“Ellen, I’m stuck here in Seattle,” he said. “And I have a mountain of commitments waiting for me in Vancouver.”

“Of course, Graham. Sorry. It was a dumb idea.” She cleared her throat. “I don’t know what got into me. I’m not sleeping well, with FDA approval looming and all. Excuse me, I say wild things.”

Kilburn’s unease grew. In the course of their short conversation, Horton had gone from despondent to anxious and now sounded evasive. “Listen, Ellen, maybe there’s a more private time to speak. I have my cell on me. You can call me any—”

“No, no. Don’t worry. I’m sorry I unloaded on you.” She laughed nervously. “Apart from the lack of sleep, I’m still in a bit of shock over Vik’s death. But now that I’ve had my little-girl cry, I feel better already.”

“Ellen?” he said dubiously.

“Graham, it’s great news about Oraloxin,” she said, suddenly perkier. “The people here will be over the moon. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Before he could say another word, the line went dead.

46 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

46

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Horton’s heart slammed against her ribcage as she hung up the phone. During her conversation with Kilburn, she had stared aimlessly out the window. Not until three-quarters of the way through, when she reached for the tissue box on her desk, did she notice the two pairs of eyes watching her through the partly open door.

How long had they been there? Her throat tightened. What had these people heard?

But Andrea Byington was all smiles as she stepped into the room. And Martineau—who was so enraged the previous evening that he wouldn’t make eye contact when she left his apartment—approached amiably as if nothing unpleasant had ever occurred between them.

“Oh, Ellen, what’s wrong?” Byington’s brow furrowed. “You’ve been crying.”

Horton sniffled a few times, deliberately buying time. Her mind raced, trying to calculate how much to tell the two people she no longer trusted. “I’m okay,” she said. “I’m just a little overwhelmed by the good news.”

Byington’s eyes widened and her face lit up with delight. “You’ve heard about the success in Seattle, then?”

Horton nodded. “I just spoke to Graham Kilburn.”

“Isn’t it marvelous? Think of all those lives you’ve saved.” Byington beamed. “What you’ve created here is nothing short of miraculous!”

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Martineau said proudly. He spoke to Byington but his eyes focused on Horton. “I knew when Ellen joined us at SeptoMed that great things were possible.”

Horton’s vigilance relaxed slightly. Perhaps they hadn’t overheard anything of significance.