Cure (2010)

To Jean and Cameron,

my partners in life

Oh what a tangled web we weave,

When first we practise to deceive!

—SIR WALTER SCOTT, Marmion, canto vi, stanza 17

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As per usual, the writing of Cure required the help of many friends, colleagues, and even strangers who were willing to take a phone call out of the blue and field a question. I am truly lucky to have access to a wide variety of experts who are graciously willing to give of their time. I thank you all. Those whom I would especially like to acknowledge for having demonstrated exceptional patience are (in alphabetical order):

Jean E. R. Cook, MSW, CAGS, psychologist

Joe Cox, J.D., LLM, tax, estate-planning, and corporate law

Rose A. Doherty, A.M., academician

Mark Flomenbaum, M.D., Ph.D., forensic pathologist

Tom Janow, detective, NYPD

Carole Meyers, research assistant, OCME, NYC

Marina Stajic, Ph.D., director of toxicology, OCME, NYC

KEY PLAYERS

AIZUKOTETSU-KAI: Yakuza organization centered in Kyoto, Japan

VINNIE AMENDOLA: mortuary technician at OCME

LOUIE BARBERA: temporary capo for Vaccarro crime family

DR. HAROLD BINGHAM: chief medical examiner, NYC

CLAIR BOURSE: receptionist at iPS USA

MICHAEL CALABRESE: private placement agent

PAULIE CERINO: capo for Vaccarro crime family, currently in prison

GROVER COLLINS: a kidnap expert and one of the founders of CRT Risk Management

DR. BENJAMIN (BEN) COREY: founder and CEO of iPS USA LLC

CRT RISK MANAGEMENT: stands for Collins, Rupert, and Thomas, a team of mostly previous Special Forces agents who have teamed up to help victims of kidnapping in particular

TOMMASO DELUCA: young enforcer for Vaccarro crime family, hired by Louie Barbera

JOHN DEVRIES: head of toxicology at OCME

VINNIE DOMINICK: capo for the Lucia crime famiy

YOSHIAKI ETO: enforcer for Aizukotetsu-kai in New York City

KENICHI FUJIWARA: senior vice minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry for the Japanese government

HIROSHI FUKAZAWA: oyabun, or head, of Yamaguchi-gumi

SABORU FUKUDA: saiko-komon of Yamaguchi-gumi in New York City

KANIJI GOTO: Yamaguchi-gumi enforcer in Japan

CARL HARRIS: chief financial officer of iPS USA LLC

INAGAWA-KAI: Yakuza organization centered in Tokyo, Japan

IPS PATENT JAPAN: fictitious Japanese corporation dealing specifically with Japanese patents

IPS USA: fictitious U.S. corporation dealing with induced pluripotent stem cell patents and associated intellectual property

HISAYUKI ISHII: oyabun, or head, of Aizukotetsu-kai

TOM JANOW: detective lieutenant of the Bergen County police

KENJI: name Laurie gave to Satoshi Machita’s corpse before it was identified

TOKUTARO KUDO: saiko-komon of Yamaguchi-gumi in Japan

LUCIA CRIME FAMILY: Long Island Mafia family run by capo Vinnie Dominick

ARTHUR MACEWAN: enforcer for Vaccarro crime family

SATOSHI MACHITA: researcher with wife, Yunie-chan, and son, Shigeru

DUANE MACKENZIE: young enforcer for Vaccarro crime family, hired by Louie Barbera

REBECCA MARSHALL: identification clerk at OCME

MLI: medical legal investigator at OCME; they have forensic training but are not MDs; MLIs go out in the field to investigate deaths

BRENNAN MONAGHAN: enforcer for the Vaccarro Mafia family

HANK MONROE: director of identification at OCME

MITSUHIRO NARUMI: saiko-komon of Inagawa-kai

OCME: Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York City

CARLO PAPARO: enforcer for the Vaccarro Mafia family

MAUREEN O’CONNOR: supervisor of histology laboratory at OCME

OYABUN: head of a Yakuza organization, or Mob boss

TED POLOWSKI: enforcer for the Vaccarro crime family

TWYLA ROBINSON: chief of staff at OCME

SAIKO-KOMON: head adviser of Yakuza organization just below the oyabun in the particular Yakuza’s hometown, or the boss of a splinter group in a different town

HIDEKI SHIMODA: saiko-komon for Aizukotetsu-kai in New York City

LOU SOLDANO: detective captain, NYPD

JACK STAPLETON: medical examiner, OCME, NYC

LAURIE MONTGOMERY-STAPLETON: medical examiner, OCME, NYC

RON STEADMAN: NYPD detective at Midtown North Precinct

JACQUELINE ROSTEAU: Ben Corey’s assistant

NAOKI TAJIRI: manager of The Paradise club in Tokyo

COLT THOMAS: a kidnap expert and one of the founders of CRT Risk Management