STRONG MEDICINE

Chapter 1 A death in Santa Cruz

Mark Latto is a doctor. He came from Britain to see Ms Spencer in West Cliff Drive (coast of California). It was a sunny March day. She was a doctor in alternative medicine who was studying Parkinsons Disease and he was interested about that. When he arrived to her house, a police officer informed him that Ms Spencer was found dead there. Tony Martinez, a detective of Santa Cruz Police asked him a few questions. Ms Spencers death seemed natural death but it had to be investigated.

Chapter 2 A robbery
Latto was staying at the Ocean View Motel. He remembered that Deborah Spencer worked with two doctors in Santa Cruz, Ray and Silvia but nothing else about them. He thought that he should find them and talk to them. When he was eating at Caseys Bar he realized that he had left his sunglasses at Dr. Spencers house. He came back to the house. There he surprised a burglar who hit him therefore he lost the consciousness. The burglar fled with a laptop. When Latto woke up Martinez, the detective was there and asked him what had happened. Latto thought that it couldnt just be chance.

Chapter 3 Meeting the other doctors

The following morning Latto woke up. When he was checked his email two people knocked at the door. They were Sylvia Koning and Ray Molinaro that worked with Deborah Spencer. Detective Martinez told them that Latto was there and they wanted to meet him. They were worried when knew from him that the Deborahs laptop had been stolen. There was all their work about Parkinsons Disease. She was writing a book and there wasnt any copy. Martinez didn t tell them that someone had stolen the laptop. He thought to ask to detective about Deborahs death and what he knew about her book.

Chapter 4 Talking to Martinez

Latto had got an email from Deborah Spencer with a planning for his visit about work and tourism. It had been sent the day he left Britain. A few minutes later the detective Martinez brought him a laptop with photos of thieves. There he didnt find the thief. He was talking to Martinez about Parkinsons Disease, about its treatment, about Dr. Spencers work. At that moment, detective knew that there was only a copy Ms. Spencers book in the stolen laptop. He thought that somebody wanted steal her ideas. Could be one of the other doctors? It didnt seem a murder but the case wasnt close.

Chapter 5 Dinner with Sylvia Koning

Latto went out for dinner with Sylvia Koning. They had an excellent meal. They talked about their work, their family, their lives. Both were interested in their relationships. When they left the restaurant, they walked along the wharf. Near his hotel, Latto saw something move in his window. They saw someone climbing out of Lattos window. He followed him but he fled. His laptop had disappeared in his room. Detective Martinez and the police scientists came to the Hotel. When Latto was alone in his bed he knew what he had to do.

Chapter 6 Following Ray Molinaro

That morning Latto got up thinking that Ray Molinaro saw the previous morning in his laptop that Deborah Spencers mail with an attachment. Maybe he stole the laptop to see it. He went to the Molinaros office, there he waited outside in his car. A young man arrived, he waited in his car. A few minutes later Molinaro arrived. Both had a short conversation, then Molinaro gave a thick envelope to the young man and he gave him a bag. Latto thought that his laptop was there. Latto took photos and came back his room. When he took a bottle of orange juice he saw that bottle was manipulated and he called detective Martinez.

Chapter 7 Problems
Martinez arrived Lattos room quickly. Latto told him about somebody manipulated his bottle of orange juice to kill him but Martinezs boss, L.T. Becker, had taken him off the case because the case didnt seem a murder. Latto was worried and told him what had happened that morning. How Molinaro changed a thick envelope for a bag (Was his laptop inside?) and how he went to Keiffenheim Laboratories. Martinez had free time that day to investigate the case said to Latto.

Chapter 8 Martinez gets some answers

Sylvia Koning called Latto. Both would go to dinner that night. Martinez told Latto that Molinaro was a bad gambler therefore he owed much money. They thought that Molinaro went to Keiffenheim Laboratories to sell Deborahs book to destroy it. Martinez got to know by phone who spoke with Molinaro in Keiffenheim Laboratories: Matthew Crocker, Head of Development. Latto had a plan to know what happened between Molinaro and Matthew Crocker.

Chapter 9 Catching Crocker

Latto called Crocker and he offered a copy of Deborahs book, he lied. At first, Crocker didnt seem interested but when he was sure that there was a copy they reached agreement. Both will meet at the University of Santa Cruz arboretum and Crocket will pay much money to Latto for the unique copy of Deborahs book at midnight.

Chapter 10

Meeting Crocker
Latto and Sylvia Koning dined that night. When arrived Martinez, Latto and he went to meet with Crocker. Sylvia followed them but they didnt see her. Martinez put two microphones inside Lattos jacket but he would not carry a gun. Martinez hid to listen to the conversation between Latto and Crocker. When they changed the money for the CD, the man who that morning changed with Crocker a bag for a thick envelope came closer. Latto was in trouble. It seemed the end to Latto

Chapter 11

A surprise appearance
Latto thought that Martinez was recording the conversation so he asked Crocker about Deborahs death. Crocker said that he ordered her death. He used a drug, Cloperoxomine, it stopped her heart. At that moment, Ray Molinaro appeared. He was holding a gun to Martinezs back and he had the recorder. Molinaro searched Latto and he found the microphones. Latto tried to say that there was another copy but Crocker ordered kill them. When everything seemed lost, a voice shouted: Drop your guns and dont move

Chapter 12

Guns and mountain lions

They heard a shot. Crocker screamed because he was hurt. Latto hit Molinaro. Martinez pushed Crocker to the ground and he took his gun. Someone was running after Max. Latto picked up Molinaros gun and he run after them. Max disappeared

between some trees. The runner was Sylvia. Soon Max appeared, a mountain lion run after him. She shot and the mountain lion fell dead. Max surrendered. Martinez called the police station while Latto told Crocker that there werent any copies of Deborahs book. Then, the police arrived.

Chapter 13

Who killed Deborah

Martinez told Latto and Sylvia how Molinaro killed Deborah and Max tried to kill Latto. Crocker ordered them to do it. L.T. Becker seemed guilty however there werent evidences but Martinez was watching him very carefully. When Latto and Sylvia were alone, she offered him some new ways that Deborah used to help people with Parkinsons Disease. He agreed and she kissed him. They would begin with free time for them.

Chapter 14

Ten days later

Two weeks after all, Latto stayed in Santa Cruz. He and Sylvia spent that time together. She showed him how Deborah worked. On Lattos last evening, Martinez appeared carrying Lattos laptop and Deborahs Laptop. In this one, there was an email from Alison Partridge, Deborahs friend, she said Deborah that she was grateful because of she had received a copy of her book.

THE END