you can help me. I'm Kathleen DeMaio from the
Valley County, New Jersey, prosecutor's office. We're conducting
an inquiry into the death of Vangie Lewis last Monday. She had
Dr. Salem's phone number on her pad."
"Oh, that is a coincidence. I was just about to call your medical
examiner. Dr. Salem wants to talk with him. The doctor is on
his way to New York right now for the AMA convention. Can your
medical examiner phone him around five p.m. at the Essex House
Hotel on Central Park South?"
"Yes. I'll give him the message." Then, on a chance, Katie added,
"Do you know anything about Mrs. Lewis' call? Did she speak with
the doctor?"
"No. She spoke to me. She called Monday and was so disappointed
that he wasn't going to be back till Wednesday. I made
an emergency appointment for her for Wednesday."
"One last question. What kind of doctor is Dr. Salem?"
"Oh, he's a prominent obstetrician and gynecologist."
"I see. Thank you. You've been very helpful." Katie hung up
the phone and reported the conversation to the others.
There was a knock at the door and Maureen came in with
coffee and sandwiches. "Katie," she said, "that call from Massa
chusetts about Dr. Fukhito is just coming in. Want to take it?"
Katie nodded and picked up the phone. As she waited for the
call to be switched, she became aware of a slow, persistent head
ache. I'm not operating on all cylinders, she thought. So many
things were teasing her mind. What was she trying to recall?
The personnel director at the University of Massachusetts
Medical School answered guardedly. "Yes, Dr. Fukhito graduated
from U. Mass. He interned at Massachusetts General and later became
affiliated with the hospital. He also had a private practice. He
left the hospital seven years ago."
"Why did he leave?" Katie asked. "You must understand this is
a police investigation. All information will be kept confidential."
There was a pause. "Dr. Fukhito was asked to resign. He was
found guilty of unethical behavior after he unsuccessfully defended
a malpractice suit."
"What was the cause of the suit?" Katie asked.
"A patient sued Dr. Fukhito for inducing her to have a personal
relationship with him. She bore Dr. Fukhito's child."
MOLLY bustled around her kitchen, rejoicing in the fact that
all the children were back in school. Bill was not going into New
York for another half hour. They were enjoying a rare chance to
chat in peace, as Bill sat at the table sipping coffee and Molly
sliced vegetables. "I'm sure Katie and Richard and the Berkeleys
will enjoy each other," Molly was saying. "Now if Liz just doesn't
spend the whole evening talking about the baby . . . When I
phoned to invite her, she spent the first twenty minutes on Maryanne's
latest trick . . . which is to blow her oatmeal all over the
place. Isn't that cute?"
"It is if it's your first baby and you waited fifteen years to have
one," Bill commented.
"Anyhow, even if Liz does rave about the baby tonight, maybe
a little of it will sink in on Katie and Richard."
Bill's eyebrows rose. "Molly, you're not very subtle. You'd better
watch out or they'll start avoiding each other."
"Haven't you noticed the way they act together? There's something
smoldering there. And Richard called me last night and
wanted to know if there was something the matter with Katie."
"Did you tell him about the operation?"
"No. Katie doesn't want me to. But the poor guy is so worried
about her. I don't think it's fair to him."
Bill got up and put his cup and saucer in the dishwasher. "If
Katie doesn't want to tell Richard about this operation, don't fill
him in. That's not fair to her. You've gotten them together. Now—"
"Now bug off." Molly sighed.
"Something like that. And tomorrow night when Katie goes
into the hospital, you and I are going to the
Valley County, New Jersey, prosecutor's office. We're conducting
an inquiry into the death of Vangie Lewis last Monday. She had
Dr. Salem's phone number on her pad."
"Oh, that is a coincidence. I was just about to call your medical
examiner. Dr. Salem wants to talk with him. The doctor is on
his way to New York right now for the AMA convention. Can your
medical examiner phone him around five p.m. at the Essex House
Hotel on Central Park South?"
"Yes. I'll give him the message." Then, on a chance, Katie added,
"Do you know anything about Mrs. Lewis' call? Did she speak with
the doctor?"
"No. She spoke to me. She called Monday and was so disappointed
that he wasn't going to be back till Wednesday. I made
an emergency appointment for her for Wednesday."
"One last question. What kind of doctor is Dr. Salem?"
"Oh, he's a prominent obstetrician and gynecologist."
"I see. Thank you. You've been very helpful." Katie hung up
the phone and reported the conversation to the others.
There was a knock at the door and Maureen came in with
coffee and sandwiches. "Katie," she said, "that call from Massa
chusetts about Dr. Fukhito is just coming in. Want to take it?"
Katie nodded and picked up the phone. As she waited for the
call to be switched, she became aware of a slow, persistent head
ache. I'm not operating on all cylinders, she thought. So many
things were teasing her mind. What was she trying to recall?
The personnel director at the University of Massachusetts
Medical School answered guardedly. "Yes, Dr. Fukhito graduated
from U. Mass. He interned at Massachusetts General and later became
affiliated with the hospital. He also had a private practice. He
left the hospital seven years ago."
"Why did he leave?" Katie asked. "You must understand this is
a police investigation. All information will be kept confidential."
There was a pause. "Dr. Fukhito was asked to resign. He was
found guilty of unethical behavior after he unsuccessfully defended
a malpractice suit."
"What was the cause of the suit?" Katie asked.
"A patient sued Dr. Fukhito for inducing her to have a personal
relationship with him. She bore Dr. Fukhito's child."
MOLLY bustled around her kitchen, rejoicing in the fact that
all the children were back in school. Bill was not going into New
York for another half hour. They were enjoying a rare chance to
chat in peace, as Bill sat at the table sipping coffee and Molly
sliced vegetables. "I'm sure Katie and Richard and the Berkeleys
will enjoy each other," Molly was saying. "Now if Liz just doesn't
spend the whole evening talking about the baby . . . When I
phoned to invite her, she spent the first twenty minutes on Maryanne's
latest trick . . . which is to blow her oatmeal all over the
place. Isn't that cute?"
"It is if it's your first baby and you waited fifteen years to have
one," Bill commented.
"Anyhow, even if Liz does rave about the baby tonight, maybe
a little of it will sink in on Katie and Richard."
Bill's eyebrows rose. "Molly, you're not very subtle. You'd better
watch out or they'll start avoiding each other."
"Haven't you noticed the way they act together? There's something
smoldering there. And Richard called me last night and
wanted to know if there was something the matter with Katie."
"Did you tell him about the operation?"
"No. Katie doesn't want me to. But the poor guy is so worried
about her. I don't think it's fair to him."
Bill got up and put his cup and saucer in the dishwasher. "If
Katie doesn't want to tell Richard about this operation, don't fill
him in. That's not fair to her. You've gotten them together. Now—"
"Now bug off." Molly sighed.
"Something like that. And tomorrow night when Katie goes
into the hospital, you and I are going to the
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