Miracle Cure (1991)

by Harlan Coben

  Ernest Sanders gave them all that and more. And yes, he made a lot o f m oney from it. Why shouldn't he? He made the world a better place an d b rought joy to thousands, maybe millions, of people. Maybe God hadn't s hown him a burning bush or given him the power to walk on water. But h e h ad given him the power to move people with his words and perhaps tha t w as, after all, the way God intended it to be. No flashy miracles i n t his technological, bureaucratic era just the simple power t o c ommunicate His message.

  Perhaps, Sanders thought, he was engaged in a holy battle and God ha d c hosen him to lead the side of the righteous, to rally his troops, t o l ead them into the Promised Land ... and to rid the world of the godles s s cum, to fight the evildoers who would try to stop him. Even to th e d eath.

  The Newsfksh credits rolled by. With a sigh, Sanders reached for th e p hone and dialed Raymond Markey's home.

  "Hello?"

  "Were you watching?" Reverend Sanders asked.

  "Yes."

  "Very distressing," Sanders continued.

  "There is going to be a tremendous outcry."

  "But Riker played into our hands when they mentioned Bradley Jenkins,"

  Markey said.

  "Now we have proof that his reports were falsified. His findings can b e l abeled invalid."

  "Maybe," Sanders allowed, "but don't count on it. We can use it, but i t m ight not be enough. We might have to consider other plans."

  Markey cleared his throat.

  "If you think it's necessary."

  "It is. Now that Riker has brought Silverman into this, I don't see ho w w e have any choice. I'll contact Silverman's stepfather."

  "What do you want me to do?"

  "Get on a plane to New York. I want you to confront Harvey Rike r m an-to-man." "Fine." Markey paused.

  "There's one other thing."

  "Yes?"

  "The Gay Slasher killings it's all very strange."

  "I know what you mean." Markey paused again before asking, "Who do yo u t hink is behind it?"

  Ernest Sanders weighed his words carefully.

  "To be honest, Ray," he said at last, "I really don't know."

  Chapter 14.

  Early the next morning, Sara hobbled down the CBS corridor an d p ushed open the door to Donald Parker's office without knocking.

  "You bastard."

  Donald looked up from his desk. If he had been surprised by he r o utburst, his face did not show it.

  "I've been expecting you."

  "You lied to me."

  "Sara-" "You said you would leave Bradley Jenkinsout of your report."

  "Sara, I'm sorry but I just couldn't do it."

  "Why not?" "Because I'm a reporter," Parker said.

  "I was assigned to cover the story, the full story "

  "Spare me the speech."

  "Hold on a minute, Sara. You were biased on this one. Your judgment wa s c louded."

  "What are you talking about?"

  Parker adjusted his tie.

  "It's simple. You don't leave out a vital aspect of a story to protect a f riend."

  "But I explained " "You explained what? That your friend, this Harve y r iker, lied to government officials? That he falsified reports?"

  "He didn't falsify anything. He allowed Bradley Jenkins the right t o c onfidentiality."

  "Oh come, Sara, you didn't really expect me to give up the Gay Slashe r s tory, did you? If I left Jenkins out of the report, what was th e c onnection between the Gay Slasher's victims? The whole idea was tha t t hey all came from Hiker's clinic. I couldn't just skip over Bradle y j enkins, now could I?"

  Sara leaned against her cane.

  "You don't realize the consequences."

  "Worrying about the consequences is not our job. You know that. We r eport the news and let the pieces fall where they may.

  We cannot choose to suppress important facts in order to achieve ou r p ersonal goals. Reverse our roles for a minute. If you were doing a s tory and I came to you and asked you to leave out a vital part of th e s tory in order to protect a friend of mine a friend who tampered wit h g overnment documents would you?"

  "I didn't ask you to protect a friend. I asked you to protect th e c linic. Don't you see? Your report could close them down."

  He shook his head.

  "No way. After the show last night, the public would never allow it.

  The researchers at the clinic are overnight heroes. All of America i s t alking about them." "You still should have told me."

