Do No Harm (2002)

Gregg Hurwitz
*
Synopsis:
Gregg Andrew Hurwitz's first two novels, The Tower and Minutes
to Burn, established hi as a rising star aong thriller writers! "ith
#o $o Har, Hurwitz a%es an ipressive entry into the &rowded
field of edi&al suspense, delivering a fast'pa&ed, often frightening
story that will appeal to fans of (obin )oo%, Mi&hael *aler, and
Tess Gerritsen!
+n the opening paragraph, popular ,)-A Medi&al )enter staffer
$an&y .en%ins runs s&reaing into the eergen&y roo, having
been atta&%ed by an assailant who tossed a bottle of lye into her
fa&e, blinding and disfiguring her! )hief of Staff #avid Spier /ui&%ly
ta%es &ontrol of the situation and tries to restore a seblan&e of
&al aong $an&y's friends and &olleagues! But a se&ond atta&%
on another staff eber soon follows, and it be&oes &lear that
soeone is targeting the edi&al &enter! *ani&, outrage, and
intense edia s&rutiny inevitably ensue! Then, in a supreely ironi&
twist, the assailant '' a deeply disturbed loner naed )lyde '' is
&aptured and delivered to ,)-A's 0( for treatent of his in1uries,
so that #r! Spier finds hiself for&ed to give edi&al assistan&e to
the an who has terrorized his hospital!
Hurwitz is a resour&eful, fluent storyteller, and he pushes the
narrative along at a brea%ne&% &lip! His &entral &hara&ters '' the
troubled, dedi&ated Spier and the thoroughly deented )lyde '' are
&redibly and &arefully developed, as is the large and varied
supporting &ast! Hurwitz has a gift for portraying aberrant states of
ind and a genuine feel for the everyday stresses of hospital life!
#o $o Har is &olorful, authenti&, and in&redibly hard to put down!
)hapter 2
3A)0 white and blistering, eyelids swollen nearly shut, hair
falling fro the front of her s&alp in thin &lusters, the nurse
stubled blindly through the ,)-A Medi&al )enter 0ergen&y
(oo doors, both hands waving in front of her! Her &ries &ae
fro deep in her &hest, rapid anial sounds that twisted into raspy
oans by the tie they left her outh! A half'oon dar%ened the 4
of her s&rub'top &ollar, and the s%in along her &lavi&le had whitened
and softened!
She tried to say soething, but it &ae out a guttural bar%!
A Hispani& gardener leapt up fro his seat before the lobby's
&he&%'in windows, &radling the bloody bandage wrapping his hand
and %no&%ing over his &hair! He &ir&led wide as the nurse
advan&ed, as if afraid of atta&% or &ontaination! A other holding
her five'year'old stepped through a set of swinging doors, shrie%ed,
and beelined to the safety of the waiting roo! The guard at the
se&urity des% rose to a half &rou&h above his &hair!
A blister burst near the woan's teple, sending a run of vis&ous
fluid over the ottled lands&ape of her &hee%! 5pen sores spotted
her lips, and when she spread her outh to s&rea, her )upid's
bow split, spilling blood down her &hin! She groped her way along
the wall, her shoulders ra&%ing with sobs, her outh wor%ing on air!
An e6pression of horror frozen on her fa&e, *at At%ins &ir&led her
des% in the sall triage roo, %no&%ing over her first &up of
orning &offee, and ran into the lobby toward the woan!
The woan ret&hed, sending a thin spray of grayish voit a&ross
the vivid white wall! She lunged forward, her shin stri%ing the
overturned &hair, and tubled over, brea%ing her fall with the heels
of her hands!
*at sprinted over, shouting at the se&urity guard, 7Tell the to get
Traua Twelve ready87
She rea&hed for a pulse as the nurse rolled onto her ba&%,
sputtering and gurgling, leaving a han% of hair on the &lean tile floor!
"hen *at saw the nurse's +# badge, she inhaled sharply, running a
hand over her bristling gray hair!
7.esus God,7 she said! 7$an&y, is that you97
The swollen head nodded, the whitish raw s%in glistening! 7#r!
Spier,7 she rasped! 7Get #r! Spier!7
$early %no&%ing over a radiology resident with an arful of
&harts, #avid Spier sprinted into the )entral "or% Area bridging the
two parallel hallways of e6a roos that &oposed his division! He
pointed at an intern and snapped his fingers! 7)arson's supposed
to stit&h up a leg in Seven! Go %eep an eye so he doesn't du&% out''
you %now how he is with sutures! And + need a urine on Mit&hell in
0ight!7
He stepped a&ross the )"A, patting his best resident on the
shoulder! 7#iane''let's ove!7
#iane handed off the phone to a nurse and pivoted, her
shoulder'length straight blond hair whipping around so the nurse
had to lean ba&% out of its way! Grabbing the pen fro behind her
ear, #iane slid it into the po&%et on her faded blue resident s&rubs!
#avid rested a hand on her shoulder blade, guiding her into
Hallway 5ne! They both shuffle'stepped ba&% as the gurney swept
past the and ban%ed a hard left into the traua roo! They
followed behind, #avid resting his hands on the ba&% of the gurney!
The nurses folded in on the patient's writhing body, a wave of dar%
blue s&rubs! *at leaned over, slid a pair of traua shears up the
oist s&rub top, threw the aterial to the sides!
7"hat do we have97 #avid as%ed!
A nurse with shiny bla&% hair glan&ed up! 7)au&asian feale,
probably idtwenties, soe voiting, erytheatous blisters on
fa&e and upper &hest, eyes are opa/ue, oderate respiratory
distress! Appears to be soe %ind of &hei&al burn!7 She rea&hed
down and untwisted the +# badge fro the ound of fabri&! Her
fa&e blan&hed! 7+t's $an&y .en%ins!7
The news rippled visibly through the nurses and lab te&hs!
Though they were a&&ustoed to operating under duress, having a
&olleague and friend wheeled into the 0( in this state was beyond
even their e6perien&e!
#avid glan&ed at $an&y's blistering fa&e, her pretty blond hair
lying in loose strands on the gurney, and felt a &hill wash down his
&hest to his gut! He re&alled when they had wheeled his wife in
here two years ago, the night of his forty'first birthday, but he
&aught hiself /ui&%ly, &he&%ing his thoughts! +nstin&tively, his
physi&ian's &al spread through hi, prote&tive and ipersonal!
He /ui&%'stepped around the gurney so he &ould e6aine
$an&y's fa&e! Her eyelids and lips were badly burnt! +f the &austi&
agent dripping fro her had gotten into her eyes and down her
throat, they were dealing with a whole new host of probles!
7Get e G+ and ophtho &onsults,7 he said! 7And soeone
&onta&t the to6 &enter! -et's get the offending agent +#'d!7
*at glan&ed up fro her post behind $an&y's head! 7Soe nasal
flaring here, and she's stridorous!7 She &hewed her lip! 7Hurry with
that onitor!7
73ind e soe pH strips,7 #iane &alled out! 7And let's get saline
bottles in here stat!7
A &ler% ran fro the roo! Two nurses dashed in, pulling on late6
gloves and snapping the at the wrists!
7"as it an e6plosion97 soeone as%ed!
7#oubt it,7 *at said! 7$an&y wal%ed in herself''it ust've
happened right outside! Se&urity's already &onta&ted the poli&e!7
7She's wor%ing hard,7 #avid said, glan&ing at the s%in su&%ing
tight against her ribs and around her ne&%! 7Supra&lavi&ular and
substernal retra&tions! -et's get ready to tube her!7
$an&y tried to sit up, but *at restrained her! $an&y's breath &ae
in great heaves! 7#r! Spier,7 she said! Her voi&e was thi&% and
rough, tangling in the swell of her throat!
#avid leaned over $an&y's fa&e! The s%in around the blisters
was whitening, &ontrasting sharply with the red bulges! She
appeared to be trying to go on spea%ing!
His hands fluttered near her 1aw, ready to &he&% her airway! 7+'
right here, $an&y! "e're gonna get you ta%en &are of! )an you tell
us what substan&e we're dealing with97
+4s being hung, pulse o6 sliding on the finger, s&rubs &ut free
fro her legs and tossed into a trash bin! )ardia& leads plun%ing
down a&ross her &hest li%e bullet holes!
$an&y &oughed, &ontorting on the gurney!
7Heart rate's one forty,7 soeone said! 75'two saturation's low
nineties and dropping!7
#avid leaned &loser! 7$an&y, &an you tell us97
The green line on the 0:G onitor showed ta&hy&ardia, the
pea%s and valleys getting ashed &loser and &loser! Her ar rose,
a hand pawing liply at air!
$o ore tie! He pulled her 1aw open and peered down her
throat! ,l&eration of the oropharyn6, suba&ute airway &oproise
fro edea! "hatever had gone down her throat had irritated the
tissue, &ausing assive swelling! He needed to se&ure an airway
/ui&%ly before her throat &losed off!
#avid tilted her head ba&% to give her throat a6iu paten&y!
7*ush twenty gs of etoidate and one hundred of ro&uroniu,7
he said, his voi&e ringing sharp and &lear even to his own ears! The
drugs would sedate and &opletely paralyze $an&y! She'd be
unable even to breathe unless they &ould get a tube down in her to
do it for her! 7-aryngos&ope,7 he said!
The -'shaped tool slapped the late6 &overing his pal!
*ositioning it in his left hand, he then slid the blade down along her
tongue, using the sall atta&hed light to guide it past the epiglottis!
The laryngeal swelling was bad, even worse than he'd noti&ed at
first glan&e! He &ouldn't see the vo&al &ords between whi&h to guide
the endotra&heal tube!
He glan&ed up at #iane, who was perforing the Selli&%
aneuver, applying pressure to the &ri&oid ebrane beneath
$an&y's laryn6, trying to bring the vo&al &ords into view for hi! +t
wasn't wor%ing!
7Soeone get on the horn to anesthesia and see how long it'll
ta%e to get a fiberopti& s&ope down here,7 #avid bar%ed! +f the
swelling got too bad, he &ould loo% through the thinner s&ope and
aneuver down the tra&hea!
He repositioned $an&y's head and tried again, but still &ouldn't
a%e out the vo&al &ords behind the swelling!
7)ri&h her97 #iane as%ed!
#avid shoo% his head! 7$ot yet! Before we &ut, +'ll try to tube her
blind and see if we get lu&%y!7 Though the swelling prevented hi
fro eyeing the anatoi&al landar%s, he began pushing the
endotra&heal tube, tra&ing a path along the underside of the
laryngos&ope blade down $an&y's throat! He pulled the
laryngos&ope fro $an&y's outh! The &lear 0T tube reained,
protruding a few in&hes fro the line of her teeth! #avid reoved
the etal stylet that ran down its length and inflated the &uff at the
other end, whi&h was buried soewhere in $an&y's throat! He
popped the end'tidal &arbon dio6ide onitor on the end of the tube,
then atta&hed the o6ygen bag valve atop the onitor!
#iane pulled her stethos&ope fro a&ross her shoulders, &leared
her hair with a head 1er%, and positioned the plugs in her ears! She
listened over the lungs, then swit&hed to the stoa&h, as #avid
puped the bag with his hand! 7+' getting a gurgle,7 she said!
The 0T tube had wound up in the esophagus rather than the
tra&hea, the usual result of tubing soeone blind! #iane was
pi&%ing up stoa&h noises rather than oveent through the
lungs! The onitor reading showed high &arbon dio6ide''$an&y still
wasn't breathing!
#avid pulled the endotra&heal tube fro $an&y's outh; it
swayed beneath his fist li%e a bloody sna%e!
7Her 5'two sat's dropping! ! ! ! 7 *at said, a note of pani&
&reeping into her voi&e!
$an&y's flesh was going fro white to blue!
7+s the fiberopti& s&ope here97 #avid as%ed!
A &ler% leaned into the roo! 7$ot yet, but anesthesia said it's on
the''7
#avid rea&hed for a s&alpel, fingering beneath $an&y's laryn6 for
the &ri&othyroid ebrane with his other hand! He &ut lengthwise
along the ebrane, opening up a surgi&al airway in her throat!
#iane had the three'pronged retra&tor in his hand iediately; he
slid it into the &ut and it opened li%e a tripod, spreading the hole!
3eeding a <!= 0T tube into the hole, #avid plugged the other end
into a ventilator hose! The ventilator breathed for her, pushing air
through the tube into her lungs!
Her &hest started rising and falling, and her o6ygen saturation
&libed slowly ba&% up past ninety! Airway se&ured! $ow he'd have
to identify the offending agent!
He glan&ed up at the nurses! They were oving a little slower
than usual, still shell'sho&%ed! A lot of loo%s to $an&y's fa&e!
7+ %now this is hard,7 #avid said, gently yet firly, 7but right now
we're 1ust dealing with an in1ured body, li%e any other body! Have
you drawn blood97
*at nodded!
7Send off a )B), a &he panel, type and s&reen, and get a
re&tal! #oes soeone have y pH strips97
The bla&%'haired nurse slid a gloved hand between $an&y's lip
legs!
Soeone handed #avid a yellow pH strip and he laid it a&ross
$an&y's &hee%! +t dapened /ui&%ly, but did not &hange! He threw it
aside! 7$ot an a&id,7 he announ&ed! *at was ready with the red
strips; he laid one on $an&y's forehead and one 1ust beneath her
eye! Alost iediately, they turned a glaring blue!
#avid &ursed under his breath! A base! *robably #rano! A&ids
are nasty, but they atta&% tissue in su&h a way that the s%in s&ars
/ui&%ly, usually prote&ting healthy underlying tissue! Al%ali, on the
other hand, produ&es a li/uefa&tion ne&rosis, saponifying fats,
dissolving proteins, penetrating ever deeper into the tissues! ,nli%e
a&id, it %eeps burning and burning, turning flesh to li/uid! Sae way
it opens &logged drains!
#iane glan&ed at the blue pH strip and iediately began
dousing $an&y's fa&e with saline!
73ollow her lead,7 #avid said! 7+rrigate the hell out of her!7 He
raised one of $an&y's lids with a thub and stared at the white
&loudy eyeball! )orneal opa&ifi&ation! More bad news! He pi&%ed
up a little >?='&& saline bottle and flushed the eye! 7Soeone find
e soe Morgan lenses!7 0a&h of the hard Morgan lens &onta&ts
&onne&ted to a tube that &ould &ontinually flush the eyes with
saline! As they were seldo needed, he hadn't used Morgan lenses
for about ten years!
The blistering lips and swollen throat indi&ated that the al%ali had
gone down $an&y's throat! +f it had burned through her esophagus,
letting air es&ape into her &hest &avity, he would have to get her to
the 5( iediately! +f it hadn't fully penetrated, then the al%ali
reained on the esophageal walls, eating through additional tissue,
and there was very little they &ould do about it!
He slid an @'ray &assette, en&ased in a dull silver &ase, beneath
$an&y's body! 70veryone in leads87 0veryone present threw on lead
aprons as #iane positioned the @'ray unit over $an&y's body and
threw the swit&h! Aui&%ly, they repeated the pro&edure until they'd
&opleted serial &hest and abdoinal fils! A lab te&h slid the final
&assettes out fro beneath $an&y and handed the off to the
radiology te&h, who s&urried fro the roo!
7)he&% for free subdiaphragati& air, ediastinal ephysea,
and e6aine lung paren&hya for signs of aspiration,7 #avid yelled
after the te&h! 7#id he hear e9 Soeone a%e sure he heard!7
Several nurses and lab te&hs were spraying down down $an&y's
fa&e with saline bottles! "ater and runoff dren&hed the gurney
sheets!
7Should + get ready to drop an $G tube to lavage the stoa&h97
#iane as%ed! 7#ilute the al%ali97
7$o, it's &ontraindi&ated,7 #avid said! 7+t &an &ause ret&hing or
voiting, and the al%ali &ould igrate ba&% up the tube, ree6posing
tissue! *lus, you &ould drop the thing right through a wea%ened
esophagus wall into the ediastinu! Getting her stoa&h puped
isn't worth the ris% of bo6ing her!7
A nurse's hand appeared seeingly out of thin air, handing #iane
another saline bottle!
)arson #onalds ran in, breathing hard, and shot loo%s around
the roo with the i6ture of an6iety and disorientation typi&al of a
edi&al student! He ran a hand through his op of &urly blond hair,
his eyebrows disappearing under the front line of his bangs! 7+
heard you have a pretty gnarly al%ali burn!7 He saw *at's fa&e, then
glan&ed at the body and too% a step ba&%! 73u&%! +s that $an&y97
#avid's bottle spat air, so he tossed it into the bin, grabbed
another, and &ontinued irrigating the eyes! 7#r! #onalds,7 he said,
ta%ing a &al, dida&ti& tone, 7why don't we use eeti&s for al%ali
ingestions97
7Be&ause she's paralyzed and tubed and the last thing you want
is her barfing up and asphy6iating,7 )arson said!
7How about if she wasn't tubed9 "ould we use an eeti& then97
7$o! Bou don't want to ree6pose the esophageal tissue to
offending agents on the way ba&% up!7
7And97
)arson shoo% his head!
7#r! Tra&e97 #avid said! He didn't loo% up fro the eye he was
spraying, but he sensed #iane's head pivoting!
She swit&hed the saline bottle to her other hand, s/uinting as a
wayward s/uirt &aught her a&ross the brow! 7+n&reasing intraluinal
pressure generated by eesis is spe&ulated to in&rease the ris% of
perforation when the tissue is ar%edly wea%ened! )arson, get
your ass over here and give us a hand!7
)arson lunged forward and grabbed a saline bottle! #iane
nudged hi with a shoulder! 7"hat are the three reasons we don't
use &har&oal to soa% up al%ali in the stoa&h97 she as%ed!
73our reasons,7 #avid said!
