Chapter 53
“Idon’t know what you’re talking about,” Rick scratched out.
“I don’t know if you’ve figured it out yet, but you’re dying. And I’m the only one who can save you.”
I let that percolate for a moment.
"Start talking," I said.
After a moment’s hesitation, Rick relented. "It was an encrypted drop. I don't know who my employer was."
"How did you get into the hotel room?"
"I was told the sliding glass door would be unlocked."
"Who told you that?”
“It was in the initial encrypted message.”
"So you just entered through the patio, slipped inside, and strangled Mr. Yan?”
Rick didn't want to answer that.
“How did you get paid?” I asked.
“Crypto.”
“Online wallet?”
“Yeah.”
“Where’s your phone?”
His face wrinkled. “Why?”
“I need access to your crypto wallet.”
“Hell no! I ain’t giving you access to that.”
“I need to find out who paid you.”
He glared at me with uncertainty.
“You’re running out of time, buddy.”
After a beat, he said, “Babe, give him my phone.”
Her brow knitted. “No!”
“Babe, do it!”
She grabbed his phone from her purse and handed it to me. It didn’t have biometrics enabled. A keypad appeared when I tried to access the device.
“What’s your passcode?”
After a reluctant moment, Rick told me, and I tapped it in. The screen cleared, and I thumbed through his device until I found his crypto wallet and opened it. I scanned the recent transactions. Sure enough, there was a BTC transfer that coincided with the date of the murder.
“They never paid the rest,” he grumbled. “Bastards.”
“Should have gotten it all upfront,” I said. Then I muttered aside, “Shouldn’t have taken the job.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” he muttered. “You said I was poisoned. Where's this antidote?"
It was a bit problematic. I knew there was no way Dr. Parker would administer a stolen drug, off-label, and unproven. Yet, Kara was living proof the antidote worked.
I pulled out my phone, launched the camera app, and framed Rick up.
His face twisted. “What are you doing?”
I ignored his question and snapped a photo, then texted it to Isabella.
I pulled Dr. Parker aside, and we stepped into the hallway. He’d been there for Rick's confession. I told Dr. Parker about the poison and the antidote, omitting the part that we stole it.
His reply was not surprising. "Under no circumstances can I allow an off-label drug to be used in this situation. I’d lose my license, and it would open the hospital up to liability.”
"He's going to die.”
“I can't disagree with that. He's on the fast track.”
"Didn’t you take an oath to do no harm?”
Dr. Parker's face tightened. "Where did this drug come from?"
"You don't want to know. But it's in clinical trials now."
"I can't allow this to happen. There's no paper trail. You can’t even tell me where you got the drug or what it is.” Dr. Parker sighed.
"He's conscious right now. If you get informed consent, there's a little wiggle room.
But even with informed consent, I need to know exactly what the drug is, where it came from, and more details about this supposed toxin.
Of course, if he walks out of here, he's free to do whatever he wants.”
Rick didn't look like he was in any condition to walk out of the hospital.
Dr. Parker’s face tensed with torment. "I will need to talk to hospital administrators, run this by the legal department, and see what our exposure is.
I can guarantee you the answer will be no.
And my recommendation will be against it.
But you're welcome to stay here in the room and continue to interview the patient.
I'll be back in 30 minutes with an answer. But I can tell you that answer is going to be no.”
Dr. Parker stepped out of the room. It was a gift. A 30-minute window to save Rick’s life.
I stepped back into the room, closed the door, and moved beside Rick's bed. "You're under arrest for the murder of Yan Zheng. Now you’ve got two options. You can die, or you can take an experimental drug that may kill you, but might save your life. I can’t make any guarantees, but it worked for a friend.”
Rick shared a look with his girlfriend.
“Baby, do it!”
Rick thought about it for a long moment. "Live so I can spend the rest of my life in prison?" He shook his head. "No thanks. That ain't much of a life."
"Baby, no! Don't give up on me. You can fight this. Take a plea agreement." She looked at me. "He's cooperating with you. He'll do anything he can to help you find his employer. That's who you're really after. Rick is just a middleman.”
"Listen to your girlfriend, Rick. She's smart. She's a keeper. Who knows? Help the prosecution, and maybe you could get the charge knocked down to manslaughter. Out in 15 years.”
"15 years is a long time.”
"It's better than life.”
“Baby, please!” Michelle pleaded, clutching his hand.
I gave Rick one last opportunity. “What’s it going to be? This is your only shot, and time is running out.”