“Correct.”
“And why is that, Doctor?”
This earned Nevin a smile from the older man. “Because her parents listened to my advice as a medical professional.”
“But isn’t it correct that Madeleine Cooper and her husband didn’t do that, when the time came to vaccinate their own children?”
“I believe I already said that was the case,” snapped the doctor.
The barrister held up his hands. “I apologize, it’s not my intent to be repetitious.”
“Then don’tberepetitious,” put in the judge shortly.
“Again, my apologies,” said Nevin. “Moving on. Are you aware of any reason why the Coopers decided not to vaccinate their children?”
“Yes,” said the doctor.
Declan had to smile. The man haddefinitelyacted as a witness at a trial or two in his career. He seemed loyal to the approach of “mum’s the word.”
“And what are those reasons exactly?” the barrister probed. There was no way that Dr. Barrett was going to be allowed not to elaborate.
The doctor briefly looked at opposing counsel and shook his head. He appeared pained to have to say the words. “The Coopers have some concerns about the MMR vaccine and its connection to autism.”
Declan heard the implied quotation marks around the wordconcerns.
“But you don’t share these concerns?”
It was a simple question, but Declan knew that a truthful answer here from the doctor would discredit the Coopers enormously.
“No. I do not.”
“And your reasoning is based on?”
The doctor sighed. “Science,” he said. “My reasoning is based on science. Studies have repeatedly proven that there is absolutely no connection between the MMR vaccine and autism.” Barrett paused ever so briefly and then his instinct as a medical professional seemed to overpower his focus on providing direct, to-the-point answers. “Or any other condition, for that matter.”
Pursing his lips, Declan allowed himself a brief glance across to Matt Townsend. The defense’s solicitor looked as if he wanted to throw up. He appreciated the doctor for his honesty, even though the man knew his answers were not benefiting his longtime friends.
Patrick Nevin then decided to enter into a new line of questioning.
“And while you were treating Clara Cooper, were both of her parents in attendance at her bedside?”
Dr. Barrett’s brow furrowed. It was apparent that he was trying to figure out Nevin’s angle here. Slightly shaking his head, he said, “It was primarily Mrs. Cooper who was in attendance. Mr. Cooper works full-time. Although I do know, based on a conversation with Mrs. Cooper, that her husband did take some time off from work in the early days of Clara’s illness.”
“As any good father would,” Nevin commented. “Doctor, did either of Clara’s parents at this point express any concern about how this situation with their daughter impacted their day-to-day life?”
Dr. Barrett squinted his eyes, trying to comprehend what the barrister was getting at. “I don’t know what you mean. Of course they were concerned. What parent wouldn’t be?”
Nevin held up his hands. “Sure, sorry, let me clarify. Yes, the Coopers were concerned, but what negative repercussions did they themselves experience because of Clara’s sickness? If any.”
Sitting back farther in his chair, Dr. Barrett considered this question carefully. “Well, of course, Mrs. Cooper experienced considerable fallout with her blog or her website or whatever it is that she does online, because of the publicity surrounding this issue. But I can’t comment about what goes on in their home, I don’t live there. So I can only go on what I have observed.”
“Correct, Doctor. And pertaining to what you observed at the time,was there any immediate change in the Coopers’ lifestyle following Clara’s sickness? Perhaps the cost of medical bills, loss of income...?”
Declan frowned a little. He himself wasn’t sure what Nevin was hoping to achieve through this line of questioning, unless their barrister was purposely trying to paint the Coopers as having gotten on with their lives unscathed, while Kate’s present and future had been changed—extraordinarily in lieu of their negligence. Which was fine by him.
The doctor sighed, but raised a hand to his chin, as if calling upon the recesses of his brain to provide an answer to the question. “To be honest, I don’t believe there were many pertinent issues created from Clara being sick.” He shook his head ruefully. “Possibly some short-term problems like used-up holiday-leave entitlements, things like that.”
“What do you mean by that exactly?”