#iane gria&ed at being &orre&ted but didn't loo% up!
*at swit&hed +4 bags, then &he&%ed $an&y's blood pressure &uff,
her fa&e stained with grief and sho&%! "ith twenty'three years as
an ($ under her belt, *at was the den other of the 0( nurses;
that's why she'd followed $an&y in here, probably sending one of
the ore 1unior nurses out front to triage! Her &rew &ut was shot
through with sweat!
7+ don't %now any,7 )arson &onfessed!
#avid raised an eyebrow at *at! 7*at97
7"hy are you piping a nurse97 )arson as%ed, a &opetitive
note finding its way into his voi&e! Most do&tors only fired /uestions
at ed students, interns, or residents!
7Be&ause, in general, they've been around longer and %now
ore than arrogant ed students!7
*at loo%ed over /ui&%ly, her &hee%s /uivering! 7+ ! ! ! what ! ! ! 97
7"ould you li%e to tell )arson here, and #r! Tra&e, the four
reasons we don't use &har&oal to soa% up al%ali in the stoa&h97
*at anaged to regain her fo&us, whi&h had been #avid's ai in
/uestioning her! 75ne, a&tivated &har&oal doesn't absorb al%ali!
Two, it obs&ures the endos&opi& visual field! Three, if the patient is
perfed, it would lea% right into the ediastinu, and four, it's a
voit ris%, and )arson and #iane already pointed out those
pitfalls!7
7That's right!7 #avid glan&ed around the sall roo bustling with
people! A few fa&es still loo%ed upset, and a lab te&h was holding
one of $an&y's lip hands! 7"e have a dan sharp tea here,7 he
said! 7#on't worry, and stay fo&used!7
A &ler% leaned through the door! 7#r! .enner's ringing through!7
7Aah,7 #avid said! 75ur ophthalologist!7
The telephone behind #avid eitted only a half ring before he
grabbed it, first handing off his saline bottle to a nurse and pointing!
7:eep flushing,7 he outhed, pivoting to iss an +4 pole a lab te&h
pulled around!
7#r! .enner, 1ust in tie! "e need you down here, got a bad
al%ali e6posure to the eyes!7
7"as the s%in around the eyes burnt97 #r! .enner's deeply
te6tured voi&e was low, rolling, authoritative!
70verything's burnt! The &ornea's &loudy white!7
7So the endotheliu's already not fun&tioning! Are you
irrigating97
7Saline!7
7Good! 5sosis advantage!7
7+ &an't find the Morgan lenses!7
7#on't worry about it! They're outdated and overrated! .ust get
the eyes open and %eep irrigating &opiously! 5n&e the eyes are
better &leared, give her a drop of *red 3orte to stop the
inflaation and a drop of )ipro for infe&tion! +' on y way!7
#iane glan&ed up at #avid as he hung up the phone! He &hewed
his lower lip! 7*at, &an you &all G+ again, as% what's ta%ing so
goddan long on our &onsult97
The radiology te&h po%ed his head into the roo, fresh ba&% fro
the @'ray suite in the rear! 7$o free air,7 he said!
That was good''at least the al%ali hadn't eaten through the
esophagus, allowing air to es&ape into the body! Bet!
#iane leaned forward over $an&y's body, and she and #avid
brushed foreheads! Her eyes 1er%ed /ui&%ly away! 7Sorry!7
7How are you doing on the eyes there, )arson97 #avid as%ed!
)arson nodded! 75%ay! But + thin% she's gonna need a &orneal
transplant!7 He leaned over, e6aining the other eye! 7Two!7
7"e're going to apply soe )ipro and *red 3orte drops! )an you
get the ready97
A unifored ,)-A *oli&e #epartent offi&er strolled in; #avid
was iediately irritated by his &asual gait! The &op &leared his
throat! 7+ have soe /uestions + need to''7
7This patient is un&ons&ious and &an't answer /uestions!7
7"ell, +'ll need to ta%e a''7
7$ot right now,7 #avid said! 75ut, please! 5ut!7
The &op shot hi a good glare before retreating!
The nurses and te&hs &ontinued to irrigate $an&y's flesh, lined
on both sides of her body li%e feeding pups!
7Good, good,7 #avid said! 7"e're gonna %eep irrigating her for
hours!7
*at loo%ed up, a little oist'eyed, and nodded! 7"e'll be here!7
The wall phone rang, and a te&h grabbed it, then held it out to
#avid! 7#r! "oods!7
#avid shot a late6 glove into the trash bin and fisted the phone!
7"hat too% you97
7+ was in on a''7
7"e have an al%ali burn, soe ingestion! $o free air on the fil!7
7,l&eration of oropharyn697
7Bes! And a&ute laryngeal swelling! "e had to &ri&h her!7
7"e li%e to have the swallow a little water, push the al%ali down
the esophagus into the stoa&h! Greater area, prote&tive a&ids!7
#r! "oods's voi&e was slow and droning! +t refle&ted his personality!
7The swelling was already a&ute, and + didn't want to run the ris%
of her voiting it ba&% up,7 #avid said, a note of ipatien&e
&reeping into his voi&e!
7Sart ! ! ! sart! ,nfortunately, there's little you &an do to
itigate esophageal daage! -i/uefa&tion ne&rosis happens
alost instantaneously!7
7Bes,7 #avid said! 7+ %now!7
73ever9 "hites are noral97
7$o! Bes!7
7+' going to need to get down there and ta%e a loo%!7
7+n the eantie97 #avid waited through what seeed an
eternity!
75ne'fifty of Canta& +4 stat to redu&e the stoa&h a&id! That
should prevent stress bleeding and ul&erations as well!7
7"e'll see you shortly!7
75%ay! 4ery we''7
#avid set the phone down on the &radle and relayed the order!
He glan&ed at the onitor, adired the healthy baseline rhyth!
Blood pressure 2D= over 2==! (espiratory rate at eighteen! *ulse
2>=! 56ygen saturation EE per&ent!
He pulled a deep breath into his lungs and e6haled loudly! +t too%
a &ons&ious effort to rela6 his us&les and let his shoulders sin%!
#iane leaned forward over $an&y's fa&e, &ontinuing to irrigate her
eyes! A wisp of hair ar&ed a&ross her &hee%, finding the &orner of
her outh!
An intern s%idded on the floor, a&&identally sliding past the door!
She hoo%ed the frae with a hand as she leaned in! 7Golf &art
versus Bui&%! Two forty'three'year'old ales with penetrating head
wounds! 0TA two inutes! "e're prepping *ro&edure Two!7
#avid shot his other late6 glove at the trash bin and headed for
the door!
)hapter >
7B5, let e the fu&% ba&% there or +'ll op the floor with that
ratty head of yours!7
The poli&e offi&er's gloved hand was in&hes fro )arson's nose,
pointing, as #avid approa&hed the! )arson stepped ba&% and
glan&ed at the floor! He did not loo% pleased at the prospe&t of his
prize lo&%s being used to &lean the tile of Hallway Two!
706&use e, offi&er,7 #avid said, pulling )arson farther ba&% with
a hand on his shoulder! 7+' #r! Spier, &hief of the 0( #ivision!
"hat &an we''7
7Bou'd better step ba&%,7 the offi&er said, the words &oing in a
low hiss through his teeth! Though he was &leanly shaven, in&ipient
stubble dotted his fa&e! +t was only a little after 2= A!M!, #avid
thought! That's a lot of testosterone!
The &op's shoulders were broad, ade broader by the dar%, dar%
blue -A*# unifor that stood out in the star% white hall li%e a stro%e
of paint! His hair was neatly grooed, fli&%ed to one side in a &lean
part! Though he loo%ed younger than thirty, the hard flat sheen of
his eyes bore witness that they'd already seen u&h beyond the
purview of &ivilian eyes! His eyebrows, sharp stro%es above his
supraorbital ar&h, lent his fa&e a sharp, fo&used &ast!
#avid glan&ed /ui&%ly behind hi for a white se&urity unifor,
but saw only pin% and blue s&rubs! He wasn't sure how helpful a
se&urity offi&er would have been in the fa&e of a belligerent &op
anyway!
#avid spread his ars slightly, his hands splayed, pals out!
7Bou see agitated,7 he said! 7+' sorry!7
The &op too% a deep breath and #avid eyed the nae tag above
the po&%et line on his right breast! .en%ins! $an&y's brother9
#avid loo%ed up and &aught .en%ins's hard stare! 7+' sorry,7 he
repeated!
7-isten, #o&tor, + need to %now right now where y sister is!7
Seventeen years in the 0( had left #avid not unfailiar with how
to deal with hard'ass -A*# &ops! He for&ed a &urt sile! 7$an&y's
in Traua Twelve! +'ll be happy to ta%e you ba&% to see her on&e +
&he&% on her, a%e sure a visitor won't interfere with the do&tors
and nurses who are still treating her! +' sure you don't want to do
anything to endanger her!7
.en%ins's nostrils flared slightly! #avid debated as%ing hi to
step out through the swinging doors to Adit but de&ided not to
fight that battle!
#avid ba&%ed up and pointed )arson toward the )entral "or%
Area, saying in a low voi&e, 7Get a feale nurse over to %eep an
eye on Mr! .en%ins, please, and ensure he stays put!7 .en%ins was
aggressive and upset''a woan would ore li%ely &al hi down,
and he probably wouldn't pi&% a fight with her! 7And + heard we've
had soe press illing around triage! Have se&urity &lear the
out!7
#avid passed through the )"A, dodging nurses, and du&%ed
into Traua (oo Twelve! $an&y's body lay bare on the gurney,
pale e6&ept for the red blisters on her fa&e and throat! She was still
un&ons&ious, the ventilator pushing air into her lungs! Two nurses
&ontinued to irrigate her fa&e and eyes!
A young nurse sat on a &hair in the &orner, sobbing, her yellow
hair falling over her fa&e in thi&%, yarnli%e &lups! She was new to
the 0(, but #avid re&ognized her: one of $an&y's &ollege
rooates who she'd re&ruited to the #ivision! +n fa&t, he
re&ognized the faded Azte&'print s&rub top that was sha%ing with
her sobs as one of $an&y's!
*at &rou&hed in front of her, rubbing her upper ar in tight ovals!
A lapse in her usual tru&%'driver toughness!
#avid pulled a sheet up over $an&y's body, to 1ust below the
wounds on her upper &hest! Her ar rested atop the sheet, and
#avid noti&ed the band of pale s%in around her ring finger! She'd
&aused soething of a paperwor% ess a few onths ago when
she'd &hanged ba&% to her aiden nae on all eployee files!
The younger nurse &ontinued to &ry! #avid &rossed to her and
leaned over so he &ould see her nae tag! 7.ill,7 he said softly! 7+
%now this is very hard for you, but +' going to have to as% you to
head ba&% to the do&tors' lounge! "e have soe faily &oing in!
Her brother!7
.ill stood unsteadily, her thi&% lo&%s dap and sti&%ing to her
wide fre&%led &hee%s! #avid tou&hed her ar reassuringly! *at led
her out, passing #iane as she entered!
7+ see you got soeone fro head and ne&% to revise the &ri&h to
a foral tra&heostoy,7 #avid said! 7$i&e &all!7
#iane nodded! 7Mon%ey see, on%ey do!7
A grin tou&hed #avid's lips! 7How flattering!7
7"e're getting ready to ove her to the +),! "oods is eager to
s&ope her!7
7+' bringing $an&y's brother ba&% to ta%e a loo%! He's -A*#!7
#avid stepped &loser to #iane and lowered his voi&e! 7A real hard'
on! Bra&e yourself!7
#iane sighed, blowing her bangs up in a puff! Her &hee%s were
flushed, a&&enting the i&y tint of her green eyes! She be&%oned with
both hands! 7Bring it on!7
#avid went to find .en%ins! +t wasn't hard! He hadn't budged! He
stood dead &enter in the hallway, thi&% ars &rossed over his &hest,
a%ing patients and personnel swerve to go around hi! "ith a
sall nod, #avid gestured for hi to follow ba&% to the roo!
"hen .en%ins saw his sister's body lying supine on the gurney,
soe of the prote&tive &ruelty washed fro his fa&e, and #avid
&aught a glipse of his features unfle6ed and ore softly arrayed!
+t was easy to forget how young .en%ins was, but in the split
se&ond before his veteran's toughness snapped up the sla&% in his
fa&e, #avid saw the pain stri%ing his youthful &ore!
.en%ins shuffled forward, lips trebling as he viewed his sister's
fa&e! #avid rested a hand on his shoulder! .en%ins's &hee%s
&olored in twinning ovals, though the rest of his fa&e drained of
&olor! An eerie effe&t! He raised a fist and &oughed into it! 7"hat is
this97
7She sustained a bad al%ali e6posure to the fa&e,7 #iane said!
7But she will survive!7
$an&y's head was still &o&%ed ba&% in the sniffing position, the
&lear plasti& tube running into the hole in her ne&%! A il%y white
eye gazed out blan%ly fro between swollen lids!
.en%ins's hands fisted, then rela6ed! 7Sustained,7 he uttered!
7"hy are her ! ! ! why are her eyes all s&rewed up9 +s she blind97
7+' afraid she probably is,7 #iane said! 7"hen she &oes to,
she'll be able to distinguish light fro dar%, but that's about it! She'll
also have uveitis, whi&h will &ause e6tree photophobia!7
7She'll be sensitive to light,7 #avid said! 7+t'll hurt her eyes!7 He
saw #iane's &hin dip ever so slightly and %new she was s&olding
herself for not spea%ing to .en%ins in nonedi&al ters!
75n&e the inflaation stops,7 #iane said, 7she ight be able to
have a &orneal transplant! +f she does, her sight &ould re&over up to
ninety per&ent!7
7How long does that ta%e9 3or the inflaation to stop97
7)ould be wee%s, &ould be onths! But we have a top
ophthalologist, #r! .enn''7
7"hat do you do in the eantie97
7:eep irrigating, for now! "e want to iniize the &han&e of s&ar
tissue &ausing adhesions between the eyeballs and the eyelids!7
7The eyelids,7 .en%ins repeated dubly! Soe &olor was
returning to his lips, but his eyes retained their glassy sheen!
He rea&hed a hand toward $an&y's forehead; it hovered above
the raw, weeping s%in! He bit his lip hard, fighting a treor into
subission! 7"hy's she ! ! ! 97 His finger tra&ed a path around the
tube running through her tra&hea!
7She ingested soe al%ali, whi&h &aused her throat to swell,7
#iane said! 7That's why we had to intubate her! "e've already had
an e6&ellent gastroenterologist down here''he's going to s&ope her
right now so he &an figure out how u&h daage her esophagus
sustained! +t ay have been badly &oproised!7
7+n whi&h &ase ! ! ! 97 .en%ins's fa&e was hardening again, the
s%in drawing tight a&ross his high &hee%bones!
7+n whi&h &ase it'll have to be reoved and repla&ed! But let's not
get ahead of ourselves!7
The two nurses wor%ed industriously with their saline bottles!
$an&y's lip body shone with oisture fro her s&alp to the line of
her breasts!
7How about the s&ars9 5n her fa&e97
#iane too% a deep breath! 7"e'll get her into plasti&s and see
about''7 The intensity in .en%ins's eyes stopped her idsenten&e!
She loo%ed down, studying the tip of her snea%er that protruded
beneath the wide &uff of her s&rub pants! 7+t'll s&ar,7 she finally said!
(age erupted through .en%ins's entire body at on&e! He turned
and ba&%handed a loose +4 pole! The for&e of his swat sent it flying
ba&% into a supplies &abinet, where it &ra&%ed the thi&% glass! 5ne
of the nurses eitted a little yelp, and the other dropped her saline
bottle, whi&h rolled ba&% and forth on the floor in an os&illating ar&!
.ust as /ui&%ly as it had &oe, .en%ins's rage dissipated! He
stood slightly hun&hed, shoulders rolled forward, breath haering
through his nostrils!
#iane &aught #avid's eye and outhed, Se&urity9 He shoo% his
head!
.en%ins's breathing evened out! 7+' sorry,7 he said, to no one in
parti&ular!
#avid &ally wal%ed over, pi&%ed up the dropped saline bottle,
and handed it ba&% to the nurse with a reassuring nod! )autiously,
the nurses went ba&% to wor% on $an&y!
7Al%ali,7 .en%ins said! 7That's the sae as lye, isn't it97
7Bes,7 #avid said!
7+ don't understand! +'ve spilled that stuff on y hand before!
Burns a little, but it doesn't ! ! ! 7 His voi&e trailed off as he regarded
his sister!
7+f it's washed off /ui&%ly, the daage &an be draati&ally
redu&ed! But if it's left on, it's terribly &orrosive! +t's espe&ially harsh
on the soft tissue of the throat and eyes!7 #avid stepped around
into .en%ins's line of sight! 7"e'll &ontinue to do all that we &an!7
7Than% you!7 .en%ins tou&hed a fist to his outh! 7"ho's wor%ing
the &ase97
7Two ,)-A *# dete&tives,7 #avid said!
7"e'll see about that,7 .en%ins uttered! -ips pursed, he loo%ed
down at his younger sister's fa&e, blistered and swollen! A pulse
beat in his teple! 7+s the fu&%er in &ustody97
7Have they &onfired it was an assault rather than an a&&ident97
.en%ins's laugh stabbed the air! 7+ don't thin% she tripped and fell
fa&e first into a vat of #rano!7 The s%in under his eyes was puffy, as
though he'd been &rying! His hair was ussed up in one spot in the
ba&%; it loo%ed all the ore sloppy, given the neatness of the rest of
his appearan&e! 7$an&y wasn't the %ind of girl to have eneies!7
7+sn't,7 #avid said! 7She isn't the %ind of girl to have eneies!7
7That's right,7 .en%ins said! 7$o eneies at all!7 He soothed the
front of his unifor shirt with his hands! 7.ust an e6'husband!7
7-oo%,7 #avid said! 7"e don't %now''7
7Guess what he does97 .en%ins said, with a &risp little sile!
