“The women’s names are Marissa Blumenthal and Wendy Wilson,” Lester said. He wrote them down and handed the paper to Ned.
“Where are they stayine.” Ned asked.
“I don’t know,” Lester said.
“The only thing I do know is that they are planning to go out on the Reef.”
“Really!” Ned said with interest, “Now that bit of info could come in handy. Do you know when they plan to go?”
“No,” Lester said.
“But don’t wait too long. I want something done soon. Understand?”
“We’ll start calling hotels as soon as we get downstairs,” Ned said.
“This should be fun. Like going out in the bush and shooting ‘roos.”
“Excuse me,” Marissa whispered.
“I’m Dr. Blumenthal and this is Dr. Wilson.” Wendy nodded hello. They were standing at the main circulation desk of the University of Queensland Medical
School Library.
They had driven halfway to St. Lucia, where the university was located, when they’d asked the taxi driver if he knew where the medical school library was. To their surprise, he’d responded by “throwing a u-ey” and heading directly back to Herston. The medical school, they’d learned, was a short distance from the
FCA.
“We’re from the States,” Marissa said to the man behind the medical school library circulation desk.
“And we were wondering if it might be possible for us to use the library facilities.”
“I don’t see why not,” the man replied.
“But it would be best if you inquired in the office down the hall. Ask for Mrs. Pierce, the librarian.”
Marissa and Wendy walked down the corridor and into the administration office.
“Absolutely,” Mrs. Pierce answered in reply to their request.
“You’re more than welcome to use material here at the library.
Of course, we will not be able to allow any of it to circulate.”
“I understand,” Marissa said.
“Is there anything I could help you with?” Mrs. Pierce offered.
“It’s not every day we have visitors from Boston.”
“Perhaps there is,” Marissa said.
“We were lucky enough to have been vena tour of the FCA clinic building this morning.
I must say, we were truly impressed.”
“We’re quite proud of the clinic here in Brisbane,” Mrs. Pierce said.
“For good reason,” Marissa said.
“What we’d like to do is to read some of their current papers. I imagine they publish quite a bit of material there.”
“Indeed they do,” Mrs. Pierce said.
“They have been our leaders in reproductive technologies here in Australia. They are also generous contributors to the medical school; we have a lot of their material.”
“We’re also interested in a certain Australian pathologist,” Wendy said.
“His name is Tristan Williams. We have a reprint of one of his papers that appeared in an Australian journal. We’d like to see if he’s done any subsequent articles.”
“We’d especially like to locate him,” Marissa interjected.
“Perhaps you may have some suggestions as to how we might do that.”
“It didn’t mention where he practiced in the article?” Mrs.
Pierce asked.
“He’d been at the FCA when he published the paper,” Wendy said, “but that was two years ago and he’s since left the FCA staff. We asked over there at the clinic, but no one seemed to have a forwarding address.”
“We have an annual publication by the Royal College of Pathology,”
Mrs. Pierce said.
“It contains the hospital and university affiliations of all Australian pathologists. I think that would be the most fruitful place to start. Why don’t you come with me?
I’ll acquaint you with our reference and periodical rooms.”
Marissa and Wendy followed Mrs. Pierce. The woman was quite striking: she had flaming red hair and was quite tall, particularly in contrast to Marissa and Wendy. Together the three women descended a curved stairway leading to the lower floor.
Mrs. Pierce’s pace was brisk. Marissa and Wendy had, to keep up with her.
Mrs. Pierce stopped at a group of computer monitors. She put her hand on the top of the first screen.
“Here are the terminals for literature searches. This would be the easiest way to search for Dr. Williams’ latest articles.”
Leaving the computer area, Mrs. Pierce walked to a series of low bookshelves. She pulled a dark-covered volume from the shelf and handed it to Wendy.