‘But to go this far...’ said Tom.
‘Never underestimate human nature where money and self interest are concerned,’ said Simmons. ‘The next question is, what do we do about it?’
‘Maybe it’s a police matter?’ said Mary cautiously, as if unwilling to make the suggestion but feeling that she should.
‘No point,’ said Gavin. ‘The police would be like fish out of water in a place like this. They’d go through the motions, cause disruption everywhere and then piss off into the sunset with a couple of choruses of Just One of Those Things.’
‘I’m afraid Gavin’s right,’ said Simmons. ‘Interviewing the entire department would get us nowhere and just antagonise people even more. No, I suggest we do absolutely nothing and keep the whole thing to ourselves.’
Three pairs of eyebrows were raised.
‘But this is a really serious matter,’ said Mary.
Simmons nodded. ‘It is, and you’re right, but so is getting Gavin’s work into print, and that has to be our main objective. Whoever did this has failed, and that’s what’s important right now. We know why the cells died; it was sabotage, so we can remove the rogue result from the data and complete the successful repetition of the tests. Finding out who did this can wait until we have more time to think about what kind of people we’re working beside. Let’s proceed as if nothing’s happened... only we keep all relevant drugs and chemicals under lock and key from now on and make sure the lab is locked at night.’
Gavin, Mary and Tom all nodded.
‘Good, not a word to anyone.’
The sabotage to Gavin’s final experiment caused a week’s delay while Trish and her colleagues in the tissue culture suite prepared new cell cultures for him.
‘I thought you said you were finished,’ said Trish when Gavin put in the request.
‘So did I,’ said Gavin. ‘But when you’ve got a perfectionist for a boss...’
‘Tell me about it,’ murmured one of Trish’s staff.
‘I wonder who rattled her cage,’ said Trish, but all three girls were smiling. ‘I’ll give you a call when they’re ready.’
On the Monday of the following week the cell cultures arrived and Gavin prepared to set up the final repeat experiment. Frank Simmons had already written the main draft body of the paper and given it to Gavin to read over the weekend for comment.
‘I see you’re about to fill in the blanks,’ said Simmons when he arrived in the lab and saw Gavin setting up his work bench. He was referring to the spaces he’d left for the results of last experiment. ‘What did you think?’
‘Reads well,’ said Gavin. ‘Thanks for putting my name first.’
‘Whatever did you expect, Gavin?’ said Simmons, exchanging a smile with Tom, who was waiting to have a word. ‘I’m off to the library if anyone’s looking for me.’
Gavin placed the instruments he would need in an alcohol-filled beaker ready for flame sterilisation when required and brought out the first of the cell cultures he would need. His mobile rang: it was Caroline and she was upset.
‘Where are you?’ he asked.
‘Downstairs, can you come?’
Gavin changed out of his lab coat and hurried along the corridor to the lifts. As he got there, the door to one of them opened and Mary stepped out, freeing the scarf from her neck one-handedly and almost bumping into Gavin, who was attempting to sidle past. ‘Where are you off to in such a hurry?’ she exclaimed.
Gavin was about to say that he’d explain later when he suddenly remembered that he’d left his cell cultures lying out on the bench. With one hand holding the lift door open and the other clamped to his forehead, he told Mary what he’d done.
‘No problem, I’ll deal with it.’
Gavin blew her a kiss as the lift doors started to close. ‘Carrie needs me. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
Gavin found Caroline waiting just outside the front doors. She looked pale and drawn. ‘What’s up?’
‘It’s Mum; she’s really bad. I’m going to have to go down there. Dad phoned this morning.’
‘End of the remission?’
‘In a big way. Dad says she’s in a lot of pain. Look, can we walk? I have to be at the station in half an hour.’
They crossed the road and started heading up George IV Bridge. ‘I’m so sorry,’ said Gavin, putting his arm around her shoulders.
‘Dad wasn’t planning on telling me just yet, but they put her on a new chemo schedule and she’s been reacting really badly. They’ve had to up her radiation dose too.’
Gavin made a face.
‘I know, I know...’
‘Carrie, why are you going?’
Caroline withdrew a little and looked at him questioningly. ‘What do you mean, why am I going?’
‘What good can you do?’
‘Gavin, she’s my mother.’
‘Yes, but you have to ask yourself, what good can you do?’
‘Be there for her, damn it. Can you really not see that? What kind of person are you, for God’s sake?’
They had stopped to face up to each other at the head of the Mound. Gavin held up his hands in a subconscious gesture of defence. ‘Look, all I’m saying is that you can’t do anything to help her, Carrie. She knows it; you know it. You’ll be putting yourself through hell for no good reason other than the fact that you’re doing what you think you should... your duty, if you like.’
‘Damn right it’s my duty.’
‘Carrie, I really didn’t mean to upset you,’ pleaded Gavin. ‘Honest, I’m just trying to stop you making yourself ill if you rush down there every time there’s a bit of a crisis.’
‘A bit of a crisis? You call my mother dying a bit of a crisis?’
‘You know I didn’t mean it that way. Don’t do this to me, Carrie. We both know it’s a one-way journey for her and it’s downhill all the way.’
‘Piss off, Gavin.’
‘Let me see you to the station at least?’
‘I said, piss off!’
Caroline turned on her heel and hurried off, leaving Gavin standing there feeling small and useless. ‘Oh fuck,’ he murmured, his feet turning to lead as he started slowly back towards the medical school. At that moment, the black clouds that had been lurking over the city for the past few hours decided to turn threat into action, and large spots of rain started to pock-mark the pavement for a few moments before the heavens finally opened and sent people scurrying into shop doorways and under bus shelters in the mistaken belief that rain that heavy couldn’t last long. Gavin had too much on his mind to care. He was soaked through by the time he got back to the med school.
Nineteen
Hair plastered to his head and clothes dripping, Gavin stepped out of the lift and started out along the corridor, studiously avoiding eye contact with anyone, although his dishevelled state was drawing unwanted attention to him. He didn’t want to be there at all, but the final experiment had to be set up, otherwise the cultures would overgrow and cause yet further delay. He would do what he had to do and then leave.
He’d done it again, him and his big mouth. He hadn’t meant to upset Carrie. He’d just said what he felt and... it had happened. God, how many times had he had to invoke that excuse in the past? Maybe there really was something wrong with him. Maybe he didn’t see things like other people. All he’d wanted to do was point out the truth of the situation to Carrie because he thought she was too close to things to see for herself. He’d thought he was being objective, even helpful, but she had obviously seen things differently. She’d seen him as someone totally without feelings and possibly even someone she never wanted to see again... ‘Shit, shit, shit.’