two: Carlo Franconi and Cindy Carlson.
‘She’s been doing fine,’ Daniel said. ‘At least healthwise. Why do you
ask?’
‘This Franconi business has made me realize how vulnerable the
enterprise is,’ Raymond admitted. ‘I want to be sure there are no other
possible loose ends.’
‘Don’t worry about the Carlsons,’ Daniel said. ‘They certainly aren’t
going to cause us any trouble. They couldn’t be any more grateful. In
fact, just last week Albright was talking about getting his wife out to
the Bahamas to give a bone-marrow sample so she can become a client as
well.’
‘That’s encouraging,’ Raymond said. ‘We can always use more clients. But
it’s not the demand side of the enterprise that has me worried.
Financially we couldn’t be doing any better. We’re ahead of all
projections. It’s the unexpected that has me worried, like Franconi.’
Daniel nodded and then twitched. ‘There’s always uncertainty,’ he said
philosophically. ‘That’s life!’
‘The lower the level of uncertainty, the better I’ll feel,’ Raymond
said. ‘When I asked you about Cindy Carlson’s status, you qualified your
positive response as healthwise. Why?’
‘Because she’s a basket case mentally,’ Daniel said.
‘How do you mean?’ Raymond asked. Once again his pulse quickened.
‘It’s hard to imagine a kid not being a bit crazy growing up with a
father like Albright Carlson.’ Daniel said. ‘Think about it. And then
add the burden of a chronic illness. Whether that contributed to her
obesity, I don’t know. The girl is quite overweight. That’s tough enough
for anybody but especially so for a teen. The poor kid is understandably
depressed.’
‘How depressed?’ Raymond asked.
‘Depressed enough to attempt suicide on two occasions,’ Daniel said.
‘And they weren’t just childish bids for attention. They were bona fide
attempts, and the only reason she’s still with us is because she was
discovered almost immediately and because she’d tried drugs the first
time and hanging herself the second. If she’d had a gun she surely would
have succeeded.’
Raymond groaned out loud.
‘What’s the matter?’ Daniel asked.
‘All suicides are medical examiner cases,’ Raymond said.
‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ Daniel said.
‘This is the kind of loose end I was referring to,’ Raymond said. ‘Damn!
Just our luck!’
‘Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings,’ Daniel said.
‘It’s not your fault,’ Raymond said. ‘The important thing is that we
recognize it for what it is, and that we understand we can’t sit idly by
and wait for catastrophe.’
‘I don’t think we have much choice,’ Daniel said.
‘What about Vincent Dominick?’ Raymond said. ‘He’s helped us once and
with his own child ill, he has a vested interest in our program’s
future.’
Dr. Daniel Levitz stared at Raymond. ‘Are you suggesting . . . ?’
Raymond didn’t reply.
‘This is where I draw the line,’ Daniel said. He stood up. ‘I’m sorry,
but I have a waiting-room full of patients.’
‘Couldn’t you call Mr. Dominick and just ask?’ Raymond said. He felt a
wave of desperation wash over him.
‘Absolutely not,’ Daniel said. ‘I might take care of a number of
criminally connected individuals, but I certainly don’t get involved
with their business.’
‘But you helped with Franconi,’ Raymond complained.
‘Franconi was a corpse on ice at the medical examiner’s office,’ Daniel
said.
‘Then give me Mr. Dominick’s phone number,’ Raymond said. ‘I’ll call him
myself. And I’ll need the Carlsons’ address.’
‘Ask my receptionist,’ Daniel said. ‘Just tell her you’re a personal
friend.’
‘Thank you,’ Raymond said.
‘But just remember,’ Daniel said. ‘I deserve and want the percentages
that are due to me regardless of what happens between you and Vinnie
Dominick.’
At first the receptionist was reluctant to give Raymond the phone number
and the addresses, but after a quick call to her boss, she relented.
Wordlessly, she copied the information onto the back of one of Dr.
Daniel Levitz’s business cards and handed it to Raymond.
Raymond wasted no time getting back to his apartment on Sixty-fourth
Street. As he came through the door, Darlene asked how the meeting with
the doctor had gone.
‘Don’t ask,’ Raymond said curtly. He went into his paneled study, closed
the door, and sat down at his desk. Nervously, he dialed the phone. In