#iane shoo% her head!
7A pluber! 3u&%er totes #rano for a living!7 He glan&ed ba&%
down at the gelatinous lesions po&%ing his sister's fa&e, and his grin
vanished! 7Than% you for your help!7 He wal%ed so bris%ly fro the
roo that #avid felt the breeze a&ross his &hee%s!
He and #iane e6haled audibly! 5ne of the nurses shoo% her
head! 7He &an sure give off soe heat,7 she said!
#iane glan&ed over at #avid! 7#o you thin% it was an assault97
she as%ed!
7+ %now one thing,7 #avid said! He pulled his stethos&ope fro
a&ross his shoulders and repositioned it around his ne&%! 7+'d hate
to be her e6'husband right now!7
)hapter F
TH0 bla&%'and'white idled up to the front of Tavin's Tavern, a
shady bar off *i&o in the "est Side! Hugh #alton, a gruff heavyset
an with wrin%led, sallow s%in that resebled a paper bag,
hun&hed over the wheel, s/ueezing it with two thi&% hands! He
stared at the &heap signage''ba&%lit plasti& letters ounted on the
&ra&%ed stu&&o ne6t to the door! The se&ond T was fli&%ering!
7"itty nae,7 he grubled!
7Bou &all your guy at the Ties97 .en%ins as%ed!
7$ot yet!7 #alton's eyes shifted along the dash! 7,)-A's been
pushing to %eep this under wraps!7
.en%ins glowered at hi! 7"e both %now that if we don't get a
edia stor going, this &ase'll get triaged in an eviden&e lo&%er
along with every other garden'variety assault!7
7+ doubt it! +t's throwing heat on its own! *ress is already
running!7 He held up his hands in &aling fashion! 7(ela6! +'ll &all
the Ties anyways! Sto%e the fire!7
.en%ins snapped the &asing off his hefty Saber radio! Hair and
&lots of dried blood &logged the outhpie&e beneath! He rolled
down his window and blew into the unit, &learing it, then &lipped it
ba&% onto his belt! He pushed open the passenger door and started
to step out of the vehi&le, but #alton grabbed his ar!
7Bou sure you want to do this97 #alton as%ed!
.en%ins leaned ba&% into his seat! #alton %ept his bulldog head
steady, studying .en%ins's fa&e! He was ore than ten years
.en%ins's senior; his e6perien&e and three years of partnership
ade hi one of the few people who &ould /uestion .en%ins
dire&tly!
7Her eyes were opa/ue,7 .en%ins said! 7-oo%ed li%e soggy hard'
boiled eggs!7 He shoo% his head! 75pa/ue!7
He got out of the &ar and, after a oent, #alton followed suit,
grunting as he shifted his weight! 7+f it's his regular hangout,7 #alton
said, 7we'd better %eep an eye out for buddies steeled with li/uid
&ourage!7
.en%ins hit the thi&% wooden door with both pals! The
bartender's hand ade a nervous grab for under the &ounter before
he saw the unifors! #alton wagged a finger at hi as .en%ins
surveyed the roo, and the bartender showed off a grin resebling
a piano %eyboard!
Two older en nursed soething on the ro&%s at the bar! The
tables in ba&% hosted a blue'&ollar &rew, ostly &onstru&tion guys
and &arpenters drin%ing the a&hes fro their 1oints! A sattering of
Bud +&es de&orated the tables! Saloon'style doors guarded the
bathroos and the ba&% door!
$an&y's e6'husband was not there!
7Help you boys with soething97 the bartender as%ed!
#alton turned hi a wan grin that bun&hed the bags under his
eyes! 7"e'll let you %now!7
Ba&% stiff, .en%ins &rossed to the first full table! 7+' loo%ing for
.esse (oss!7
A blond &onstru&tion guy loo%ed up, his bottle frozen idtoast!
Bits of pin% insulation &lung to his usta&he! 7"hat's going on97
.en%ins &ally rea&hed over and plu&%ed the bottle fro his
hand! He set it down firly in front of the guy, a single %no&% on the
table, then leaned forward until their noses alost tou&hed! #alton
s&anned the bar /ui&%ly, then too% a step to the side so his view of
the other wor%ers was &lear!
7+'ll tell you what,7 .en%ins said, still in&hes fro the an's fa&e!
7+'ll as% the /uestions, you supply the answers!7 He stood ba&% up,
&rossed his ars, and flashed a /ui&% bullshit grin! 7How's that
sound97
7Shit, an,7 one of the other wor%ers ubled! 7Terry didn't
ean no har!7
7Terry &an answer y fu&%ing /uestions,7 .en%ins said!
The saloon doors &rea%ed open, and .esse stepped forth, a
short stup of a an whose sall head was a&&ented by wide,
spoonli%e ears!
7"at&h out,7 #alton said in a bored onotone! 7+ thin% he's
holding a gun!7
.esse &o&%ed his head slightly to one side, &onfusion elting into
pani&! His hands san% nervously into his po&%ets when .en%ins's
head snapped around!
.en%ins &rossed the bar toward .esse at a near sprint, his body
blo&%ing the &onstru&tion wor%ers' view of hi!
7#on't rea&h for the weapon87 .en%ins shouted! 7+ told you not
to''7
He hit .esse with the bar of his forear, %no&%ing hi off his feet
and through the saloon doors, one of whi&h swung ba&% and
&lipped hi in the forehead, brea%ing the s%in! He swore loudly and
%i&%ed one door free fro the hinges, e6posing .esse's /uivering
body! .esse had rolled onto all fours, his head boun&ing as he tried
to breathe! .en%ins haered a bla&% (o&%y &obat boot down
into his ribs, %no&%ing hi flat to his belly! 7#on't rea&h for the
pie&e87
Two of the &onstru&tion guys rose to their feet and #alton
pivoted, snapping his fingers! He shoo% his head, the sagging s%in
of his 1owls swaying with the gesture! They sat ba&% down!
.en%ins grabbed .esse by the &ollar of his flannel shirt and his
belt and hurled hi out the ba&% door, out of sight! *ausing,
.en%ins fa&ed his partner through the bro%en saloon door, an
ana&hronisti& player in a bad "estern! Blood ran down his
forehead, for%ing over his right eye! He slapped his hands together
twi&e, slowly, as if dusting the off, then turned and stepped
through the ba&% door!
The bar was deathly silent!
#alton s&rat&hed his &hee%, his %nu&%les pushing his rubbery
s%in to the side, then he unholstered his pistol and trudged slowly
ba&% through the bro%en saloon door and out into the alley behind
the building! .en%ins had already wor%ed .esse over pretty well! His
fist, whi&h was haering up and down on .esse's fa&e, was
tightly wrapped in a terry &loth! The terry &loth, freshly borrowed
fro a &ar wash, loo%ed ni&e and hard, &rusted with dried soap and
wa6!
.esse's nose bent hard to the left, and his teeth were bla&% with
blood! His &hee%s were swollen and abraded; the terry &loth would
obs&ure any fist ar%s, a%ing his in1uries loo% the result of a fall
during pursuit! He'd pulled hiself to his %nees, ars &urled
prote&tively over his head, &ringing and &rying!
.en%ins spat out words as he battered .esse! 7How &ould you do
that to her fa&e9 Her pretty fu&%ing fa&e9 How &ould you97 His
blows were ostly issing now, glan&ing off .esse's ars and the
top of his head! His voi&e was high and unusually eotional!
7Maybe she wouldn't have left you if you saw to her fu&%ing needs,
you little on%ey87
The blood fro .en%ins's &ut had seared, rouging his &hee%!
He stopped pun&hing and turned to #alton! 7Gie your throw'
down!7
#alton raised his pant leg and eyed the dinged'up !>? auto
nestled in his an%le holster!
.en%ins bent over, fisting .esse's hair and yan%ing ba&% his head!
7Bou %now what happened97 he hissed! 7Bou were pa&%ing! + &ae
at you and you stru&% e! + retaliated with reasonable for&e!7
.esse shoo% his head! 7$o, + didn't! .esus )hrist, + wasn't! +' not
pa&%ing! +' not! "hat are you doing97
7And then you &ae out here, fell down during foot &hase, we
had a little standoff, and you gun'fa&ed e!7
7Get your &onfession,7 #alton urured to .en%ins! He tossed
hi the !>? and .en%ins &rou&hed, holding the handle out to .esse!
A line of drool found its way down .esse's throat, staining his white
undershirt a dar% red! His breath was &oing in gasps! 7+ didn't ! ! ! +
didn't ! ! ! "hat happened to $an&e9 "hat happened to her97
He leaned forward, pals on the &ra&%ed asphalt, and boun&ed
up and down li%e a Musli praying! More blood lea%ed fro his
outh!
.en%ins stood and unsnapped the button on his holster! 7"hat
happened to her9 Bou threw lye in her fa&e this orning, you
otherfu&%er!7
.esse loo%ed up, his bro%en fa&e suddenly ournful! 7+s she ! ! !
will she be ! ! ! 97
#alton turned to guard the ba&% door, but Terry, the blond
&onstru&tion wor%er, had already stepped through, ars raised!
.en%ins unholstered his gun, but #alton stepped /ui&%ly between
hi and Terry!
7Bo,7 #alton said! 7Sees you wal%ed into a bit of a situation
here!7
Terry's voi&e wavered slightly, but it drew soe strength fro an
under&urrent of righteousness! 7He &ouldn't have hurt $an&e this
orning,7 he said! He rea&hed for his ba&% po&%et, and .en%ins
shouldered #alton aside, pistol aied at Terry's head! Terry
whipped his hands ba&% up in the air, &hest heaving beneath his
deni 1a&%et! #alton rea&hed around to Terry's ba&% po&%et and
pulled out two Southwest Airlines ti&%et stubs!
7"e 1ust got ba&% fro 4egas a few hours ago,7 Terry &ontinued!
His head was drawn ba&% fro the dire&tion of .en%ins's Beretta, as
if the pistol were eitting heat! 7"e stayed at the Hard (o&%! A ton
of people saw us there!7 He lowered his ars slowly! .en%ins %ept
his gun raised, both hands on the sto&%!
.esse was ro&%ing on his %nees! 7"hat happened to $an&e97 he
wailed! 7+s she alive97
#alton &rou&hed over .esse and too% hi by the wrist! A stap
was seared a&ross the ba&% of his hand! )heetah's! A 4egas strip
&lub!
#alton stood and wal%ed ba&% inside the bar, his shoulder
brushing Terry's! After a oent, .en%ins lowered his pistol! He
rea&hed out a hand and rested it on .esse's atted hair! .esse
&ontinued to ro&% and wail! 7+s $an&e all right97 he sobbed! 7#id
soeone %ill $an&e97
7$o,7 .en%ins said /uietly! 7She's still alive!7
.esse &ollapsed, &rying with relief! .en%ins holstered his weapon,
tou&hed .esse gently on the head again, and left hi &rying on the
asphalt!
)hapter <
H,$)H0# over the po&%ed wooden table so his broad
shoulders ar&hed into a hup, )lyde studied the plasti& bottle of
#rain0ze with flat, unblin%ing eyes! A filthy window s&reen filtered
the breeze into dusty gasps of air that swirled aong the s&attered
papers on the floor before dying in the roo's sten&h! Half'drun%
&ans of Boo'Hoo dotted the &ountertop in the ad1a&ent %it&hen,
aid pots filled with &ongealed a&aroni and &heese, and pans
&a%ed with the burnt reains of refried beans!
*er&hed on his %nees, his hands were oddly swollen, gathering
thi&%ness around his %nu&%les and hairy wrists! They raised to the
tabletop and rested nervously at the edge, twit&hing! His pitted
fingernails s&raped along the wood! A twisted etal lap &ast a
&one of light before hi! He seized a syringe and turned it a half
rotation before testing the needle with the tip of a finger! The bezel
bro%e the puffy s%in and he yelped, pulling the needle away! He
&losed his eyes refle6ively, ururing to hiself! 7Three, two, one!
Stand ba&% fro the door! Ba&% fro the door!7 The antra seeed
to &al hi! "hen he opened his eyes, the an6iety on his fa&e had
dissipated!
"or%ing the eat of his in1ured fingertip between the thub and
forefinger of his other hand, )lyde produ&ed a bead of blood, whi&h
he lapped up!
He wore faded blue hospital s&rubs! *hysi&ian's s&rubs! A beatup
navy'blue &orduroy baseball &ap sat low a&ross his wide &rown, his
balding s&alp visible through the netting in the ba&%! +t bore no
eble! Both his &hee%s were arred with a&ne s&ars, deep
irregular indentations that held the shadows of the roo! A high thin
s&ar above his right ear not&hed his hair, whi&h he %ept short on the
sides and ba&% but long and stringy on top, perhaps to disguise his
hair loss! Though he was not grossly obese, his e6tra weight hung
on hi loose and fla&&id! A single %ey dangled fro a thin ball'&hain
ne&%la&e, whi&h disappeared into the folds of his ne&%!
His tongue darted fro his outh, tensed, the tip po%ing at his
upper lip! Beneath the table, his feet seeed to ove
independently, pushing into ea&h other, flopping and s&rat&hing li%e
two dogs at play! His Adidas snea%ers had yellowed with age and
grown brittle along the soft iddle soles!
He swallowed the orange tablet he'd been su&%ing on, then
spooned another helping of instant &offee fro the 1ar dire&tly into
his outh! A gria&e twisted his fa&e oentarily, then faded! He
&hewed slowly, soe of the grains guing at the &orners of his
lips! His outh pulsed a few ties, then he swallowed hard, tilting
ba&% his head as though gulping down a vitain!
A rat s&urried unseen through the ound of unwashed &lothes
that &urled around the base of his twin bed! The bedside lap, a
yellow por&elain nuber bearing a Motel D sti&%er, had been
draped with a thin purple s&arf! +t provided eager, diffuse light!
His pupils twit&hed twi&e to the left! He grunted through his nose
and turned ba&% to the wor% at hand! *ushing the needle into the
gray #rain0ze bottle, he withdrew the plunger, filling the syringe
with the vivid blue li/uid! "ith a 1er% of his thub, he pushed the
syringe down, sending a thin spurt of al%ali a&ross the tabletop! The
li/uid pooled in inus&ule drops, eating slowly into the tabletop! His
wide outh split in a grin, the &orners &urving ba&% toward his low'
set ears!
Two other #rain0ze bottles sat on the table, industrial'sized with
1ugli%e handles! Two glasses of &loudy water waited near his right
hand, beside a sall surgeon's tray that &ontained syringes,
needles, and a s&alpel! His right shin nudged an open etal
footlo&%er holding a host of edi&al tools and devi&es!
A&ross the thigh of his s&rub bottos, a series of tiny holes in the
fabri& revealed glossy spots of s&arred s%in! )autiously lowering
the needle, )lyde positioned it 1ust past the last hole in the s&rubs!
He san% the plunger slowly, allowing several drops of li/uid to
dribble fro the needle! The li/uid ate /ui&%ly through the thin
s&rubs, and he shrie%ed and 1er%ed his leg as it began to atta&% his
flesh!
Grabbing the glass of water, he poured it over the wound! The
water dar%ened his s&rubs in a flae pattern, with li&%s rea&hing
down his &alf! Holding his leg still with his other hand, he poured
the se&ond glass of water over his thigh! Then he pla&ed both
hands flat on the table and sat perfe&tly still, whipering softly as
the last drops of al%ali &ontinued to burn in his flesh! His fa&e grew
shiny with sweat!
After a while, )lyde stood and headed into the %it&hen! He filled
a glass with water fro the tap and dran% it, three ties
su&&essively, before pla&ing the glass ba&% in the &luttered sin%!
5pening a &an of wet &at food, he duped the &ontents on top of
the ound of &ylinder'shaped servings already overflowing the
sall bowl! Twit&hing his fingers, he ade a %issing noise, but no
&at &ae!
The s%ull tattoo on the outside of his flabby bi&eps &aught his
attention, and he returned to the footlo&%er, produ&ed a &otton ball,
and doused it with rubbing al&ohol! The s%ull lifted easily fro his
s%in, bla&%ening the oist side of the &otton! )ontinuing to rub at
his bi&eps, he lubered to the &lothes ound at the base of his
bed, unearthed a stained irror, and propped it against a wall! "ith
a raspy groan, he slid fro his s&rub bottos, then stood and
stared at his refle&tion! A series of al%ali burns dotted his right thigh,
li%e the ar%s of sall, burrowing inse&ts! Most of the were
s&arred over, gnarled %nots of fire'red flesh! The freshest wound
wept a &lear, vis&ous fluid, whi&h &a%ed on the thi&% bla&% hairs of
his leg!
)upping his lip penis in his hand, )lyde &rossed to his bed and
pulled the strewn sheets up into rough position! "hen he &libed
in, his bul% too% up ost of the width of the bed, his shoulders
pressing ba&% into the &hild's headboard! He dug for a pa&% of
&igarettes beneath the sheets and s/ueezed it until the top popped
open! 5nly two &igarettes reained! *la&ing the in his outh side
by side, he lit the together and so%ed the as one unit!
The bla&%ness outside his window had lightened to a grayish
&ast! So%ing his &igarettes and plugging his lea%ing wound with a
fat thub, he waited for orning!
)hapter ?
TH0 odern Gree%'style house pee%ed out fro behind
bun&hes of papas grass and fan pals, the leaves throwing
perfe&t shadows against the white stu&&o! Between the hoe's
windows, vines of split'leaf philodendron sna%ed up the walls, the
glossy dar%'green leaves flapping in the breeze li%e atrophied
wings! 5n the front lawn, two large pal trees &riss&rossed li%e
ne&%ing flaingos! Situated on Marlboro Street in Brentwood,
#avid's house was a few blo&%s south of Sunset but still &lose
enough that the o&&asional passing sei ever so slightly vibrated
the paintings on the walls! The house seeed alost shy, set ba&%
a good twenty yards fro the street!
