Deficiency by Andrew Neiderman Read Free Book Online Page A

had even the strength to speak. She was too far gone."
    He nodded.
    "The traumas you observed are characteristic of those caused by a vitamin deficiency?" he asked.
    "As far as I know, yes, but Dr. Templeman and I both think this is going to take a far more expert opinion than ours. It's too bizarre."
    "There was nothing that looked like a blow to the face or head?"
    "I didn't see anything like that. I examined her face because she was missing some teeth, but except for the hemorrhaging in the gums, there wasn't anything, no contusions about the lips, no bruise on the jaw or cheeks. The autopsy has apparently revealed nothing of the kind either, but you would probably know that."
    "Uh huh."
    "So? Do you have reason for some suspicion of foul play?" she inquired again. "She did check into that motel with someone, right?"
    "Well, yes, but he was gone by the time she was discovered."
    "But can't you track him down? He signed in, paid for the room…"
    "He signed a fictitious name and address and he paid in cash, no credit card."
    Terri sighed deeply, the frustration coming over her like a chill.
    "Didn't anyone see him with her earlier? Do we know how she met him at least?"
    "Well, she was at this dance club, the Underground, in Monticello earlier that evening. As I understand it, she went there to meet a friend, but her friend never showed. I questioned some of the people who were at the club and they remember her leaving with the man with whom she had been dancing. The bartender said they met at the bar, and from what he had overheard, met for the first time. No one knows anything about the guy. I've got a description," he said, looking at his small notepad. "But not that concise. Some said he had light hair, some thought dark brown. The bartender claims he was in shadows most of the time.
    "I was hoping she had said something to you. No matter how insignificant it might seem, it could be important," he emphasized.
    "No, as I said, she was too far gone to speak. She didn't know where she was anymore."
    Terri looked up at him.
    "How was she discovered? In the state she was in when I saw her, I can't imagine her even calling out for help."
    "The manager was walking by her room and noticed the door was wide open. When he looked in, she was sprawled on the floor. What about the nurse at the ER or the paramedics… did any of them hear her say anything?"
    "Not that I know," she replied and wondered why he didn't just go directly to them.
    He anticipated the question.
    "I'm just getting into this. I haven't even had an opportunity to speak with her parents yet."
    She nodded, imagining how hard that was going to be now.
    "It's never easy to understand the death of a child, but something like this especially so. This sort of acute scurvy would have revealed itself through symptoms far earlier. Her parents were here this morning," Terri continued. "Understandably, they don't believe the cause of death was scurvy. I can't believe it myself, or can Dr. Templeman, but the medical evidence is quite convincing.
    "I can't believe that whoever brought her to the motel would not have noticed something," Terri continued. "To begin with her teeth… she would have had bleeding in her mouth, black and blue marks… been tired…. Who would do such a thing, bring a woman that sick to a motel or keep her there once he saw that? Why not get her to a hospital? The therapy was simple and would have saved her life."
    "I know. That's what I'd like to know."
    "If someone kept a person from getting life-saving medical attention, he would as much as murdered her," Terri concluded.
    "Exactly."
    "Oh. I see why you would be investigating," she said nodding. "As I understand it, she looked well the day before. At least, that's what her parents say." Terri shook her head. "Everything I know about the disease would make that impossible. The whole thing seems impossible. I can't think of any medical explanation for a practically instantaneous case of acute scurvy.