  "Maybe I should have," he allowed, "but I didn't think there was time."

  He crossed the room and stood in front of her.

  "I'm sorry about your husband. He must be a very brave man to go publi c w ith something like this."

  She nodded and turned to go.

  "Thank you, Donald," she said curtly.

  "I apologize for barging in."

  Dr. Harvey Riker tried to read the report at his desk, but it wa s p ointless. After watching the Newsflash report last night, i Si slee p h ad kept a safe distance away from him. Now that the evening had give n w ay to sunrise, his mind still churned with the same questions an d d oubts. Had he made a grave mistake in allowing the report to be aired?

  It had seemed like the perfect idea, the perfect way to keep the clini c g oing strong, but he had forgotten to add in the Bradley Jenkins factor , a factor which could very well destroy the clinic.

  What was going to happen now?

  The intercom on his desk buzzed.

  "Yes?"

  "Dr. Raymond Markey is here to see you."

  Harvey felt something twist in his abdomen.

  "He's here? In the clinic?"

  "Yes, Doctor."

  Oh God, oh God ..."Show him in."

  Harvey sat back and began to gulp down large quantities of air. He w aited, staring at the second hand of the clock above his door. It move d l ike it was being weighed down no sweep, just a grudging crawl.

  Markey already knew. The son of a bitch knew about Jenkins before th e s how. But how?

  "Dr. Riker?"

  Harvey put on a smile that was way too broad.

  "Dr. Markey, come in. What brings you here?"

  "You don't know?" Harvey continued to smile, unfazed.

  "Should I?"

  "We need to talk."

  Harvey was a touch confused by Markey's tone. He had expected the man t o b e cool, calm, sure; instead, there was an undeniable strain in hi s v oice. The Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services was dresse d i n a blue pin-striped suit, black shoes that desperately needed a shine , and a solid red tie.

  "Have a seat."

  "Thank you." Markey fell heavily into the chair as though overcome b y e xhaustion.

  "Some coffee?"

  "No." He leaned back and crossed his legs.

  "Dr. Riker, let me get to the point. I saw the television report on you r c linic last night. I found it very informative ... and disturbing."

  "Disturbing?" Harvey repeated with the same stupid smile glued to hi s f ace. He wondered how much longer he would get away with the dumb act.

  Not very, he surmised.

  "I reread your findings and confidential reports last night," Marke y c ontinued.

  "While they are not exactly contradictory to what the show said, the y w ere, shall we say, vague."

  "It was not intentional," Harvey tried, his brain scanning fiercely fo r e scape avenues.

  "You see, Dr. Markey, I did not want to make any wild claims before I h ad full documentation to back them up." "But the show said "

  "Exactly. The show said I didn't. You know how the press operates. The y e xaggerate everything out of all proportion."

  "Then the TV coverage was not your idea?"

  "Absolutely not. The media came to me. They told me they heard about th e c linic through a leak." An idea finally broke into view. Harvey seize d i t.

  "They implied, Dr. Markey, that the leak came from Washington. You r o ffices, in fa
ct."

  That's it, Harp, lie like a cheap toupee. Put him on the defensive.

  Markey tilted his head toward the ceiling, considering Harvey's a ccusation. Then he said, "Maybe the leak came from Michael Silverman o r s ara Lowell? I understand that they are both good friends of yours."

  Harvey shook his head.

  "They knew nothing about the clinic until the day before yesterday whe n w e diagnosed Michael as being HIV positive. That reporter from Newsflas h d onald Parker knew about it over a week ago."

  Markey looked at him doubtfully. He leaned forward.

  "Forget that matter for a moment," he said.

  "I think it's time we stopped dancing around and got to the heart of th e m atter."

  "You're mixing your metaphors, Harvey wanted to scream. Panic an d d esperation coursed through him like tiny shards of glass.

  "You lied to us, Dr. Riker. Your reports were falsified."

  "Falsified?"

  "You know what I'm talking about. You experimented on Bradley Jenkins.

