut down immediately…all the progress will be dumped...I’m done as a researcher. God knows how long it’ll be before infertility is reversed…if ever. Dammit!”

  Firuzeh shivered. “Really?”

  “I hate to say it…but she’s right.” Raimy confirmed. “It doesn’t matter how ground-breaking the research is. Dirty money, murder, and sloppy containment protocols. It’s the death knell.”

  “Piss up a rope, Raimy,” Nia cried. “Our containment protocols are the best. I’m not an amateur.”

  “Dr. Katiakan, Raimy doesn’t mean your protocols were sloppy…he means that’s how the news story would report it, Gabriel soothed. “Crisis communication is my business, and he’s right. You have to face it.”

  The angry doctor took a deep breath. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Raimy. I didn’t mean it. I’m just beyond frustrated.”

  “Nia, I want to talk to my friends for a moment. Give us a few minutes,” Firuzeh asked.

  “Okay…I’m a mess. I wish this never happened.” The doctor left the room but made certain to eavesdrop.

  Chapter 99

  Firuzeh looked at the two men. “Well, what do you think? Gabriel?”

  “I don’t think she knew Asrani was killed. She was completely unaware. She considered him a vitally important part of her work…the funding part anyway. I also don’t think she knew the funding was stolen.”

  Firuzeh nodded and then looked at Raimy. “How about you?”

  “I know how researchers are. Obsessed with their work. Indifferent to any distraction…like where the funding comes from. I believe her. What about you, Firuzeh?”

  “This is personal for her. She’s infertile herself, like me. This research isn’t like a baby to her…in a real way it is a baby to her. She seems sincerely resigned to her loss…and understandably resentful, too. I don’t think she had anything to do with Asrani’s death, or any knowledge of where the money came from. She admitted the chemical anomaly was her discovery. She’s upfront about the illegality of her work but she didn’t hide it from us. Unless she’s an incredible actress, I believe her.”

  Gabriel sat down. “So, we walk away from four murders just to save research? I know I agreed to this but right now it’s seems wrong.”

  “The dirtbags responsible for those murders paid for their crimes. What justice is left to be served? Firuzeh asked.

  “Not much, I guess. Es
pecially if Keeler goes down for Cody’s murder…” Gabriel said.

  “…and we nail the bastard who swiped the chemical anomaly from the lab,” she added.

  Raimy fidgeted. “What about the money?”

  Firuzeh was way ahead of him. “We return it. Most of it anyway. I know a way to blame it all on Asrani, Forbes and the others that will keep the lab and Pilgrim Trust out of it.”

  Gabriel nodded. “That’ll keep the research alive. Let’s get a look at those security tapes…tonight.”

  In an adjacent room, Nia smiled at what she heard and quickly tapped out an urgent note to Smeets.

  I need you to do something ASAP…

  Chapter 100

  Nia silently lingered a few rooms away. Waiting.

  Firuzeh called out. “Nia. Please come back in. We have an idea.”

  The researcher re-entered the room and continued her deception. “I’ve been thinking. I can’t continue my work using stolen money and I certainly can’t work with a thief…possibly a killer…in my lab. I’m going to call the authorities.”

  Raimy responded first. “You’d give up your work?”

  “It’s the right thing to do…isn’t it?” she said.

  Firuzeh answered. “I want the bastard who did this to Asrani to pay for what they did. Let’s see what’s on the security tapes. And, yes, the money has to go back. Maybe we can keep the lab out of it…keep your research going. You’d be broke, though…you’d need new, legitimate funding.”

  “Keep my lab out of it? How?” Nia asked.

  “First things first. Get your stuff. We’re going to your lab now. I want to examine those security tapes,” Firuzeh said.

  “Okay. I’ll meet you outside. Gimme a minute.” Nia grabbed her handbag and a light jacket and went to the front door. She stopped, smiled, and sent a short text from her phone.

  So far so good. Off to the lab. Get that task done. Talk tomorrow. Details to come.

  Chapter 101

  “That’s the door to my lab. It’s key card protected. Security cameras are on it 24/7. I also have cameras on the front and rear building entrances, the reception area, and this room,” Nia explained, pointing to the different security camera views displayed on the conference room large screen TV.

  “Asrani died on August 6th. When did you make your discovery? When did you know it could kill?” Firuzeh asked.

  “It’s in my notes,” Nia shuffled through her logs. “Here it is. January 18th. So, 19 months ago.”

  “Let’s start there,” Firuzeh said.

  Even with the fast-forward play option, the task of viewing the same, largely unchanging camera view of the lab door was mind-numbing. Scrolling quickly through days and days of the security tape recordings, it showed nothing, except for Dr. Katiakan entering and leaving once or twice a day.

  “I don’t know what you tell you. I’m the only one who goes in that secure lab. You need this blue and gold swipe card. I’m the only one with it. Sometimes, I take a postdoc in with me…but that’s rare. They work in the upstairs lab. Different pass card. Blue logo on a white access card,” Nia explained.

  Soon enough everyone spotted something different.

  “What the hell…” Nia froze the screen and rewound the playback a few seconds.

  Gabriel spoke first. “It’s some dude. One of your postdocs?”

  “Son of a bitch. Yes. Goddammit. What’s he doing? How did he get that access key card?” Nia advanced the security tape in slow motion as everyone watched the young, broad-shouldered Asian man make his way into the secure lab and then leave after a few minutes holding a mini-cooler lunchbox.

  “Who on earth is that? Where’s he going? Can you follow him?” Firuzeh was beside herself.

  “It’s Dr. Kang. Lemme track him on the other camera. Hang on…” Nia fiddled with her computer and picked up the young postdoc casually making his way to the rear of the building and out to the parking lot…and then re-entering the office through the front door, but without the lunchbox.

