The Associate

by Phillip Margolin

  "What about time of death?" Billie asked. "Can you tell how many days he's been dead?"

  "I can't do much for you there." Dr. Grace pointed to a sieve resting in a metal pot on one of the autopsy tables. "That's his last meal," she said, indicating pieces of steak, baked potato skin, lettuce, and tomato. "He was killed within an hour of eating, but how long ago I can't say."

  Billie turned to Jack Forester. "Can you tell me enough about him for me to match him with a missing person report?"

  "Well, we've got the teeth, of course. The guy has had dental work done. Brubaker's out of town," Forester said, referring to Dr. Harry Brubaker, the forensic dentist who was normally present at autopsies. "We'll get these over to him when he comes back from vacation. But he won't be much help until we have someone to whom he can match the dental work."

  "Can you tell anything from the teeth?" asked Kate, who had read a few books in Forester's field.

  "They do give us some idea of Doe's age," he answered. "We know a person is eighteen or younger if his wisdom teeth have not erupted, so this guy is definitely over eighteen. The degeneration of the skeleton also helps us with his age. Now this is very subjective, but the changes in this guy's spine tell me that he's probably older than thirty.

  "The last thing I did was check out the configuration of the pelvis. Where the two halves of the pelvis meet in front is called the pubic symphysis and it wears with age. A guy named T. Wingate Todd made casts of the pelvis of a wide range of corpses whose ages were known. He found that the wear pattern on the pelvis is pretty consistent at different ages."

  Forester pointed to a large Tupperware box that was sitting near the door. The lid was open and Billie could see several casts lying in foam.

  "I matched the Todd casts to Doe. Taking all the other factors into account, I can give you a very subjective estimate of forty-five to fifty-five for our friend."

  Forester pointed to the skeleton's nose.

  "Now, I also know that we've got a Caucasian. An Asian's nasal aperture is oval, a black's is wide and short. This guy's is tall and narrow. Ergo, a Caucasian.

  "You can also tell from the eye sockets. Whites' are the shape of aviator glasses, blacks' are squarer, and Asians' more rounded."

  "Any way to tell eye color?" Billie asked.

  Forester shook his head. "Not with a burn victim. The eyes burn out. But I can tell you the guy's height. He was between five eight and five ten. I got that from measuring his tibia and femur," Forester said, pointing to the corpse's shinbone and thighbone, "and comparing them to tables that were developed by measuring the lengths of the long bones of American casualties from the Second World War and the Korean War."

  "So we've probably got a white male, five eight to five ten, of average build, and forty-five to fifty-five years of age," Billie summarized.

  "Yup," Forester answered. "Get a possible and his dental records and Brubaker can give you a positive ID."

  Chapter Thirteen.

  After dropping Kate at her house, Daniel drove home and fell into bed. Visions of a flaming laboratory jammed with screaming monkeys and deformed children haunted his dreams and he jerked awake more than once during the night. When he arrived at work the next morning, Daniel was pale and there were dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. He checked his voice mail and found a message from Renee Gilchrist telling him that he was expected in Arthur Briggs's office at eleven. This is it, Daniel thought. He slumped in his chair and looked around his office. A lump formed in his throat. He had worked so hard to get here and everything he'd earned was going to be snatched away because of a one-page letter.

  At 10:54, Daniel pushed himself to his feet, checked his tie, and walked the last mile to Arthur Briggs's office. Renee announced Daniel's presence, then flashed him a sympathetic smile.

  "Go on in. And good luck."

  "Thanks, Renee."

  Daniel straightened his shoulders and walked into the lion's den, an incredible corner office that was obviously the creation of an expensive interior decorator. With diplomas from Duke University and the University of Chicago law school, and framed tributes to its occupant, the room was a testament to the greatness of Arthur Briggs.

  "Have a seat, Ames," he said without making eye contact.

  The senior partner was reading a letter and he paid no attention to Daniel for a full minute. When Briggs finally signed his name and placed the letter in his out-box, he looked across his desk at the young associate with unforgiving eyes.

