“They were wondering if you have the data from the Fisher/Tyne-FDA trials of Curedon?”
“Yes, of course. Why do they want it?”
“Because Shockley refused to divulge it.”
“Some people are very anal retentive.” Decameron thought a moment. “Tell them to call my secretary. We’ll do lunch tomorrow. I think I know where Azor kept the Curedon data. I’m assuming you just want the latest printouts. Otherwise, I’d need a truck to carry all the computer paper.”
“The latest figures would be fine.”
“I’ll go through Azor’s files, look for the data. Which won’t mean drek to them. But if they’re willing to slosh through the statistical muck, I’d be happy to explain what I can to them.”
“Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate that.”
“Unless you want to do it, Liz.”
“It’s more your baby, Reg.” To Decker, she said, “Dr. Decameron is our liaison between Dr. Sparks’s lab, Fisher/Tyne, and the FDA. Mostly, I do all the internal lab work.”
“Dr. Fulton worked extensively with Dr. Sparks in formulating Curedon’s animal trials,” Decameron said. “She was in charge of research design.”
“Don’t I sound impressive.”
“It was impressive.”
Liz was quiet.
Decameron said, “You’re supposed to say thank you.”
Liz smiled. “Thank you.”
Decameron looked at his watch again. His eyes went to the priest. He embraced him. “From the heart, I’m very sorry, Abram. Honestly, I am.”
“I know you are, Reggie.”
“Your father will be sorely missed. I’m not sure we can go on without him. But for now, we have no choice.”
“That’s what he’d want you to do.”
“You take care of yourself.” Decameron pulled away. To Liz, he said, “Do you need a ride back to New Chris?”
“No, Drew will drive me back.” Liz looked around the room. “Where is Drew?”
Decameron said, “Last I saw, he was playing jacks with the children. He was up to threesies.”
“Reg, stop it!”
“I believe he’s in the dining room, Liz.”
“Thank you, Bram.” She clasped him tightly to her breast. “Call if you need anything.”
“I will.”
Decker saw Bram stiffen as she hugged him. Second time today he noticed how uncomfortable the priest became when touched by a woman.
Liz touched his cheek. “Take care of your family. They need you now more than ever.”
“Elizabeth, that is a cursed thing to say!” Decameron chided. “Take care of yourself.”
“I’ll do both. How’s that for a compromise?”
The two doctors waved, then walked off. Bram laughed softly when they were out of earshot. “What a pair.”
“You seem to get along with them.”
“In a very limited scope.”
“Both of them seem quite fond of you.”
Bram eyed Decker. “Everyone loves a priest. Rina took a cab back home. Would you like to meet Grease Pit?”
“Yes, I would.” Decker paused. “He wasn’t at all what I expected.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you said your father was a weekend warrior, I thought you meant a doctor/lawyer dress-up club.”
“No, these guys are the real thing.” Bram pushed hair out of his eyes. “I don’t know why my father hooked up with such a motley crew. Unless he was trying to reform them.”
“Did your father try to reform people?”
“My family is Fundamentalist, Lieutenant. Saving souls is an integral part of the doctrine. All we kids have done missionary work as teenagers. My mother chose to act out her life’s mission through her church, and my father saved souls through his work. But even with all the medical miracles he performed, he was still vocal about being a personal missionary as well as a professional one. He used to pray with his patients before the surgeries.”
Decker paused. “It didn’t create a conflict with non-Fundamentalist patients?”
“He showed sensitivity if the patient wasn’t Christian. Spoke exclusively of God instead of Jesus. Sometimes, he’d even use the common parlance of a Higher Being.”
“What if the patient was an atheist?”
The priest shrugged. “I would imagine everyone recognizes his or her own mortality before major transplant surgery. I don’t think Dad’s invocation caused a problem. If it did, I never heard about it.”
Decker looked around. Again, he spoke softly. “Obviously, his Fundamentalist beliefs didn’t influence his choice of colleagues.”
“You mean Dr. Decameron? Reggie’s a brilliant man. My father wouldn’t have kept him on if he wasn’t.”
“He didn’t find his overt homosexuality a slap in the face of his religion?”
The priest’s eyes darted about. “You don’t turn your back on sinners.”
“But you don’t have to hire them on. Nor do you have to keep them on once they’ve been convicted of morals charges.”
Bram said, “Take a walk with me.”
Decker followed the priest back into the kitchen. To his surprise, it was empty, leaving Decker to wonder where Bram had stowed his twin, Luke. The priest leaned against the kitchen counter, eyes on Decker’s face. “Did Dr. Decameron tell you about the arrest or did you dig that up?”
“Decameron told me.”
“It made the local throwaway papers here in a big way. You can picture the byline: RENOWNED HEART DOCTOR BUSTED CRUISING SANTA MONICA. It caused a mini-scandal not only in the hospital, but in Father’s church. Dad got a lot of flak. Not to his face of course, but there were whisperings that were painful for my mother. Even so, Dad was a man of integrity. He stood behind Decameron and eventually everything died down. I called you in here because I’m asking you to please refrain from mentioning the incident around my mother.”
“She doesn’t like Dr. Decameron.”
“No, she doesn’t.”
“Because of the scandal or because he’s gay?”
“Because of the scandal and because he’s overtly gay.” The priest fingered his cross. “She’s old-fashioned. Thinks that if gays really wanted to change, they could. To her, homosexuality isn’t an innate, hardwired sexual preference. To her, it’s being stubborn.”
“And it’s being a sinner.”
“That, too.” Bram waited a beat. “Actually, it’s the homosexual act that’s the sin, not the homosexual. Though the distinction makes little difference to a woman like my mother or to a man like Reginald, it would make a great difference to someone like my father who took the Bible literally.”
“Meaning?”
“He’d have nothing against homosexuals as long as they abstained from engaging in homosexuality.”
Decker paused. “So your father wouldn’t discriminate against gays as long as they remained celibate.”
“Exactly.”
“Hard to do.”
“It can be done.”
Decker said nothing. The priest’s face was neutral.
Bram said, “Either celibate or sublimated in a legitimate heterosexual union.”
“But neither is the case with Decameron.”
“No.”
“And yet your father kept him on.”
“Yes.”
“Ever get an indication that your father was trying to save Decameron’s soul?”
A small smile played upon Bram’s lips. As if the thought was too absurd for words. “No, I never did see any indication of that. But perhaps it was an agenda of my father’s.” He looked around. “I’ve got to get back to the crowd.”
“Of course,” Decker said. “Out of curiosity, is punishing the act but not the desire how the Catholic Church views gays?”
“Our philosophy is to deal compassionately with everyone. Anybody-and I do mean anybody-is welcome in my church. Theologically speaking, confession and penance are required for all immoral thoughts regardless toward whom they’re directed.”
“Although personally you think immoral thoughts could be construed as healthy outlets for tension.”
Bram stared at him. “Ah, our discussion last night. I should be more temperate in my speech. I didn’t quite mean that, Lieutenant. As an agent of the Roman Catholic faith, I feel it’s not only commendable but very wise to keep the mind as spiritually focused as possible. I had just been musing for my father’s benefit. He expected theological interchange whenever I was around. I tried not to disappoint.”