  There was no mention of him in any of your reports."

  Harvey cleared his throat.

  "A patient has a right to confidentiality, Doctor."

  "Not in this case he doesn't. There were no studies on him, no lab tes t r esults, nothing."

  "But-"

  "You haven't changed, Riker. You still don't understand that there ar e r ules that must be followed."

  "I know all about rules."

  "No, I don't think you do. You've always been the same, always lookin g f or the easy way."

  "Not the easy way," Harvey corrected, fighting to hold back his growin g f ear and rage.

  "I look for the way with the least amount of bureaucratic bullshit t o w ade through. I look for the way that will save the most live s q uickest." He stopped, not wanting to continue but knowing he wa s p owerless to stop.

  "You'd understand that if you were more of a doctor than a pencil pushe r m arkey's eyes widened behind his thick spectacles. His whole face becam e t wo angry eyes.

  "Who do you think you're talking to?"

  "Dr. Markey, if you'd just listen "

  "Do you understand the seriousness of your actions?" Markey interrupted.

  "You could have your grant revoked. The clinic could be shut down an d a ll your findings labeled invalid."

  Harvey stared at him, frozen, afraid for a moment to speak or even move.

  Finally, his lips parted.

  "Senator Jenkins forced me to keep Bradley's name out of the reports,"

  Harvey said, grasping at anything to stay afloat.

  "If you try to close us down, there will be a scandal like you've neve r s een before."

  "The senator's good name has already been dragged through the mud,"

  Markey replied.

  "A little more isn't going to hurt."

  "So what are you saying?"

  "Simply this. I have a proposal for you."

  Harvey looked at him, confused.

  "Proposal?"

  "What I am about to offer you is not negotiable. You either take it o r w e close the clinic. It's your choice."

  "I'm listening."

  "You have falsified reports which we both know is a very serious issue.

  All your findings are tainted. We could disregard them all together ...

  or we could allow you to build upon them."

  "I don't understand."

  "Michael Silverman is your most recently admitted patient.

  Correct?"

  "So?"

  "Not much work has been done on him yet?"

  "Very little. He's been on SRI for less than 24 hours."

  "Good. We are going to watch his progress. I am bringing in my own me n t o monitor everything that happens with Silverman. They will chart ever y d etail of his treatment. When and if he becomes HIV negative, we'll b e a ble to reexamine your other findings and begin testing "

  "It could take years!" "You should have thought of that before yo u t ampered with NIH reports," Markey snapped.

  Oh God, oh God, what do I do now? I'm trapped ..."I didn't tamper wit h e vidence," Harvey half-shouted.

  "I tampered with a goddamn patient list, that's all. One goddamn!

  name."

  "The point remains. If you could falsify reports on one thing, you coul d d o it for others."

  "But we've already cured six patients."

  "Only three of whom are still alive. And how do we know' that you r f indings on them are not distorted?"

  "Test them, for chrissake!" Harvey shouted.

  "I'm not going to let you get away with this. I'll do whatever it takes ."

  "Simmer down."

  ""I'll go to the press."

  Harvey was sure he saw fear in the man's face, but Markey just smiled a t h im.

  "An unwise move, Dr. Riker. First off, I'll immediately cut off you r g rant. Then I'll reveal to the world that you falsified reports, tha t y ou would not allow us access to your patients, that you have neve r c ured anybody, and anything else I can make up. Our PR men will make yo u l ook like some charlatan selling snake oil. You won't be able to get a j ob cleaning bedpans by the time they're finished with you."

  Harvey's mind battled back his mounting panic.

  "The facts will prove you're lying," he said.

  "Eventually, perhaps if you haven't falsified them. But by the time the y d o, I'll already have stalled you into the next century."

  Harvey stared at him in horror. He knew Markey was semi bluffing that h e d id not want to be forced into a confrontation, but what he was sayin g w as also true. He could destroy everything. Even if Harvey cleared hi s n ame and proved that Markey was lying, it would take months. Year s m aybe. And in the meantime the money would stop. A cure would be delaye d i ndefinitely.

