Chapter 16: Endowment

Ben told me what he had seen over coffee in his kitchen, at six in the morning, with his hands wrapped around the mug.

I listened to the whole thing without interrupting.

"A check made out to the transplant program," I said. "In Alastair's pocket."

"In a cream envelope. The CEO told him to mind how he filed it."

"Then it didn't go to the foundation."

"I don't know where it went. That's all I saw."

My phone rang on the counter before I could answer.

It was the donor, the silver-haired woman with the cane, whose son I had given a new heart four years ago.

"Dr. Falkland," she said. "I have a question and I want it answered honestly. Did your program receive my gift in September?"

"I'm sorry," I said. "I was not told of one."

"It was for two hundred thousand dollars. I wrote it for your transplant fund and I handed the check to your husband at a dinner."

My stomach turned slowly over.

"I received a receipt yesterday," she said. "It says the Division of Surgery. It does not say transplant."

"Can you send me a photograph of it?"

"It's on its way."

She hung up.

I stood in Ben's kitchen with the phone against my chest.

"He's done it before," I said. "He has to have done it before."

"Then we'll find out how many times."

"We?"

"I have a stake," Ben said. "I'd like the program to exist next year."

I looked at him, and for a moment I did not trust my voice.

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