Silent Treatment

Over the years of their continuingfriendship, she had taught Harry something that he had already long suspected — that a resourceful, imaginative reference-room librarian could find out almostanything.

'Stephanie, I have two names along withaddresses and even Social Security numbers,' he said, after accepting hercondolences about Evie and assuring her that he had nothing to do with herdeath. 'I think both men might be involved with the insurance business in someway. I want any information you can dig up on either of them, especially wherethey work and what they do. Tomorrow would be okay if you're too busy, but Iwas actually thinking more in the line of the next hour or so.'

Stephanie told him not to expect anything,but it was just thirty minutes later when she called back.

'Bingo!' Harry said after he took down theinformation. 'Walter, you've done it again. James Stallings, vice president ofInterstate Health Care. Kevin Loomis, first vice president of Crown Health andCasualty. They both seem to be stars on the rise, too. Loomis had two years ata community college in New Jersey, and was just a sales agent until a couple ofyears ago. Now he's big stuff. I'm not sure what he's doing living at Queenswith what he must be making. Stallings is private school all the way — St.Stephen's, Dartmouth, and Wharton business school. He's won a ton of awards forperformance in the company and the industry.'

'Do you want me to look up the companyphone numbers?' Maura asked.

Harry tapped his pages of notes.

'You obviously haven't had any experiencewith people like my friend Stephanie. Office and home phone numbers for both.'

'Which one are you going to try first?'

Harry looked over at Concepcion.

'Why, the award-winning executive, ofcourse,' Walter said. 'Is it worth talking through how you're going to approachhim?'

'I think I might be better improvising,'Harry said. He dialed the number for the Manhattan office of Interstate HealthCare and asked for James Stallings. In a few moments, Stallings's secretarycame on the line.

'Mr. Stallings's office.'

'Hi,' Harry said. 'I'm trying to reach JimStallings. My name's Collins, Harrison Collins. I was a classmate of Jim's atDartmouth. I'm with the selection committee for next year's graduation. Jim'sname has been submitted for a distinguished alumnus award, and I need to goover some details with him.'

Harry got two thumbs up from his smallaudience. There was an unnaturally long pause before his secretary responded.

'I'm sorry, Mr. Collins,' she said. 'Mr.Stallings isn't able to take your call.'

'Well, when should I call back?'

Again, there was an uncomfortable longpause.

'What was this about again?'

'An award. Dartmouth is giving Mr. Stallingsan award.'

'Mr. Collins, I'm afraid Mr. Stallings isill. Quite ill. He. . he's in the intensive care unit at Memorial Hospital.'

'Oh that's terrible. Will he, I mean, ishe going to be all right?'

'I can't tell you any more than thatwithout permission. I'm sorry.'

Harry reviewed the conversation for Mauraand Concepcion, and then used his title and knowledge of hospital procedure toget through to a nurse in the Memorial Hospital ICU. His conversation with thewoman lasted only a minute. He slowly set the receiver down.

'Stallings had a cardiac arrest on the subway this afternoon,' he said. 'He's on a ventilator, essentiallybrain-dead. She couldn't tell me any more than that.'

'How old was he?' Maura asked.

Harry glanced at his notes.

'Forty-two.'

'Not exactly cardiac arrest age,'Concepcion said.

'What do you think?'

'I don't like it. I don't like it at all.I think you should call that other one. What's his name?'

Harry was already dialing Crown Health andCasualty.

'Loomis,' he said. 'Kevin Loomis.'

Harry modified the tale he told toLoomis's secretary. Harrison Collins was with the Executive of the Yearcommittee of the American Insurance Association. Loomis was to be one ofthree nominees for this year's award. Harry knew the lie sounded good even ashe said it. In a few seconds, Loomis was on the line.

'What can I do for you, Mr. Collins?' hesaid.

'Are you the only one on this line?' Harryasked.

'What?'

'Can you talk safely?'

'Of course I can. What's this all about?'

'Mr. Loomis, my name isn't Collins, it'sCorbett. Dr. Harry Corbett. Do you know who I am?'

'I read the papers.'

'This is about my wife, Mr. Loomis. Mylate wife Evelyn.'

'Why are you calling me?'

'Mr. Loomis, in trying to clear myself ofcharges that I murdered my wife, I've been investigating her life. I've learnedthat she worked for the Elegance escort service. I know she saw you and JamesStallings as clients at the Camelot Hotel.'

'That's nonsense. I've never been to theCamelot Hotel, I don't know your wife, and I don't know anyone named Stallings.Now, I'm very busy and-'

'Your name, address, and Social Securitynumber were on the note in my wife's possession when she died. So wereStallings's. It seemed to me she must have got them from your driver's licenses.Now, you can talk to me or talk to the police.'

'Dr. Corbett, I don't like peoplethreatening me. I don't know you and I don't know your wife. I'm going to hangup now. Don't call me again.'

'Mr. Loomis, I just hung up from talkingwith a nurse in the Memorial Hospital ICU. James Stallings had some sort ofcardiac arrest today. He's unconscious and on a respirator, but he's nevergoing to wake up again. He's brain-dead. Irreversibly brain-dead.'

The prolonged silence was a positiveresponse.

'I don't know Stallings, and I havenothing more to say to you.'

'My number is 870-3400 in Manhattan. Callme anytime, but make it soon. I have a feeling we need to talk.'

Kevin Loomis hung up without responding.

'He's going to check on what I told himabout Stallings,' Harry told the others. 'After that I think I'll be hearingfrom him.'

'One way or the other,' Maura respondedwarily. 'For all we know, he may have been the one who hired Evie's killer.'

Chapter30

Each patient was allowed two visitors inthe Memorial Hospital ICU. When Kevin Loomis arrived there at two-fifteen thefollowing afternoon, James Stallings already had his quota. He was directed toa small family room with overstuffed furniture, a selection of religious andinspirational reading material, and a television that was turned to the cartoonchannel.

Visiting hours were from noon until eight,but this was Kevin's first opportunity to get to the hospital since receivingthe call from Harry Corbett. As soon as he had hung up on Corbett, Kevin hadcalled Memorial. Patient information could tell him nothing more than thatJames Stallings was a patient in the ICU, and that his condition was critical.He dialed Stallings's office at Interstate Health, hoping to learn more, buthung up as soon as the secretary asked his name. Badly shaken, he managed tomake it through an hour-long meeting at work — a meeting in which Burt Dreisersat directly across the table, smiling at him benevolently.

Burt, you know Sir Gawaine, thetall, good-looking guy who came on board The Roundtable about six or sevenmonths before I did? You wouldn't happen to know how he ended up in criticalcondition in the Memorial Hospital ICU, would you?

After the meeting, Kevin had barely hadtime to make it home for Julie's dance recital. He would have preferred to havebeen assigned to Nicky's Little League game, but his deal with Nancy was thatthey would alternate. Now, with little Brian scheduled to begin various lessonsas soon as they were settled in Port Chester, the formula would have to berevamped.