  “It looks like your Dr. Kang gained access to your secure lab on July 14th,” Raimy said, and then turned to Gabriel and whispered, “That’s just a week before I made my discovery on the kid, Liam Lohan.”

  Firuzeh turned to Nia. “Tell me about this Kang dude.”

  Nia sunk into her chair. “That’s Dr. Chul-Moo Kang. One of my postdocs. He’s not allowed in my lab alone. Shit. No one is. How the devil did he get access? Goddammit!”

  “Where is he? I want to talk with him.” Firuzeh’s knuckles were white over her clenched fists.

  “Jesus. I’m so sorry. He’s on vacation…in Los Angeles with his family. He left Friday after work. He’ll be gone for a week. Something about Liberation Day in Korea…I don’t know…” Nia’s voice fell to a whisper.

  “I want his number, address, a copy of the security tape…and anything else you can think of. That bastard.”

  Nia looked up at Firuzeh. “Of course. Right away.” She looked defeated, but her thoughts were triumphant.

  I gotta thank Smeets…that was some good, quick digital editing. Sorry Kang, but you’re collateral damage…you’ve got debt up the ass…you’re the easy mark. I don’t know what Firuzeh Patel has in store for you…but I’m sure you’ll find out.

  Chapter 102

  When Smeets answered the phone, Katiakan cut to the chase. “They just left. Your plan worked like a charm.”

  “I knew you could pull it off,” Smeets said. “All we have to do now is—”

  She was exhausted by the strain of the past few hours, and interrupted without apology. “That’s not all. There’s more you need to know.”

  “What’s that, Nia?”

  “She brought two men with her. A PR hack, Gabriel Sweeney. His firm is the agency of record for Pilgrim Trust. He was working with Asrani in Boston and somehow he ended up identifying him in the morgue. I guess he’s helping Mrs. Patel. I don’t really know. But she seemed to trust him.”

  “Got it. I’ll have our people check him out. Who was the other guy?”

  “You’re not going to believe this, but I actually knew him! Raimy Robinson. We went to undergrad together. I haven’t seen him since then. He’s a pathologist from Boston. Kind of a waste, if you ask me,” she mused. “He’s talented. Anyway, he conducted the autopsy on Asrani…and spotted one of my earlier treatments.”

  “What the hell? Does he know what it is?

  “He knows it’s not anything found on Earth…that it doesn’t exist organically…or synthetically. His words…not mine.”

  “Shit. That’s a very serious threat. What’s his name again? I’ll have to tie off that risk.”

  “His name is Dr. Raimy Robinson…and before you go killing any more people why don’t you take a moment to think this through? You have a brain…so use it. Christ!”

  “Do you have a better solution? This isn’t a game. Our survival is at stake.”

  “I know very well what the stakes are,” she said, through clenched teeth. Condescending asshole! “Now shut up and listen to me. You know the expression keep your friends close and your enemies closer? I’ve got Asrani’s widow hooked on our story about reversing infertility. She can’t have kids…resigned herself to a life without children. Now she believes my lab can change that. Let’s see if her maternal instincts kick in.”

  “Okay…but what about the other two? They all know what Dr. Robinson knows. We have to cut this off.”

  “Kill…kill…kill. Is that all you know how to do?” she snapped. “Just listen to me! Dr. Robinson is a chemistry researcher at heart. He’s the only one who uncovered this little secret of ours…that was no fluke. He’s talented. Very talented. Maybe I can bring him onboard…help me in the lab…I’m about to be short one postdoc. Plus Raimy’s got the kind of scientific medical experience we need.”

  “Sounds risky.”

  “It’s not as risky as another murder…or triple murder. You keep that up and sooner or later someone’s going to conne
ct the dots. My way keeps him contained. If things go haywire…well…then you can do your thing.”

  “What about the PR guy?”

  “That’s easy. Hire him. Put him on retainer.”

  “What? You want a publicity campaign for our secret work? Are you insane?” Smeets’ raspy voice rose to a high-pitched wheeze.

  “No. I’m not insane…you’re just not thinking. Sweeney is crisis communications expert. Of course, we’ll check him out, but if Asrani hired him then he’s not only one of the best but he’s also trustworthy. Sweeney would be retained to keep us out of the news.”

  “I see. Keep all three close. Is that it?”

  “It’s better all around.”

  “Maybe. But the dead don’t reveal secrets.” Smeets hung up.

  Chapter 103 – Tuesday, August 14 (Boston)

  “Are you with Raimy?” Firuzeh was calling from her residential hotel suite in Washington, D.C. where she had spread out her mother’s painting on the dining table.

  “Yeah. He’s in with his boss now.” Gabriel waited in the reception area of Raimy’s office building in Boston. “Jesus. I hate being here. Too many bad memories.”

  “I’m glad you’re there with him.”

  “Did you finish your project?”

  “Yes. Ball’s in your court.” Firuzeh was purposely succinct.

  It took less than 24 hours for her to secretly reverse-funnel the millions out of Nia’s lab, through the maze of shell companies and cut-out organizations, and finally into the Cayman Island bank accounts for Forbes, Paolucci, and the other conspirators her dead husband had set up. Now it was up to Gabriel to tip off the authorities.

  “Consider it done.” Gabriel ended the call and walked outside. He pulled out his burner phone and tapped out a message.

  Looking for the stolen Beacon Hill Bank money? Consider this a message from the grave. Look for a memory chip. Ignore the photos. The file names are codes for offshore accounts. The G-codes will produce a Cayman Island bank password. You’re welcome. AP