The Society

uncomfortably, and accepted Silverman’s introduction.

“Dr. Lemm, we appreciate your being able to get here on such short notice. I know it was a long drive for you. Jill?”

“I’m Jill Leary,” the dark-haired woman on Silverman’s right said, “chief counsel for the hospital.”

Silverman cleared his throat for transition.

“We are here because of something that has happened involving Dr. Grant and Dr. Katz and, indirectly, all the rest of us. Dr. Katz?”

Katz straightened some notes on the table in front of him. It was only then that Will realized the man did not look at all well. He was pale, almost ashen, and there was a slight tremor in his hands as well as the faintest tic at one corner of his mouth. Katz coughed, swept an errant wisp of thinning hair from his forehead, and poured a glass of ice water.

“At eight o’clock this morning,” he began, “a call came for me at home on a line that is unlisted. The voice was electronically altered in the way Dr. Grant has described. Initially I thought it was a crank call of some kind, but after a few words I had no doubt it was the killer. I was in my study at the time and had a pad of paper close at hand, so I wrote down what he-what it-had to say and typed my notes out immediately afterward. I believe my recording of the incident is quite accurate. If I may:

“Dr. Katz, listen to me and listen to me carefully. I will not repeat myself. Dr. Willard Grant is being treated poorly by those who do not understand what a martyr he is in the struggle to avenge the harm brought down on so many by those companies that control health care. In all likelihood, framing him for drugs was the work of one of those companies-retribution for his victory over them at Faneuil Hall perhaps, or more likely because we have chosen him to speak for us as he has done so eloquently for the Society. He should not be suspended from his hospital and his profession. Rather, he should be honored. You have been chosen to right the wrongs that have been done to this man, a leader in the war against managed care.

“Dr. Willard Grant’s reputation is crucial to our mission. He must be quickly restored to the practice of medicine, to the staff of your hospital, and to his position within the Hippocrates Society, or punishment will be meted out, and you, Dr. James Katz, will be the recipient. This is no idle threat. We hope you know by this time that we are very good at what we do, and very determined to have our point driven home about the dangers of managed care. You have seven days from this noon to use your influence to see to it that our demands come to pass. In the top right drawer of your desk at work are two envelopes-one is for you, and one for Dr. Grant.

“We have chosen Dr. Grant to present our views and grievances to the public. For him to do so effectively, the stain currently on his reputation as a physician must be removed. We want you to see to it that Dr. Grant is in the position to state our position publicly as we have written it for him. You are either with us on this, Dr. Katz, or you are against us. There is no middle ground. I hope for your sake that is clear.”

Katz actually sloshed water from his glass trying to raise it to his lips. Even though the years had taken some toll on the man, he still was a skillful surgeon who lived his life with quiet dignity. Will ached to see him in such a state. Even though he had predicted to Patty that the killers might make some effort to restore his decimated credibility, he was stunned at the cruelty of their threat. It was quite apparent that the others were, too.

“Nice friends you have there, Dr. Grant,” Silverman said. “Detective Brasco?”

“One second, Doctor.”

Brasco pulled out his cell phone, made a call, and spoke in hushed tones, nodding his head importantly.

“As long as you’re done with the envelopes, why don’t you bring them right over,” he said, raising his voice loudly enough for all in the room to hear. “Third-floor conference room at the hospital.” He grinned in an odd, smug way. “No, the L doesn’t surprise me at all. Not at all.”

An L. Jim Katz’s death sentence had arrived in an envelope in the form of the letter L, undoubtedly block printed on white cardboard. Brasco’s expression at that moment was as subtle as a wrecking ball. The L didn’t surprise him in the least. Why not? It had to be that he knew something, Will thought. It had to be that he and the cryptographer had solved the killer’s puzzle.

“Sorry,” Brasco said, setting his cell phone aside. “Where were we? Ah, yes, we were starting to debate the merits of giving in to the demands of a serial killer. I would like to say here and now that our position, like that of the President, is that we don’t bargain with terrorists.”

The knot in Will’s neck muscles tightened once again. Brasco was a cowboy-an explosive with a minuscule fuse.

“Well, Lieutenant,” Silverman said, clearly appalled by Brasco’s insensitivity toward Jim Katz, “I would say you’ve made your position quite clear. However, I would like the rest of you to feel free to tell us what you can and would be willing to do to protect Dr. Katz, who has done so much for our hospital and community. Miss Leary?” He nodded to the hospital attorney.

“Since we first learned of the nature of the killer’s demands,” Leary said, “we have been discussing how far we might be able to go in reinstating Dr. Grant, at least temporarily. There is some precedent in our hospital, albeit from a number of years ago, for lifting a physician’s suspension while the claims against him are being investigated. Our medical staff executive committee is willing to consider the possibility out of deference to Dr. Katz, but they would insist on a psychiatric evaluation of Dr. Grant as soon as possible by a therapist chosen by us or the Board of Registration in Medicine. They would also very much like some other sort of mitigating evidence relative to the allegations of drug use, which Dr. Grant has so staunchly denied. They have requested at least some notarized affidavits from respected members of the medical or civic community attesting to his moral character, and they would prefer something more concrete and substantial-hard evidence that at least suggested Dr. Grant’s innocence.”

“Ms. Weiss,” Silverman said to the board’s attorney, “is there any chance the board would agree to stay Dr. Grant’s suspension pending an investigation of the allegations against him?”

Weiss, dark and studious, held a brief, whispered exchange with the other board attorney.

“Ordinarily, I would say no,” she replied. “The board exists to protect the public. We take a very harsh position in disciplining physicians when there has been patient harm, as in this case, or in many instances even the possibility of patient harm. However, there are most certainly extenuating circumstances here. Dr. Katz, I was informed that you actually served as one of the members of our board.”

“That was a few years ago, but yes,” Katz said, still quite gloomy. “Governor Wilcox appointed me. I served for two years.”

“You have a fine reputation throughout our office.”

“Thank you.”

Again the board attorneys whispered to each other.

“Given the severity of what happened with Dr. Grant in the OR, we can’t make any promises,” Weiss said finally. “But if your executive committee approves his reinstatement, it is possible the board would follow suit. Dr. Grant, have there been any new developments in your efforts to determine what happened to you?”

“Theories,” Will said, taking pains not to look in Gordon Cameron’s direction, “but nothing firm yet.”

“And you do agree to get an evaluation by a psychiatrist certified in addiction medicine?”

“Absolutely.”

“And some letters attesting to your personal character?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“The more, the better.”

“No problem.”

Weiss turned to Katz.

“Dr. Katz, Attorney Emspak and I are both terribly disturbed by what is happening to you. We will do everything we can to help ensure that no harm comes to you.”

“I very much appreciate that,” Katz said, “just as I appreciate that there are no guarantees at this point.”

“Dr. Lemm?” Silverman asked.

“Our organization has a great deal of respect for Dr. Grant and the work he has done both as a surgeon and as a member of the Hippocrates Society. We are looking for any valid excuse to reinstate him. However, as I’m sure you all know, his is a very high-profile case. It sounds as if all three of our agencies-the hospital, the board, and the