A blaring &ar horn in the distan&e awo%e #avid at ?:F=! He turned
beneath his &oforter, reoving his earplugs and pla&ing the in a
nightstand drawer! He heard the traffi& iediately, and wondered
if there was a ore effe&tive brand of earplug that ight res&ue hi
fro the all'hour sounds of Sunset Boulevard!
His %ing'sized bed sat &entered beneath a window that
overloo%ed the thin side yard! $o blinds or drapes dressed the
window; he li%ed to awa%en with the gathering sunlight! Aside fro
a solitary padded &hair in the &orner on whi&h #avid hung his white
&oat, the roo was entirely bare! He still slept on the right side of
the bed''he'd never felt &ofortable a%ing the igration to the
iddle! The sheets on the left side reained alost perfe&tly
soothed! He found soething iensely depressing about the
blan% strip of still'ade bed beside whi&h he slept every night!
#avid rea&hed for the phone iediately and dialed the +),!
7Bes, hello, Sheila! #r! Spier here! "e sent a woan upstairs
yesterday, and + wanted to &he&% in on her! $an&y .en%ins!7
75h!7 Sheila e6haled loudly! 7"hat a thing! Su&h a sweet
woan!7 The tone of her voi&e was not heartening! 7She was doing
better in the late evening,7 she &ontinued! 7She even regained
&ons&iousness and spo%e briefly with soe dete&tives, but then
things went to hell in the iddle of the night! Her tep shot up; we
too% a portable upright &hest, saw she'd developed free air, and
rushed her to the 5(!7
#espite #avid's efforts, the al%ali had won out! #r! "oods's
endos&opy yesterday evening had revealed that $an&y had
sustained Fa grade esophageal in1ury! +t had been a ess down in
her throat! 06udates gooping the ebranes, deep fo&al and
&ir&uferential ul&ers, and bla&% blisters of ne&roti& tissue, waiting
to slough, heal over, or siply give way! 5ne of the fo&al ne&roti&
pat&hes in her esophagus had finally blown out in the night,
allowing air and infe&tion to es&ape into her body!
#avid swung his legs out of bed and rested his feet on the thin
beige &arpet, &areful not to disturb the perfe&t pattern the &leaning
lady's va&uu had left last "ednesday!
7,nfortunately, #r! 3reedan had to do a subtotal rese&tion of
the esophagus,7 Sheila &ontinued! 7+ believe he pulled up a
segent of sall bowel to repla&e it!7 She paused, and #avid
heard a sheet rustling! 7Sall bowel97 she said! 7"hy not &olon97
7The sall bowel has ore a&tive peristalsis,7 #avid said!
75h!7 He &ould hear the nurse breathing during the long pause!
7"e did everything we &ould,7 she said, ore sadly than
defensively! 7As you %now, everyone's really following her &losely!
+'ve had ore phone &alls &he&%ing up on her! $urses, lab te&hs,
do&s, reporters &alling every five inutes ! ! ! 7 "hen she spo%e
again, the sharp anger in her voi&e startled #avid! 7"hat %ind of a
bastard does a thing li%e this97
7"ell,7 #avid said, letting the hypotheti&al /uestion hang and
fade, 7+' glad she's in your hands now!7
7Beah ! ! ! 7 Sheila sighed again, and #avid heard the phone
rustling against her &hee%! 7To tell you the truth, #o&tor, +' getting
tired of giving out bad news on this one! #ispensing isery is a
tough way to a%e a living!7
He rubbed one eye with the heel of a hand! 7*retend you're an
+(S agent!7
Her laugh was soft, but genuine! He said good'bye and hung up
the phone, then stared at it for a oent! Three inutes into
Monday, and he already felt li%e shit!
By now, with all he'd seen, perhaps he should have grown
desensitized to edi&al eergen&ies! Sui&ide attepts where the
bullet blows out the &hee%bone but leaves the brain inta&t;
otor&y&le wre&%s ending in near'de&apitation'by'stop'sign;
&hildren beaten so fre/uently about the outh that their frenula are
torn, the stringy halters no longer &onne&ting the upper lips to the
gus! But every tie he thought he'd seen it all, soething found
its way through the swinging 0( doors to push the liits of his
e6perien&e a few in&hes further! His e6perien&e was his strongest
ally and dar%est &opanion, a pupil ever dilating! Besterday
orning had on&e again proven that the world had an ine6haustible
hoard of surprises! "hat %ind of si&%ness had to fester in the
&oralline whorls of a huan's brain to &ause hi to dire&t a
vi&iously &orrosive substan&e into another huan being's fa&e9
Heading into the shower, #avid s&rubbed ethodi&ally fro his
forehead to his toes, washed his hair, and let the hot water stea
hi for a few inutes before getting out! His feet perfe&tly &entered
on the white bath at, he stared at his refle&tion in the irror! By
ost estiations, he was a handsoe an''the %ind of handsoe
that &oes not fro distin&tive or stri%ing loo%s, but fro features
that are even and predi&table, and therefore pleasing! A s/uare,
as&uline 1aw, light brown hair &ropped short and worn slightly
ussed, not'too'thin lips with a pronoun&ed )upid's bow, and two
eyes that were a light shade of blue, 1ust short of interesting! His
&row's'feet were not /uite visible fro this distan&e unless he
s/uinted! His ne&% seeed less fir and us&ular than it had been
five years ago, but he wasn't sure if that was based on a glorified
reebran&e! He de&ided he was holding up o%ay! Still attra&tive, if
a little ordinary!
#rying his ba&%, he headed into his bedroo and pla&ed his
pa1aas neatly in their drawer before dressing in his s&rubs! He
lifted his white &oat off the &hair in the &orner and pulled it on, then
reoved his stethos&ope fro the inside po&%et, and laid it a&ross
his shoulders! ,ntil he felt the weight of the stethos&ope around his
ne&% ea&h orning, he felt partially un&lothed!
"al%ing into the study, he adired the perfe&tly even shelves,
the rows of boo%s organized by size and genre! #iploas lined the
far wall, fraed in a &herry wood! Harvard undergrad and edi&al
s&hool, e/ually popous with their s&rolled -atin, started the row,
followed by his ,)S3 residen&y &ertifi&ate and board &ertifi&ation
for 0ergen&y Medi&ine! 5ne of his 5utstanding )lini&al +nstru&tor
pla/ues hung slightly &roo%ed! He straightened it with the edge of
his thub!
Turning to the large brass bird&age in one &orner, he sighed
before reoving the drape! The Molu&&an &o&%atoo awa%ened
instantly on its per&h, shifting fro one bla&% &law to the other! A
bright salon'pin% &rest protruded fro behind its head, a flair of
&olor on its otherwise &rea body!
7Hello, Stanley,7 #avid said flatly!
70lisabeth97 it s/uaw%ed! 7"here's 0lisabeth97 #avid's wife had
spent three painsta%ing wee%s one suer training the &o&%atoo to
as% for her when it wanted to be fed! Stanley's repertoire of
&oents had not sin&e been e6panded!
75n va&ation in the south of 3ran&e,7 #avid said!
+t nodded its head to gnaw at soething in its breast feathers,
the long ere&tile &rest spreading behind its head li%e an e6oti& fan!
#avid sprin%led soe birdseed into the sall &up se&ured to the
&age bars, gria&ing when soe fell to the hardwood floor!
7MGM's,7 the &o&%atoo s/uaw%ed! 7"here's 0lisabeth97
7Too% off for Me6i&o with ebezzled funds!7
The &o&%atoo regarded hi suspi&iously with a glassy bla&% eye!
7"here's 0lisabeth97
7Training -ipizzans in 4ienna,7 #avid said!
His other, were she still alive, would not have been pleased
with the fa&t that #avid drove a Mer&edes! Along with #oberan
pins&hers and von :ara1an, they were, in his other's ind, forever
asso&iated with the Third (ei&h! And though #avid would never
adit it, the &ast of the ba&%'tilted headlights of his 0F>=
soeties reinded hi of the re/uisite round spe&ta&les per&hed
on every $azi nose in bad '?=s fils!
He passed the iperious 3ederal Building on "ilshire, the
perpetual protesters outside iploring &outers to hon% to free
Tibet, and drove into the heart of "estwood! Turning onto -e
)onte, he steered wide to avoid the grie %i&%ing up fro the
1a&%haers at the site a&ross fro the hospital! 3or two onths,
&onstru&tion &rews had been wor%ing day and night &onverting the
building ne6t to the Geffen *layhouse into a large retail store! A
burly wor%er swung a sledgehaer at a <'by'< supporting a
se&tion of defun&t s&affolding, and the se&tion %eeled over slowly,
sending a burst of dust a&ross the road! The olive hood of #avid's
&ar dulled with the pollution! He ade a note to s&hedule a trip to
the &ar wash on his ne6t free afternoon!
A thought seized hi, and he pulled over and approa&hed the
&rew of &onstru&tion wor%ers! The us&ular wor%er stood in the
idst of the fallen s&affolding, a sledgehaer angled ba&% over
one shoulder! He wore a goatee that tapered to a point! His white
undershirt was soa%ed with sweat, peritting an enorous
swasti%a tattoo to show through! )overing his torso fro his
&lavi&le to the top of his belly button, the tattoo had been poorly
in%ed! A bla&% bo6 of a probation'and'parole onitor was strapped
to his an%le on a thi&% etal band!
#avid's iediate thought was that this an &ould be the al%ali
thrower! He wor%ed in the vi&inity''he would have had easy a&&ess
to the abulan&e bay! #avid iediately reproa&hed hiself for
having su&h a severe and unfounded first ipression! The an
turned a hard gaze in #avid's dire&tion as #avid approa&hed, and
he noti&ed a slight fa&ial asyetry! The other en &ontinued to
wor%!
7Hello, +' #r! #avid Spier! + wor% in the 0ergen&y (oo at
,)-A!7
7Ce%e )rowley!7
#avid wat&hed Ce%e's large, &allused hand envelope his own!
#avid pointed to the onitor on Ce%e's an%le! 7+ had to &ut one of
those off on&e!7
7$ot your own, +'d guess!7 Ce%e's voi&e, gruff and for&eful, fit his
appearan&e!
#avid siled! 7$o, for a pro&edure on a patient, ba&% when + was
a resident! +t %ept getting in y way! + &alled the nuber on the tag!
The operator was a bit of a pain!7
7They tend to be!7 Ce%e &oughed into a fist! 7Spier! That .ewish97
7Soeties! +' sure you heard about the al%ali atta&% that too%
pla&e here yesterday! + was wondering ! ! ! well, + 1ust thought given
your lo&ation here, you ight have seen soething!7
7Soeties,7 Ce%e repeated! 7How about in your &ase97
7Bes! +t is! Anyone here see anything97
Ce%e ran his fingers down his goatee and twisted the end!
7$ope!7
Ce%e seeed to have too u&h &onfiden&e to have &oitted
the atta&% on $an&y! His aggression, #avid guessed, would be
ore dire&t and us&ular! 3ists and %i&%s! +f he assaulted
soeone, Ce%e would want the to %now it was he who was
punishing the! 3ro what #avid %new of the al%ali throwing, it
was patheti& and &owardly! (epressed, soehow!
#avid studied Ce%e &loser! His right eyelid drooped, and the pupil
was &onstri&ted! There was a de&ided la&% of sweat on the right
side of his fa&e! *tosis, iosis, and anhidrosis! The probable
diagnosis &ae to #avid, /ui&% and gratifying! He pushed his
edi&al thoughts aside! 7"hat tie do you guys start97 he as%ed!
Ce%e &rossed his ars, his thi&% forears fle6ing! He studied
#avid for a oent! 7A lot of you guys are do&tors, huh9 #o&tors
and ban%ers! )rafty bun&h!7
7#id you not hear y /uestion97
7)ops already &ae through here, stirred the shit, as%ed for
alibis! The way + see it, + don't have to answer to a sart'ass
do&tor!7
#avid felt suddenly foolish about his hun&h! 5f &ourse the poli&e
would have thought to interrogate the &onstru&tion wor%ers to find
out if they saw anything! He was glad they were &overing their
bases; it wasn't his pla&e to be out here beating the bushes!
7Bou're right!7 #avid turned to go, then stopped! 7Bou've had a
re&ent traua to your ne&%!7
Ce%e ro&%ed the sledgehaer on his shoulder! 7How the hell do
you %now that97
7"hat's o&&urring in your fa&e, +'d bet, is Horner's syndroe! +t's
a result of disruption of the sypatheti& nerves in the &ervi&al
ne&%!7
Ce%e studied #avid long and hard, then bro%e eye &onta&t! 7+ got
wha&%ed by a falling >'by'<! About two wee%s ba&%! My fa&e has
been %inda essed up sin&e!7
7+t ight resolve on its own, but why don't you &oe into the 0(
so we &an ta%e a loo%! Bou'll probably need a referral to see a
neurologist, 1ust to be safe!7 #avid rea&hed in his &oat po&%et for a
business &ard! 7#on't worry''if you're uptight about it, we'll be happy
to find you a do&tor of whatever ethni&ity you prefer!7
Ce%e's sile was surprisingly soft, despite the sharp edges of his
fa&ial hair! The &ard loo%ed inus&ule in his pal! Ce%e folded it
and shoved it in his ba&% po&%et!
#avid headed ba&% to his idling &ar!
He zipped around the %ios% and into the par%ing lot for the
)enter for Health S&ien&es, a tiered outdoor stru&ture that stepped
its way down fro the edi&al plaza to -e )onte Avenue! "al%ing
through the &on&rete aze of stairwells and levels, he eerged
fro the lot and headed along the sidewal% that &urved down into
the underground abulan&e bay and 0( entran&e! )he&%ing his
wat&h, he saw he was five inutes late to be twenty inutes early!
Halfway down, he paused and regarded the sall strip of grass
and plants to his left! A waist'high light stu&% out fro a row of
bushes! He realized he was standing in pre&isely the sae spot
that $an&y .en%ins had been when assailed with the al%ali! "hat
had she seen9 A oveent in the bushes, a flash of a fa&e9 And
then a sudden, blinding pain!
A hand &lut&hed #avid's ar, and he 1er%ed violently around!
(alph too% a /ui&% step ba&%, his blea&hed'white se&urity shirt
pulling free fro his pants on one side! He wore a polished pin on
his shirt''an eagle &lut&hing the Aeri&an flag in its talons! A forer
arine who'd done two tours of duty in 4ietna, (alph had &oe
ba&% to the States and found hiself, li%e so any other veterans,
with few options! He'd spent several years living between the
streets and the 4A on "ilshire before ta%ing &ontrol of his life again!
After slipping and brea%ing a finger at a ,)-A football gae, he'd
&oe into the 0(, where he'd ipressed #avid with his gruff,
deterined nature and no'bullshit honesty! #avid had put out
feelers for 1obs throughout the hospital! A trainee se&urity position
had /ui&%ly led to a full'tie 1ob, and now (alph was one of two
&hief se&urity offi&ers!
7"hoa87 He siled! 7Shit, #o&! #idn't ean to s&are you!7
#avid pla&ed a hand on his stoa&h! 7+ thin% +' 1ust a little on
edge, with all the ! ! ! 7 He gestured to the bushes!
7"e aped up our patrols,7 (alph said! 70ight se&urity offi&ers
instead of five!7
7That's good to %now! #o you thin% this person is planning
another assault97
7-oo%s ore li%e a personal vendetta thing to e!7 (alph
thubed his belt and leaned forward, his voi&e lowered! 7The word
is, $an&y told the dete&tives she saw a tattoo on the guy's ar!
#idn't see his fa&e! .ust an ar with a tattoo and then the stuff all in
her eyes!7 He shoo% his head, blan%'gazing at the bushes, as if the
assailant were suddenly going to reappear! 7+ &an't iagine $an&y
had any eneies, but who the hell %nows! + seen stranger things,
that's for sure!7
#avid fingered his stethos&ope absentindedly! 7#id the person
shout anything at her9 +ntera&t with her in any way97
7$ot fro what + heard!7 (alph's eyebrow dipped in a &urious
s/uint! 7"hy97
7That 1ust sees odd! +f it is personal, + ean! +'d thin% the
atta&%er would want to e6press his anger, a%e $an&y aware of
why she was being vi&tiized! The atta&% sees so ipersonal!7
#avid shoo% his head! 7$ot that this is y field!7
7"ell, until there's another atta&%, it's an isolated in&ident,7 (alph
said!
#avid's lips pursed in a slight sile at (alph's unintentional
syllogis! 7Bes,7 he said! 7That's true!7
7But we're %eeping a few ore sets of eyes around the area, 1ust
in &ase! To %eep things safe and to ward off the edia vultures!7 As
if on &ue, a news van pulled up 1ust past the %ios%! A reporter
hopped out and began rolling footage against the ba&%drop of the
hospital! (alph shoo% his head wearily! 7All orning long!7
A se&urity guard appeared swiftly, disrupting the reporter's shot,
and iediately began arguing with the &aeraan!
7+ guess the higher'ups don't dig the press! They have us on the
reporters li%e brown on shit!7 (alph pla&ed his hands on his hips
and gria&ed, showing off a &roo%ed front tooth! 7+ never %new
$an&y's brother was a &op! Bou et hi, right97
#avid nodded! 7+ had the pleasure, yes!7
7"ell, our guy pulled two no'nos: atta&%ing a hospital and an
offi&er's relative!7 (alph whistled! 7+ hope he li%es attention, '&ause
he's got a lotta people gunning for hi now!7
7The dete&tives seeed as ! ! ! intense as $an&y's brother97
(alph raised his eyebrows, his fa&e ta%ing on a you'd'better'
believe'it &ast! 7+f you pardon y language, #o&, soeone fu&%ed
with the wrong girl!7
)hapter D
H,GH #alton turned a half rotation, spilling &offee over the side
of his ug as he showed off his rupled sla&%s and .)*enney
pinstripe shirt! His solid brown tie stu&% in his shoulder holster!
