Read Online The Associate by Phillip Margolin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Phillip Margolin
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didn’t answer.
“Here’s something else to think about,” Kate said. “Who deleted Kaidanov’s files and trashed Kaidanov’s house? Who wouldn’t want Kaidanov’s research to be made public?”
Daniel still didn’t answer.
“Geller Pharmaceuticals fits that profile.”
“I don’t know.”
“Can you think of anyone else with a motive, Dan?”
“No, you’re right. It has to be someone from Geller.”
He remembered Patrick Cummings again.
“This is bad.”
“And it may be worse. Where do you think Kaidanov is?”
“That’s a stretch, Kate. Geller’s people are businessmen, not killers.” Daniel protested without much conviction.
“Wake up. We’re talking about billions of dollars in losses if Geller has to take Insufort off of the market. And don’t forget the lawsuit. How much do you think the plaintiffs will recover if Aaron Flynn proves that Geller intentionally marketed a dangerous product? After one successful lawsuit, every woman who’s ever had a problem with Insufort will line up at Flynn’s door and Geller will be swept away in a tidal wave of litigation.”
Kate turned back to the computer and used the search program again while Daniel tried to figure out what he would do next.
“Yes!” Kate exclaimed a moment later as she pointed at the screen.
“Monkeys have to eat. That’s an order for a crate of Purina monkey chow and there’s an address. That must be the location of the lab.”
Kate walked over to another computer. “I can get directions and a map on the Internet.”
While she worked Daniel took a closer look at Kaidanov’s study. The more he looked the more depressed he felt. Five minutes later Kate showed Daniel a map with directions to the lab from her town house.
“I dug up something else,” Kate said. “After I got the map I found the assessment and taxation information on the property. The land is owned by Geller Pharmaceuticals.”
TEN
Twenty minutes later Daniel was driving in the country on a narrow road with Kate beside him. The sun was setting and they had been quiet since leaving the highway. Kate was staring ahead and Daniel chanced an occasional glance at the investigator. Daniel had consulted with Kate at work a few times and she’d impressed him with her intelligence, but he had not been attracted to her. Now he noticed that she was good-looking in a rugged sort of way. Not model beautiful like Susan Webster, but interesting to look at. And she was certainly intriguing. He didn’t know any other woman who wrote voodoo software programs and had been a cop.
“This is it,” Kate said.
Daniel turned onto a logging road ignoring a “No Trespassing” sign. The shock absorbers on his secondhand Ford were not in the best of shape and Kate swore a lot after they left the pavement. She was registering another complaint when the road curved and a one-story building appeared. Just as they got out of the car the wind shifted and a strange odor made Kate’s nostrils flare.
“What’s that smell?” Daniel asked.
“It’s a little like barbecue,” Kate answered.
Pieces of glass covered the ground under a window that had blown out and the front door was charred and had buckled. Daniel peeked through the window cautiously, then jerked his head back. His face was drained of color.
“What is it?” Kate asked.
“There’s a body on the floor. There’s no skin. It’s like a skeleton.”
Kate extended a hand toward the door tentatively, worried that it might be hot. She touched her fingers to the metal. It was cold. Kate pushed and the door swung inward. She looked for a light switch and found one, but it didn’t work.
“Do you have a flashlight?” Kate asked. Daniel got one from the car and Kate started inside. He tried to follow, but she stopped him.
“This is a crime scene. Just stay here and keep the door open so I can have a little more light.”
Daniel propped open the door but did not go any farther. He was
“Here’s something else to think about,” Kate said. “Who deleted Kaidanov’s files and trashed Kaidanov’s house? Who wouldn’t want Kaidanov’s research to be made public?”
Daniel still didn’t answer.
“Geller Pharmaceuticals fits that profile.”
“I don’t know.”
“Can you think of anyone else with a motive, Dan?”
“No, you’re right. It has to be someone from Geller.”
He remembered Patrick Cummings again.
“This is bad.”
“And it may be worse. Where do you think Kaidanov is?”
“That’s a stretch, Kate. Geller’s people are businessmen, not killers.” Daniel protested without much conviction.
“Wake up. We’re talking about billions of dollars in losses if Geller has to take Insufort off of the market. And don’t forget the lawsuit. How much do you think the plaintiffs will recover if Aaron Flynn proves that Geller intentionally marketed a dangerous product? After one successful lawsuit, every woman who’s ever had a problem with Insufort will line up at Flynn’s door and Geller will be swept away in a tidal wave of litigation.”
Kate turned back to the computer and used the search program again while Daniel tried to figure out what he would do next.
“Yes!” Kate exclaimed a moment later as she pointed at the screen.
“Monkeys have to eat. That’s an order for a crate of Purina monkey chow and there’s an address. That must be the location of the lab.”
Kate walked over to another computer. “I can get directions and a map on the Internet.”
While she worked Daniel took a closer look at Kaidanov’s study. The more he looked the more depressed he felt. Five minutes later Kate showed Daniel a map with directions to the lab from her town house.
“I dug up something else,” Kate said. “After I got the map I found the assessment and taxation information on the property. The land is owned by Geller Pharmaceuticals.”
TEN
Twenty minutes later Daniel was driving in the country on a narrow road with Kate beside him. The sun was setting and they had been quiet since leaving the highway. Kate was staring ahead and Daniel chanced an occasional glance at the investigator. Daniel had consulted with Kate at work a few times and she’d impressed him with her intelligence, but he had not been attracted to her. Now he noticed that she was good-looking in a rugged sort of way. Not model beautiful like Susan Webster, but interesting to look at. And she was certainly intriguing. He didn’t know any other woman who wrote voodoo software programs and had been a cop.
“This is it,” Kate said.
Daniel turned onto a logging road ignoring a “No Trespassing” sign. The shock absorbers on his secondhand Ford were not in the best of shape and Kate swore a lot after they left the pavement. She was registering another complaint when the road curved and a one-story building appeared. Just as they got out of the car the wind shifted and a strange odor made Kate’s nostrils flare.
“What’s that smell?” Daniel asked.
“It’s a little like barbecue,” Kate answered.
Pieces of glass covered the ground under a window that had blown out and the front door was charred and had buckled. Daniel peeked through the window cautiously, then jerked his head back. His face was drained of color.
“What is it?” Kate asked.
“There’s a body on the floor. There’s no skin. It’s like a skeleton.”
Kate extended a hand toward the door tentatively, worried that it might be hot. She touched her fingers to the metal. It was cold. Kate pushed and the door swung inward. She looked for a light switch and found one, but it didn’t work.
“Do you have a flashlight?” Kate asked. Daniel got one from the car and Kate started inside. He tried to follow, but she stopped him.
“This is a crime scene. Just stay here and keep the door open so I can have a little more light.”
Daniel propped open the door but did not go any farther. He was
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