Die Before Your Time (Elia Christie / Luis Echevarria medical mysteries)

by Polonus Mucha, Susan

“I think I know what's going on. And Vicente did too.” He stood at the open patio door.

  “We know that.” Elia pushed past him and sat on one of the patio chairs. “Come here.” She patted the seat beside her. “Why so excited?”

  “It came to me when I was watching Mad Money.”

  “I heard the guy screaming. But what came to you?”

  “There was a question about a drug and side effects. The question had to do with stock prices. Of course Pavnor would lose money if the news got out, but who else stands to lose?”

  “I knew it!” Elia sounded triumphant. “Stock prices would plummet. Hanssen.”

  “Hanssen.” Luis nodded slowly.

  “So Vicente's report would have hurt Hanssen's pocket,” Elia said. “But kill over it? I don't think so.”

  “But, Elia, it's not only his money. He's a stock broker. He makes money by enticing people to put their money in stocks that he considers a good bet.”

  “I hadn't thought of that. Can we find out what the stock's worth?”

  “Sure. As soon as Wall Street opens in the morning.”

  The two of them sat looking out at the ocean; the only sound the crash of the surf.

  “Something's not right.” Elia turned to face Luis. “Why would Vicente keep something so serious to himself.”

  “He wouldn't. He planned on presenting his findings at the meeting.”

  “No, Luis. People were sick. Dying. Why would he wait for the meeting? Why not speak up earlier? Elia frowned. “What was he thinking?”

  They were up early, but had to wait for the stock market to open before they could check prices. Luis had the TV on. The opening bell sounded and the race was on.

  “I'm not surprised. The numbers look bad for Pavnor.”

  “What about other drug companies. Check them out.”

  “Falling.” Luis shook his head. “One question and look at its effects.”

  “But the stock market has been in the cellar for a long time. What's so different now?

  “Just have to look at the history. Pavnor has been holding steady. But since last night, it's down, way down. But so are other drug companies.”

  “I guess it makes sense. How would people know which company the caller was referring to? I'd sell, if I had a lot of money there.”

  “No you wouldn't, Elia. You're smarter than that. You wouldn't even put your money into a company that you didn't know everything about.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence, but how could I know something if even the FDA didn't know it? I think that one little tidbit in the guy's question is scaring a lot of people.”

  Luis stared at Elia. “That's it. You got it.”

  Chapter 45

  Dot Scharff helped her kids load the car and kissed them goodbye. They had finished their college classes before the funeral, but she sent them back to school to clear out their dorm rooms for the summer. She closed the door and leaned against the cool wood and burst into tears. The house was quiet. Too quiet. She shook her head. She smelled fresh coffee and walked slowly into the kitchen. The table was cluttered with the breakfast mess.

  “Life goes on.” She was almost startled to hear her voice in the quiet house. She poured coffee, reached for an apron. Her kids called it her kangaroo apron because of the large front pocket. She loaded the dishwasher and worked slowly. Next, she went upstairs and stripped beds and gathered dirty towels. She dropped the laundry down the clothes chute. The cleaning she would leave for her housekeeper.

  On her way downstairs, she grabbed a sweater and slipped it on over her apron. “Who cares,” she said to the empty house.

  She put a load of sheets in the washer, poured another cup of coffee and turned to Aaron's study. She stood looking into it from the middle of the hall.

  “What is it, Aaron? What is it that killed you?

  She squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and walked into the study. She smiled when she took in the chaos on her husband's desk. Books, papers, and sticky notes were scattered over his desk. His laptop was closed and sitting on top of the clutter, just where she put it when she brought it home from Kiawah. She shook her head. “Ah, Aaron. I'll miss you.”

  The book shelves were full, so packed that some books were in piles on the floor. She sat behind his desk and turned the computer on. She scrolled through the directory looking for something — she didn't know what. Slowly she read each entry. She had to go only to the Cs when she stopped. Cyptolis. She opened the file. “What?” She stared at a blank screen.

