Read Online Strictly Business by Lisa Eugene - Free Book Online Page B

figured out what the letters meant. Though it would’ve made sense if the letters were the initials of the hospital were the films were generated, that investigation had led them to a dead end. Most hospitals or outpatient MRI labs automatically stamped their name at the bottom of the film, but they couldn’t locate a facility that would use those initials. They figured that it might be the initials of the actual technician who took the MRI, but tracking down that person would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
    “The MRIs in the van had those same letters imprinted on the back . The driver was nervous, but I convinced him to tell me where his cargo had originated. You know how persuasive I can be with my warm personality.” Ben grinned widely.
    “ Washington Memorial Hospital.”
    Ben nodded thoughtfull y. “He was making several stops to various doctor’s offices. The three films that were being dropped off there were for patients at Dr. Barton’s practice. I bet those patients are in the same boat as your Mr. Johnson.”
    “ Wow,” Wade whispered, excited that they might have finally gotten a break in the case. Something though still bothered him. “Wouldn’t the films have Washington Memorial stamped at the bottom?”
    “That se emed odd to me too.” Ben nodded. “I did some research and found that article. If you keep reading you’ll see that Rob Lewis donated five million dollars to the radiology wing of Washington Hospital. I’d bet he’s a real egomaniac. Washington Memorial named the radiology department after him and the article states he bought them all new state-of-the-art MRI machines. I’d bet you his initials print out on them. R.L.”
    Wade leaned back in his seat and took a long swig of the cold beer the waitress had brought him. He pondered the information Ben just told him . If Ben’s suspicions were correct this lead could take them directly to the person or people responsible for altering the MRIs. He was certain they were paid off as well by the insurance company.
    “We gotta check out the MRI machines at Washington Memorial to make sure. It’s gonna be tough. You can’t just walk in there and start snooping around. Hospitals have a real phobia about getting sued. They’re very suspicious of people poking around for info. We need to get a hold of a scan printed there to make the comparison or somehow confirm that RL is printed on films generated there.”
    “Damn, I was just there in the radiology department.” Wade cursed under his breath.
    “For your arm?”
    He nodded, regret at the lost opportunity zinging through him. “I’ll request a copy of my film and we can examine it. It would take a few weeks probably. I wished I had looked around when I was there.”
    “Ther e’s no way you could have known,” Ben said, messaging his graying temples. “I would never have suspected WMH. The hospital’s got an excellent reputation. If it’s involved as I suspect, that’ll all change.”
    “Yeah it will.”  Wade swallowed at the wad of guilt that blocked his throat as he thought of Nina. It angered him that sometimes a few rotten apples could taint the entire barrel. “It’d be nice to have one of those MRIs from the van,” he added absently.
    Ben’s silence made him look up, and when he did the wide grin on his friend’s face said it all. His brown eyes blazed with satisfaction. “Got one. There were just a few. I figured it probably hadn’t been handled much except by the guilty party so I took it to a cop friend of mine to see if any prints could be lifted. I know it’s a long shot, but I figured I’d try. Maybe I’ll even get an answer back as soon as tonight.”
    “How’d you manage to take it?” Wade asked, alarmed.
    “Dr. Barton came out as I was talking to the delivery man. The delivery guy was so frazzled that he headed him off before he could come around to the back of the truck. I grabbed o ne of the films and ducked away,” Ben said smugly.