Free Tony Dunbar - Tubby Dubonnet 03 - Trick Question by Tony Dunbar Page A

they?”
    “So what?”
    “He stole drugs from the hospital. He was unbalanced. He tampered with our experiments.”
    “You mean he played with the mice.” Tubby nodded at the wall of cages from which small rustling and scratching noises came.
    “Yeah, he played with the mice, and probably touched them, exposing them to uncontrolled bacteria. He possibly fed them, jeopardizing the entire sample in some experiments and months of work.”
    “But why would he kill Dr. Valentine?”
    “Maybe because he’s a deranged, violent man. I don’t know.”
    “Would you grant the possibility that someone else might have done it?”
    “I suppose so, but I think it unlikely.”
    “Okay, but you’re a scientist and you know that the truth often lies in unlikely places. Sometimes you find it by expanding your search.”
    “All right, Mr. Lawyer. Our funding comes from many sources. The National Institutes of Health, pharmaceutical companies, some private foundations, some from the hospital itself.”
    “What was Dr. Valentine working on at the time of his death?”
    “Several things, like all of us. We were working together on a long-term research project involving the outbreak of a new stomach-eating bacterium that struck several blackjack dealers in Las Vegas about a year ago and then disappeared. We’re also testing a viral inhibitor that shows some promise in the treatment of AIDS. And, of course, we always have a couple of check-ins.”
    “Check-ins?”
    “Term of art. People dead and the coroner can’t figure out why. They’re sent here to see if we can point the pin to the cause of death. Never know, we might find a new bubonic plague.” He looked hopeful.
    “Was Dr. Valentine looking at any check-ins at the time of his death?”
    Yep.
    “Can you tell me about them?”
    “In a general sense, sure. We had two, I think, when Whitney was here. A woman who passed out driving on Highway 11 with predictable results and a Texas turista who flew in on Taco Airlines and died in a taxicab on her way from the airport to Bourbon Street.”
    “What was strange about those deaths?”
    “The local woman was in the peak of health, fifty-two years old, a young grandmother. No reason for her heart to stop. She had systemic palpable petechial rash covering her extremities. The tourist had erythematous bullae, red blisters full of pus, to you, on her chest and stomach. The medical examiner didn’t want to touch her, even with gloves on. Other than that, what can I say? They were both female, both were having their periods, and they both died for an unknown reason. That’s our clientele.”
    “Sounds interesting. What happened to all of his work?”
    “I’ve taken it over as best I can. Dr. Tessier, whom you just met, is covering some of it. We have been interviewing some good people for the vacancy Dr. Valentine left.”
    “Dr. Valentine also taught at the medical school?”
    “Oh, yes, we all teach.”
    “What were his subjects?”
    “Forensics and virology.”
    “How many students did he teach?”
    “About twenty in each course. They are advanced seminars.”
    “Was he a good teacher?”
    “That’s not really relevant in medical school,” Swincter said curtly. “We expect students to learn what’s being taught. The teacher grades how well the students are doing their job.”
    “Sounds pretty stressful.”
    “That’s the point. I guess law school is like a kindergarten version of that.”
    And you are a pompous butt-head, Tubby thought.
    “Was Valentine well liked?” he asked.
    “I suppose,” Dr. Swincter said, as if it mattered.
    “Did you know Dr. Valentine’s wife?”
    “Sure. Ruby. She’s a survivor type. Won’t stay down long.”
    “Were they happily married?”
    “Can’t say as I know. Look, I’ve got a class in just about three minutes.”
    “Okay. But as a scientist, can you think of any avenue of inquiry I’m overlooking?”
    Swincter seemed intrigued. He smiled slightly, as if he was