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Back The Ringmaster Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. Cover
  2. The Ringmaster
  3. Contents
  4. Prologue
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. Epilogue
  72. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  73. Copyright

‘I won’t go into details, as it’s commercially sensitive and it would be too complex for you to understand.’ I swear I felt the room temperature drop five degrees. ‘But she was doing research into a new dosage form of insulin.’

‘Who would benefit from any financial gain, and what sort of income are we talking about?’ I asked this question to give Smithy a chance to breathe and prevent the possibility of physical violence. Money was as common a motive for murder as lust.

‘The university would hold the rights for commercial applications of the research, and this is potentially very important and lucrative. It would revolutionise the administration of insulin to diabetics and negate the need for refrigeration. So it would have immense benefits for patients, particularly in Third World countries.’

‘Thousands? Millions?’

‘Millions, billions. But of course, it costs a lot of money to develop practical and commercial applications for research, and it can take years. This is early days.’

‘Who pays for the costs of development? The university?’

‘The university, and also grants from research institutes. There are several stakeholders.’ Commercial intricacies weren’t my forte, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to see the potential for motive where vast sums of money were concerned. It still didn’t make sense with respect to Rose-Marie’s involvement though.

‘Will this research still be able to go ahead with Miss Bateman out of the picture?’

‘Of course; no one is indispensable, and I will personally ensure this vital research continues.’ I’m sure he would, especially with dollars involved. The prof had no idea how much the ‘indispensable’ word had gotten up my back up, but Smithy sensed it and stepped back into the conversation.

‘Were you aware of any tensions between the researchers on this project, any disagreements?’

The professor seemed to waver before giving his response. ‘Nothing major, just the usual arguments that occur between strong-minded, focused people. Again, I would recommend you talk to Dr Collins or Dr Hawkins who had more to do with her on a day-to-day basis. Now if you don’t mind,’ he said, looking at his wrist watch, ‘I have an appointment with the faculty head. Dr Collins should be down in his room along the hallway and to your right. If there’s anything else I can help you with, please be in touch. Good day, officers,’ at which he turned and left the room, leaving us standing there.

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