.en%ins pulled it free for hi!
7"haddaya thin%97 #alton said! 73ro two'striper to #'one in the
blin% of an eye!7 He gria&ed! 7Three year blin% of an eye, but
who's &he&%ing!7
7+' surprised you finally passed the e6a,7 .en%ins said! 7-et
alone the oral!7
#alton eptied a &arton of orange 1ui&e into a glass 1ug and set it
on the table ne6t to a plate sta&%ed high with 0ggos! 7+ appre&iate
your vote of &onfiden&e!7
7+' losing a good partner! #on't e6pe&t e to turn &artwheels!7
7At least you're losing e to a prootion, not a &offin!7 #alton
shouted down the hall, 7Brea%fast's on the table! Get out here or +'ll
eat it yself!7 He turned ba&% to .en%ins! 7Bou %now + will!7
.en%ins eyed his signifi&ant gut! 7$o arguent here!7
7"ell9 How do + loo%97
7-i%e y high s&hool geography tea&her,7 .en%ins said! 7Mr!
*er%ins pa&%ing heat!7 He soothed the front of his own freshly
ironed unifor, then polished his badge with a &uff! 7Tell e you're
not gonna iss the on%ey suit!7
7+' not gonna iss the on%ey suit!7 #alton drained his &offee
and thun%ed the &hipped &up on the table! 7$o ore unifor for this
di&%!7 He leaned ba&% in the dire&tion of the hall! 7+f + have to &oe
get you ! ! ! 87
.en%ins &leared his throat! 7Tell e you're gonna be able to get
the &ase fro the 1a&%ass &apus &ops!7
#alton raised an eyebrow! 7Believe you e! The )aptain's
already hot for it! A)+# TH(5"0( TA:0S A+M AT "0ST"55#!
"here there's press, there's 1uris!7
7-ye! +t was lye!7
7Bou thin% the -A Ties %nows that97 #alton grunted! 7Besides,
it'll help +# the false &onfessions!7 He poured hiself a glass of
orange 1ui&e, selled it, then poured it out in the sin%! 7+ want you to
finish &he&%ing $an&y's papers and files for any servi&es she's
re&ently paid for! "or%ers in the house or yard! -oo% through her
&redit &ard bills for anything she ight've ordered that would've
been delivered! She wore her s&rubs around the house soeties,
right97
.en%ins's nod was barely dis&ernable!
7"ell, they have ,)-A M0#+)A- )0$T0( printed right on 'e!
"ho %nows, our si&%o delivers a pa&%age, she answers the door in
her s&rubs''7 He stopped when he saw the e6pression on .en%ins's
fa&e! 7Bou get the pi&ture!7 He soothed the s%in of his 1owls with
an open hand! 7How's she doing9 $an&e97
The points of .en%ins's 1aw fle6ed out, then disappeared! 7+'
gonna brea% soebody's fa&e over this,7 he said!
7+' gonna help you!7
Two girls, ages nine and twelve, s&apered down the hall into
the %it&hen, duping their ba&%pa&%s near the door! The twelve'
year'old set a purple se/uined purse on the tabletop and stared at
the 0ggos with displeasure!
70at,7 #alton said! 7$o purses at s&hool! #rin% your 1ui&e!7
The younger girl pointed at the sta&% of waffles! 7Bou forgot to
toast that one!7 #alton reoved the frozen 0ggo fro the sta&% and
tossed it in the sin%! The twelve'year'old too% a sip of orange 1ui&e
and spit it ba&% into her &up!
.en%ins glan&ed at his wat&h! 7+ gotta head,7 he said!
#alton nodded with o&% forality! 7*atrolan!7
.en%ins eyed #alton's &heap dress &lothes, and his hard features
loosened for a oent! He nodded ba&%! 7#ete&tive,7 he said!
The yellow Bui&% ran the red light at Bro6ton and "eyburn and
pulled up to .erry's #eli in downtown "estwood! Ted Bale, a tall,
even'featured dete&tive with a &lean ya&ht'&lub loo%, stepped out
fro behind the wheel, snapped his gu, and read1usted the %not
on his designer tie! "hen #alton got out fro the &ar, a &luster of
)heeHtos fell fro the folds of his pants to the sidewal%!
Bale entered the deli bris%ly, and #alton followed, s/uinting at the
bright lights, the flashy Broadway posters, and the neon signs!
Bale's head pivoted li%e a peris&ope, lo&%ing on two en re&lining
in a &orner booth! 5ne of the, a handsoe bla&% an with a
broad usta&he, was evidently telling a 1o%e! His hands tra&ed
gestures in the air!
75ver there,7 Bale said, gesturing with his &hin! 7Bou &an always
tell 'e by the &heap shoes!7 He glan&ed down at #alton's shoes,
then ba&% up at his fa&e! 7Sorry!7
They &rossed the deli and slid into the booth, ta%ing the two
outside seats! The en loo%ed up! 7"hat the fu&%97 the bla&%
dete&tive said!
7Bou Gaines97 Bale as%ed! 7And Bla%e9 ,)-A *#97
Bla%e, an older an with a blond usta&he and deeply te6tured
fa&e, ignored the two new&oers; his eyes fi6ed on Gaines!
7"hat's the pun&h line97 he as%ed!
Gaines loo%ed nervously fro Bale ba&% to his partner! 7Hanu%ah
-ewins%i!7 Bla%e laughed, slapping the table with the pal of his
hand and a%ing his water dan&e in the glass!
7Hey,7 #alton said! 7+ got a 1o%e for you! "hat's the only thing
ore boring than a ,)-A &op97 He loo%ed fro Gaines to Bla%e!
7A retired ,)-A &op!7
Bla%e pin&hed a leon between his fingers and let it drain into
his water glass! 7-et e guess! .udging by the deeanor and the
sense of general entitleent ! ! ! -A*#!7
7#eeanor,7 Bale said! 7Good word!7
7To what do we owe97 Gaines as%ed!
7"e're ta%ing over one of your &ases,7 Bale said! 7Sister of
soeone on the 1ob! The &aptain'three feels /uite strongly, as does
our departent!7
7The A&id Thrower97 Gaines shoo% his head! 7,h'uh!7
7-ye,7 #alton said! 7+t was lye!7
7+ %now the drill,7 Bla%e said! 7High'profile &ase! 0veryone's
gonna try 'n' s/uir in and get soe, li%e pups at a tit! $o way!7
Bale siled &urtly! 7-et e reind you''7
7 ',)-A *oli&e will handle all &ries that o&&ur on ,)-A
property, in&luding nona&adei& fa&ilities, and in&idents involving
,)-A personnel within a ile fro &apus if they are &onne&ted to
the vi&ti's asso&iation with ,)-A!' 7 Bla%e wrin%led up his te6tured
fa&e and &o&%ed his head at Gaines! 7"hat's the nae of that big
hospital again97
7The ,)-A Medi&al )enter,7 Gaines said! 7+ believe!7
7,)-A Medi&al )enter,7 Bla%e said! 7That's right!7 He tou&hed his
forehead with his fingertips!
7"ith the e6&eption of ! ! ! 97 Bale as%ed!
$o one answered!
7"ith the e6&eption of hoi&ide and rape, whi&h are investigated
only by the -os Angeles *oli&e #epartent!7 Bale siled, pleased
with hiself!
Bla%e said, 7-ast + &he&%ed, no one got raped or urdered!7
7Attepted hoi&ide! Mayhe! Assault with a deadly weapon!7
7Attepted hoi&ide is a stret&h,7 Gaines said! 7More li%e
attepted plasti& surgery!7
#alton &ae up fro his seat hard, his thighs %no&%ing the table!
7#on't you fu&%ing 1o%e about this,7 he hissed through &len&hed
teeth! 7#on't you dare!7
Bla%e opped up his spilled water with a nap%in! "ith a fli&% of
his eyes, Bale signaled #alton to sit! Though younger, Bale, a
dete&tive'se&ond, outran%ed hi!
7She was a good friend of the departent,7 Bale said &ally! 7+n
addition to being his e6'partner's sister!7
Gaines raised his hands in an apologeti& gesture! The waitress
approa&hed the table and Bale shooed her with a fli&% of the wrist!
74eterans servi&es, &ounseling, fund'raisers for failies of en
downed in the line of duty,7 #alton said, anger still &oloring his
voi&e! 7She was a good %id!7 He leveled his eyes on Gaines!
7"hen's the last tie you wor%ed a ayhe97
7*lus it's state property,7 Bla%e &ontinued, as if there had been
no interruption in his &onversation with Bale!
7However,7 Bale said, 7there's a five'hundred'yard 1urisdi&tion
overlay! $ot to ention the fa&t that the suspe&t s&heed to
&oit the &rie in the &ity! Though the a&tual e6e&ution of the
&rie o&&urred on state property, in all li%elihood, he had to go to
and fro the &ity to arrive at the &rie s&ene!7
7+n all li%elihood,7 Bla%e repeated! A red bloo appeared beneath
the rugged s%in of his fa&e, either anger or frustration!
7#id you tighten down the hospital97 Bale as%ed! 75n the off
&han&e it was rando97
Bla%e nodded! 7"arned personnel!7
7Bour report appeared to be devoid of leads,7 Bale said!
7"e have leads,7 Gaines said! 7"e're loo%ing into an e6'
husband!7
#alton's elbow flared as he s&rat&hed the side of his head! 7+
thin% it's fairly safe to say he didn't do it!7
7"ell,7 Bale said! 7$ow that we've run through all your leads ! ! ! 7
Gaines fingered the edge of his plate! 7She said the guy had a
tattoo! Shape of a s%ull, but she wasn't sure! "e're running it!7
7This &ase'll e6haust your resour&es,7 Bale said!
7Bullshit,7 Bla%e said! 7+t's an isolated in&ident, and we have it
under &ontrol!7
7#id you hold the &rie s&ene97 #alton as%ed!
7"e got there late!7 Gaines loo%ed down at his toast, yellowed
with yol%!
7Bou found a 1ar with al%ali residue thirty yards fro the 0(
entran&e, and you didn't hold the s&ene97
7"e preserved the eviden&e,7 Bla%e said! 7And &obed the area
for ore! "e found two &igarette butts nearby''lab pegged 'e as
Marlboros''but they'd been ground to nothing!7
7$o prints on the 1ar97 Bale as%ed!
Bla%e shoo% his head! 7Sooth gloves! *robably late6!7
7A&&ording to your report, the &igarette butts were found near a
waist'high footlight off the sidewal% that &urves down to the 0(
entran&e! +f he was so%ing, that eant he was waiting there for
soe tie! He ight not have been wearing gloves while he
waited, not wanting to loo% suspi&ious! The top of the light is
aluinu! Given it's waist high, he very well &ould have leaned on
it as he waited! #id you print it97
Bla%e ran his tongue along the inside of his botto lip! 7$o!7
7So let's go print it now,7 Gaines said! 7+t's off the sidewal% in the
shrubs, not li%e people go ba&% there and handle it all the tie!7
Bale's fa&e stret&hed tight in a flash of a sile! 7The sprin%lers at
Cone Si6 of the Medi&al )enter run at five'fifteen in the orning,
soething + would have assued you'd %now, given your
treendous ,)-A e6pertise! ,nfortunately, + didn't read your report
until eight'thirty!7 He tapped the table with a forefinger! 7That's why
you hold a &rie s&ene!7 He leaned ba&% and &rossed his ars,
raising wrin%les in the shoulders of his blazer! 7Sorry, boys! This
one &oes down fro the )aptain! "e're ta%ing it over!7
7#on't worry,7 #alton said! 7+' sure there's soe interesting
&apus &ases you &an wor% on! Harassing e'ails, late library
boo%s, a good date rape or two!7
7Have the eviden&e sent to our labs,7 Bale said! He threw a
&rupled twenty on the table and rose! 7Brea%fast's on the "est -A
#ete&tive Bureau this orning!7
)hapter I
TH0 irides&ent fish &aught the glier of the sun even through
the store window! Separated in bowls sitting side by side on a table
in a window display, the two Siaese fighting fish swa tight,
e6&ited &ir&les! 0very few se&onds, they darted ba&% to fa&e ea&h
other through the glass, li%e &opass needles pulled north!
)lyde pressed his fa&e against the outside of the window! The
fish were all the ore fero&ious for their elegan&e! -ong, flowing
fins, s&ales shiering red and blue, they drifted, tensed, drifted,
Saurai warriors fighting in loose robes!
The &heap &ardboard sign folded nae tag'style on the table
beside the read B0TTA S*-0$#0$S! :00* S0*A(AT0#!
The bells on the door 1angled as a gaunt an with wispy hair and
round spe&ta&les e6ited! He pulled a full ring of %eys fro his
po&%et and lo&%ed the dead bolt!
7"hat're you doing97 :eeping his forehead pressed to the glass,
)lyde rolled his head so he &ould see the store owner!
7)losing up for lun&h!7
7+ want those fish!7 His puffy finger pressed into the glass,
pointing!
7Be ba&% in twenty inutes!7
7+ want the now!7
The store owner siled &urtly, pushing his glasses ba&% up the
bridge of his nose with a %nu&%le! 7+'ll be ba&% in twenty inutes! +'ll
be happy to help you then!7
The store owner was a few steps around the &orner when the
loud &rash startled hi! He nearly lost his footing, one hand
spreading wide a&ross his &hest! +t too% hi a inute to &at&h his
breath, the pale s%in beating above his teple! He hesitated before
ta%ing sall tentative steps ba&% around the &orner!
He gasped! The store window had been sashed, and bits of
glass were s&attered through the display area! The an who'd
stood out front was gone! A few &urious pedestrians threw the store
owner glan&es fro a&ross the street as he neared the window
fearfully!
A bri&%, pulled fro the loose wal%way of the arts and &rafts shop
ne6t door, had been hurled through the window, sashing one of
the fish bowls! The other lay on its side, water dripping off the table!
The two agnifi&ent fish flopped aong the shards of wet glass
on the tabletop! The blood lea%ing fro the blue one's gills rouged
its s&ales! +t paused between oveents, gills fluttering!
The verilion betta flipped itself off the table's edge, landing in
an open bag of teal a/uariu ro&%s! +t wiggled a few ties ore,
then lay still, its streaers lip li%e wet toilet paper!
)hapter J
SA$#(A Bee, the ost aniated of the 0( residents, flashed
#avid dueling thubs'up as he wal%ed down Hallway Two to the
)entral "or% Area! She was literally boun&ing in her white
(eebo%s! The fa&t that she was only ?'>7; ade her e6&iteent all
the ore endearing!
7+ &aught a big'ass triple a on a fifty'five'year'old! Surgery 1ust
swept hi upstairs!7 She bent gra&efully in an operati& bow!
7Abdoinal aorti& aneurys9 Good &at&h! *robably saved his
life!7 #avid s/ueezed her shoulder, and she put her ar a&ross his
lower ba&%!
7Than% you, than% you!7 Sandra turned, heading down the hall,
whistling her thee song, 7-oo% at e, +' Sandra #ee7 fro
Grease!
An elderly radiologist snapped his fingers after her! 706&use e8
Bou wanted the read on the bro%en ar97
7+' sorry,7 Sandra &alled over her shoulder! 7Bou ust have e
&onfused with soe other short Asian!7 She 1ogged off, snea%ers
s/uea%ing on the tile!
#avid turned away to hide his sile! He entered the )"A, where
a potpourri of s&rub tops gathered around the ain des%top, heads
riveted on the portable T4 the &ler%s %ept on a &abinet near the
board! 7Any update on the al%ali thrower97
A &ler% glan&ed up fro the phones, sha%ing his head! 75nly
good s&oop was soe guy stopped a robbery at the :in%o's on
"ilshire! S&ared off the robbers, too% a bullet in the ass, then split
before the &ops showed! But no new word on the fu&%head who
atta&%ed $an&y!7
#avid felt his good ood instantly dissipate!
5ne of the nurses shoo% her head! 7+ hope they nail the bastard
soon!7
Two interns &rashed through the door and 1o&%eyed for position
around #avid!
73ifty'two'year'old feale presents with''7
7$ineteen'year'old &oes in with a ni&%el lodged in his''7
#avid held up his hand, fighting his way to the board! 75ne at a
tie!7 A pres&ription order appeared in front of his fa&e and he
glan&ed at it, then signed it! Soewhere down the hall, soeone
oaned, a loud sound that grew to a s&rea!
#avid slowed to a&&oodate the throng around hi! 7"ho's
s&reaing and why97
7Hoeless Harry,7 a nurse said! 7"e've had to %eep hi in four'
point restraints ever sin&e #iane did a re&tal on hi!7
7Bou'd have to %eep e in four'point restraints if #iane did a
re&tal on e,7 one of the edi&ine interns 1o%ed!
#avid said, 7She'll be flattered to hear that!7
7+ need sign'offs in Si6, $ine, and 3ifteen'5ne,7 a resident said!
#avid &he&%ed the board to see what patients they had where!
7"hy are we so far behind9 "here's #on97
75ur other attending is, as usual, issing in a&tion!7
Sandra swung her head around the &orner! 7+ ta%e odds on the
lounge!7
7+'ll ta%e the &afeteria,7 soeone else shouted out!
#avid fought to %eep his anger at #on fro showing! 706&use e
for a inute!7 He wal%ed down the hall to the do&tors' lounge, but
there was no sign of #on -abert, the issing attending! As #avid
left the lounge, #on nearly &ollided with hi, &radling a banana, two
bags of &hips, a &an of )o%e, and an 0l *ollo -o&o burrito in his
ars! The banana slapped to the floor, and #on &rou&hed to pi&% it
up!
