The Runaway Reporter (A Police Procedural Mystery Series of Crime and Suspense, Hyder Ali #3) by Thomas Fincham

against medications; I am, after all, a doctor…”
    “You are?” Hyder quickly asked. “I never read that in your bio.”
    Munn blinked as if realizing he had said too much.  “That was a long time ago, but I am against pharmaceutical companies who are creating those medications.”
    “But they are the ones who are creating cures for diseases.” Hyder politely challenged.
    Munn scoffed. “That’s where you are wrong. The pharmaceutical companies don’t want to cure you, they only want to treat you, so you keep coming back.  Right now, they have medication or treatments for all major diseases, but obviously, it would not be profitable if they don’t have repeat customers.”
    “Are you saying the pharmaceutical companies are purposely not releasing new drugs that could help save lives?”
    “That’s exactly what I’m saying. And I’ll go even further and say it is these greedy companies who are trying to control who gets better and how they get better.” Munn was now standing by his desk, his face beet red. “They are trying to patent every aspect of the human body so that one day we won’t even have the right to do anything to ourselves without their consent.”
    Hyder didn’t know what to say.
    Munn composed himself.  “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. I apologize. I get a bit passionate when it comes to these topics.”
    “I’m in no position to debate whether you are right or wrong.” Hyder replied.  “But I do believe that science, with the financial help of private interests, has assisted in the eradication of many diseases that once plagued mankind.  Whether it was chicken pox, malaria, measles, polio, or even typhoid.  Without these companies putting up money to mass market the drugs, who knows how many millions would have died from just these diseases only.”
    “But do they tell you how many have died due to the various reactions to these drugs?” Munn asked.  “If I were you, I would look into it. You might be surprised by what you find.”
    Hyder realized he had spent too much time debating Munn instead of finding answers to the questions he came to ask.  “The reason I came here, Mr. Munn, is to know why Francine Robeault from the Franklin Herald was so keen on speaking to you.”
    “What I told you then, I’ll tell you now.  I have never heard of that name until you mentioned it.”
    “I’m finding it very hard to believe you,” Hyder said.  “I have a note in her handwriting that states that she wanted to confront you and ask questions.  What I want to know is, what questions did she want to ask you?”
    This time Munn looked annoyed.  “I think I’ve given you enough of my time.  I ask have to ask you to leave now. I have a lot of work to do.”
    Hyder stood up.  “I will keep digging until I find what Francine was working on, you can count on that.”
    Munn’s expression was impassive. “I expect nothing less from a reporter.  Goodbye, Mr. Ali.”
     
    THIRTY-SIX
     
    Lopez was back in the IT unit, but this time she was without Pascale.
    Carl Danka was behind his computer, working the keyboard like a piano.  He glanced at Lopez and winked at her.
    Lopez rolled her eyes.  Danka was at it again.  No matter how many times she turned down his advances, he still kept trying.  Maybe he couldn’t help himself.  Maybe he thought if he continued, he might wear her down and she would eventually cave in.  Fat chance of that ever happening , she thought.
    “When did you get it?” she asked, hoping to divert his attention back to why she was there in the first place.
    “It came in this morning,” he replied.
    She was referring to the footage between Rudy Jr. and his girlfriend from their chat on the computer.  They had to send a court order to force the software company to hand over the video recording.
    Now that they had it, Lopez wanted to view it.
    Danka hit the play button. On the screen, Lopez saw an image of Rudy. He was wearing the same