Lethal Remedy Read Online Free PDF

flinched. "Sorry, dear."

"But Chelsea's receiving the medication. That's all that matters now."

"Thank goodness for that nice Dr. Pearson. He told us what to expect, answered our questions, and sat with Chelsea while she got her first dose of the medicine. I think he's the one we'll actually be seeing." She laid aside the brush and kissed her daughter's forehead. "At least, I hope that's true."

"Yes, I suspect Dr. Ingersoll will be by from time to time, but you'll see Rip—that is, Dr. Pearson—on a regular basis. If you need anything, ask the nurse to page him or me."

"I'll do that." She patted her daughter's arm, carefully avoiding the IV site. "Chelsea, I'm going to step out for a minute, maybe get a cup of coffee at the nurses' station. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mama." The voice was weak, but these were the first words Sara had heard her patient speak in over twentyfour hours, and to her they were beautiful.

In the hall, Mrs. Ferguson took Sara's arm in a grip that was surprisingly strong for such a frail woman. "Is there anything I can do to report the way Dr. Ingersoll acted? He seemed to have no more feeling for Chelsea or me than he would for a lab animal."

"I'd wait until Chelsea's on her way to recovery. There'll be plenty of time to lodge a complaint with the right people in administration then." Sara thought about it. "I'll be happy to help you do it then."

"All right. But I'll hold you to that. Really, I don't care how important that man is. There's no excuse for being so callous."

Sara nodded her agreement while scenes unfurled in her mind, scenes she'd tried hard to put behind her. If you only knew . . .

 

 

"What's so important?" Rip Pearson stirred his coffee, even though he took it black. He recognized it as a nervous habit, but in his stress-filled world nervous habits were the norm. He'd deal with them after he finished his fellowship.

Carter Resnick rubbed his head as though checking to see if his hair had grown back. Then he put both hands on the table, leaned forward, and whispered, "We should talk."

Rip put his hand behind his ear. The noise level in the hospital cafeteria was such that even the two nursing students at the next table had no chance of hearing this conversation.

"Speak up. We're not exchanging state secrets here. What's on your mind?"

"I think Dr. Ingersoll is lying about that second ID fellowship slot."

Rip shrugged. "How would you—how would anyone know? I mean, he applied for it and now it's up to the folks who make decisions like that."

"I'm getting a lot of computer experience in the research lab. After some digging around, I'm able to get into sites that are supposed to be protected. Anyway, I hacked the records of the Internal Medicine Board and there's no mention of such an application. Ingersoll never submitted it."

Rip was ashamed of the first question that popped into his mind, but he asked it anyway. "What about my slot? Is it approved? Will I be able to take my ID boards when I finish?"

Resnick's grin was almost evil. "I really ought to make you sweat, but I won't. Yes, your fellowship is on the up-and-up. But how does it make you feel, working for a liar?"

Rip didn't know what to think. His first reaction was that the research assistant was getting a little revenge on the man who'd beat him for the fellowship. Was Resnick trying to push Rip toward resigning so he could step into the slot?

The silence hung between them for what seemed like several minutes, although it was probably more like a few seconds. Finally, Rip said, "I don't believe you. And even if I did, I don't think I'd do anything about it. If I were you, I'd keep this to myself, especially the part about hacking into the Internal Medicine Board site. I doubt whether the administration of the medical center would condone such activity."

He left without another word. At the door, he looked back. Resnick was still sitting at the table, grinning.

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I DON'T SEE WHY THIS MEETING