Silent Treatment

'There are a few reasons, actually. I'veread a lot about you, and I don't like what they're doing to you — they'redestroying your life. You won a medal for getting shot up in Nam. I was tooyoung to fight, but my older brother Michael lost a leg there. Also, the wholething's getting to be too much for me. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm no angel.Far from it. I could do most of what The Roundtable wanted and not bat an eye.But I draw the line at killing people, no matter how sick they are or how muchthey're going to cost us. I intend to turn state's evidence and make some sortof deal with the DA's office — that is, if I ever get my hands on anyevidence.'

'What do you mean?'

'There's nothing on paper. Nothing at all.Stallings was the only one who might have backed me up. I'll go ahead anyway — tell the same story I just told you and name what names I can. But I suspectthe lawyers for the other knights will cut me to shreds.'

'Maybe not. You know, all along I've had atheory about why whoever killed Evie seemed to be going out of their way notto harm me. I figured it was because I was the perfect fall guy — why get rid of me? Now I realize I've probably been right. With every signpointing to me, you and Stallings weren't likely to challenge The Roundtable.'

'Exactly. You said your wife's killer hasbeen trying to get you to kill yourself. That would have been the clincher. Idon't know about Stallings, but I would have immediately stopped suspecting TheRoundtable.'

Harry turned to Loomis.

'What you're doing takes a lot of guts,'he said. 'When you do go to the authorities, I'll be right there with you, ifthat's any comfort.'

'Thanks. But from what I've read in thepapers, I'm not sure that would be a plus. The cops really hate you.'

Harry smiled.

'Touche. Kevin, listen. I'm thinking aboutsomething pretty far-out that might help us. Could you go over the criteria youremember from that sheet Stallings gave you?'

'I can do better than that.'

He handed over the printout of Merlin'sprogram — the criteria that had cost Beth DeSenza her job. Then he looped on tothe Mosholu Parkway, heading back toward the Major Deegan Expressway and thecity.

'How many companies are involved?' Harryasked.

'Probably five — that's not counting mycompany or Stallings's. I know two of them for sure — ComprehensiveNeighborhood Health and Northeast Life and Casualty. What companies the otherthree represent, I don't know yet, although I might be able to find out if Ireally work at it.'

'Don't do anything to ruffle anyone'sfeathers. These guys clearly don't have much patience with people who upsetthem.' Harry studied the criteria. 'The lowest projected cost to qualify fortermination was — what again? Half a million?'

'Exactly.'

Harry rolled up the printout and tapped itagainst his fist. His idea was beginning to take shape.

'Kevin, I really appreciate that you'vecome to me before going to the DA,' he said. 'Now I've got something to show you.'

He handed over a folded copy of theposter. Kevin glanced at it, then pulled off into the breakdown lane and turnedon the interior light.

'Never saw him before,' he said after halfa minute.

'He's the man who killed Evie. We haveproof. I saw him outside her room just before the injection. Her roommate sawhim in the room. And he left a fingerprint that was identified by theFBI lab. His name's Anton Perchek. He's a doctor, Kevin. An M.D. He's known allover the world as a master of torture, and for keeping victims alive andawake during torture. He was supposed to have died in a helicopter accidentescaping from prison six years ago.'

'And you think he's involved with TheRoundtable?'

'I do. I think he's the one who carriesout these. . these terminations.'

Kevin handed back the poster and swung thecar on to the highway. For a time they rode in silence.

'You've got to nail that guy,' Kevin said.

You've got to? Harry looked at him curiously,but didn't comment. Kevin's eyes remained fixed on the road.

'I have a thought,' Harry said. 'You saidtwo of the companies involved were Comprehensive Neighborhood Health andNortheast Life and Casualty. I don't have many patients with Comprehensive, butI do have quite a few covered by Northeast Life. Suppose I admitted one to myhospital and made up a diagnosis that would qualify him for termination underthis protocol?'

'Could you do that?'

'I think so. The real question is whetheryour knight from Northeast Casualty would bite. What's his name?'

'Pat Harper. He's Lancelot, the one whomade Stallings the offer to join the inner circle.'

'So if anyone's actively involved in thisthing, it would be him. That's good.'

'But you're suggesting taking a patientand deliberately exposing him to this Anton Perchek? Who would do such athing?'

'Actually,' Harry said, 'I have someone inmind who would be happy to. Only he's not exactly a patient of mine. Could youtake me to my office? It's on 116th near Fifth.'

'Sure. I knew it was right to contactyou.'

Once again, Loomis's words and the way hespoke them made Harry feel uneasy. Not once had he talked about the implicationsfor him and his family of what he was doing. In fact, not once had he spoken ofhis family at all. He had chosen to contact Harry before going to the DA. Why? You'vegot to nail that guy. Why not we?

Suddenly Harry knew. What had beentroubling him so about the man was that he sounded detached, as if the eventshe described had happened to someone else entirely. He had chosen to speak withHarry before seeking out the DA because he never had any intention of going tothe authorities. In fact, he had no intention of seeing this thing through. Allat once a good deal about this strange ride made sense. Loomis's calmness. Hislack of fear. Loomis was an insurance executive. Harry suspected that his deathwould leave his family well provided for,

'You okay?' Harry asked as they approachedthe lights of the city.

'Huh? Oh, sure. I'm still worried aboutwhat's going to happen. But I feel much more hopeful after talking to you.'

'Good. We can put an end to TheRoundtable, you know.'

'I know.'

The sadness in his voice was unmistakablenow.

'Kevin, you said you knew about me and thewar.'

'What I read in the papers.'

'The platoon I was with was ambushed. Wewere caught in a vicious firefight, with mortar shells dropping on us from anearby hill. Most of our kids were killed or badly hurt. I managed to dragthree of them to the medevac chopper. That's what I got the decoration for — asif I even knew what I was doing at that point. Then a shell exploded rightbehind me. I think it hit a mine, because it seemed like half the jungle blewup. I have no idea who dragged me out of there. It was about a week before Iwoke up. They had taken what metal and other debris they could out of my back,along with part of one kidney. I spent several months in a rehab hospital. Thepain was wicked, and for a long time I thought I might not walk.'

'But you did.'

'That's sort of the point. About threemonths into my rehab, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I snuck off in mywheelchair with a revolver tucked under the sheet. For half an hour — oh hell,I really don't even know how long — I sat in the woods with this gun in mymouth and my finger on the trigger.'

'Why didn't you pull it?'

Harry shrugged.

'I guess I just decided it wasn't my job.'

They had crossed the river into the citynow, and were heading toward Harry's office.

'Good for you.'

'Hopeless is a relative term, Kevin. JamesStallings is pretty much hopeless. You aren't. Think about that, will you?'

For a moment it seemed Kevin was about tosay something, but instead he just nodded and focused on the road. Harry felthe had gone as far as he could in counseling a man he did not know. At least hehad made his point. They rode in silence until Loomis pulled up at Harry'soffice.