In the Counsel of the Wicked — Richard Armstrong

A South American pharmaceuticals company owned by powerful and wealthy consortium of businessmen begins manufacture of a revolutionary drug, which it dubs “PZT.” Although the drug has miraculous “breakthrough” medicinal uses, it will mutate over time into a highly addictive and deadly killer. Rowalter retains a young, ambitious Dallas trial attorney named Dane Ingersoll to circumvent the snags in the FDA regulatory process and gain quick approval to market the drug. Unbeknownst to Ingersoll, however, Rowalter begins to secretly introduce PZT into the U.S. market. Its strategy is to get influential people to use and speak well of the drug, so that the FDA will feel inexorable pressure to quickly approve its use. Attorney Ingersoll becomes aware of serious problems with PZT, and quietly plans to drop Rowalter as a client. Rowalter, realizing this, exerts horrendous pressure against Ingersoll and his family, using every means at its disposal. Ingersoll enlists the help of the FBI, and even his own private investigators to get to the bottom of things. Ultimately, Ingersoll, aided by his ex-high school flame Jenny Pemberton, squares off against his own client. In the end, Rowalter's misdeeds are brought to light, but in a manner you won't expect!