That's odd, Elia thought. She dug in her bag for her cell phone to call Luis and let him know Angel may show up at the house to help pack. She came up empty handed.
She was called for her massage and followed a woman through heavy doors and down a hallway. One side opened onto individual dressing rooms.
She undressed and wrapped herself in a cozy robe. When she opened the door on the opposite side of the tiny dressing room, she found a pair of shower sandals and slipped them on.
An attendant led her to a wall of lockers. “Just leave your clothes in the dressing room, but you can put your valuables here.”
Elia pulled a key out of one of the lockers and gasped. She retreated to the dressing room and searched in her pockets for another key. Her heart was beating rapidly. When she found what she was looking for, she willed herself to be calm. Her locker key and the key found in Vicente's banjo clock were identical.
“Are you okay, ma'am?”
Elia nodded and put Vicente's key back in her jacket pocket. She followed the attendant to another waiting area, the relaxation area, and listened half-heartedly as the woman pointed out the showers, steam room and sauna. But all Elia could think about was a key.
Chapter 35
While she waited for the massage therapist, Elia sat in an easy chair and looked out at the Kiawah River. She leaned back, put her feet up and tried to let her cares fall away. But they wouldn't.
“Ms. Christie? I'm ready for you.”
She followed the therapist down another hallway lit with muted lamps. She vowed to relax, but once the session began, her mind raced.
An hour later she was back in the relaxation area and wrapped herself in a towel, left her robe on a hook outside the door, and stepped into the steam room. When she exited ten minutes later, an attendant was bringing in fresh towels.
“Has Mrs. Riser come yet?”
“I'm not sure; I'll check.”
Elia headed for the sauna. Again she hung her robe on a hook and stepped inside. She didn't know how long she sat there. She felt herself drifting. It was very warm, but bearable. She had her eyes closed, but heard the swish of the door as it opened; then she heard the swish as it closed. She opened her eyes, but no one was there.
It got hot. Too hot. She felt dizzy, staggered to her feet and pushed on the door. It wouldn't budge. She tried again. Nothing. Again she tried. She felt herself panic in the enclosed room. She pushed hard on the door, as hard as she could. She pounded on the door, then carefully lowered herself onto the bench and tried to collect her thoughts.
“I've been in tight spots before.” She spoke in a calm voice. So calm she almost didn't recognize herself. She wiped her forehead with her towel. She felt woozy, confused, lethargic. Her breathing was labored. She could feel herself losing control. She rose from the bench almost in a trance and pounded on the door. She screamed and the door swung open. She flew out, fell into the room and smacked into an attendant who was standing there with a robe in her hand. She stared at Elia.
“Are you all right?” The attendant grabbed a bottle of water out of an ice bucket on the side table. “You're so pink.”
She guided Elia to a chair. “Drink this.” She opened the bottle and stood there while Elia drank. Then she stepped into the shower and turned on the cold water. “A cold shower. You need a cold shower.”
“I couldn't get out. The door was locked.”
“The doors don't have locks.”
“I'm telling you I couldn't get out.”
“I picked up your robe from the floor in front of the door. Maybe that's why it was a little tight.”
“How would my robe get on the floor? I hung it on the hook.”
The attendant shook her head and shrugged. “I don't know, ma'am. Go on. Get into the shower. You'll feel better.”
Elia was about to hang her robe on the hook outside the shower, but instead carried it inside with her. She let herself be led under the cold running water. The attendant pushed a stool under Elia and handed her another bottle of water. “Drink, please. You need this.” She waited a minute, trying to avoid the water. “I'll wait outside.”
Elia sat under the shower drinking bottled water. A few minutes later she stood and pushed the stool out of the way, threw her towel onto a bench inside the door, and let the rainfall-like shower of cool water wash over her. When she finally turned off the water, she felt better, but a frown creased her face.
