"All The Way"
Chapter 6
The apartment of Dr. Richard Carter
Why did he let the man bother him so? He was no longer a child but a man nearing fifty years old. His accomplishments should speak for themselves, yet they seemed hollow. All his life he so desperately sought the acceptance of his father. Richard Carter punched his fist into his open palm as he paced across the Persian rug in his living room. The fire cracked and popped like the demons inside him, tearing at his confidence. He could imagine his father sitting in his club with his Harvard alums. The men around his father would be judging each man's worth by their individual accomplishments and the accomplishments of their children. Of course it was expected that the children of a Harvard graduate would follow in their footsteps.
Richard took the book from the mantle and looked at it. Beneath the Yucatan Peninsula: Treasures from a Mayan Dzonot, by Richard Carter, PhD. He had spent the last six months in the steamy jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula crawling through caves and dropping down cenotes, sacred wells. When he was not photographing and collecting, he was writing. The journals provided the details for what would later become his book. The first printing was far more popular than he could imagine. The next couple weeks were filled with book signings.
But yet as he visited his father, the man could only speak of Chip Wheaten's son, ignoring the success of his recent publication. Richard tossed the book onto the couch and stormed into his bedroom, pulling off clothing as he walked. Later in the evening he had a benefit book signing at the AMA convention. Blair Pharmaceuticals had made the arrangements. They would match all book sales as a charitable contribution to the Greater Boston Children's Burn Center. Richard was obligated, as they had helped finance his six months in the Yucatan. Tossing the last of his clothes in the hamper he stopped to look in the full-length mirror. Not bad for forty seven years old he thought. Standing at six foot he admired the still trim waist, and tightly muscled chest. Hours at the gym and swimming helped him tone his body. His skin was a light almond except for the faint white scars that covered various areas of his body. He could write a book alone describing in vivid detail the drama around each injury. The dark brown eyes still sparkled with youth and his dark brown hair had only faint traces of gray at the temples. Running his hand through his hair Carter threw a towel over his shoulder and started for the shower when the phone rang.
Quickly he scooped up the phone. "Hello."
"Ah, Dr. Carter, good afternoon."
Richard recognized the smooth voice on the other end. It was Howard Blair, CEO of Blair Pharmaceuticals.
"Good-afternoon, Mr. Blair. What can I do for you?"
"Why, Dr. Carter, I'm surprised how quickly you have forgotten our discussion before you left on your last trip. If you recall we have an agreement. You promised you would be able to provide us very soon with the ingredients for our drug. Has something changed?"
Richard realized the question at the end was not a question but a disguised threat. He was still venting from the encounter with his father and now Blair, the pressure was building. In a calm voice he replied, "No, nothing has changed. It's just that what I found in the Yucatan now directs me to a new location."
"So something has changed after all, Dr. Carter. I have gone out on a limb for this; I have outside investors who expect significant earnings. I have made promises on your assurances Dr. Carter." The voice remained silky smooth, the modulation never changing, but the implied meanings hit Richard like a blow from a fist.
Carter thought the answers would be found in the cenotes, the sacred wells. What he found in the temple manuscripts led him to the wells. Perhaps he had been mistaken. Frantically he began diving in the Ox Bel Ha, the Mayan name for the "three path of water", a system of underwater rivers beneath the Yucatan. As water levels rose after the ice age some of the caverns had changed. In one of the above water pockets he found the answer. Not really an answer but relics pointing in a new direction, and that direction led north. The shaman's map directed him north to the American west. He took along his trusted companions, Agustin and Ascencion, two brothers of Mayan descent. With the shaman's map he had narrowed the area to a remote region in southeastern Utah. On horseback the trio explored a narrow canyon that trailed up into the Manti-La Sal Mountains, a section of the southern Rockies. They found the village; searched the kivas, and found nothing. He was frantic. The two shamans were connected; they were brothers who had run afoul of the Mayans. This could not be a dead end. Pulling strings he expedited an application to the Department of the Interior to further investigate the site as a new Anasazi village. There was still hope. The drug he knew existed had to be hidden at the site, hidden in the dried blood and tissues of the dead.
"I can assure you, Mr. Blair, that your investors will be fully rewarded for their patience. The rain forest has yielded many amazing new drugs; this one will revolutionize health care and human longevity. We will be making history, Mr. Blair, I am certain of it."
Richard anxiously waited for the response to his assurances.
"We will remain patient for only so long, Dr. Carter. I will be speaking with you periodically. I will be keeping our investors apprised of your progress. We do expect progress, Dr. Carter."
"I understand," Richard replied, anxious for the conversation to end.
The voice in an icy tone replied, "I certainly hope you do. Good-bye, Dr. Carter, till we speak again."
The phone clicked, and the voice was gone.
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AMA Convention, Boston Massachusetts
Throughout the week Julia had been amazed how Diane Sanger worked the social scene at the various banquets and mixers each night. As director of Ana-Gen Research Laboratories she had developed an extensive network of professional contacts. In each gathering she worked the crowd like a politician.
Diane whispered in Julia's ear, "When it comes to research there's never enough money."
The feisty redhead had branched from researcher to bureaucrat, always in search of new money and new grants. Julia had never tired of pure research and found the financial and corporate aspects surrounding the research tedious. It was her inquisitive nature that had led her to Barnabas Collins so long ago. What bound her to him was loyalty and love.
The events surrounding the convention were winding down. Walking down the hallway of the convention center, Julia could not recall a more mentally stimulating week. How could Diane maintain the momentum? On the other hand, she was ready for some quiet time, some time to herself. She had been spoiled at Collinwood. There she had the luxury of retiring to her room and enjoying the solitude. Collinwood had not been in her thoughts lately. It had felt good to let go of the anger and sadness she felt early in her visit. Unfortunately she could not tell Diane the whole story.