  She turned to the desk and slowly started putting papers in neat piles. She looked closely at each paper she picked up. Underneath a stack of papers she found his flash drive. She slipped it into her apron pocket. She grabbed a tissue and wiped off the dust as she found clear spaces. She pushed back in the chair and picked up a tall stack of papers, placed them in her lap, and went through them.

  She stopped suddenly when she reached the middle of the stack. She put her hand to her chest. A manila folder with Cyptolis — Problems was scribbled across the top. Thick black lines were scratched under the word problems. She opened the folder to find several typed sheets of paper and a stack of newspaper clippings.

  Before she could read, a loud noise caught her attention. She ran into the laundry room, folder in hand, to see the washer dancing across the floor. She stuffed the folder into her kangaroo pocket and rearranged the wet sheets to balance the washer. Then she heard the doorbell. “What now?” She looked down at her apron, patted her hair and whispered, “So what,” and went to the door.

  “Dot.” Lorraine Fegan was the CFO at Pavnor and looked the part. Her premature gray hair, the color of polished pewter, was set off by her black sheath and large silver jewelry.

  She bent to hug Dot and stepped back to look at her. “I knew the children left for school today, so I thought you might need some company.”

  “I'm fine. I really am.”

  “Well you don't look fine.”

  “Of course I don't look fine. I'm wearing an old bathrobe, a dirty apron and my hair is curling in four different directions.” She had her hands on her hips. “I really appreciate the compliment.” She smiled, her first genuine smile in days.

  Lorraine laughed and put her arms around Dot. “I love your spirit.” Then she got serious. “Have you been out since Aaron died?”

  “No.”

  “But you don't practice Shiva, do you?”

  “Oh please. We'd really be in a pickle. No, we're reformed. None of that eight-day mourning period for me.”

  She slowly brought her hand to her mouth as if to silence herself. Her eyes filled with tears. “Who am I kidding? I'm mourning and will for a long time to come. I don't need Shiva to tell me how I should feel.”

  Lorraine nodded. “You're coming out with me. We'll drive up the coast and have a nice leisurely lunch. Go get ready.”

  Dot hesitated and looked around the house. “I have a mess to clean up.”

  “No you don't. Let your housekeeper do it. You get dressed, and I'll just sit right here and wait for you. I will not take no for an answer.” She looked imperialistic and pointed up the stairs. “Go!”

  Dot smiled. “OK, boss. I'll get ready.” She pointed toward the living room. Go on in and make yourself comfortable.” She turned to leave and then said, “Lorraine, we're right here in Greenwich; let's just go to the Avenue. There are so many nice places to eat there.”

  She hesitated at the foot of the stairs. “To be honest, Lorraine, you drive like you're in a race sometimes, and I just can't do that.” Her voice shook.

  “Of course. The Avenue is fine. I shouldn't have been so thoughtless what with Aaron's…” She let her sentence die. “And I promise I'll drive safely.”

  “I'm thoughtless too. I should have asked how you feel after your spill.”

  Lorraine rubbed her elbow and flexed her arm. “I was lucky all I broke was my elbow, but it's been months since my accident and it still bothers me.”


  “Don't say I never warned you. I won't let my kids…” She waved a hand in dismissal. “Oh never mind.” She smiled again — her second smile.

  Lorraine pointed up the stairs. “Enough about me. You go.”

  “It won't take me long.” She hurried up the stairs. When Lorraine heard the shower running, she stole into the study and looked around. She shook her head when she saw the mess on the desk. But the laptop was what she was interested in. She was about to turn it on when she heard a whooshing noise coming from the kitchen area. She froze and listened. Then she walked silently into the kitchen and looked around. She heard it again. It was coming from the adjacent laundry room. She peeked around the open door just as some clothes shot down the laundry chute. Lorraine shook her head. “You're a crazy lady,” she said to herself. Before she left the room she spied a window above a table covered with folded towels and clothes. She reached over the table, unlocked the window and made sure it opened easily.