  Raymond Markey stood and moved toward the door.

  "My people will be here tomorrow afternoon. Please inform your staff."

  Michael came to consciousness slowly. He heard the TV. A man talking.

  Sounded like the news. His eyes blinked open.

  "Good morning, handsome," Sara said.

  He felt groggy. His vision was blurred. He rolled over and kissed Sara , who was lying next to him. There was a book in her hand.

  "Good morning, nurse. You better get out of here before my wife get s h ere."

  "Funny."

  "What time is it?"

  "Almost noon. How do you feel?"

  He tried to sit up.

  "Like a small animal died in my stomach."

  "Yuck. Guess what I have here."

  "What?"

  She held the book closer to his face. Michael squinted and read th e t itle out loud. "1000 Names For Your Baby? I already thought of a name."

  "Oh?"

  "Moahmar."

  "And if it's a girl?"

  "That is for a girl. So what's happening?"

  "Let's see. What do you remember last?"

  He thought.

  "Eric taking my blood, the little vampire."

  "Well, nothing much has happened since then."

  Their conversation was interrupted by the television.

  "CNN Headline News. Today's major story surrounds the still unnamed AIDS c linic that is treating basketball star Michael Silverman.

  Thousands of gay activists marched upon Washington today, demanding tha t t he PDA approve nationwide testing of the little-known drug called SRI.

  Donations to the financially troubled institution have been pouring i n f rom all over since the Neivsflash story aired last evening.

  According to reports, the anonymous AIDS clinic has made amazing stride s i n its fight to cure the AIDS virus with injections of a new drug calle d s RI.

  With us now is Dr. Eli Samuels from the Mallacy AIDS Center in Sa n f rancisco."

  The doctor appeared on the screen, his left hand holding an earplug i n p lace. On the bottom of the screen the words "San Francisco, California" appeared in white.

&nb
sp; "Dr. Samuels, what is the reaction of the medical community to las t n ight's Newsflash story?"

  "Cautiously intrigued," the doctor replied.

  "Could you elaborate for us?"

  "Certainly. While the press may want to have a field day by celebratin g t he discovery of this supposed cure, the medical community has t o q uestion the authenticity of the report. This unnamed clinic ha s r eleased no results yet, no firm findings, has not written a paper fo r t he New England Journal of Medicine or a similar periodical. It's al l h ighly unusual."

  "Are you suggesting fraud?"

  "I'm not suggesting anything, but I do believe that the media and th e m edical community would be acting irresponsibly if we accepted thes e c laims as fact without further evidence."

  "Thank you, Doctor."

  The anchorman spun his chair in order to face forward.

  "In a related story, New York Knick basketball superstar Michae l s ilverman shocked the sports world last night with his announcement tha t h e had contracted the AIDS virus. According to clinic doctors and las t n ight's report on Newsflash, Michael Silverman contracted the viru s d uring a blood transfusion in the Bahamas several years ago after a s erious boating accident. There are those, however, who doubt the stor y a nd believe that the clinic is trying to cover up Mr. Silverman's tru e s exual orientation."

  Another face came on the screen. Michael's body stiffened.

  "It can't be," he uttered.

  "Michael, what is it? What's the matter?"

  Michael continued to stare at the image on the screen. The face ha d c hanged very little in the past twenty years. A little grey around th e t emples. A little more sag on the jawline and neck.

  The overall appearance, however, was radically different. A tailore d s ports coat. Nice tie. Nice neat haircut. Just your typical, friendl y j oe.

  The anchorman continued.

  "With us now from Lincoln, Nebraska, is Mr. Martin Johnson, th e s tepfather who raised Michael Silverman. Mr. Johnson, thank you fo r j oining us."

  "My pleasure, Chuck."

  "Mr. Johnson, what do you think about the reports that your stepso n c ontracted AIDS through a blood transfusion?"

  Martin Johnson shrugged.

  "Might be. I would never want to speak ill of the boy, but ..."