The Rainbow Conspiracy

by Stuart Hopps

  He added that he was still finding it hard to come to terms with what Clive and Shirley thought Allen had become mixed up in. But, after a pause, he continued: ‘Although I have to admit –reluctantly – that just recently I’ve begun to harbour my own concerns about our medical friend.’

  ‘Well you’ve been keeping your cards very close to your chest, Steve!’ Michael almost exploded. ‘You’ve never mentioned your suspicions about Allen to me before.’

  ‘You’re quite right and I’m sorry to upset you,’ apologised Steve. ‘But with Dennis’s passing and all, I just felt it wasn’t the right moment to share my views about Allen with you. In fact, if it hadn’t been for these two, I’m not sure I would have even broached the subject at all. But just lately I’ve become a little suspicious of Allen. I’d even go so far as to say that I have recently declined a blood test from him myself since I just felt that, even though he was my doctor, I was putting myself in unsafe hands.’

  ‘Well, this is all news to me,’ Michael insisted. ‘I can’t believe I’m hearing this coming from you!’

  ‘Yes I realise that, but it was just an uncomfortable feeling I had about him which I needed to keep to myself. I also had to find an excuse for not having a goddamn injection when I last visited him. Allen wouldn’t take no for an answer, although – like you Clive – I tried to convince him I had a phobia of needles. So I threw a hissy fit and just charged out of his surgery before he had the chance to inject me. I know my behaviour didn’t exactly endear me to him, which is why he was so frosty with me at your dinner party, Michael … and I was really surprised that he came round on Sunday to try to see me.’

  ‘Well I’m not,’ admitted Clive. ‘You see, I’m afraid, when questioned by Allen last Saturday after his talk-in, I now realise I unwittingly endangered you, Steve, by revealing it was you who told me all about Dennis’s wipe-out theory.’

  Clearly this proved more than Michael could stand and he erupted. ‘Now just listen, all of you! Allen has been a terrific friend to me and he’s a great doctor. I don’t believe for one moment that he tried to kill Dennis. You remember how hard he fought to save his life, for fuck’s sake. And anyway, what’s all this business about Den’s wipe-out theory?’

  Steve then explained to Michael how Dennis had come up with his theory, and how, just before he died, he’d confided in Steve. Steve then finally came clean and stated that he was not at all surprised by what he was learning from his English friends, and confessed that they had finally persuaded him that Allen could have had something to do with the spread of the deadly virus in Columbus.

  With that, Michael suddenly rose to his feet in an emotional outburst: ‘I’ve had enough! I just can’t stand much more of this. You both owe me an apology and I think I have the right to know exactly what Dennis told you, Steve, and what you think he had become mixed up in. Remember, he was my partner, for fuck’s sake.’

  Shirley, ever the pacifier, immediately sprung into action and calmly took control. She urged Steve and Clive to level with Michael and bring him up to speed with what they had found out. She also suggested that they all needed another whisky to calm their nerves. Once Michael was seated, with a fresh drink in his hand, Steve told the story, and explained that Dennis had deliberately not wanted Michael to know any of the details in case he also became too involved in what could turn out to be an equally dangerous situation for him.

  Michael, seeming to have calmed down a bit, admitted that he did remember Dennis trying to tell him something when he went into hospital for the last time, but because he was so ill, and barely able to get his words out, Michael urged him to save his energy. Now he slowly turned to Clive and asked: ‘So what exactly did you take from Allen’s office?’

  Clive reached into the inside pocket of his raincoat. ‘These!’

  Steve rose from his seat and walked towards Clive’s outstretched hands, and then unwrapped the handkerchiefs, which held what had been taken.

  ‘And this. And if it contains what I think it does, it could be the toxin that is the key to spreading the deadly AIDS virus.’

  ‘Oh my God!’ Steve exclaimed. ‘That’s incredible.’

  Shirley once again took command. ‘In a way,’ she said, ‘getting the evidence was the easy bit. What we do with it now is much more of a challenge. Clive darling, I think my handbag would be a far safer place to store these precious objects than your raincoat pocket, don’t you?’

