Sadie's Spirit, CB Samet [book club recommendations .TXT] 📗
- Author: CB Samet
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“No, I called to see if they had recorded similarly disappointing results.”
Asher’s cheeseburger arrived. He added ketchup and started eating. After taking several bites, he continued. “You said you thought your study was a dud.”
“The whole point of TIE-55 is to reduce mortality in patients with septic shock. From the data I had, it didn’t meet expectations. The only difference I found was a drop in platelet count.”
“How does it work?”
Sadie hesitated. She had signed a confidentiality agreement prohibiting her from discussing details of the study drug until after the results were published. Did that still apply if she were dead? Surely a murder investigation trumped a confidentiality agreement.
“During septic shock, when the body is mounting a response to infection, heat shock proteins are activated. These proteins facilitate the immune response, but also contribute to a large-scale inflammatory response that dilates blood vessels and decreases organ perfusion.”
Asher nodded. “Therefore causing organ failure during septic shock.”
“Exactly. TIE-55 inhibits heat shock protein, thereby suppressing the body’s overwhelming reaction to infection and the resulting organ failure.”
He swallowed a French fry. “You said this is a national study. How many sites?”
“Twenty-two.”
“And they all have a control arm and a study arm?” Asher had enough knowledge from his medical background as a paramedic and spending time with her to know how randomized trials worked.
Sadie nodded.
“So why would you be disappointed by the results of a single site that doesn’t even represent a tenth of the entire group?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Is this part of your investigation, Detective Brenner, or do you just want to belittle me?”
He replied by taking the last bite of his burger and chewing slowly and deliberately.
Sadie ran a hand through her hair. “I was a young investigator waiting for a successful study. A well-funded industry study could have paved the way for other research. I was eager and green. And now I’m nothing.”
She clenched her fists.
The salt shaker abruptly fell over, spilling its white particles onto the table.
Sadie watched as Asher leaned back calmly during her outburst. He always had the gift of remaining maddeningly serene when she was upset.
He raised his hands. “Okay, Sadie. Don’t. Don't cry.”
She wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Stupid ghost tears.
“I’m sorry.” The apology came out like a sob. She looked around the diner. “At least no one else can see me.”
“So what it if they could. I’ve never once been embarrassed to be seen with you, whether you were crying, yelling, or calm.”
She nodded, sniffed, and pulled herself together. “Keep going.”
“So you talked to Ben and Yoshi, the investigators at the other sites. Did anything come out of those conversations?”
“Their results were much the same. They agreed to send their de-identified data so I could lump ours with theirs and analyze it.”
“Doesn’t somebody have the full data set?”
“Only the pharmaceutical company has the complete set. Each site uploads data to their platform.” She slouched in her seat. “I just wanted to run a little side analysis.”
“Yes, green and eager. I remember.” His gaze darted over to the salt shaker lying on its side, then back to Sadie.
He took a sip of water. “So, that’s everything that happened on Monday?”
“Yep.”
“Tuesday?”
“I spent the day doing grant work in my office. Louie dropped by, and I told him about the disappointing preliminary study results.”
“What was his response?”
“Like a good mentor, he gave me encouragement. He said what you did, only in a nicer way. We’re one site of many, and the study has another six months to prove the drug’s efficacy.”
“Wednesday?”
“An M and M meeting, followed by data crunching for four hours. When I couldn’t stare at a computer any longer, I went for a hike.”
“M and M?” he asked.
“Morbidity and mortality. We reviewed a case where a patient died from a procedural complication.”
He crossed his arms. “And you didn’t think this was a noteworthy part of our murder investigation?”
Her brow furrowed in concentration. “The patient had a central line placed. The procedure was complicated by bleeding and a pneumothorax.” These complications were known risks of the procedure. “The patient was experiencing multi-organ failure with end-stage liver disease. The complication was tragic, but there was no negligence or malpractice involved.”
“No one was upset about the investigation?”
“Involved persons often don’t know we’re reviewing the case. They usually never know unless we find something that needs to be addressed.”
He gave her a speculative stare that conveyed the sense that he remained unconvinced by her willingness to dismiss the significance of the meeting.
“After the M and M meeting, you said you were data crunching. Data crunching on the TIE-55 study again?”
“Yes. Mostly combining Ben’s data with mine.”
“Your afternoon hike was to the same place you died, or somewhere else?”
“Different trail.”
“Who knows you like to hike?”
“Everyone.”
“Who knows where you like to hike?”
“Everyone. I post my hikes on social media all the time. It would be easy to work out my patterns.”
“Did you meet anyone or talk to anyone on Wednesday’s hike?”
“No.”
“Let’s move on to Thursday.”
“One of the ICU docs, Lori, was out with a sick child, so I covered her shift on Thursday. And before you ask, there were no angry patient encounters that I recall.”
“Friday?”
“I got Yoshi’s data set late Thursday, so I stayed to merge the data. Friday morning I finished all of my patient notes from the day before. Then I went hiking. I needed exercise. I planned to come in to the office on Saturday to make up the hours. But I died.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes, okay.”
“Now what?” She was ready for the next part of their investigation.
Asher stood, pulled out his wallet, and dropped some cash onto the table.
Sadie stood with determination.
“Now I’m going to the bathroom,” he replied.
She took her seat again and blew a strand of hair out of her face.
Asher emerged from the restroom to find an empty booth where he and Sadie had been sitting. Sadie was gone. His heart skipped a beat as his mouth became dry.
He exited the diner and scanned the parking lot. He saw her sitting in the passenger seat of his truck. He sucked in a breath in relief. What if her spirit vanished? She would be lost to him. Forever.
Sadie smiled and waved.
Asher grinned and shook his head. The irony of her waiting in the car wasn’t lost on him. How many hours had he spent waiting on her when they were dating? Her “quick” errands at the store and her “quick” runs to the restroom had never been expedient.
He walked over to the truck. If he had it all to do over again, he would have been more patient, but he would never have the opportunity now.
He climbed into his truck and started the engine.
“Now what?” she asked.
Now we kiss. We make out in my truck like we used to do. I touch you and caress you until you squirm, begging for more.
Asher pursed his lips. “We need to go through your computer. That’s the next thing the police would do to track the killer.”
“It’s locked in my office. It’s midnight, so there isn’t even anyone who could let you in; not that anyone would. You don’t have security clearance
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