Perfect Match (35 page)

“I forgot to tell you, I’ve got the donor organ with me.”

“You do? How did it come to you and not the hospital?”

“Amy, this is a living donor. The person is riding in the
car with me. I know what I’m about to ask is damn near impossible but I’m going
to ask it anyway. The person’s name is to be kept as anonymous as possible. He
is not seeking any kind of recognition from this. Understood?”

“So is this person’s name D.R. Fallington? That was one of
the records you asked for?”

“Yes, he’s the anonymous donor.”

“Is he the crazy guy who wrecked his Corvette in Beaucatcher
Tunnel a few weeks back, damn near killing himself and some other people?”

Doctor Hertford cut his eyes at Roscoe.

Roscoe was nodding his head.

“Yes, that’s the one.”

“This is not a normal night is it, Doctor Hertford?”

“Correct, but you know my motto, ‘whatever is happening our
team will make it extraordinary.’ What OR’s do we have?”

“Looks like removal in 12, transplant in 13. You know how
people shy away from OR 13?”

“That’s never bothered me, how about you, Mr. Anonymous
donor?”

“I’m not superstitious. Just take good care of Selena.”

Amy said, “Oh, I’m so sorry about my inappropriate comment.
I didn’t know you could hear our conversation. I apologize.”

Roscoe spoke up, with a chuckle, “No need to apologize. What
you said was true, but a Corvette isn’t the only thing I’ve wrecked.”

There was a blast of static, and then silence.

Roscoe turned to Hertford. “I’d like to talk with Selena one
last time before surgery.”

“Amy, are you still there? Can you hear me?”

Lightning lit up the sky, and thunder rumbled through the
empty streets.

“Still here, but bad connection.”

“Prepare Selena but don’t fully sedate her. The donor wants
to speak with her one more time.”

“We can do that.”

“Have a wheelchair and gurney ready for the donor as soon as
I pull up to the back entrance.”

“Got it.”

“How is Selena’s condition right now?”

“Stable, but weakening.”

“Has her family been contacted?”

“A call was placed to her mother, but she’s out of the
country. Her next of kin to be notified was her aunt, but she’s got the flu and
has been advised not to come to the hospital.”

“Is there anyone else?”

“Her pastor, Ramona Brimstone, was just notified.”

Hertford shook his head. “Any other heads up info I need to
know about?”

“Hate to tell you this but there was a direct lightning hit
on one of our backup generators. Melted wiring and other metal. We’ve got two
others, but one is waiting on parts, so we’re literally operating on the edge
of hope.”

“Hmm.” Hertford’s face took on a grim look. “Any other
issues with the operating rooms tonight?”

“Nothing unusual, just the ordinary glitches.”

“Are the summaries back from the consulting specialists?”

“All but one. They’re in your computer file. Everyone has
really scrambled.”

“What about the health of our anonymous donor, Roscoe
Fallington? Any negatives that were highlighted by the other docs? What about
his wreck? Any residual injuries?”

“None were noted. One positive comment said he was an
‘extremely healthy patient, but is faking an injured foot.’”

Hertford chuckled, “We’re learning lots about our mystery
donor tonight.”

Roscoe said, “I can explain all of that.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet you can. Can’t wait to hear the story.”

A sharp flash of lightning zapped a utility pole. Sparks and
fire shot from the transformer, and the street grew dark. The aftershock of
thunder was deafening as it reverberated across the town. The car phone went
dead.

The night sky mourned with gushing rain.

The Lincoln Navigator growled through the angry storm. The
dashboard clock blinked almost ten o’clock.

In Hong Kong it was 9:50 a.m. Wednesday. The meeting with
Fallington Enterprises main Chinese supplier was set for 10:00 a.m. Madison and
her three assistants had arrived early and were seated at the twelve-foot
rectangular table, while they waited for their counterparts. Madison had
insisted they meet in a neutral hotel of her choosing. Reluctantly the Chinese
company authorities had agreed.

Zhi Wang, the Chinese company official, was accompanied by
one forty-five year old female, Jia Song, who was his business assistant, and
would serve as his interpreter. Two brutish male bodyguards took seats beside
Zhi and Jia, staring lifelessly across the table at Madison’s two male
assistants, who were perfectly at ease.