  Something struck Lorraine as odd. She cocked her head. It was too quiet. How long had it been since she heard the shower running upstairs?

  Lorraine hurried from the laundry room and made her way to the living room. She pulled out her cell phone and sent a quick text message just as a hastily showered and dressed Dot Scharff descended the steps.

  “I'll put my makeup on in the car.”

  Lorraine took a deep breath and didn't speak as they left the house.

  “Maybe this is what I need,” Dot said as she slid into Lorraine's silver BMW.

  “I know it is.”

  Chapter 46

  “A three-hour lunch. I feel like an executive.”

  “We don't usually window shop after our so-called executive lunches, but you needed some diversion, Dot. It's been a bad week.” She patted her arm. “I'm so very sorry.”

  “I know you are. I appreciate your trying to cheer me up. But now I have to face life — and get on with it.” She paused as if reflecting.

  “What is it?”

  “Aaron asked me to go along with him to Bermuda.” She shook her head. “I should have gone.”

  Lorraine gave Dot's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “We were busy most of the time while there, so don't have any regrets.”

  Dot nodded. She said good-bye to Lorraine in the driveway of her home and gave a small wave before she unlocked her front door. When she stepped inside she frowned and stood still, then turned slowly to her husband's study. She gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. His desk top was completely empty. She quickly scanned the room, then backed up to the front door and quietly let herself out of the house. Lorraine's car was nowhere in sight. She dug in her purse for her cell phone and called 911.

  Lorraine Fegan had checked the time before she dropped Dot at her house. As she pulled away, she made a phone call. She liked what she heard. She snapped shut her phone and inhaled deeply. She would examine everything carefully and decide what to do later.

  She had a lot at stake. Cyptolis had to succeed. Pavnor could not afford to lose favor in the industry — and especially on Wall Street. But most important to Lorraine Fegan was Lorraine Fegan. She had been trying to crash through the glass ceiling for years, and now that she could almost see daylight, she was not going to let anything — or anyone — get in her way. Harry is a patsy, she thought to herself. If he only knew half of what is going on with his precious pharmaceutical company.

  Lorraine squinted her eyes when she said aloud, “Harry, it just might be time to enlighten you.” She put on her blinker, got in the right lane, and exited off the Merritt Parkway to Stamford.

  Chapter 47

  Dot sat on the sofa in the living room while the two uniformed policemen went through her house opening closets and checking the attic and basement. It didn't take them long to finish up. This was routine for them. There have been burglaries in nearby neighborhoods, they told her.

  “But don't worry. Robbers aren't usually armed. They're just looking for valuables; not people. But funny they didn't touch your TV or jewelry. Or the computer up in your son's room. Just your laptop.”

  As soon as they left, Dot locked the door and sat on the stairs and put her head in her hands and sobbed. She stood and walked into the study and frowned as she looked at the cleared desk. Her heart skipped a beat and she ran to the laundry room. She dug through the pile of dirty clothes under the chute until she found what she was looking for. She pulled her apron out from beneath wet towels and stuck her hand in the pocket and grabbed the folder. She turned the pocket inside out and found the flash drive. It lay in her open hand while she stared at it, her frown returning and then she ran upstairs to her son's room and turned on his computer.

  Chapter 48

  “Dr, Echevarria? This is Dot Scharff. Elia gave me this number.”

  “She's in the shower, but she can call you back. How are you, Dot?”

  “Not good. Someone broke into my house.”

  “Oh, no! Are you all right?”

  “I'm fine. I wasn't home.”

  “What did they take?”

  Elia walked into the room almost buried in a plush Sanctuary Hotel robe. “Dot Scharff,” Luis mouthed. “Dot, Elia's here.” He handed the phone to Elia. “Someone broke into her house,” Luis whispered.

  “Dot, it's Elia. What happened? You had a break-in?”

  “Yes, and they stole Aaron's computer and all his papers.”

