The Ginseng Conspiracy (A Kay Driscoll Mystery) Read Online Free PDF

reported back to me as being genetically altered, to the Bioengineering Laboratory here in town to have Dr. Richard Stewart analyze them. They've all come back as normal. Rather odd.
    Being chief of staff at the clinics here in town and the medical examiner, I thought you might have seen some evidence of patients showing symptoms of chemical dependency or drug addiction. Perhaps someone has tested positive for opiates. I don't think the growers would risk processing the manipulated ginseng through export certification by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. Probably using it themselves or maybe trafficking it out of the area to the Twin Cities. Have you noticed any patients, field workers, or the owners of the farms with symptoms of chemical dependency?”
    “Such as...?”
    The professor's eyes opened wide, staring at Dr. Anders. His forehead wrinkled. “Such as pulmonary edema, respiratory depression, restlessness, euphoria, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, nausea, and also having elevations in their blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rates, and temperature?” The professor took a deep breath.
    “Those, Professor Walters, are common symptoms for many different conditions. Haven't noticed any difference in the usual diagnosis of the patients we've been seeing, and I've worked every Tuesday night that the free clinic is held. We do drug testing at the clinic, too. I'd be happy to go over the charts again and get back to you about it. As far as the field hands go, I haven't seen any at the clinic even though it is also available to them. Two other doctors see patients. I could look into their patients' charts.”
    Walters crossed his arms and sighed. “Pulmonary edema and respiratory depression are common symptoms?”
    Dr. Anders looked at his watch. “It's been a long day, I'm sure for both of us. Can I get you a drink, and we can discuss this further? A beer perhaps?”
    “Sure.”
    As the doctor left for the bar, the professor went to the restroom to do what he could with the stain on his shirt. When Walters returned, two drinks were waiting at the table, as was a patiently smiling Dr. Anders.
    “They should turn the heat up in here.” The professor put his coat back on and drained half of the glass of beer before he continued the previous discussion.
    “Ginseng wasn’t grown in Sudbury Falls until the 1960s, and the crop didn't become successful until in the 1970s when it was noticed by the Chinese market. I've gone through the records to see what had changed, talked with some of the old timers in Sudbury Falls. I was told previous researchers had asked similar questions to what I had brought up about the crops. After delving into a hodge-podge of old journals at the college, I have uncovered a few names of these researchers who also looked into the crops and had similar questionable findings. I intend to follow up on them and what they found out.”
    Dr. Anders assured the professor that he would get back to him with the patient findings, and then he started to talk about the success of the new free clinic.
    Suddenly, the professor experienced a strange gurgle in his stomach. An intense wave of dizziness came over him. Through a haze of blurred consciousness, Walters managed to speak, “I… I don’t seem to be feeling so well. My wife's out of town. Could you possibly give me a ride…”
    * * * *
    As the professor slumped over, Dr. Anders dialed his cell phone.
    “Get over here right away. Drive around back. They'll be waiting in the alley for you.”
    The two men sitting at the bar came over. “That didn't take too long, Doc,” the Bud drinker said in a low voice.
    Dr. Anders stood up and put on his striped suit jacket. “Take Walters out the back and act casual about it.” Dr. Anders left through the front door.
    “Uh oh, looks like Walters drank too much. We’ll take him home.” Each man took the professor under an arm and headed toward the back door.
    A dark car was waiting for them in the