She toweled off, wrapped herself in the robe, and gingerly pushed on the door. It opened immediately. She hadn't noticed that she was holding her breath as she tried the door, until she exhaled.
The attendant was waiting for her. She looked closely at Elia. “Feel better? You certainly aren't as pink.”
“I'm fine. Thank you. You're very kind.”
“Not at all. Now you rest for awhile.” She picked up a basket of used towels and left the room.
Elia lowered herself into a chair, put her head back, her feet up, and closed her eyes. Am I paranoid? She left the spa without seeing Bonnie Riser. When she returned to Vicente's, Luis was standing on the front porch. He had a strange look on his face.
“What is it? What's the matter?”
“You didn't answer your phone; I tried to call you.”
“You have my phone, Luis; I left it with you in case Angel called.”
Luis met Elia as she was halfway up the front steps. “Luis. What's the matter? What happened?”
“The woman with Aaron Scharff. In the accident with Scharff…” Luis reached for Elia's hand. Elia, it was Angel.”
Chapter 36
“Angel?” The two were sitting at the kitchen counter. Elia's hands were wrapped around a cup of hot tea. “Why was she with Scharff?”
Luis just shook his head.
“How did Angel know him? He lives in Connecticut.”
“His wife said he had gone into Charleston on an errand. Maybe Angel was that errand.”
“But how did they know each other? And where were they going together?” Elia asked.
“They have to have been coming here to the island. That road goes nowhere else.”
“But Angel? Was she going to the party? Why didn't she say something yesterday when Bonnie was here?” She put her head in her hands. “Oh, Luis, I feel terrible. Here I was complaining about her, and she was in an accident.”
Luis pushed back from the counter and stood. “Elia, let's pay our respects to Mrs. Scharff. She knew her husband was on an errand; let's see if she knew what that errand was.”
Thirty minutes later, Elia and Luis were sitting in Mrs. Scharff's hotel room. Her suitcases were packed.
“I'm taking Aaron home today.
“We're so sorry,” Elia said. She pulled out a card and wrote her cell number. “When you get home, and if you need to talk to someone, please call us. We both know the pain of losing someone in an accident. She placed the card in the grieving woman's hand and held her hand with both of hers for a few moments.
Luis leaned forward in his chair. “Could we ask you a couple of questions?” He waited a beat before he began. “You told us last night that your husband had an errand to run, that's why he was running late for the party. Did he tell you what the errand was?”
“He told me about the doctor who died in Bermuda. He read the paper he was going to present.” She looked from Luis to Elia with red, puffy eyes. “He was concerned about the doctor's research.”
“Meaning he didn't want the research to be made public?” Luis asked.
“No. I don't mean that at all. He was concerned about the drug. He's been doing a lot of research since he's been back from Bermuda.
“Do you know the problems associated with the drug?” Luis asked.
“No. Not at all. I just know Aaron was upset. So when we arrived here, he looked up the doctor's girlfriend. He called her yesterday afternoon. They had a long talk. I know, because I sat right here while Aaron was on the phone.”
“It seems they were on thei
r way to Kiawah when the accident happened.” Elia said. “Yes. Aaron went to get her to bring her to Harry.”
She nodded.
“Did Harry know where Aaron went? And why?”
Mrs. Scharff shook her head. “No. Aaron couldn't reach him when he left. They played golf earlier, then he talked with the young woman, and he left to see her soon after. He told me to go to the party and that he'd be along and bring the woman… her name's Angel, isn't it, with him. He wanted her to tell Harry what she had learned from her young doctor.”
“And what was that?” Elia asked.
Again she shook her head. “I don't know. Aaron rushed out of here right after the phone call.”
“The only thing he told me was to tell Harry that there is a problem with a drug and he was bringing someone to corroborate his story.”
“Did you tell him?” Elia asked.
She brought a tissue to her face and wiped her runny nose. “I called him before the party and told him Aaron would be late.”
“And you told him why?” Elia asked.
Dot Scharff nodded.