  “Oh, Dot, I'm so sorry. Are you all right?”

  “Shook up.”

  “Just his computer?

  “And papers.”

  “Do you know what was on the computer?

  “I didn't at the time. I looked on his computer earlier. I was hoping to see something about the drug.” She told Elia about seeing the empty Cyptolis file on the computer and about the flash drive and papers she found.

  “They didn't take the flash drive or those papers?”

  “They were in the dirty clothes pile.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Dot explained how she had thrown her apron down the clothes chute with the papers and flash drive in the pocket. “Who would look there?” She gave a half-hearted laugh that seemed to get swallowed up.

  “I'm so sorry to bother you.” Her laugh was gone. “This is scary. I read Aaron's report, and there was more to the problem with the drug than anyone realized. I wonder if your young doctor friend in Bermuda even knew.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Aaron did a lot of research after Bermuda. He wrote his report while we were on Kiawah.”

  “What does it say?”

  Dot was silent.

  Elia spoke up. “Dot? What's the matter?”

  “Elia, I don't think I should talk about this over the phone.” She hesitated. “But there is one thing.”

  Elia listened then said, “We're coming. We'll be there tomorrow.” Elia looked at Luis. She took a deep breath and waited for him to say something. He shook his head.

  “Uh, Dot, I think we're coming. I'll call you later.”

  “We'll know more when we see her.” She had ended the call and tried to stare her husband down. His dark eyes held hers.

  Chapter 49

  “I think it's related.” She put her cell phone in her pocket. “So far as she can tell, all they took were some papers and Aaron's laptop.”

  “That's what people steal.”

  “Not papers. They didn't take the TV, jewelry, her son's computer, anything else. Just Aaron's computer — and his papers.” Her voice went up a few notes with each word.

  Luis sighed. “Why do you think it's related?” He opened a drawer and pulled out his gym shorts and rifled around until he found a pair of socks.

  “Luis — stop.” She patted the bed. “Please. Come here. Dot must think there's a connection; she called me.”

  Luis took a deep breath. “Why does she think that?”

  “They took his papers.”

  “You said that.” He seemed to ponder this. “What thief steals paper
s?”

  “Didn't I just say that?” She turned on the edge of the bed and curled her feet under her robe. “But not all his papers.” Elia repeated what Dot said about the papers and the flash drive down the clothes chute.

  “What was on the flash drive?”

  “She doesn't know; the computer's gone, remember?”

  “The papers?”

  “She read them. He started researching after he got home from Bermuda. He had a lot of notes. And newspaper clippings. I guess he started thinking.” Elia shrugged. “A little late.”

  Luis and Elia looked at each other with puzzled looks on their faces. “Honey, I read Vicente's notes. There was a problem; he was planning on reporting it at the meeting.” He stopped and looked puzzled. “Strange.”

  “Strange?”

  “I had thought Vicente knew about the stock angle, but his notes don't mention that at all.” He was silent.

  “So maybe that's not in the equation?” Elia asked.

  Luis looked confused. “He was going to report a problem.”

  “But he didn't, and no one else did either.” Elia jumped up from the bed. “No one read his paper. That makes me so mad!”

  Luis grabbed her hands and pulled her toward him. “I won't keep quiet. I promise.”

  She pulled her hands away. “Was he going to say anything about outsourcing the production to China?”

  “China? No way.” He shook his head. “Where does this come from?”

  “Aaron. It was in his notes that Dot found.”

  Luis was still. “I'd like to see his notes. Better yet, I'd like to see what's on his thumb drive.”

  “Uh, good. I was hoping you'd say that.” She stole a look at him.

  “Meaning?”

  “What I mean, we should go to Connecticut and see Dot.” Before Luis could say anything, she added, “You could get the flash drive.”

  Now it was Luis's turn to jump up. He began pacing around the room, a determined look on his face. Elia followed him with her eyes. He stopped in front of her, took her hands, and pulled her to her feet. “Give me your phone.”