Madison seized the initiative and began the meeting. For the
next several minutes through Madison’s broken Chinese and Zhi’s fractured
English, greetings and formalities were dispensed with. Madison insisted on
first names. Zhi balked, but finally agreed.

Zhi was a sixty-ish bespectacled weathered male who had
worked his way up through company and political ranks by doing whatever had
been necessary. No deed had been too dirty for him, if it would promote his
interests and survival. He ruled the manufacturing company with raw fear. It
worked, so far.

Madison was dressed in a summer-weight black business pant
suit, white blouse, accented with a rich red scarf. On her lapel she wore an
American flag pin. Her dark brown hair was lustrous, full and dropping across
her shoulders. She wore a hint of lipstick that coordinated with her manicured
fingers.

She gave a slight nod to Mee, her assistant, who passed a
Fallington letterhead single sheet to each of the four Chinese across the
table. The two bodyguards squinted at the sheet. Only Jia and Zhi seemed to
understand what was on the sheet.

Madison said, “I want to get right to the heart of our
meeting. I’m here to recover two million dollars due to overcharges and product
performance issues. As you can tell from item two, future orders from
Fallington Enterprises will be contingent upon your company’s full compliance
with standards regarding human rights and worker issues as established by the
International Improvement Conglomerate. And pricing will be discounted ten
percent over the next two years.”

There was a brief language exchange between Jia and Zhi.

Madison waited for his response.

His filmy eyes searched her unflinching look. He began a
small chuckle, and then said, “This is a joke, yes?”

“Not a joke.”

He straightened in his chair. “I extend you a Chinese
courtesy by agreeing to meet with you. I come here in good faith only to be
insulted by you. I have agreement with Mr. D.R. Fallington.”

“D.R. Fallington no longer works for Fallington
Enterprises.”

“But I still have agreement.” His voice got tight.

“D.R. Fallington did not follow company policy, therefore
the company does not acknowledge any agreement that you made with him.”

“But I have agreement. I did special favors to accommodate
Mr. Fallington’s certain needs.” His eyebrows twitched.

“Are those special favors part of the written agreement?”
Madison leaned toward the table. Her eyes shifted from Zhi to Jia. Madison held
her eyes until Jia looked down at the table.

Zhi said, “Where is Mr. Fallington?”

“If you have a problem with him you’ll have to find him. I
don’t have anything to do with him.”

She paused. Her hands rested comfortably on the table. “I’m
here to collect a reimbursement of two million dollars from your
company…today.”

Zhi pushed his chair back from the table. His mouth was
tight as he snapped, “We have no further discussion.” He gave a jerk of his
head, as he turned to his assistant, Jia. They got up, followed by their two
goons, and headed toward an adjoining side room that had been reserved as a
caucus room for them. There was also a room reserved for Madison and her team,
but she didn’t plan to use it.

Madison added, “I’ll wait twenty minutes, before we head to
the airport.”

Zhi stopped in his tracks, growled something in Chinese,
before Jia nudged him on into the caucus room. Their door closed.

Madison smiled as she looked at her team. She glanced at her
watch.

Behind the closed door the voices got louder.

Zhi started berating Jia. “How could this happen? This
meeting was not to take place. What happened to our plan when they checked in?
Our assignment team was supposed to have prevented this meeting.”

“The three haven’t been heard from sir.”

“What? They were supposed to run that loose…loose woman—”

Jia interrupted, “Loose cannon, sir, loose cannon, not loose
woman.”

He smirked. “Why were they not run out of town? That was the
plan.”

“I don’t know what happened, sir.” She checked her phone for
messages. “Our three operators haven’t been seen or heard from since last
night.” She shrugged.

“How dare that…that child-woman come here demanding money
from me and company. I work hard. I’m important.” He turned staring at the
door, waving his arms in the air. “Does she not know that? Does she not know
how to respect Chinese culture?” His voice trailed with a squeal. He snapped.
“Where is our leverage with this…this loose cannon? What is her weakness?
Didn’t our sources uncover anything that we can use as leverage?” Another
trailing squeal. He stared at Jia.

