The Methuselah Factor

Frank Clemmons sat at his kitchen table sipping coffee while contemplating the copy of the missing persons report he’d obtained from the local police precinct.  The report contained details, ascertained by investigating police officers, of  the unexplained disappearance of a local scientist.  He struggled with the preparation of a newspaper article covering the disappearance, attempting to develop background information to round out the report.  Normally a news article like this required little effort when sufficient facts could be determined and presented to make informative newsprint.  Frank  had written articles and reports used by most of the major newspapers throughout the Pacific Northwest during the course of his thirty-two years as a freelance investigative reporter.  He was widely known as honest, respectable, and thorough, one whose pursuit of truth was relentless.  He was also known for plunging into the foray without concern of the consequences, reporting the facts just as he found them.  His strong character, high principles and bulldog perseverance overcame any consideration to retreat, regardless of the potential risk to himself.  Searching out and reporting the truth was paramount.

In fact, he’d received numerous awards for his reports and articles.  One particularly noteworthy investigation surrounded a corrupt Mafia figure that had gained a foothold in Seattle and was rising to power, threatening to expand Mafia influence in the Pacific Northwest.  In spite of death threats and an attempt on his life, Frank completed his comprehensive investigation resulting in the conviction and imprisonment of the criminals.

Frank and his wife, Sandy, had enjoyed a long and fulfilling marriage.  They’d had two children, a daughter and son that lived nearby and whom they saw often.  They’d filled their lives with many worthwhile endeavors over the years including many hours of volunteer work with their local church.  Recently, they’d acquired a beautiful retreat on Bainbridge Island, sufficiently removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday occupational stress that they could actually find retreat from those demands.  Frank had planned to try his hand writing a book, having a few ideas about titles and storylines, but had not progressed further due to more pressing issues, such as earning a living. 

He was using his laptop to work on the news article and as he sipped his coffee, he reread the draft of the article he was preparing to submit to the Seattle Times.  He’d rewritten the article twice and was still not content.  It was plainly incomplete, lacking sufficient detail to be interesting or informative.  He debated whether to even submit it, but for the sake of the missing one, he decided that he must.  He swallowed the last of his coffee and poured another cup and then read his article again:

The Redmond City Police Department is investigating the sudden and mysterious disappearance of Doctor Mary Wilson, a leading biochemist and research scientist.  Police reports indicate the scientist was first reported missing by her supervisor at the Master Source Foundation in Redmond, Washington, following three consecutive days of unscheduled absence from the laboratory.  There are few details available, which might shed light upon the scientist’s whereabouts.  Interviews with her supervisor and co-workers at the Foundation cast even greater mystery as her closest associates are at a complete loss to explain her disappearance.

The Master Source Foundation has been in Redmond since 1980 and is purportedly engaged in research to identify causes and cures for cancer.  Requests for an interview with the president, Gustafson Miller, have gone unanswered.

The police, meanwhile, are engaged in an ongoing investigation into the disappearance and will be following up on leads as they come in.  They request that anyone having any knowledge as to the whereabouts or any information that might assist in locating the scientist, please contact the Redmond Police Department as soon as possible.  The city police departments of Seattle and Redmond are working closely with the King County Sheriff’s office on this case.”

Frank had called and talked with the supervisor of the  two police officers that had investigated the alleged disappearance.  They’d received the notification of missing persons from the Master Source Foundation Personnel Director.  Frank’s nose for a story had been tweaked when he’d casually tried to obtain information regarding the Foundation and its activities, but failed to get beyond their canned reference to cancer research.  He’d expected to find considerable information available and had planned to really dig into the business background, but somehow, the Foundation had never before been in the news, as far as his research could determine.  He’d driven past the building and read the sign, but it just seemed far too quiet, too mysterious, for lack of a better word.  One would think that, after more than thirty years, this place would have had some news to report.  Now, the only news was about a missing scientist.  Foul play?  Voluntary disappearance?  Too many questions and no answers, not even a clue.  Not only was Frank dissatisfied with the lack of information in his article, he was even more dissatisfied with what he knew about the Master Source Foundation.

He began formulating a pl