  "Do you have any idea how much damage your incompetence has caused?"

  Daniel knew that no answer was expected and he gave none.

  "The partners met yesterday to discuss your situation," Briggs continued. "It has been decided that you should no longer work for this firm."

  Though he had been expecting this, the words still stunned Daniel.

  "You will be paid six months' salary and you can keep your health insurance for a year. That's very generous considering that your blunder could cost one of our best clients billions of dollars."

  He'd been fired. At first Daniel felt shame, then his shame turned to anger and he stiffened.

  "This is a crock and you know it, Mr. Briggs." His sharp words startled Daniel as much as they amazed Briggs. "You're firing me because you need a scapegoat now that Aaron Flynn knows about the Kaidanov study. But finding out about that study might help Reed, Briggs avoid aiding and abetting a client this firm should stop representing."

  Briggs leaned back is his chair and made a steeple of his fingers but said nothing. Daniel pushed on.

  "I think Geller Pharmaceuticals is covering up Kaidanov's results. Did you know that the police are investigating an arson fire at a primate lab located on land owned by Geller? It's where Kaidanov conducted his study. All of his monkeys are dead. And it looks like Kaidanov is dead, too-murdered. Quite a coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

  Daniel paused, but Briggs just continued to stare at him as if he were some mildly interesting insect. Briggs's lack of reaction at hearing Geller linked to murder and arson surprised Daniel. But Briggs had made a fortune by perfecting a poker face, so Daniel forged on.

  "Kaidanov has been missing for over a week. His home has been searched." Daniel thought he saw Briggs twitch. "Mr. Briggs, I've examined Dr. Kaidanov's hard drive. Someone tried to delete the primate study, but I've seen it." Now he definitely had Briggs's attention. "The results support the conclusions in Kaidanov's letter. I think there's a good possibility that Insufort is very dangerous and that someone connected to Geller tried to cover up Kaidanov's report."

  "How do you know that Dr. Kaidanov's home was searched?"

  Daniel swallowed hard. "I went over there," he said, suddenly remembering that searching the house and taking the hard drive were felonies.

  "Is that where you examined Dr. Kaidanov's hard drive?"

  Daniel felt like a laser beam had pierced him and he appreciated the terror witnesses experienced during one of Briggs's infamous cross-examinations.

  "I'd rather not say," he answered.

  "Is that right."

  Daniel did not answer.

  "Taking the Fifth, are we, Ames?" A terrible smile creased Briggs's lips. Daniel felt trapped. "Obviously I can't force you to answer my questions, but the police can. What do you think will happen if they discover that someone has stolen the hard drive from Dr. Kaidanov's home computer and I tell them that you've confessed to me that you were at his house and examined the hard drive?"

  "I . . . I was acting on behalf of our client."

  Even as he said the words Daniel knew that the excuse sounded pathetic.

  "It's good that you've remembered that there is an attorney/client relationship between you and Geller, even though you no longer work for this firm. If you know that, then you know that any information about Insufort on Dr. Kaidanov's hard drive is the property of our client."

  Briggs's smile disappeared. "I want the hard drive by five o'clock today, Ames."

 
"Mr. Briggs . . ."

  "If it's not here by five, you will lose your health benefits, your severance pay, and you will be arrested. Is that clear?"

  "What are you planning to do about Insufort?"

  "My plans are none of your business since you no longer work for this firm."

  "But Insufort is hurting babies. Someone at Geller may have committed murder to cover up the truth. The firm could be an accessory to-"

  Briggs stood suddenly. "This meeting is over," he said, pointing toward the door. "Get out!"

  Daniel hesitated, then walked to the door. As he crossed the room anger built in the pit of his stomach. He opened the door halfway, then turned and faced Briggs one more time.

  "I've been scared and depressed about losing this job ever since the deposition, because working for Reed, Briggs really meant something to me. But maybe this is for the best. I don't think I want to work for a firm that would cover up the crimes Geller is committing. We're talking about little children, Mr. Briggs. I don't know how you can look in the mirror."