7Goddan it8 "at&h where you're''7 #on stood up and loo%ed at
#avid's fa&e for the first tie! 75h, #ave! +' sorry! + didn't realize it
was you!7
7Bou were in the &afeteria97
He nodded! 7+ haven't ta%en a brea% sin&e''7
7#r! -abert, we always have two attendings fro three to eight
be&ause these are generally the busiest hours! $o one''not even
those of us who have been on sin&e eight''have ta%en a brea% yet!
.ust be&ause we aren't &opletely slaed today does not give
you an e6&use to go A"5- for half an hour at a tie! *lus, you
%now the staff's been upset about $an&y's atta&%! Bou should be
%eeping a &loser eye on the!7
#on set down his food on a nearby &hair and s%ied a hand
a&ross the top of his perfe&t ledge of blond hair, a red stone glinting
fro his gold &hun% of an ala ater ring! His pier&ing blue eyes
and rela6ed, apatheti& air ade hi irresistible to the woen on
staff! He rarely wal%ed through the hospital &orridors without being
a&&osted by feale patients and visitors! 7+ was gone for fifteen
inutes,7 #on said, doing little to hide his irritation!
73ifteen inutes is enough for two trauas to roll in here and put
e on overload,7 #avid said! 7Surely you've paid enough attention
during your shifts to noti&e that things heat up rather /ui&%ly when
they heat up!7
7#on't treat e li%e an ibe&ile!7
7Then don't give e reason to treat you li%e one!7 #avid sighed,
then too% a &aler tone! 7-oo%, #r! -abert, +' a relatively fle6ible
guy''7
At this, #on sni&%ered!
7''but there is one thing for whi&h + will not stand and that is
&oproising the &are in this fa&ility! Bou've been irresponsible on
ore than a few o&&asions, and +' rea&hing the end of y rope!
As an attending, you should be setting an e6aple!7
7$ae one tie +'ve put a patient at ris%!7 #on pi&%ed up his
banana and peeled it! 7"ell97
#avid &ould feel his fa&e growing red, but he fought down his
anger! 7Thin% of it as ta%ing preventative easures!7 He was
wal%ing away when he heard #on &all his nae! He too% a oent
before turning around!
7"hen your wife &ae in here,7 #on said, 7didn't + ta%e e6&ellent
&are of her9 + ean, didn't + do everything that any e6&ellent do&tor
would have thought to do9 That you would have thought to do97
+t too% #avid a oent to find his voi&e! His right hand
instin&tively went to his wedding band, whi&h he still wore! 7Bes,7 he
finally said! 7Bou did!7
#on too% a bite of banana and #avid felt his ipatien&e growing
as he waited for hi to &hew and swallow! #on gestured with his
hand, the banana peel flopping over his thub! 7-et's 1ust give the
devil his due, all right97
Too disgusted to respond, #avid wal%ed ba&% toward the )"A!
+n the hall, #iane was tal%ing )arson through the pro&ess of putting
a shoulder ba&% in 1oint, letting hi use her ar to pra&ti&e the
otion! #avid passed the nearest doorway and saw a young an
in a ,)-A tan% top on the gurney inside, &radling his right ar, the
shoulder &learly out of 1oint! +f the %id %new the edi&al student
resetting his ar was pra&ti&ing the gesture for the first tie two
feet fro his line of sight, he probably would've gotten up and
wal%ed out of the building!
7+ hear you du&%ed out of tying sutures again this orning, #r!
#onalds,7 #avid said!
)arson loo%ed up sheepishly! 7The %id was a little uneasy! + didn't
want to &art out a big needle or anything and frea% hi out!7
75h! So you used #erabond for his benefit!7
706a&tly!7
#avid pointed at hi, o&% authoritatively! 7Bou're going to be
y first professional ebarrassent if you don't learn to stit&h by
the end of this rotation! $e6t windshield 1ob we get in here, you're
tying every last suture!7
)arson glooily returned to pra&ti&ing on #iane's ar! #avid
saw her &ringe when he rotated it too bris%ly, and felt a fresh wave
of sypathy for the in1ured %id! Hands'on training! #espite its
drawba&%s, the only way to train do&tors!
"hen #avid swung into the )"A, #on was fielding /uestions
and folders fro a flurry of &ler%s and nurses! *at was holding
#on's ar a little too firly, her fa&e drawn tight! 7+ really thin% you
should give -ebe&% in Three soething for the pain!7
#on tapped *at's shoulder with the &hart and gave her a brief
sile! 7+f you want to fly the plane, you really oughta be a pilot!7
,sing the &hart, he pushed her gently toward the door! 7"e need a
vaginitis whiff test in 06a 0ight!7
7)arson told the wrong Martinez she was pregnant,7 one of the
&ler%s said!
7+ did not,7 )arson yelled fro the hall!
7*oor girl was only fifteen!7 The &ler% iitated a girl's &rying
voi&e: 7But + only %issed hi,7 he wailed!
7.esus,7 #on said! 7Always double'&he&% the Martinezes and the
(airezes! They all lo'' 7 He &aught #avid's glare and &ut off his
senten&e idthought!
.ill appeared before #avid out of nowhere! 7Houston, we have a
proble! Gunshot wound in 3our! He &lais he has no insuran&e
and would li%e to pay in &ash!7
7A GS"97 She nodded, and #avid /ui&%ened his pa&e to %eep
up with her! 7-o&ation of the wound97
She swung open the door, revealing a an with a &lean'shaven
head, lying fa&edown in a gown on the gurney! He did not loo% up!
7(ear end,7 .ill said!
)hapter E
"H0$ #avid &losed the door, the an rolled onto his side and
regarded hi with red, ouseli%e eyes! Though his s&alp was
shaven &lean, #avid &ould see fro his eyebrows and the tint of the
stubble that he was a redhead! The :in%o's hero!
7"hat's your position here97 he as%ed!
7"hy97 #avid said! 7A + in trouble97
7Are you the attending97
7+ a!7 #avid pi&%ed up the &hart, noti&ing u&h of it was blan%!
7And you are ! ! ! 97
The an glan&ed nervously at the &losed door! 70d *in%erton!7
70d *in%erton,7 #avid said, writing it down! 7That'll do!7
7-oo%, + had an a&&ident &leaning y gun and shot yself!7
7+n the ass97
7Bes! +n the ass! + would prefer that we handle this /ui&%ly, and
with as few people as possible! Getting through the press outside
ade e nervous enough!7
7#epending on how deeply that bullet is lodged, + ay have to
&all surgery!7
0d swung his legs down, leaning heavily on his hands to %eep
the weight off his rear end, and found his feet! 7+' sorry,7 he said!
7Maybe this wasn't su&h a good idea!7
He grabbed his shirt fro the &hair and started putting it on! The
shirt had been &overing a red boo%! The title &aught #avid's eye''
"iretapping and 0le&troni& Surveillan&e! A boo%ar% with a logo
that appeared to be a brain protruded fro between the pages! 0d
/ui&%ly draped his pants over the boo%, hiding it again!
#avid went to rest a hand on 0d's shoulder, then thought better
of it! 7-isten,7 he said, 7let e ta%e a loo%! Maybe + &an handle it
down here!7
0d held his eyes for a oent, as if de&iding whether he &ould
trust hi! 7Bou won't &all *#97
7+' vaguely failiar with your history,7 #avid said! 7This was a
gruesoe &opy a&&ident, &orre&t97
0d gria&ed! 7A day at :in%o's gone terribly awry!7 His s%in was
alost ipossibly pale; the blue &ubital veins for%ed through the
soft underside of his forear li%e roads on a ap! 0d studied the
&eiling for a oent! 7+ won't bullshit you,7 he finally said! 7+' on
parole, and +'ve been a%ing good for e and y little girl! +
shouldn't have gotten involved the way + did, brea%ing up that
robbery! + wanted to prote&t the wor%ers in there, but + don't %now
how this'll play to y *5! +t'll probably be fine, given the
eyewitnesses and all, but +' not eager to find out! +'d appre&iate
your help here!7
#avid studied his fa&e, sear&hing for signs of dishonesty! He
de&ided he li%ed what he saw! 7+f + report the gunshot wound, you're
going to lip out of here before the &ops show up! Given that your
in1ury was sustained on the right side of the law, +'d rather have you
wal% out upright!7 He nodded on&e, slowly! 7#eal97
0d ran a hand over his bald s&alp! 7#eal!7
He lay ba&% down and #avid parted the gown in the ba&% and
e6ained the wound! 7Soeone's been prying at this,7 #avid said!
7My buddy got the slug out with a pair of snub'nosed pliers!7
7A !FJ97
7Beah! But it wasn't a full slug!7
7How &an you tell97
0d loo%ed up at hi, blan%'fa&ed!
75%ay,7 #avid said! 7Stupid /uestion! So we're dealing with
fragents!7
#avid spread the wound slightly to e6aine it, and 0d didn't so
u&h as flin&h! #avid reoved a blan%et fro a &upboard and
tossed it to 0d! 7+' going to have to get you down to fluoros&opy!7
7+s it on this floor97
7Bes!7 #avid %i&%ed the foot paddle on the gurney to the right,
releasing the bra%e, and slowly ba&%ed the gurney out the door!
-ying on his side, 0d pulled the blan%et up tight to his &hin so it
blo&%ed ost of his fa&e, and turned his head into the pillow!
#avid signaled #iane to follow hi when he wheeled 0d past the
)"A, and she &ae /ui&%ly, tapping a &hart against her thigh! He
iediately noted the fir set of her outh! 7"hat's the proble97
73ifty'five'year'old Gree% woan &ae in with soe a&ute
an6iety! +'d li%e to hold her until she settles but her insuran&e won't
&over it!7 #iane loo%ed down at the gurney as it rolled along,
noti&ing 0d for the first tie! 7Hello!7
0d nodded, a brief oveent of his half'buried head!
#avid too% the &hart fro #iane and glan&ed it over! He pulled a
pen fro behind his ear, &rossed out a&ute an6iety, and wrote a&ute
shortness of breath with a se&ondary diagnosis of an6iety! He
handed the &hart ba&% to #iane and win%ed at her! 7*roble
solved!7
They banged through soe double doors and weaved their way
through the labyrinthine &orridors of -evel B!
75ne of the great advantages of 0( edi&ine is our freedo to
e6er&ise our own dis&retion!7 #avid glan&ed down at 0d! 7+sn't that
right, Mr! *in%erton97
0d's beady eyes wat&hed hi with auseent fro the 0wo%
swathing of the sheets!
7$ot always,7 #iane said! 7The #ire&tor of Health S&ien&es
)ouni&ations 1ust issued a eo to all eployees reinding us
of the 'long'standing poli&y that all edia intera&tion is to be
&ondu&ted through the HS) offi&e!' 7
#avid whistled! 7The board ust be leaning pretty hard!7
7Having lye flying around probably provides a good pu&%er
fa&tor,7 0d said!
#avid ban%ed the gurney right into the fluoros&opy suite, and he
and #iane donned leads to prote&t theselves fro the radiation!
He positioned 0d on his ba&%, swung the @'ray ar over his right
butto&%, and stared at the sall s&reen of the onitor! The two
bullet fragents stood out white against the gray bones, 1ust edial
to the head of the feur!
7Bou were right,7 #avid said! 7Two frags!7
3ro the loo% on #iane's fa&e, she had put together the patient
with the news story! She too% a oent to grab the silver for&eps
#avid was offering her!
7The wound is superfi&ial enough that + thin% we &an handle it
here,7 #avid said! 7A lot of tissue prote&ting the bone ba&% there!
#oes it hurt97
7+t's not pleasant!7 Though beads of sweat dotted 0d's bare
s&alp, his fa&e showed no sign of pain! "hen #iane inserted the
etal for&eps into the wound and angled down toward the first
bullet fragent, they too showed up white on the onitor!
#avid dire&ted #iane with a gesture, then indi&ated how she
&ould hold the for&eps for better &ontrol! She followed his
instru&tions perfe&tly, her tongue po%ing out her &hee% in a point!
7How old are you, Mr! *in%erton97 #avid as%ed!
7Thirty'nine!7
7Have you been s&reened for prostate &an&er97
7+f this is an e6&use for giving e a re&tal, + don't date do&tors!7
0d's first gria&e lit his fa&e as #iane dug deeper with the for&eps!
7$o,7 he said! 7+ haven't!7
#iane glan&ed up at #avid, one eyebrow raised in an unas%ed
/uestion! *robably wondering why he was raising the issue when
prostate s&reening usually didn't start until age fifty! 7Any faily
history97 #avid as%ed!
7$o!7
7"ell, soetie in the ne6t few years, you ight want to get
&he&%ed out! Thin% of it as the fifty'thousand'ile tune'up on your
&ar!7
The first bloody bullet fragent plun%ed down on the etal tray!
Biting her lip, #iane eased the for&eps ba&% in the wound!
0d's hand &len&hed into a fist, then released! 7+'ll bear that in
ind,7 he said!
The &urtains separating the five e6a areas in 06a 3ifteen
rippled ea&h tie a gurney zipped by! After wheeling 0d behind the
fourth &urtain to get bandaged, his &hart balan&ed a&ross the
bups of his feet, #avid had been pulled into the ne6t se&tion,
3ifteen'Three, by an iploring *ersian other to e6aine her little
girl!
"ith a broad, siling fa&e and brown, alost li/uid eyes, the girl
ran &ir&les in the sall spa&e between the &urtains, singing, her
1arring footsteps &ausing her voi&e to va&illate as if she were
yodeling! She stopped, swaying on her feet, and laughed! Her
other drew her ba&% against her legs, ruffling her hair, then wet a
finger and wiped a sudge off the girl's &hee%!
#avid reoved his white &oat so as not to intiidate the girl, and
&rou&hed so he was eye level! Meeting her on her own ters!
3ollowing his &ue, the little girl s/uatted also! #avid laughed!
7$o, hon, you don't have to &rou&h! +' 1ust trying to get a better
loo% at you!7
After an openouthed burst of laughter, the little girl fell down
and sat +ndian'style! "ith one hand on the floor, #avid eased
hiself down so he too was sitting, his legs %i&%ed aw%wardly to the
sides! The girl's other &overed her outh to hide her sile! The
girl laughed again and grabbed his hand with both of hers!
#avid slid the stethos&ope fro his shoulders and around his
ne&% with a single pra&ti&ed oveent, spreading the bran&h with
one hand and wiggling his head until the earplugs settled &orre&tly!
There was always soe &ofort in feeling the heavy instruent fall
into pla&e, li%e a well'worn wallet sliding into a ba&% po&%et! 7+' 1ust
going to''7
7#r! Spier97
#avid turned to see 5ffi&er .en%ins and another, older offi&er
standing behind hi! 7This is a private e6a area,7 #avid said,
s&rabling to his feet and feeling ore than a little foolish! 7Bour
sister has been oved to''7
7"e re&eived a &all about a gunshot wound,7 .en%ins said!
7Bou did97 Beneath the &urtain beside the, #avid saw 0d
*in%erton's feet hit the floor! 7+ don't re&all &alling one in!7
7Bou didn't! "e were &onta&ted by triage! Bou %now, you're
re/uired by law to''7
7+ %now, + %now! #o you handle all &alls involving the hospital97
7Bou ight say +'ve ta%en a parti&ular interest!7
7+ &an understand that!7
The older offi&er, .en%ins's partner, stepped forward, and #avid
noti&ed two stripes and a star on his sleeve! His nae tag read:
B(5$$0(! 7"e need to /uestion the patient,7 Bronner said gruffly!
7The one who sustained the GS"!7
0d's foot disappeared and &ae ba&% down ens&on&ed in an
untied shoe!
7"hy don't you follow e out to the )"A97 #avid said! 7"e'll
&he&% the board and see where he is!7 #avid &rou&hed near the
girl, and she followed his lead again, laughing! He siled! 7+'ll be
right ba&%!7
The offi&ers followed hi silently down Hallway 5ne into the
)entral "or% Area! #avid perused the board, finding 0d *in%erton's
nae! 73ifteen'3our,7 he said! 7-oo%s li%e he was one &urtain over
fro us!7
The &ops e6&hanged a loo%, whi&h #avid pretended not to
noti&e! Another silent wal% ba&% to 06a 3ifteen! #avid pointed to
the &urtain to the fourth e6a area! 7Behind there!7
The &urtain rattled on its pegs as .en%ins swiped it aside! An
epty gurney! A single spot of blood stood out on the sheets! #avid
feigned e6asperation! 7+ don't %now ! ! ! + never dis&harged hi! He
ust've snu&% out on us!7 He turned to the offi&ers, letting his
hands slap to his sides! 7+ don't %now what to tell you!7
.en%ins &len&hed his 1aw, spea%ing through his teeth! 7This
patient was one &urtain over and you didn't %now it97
7There are a lot of patients here under y &are! +t's soeties
diffi&ult to %eep tra&% of the all!7
.en%ins held #avid's gaze! 7(ight!7
7Sorry about that!7
7"ord around the station is you're not always the biggest tea
player!7
7+ guess that depends what tea!7
Bronner tapped .en%ins on the ba&%! 7This is a 1er%'off,7 he said!
7-et's go!7
.en%ins didn't see ready to leave!
7Bou %now we don't give a shit about the GS",7 Bronner said!
7)'on!7
.en%ins too% a step ba&%! 7+'ll see you around, #o&tor!7
#avid nodded, and .en%ins followed his senior partner out! #avid
realized he'd been holding his breath, and he e6haled deeply!