  ‘As always, Mummy dearest, you know best.’ And with that he carefully handed over his booty into her charge.

  After a short pause Steve announced that he really hadn’t been thinking straight. He suggested that the first thing they all ought to do was call the Men’s Center, which was just round the corner from the hospital. His friend Shane was usually on duty there and that he might know the latest on what had happened at the clinic, and whether there were any fatalities or not.

  ‘Good thinking, Steve,’ said Clive. ‘Anyway, I can’t walk around in your pyjamas all day long and Michael has brought our bags in from the car. You see, we checked out of the Sheraton and Shirley is due to fly back to New York tonight.’

  ‘Clive darling,’ interjected Shirley. ‘Now I’m none too sure about that … I don’t feel I can leave quite yet.’

  Steve rang Shane, but after a while he turned to the others. ‘It’s no good. The line’s constantly busy. I just don’t seem to be able to get through.’

  Michael, who’d remained silent during the last exchange suddenly stood up. ‘Why don’t we just go there and then we’ll find out the latest from Shane in person.’

  Steve felt that wasn’t a good idea at all. ‘Michael, I don’t think any of us should be seen around town.’

  ‘At least let me call my dad and ask him to drop by the Men’s Center and talk to Shane.’

  ‘Go ahead, Michael. Please use the phone in the hall.’

  Shirley sat and examined the stolen goods in her handbag. ‘You know boys, we really do need to get this situation into some sort of perspective, and distance ourselves from what has happened and think more rationally.’

  ‘Shirley, you’re absolutely right,’ agreed Steve, ‘and I also have to admit that I think we are all in very great danger. I’m sure you have a Secret Service back home, but you’ve got no idea what our FBI is capable of.’

  ‘No, I suppose not. But Steve, strangely enough, just recently I met a gentleman called Peter Wright, who was a key figure in British intelligence. He came to me with a play he’d written about Soviet espionage and about how our counter-intelligence got involved with the Russians in the seventies. I seem to remember that one of the characters in his play was your J. Edgar Hoover and at the time I thought it quite a good idea for…’

  ‘Sorry to butt in,’ interrupted Michael. ‘Dad said he would go straight over and talk to Shane. I didn’t go into too much detail, but said we thought there had been a problem at the clinic. You know, I really do need to talk to Douglas. He’s always so wise in an emergency and I’m sure he’ll give us all some sound advice. By the way, would you two like to check back into your hotel? I could drive you there on my way over to see my folks?’

  ‘Now, listen everybody! No one’s going anywhere for a minute.’ Steve ‘s voice grew louder as he became quite overheated. ‘Let’s all just sit down and calmly try to talk this thing through. Although I didn’t see the clinic being blown up like you guys did, the whole thing sounds very sinister to me … Michael, they cannot possibly go back to their hotel and if Allen is who we think he is, he must already have told his superiors what Clive and Shirley have stolen from his office. I believe they are in great danger – we all are! For all we know, the FBI might be planning to blow up the Sheraton. I really think, because Clive gave details of your residence when he filled in his immigration details, it’s also dangerous for you to return home too, Michael. They could be outside your door and waiting to arrest our English buddies or bump them off.’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry, I’
ve already thought about that. I intend to stay with my folks tonight and the family house is registered in Gloria’s maiden name, since it originally belonged to her parents.’

  ‘Well, that’s a relief. At least the FBI can’t trace it to the Poledris. And I suppose if you really do need to see them, you’d better go straight away. I won’t try to stop you. But please be sure to come back in an hour’s time, packed and ready to leave Columbus. We’ve all got to get out of this town. And sharp’s the word! Just tell your folks you’re going off to Florida with your new beau for a few days.’

  It was pointless for Michael to say that his folks knew he didn’t have a new boyfriend, but he did assure Steve that he would be back within the hour.