  "You listen to me," Briggs shouted. "If you breathe one word of what you've told me to anyone, you'll be sued for slander and you will go to jail. How many people are going to hire a destitute, disbarred lawyer with a felony conviction? Now get the hell out!"

  It wasn't until Daniel slammed the door to Briggs's office that he saw that he'd had an audience. Renee Gilchrist and a plain, middle-aged woman Daniel recognized as Dr. April Fairweather were both staring, openmouthed. Daniel's anger turned to embarrassment. He mumbled an apology and rushed toward his office.

  Daniel was almost there when it dawned on him that Kate had the hard drive. He was about to go to her office when he saw a security guard standing in front of his door. He hurried the rest of the way. As soon as the guard spotted Daniel, he blocked the entrance.

  "I work here," Daniel said. "What's going on?"

  "I'm sorry, Mr. Ames," the guard said firmly but politely, "but you can't go in until we're through."

  Daniel looked over the guard's shoulder. A second guard was emptying his files into a box.

  "What about my things, my personal items like my diplomas?"

  "You can have them as soon as we're through." The guard held out his hand. "I'll need your keys."

  Daniel was thoroughly humiliated. He wanted to fight, to protest, to scream that he had rights, but he knew that there was nothing he could do, so he meekly handed over his office keys.

  "How much longer will this take? I'd like to get out of here."

  "We'll be done soon," the guard answered.

  A crowd was starting to gather. Joe Molinari placed his hand on Daniel's shoulder.

  "What's going on, Ames?"

  "Briggs sacked me."

  "Ah, shit."

  "It wasn't a surprise. I've seen this coming since the deposition."

  "Is there anything I can do?" Joe asked.

  "Thanks, but it's over. Briggs needed a scapegoat and I'm it."

  Molinari squeezed Daniel's shoulder supportively.

  "Look, I know people. I'm going to ask around. Maybe I can line up something for you."

  "I appreciate the offer, but who's going to hire me? What kind of letter of recommendation do you think Briggs is going to write?"

  "Don't think like that. Briggs doesn't control every law firm in Portland. You're good, amigo. Any firm would be lucky to get you."

  "I don't know if I want to keep practicing law, Joe."

  "Don't be a defeatist asshole. This is like riding a polo pony. When you get thrown you don't just lie on the ground feeling sorry for yourself. You get your ass back in the saddle and play on. I'll give you a day to mope, then we're going to figure out how to get you back working horrible hours and taking abuse from intellectual inferiors."

  Daniel couldn't help smiling. Then he remembered Kate.

  "Can I use your phone? They won't let me into my office."

  "Sure."

  "Thanks, Joe. For everything."

  "Aw shucks, you're making me blush."

  Daniel shook his head. "You're still a jerk."

  Joe laughed and they started walking toward Molinari's office. When they reached his door, Daniel turned toward his friend.

  "This is a private call, okay?"

  "Say no more."

  Daniel closed the door and dialed Kate's extension. Joe stood guard outside.

  "It's Daniel," he said as soon as she picked up. "Are you alone?"

  "Yeah, why?"

  "Briggs fired me."

  "Oh, Daniel. I'm so sorry."

  "I can't say I didn't expect it."

  "You should fight this."

  "I'm not sure I'd want my job back even if I could get it. Really, being fired might have been the best thing."

  "How can you say that?"

  "I told Briggs that Geller might be covering up the fact that Insufort causes birth defects in little children. He threatened to have me arrested, to sue me. He wasn't the least bit concerned that Geller is ruining the lives of all those kids and their parents. So I guess the question is, would I have accepted Reed, Briggs's job offer if I knew I'd be using my legal education to protect a company that destroys lives for profit?

  "But that's not why I called. I wasn't thinking straight after Briggs told me I was fired and I told him that I had Kaidanov's hard drive. He wants it by five today or he's going after me."

  "You didn't . . . ?"

  "No. I didn't mention you. He has no idea that you have it and I want to make certain that he doesn't find out. Can you get it to me? Briggs says he'll have me arrested if I don't give it to him and I'm in enough trouble already. And we have a copy, anyway."