A slip of paper beneath the epty gurney &aught #avid's
attention, and he bent to pi&% it up! +t was the boo%ar% he'd
noti&ed earlier ar%ing 0d's pla&e in the sall red boo%! A s%et&h of
a brain, evidently a logo, de&orated the top, the &erebral
heispheres slightly isshapen! AM5: B55:ST5(0 was written
beneath it in an odd Azte& print! #avid's eyes tra&ed down the
length of the boo%ar%, finding the strange otto at the botto!
TH0 0@T(0M0S 53 +$35(MAT+5$!
He %new before he glan&ed beneath the turned'ba&% sheets that
0d's &hart was issing!
)hapter 2=
TH0 en with their tattoos and glistening us&les wor%ed
aong the weight a&hines, pretending not to noti&e the
onloo%ers, who &lustered with their Mus&le Bea&h T'shirts, shooting
pi&tures and herding &hildren! The first weight of dus% had settled
through the air, but storefront lights illuinated the en through the
&hain'lin% fen&es that set the weight area apart fro the 4eni&e
Boardwal% and the bea&h beyond!
)lyde wat&hed fro the anonyity of the &rowd, a fa&e aong
other fa&es, another body sweating in the August night! He had only
re&ently begun to eerge fro his apartent again, and he still
found the brief stirrings of breeze to be invasive! +nside the pen, a
bald an with a pointed goatee and two hoop earrings bro%e
proto&ol, turning to the onloo%ers and spreading his assive ars
wide! The prongs of his tri&eps gripped the undersides of his ars
li%e &laws! The &rowd erupted with noise; &aeras flashed!
)lyde loo%ed down at his own ars! "hite and fleshy! +n front of
hi, an overweight little boy with a &ardboard'stiff baseball &ap
pushed up on tiptoes! :obe Bryant sla'dun%ed in faded purple
and yellow on the ba&% of his T'shirt! The boy's hands, red and
sti&%y with the renants of soe suertie sna&%, pushed and
&lut&hed at the shirts in front of hi, leaving &olored sudges!
An enorous bla&% an lined large etal dis%s on ea&h side of a
weight bar until it bowed under the weight! He sat on the edge of
the ben&h press, &rossing his ars in front of hi! The &ra&% of his
shoulders was audible even over the noise of the &rowd! He leaned
ba&%, ta%ing the bar fro the &radle, bringing it to his &hest, and
haering it ba&% up in the air with triuphant grunts!
Standing in the &rowd, a fa&e aong fa&es, )lyde wat&hed the
an labor and iitated his grunts, softly at first, then growing
louder! He didn't realize he &ould be overheard until a blonde in
front of hi turned, eyes aglitter with spar%ling a%eup, and stifled
a giggle with a hand! He loo%ed /ui&%ly away fro her eyes, staring
silently at the gu'dotted paveent, and she whispered soething
to a friend before turning her attention ba&% to the us&ular en!
)lyde's hand found the %ey around his ne&%, his thub wor%ing it
over li%e a rabbit's foot!
Gradually, his eyes lifted fro the paveent, studying first the
blonde's straw'bottoed &log that raised her foot so her an%le
fle6ed, then the split sheath of her &apri pant leg, whi&h ebra&ed
the pin% &ylinder of her &alf! Her botto, fir and rounded,
protruded abruptly fro beneath her blouse! He leaned forward
until he &ould sell her hair spray! He leaned forward until he was
pushing up against her full behind, a fa&e aong fa&es in the press
of a &rowd!
Her thin shoulder blade pushed ba&% ever so slightly into his soft
&hest as she 1o&%eyed for spa&e, not yet aware that his 1ostling was
dire&ted! Ahead, the weights &lin%ed against ea&h other; the en
strained and fle6ed! His breathing /ui&%ened, ta%ing on a faint
groaning! Her ne&% fired with realization! Her head started to
pivot, slowed with sho&%!
Before the eyes &ould rea&h hi, )lyde turned and pushed
through the &rowd, head lowering on the wide stal% of his ne&%,
hands sin%ing into his po&%ets! *eople spread and &losed behind
hi!
73u&%ing pervert87 she yelled fro soewhere in the &rowd! She
yelped, a short hi&&up of disgust and fear! 7Bou fu&%ing si&%o8
Goddan it87
)lyde left the lights of the boardwal% behind and threaded
through the dar%ening streets and alleys! The o&ean breeze had left
a staleness on everything''&ardboard bo6es sluping &urbside,
rusting hoods of abandoned &ars, the soft, rotting wood around
door1abs! He slid his thub a&ross his fily fingertips, the otion
growing /ui&%er and /ui&%er until his hand was a blur!
He stepped onto Main Street and 1oined a &urrent of people at a
&rosswal%! An old blue )ivi& had pulled too far into the interse&tion,
blo&%ing the &rosswal%, and the woan sat foolishly at the wheel as
the strea of pedestrians split around her &ar! His footsteps grew
firer as he approa&hed, the bustle of people flowing all around
hi! "ith a gria&e, he altered his step when he rea&hed the &ar!
His hand flew forward, sashing pal down on the blue hood!
The woan 1er%ed ba&% in her seat! He stood perfe&tly still, leaning
toward the windshield, glowering, the front li&ense plate hitting hi
idshin! 3ear repla&ed sho&% in the woan's fa&e, and she opened
her outh, but then &aught a &loser loo% at his red'ried eyes,
the angry heaving of his &hest! Her outh dangled open, li%e that of
a bro%en doll's!
The &rowd &ontinued to ove around the &ar, people glan&ing
and then oving on or not even noti&ing hi at all! And suddenly
he was gone, a dying whis% of oveent, the sweaty iprint of his
hand slowly evanes&ing fro the etal of the hood!
)hapter 22
SH+3T+$G the sta&% of files in his lap, #avid lay ba&% on the
e6a table he'd ad1usted li%e a &haise longue, propping his feet on
one of the gyne&ologi& stirrups! He &ontinued with his paperwor%,
en1oying the /uiet serenity of 06a 5ne!
#iane barged in, startling hi! 75h sorry! #idn't realize you were !
! ! "hat are you still doing here97
#avid &he&%ed his wat&h: >2:>?! He hadn't realized he'd been
there for an hour and a half after his shift ended! He was
a&&ustoed to wor%ing late, preferring the e6&iteent of the 0( to
the solitude of his too'large house, but it alared hi how /ui&%ly
the habit had grown! Arriving a few hours early, leaving later and
later, shouldering e6tra days on &all''anything to avoid
re&onstru&ting a personal life without 0lisabeth! His house was
/ui&%ly be&oing a illion'dollar stopping pla&e between shifts!
He loo%ed at the paperwor% before hi! $othing iportant,
nothing pressing! 06haustion pooled through hi all at on&e,
1ubling his thoughts! He s/ueezed the bridge of his nose! "hen
he released it, he was tou&hed by the &on&ern in #iane's eyes!
7+ don't %now,7 he said! His stoa&h grubled so loudly both he
and #iane glan&ed at it!
7)oe on,7 #iane said! 7-et e buy you dinner!7
A hospital &afeteria is a depressing pla&e at night! Spouses with
va&ant, grief'haunted eyes, &hildren pulling +4 poles, parents
slurping in&onsolably on tepid &offee, the sleepless hours gathering
in half'oons beneath their eyes! Their lethargy draws a sharp
&ontrast with the bustle of the interns and nurses in s&rubs! But
even the grieving and the dying have to eat!
#avid stared at the food on his tray''a Mil%y "ay, a half'eaten
&hi&%en sandwi&h, a sall &ontainer of apple 1ui&e! #iane bit into an
apple and shrugged! 7"hat did you e6pe&t on a resident's salary97
7This is perfe&t,7 #avid said! 7+ wouldn't have ade it any farther
afield without falling on y fa&e!7 He studied his refle&tion in the
ba&% of a spoon! 7.esus, aybe + should &he&% yself in!7
7Bou don't loo% that bad! Mrs! *eters still swooned when you
&he&%ed her eyes this afternoon!7
7She's ninety years old! "ith glau&oa!7
7She told e she thin%s you loo% li%e George )looney!7
#avid pursed his lips to %eep fro siling! 7And what did you
say97
#iane twirled her straw in her )o%e! 7+ told her no one loo%s li%e
George )looney!7
7True,7 #avid said! 7True!7
#iane &o&%ed her head slightly, aused! 7+'d bet you were a
great woanizer before you got arried!7
He shoo% his head!
7$o9 "hy not97
He shrugged! 7+ guess + li%ed woen too u&h!7 He fished a
&rub of soe sort fro his apple 1ui&e and wiped it on the tray!
7And + arried young!7
7"hat did your wife loo% li%e97
A web of iages entangled hi! A white snowball sudge on her
winter sweater! The first oveent of her fa&e in the orning,
sleep'heavy and gentle! His hands lifting her wedding veil! He
iagined her the night of their fifteenth anniversary! The twin
stro%es of her hips beneath a slee% bla&% dress! They'd gone to a
gallery opening in 4eni&e where 0lisabeth, as the -A Ties art
&riti&, had been fawned over by dealers and struggling artists ali%e!
After a few hours, #avid had snu&% her off to Shutters in Santa
Moni&a, where they'd sat out on the bal&ony of their hotel roo,
holding hands, listening to the waves rush the shore in the
dar%ness!
7Her sile ade e wea%,7 he said!
7#avid ! ! ! 7 ''#iane loo%ed away'' 7! ! ! a + delusional in
thin%ing there's soething going on between us97
7*ositively s&hizophreni&! +t ust be your Bale edu&ation!7
7+t's a tough /uestion to as%! "hy don't you answer it seriously97
7Bou're right,7 he said! 7+' sorry!7 He pried at the hard bun of his
&hi&%en sandwi&h as if he'd developed a sudden intense interest in
ba%ed goods!
7The few ties we've been out ! ! ! 7 #iane s/ueezed one hand
with the other! 73or the life of e, + &an't figure out if they're dates or
1ust an attending and a resident tal%ing shop outside wor%! + ean,
we're alone ! ! ! we're at dinner ! ! ! but we're tal%ing about lesions
and &ontusion fra&tures!7
7An attending and a resident,7 he repeated!
7"ell97
7"e've wor%ed side by side, hands in the ud, for''what97
7Alost three years!7
7Three years now! Bou're one of the best residents +'ve ever had
the pleasure to train! + &onsider you a &olleague! $ot a resident!7
The glier of a sile &ut through the dis&ofort on #iane's
fa&e, 1ust for a oent! 7+ didn't %now that,7 she said! 7But it still
doesn't answer y /uestion!7
7-oo% ! ! ! 7 #avid realized his voi&e was sha%ing ever so slightly!
7+'ve definitely thought about ! ! ! but we &an't! ! ! ! + &an't! ! ! ! 7
7"hy not97
He leaned ba&% in his &hair, trying to find what he wanted to say!
7#iane, +' alost twi&e your age!7
7+' thirty'one and you're forty'three! That's nothing! 0lizabeth
Taylor has arried en twenty years younger!7
7She doesn't have the sae perforan&e an6ieties, +'d iagine!7
#iane played with her straw soe ore, po%ing at i&e &ubes! 7All
right,7 she finally said, with a slight hint of huor! 7"hy don't we
a%e a deal9 + won't &all you on your lae'ass e6&uses, but when
we do overlap so&ially, no ore tal% of lesions and &ontusion
fra&tures!7
She e6tended her hand a&ross the table and he shoo% it, o&%
forally, before settling ba&% in his &hair! He &rossed his ars and
fought off a grin! 7So what's your iddle nae97 he as%ed!
7Allison!7
7Bou li%e dogs or &ats97
7#ogs!7
7"hat's your favorite %ind of lesion97 She s&owled at hi, and he
held up his hands defensively! 7.ust %idding! "hat do your fol%s
do9 Are they do&tors97
7"e don't all &oe fro high'powered edi&al failies! $ot all
our fathers have grand rounds auditorius naed after the!7
7+t was naed for y other, a&tually,7 #avid said!
#iane whistled! 7"hat was it li%e growing up in that house97
7A lot of piping at the dinner table! $ae the eight bones of the
wrist! The twelve &ranial nerves! The five &oponents of the Apgar
s&ore!7 He tilted his head! 7My other was &hief of staff here at the
$*+ fro 'D= to 'I2, and she re&ruited a lot of the world's
preeinent physi&ians''in all fields''to &oe le&ture and tea&h at
the Med )enter! +t wasn't un&oon for a few $obel *rize'winning
physi&ians to show up for dinner! The instru&tors and departent
heads that &ae through ! ! ! it was truly aazing!7
7"ho was the better do&tor, your other or your father97
7+t's tough to say! They were in pretty divergent fields! My other
was a psy&hiatrist, y father a neurologist! My father passed away
when + was young! *rostate &an&er!7
7That's why you as%ed *in%erton about a prostate &he&%up today
even though he was only thirty'nine97
7"e all have our pet illnesses, + suppose!7 #avid's ind followed
soe flight of reason, and he found hiself saying, 7My other 1ust
went in 'EE!7
#iane nodded, and he was grateful she didn't offer any
platitudes! He'd wanted to share the inforation with her, not eli&it
sypathy!
A an in a wheel&hair rolled slowly past, tray &radled on his
atrophied %nees!
7My other was a tough woan! All fire and abition! + never
saw her &ra&%! $ot on&e!7 #avid drew his hand down a&ross his
fa&e, li%e a window blind! 7"hen she was in her late si6ties, she
headed up the #is&iplinary (eview Board here! She had to &all a
young ale nephrologist into her offi&e to &onfront hi about a
&lai ade against hi by a young woan! "hen she
reprianded hi, he rose, lo&%ed the door, and beat the shit out of
her! Bro%e two ribs!7 He wat&hed #iane's slender eyebrows rise and
spread! 7The only thing y other was upset about afterward was
her la&% of edi&al 1udgent in not being able to predi&t she was
dealing with an unstable an!7 He set both hands on his tray and
pushed it slightly away! 7That was y other!7
7A lot to live up to97
7A lot of people spend their lives trying to over&oe their
upbringing! + spent ine trying to fulfill it!7
7And have you97
7My other was pretty disappointed when + de&ided to enter
0ergen&y Medi&ine!7
7"hy's that97
7+f a surgeon is a glorified &arpenter, an 0( do& is a glorified
&arpenter with an inferiority &ople6!7 He laughed! 7As you %now,
it's generally not &onsidered the ost &erebral field!7
7Bour other ight have thought different if she'd seen you in
a&tion,7 she said! Her eyes /ui&%ly lowered! 7*ardon y
s&hoolgirlish fervor!7
7Medi&ine was a different thing ba&% then! As has often been
said''do&tors of y parents' generation were the first for who
edi&ine was a s&ien&e and the last for who it was an art!7 *ulling
a nap%in fro the dispenser, he wiped all the &rubs on the table
into a neat line! 7My other never really forgave e for entering
0(! As if it were a slight against her! My father wouldn't have
inded, + don't thin%''he and + were always /uite &lose! He was a
&haring, handsoe an! Tall and broad! "hen + was a %id, he
used to tell e + was the %ind of person he wanted to be when he
grew up!7 #avid siled at the eory! Suddenly self'&ons&ious, he
loo%ed up at #iane! Her blond hair was down a&ross her eyes in
front, and she brushed it aside!
7.esus, +' sorry,7 he said! 7Tal%ing about yself all night! + guess
it's been awhile sin&e +'ve tal%ed! 5penly!7
His hands were folding the nap%in in neat s/uares, and she
rea&hed out and stilled the!
-eaving the &afeteria, #avid averted his eyes fro the large bas'
relief letters over the double doors to the right, as was his habit! He
did not have to loo% to %now what they read: S*+0( A,#+T5(+,M!
The nae hovered overhead, as it did everywhere throughout the
hospital!
Spea%ing into a wal%ie'tal%ie, one of the new se&urity guards
breezed by with a feale nurse, presuably es&orting her to her
&ar! #avid was glad to see that ore pre&autions were indeed
being ta%en after the assault on $an&y!
A Me6i&an woan /uietly wor%ed a op a&ross the lobby floor,
bringing the tile to a polished shine! Behind her, a &heotherapy'
bald boy ran out of the hospital gift shop, stuffing a stolen Sni&%ers
in his po&%et! The hefty register lady thundered after hi, all but
sha%ing her fist!
Good for you, %id, #avid thought! (un, 3orrest, run!
He trudged down to his &ar, passing a few se&urity guards on the
way, and headed lethargi&ally for hoe! He was glad to see the
news vans had finally &leared out! 5n to the ne6t tragedy, the ne6t
big story! .ust past San 4i&ente, #avid pulled into a &orner Shell
station, swiped his &redit &ard through the slot, and started to fill up
his tan%!
"hile the gas puped, he sat in the &ar, his ind playing
through the &ases of the day, pi&%ing at the fro all angles to see
if he'd ade any ista%es! His ind %ept returning to #iane, and
fro there, to 0lisabeth!
There is no way to predi&t an ebolus! A perfe&tly healthy thirty'
five'year'old, not even into iddle age, no faily history of disease,
no hypertension, no diabetes, no vas&ular disease! 5ne day she
throws a &lot, it lodges in her basilar artery, and for seventeen
&ru&ial inutes the brain is denied blood! Seventeen &ru&ial
inutes are enough to su&% a loving, intelligent woan dry of
thought and eotion, to leave her a living hus%! Soeties it ta%es
less tie than that!
#avid had been the &hief attending the night 0lisabeth had been
wheeled in''si&% &all on his birthday''so, %nowing his edi&al
1udgent would be ipaired, he'd let #on -abert ta%e lead! 5f the
first few hours in the 0(, he reebered only s&urrying bodies and
the thi&% nubness of his tongue! Awhile later, his wife had lain in a
lip re&line upstairs in the M+),, the sheets huped over her inert
body!