“We know she’s divorced. She’d worked for Fallington
Enterprises for about three years, before becoming the CEO. We learned a few
days ago that her only teenage daughter is in the hospital, very sick with some
kind of kidney disease. We don’t know more than that, because our source,
low-pay woman custodian, was fired two days ago for stealing from patients. At
this time we don’t have any other contact.”

Zhi continued his rant. “Who she think she is? She is
nothing but a weak woman. I could break her into pieces like that.” He snapped
his gnarled fingers.

“Sir, if I may speak openly?”

He nodded his permission.

“From additional intelligence we learned that she put two men
in the hospital about a week ago. Almost killed one of them. He almost bled to
death. She’s very skilled.”

“How? How she do it? Impossible!” He scowled.

“With her bare hands and a beer bottle.”

Zhi snarled in Chinese, and started pacing.

Jia walked close beside him to the other end of the room,
while the two brutes stared blankly at the closed door.

Jia whispered, “I don’t like to see you upset. Save some of
your fire for later tonight, when we can be together.” She chuckled in his ear.
“Is your wife away for the evening?”

He nodded and then grinned. “You’re smart woman.” He thought
a moment. “Ahhh, it just come to me…why mad woman in a hurry…to get back home
to sick daughter.” He grinned. “I’ll just stall and wait her out. She’ll forget
about two million or even two dollars, and haul ass to catch her plane.”

Jia smiled and nodded at him. She was working her way up
through the ranks.

Zhi said, “Let’s go back in. I’ll stall her, then pat her on
the ass and send her packing.”

Jia pulled him close and said in his ear, “I’d better be the
only woman you pat on the ass.” She pinched him on the cheek, hard.

Eighteen minutes had passed when Zhi and his cohorts
returned to the table and took their seats. Madison noticed the red blotch of
skin on his cheek. She cut her eyes at Jia. She looked down at the table again.

Zhi smiled, saying, “I have second thoughts.” He faked
humbleness. “Since you young and new with business matters, I should show you
Chinese politeness and let you explain your thinking.” He thought a moment, as
he looked at the ceiling while stroking his chin. “We check figures to be sure.
We have not over charge and we do not have quality problems, so…so how can we
possibly owe you two million dollars or even two dollars? There is no proof.”
He shrugged with palms up.

Madison studied him a long moment.

He squirmed in his seat.

Madison gave Mee and Zhong nods.

Mee handed a prepared report to Jia and Zhi. “This is a
breakdown of overcharges and revenue lost because of product performance.”

Zhong stood lifting a large plastic bag that had been
resting beside his chair. He loosened the draw string and poured the contents
on the table before Jia and Zhi. “These are samples of the proof you asked
about.”

Woo handed another report to them. “This is a full itemization
of products purchased from your company that have been laboratory tested and
found to be contaminated, below production standards, or both. You will
recognize many of the items, plastic household items, toothbrushes, combs, hair
brushes, covers, toys, infant teething rings, fabrics, furniture frame
compositions, miscellaneous gadgets…just to name a few.”

Madison gave Jia and Zhi a few moments to scan the reports.
They both inched their chairs back from the table when the plastic items slid
near them.

Madison said, “You will note the reports indicate items
returned and rejected by our customers, and also the loss involved to
Fallington.” She let that sink in before continuing, “A number of companies are
bringing legal action against Fallington, which we in turn will be bringing
legal action against you, and we are joining other suits underway by an
international business recovery group. I think this is the proof you needed?”

Zhi’s pasty forehead took on a shine from perspiration, as
he and Jia continued to study the reports. Both reached for their generic
China-made Media Tablet, a look-alike to the popular leading product. They
tapped their screens obsessively. They whispered fitfully in Chinese.

Zhi shook his head in short jerks, saying, “Numbers not make
sense.”

Madison said, “Let me make it simple for you.” She smiled,
as she pulled from a forest green quilted bag an object and faced it toward Zhi
and Jia. Their eyes widened in disbelief.