Fertile Ground by Rochelle Krich Read Free Book Online Page B

where he was now.
    She wondered, too, who he thought might be listening in on the line, and suddenly felt uncomfortable in her own office.

Chapter 5
    “Absolutely unfounded, I can tell you that,” Edmond Fisk said calmly into his receiver as he waved Lisa to a seat and swiveled back and forth in his burgundy leather armchair.
    The chairman of the board of directors was an imposing, large-framed man in his early sixties with thick, silvery, Phil Donahue hair and a handsome, square face dominated by deep-set steel-blue eyes. According to Matthew, Fisk had overcome his impoverished childhood and made his first million in real estate even before he met his beautiful, stately wife, Georgia, who had brought her own family money to the marriage.
    The Fisks were childless. Lisa suspected that was one of the reasons Edmond had been so enthusiastic when Matthew approached him five years ago about building a fertility clinic that would provide hope for thousands of couples yearning for children; and, of course, Matthew’s prospectus outlining the potential financial success had been compelling. Fisk had invested significant sums of his own money and convinced several business associates to do the same.
    Lisa had seen Fisk only three times since their initial meeting the day after her two-hour interview with Matthew: on her first day at work; at the kosher champagne
    and-pizza fete Sam had arranged to celebrate her engagement to Matthew; and at the lavish, black-tie dinner-dance engagement party Edmond and Georgia had hosted in the tented gardens of their Holmby Hills estate. Matthew had insisted on buying Lisa a royal blue Valentine gown at Neiman Marcus to wear to the party. He’d looked so happy and proud, introducing her to everyone, that her misgivings about the extravagant expense had evaporated. She’d wished her parents had been there—Matthew had offered to send them tickets—but her father had claimed that he couldn’t leave the business, and her mother hadn’t wanted to come alone. Lisa hadn’t really believed either excuse, but hadn’t pressed.
    “Absolutely,” Fisk was saying. “I have no problem with that. Tomorrow is fine.” He replaced the receiver and faced Lisa. “That was a reporter from Minute by Minute. I’ve had calls at my other office all morning from the media.” He paused, as if to let that sink in. “Tell me what the hell is going on.”
    Feeling as though she’d been called into the principal’s office, she told him what had happened, what she’d done to control the situation. He was tapping a Mont Blanc ballpoint pen on his black leather desk mat while he listened. When she was done, he nodded and carefully set the pen on the mat.
    “Sounds like you did everything right. Lisa. I’m impressed, and grateful.” A half smile softened his face. He clasped his hands and leaned forward. “Still, the situation is extremely damaging. According to media sources—unnamed, of course”—he grunted dismissively—“we’re switching embryos, taking eggs from women and giving them, without knowledge or consent, to other patients. Et cetera, etcetera.”
    “But the charges are unfounded, Mr. Fisk.”
    “Edmond. Please.” This time the smile was wider. “You know that. Lisa, and / know that. But the public doesn’t. Neither do our patients. And following on the heels of the Irvine scandal…” He pursed his lips. “The D.A.“s office called. The state medical board advised me that they’re going to investigate the clinic’s procedures.”
    Slipping on bifocals, he bent his head and read from a lined pad. ” “Pursuant to our investigation, the licenses of all the clinic doctors may be suspended indefinitely.” ” He removed his glasses and looked up at Lisa.
    Her license suspended. She stared at Fisk, openmouthed. Her palms were clammy.
    Fisk walked around his desk and sat in the gray tweed chair next to Lisa. “Where’s Matthew?” he asked quietly.
    “I have no idea. He phoned