The Drug Trial by S. R. Masters

Author:S. R. Masters [Masters, S. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008560386
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

8

Half an hour passed, the atrium silent but for the occasional echoing footfall and the chatter of the others going to lunch. Despite the cooking smells and her whingeing stomach, Elle couldn’t eat until she knew what was happening.

The pool area had been deserted when she’d left Hallie earlier. No one had been outside since. So it wasn’t like anyone could check in on the situation for her. She paced. Sat down again. Paced a bit more.

‘You okay?’ Benji said, walking over from the direction of the corridor.

‘Think so.’ His own expression appeared as troubled as hers must have looked to him. God, it was good to see him. ‘You? What’s the latest with Ricoh?’

‘Nothing still. Jess and Paul have gone out in the minibus again to search the area before it gets too hot. It’s needle-in-haystack stuff, though. Are you waiting for someone here?’

‘Lineker,’ she said, glancing back through the giant atrium windows. She told him what had happened earlier. About how almost half an hour had gone by since he’d left.

‘Do you want to go out and check?’

She wasn’t sure. She didn’t want to interrupt. But then again, where were they? Something felt off. Jess was the psychologist of the two, wasn’t she? Dr Lineker was a psychiatrist. A pharmaceutical man. Was he really the best person to be down there talking to Hallie? Yes, he was better placed than Elle, that was for sure. Still, she couldn’t shift the idea that his priority at this point was his precious game-changing drug. That he’d be down there now looking after the welfare of his trial and not Hallie.

‘You know,’ Elle said, ‘I asked him directly about the side-effects.’

‘Yeah?’

‘I’m certain he’s lying.’

‘Come on,’ Benji said, and she followed him.

Outside the temperature had noticeably risen. A demand for cover shot to her brain from the panicky skin of her exposed shoulders. They approached the stairs in silence, Benji going first and shaking his head when he rounded the bend.

‘There’s no one here.’

‘Maybe they went to walk on the beach.’

The two of them descended the rest of the way and stood at the fence in front of the rock garden.

‘She was really standing out there?’

‘Yes.’

Benji shook his head before leading the way to the stairs. They began to navigate the switchbacks, but after the first two they had a clear view of most of the beach. No one was down there.

‘Could they have gone up to our cliff-top spot?’

Benji peered over the edge, pushing his head down towards his chin and leaning over. He leaned back suddenly, and turned to Elle without looking at her.

‘Stay here, okay?’ he said.

‘What? What is it?’

He jogged down without reply, and the alien drone of the steps bounced between her ears and the cliff wall. With some trepidation she followed, not sure whether to look over the side to see what he’d seen.

‘Elle, do not come down here.’ He was shouting. ‘Go and find Monique. Tell her to call the police and an ambulance.’

‘Benji what is it? Is it Hallie?’

‘No.

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