"I would hope so, doctor, since it was the understanding of the Review Board, which oversees medical research projects such as yours, and the University, which provided the funding, that patients were to be charged only a minimal charge for donor tissue. I believe the amount was fifty dollars. Isn't that correct?"

"Yes, I guess so. I don't remember."

"Well, which is it, doctor?"

"I don't recall."

"Since this lawsuit was filed, an audit has been done. Would it surprise you to learn that the project was billed large amounts of money, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars for tissue bought from Silver River Pharmaceuticals? The same tissue that you charged patients for at the tune of one thousand dollars per lens, which coincidentally was what you were charging patients who received free tissue."

"I don't know."

"You don't know." Evan ran his fingers through his hair. "Doctor, how much money have you made off this project personally? Ballpark figures would do."

"I don't know."

"Seems I heard that answer before." Evan blew out a breath filled with

disgust. "I have no further questions of this witness."

Dubois slowly stood for rebuttal, then sat down almost immediately. He shook his head. No rebuttal.

Well, what could he do? Evan had effectively, Jeanette hoped, destroyed

Rutherford's capacity for truthfulness.

"Your Honor. The defense would like to exercise its right to cross-examine Jeanette LaFleur at this point in time."

Jeanette leaned forward and whispered in Evan's ear. "Why now? Isn't their case in the toilet?"

Evan shrugged.

Jeanette stood up and took the stand.

"I'll remind you that you are still under oath." The judge smiled at her.

"Yes, sir."

Dubois stalked over to the witness stand.

"Ms. LaFleur, did Dr. Shriver, your university mentor, recommend you for the job at the Epi Study?"

"Yes."

"Had you any work experience as a Clinical Coordinator prior to applying for this job?"

"No."

"Then what made you think you were qualified for such a responsible

position?"

"I wasn't looking for such a position. Dr. Shriver told me about it and

suggested that I meet Dr. Rutherford. It was Dr. Rutherford who suggested I apply after I graduated."

Dubois raised his eyebrows, then threw a glance over his shoulder at

Rutherford.

Evan smiled and winked at Jeanette when she glanced his way.

"Let me understand. Dr. Rutherford met you through his old friend, Dr.

Shriver, and suggested that you, a new graduate with no administrative experience, should apply for the position in his project. Didn't that seem strange to you?"

"Yes, it did." She smiled at him and shrugged. "I guess Dr. Rutherford is easily impressed. The previous Clinical Coordinators only had high school diplomas."

Shouts of laughter erupted in the courtroom.

The judge gaveled for order, but Jeanette noted he had a smile on his face.

Dubois stalked back to the defense table and spoke to Rutherford, who

angrily shook his head and pointed toward her. Dubois slammed his hand down on the table. An angry, low "no way in hell" was heard by those in the front of the room.

"Mr. Dubois, we're waiting. Do you have anymore questions for this witness?"

"No, your Honor."

Rutherford surged from his chair, knocking it over.

"Goddamit, Dubois. She set me up. Now do your job and ask the damn questions. Ask her about her lovers poking their noses into my business. Ask her about her after-hours searches of my offices."

The judge stood up from his chair and yelled to be heard over the tirade as he

pounded his gavel rapidly on the podium.

"Dr. Rutherford, if you do not take your seat and shut up, I will have the courtroom cleared and hold you in contempt of court. Do you understand me, sir?"

Rutherford sat down. His face was sullen.

Dubois held up his hands. "I'm sorry for the outburst. My client is upset."

"That's obvious." The judge turned to Jeanette and in a gentler tone excused

her.

Jeanette rushed to her seat. Rutherford's burning eyes seared her all the way.

No matter what the outcome -- and it didn't look good for Rutherford -- he would do his best to kill her.

After final arguments, the jury left the room.

But they returned almost immediately.

Lynn Barrios received everything she'd asked for -- one million in

compensatory damages and two million in punitive damages for the knowing, reckless endangerment.

Dr. Rutherford would be poorer, but still free.

Jeanette said as much to Evan and the others, surrounding her with their bodies, as they left the courtroom.

"I had a representative of the Medical Licensing Board attend the hearing. That was the man who cut Rutherford off when he tried to storm out of the courtroom before everyone else. I fear the good doctor has been summoned before the Licensing Board to determine why they should not for good cause take away his license to practice medicine."

"Oh, shit." Tony tightened his grip on Jeanette and looked around. "That signed her death warrant for sure, Evan. You heard him in there. He's blaming all his troubles on Jeanette."

"Until Jeanette came along with her sharp eyes, astute mind and courage, he'd been getting away with it,"said Evan. "So, in a way, he's correct."

"That'll do Jeanette a lot of good when she's dead."

Evan's answering smile to Tony's grumbling reminded Jeanette of the Cheshire cat in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

"What do you know, Evan?" she demanded.

"The feds are on board. They'll be at the press conference. I've seen the prepared statement. It'll knock the reporters' socks off."

"What are they charging him with?" Monique asked.

"What aren't they charging him with?" Evan laughed.

"Well, that's great," Tony said. "I just hope he's arrested before he hears about it, or our prize witness here won't live long enough to celebrate his trial let alone his life-long incarceration in a federal prison."

Tony's statement sobered Evan up quickly.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR.

'The W Hotel, French Quarter'

Surrounded by Tony and his men, Jeanette now knew what a quarterback must feel like in a huddle in the last few minutes of a ball game, behind by five points, with third down and goal to go. She'd done her job and gotten the team there. The offensive line had to step up and provide the protection needed to see the game won. She just hoped whatever play they'd come up with, she wouldn't get sacked.

The W Hotel's small ballroom was standing room only.

Evan was like a kid in a candy store. Every major wire service was there. The Pulitzer-prize winning investigative reporter for the 'Times-Picayune' had a front row seat, his photographer at his side, camera at hand.

Jeanette even thought she saw Bill Kurtis from A&E's 'Justice Files' mingling among the crowd.

Truth to tell, she couldn't see all that much.