Shadow of Eden (45 page)

The question and answer period had gone swiftly and reinforced the magnitude of his announcements. He always planted the audience with pre-planned questions to drive home his best points and today’s session was a winner.

“Have you located Castell?”

Karen nodded, “He’s here. In the third row, on the right.”

“I can’t see anybody with those damned lights in my face. Just find him during the reception and get him to me. Watch your timing. I need to have a private conversation.”

“No problem,” she said, squeezing Morloch’s arm.

Chapter 96

A
t the knock on his door, Tyrone Grune shouted, “Come in.” The press secretary looked up as Jeff Bell walked into his office. It was neat by White House standards with a compulsively clean desk. A bank of family pictures clustered on the credenza, including one of his grandparents that had been taken at his family’s ancestral home of Fussen in the German Alps.

At the sight of Bell, Grune’s perpetually anxious face furrowed anew. “Now what?”

“Samuels had the honor of calling me to tell me Jacob was promising the President’s backing.”

“Oh hell. That screws the budget compromise,” Grune shook his head. “Did the President actually green light him?”

Bell shrugged. “Don’t know. When I asked him, he vaguely remembered giving Jacob approval to move on a housing bill. When I told him it would tank the budget agreement, he threw up his hands and said, ‘Can’t I get anything right?’”

“The President said that?”

Bell sat down in one of the heavy wooden chairs facing Grune’s desk. “I had a little talk with Jacob and told him to pull this thing back in. He’s pissed and rightly so. It’ll screw his credibility with Congress.”

“That’s an understatement,” Grune said, “but you can’t put it on the President.”

“Ty, he knew the housing bill would tank the budget compromise, yet he went straight to the President. I don’t know what he was thinking.”

“But you didn’t come in here to muse your legislative agenda with the press secretary.”

“Right. Umm . . .” Bell pursed his lips, choosing his words. “I’m bugged that the President didn’t toss Jacob’s modest little proposal out on its butt.”

“I think I get your drift,” Grune said chewing the end of his BIC pen.

“Then you understand why I want you to keep the President under wraps. No public appearances, no live TV or radio, no press conferences, nothing that we can’t script.”

“Damage control.”

“Right. Until this stress thing blows over.”

“What’ll I tell the press?”

“You’ll figure something out. Just run it by me before you go with it. I’ll also tell the rest of the crew.”

“And the President?”

Bell produced a smile. “He gets a break.”

Chapter 97

L
arry Calhoun sat hunched over his desk reading raw intelligence reports of China’s puzzling military activity. His knees jiggled back and forth in concentration. He briefly thought of Ernie Whiteside’s request for political asylum for CNN’s Hong Kong station crew. He had not heard anything about their progress and wondered what had happened to them. Maybe, when he got a moment, he would call Ernie to ask.

Focusing back on the reports in front of him, Calhoun tried to piece together why the analysts could not detect China’s net movement of materiél. Something big was going on, but what? He read the CIA speculation that it related to internal issues, dissident suppressions, or training exercises.
Bullshit.
The Chinese weren’t stupid. But Calhoun knew he was too far removed from the imaging data to evaluate it. He needed to get his hands on the actual satellite imagery.

He buzzed Harold Wright. “Harry, what are you working on?”

“Well, hello, Mr. Calhoun,” his technical analyst answered. “Top of the day to you, too.”

Calhoun smiled. “Thanks. Look, I need your help on the China thing.”

“What’s up?”

“Seen the troop movement reports?”

“Nope, I’m not on the guest list.”

“Okay, I’ll get you a copy. In a nutshell, China’s military is moving trucks and trains all over the map, confusing the analysts. I want you to get me access to the actual photos so we can go over them together. Can you do that?”

“I figure I can. Take me until tomorrow unless this is hot.”

“Tomorrow’s fine. Say around . . .” Calhoun looked at his desk calendar, mentally rearranging the day to accommodate Harry. “Eleven?”

“Eleven it is. See you then.”

Calhoun looked back down at the report in front of him. “I’ll nail down your plan, assholes.”

Chapter 98

F
ollowing Morloch’s surprise acquisition announcement, the lights came on and white-gloved ushers directed the excitedly chattering attendees through suddenly opened side doors into the adjacent reception room. As everyone gravitated towards the food and beverage stations, waiters wandered through the throng with wine, champagne, and canapés balanced on trays. A three-piece string ensemble played soft Baroque music.

Morloch appeared and soon faced a line of happy stockholders and analysts who filed past him, each shaking his hand and congratulating him on Trident’s success and the pending merger. He chatted casually with the last several people in line until he felt a light touch on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Karen holding the arm of Castell. Morloch beamed as if surprised. “Jacob, how are you?” He shook Castell’s hand “I was hoping you’d be here. After all, you’re responsible for all this.”

Castell coughed self-consciously, “Sure, Vicktor.”