Chapter 37
“Have you had problems with Cyptolis?” Harry Millen asked. He was at the Jasmine Porch, a restaurant at The Sanctuary, with Jacob Riser. Before he could answer, Bonnie Riser joined them at the table.
“Don't let me interrupt you. I was stopping in for a cup of coffee and saw you two in the corner. Do you mind?”
Millen unenthusiastically half rose from his chair. “Not at all.”
Bonnie pulled a chair out and sat down, folded her hands in front of her, and looked at the two men expectantly. “Really, don't let me interrupt you.”
Riser glanced at his wife. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her smile looked forced. A slight frown crossed his face. He turned his attention to Millen and answered his earlier question. “Yes. A few.”
“Any that I might not know about?”
“It seems that Cyptolis had been on the market thirty years ago. But the company took it off after complications were reported.”
“That's impossible.” Millen spit the words out. His face turned red. “Impossible.” He took a breath and lowered his voice. “How would anyone know that? That's impossible.”
“Is it?” Riser kept his eyes on Millen.
“Maybe the problems were ironed out.” Both men turned to Bonnie. And both looked as if they had forgotten she was there.
“Excuse me, but your company did have thirty years to fix things; what's so impossible about that?”
“It's impossible because I would know if we had re-introduced a drug.” Millen looked around the dining room, and again lowered his voice. “I run the damn company.”
“Harry — “ Bonnie began.
“Let me finish,” Riser said. He looked at his wife and imperceptively shook his head, then again directed his attention to Millen. “How long have you been with Pavnor?”
“Eleven years.”
“You weren't around thirty years ago.”
“And you were?”
Riser shook his head. “I didn't have to be. I can read.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Millen said the words in a low voice. “What the hell… ?”
“Cyptolis was taken off the market thirty years ago.”
“No, you're wrong. I know what drugs we have; and I know what drugs we had in the past. Cyptolis is not one of them.”
“I'm afraid it is. It was brought to my attention yesterday that it is. Thirty years ago the FDA investigated, and then the company — your company — pulled a drug off the market with the same components as Cyptolis because of hepatic side effects.”
“Jacob.” Bonnie Riser put her hand on her husband's arm. “That was a long time ago. Why are you getting upset? And who brought this to your attention?”
“Your wife is right. That was a long time ago.”
“So you did know?” Riser asked.
“No. It is done — but not with the exact components. So I think you're wrong.”
“I told you I can read; you do the research. Thirty years ago, young quadriplegic veterans from Vietnam were given a drug to lessen spasticity. There was a high incidence of liver disease — fatal liver disease.” Riser stared at Millen. “I'm telling you, Harry, this is the same drug.”
Millen leaned back in his chair and stared at Riser.
“The strange thing is the drug didn't have to be pulled; it needed only the required black box in the PDR and on the drug inserts to alert doctors of side effects.”
“Pulling it proves that the company acted in good faith,” Millen said.
“Then why, Harry, did it put the drug back on the market?” Riser almost whispered the words, as if he were tiring of a fight.
Millen said nothing for a minute; he just stared at Riser.
Riser returned the stare and waited for Millen to say more.
“You're the doctor, did you notice problems?”
“No.” As soon as Riser blurted out the answer, he clamped his mouth shut and looked away from Millen's stare. He shook his head slowly, dejectedly. “That's not quite true. I didn't want to believe Cyptolis was causing problems, because, by god, it is a good drug.”
“Then don't get upset, darling.” Bonnie kept her hand on her husband's arm.
Riser looked at his wife, then shook his head again, this time as if trying to clear it. “Bonnie, please, I'd like to talk to Harry.”
Bonnie's face seemed to harden. She breathed in deeply before she spoke. “I've got to run. I hope I'll see you before you leave, Harry.”
Millen stood as she spoke. “Yes, I hope so.” He said it absentmindedly and sat down as soon as she turned to leave.
