Read Online The Delta Factor by Thomas Locke - Free Book Online

beautiful women he had ever seen.
    Deborah grinned at his reaction, “Cliff, I’d like you to meet Blair Collins. Blair, this is the friend I’ve been telling you about.”
    â€œNice to meet you,” Blair said, her tone flat, her eyes neutral. Giving nothing away. Clearly used to being stared at.
    â€œLikewise.” Cliff turned to Deborah’s smirk and said, “It’s great knowing I can entertain you.”
    â€œSorry,” Deborah said. “I guess maybe I should have given fair warning.”
    â€œYeah, maybe so.” Cliff turned back to Blair. “Do you get used to having guys stumble over their tongues?”
    â€œLong, long ago,” she replied, a glint of something else appearing in her eyes. Humor? “How did you like the entrance routine?”
    â€œIf they had an X-ray machine and matched Dobermans, it might have been a little eerier. But that tunnel was perfect.”
    â€œYou should try having to walk it every morning,” Blair said. “Sometimes I feel like stripping off my clothes and running up and down screaming my head off.”
    â€œIf you ever decide to really do it,” Cliff replied, “be sure and let me know. I’ll make a special trip down for that.”
    Deborah interrupted with, “Are they ready for us?”
    â€œI’m supposed to make this big production of calling ahead, you know, give them time to huddle. But I guess we can dispense with the nonsense for once. Besides, it’s almost quitting time.”
    â€œFine with me,” Deborah agreed, and said to Cliff, “Come along, Junior. It’s showtime.”
    As they pushed through the double doors, Cliff muttered, “Is she for real?”
    â€œThat’s for you to decide,” Deborah whispered back.
    â€œDeborah, great to see you!” A silver fox in a gray suit rose from the conference table extending down from the massive desk. “And this must be Cliff Devon.”
    â€œMust be,” Cliff agreed, and barely avoided Deborah’s elbow.
    â€œI’m James Whitehurst. So very, very glad to meet you. You of course already know Dr. Harvey Cofield, head of our R&D section and currently acting as our FDA representative.”
    â€œDr. Cofield,” Cliff said, accepting the hand.
    â€œCliff, great to see you,” he exuded with complete falseness.
    â€œRight,” Cliff responded, deciding to give the circus ten minutes max.
    â€œHere, take this seat right here beside me,” Whitehurst said. “Deborah has told us so much about the young man who is responsible for the echin drug approval study.”
    â€œThis trip is purely for pleasure,” Cliff replied.
    â€œOf course, of course.” Whitehurst beamed at all and sundry. “Still, we are just delighted to have the FDA coordinator down for a visit, official or not.”
    â€œI’ve prepared a complete dossier of our latest clinical trials,” Cofield informed him, hefting a massive notebook and extending it his way. “I thought you might like to take a look at it this weekend.”
    â€œAbsolutely,” Cliff agreed. Four years in federal government had given him a lot of practice at keeping his face blank.
    â€œWe were intending to put you up in the company cottage, give you the red-carpet treatment,” Whitehurst said around his smile. “But no, our Debs said that just wasn’t on.”
    â€œThe department has a pretty strict policy on such things,” Cliff said.
    â€œSure they do. But if there’s anything you need, anything at all, you won’t hesitate to call, now, will you?”
    â€œNot for an instant,” Cliff agreed.
    â€œWe’re expecting a pretty strong reaction to the press conference we called today,” Dr. Cofield said.
    â€œYou held a press conference today?” Cliff looked from him to Debs and back again. “About what?”
    â€œRemember the storm I was telling you