Diane turned to her and laughed, "Hasn't this week been just marvelous!"
Julia nodded in agreement.
"Diane, Dr. Sanger," Two feminine voices called. Two women rapidly approached them in the hallway. Julia recognized them as the pediatricians they had met earlier in the week and wanted to continue their discussion with Diane. Julia politely excused herself and walked a few steps down the hallway and into one of the many large rooms serving as bookstores. Rows and rows of tables were stacked with medical books, journals and individual publications.
Casually she moved along the rows until she found a section of brightly decorated tables. A sign read, 'All Book Sales Matched by Blair Pharmaceuticals Proceeds to Greater Boston Children's Burn Center'.
Julia let her fingers slide across the title. Beneath the Yucatan Peninsula: Treasures from a Mayan Dzonet. She liked the title; it had a mysterious, adventurous air about it. How did it make its way into this bookstore?
Taking the book in her hands she skimmed through the chapter titles, noting with pleasure the photos sandwiched throughout the book. The illustrations showed the exotic beauty of the jungle, fields of light and shadow, water dripping from a myriad of leaves; she could almost feel the humidity. The book looked inviting and was a nice diversion from bowel dissections and idiopathic diseases. The back cover held a full color photo of the author standing in full diving gear at the edge of a pool, its surface resembling a black polished stone. Julia's eyes moved over the tanned skin, the man's legs long and muscular, his waist and torso trim and toned. She couldn't help notice through the tight smooth swim trunks that little was left to the imagination. The man's face was ruggedly handsome and his dark brown eyes leaped from the page. Julia felt her heart quicken. She sighed deeply, moving her hand across the cover. The proceeds go for a good cause she rationalized as she found herself moving to the cashier. Julia looked around, Diane still stood in the hallway speaking with the pediatricians.
She slipped the receipt inside the book when she felt a presence and looked up at a man's face, a very handsome face. The man smiled, his eyes narrowed as he read her convention nametag.
"It's nice to meet you, Dr. Julia Hoffman, psychologist/hematologist."
Julia felt at a loss for words as she looked into eyes that somehow seemed so familiar. She looked down at the back cover of her newly purchased book as the man retrieved a pen from inside his jacket pocket,
"Would you like me to sign the book for you? I'm Richard Carter."
Julia smiled, "Of course. Dr. Carter." She handed him the book. He opened it to the front cover, then paused,
"A female doctor, I can't recall meeting any female medical students while at Harvard."
Julia's eyes sparked as she raised her chin in defiance. Even though she hadn't attended Harvard, she resented the comment. "I suppose it would depend on where you were looking. I'm assuming you were looking on the squash courts or at a fraternity mixer, I doubt you found any. You should have looked in the library."
Richard Carter laughed softly, "You are feisty."
Julia's lips smiled while her eyes sparked with fire.
"Feisty," Julia repeated. "Yes, I suppose that's a more polite word for it."
He placed his pen to the cover and began to write. "You're very direct Dr. Hoffman, I like that."
Julia studied his face noting the shine of his dark brown hair; the rugged features. She found herself gazing into intense brown eyes that seemed to swallow her whole.
"I find directness saves a great deal of time and there are no misunderstandings," Julia replied firmly.
Richard Carter signed his name with a flourish, closed the book and handed it to her. "I agree the direct approach is the best."
"Julia." She heard Diane's voice calling.
"Please excuse me. Thank you, Dr. Carter."
Richard nodded his head, "You are most welcome, Dr. Hoffman."
Julia began to walk away when she heard him add, "Till we meet again."
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Diane moved the Volvo through the Friday evening traffic like a pro, occasionally sneaking peaks at Julia who silently skimmed through her new purchase.
"Beneath the Yucatan Peninsula," she read the title from her peripheral vision. "Where did you find that?"
"While you held court with the pediatricians, Queen Diane, I explored the bookstore, the proceeds go to charity; it's for a good cause." Julia turned the book over to reveal the back cover. "This is the author." Julia watched for her friend's reaction. Diane took her eyes from the road for a longer look.
"Very nice, Julia. It's good to see you have a healthy libido."
"Libido, I didn't buy the book for that reason. It looks like an interesting story."
Diane gave a deep throaty laugh. "You didn't notice that you could read a newspaper through those Speedos? "
Hoffman brought the cover closer to her eyes mocking her friend's comment. "I can't read a newspaper, but I can tell you he's circumcised."
They both broke out in hysterical laughter. Diane tried to catch her breath, almost missing the turn into the townhouse parking area.
"O.K. so the back cover did help the book sale," Julia finally admitted wiping the tears from her cheek, catching her breath. "I also met the author."
Diane put the car into park and took the book in her hands, looking at the back cover. "So you met Richard Carter?"
"He looks exactly like the cover, just add a smartly tailored double breasted suit."
The feisty redhead flipped to the front cover.
"Oh, yes, he signed it for me." Julia quickly added.
"I haven't had any author sign their books like this." Diane handed the book for her to read. Julia realized in all the excitement she had not taken the time to read his inscription.
To Julia,
Please give me the honor of escorting you to dinner and dancing.
#377-4509.
Till we meet again,
Richard
Diane watched as Julia's jaw dropped. "This looks like an invitation not an inscription. Are you going to call him?"
Julia feigned indignance. "How forward!"
Diane turned the book over in her hands, and then handed it to Julia. "Yes it's forward my dear, but as the saying goes, the ball is in your court."
Hoffman took the book in her hands.
Yes, the ball is in my court.
"I agree the direct approach is the best."
She told him she liked directness and he agreed.
~~~tbc~~~