Riser remained seated; he played with his fork. “Harry, why did you ask me if I had problems with Cyptolis?”
“Aaron. He told me the doctor who died in Bermuda had concerns and was prepared to present them at the meeting.”
“How did he know what the paper contained?”
“I was under the impression that you told him.”
Riser's face turned red. He blustered, “Only the gist. Only the gist.”
“Yes, the gist. He talked to the doctor's girlfriend. Do you know her?”
“Angel.”
“Angel. Aaron went into Charleston to bring her here to talk to me.”
Riser pushed back from the table and stood. He looked down at Millen with derision. “It seems Pavnor Pharmaceuticals dodged a bullet.”
Millen watched him leave. Through a clenched jaw, he muttered to himself, “Not for long. Not for long.”
Chapter 38
“Yesterday was a bad day. I'm going to buy you a present.” Luis parked the car at the General Store. “Wait here; I'll be right back.”
When Luis returned to the car, he put a shopping bag and an empty bucket in the back seat and handed Elia a plastic tub. She pulled the lid off. “Yuck. What in heaven's name is this?”
“Squid. And don't insult my gift.”
“I can't wait to see what I'll get on my birthday.”
“That's in the back seat.”
Elia turned to look at the cylindrical tubes lying on the back seat and a bucket and plastic shopping bag on the floor.
“Just wait. This is going to be a ‘take our minds off all problems’ type of gift.”
They stopped at the hotel, asked the dining room to pack a lunch, and stopped in their suite to change into jeans.
“Ready? Let's go fishing.” Luis held the door.
“One second.” Elia grabbed her jacket. “Ready.”
They drove until they found a pond with a dock bordering the water, one of many on Kiawah, and parked their car at the side of the road. A white pickup was parked nearby.
Luis reached for the hotel's cooler and the fishing rods, still unassembled in the tubes. Elia carried the bait, the bucket, and the shopping bag.
Another couple, wearing twin Boston Red Sox caps, were standing on the dock holding
poles, their long lines flung far out in the water.
“Catch anything?” Luis asked as they set down their gear.
“Just bait.” The fisherman motioned to a bucket of water with a few mullet swimming around. He stuck out his hand. “Earle. My wife, Janet. We're closing up shop; we'll leave the big catches to you.” They reeled in empty lines and packed up. Before heading to their truck, the man pointed to the water. “Alligator nearby.”
Luis put their poles together and threaded the lines. He pulled a large net out of the shopping bag and threw it over the water. It looked like a giant white flounder before it hit the water.
The net sank to the bottom. He lowered the bucket into the pond half filling it with water. Then he slowly pulled the net to the surface and dropped his catch into the bucket.
All this time Elia stood back and watched. “What about the squid?”
“The locals at the General Store said I should catch my own. Just in case I didn't, I bought the squid. But looks like the mullet are swimming. Let's see if something will bite them.” Luis picked up a four-inch mullet and stuck the hook right through its eye and cast far out in the pond.” He looked at Elia. “Want to take this and I'll bait your hook?”
“In your dreams. I'll bait my own hook.” She skillfully thrust the hook through the mullet's eye and cast her line as far as Luis had.
Luis let out a low whistle.
“What'd you expect? My daddy didn't raise a sissy.” She winked at Luis. “Contest?”
“I don't know. I have a feeling I'm going to lose.”
“You're right.”
While they were waiting for the first bite, a Lexus pulled up behind their car.
“This must be a popular spot,” Elia said.
“And we know him.”
Frank Hanssen got out of the car. “I thought that was you. Are they biting?”
“Yeah. Stealing our bait.” Elia said. “What are you doing out here?”
Hanssen bent over the bait bucket and tapped the side of it. He seemed intent on watching the mullet bump into each other. He answered with his eyes on the bait. “I'm on my way to visit friends.”
Die Before Your Time (Elia Christie / Luis Echevarria medical mysteries) Page 11