  Once Michael had driven off, Shirley pointed out that it was well past their lunchtime and, her diabetes aside, they should all try to eat something. Fortunately, Steve, ever the foodie of the group, had his refrigerator well stocked and quickly offered to prepare some sandwiches, which he suggested could be helped down with a few bottles of beer. Shirley also pointed out that she needed to cancel her flight back to New York, since she now had every intention of staying one more night in Columbus. Steve told her to go ahead and use the phone in the hallway and, while their host was in the kitchen, Clive retrieved the stolen items from Shirley’s handbag and proceeded to wrap his precious evidence in some hand towels he’d found in Steve’s bathroom and lock it away in his small suitcase.

  The two Brits had not had time to discuss what to do with what they had removed from Allen’s office that morning, and once Shirley had rejoined Clive, he freely admitted that although he knew everything he’d stolen required rigorous forensic examination, the problem was that he didn’t know how to organise such a procedure.

  Shirley suggested that perhaps once he got back to London, he should discuss the matter with his own doctor back in Hammersmith.

  Now alone with Shirley for the first time since their escape from the clinic, Clive confessed that he was also beginning to have a change of heart, and wondered whether he should hand everything over to Steve to deal with. Shirley felt that wasn’t quite fair, but suggested that they divide everything in two, except for what might be the toxin, of course. Since Clive valued her advice above anyone else’s, and believed that she normally knew what to do for the best, he decided that it was an excellent suggestion and confessed that she had solved his dilemma. So they set about retrieving all their stolen evidence from his locked case and started to divide their booty.

  ‘Shirley, I’m so sorry I’ve got you involved in all this. I had no idea it would all turn out so drastically.’

  ‘Remember, Clive, I offered to fly out to Columbus. You didn’t force me. And you know what? I’m really glad I decided to come.’

  ‘Me too. But it’s not over yet.’

  ‘I know what you mean. Even Michael believes that the FBI is on to us and that’s why they had gone to Den’s house. But darling, presumably having come this far, you do want to go through with it all? I mean to say, without even knowing about what happened to Allen and that poor nurse of his, you do want to get to the bottom of what we’re dealing with, don’t you? And by the way, now I come to think about it, I remember Allen whispered something under his breath to Nurse Edith when I was lying on the floor – about how my fainting had somewhat complicated matters. I bet that they were working as a team.’

  ‘That doesn’t surprise me in the least. But I dearly hope there were no other staff or patients in the other rooms and I’m praying that there were no casualties. I know you feel it’s more than likely that Allen and his nurse probably escaped the blast, but you know what? I feel like I’m sitting on a Columbus time bomb and I’m not sure I have enough stamina to cope with much more of this. I now just want to get out of here, get back home and have my share of this stuff analysed.’

  ‘This really doesn’t sound like you. We can’t simply walk out on Steve and Michael and leave them to deal with the aftermath.’

  Then coughing rather loudly, she changed tack. ‘That looks delicious!’

  Steve emerged from the kitchen bearing a huge platter of sandwiches and a tray of beers. All three sat silently, munching their way through their picnic lunch in a very tense atmosphere. After a while, Steve pointed out that there was no point in trying to phone Shane again, although he had to admit that he was longing to know if there was any news about Allen. ‘You know, I’m still finding it hard to take in all that’s happened.’

  The others agreed.

  This may be a somewhat indelicate question on my behalf,’ said Clive, ‘but you don’t think Michael has got too close to Allen, do you Steve?’

  ‘Well Clive, I’m not quite sure what you’re driving at.’

  ‘I realise he’s Allen’s patient and they spend a lot of time together… please don’t be offended by what I’m about to say, but do you think we can really trust Michael?’

  ‘Well, to be honest, the thought has never crossed my mind.’

  ‘Oh, I suppose with all that’s happened, I’m just getting a bit paranoid, that’s all. Perhaps Michael’s right, I have been making too many movies lately!’

  ‘His Spoke nose can get things wrong, you know,’ joked Shirley, in an attempt to try to salvage another awkward moment.