“Do you have a minute? I’d like to catch up.” Morloch smoothly steered Castell away from the bulk of the reception and into the massive foyer outside the ballroom. Morloch stopped in front of the floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the formal garden.

“I only have a few minutes before the press gets a chance at me.”

“Well, you’re the man of the hour and deservedly so.”

“How’s June?”

“She’s great. She’s involved in the Junior League and all that stuff. She really loves the social side of things.”

“I’m glad. She has the energy of three of us.”

“That she does,” Castell smiled.

“Jacob,” Morloch lowered his voice. “I was surprised when our new Paradise submission didn’t get expedited review.”

Castell cocked his head at the statement and looked at his friend. “I’m afraid you’ve caught me off guard.”

“Our new compound, Paradise. I think we need expedited review.”

“We got you expedited review on your initial application—”

“For which I am grateful.” Morloch did not have to mention the one hundred thousand shares of Trident stock sitting in a private Cayman bank account, controlled by Castell, in return for the favor.

“Why do you need it?” Castell asked cautiously. “Certainly it’s not to increase sales.”

“Of course not. This is not about money. It’s because the new formulation reduces nose irritation and is more rapidly absorbed. It’s for increased benefit for our patients.”

“Oh.” Castell paused, as if considering. After a moment he said, “Let me think about it.”

“My previous offer applies here as well.” Morloch said softly, with a bland smile on his face for the casual onlookers.

Castell met Morloch’s gaze briefly and looked away, nodding slightly.

Morloch moved to his next agenda item, wondering if he had pushed the Secretary too hard. “I understand you had a near calamity on that flight in from London.”

“Yeah.” Castell brightened. “That was one hell of a scary ride.”

“So, did the doctor, what was his name? James? Did he do everything the papers said he did? That was quite a story.”

Castell nodded. “Yeah, he did. He’s the reason I’m here at all.”

Morloch wore a blank look. “Very interesting . . .” He let it hang.

Castell peered at Morloch. “What?”

“Oh, nothing.” He feigned an offhand tone. “How’s work?”

“No, no. What about him?”

“Well, Dr. James . . .” Morloch waved his hand like he was searching for words.

“You know him?” Castell sounded surprised

“No, not really . . .” Morloch shook his head. “It’s just I can’t square the Dr. James who saved a planeload of people with the Dr. James who used to work on my studies.”

“He’s the same Dr. James?”

Morloch nodded.

“And you have a hard time believing what?”

“Well, he’s, um . . . irresponsible.”

“Really?”

“It seems he’s had some troubles. Perhaps you were unaware.”

“Like what?”

“Well, if I recall correctly, his license is up for possible suspension, he’s been sued for sexual abuse and, no surprise, his wife has left him.”

Castell looked surprised. “Really?”

“I had a hard time believing it, too.”

“He seemed so . . .”

“Ordinarily I don’t care about that kind of personal crap, but in this case,” Morloch’s expression turned dark. “Dr. James has been spreading some very disturbing lies about Eden. He was one of our most active investigators, having worked on a number of our studies. When this surfaced, I instructed our QA people to look into his performance.

“His data quality was spotty at best even though he was a prolific enroller. In all fairness, we should have caught it long ago, but we, I am told, were beguiled by the numbers of patients he put into our studies.” He gazed out the windows like he was more sad than angry.

Castell said, “I had no idea. Maybe he’s, I don’t know . . . manic-depressive or something. That’s so strange. He seemed perfectly normal when I saw him in the emergency room.” His face clouded over. “Vicktor, you should know, he’s requested to meet me tomorrow evening.”

Morloch feigned surprised. “You? Really? What for?”

“He called me. Something I needed to know, but vague. He wouldn’t say.”

Morloch turned squarely towards Castell. “Anything at all you can tell me?”

Castell shook his head. “He didn’t tell me anything specific.”

“I’m speculating,” Morloch continued, “but based on what he’s said to individuals in my company, I’m concerned he’s trying to hurt Trident by saying unsupported things about Eden. If you ask me, he’s going to the top and using you to do his dirty work.”

Morloch ran his fingers through his wavy salt and pepper hair. “See, we pulled all our remaining studies from his clinic. We had to, based on the data quality we were seeing. It could get us in trouble with the Agency, you know. Ever since, he’s been calling our staff and causing a lot of internal heartburn.”

Castell said, “Then I should cancel the meeting.”

Morloch looked as if he were considering it. “Jacob, we go back a long way. You know Eden very well. Cancel if you think it’s best. On the other hand, it might prove useful to hear him out to see what rumors he’s spreading. And,” he added, “it would help us immensely.”

Castell nodded. “Well, if it will help, I can make that meeting. Sure, Vicktor.”

“My company’s reputation and integrity are at stake. It would be of enormous help to us in countering his allegations. It is important to me that the truth triumphs here.”

“Right, right. Of course.”

Morloch held out his hand. “You’ll call me after the meeting?”