  "What are you going to do with the information?"

  "I don't know, Kate, and I'm too mixed up now to make decisions."

  "I'll get you the hard drive before one."

  "Thanks."

  There was dead air for a moment. Then Kate said, "You're a good person, Dan, and good people land on their feet. You'll come out of this okay."

  Daniel appreciated the sentiment, but he wasn't sure that was the way things happened in the real world.

  Chapter Fourteen.

  As soon as she left the medical examiner's office, Billie Brewster drove west along the Sunset Highway. Twenty minutes later the detective took one of the Hillsboro exits and found herself in open country where rolling green hills and a sweeping blue sky formed a backdrop for the three interconnected, black-glass-and-polished-granite buildings in the Geller Pharmaceuticals complex.

  The main attraction in Building A was an atrium with a three-story waterfall that started just under a tinted-glass roof and occupied one corner of the spacious lobby. Billie learned the location of Kurt Schroeder's office at reception and walked up a staircase near the atrium that led to the second floor. A glass-encased sky bridge connected the main building to Building B, which housed research and development.

  Moments after Billie flashed her badge at Schroeder's secretary she found herself seated across from Geller's chief medical adviser.

  "Dr. Schroeder, I'm Detective Brewster with Portland homicide."

  "Homicide?" Schroeder said nervously.

  "Yesterday evening I was at a building that was destroyed in an arson fire. There were approximately twenty dead rhesus monkeys inside. They were set on fire in their cages."

  "That's terrible, but what does this have to do with me or Geller Pharmaceuticals?"

  "The records show that Geller owns the property where the building is located. We think it's a primate lab."

  Schroeder's brow furrowed. "All of our research is conducted in this building. We do own property apart from this campus for expansion, but it's undeveloped. If you found a lab, it wasn't Geller's."

  "A body was discovered in the lab, Dr. Schroeder. The corpse was badly burned, but we can tell it's a forty-five- to fifty-five-year old white male, and we think it might be Dr. Sergey Kaidanov."

  "Kaidanov! My God! He disappeared more t
han a week ago. We've been looking for him. This is terrible."

  "Was Dr. Kaidanov involved in primate research?"

  "That's where the problem comes in. The plaintiffs in a lawsuit we're defending produced what purports to be a letter from Kaidanov in which he claims to be conducting a primate study for our company, but we have no record of his being assigned to conduct such a study."

  "A lawyer from the Reed, Briggs firm told me about that. That's where we got the idea that the victim might be Kaidanov."

  Schroeder shivered. "God, I hope not."

  "You can help with the identification by sending me Dr. Kaidanov's personnel file. His dental records would be very useful."

  "I'll do what I can," he answered, apparently shaken by what he had learned.

  Brewster handed Schroeder a paper with the location of the destroyed building.

  "Can you check to see if your company has a lab on the property?"

  "Certainly. I should have an answer for you in a day or so."

  Brewster stood. "Thank you for your cooperation, Dr. Schroeder."

  "Of course." He paused. "I hope you're wrong about Kaidanov."

  "I hope so, too."

  _ _ _

  There were several phone messages waiting for Billie when she got back to the Justice Center. Halfway down the pile was a message from missing persons. Even though she was pretty certain of the identity of the body at the lab, Brewster had phoned them from the medical examiner's office and asked for a list of men who matched the description that Forester had given her. She dialed the extension for missing persons.

  "Hey, Billie," Detective Aaron Davies said, "I got a live one for you. A guy named Gene Arnold. He's a lawyer from Arizona. His partner, Benjamin Kellogg, reported him missing right around the time you're interested in. He disappeared while staying at the Benson Hotel. I'll give you Kellogg's number."

  Billie dialed the Arizona number. The receptionist at the firm connected her with Benjamin Kellogg and she identified herself.

  "Have you found Gene?" Kellogg asked anxiously.

  "No, but I wanted to get some information from you so I can follow up on your report. Can you tell me why you think Mr. Arnold is missing?"