  ‘Guys, while I was in the kitchen making the sandwiches, I had a few thoughts of my own. Please don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say, but I really think you both have simply got to disappear.’

  Clive and Shirley put their beers down, speechless.

  ‘Oh, don’t get me wrong, you two, I’m not going to bump you off. I just want to help you both get away from here in one piece.’

  ‘But how?’ Shirley asked.

  ‘For starters, you’ve both got to go into hiding. Was the Sheraton booking made in your name Clive?’

  ‘Actually Steve, I made the reservations,’ Shirley stated. ‘I was going to book it under Spoke Associates, then I changed my mind at the last minute and used my own credit card.’

  ‘But you had to show your passports, which were surely photocopied?’

  ‘Well, yes.’

  ‘Don’t you see that the CIA will try to trace your whereabouts, and prevent either of you from leaving the country. They must have found out what you’ve stolen by now, and it’s in their interest to put an end to this wipe-out conspiracy theory for once and for all.’

  Now, so very unlike her, it was Shirley’s turn to get agitated.

  ‘Steve, before we came here, we did go back to Dennis’s house, but Michael saw that the place was crawling with men in dark suits, so they may have been looking for us there. Do you seriously think that those people will really try to wipe us out too?’

  And before Steve had a chance to reply, Clive turned to Shirley: ‘Darling, I’ve also been doing a lot of thinking. I believe it’s high time we gave ourselves up before anything else gets blown up. Don’t you, Steve?’

  ‘That’s not what I’m suggesting,’ Steve insisted. ‘We’ve just got to get you both out of Columbus as soon as Michael comes back; we’ll all get across the border and into Canada. With British passports, you won’t need visas, and once out of the USA, it will be much more difficult for any of our government agents to track you both down.’

  ‘You know, I really didn’t think this thing through, did I? It honestly never occurred to me that I was putting all our lives in such grave danger when we went to the clinic this morning.’

  ‘What’s done can’t be undone, and anyway, we can’t put the clock back. Speaking of which, Michael will be here shortly, and we need to think of making a move.’

  ‘But I’m still in your pyjamas.’

  ‘And I’m shoeless,’ added Shirley.

  ‘I was thinking about that while making the sandwiches. My younger brother Adam comes to visit often and always leaves a change of clothes here. Clive, I think you’re his size and I’m sure we can find a pair of slippers you can get into Shirley – that is, for the time b
eing. Come on, let’s go upstairs.’

  Clive pointed out that because they had checked out of the Sheraton, they both had their overnight bags with them, and so they would both be fine.

  ‘And luckily,’ Shirley added, ‘I know I’ve packed a spare pair of heels in my bag. But, I don’t know about you Clive, I really wouldn’t mind freshening up a little.’

  Steve was quick to suggest that they went ahead and used the showers. ‘There’s one off my bedroom and one in the spare bathroom, and there’s tons of hot water.’

  ‘Now you’re sounding just like Dennis. He was always on at me for not showering enough. Come on Shirley, why don’t you use the one in Steve’s bedroom?’

  While he left them to it, Steve double-checked, and found the spare set of keys to a chum’s house just outside of Toledo where he often used to house-sit. Ron was on sabbatical in California, but out of courtesy, Steve put a call through to him and told him he would be going north for a few days with some friends and asked if it was convenient for them to stay at his house for a few nights. Ron was more than happy with that arrangement, and so, as he put the phone down, Steve smiled to himself and felt that his escape plan was really going to work.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  THE SUMMIT TUESDAY

  Shirley lost no time at all, was soon in and out of the shower and, having obviously decided not to wash her hair, had tied her locks back in a ponytail. Wearing black slacks and a navy-blue Sonia Rykiel twinset, she also sported dark glasses and wore a headscarf in an attempt at camouflage. Clive was out of Steve’s pyjamas in a flash, showered, and was quickly changed and ready to go. He quite obviously had not shaved and was now wearing a dark shadow, indicating that he was trying to grow a beard.