advise of a choking hazard, or even that the toy included these magnets, which she said were very powerful.
LeRoy put the draft of her report on the edge of Payne’s desk, flipping through the sections. “Wait until you read what the doctor in Cleveland had to say,” she said.
Starting with leads from ASTM International, LeRoy had made calls to different experts around the country. The magnets, manufactured mostly in China, were called neodymium magnets. Comprised of a metal alloy and artificially magnetized, they were many times more powerful than typical iron magnets, so much so that the attractive forces could be a potential danger, such as to people with pacemakers. Despite this, LeRoy was astounded to find just a single report, funded by the Toy Manufacturer’s Association, that concluded the magnets were safe. Her own investigation had revealed that no one had actually done any tests to confirm the findings, or to determine what might happen if a child were to swallow more than one of these magnets, or a magnet and metal ball, for instance. She also found evidence that the China Toy Association knew that the plastic used for the toy that had broken was a problem but had not reported the problem, and that some American toy manufacturers had been complicit in the cover-up, fearing product recalls or, at a minimum, consumer restraint.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to pull the plug, Anne.”
LeRoy continued to flip the pages, searching for the section in which she quoted the expert from Cleveland. “He was extremely helpful—”
“Anne.”
LeRoy stopped flipping the pages and looked up. Specks of dry skin and dust covered the lenses of Payne’s glasses.
“More budget cuts have left us with just no money to be doing independent investigations.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry.”
“But . . . but you told me to do it. And I’m nearly done. All I have to do is finalize it.”
Payne shook his head.
“The expert in Cleveland said the danger isn’t in a child swallowing one magnet. The danger is if they swallow more than one. He said—”
“I need you to work on a potential enforcement action against TBD.”
LeRoy knew TBD to be a manufacturer of detergent, and that there had been recent reports of the product causing chemical burns.
“TBD? That’s a waste of time; it will go nowhere.” She caught herself, not believing what she had just said to her boss.
But if Payne was upset he didn’t reveal it. He looked almost bored. “Nevertheless.”
“I’ll finish it on my own time; I’ll write it up at home.”
He shook his head. “I know you worked hard on this investigation.”
“Hard? I’ve spent three solid months on it. I thought it was going to be part of the congressional hearing? How can you just pull the plug? What about Senator Tovey?”
“It’s out of my hands, I’m afraid.”
“Is it Maggie Powers?”
“I’d like you to provide me with all of your research and any drafts you have on your computer. If we get the funding in the future perhaps we can pursue it further.”
“But it will be too late. The problem is already out there, and the Senate hearing will have passed. Most doctors don’t even consider X-rays because eighty percent of the things a child swallows will just pass through their system. But when you have two—”
“I’m sorry,” he offered again.
She became more adamant. “Don’t you want to hear what the doctor in Cleveland said? There is a significant danger to American consumers, to children.”
“I’ll need all of your files on my desk by this afternoon.”
“We could take it to the media.”
Payne pounded the desk, a burst of anger that caused LeRoy to jump back in her seat.
His gaze focused and his face had flushed an even darker shade of red. “You will do no such thing. Do you understand me?” He tapped the desk with his finger as he spoke. “You work for me. That means you do what I tell you. Your work here belongs to this
LeRoy put the draft of her report on the edge of Payne’s desk, flipping through the sections. “Wait until you read what the doctor in Cleveland had to say,” she said.
Starting with leads from ASTM International, LeRoy had made calls to different experts around the country. The magnets, manufactured mostly in China, were called neodymium magnets. Comprised of a metal alloy and artificially magnetized, they were many times more powerful than typical iron magnets, so much so that the attractive forces could be a potential danger, such as to people with pacemakers. Despite this, LeRoy was astounded to find just a single report, funded by the Toy Manufacturer’s Association, that concluded the magnets were safe. Her own investigation had revealed that no one had actually done any tests to confirm the findings, or to determine what might happen if a child were to swallow more than one of these magnets, or a magnet and metal ball, for instance. She also found evidence that the China Toy Association knew that the plastic used for the toy that had broken was a problem but had not reported the problem, and that some American toy manufacturers had been complicit in the cover-up, fearing product recalls or, at a minimum, consumer restraint.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to pull the plug, Anne.”
LeRoy continued to flip the pages, searching for the section in which she quoted the expert from Cleveland. “He was extremely helpful—”
“Anne.”
LeRoy stopped flipping the pages and looked up. Specks of dry skin and dust covered the lenses of Payne’s glasses.
“More budget cuts have left us with just no money to be doing independent investigations.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry.”
“But . . . but you told me to do it. And I’m nearly done. All I have to do is finalize it.”
Payne shook his head.
“The expert in Cleveland said the danger isn’t in a child swallowing one magnet. The danger is if they swallow more than one. He said—”
“I need you to work on a potential enforcement action against TBD.”
LeRoy knew TBD to be a manufacturer of detergent, and that there had been recent reports of the product causing chemical burns.
“TBD? That’s a waste of time; it will go nowhere.” She caught herself, not believing what she had just said to her boss.
But if Payne was upset he didn’t reveal it. He looked almost bored. “Nevertheless.”
“I’ll finish it on my own time; I’ll write it up at home.”
He shook his head. “I know you worked hard on this investigation.”
“Hard? I’ve spent three solid months on it. I thought it was going to be part of the congressional hearing? How can you just pull the plug? What about Senator Tovey?”
“It’s out of my hands, I’m afraid.”
“Is it Maggie Powers?”
“I’d like you to provide me with all of your research and any drafts you have on your computer. If we get the funding in the future perhaps we can pursue it further.”
“But it will be too late. The problem is already out there, and the Senate hearing will have passed. Most doctors don’t even consider X-rays because eighty percent of the things a child swallows will just pass through their system. But when you have two—”
“I’m sorry,” he offered again.
She became more adamant. “Don’t you want to hear what the doctor in Cleveland said? There is a significant danger to American consumers, to children.”
“I’ll need all of your files on my desk by this afternoon.”
“We could take it to the media.”
Payne pounded the desk, a burst of anger that caused LeRoy to jump back in her seat.
His gaze focused and his face had flushed an even darker shade of red. “You will do no such thing. Do you understand me?” He tapped the desk with his finger as he spoke. “You work for me. That means you do what I tell you. Your work here belongs to this
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