The pattern of her gown had been repetitious and infantile, pale
blue snowfla%es on a white ba&%ground! #avid re&alled &ertain
iages vividly''the drops of urine in&hing dubly along her 3oley
&atheter li%e ites on an assebly line; the hu of the ventilator
pushing air down the endotra&heal tube and through the snarl of
plasti& into her throat; her thin gown wrin%ling slightly as her &hest
rose and fell, rose and fell!
They'd 00G'd her proptly at #avid's re/uest, his legs trebling
beneath his s&rubs! +t had shown no a&tivity at all, no wave fors! A
still sea!
She'd been tra&heotoied and G'tubed, the onitor showing
sound vitals! Her body was stable! A perfe&t life'support syste for
a dead brain!
0lisabeth had signed a living will! #avid had aintained his
&oposure, perhaps due to the fa&t that he was a physi&ian
pra&ti&ed in high'intensity, eotional de&ision'a%ing, but ore
li%ely be&ause he'd seen too any ties the other roads that lay
ahead! They'd given hi soe tie alone with her body before
reoving her fro life support!
He'd sat in a typi&al bedside post''leaning forward in the padded
&hair, &hin resting on the union of his fists! He reebered being
stru&% anew by how different the M+), was fro the sun%en B
-evel of the 0(, in whi&h nurses and do&tors s&urried aong the
wounded li%e industrious ants! The unit e6uded a &al, alost
pea&eful air! Here it was easy to forget that one oved aong the
si&% and dying! The s&ents were better &ontained, the nurses ore
personable, the floors and walls better s&rubbed!
0lisabeth's s%in had been pale and sooth, li%e por&elain! Her
ar had protruded fro the papery &uff of her gown, her s%in gray
against the white sheets! Her siple wedding band provided the
only stro%e of &olor against her flesh!
#avid had flattened his hand a&ross her forehead and studied
her eyes, but he'd seen nothing in the but the faintest fli&%er of his
own refle&tion! +t had ta%en hi only a few oents to deterine
that 0lisabeth's presen&e did not reside in her body any ore than
it did in the hospital roo!
He had not been oved to tears! He had not been sure what
he'd been e6pe&ting, but it hadn't been the &old nothingness in his
wife's eyes!
The neurologist had been waiting outside the door! He'd rested a
hand on #avid's shoulder! 7Are you ready97 he'd as%ed!
7+' not going to stay,7 #avid had said!
The nurses and do&tors on the floor had seeed surprised by
how bris%ly he'd left!
As #avid had driven hoe, the first edge of orning had lea%ed
over the horizon, ibuing the air with a dreali%e /uality! He'd
pulled into the garage, reoved his shoes, and stood otionless in
the foyer for a full inute!
+t hadn't been until he'd wal%ed down the long hallway and sat on
their large epty bed that he'd bro%en down! His hands had started
sha%ing first, then his ars, and then he'd wept softly and
errati&ally, his wife's pillow pressed between his hands!
A blaring horn on "ilshire brought #avid ba&% fro his thoughts!
He put the &ar in drive and pulled away, but slaed on the bra%es
when he heard an awful etalli& &lun%! He got ba&% out and pi&%ed
up the bro%en gas handle fro the ground; he'd pulled away with
the handle still in the tan% and torn it &leanly off!
He wal%ed slowly ba&% to the well'lit booth!
7+'ll bill the usual a&&ount,7 the attendant said!
#avid anaged a wea% nod! 7That'll be fine!7
)hapter 2>
)-B#0 wo%e up a few inutes past three, though he'd been
s/uiring in the sheets sin&e two, his s&rub bottos twisting
around his legs! The pillow, sudged with sweat, had &laied a few
ore strands of his hair! His wide feet pattered a&ross the dirty floor
to the bathroo! He pissed heavily for nearly a full inute,
splattering the toilet seat, whi&h he'd negle&ted to raise!
A rind of soap &logged the sin% drain! He pi&%ed up a plasti&
M&#onald's &up fro the floor''filled and dran%, filled and dran%,
filled and dran%! He avoided his refle&tion in the edi&ine &abinet
irror when he swung it open! A bo6 of orange lozenges reained
half'full! He popped two fro the foil sheet and su&%ed the
hungrily, wor%ing up saliva to swish around in his outh!
5pening another &an of &at food, )lyde added it to the slop
overflowing the bowl, s&aring up a swirl of flies! *a&ing around the
sall apartent, bits of &heese and &rubs sti&%ing to the bottos
of his feet, he so%ed two &igarettes siultaneously, whi&h seeed
to /ui&%en his step! He &overed his eyes with the heels of his
hands, his breathing intensifying until his &hest heaved up and
down! )libing into bed, he pulled the dirty sheets up to his &hin!
He ground the orange lozenges into a paste and swallowed it!
He lowered the sheets and sat up, staring at the footlo&%er at the
base of the table! +t lay open, rolls of gauze visible aong the
glistening edi&al e/uipent! A &ontainer of #rain0ze sat out,
&asting a solitary shadow on the s&arred tabletop! He stru&% his
head with the flats of his hands! A few ore strands of hair &ae
out, stu&% to his sweaty pals!
A frightened whine started in the ba&% of his throat and rose to a
deep bellow! He stood up and shuffled through the ound of dirty
&lothes to the far wall! He'd stolen a snapdragon fro the retarded
hoe, potted it badly in a soggy i&e'&rea &arton, and set it in the
&orner! $ow, he pushed the plant to one side, revealing a disused
heating vent! He fubled in his po&%ets and reoved a oney &lip!
A &heap Me6i&an design with two fa%e'tur/uoise horses rearing on
a haered brass nub, the oney &lip hid a thin pen%nife in its
side! He dug the %nife open with a dirty nail, then slid the blade
behind the edge of the vent for leverage!
The surrounding wall &rubled a bit when he pulled the vent out,
and )lyde stared reverently at the solitary bottle of pills before
tou&hing it! The bottle was unar%ed, the phara&ist's label
reoved and the underlying gu s&raped off with a fingernail! He
tapped three pale yellow &apsules into his pal and too% the
there on his %nees, swallowing the without water! Before returning
to bed, he repla&ed the vent and the plant!
-ying ba&%, he &losed his eyes! 7Three, two, one,7 he urured!
7Step ba&% fro the door! Three, two, one, step ba&% fro the door
ba&% fro the door ba&% fro the''7
Tears pushed their way out under his eyelids, strea%ing down his
teples to the pillow! His hands pushed and &lawed at the sheets,
fisted and loosened! 3inally, he sat up, the %ey swaying fro his
ball'&hain ne&%la&e li%e a pendant!
Throwing the sheets aside, he &rossed /ui&%ly to the table,
seized the &ontainer of #rain0ze, and hurled it into the footlo&%er
with su&h for&e it nearly boun&ed out! Slaing the lid shut, he
fisted the %ey and yan%ed, his ne&%la&e brea%ing easily! His hands
were sha%ing so severely, it too% hi several tries to slide the %ey
into ea&h of the sooth &ir&ular lo&%s, but finally he had the
footlo&%er se&ured!
Storing a&ross the usty roo, he slid the window open with a
grunt, tore the s&reen fro its pegs, and hurled the %ey outside! +t
boun&ed on&e on &on&rete and lost itself in the strip of thi&% weedy
grass beside the sidewal%!
The beads of sweat that had fored on his forehead were
starting to run, stinging his eyes! He dashed to the heat vent again,
s%inning his bare %nees as he slid, and pulled aside the
snapdragon, his fat fingers digging into the soft plaster around the
vent! He dug two ore &apsules fro the translu&ent orange bottle
and swallowed the! He had the bottle ba&% in its hiding pla&e and
the vent pushed into the wall when he tore it aside again,
uns&rewed the bottle, and swallowed two ore pills!
He went to the bathroo and urinated again, then dran% three
ore glasses of water and got ba&% into bed! His fingers tapped his
&hest several ties, lightly, where the %ey usually rested! His
breathing /ui&%ened into an anial's whine! He got ba&% up and
stood at the window, forehead and hands pressed to the pane,
eyes sear&hing the weedy strip below!
"ithin the hour, he was out hunting on his hands and %nees, the
bea of his flashlight playing li%e a sall bea&on through the tall
blades of grass!
)hapter 2F
)-B#0 par%ed at a etered spot on -e )onte and wal%ed up
toward the Medi&al *laza, turning so the &onstru&tion wor%ers
a&ross the street &ouldn't a%e out his fa&e! He wore s&rubs and a
loose gray sweatshirt! His s&rub bottos, li%e ost, had a hidden
po&%et inside the waist on the left side, a siple stit&hed flap of
fabri& designed to %eep &redit &ards or pres&ription pads safe fro
grabbing hands and aortal spurts! )lyde had wedged his oney
&lip inside!
5ne of his hands was hidden beneath the sweatshirt, &ausing it
to bulge! He tugged on the bill of his blan% navy'blue &orduroy hat,
pulling it low so it shadowed his features! The early'orning air was
&risp, though there was little breeze!
#u&%ing behind soe foliage near the *)HS lot, he wat&hed the
attendants in the %ios%s about thirty yards away! 3or the ost part,
they %ept their eyes on the &ash registers and the in&oing &ars,
paying little attention to the wal%way that sloped down to the
abulan&e bay! -o&ated at the rear of the sall underground
par%ing area, the a&tual entran&e to the 0( was not visible fro
street level!
A se&urity guard eerged and headed up the wal%way, whistling,
his eyes on the bushes to his right! He rea&hed the top of the slope
and turned into the &overed se&tion of the *)HS lot, the se&tion
that led ba&% into the hospital! There were no news vans in sight!
)lyde's late6'gloved hand eerged fro beneath his sweatshirt,
holding a *yre6 bea%er, its gradations ar%ed in white! +t held a
blue vis&id li/uid! Breathing heavily, he reoved the foil &overing,
balled it up, and tossed it into the gutter! +t rolled a few feet before
falling down a sewer grate! )lyde withdrew ba&% into the bushes,
hidden by a &luster of pal fronds, and used his &heap digital
wat&h to tie the se&urity guard's patrol!
+t too% the guard five inutes and twenty'four se&onds to wal% a
full loop through the hospital and reappear! The guard eerged
fro the abulan&e bay again, heading up the wal%way, head
swiveling li%e a dog tra&%ing prey!
*ressing the bea%er of al%ali to his stoa&h, )lyde &rou&hed in
the bushes, waiting for the se&urity guard to disappear on&e again
into the larger lot! Then, opping his forehead with the sleeve of his
sweatshirt, he stepped fro the bushes! The rise and fall of his
&hest /ui&%ened!
He wal%ed &asually past the %ios%, %eeping his eyes on the
ground! A harried woan was loudly voi&ing her ob1e&tions to the
par%ing rates, pulled up so the bla&%'and'white striped ar nearly
rested a&ross the hood of her Taurus! $either of the par%ing
attendants noti&ed )lyde!
5ne hand staying beneath his sweatshirt, )lyde shuffle'stepped
down the wal%way into the subterranean abulan&e bay, &areful
not to sway too u&h! Three rivulets of sweat ar&ed down his left
&hee%! At the botto of the rap, two abulan&es had been left
deserted along the &urb! He slid between the and the wall!
A &ouple lingered by their &ar in the par%ing slots a&ross the
abulan&e bay, and )lyde pressed his &hee% against the &old
etal side of the abulan&e until their engine turned over! His
breath &ae /ui&% and pressured, li%e a sprinter's! The &ar
&hugged up the rap toward the open s%y and disappeared fro
sight!
The abulan&e bay was silent!
The autoati& glass doors to the 0( stood about fifteen yards to
his left! He wat&hed the doors and waited, trying to get his
breathing under &ontrol! He had about three ore inutes before
the se&urity guard would reappear! He held the *yre6 bea%er with
both hands, gripping it so tightly his %nu&%les whitened! The blue
li/uid lapped up the sides as his hands trebled!
A sudden noise as the 0( doors pushed open! He du&%ed,
peering through the abulan&e windows! The driver'side window
was down, and the abulan&e interior selled of pine disinfe&tant!
An Asian woan eerged fro the doors, her &logs e&hoing off
the en&losed walls! She wore blue s&rubs!
)lyde's nostrils flared as he drew breath! His eyes were dar% and
flat, stones soothed in a river's bed! He did not blin%!
*ulling a &igarette fro a pa&% she %ept hidden in the inside
breast po&%et of her s&rub top, she lit it and inhaled deeply,
throwing her head ba&%! An indulgent oan a&&opanied her
e6halation!
His pounding footsteps alared her! The lighter dropped on the
asphalt and boun&ed up, alost %nee'high! Her fa&e spread in a
s&rea and both ars went up, inter&epting ost of the blue li/uid!
A spurt found its way through, dousing the left side of her fa&e as
she turned! She yelped and fell over, her pals slapping the
asphalt!
)lyde pulled to a stop right above her and wat&hed, head
&o&%ed! Gasping, she %ept her eyes s/ueezed shut, evidently
unaware that the al%ali had stru&% only the side of her head! Her
ars and legs s&rabbled on the ground! She found a %nee, then her
feet, and then she ran ba&% toward the 0( doors, ars flailing
blindly in front of her!
)lyde tossed the *yre6 bea%er aside! +t boun&ed twi&e but
reained stubbornly inta&t! "al%ing bris%ly ba&% to the abulan&e,
he reoved his sweatshirt, revealing a worn s&rub top! He threw
the sweatshirt through the open abulan&e window, aiing for the
ba&%, then pulled off his &orduroy hat and tu&%ed it in the band of
his s&rub bottos so his top hung down over it! His pallid fa&e
tingled with a blend of horror and perverse gratifi&ation!
The woan ran into the wall a few feet to the left of the 0(
entran&e and toppled over! She rose again, outh down'twisted,
&hin sli&% with drool, and felt her way along the wall toward the
doors, sobbing louder now! She %ept her lips pressed tightly
together, so her &rying sounded uffled and throaty! 5ddly, she still
did not s&rea!
The doors swung open autoati&ally before her hands &ould find
the, and she stubled through! )lyde followed her in silently as
she navigated the sall, deserted hall, so &lose behind her he
&ould have stro%ed the soft fabri& of her s&rub top! She issed the
turn and banged against one of the pay phones, %no&%ing the
re&eiver fro its per&h! She felt her way ba&% to the open air as the
dangling phone began to bleat!
He tried the stairwell door to the side of the pay phones! +t was
lo&%ed and did not budge! He returned to his position behind her, a
running ba&% floating behind a blo&%er! She fubled forward, her
breathing harsh and rasping, that of a dying anial's! Her hand
went to her fa&e and &ae away with a &lup of hair! Her shoulder
stru&% the wall and she half turned, enough for hi to see the white
blisters rising in pat&hes on the soft s%in around her ear!
She stubled through both sets of glass doors and &ollapsed on
the lobby floor, wheezing! He stepped past her /ui&%ly before
anyone noti&ed her! Soeone s&reaed, and all at on&e the roo
was a whirlwind of s&rubs, ringing phones, running patients! *utting
his head down, he turned through the swinging doors into the 0(
proper and strode purposefully through the hallway!
Two nurses blew by, wheeling a gurney, then the se&urity guard
he'd observed outside ran past, shouting into his radio, 7)all for all
offi&ers8 Cones Two and Si68 )all for all offi&ers87
A do&tor dashed fro an e6a roo, barely &lipping his
shoulder! )lyde glan&ed down 1ust in tie to noti&e his +# badge:
#(! #A4+# S*+0(! "ithout so u&h as a ba&%ward glan&e, the
do&tor ran toward triage!
:eeping his eyes on the &heap tile, )lyde turned right at the
radiology suite and threaded ba&% into the huge aze of hospital
&orridors, leaving the &ootion behind!
)hapter 2<
#0T0)T+40 Bale signaled the abulan&e to stop as it &ae
down the rap! The driver hit the bra%e, nonplussed! A
&riinologist snapped photographs by the &urb and #alton stepped
around hi and pi&%ed up the *yre6 bea%er with his pen! +t slid
easily into the plasti& bag another offi&er held open for hi!
The paraedi&s struggled to offload the patient but were having
diffi&ulty yan%ing the gurney out uphill! A se&urity guard appeared at
the top of the rap and gave the a hand! Bale pulled his ar
away when #avid grabbed it! 7Bou should've learned by now not to
handle a poli&e offi&er li%e that,7 Bale said!
#avid was ipressed by the &oolness of his eyes! 7Sorry! +' a
little tense!7
Another &op approa&hed #avid iediately and thrust a
&lipboard at hi! +t &arried a )rie S&ene Attendan&e -og, and
#avid signed it as he &ontinued to address Bale! 7Bou &an't shut
down this abulan&e bay! +t's an eergen&y entran&e''it's
iperative that we get patients down here and through those doors
in a hurry!7
The paraedi&s wheeled the gurney down the rap, leaning
ba&% to slow it! An old woan wearing an o6ygen as% sat up,
gripping the etal rails, her eyes bulging alost &oi&ally! They
passed Bale and #avid and were slowed by #alton, who steered
the wide of the s&ene, then through the doors, ensuring they
didn't tou&h anything!
7+ haven't shut anything down,7 Bale said! 7But + &an't have
people &ontainating the area! "e need to preserve the integrity of
the s&ene! Surely + don't have to e6plain to you that this is a serious
atter we're dealing with!7
7$o ore serious than having patients with a&ute &onditions
delayed en route to the 0(!7
7"e'll see that the patients a%e it inside in tiely fashion!7 Bale
snapped his fingers at #alton and pointed to the side of the par%ed
abulan&e! 7-ogi&al hiding pla&e! Have -atent &he&% the side of the
vehi&le for prints!7 He glan&ed at #avid's +# tag! 7Bou be sure to
infor e of any potentially violent patients who &oe in!7
7+'ll help as u&h as + &an, but there are patient &onfidentiality
issues,7 #avid said!
7There are people getting their fa&es burnt off!7 Bale turned away,
raising a %nu&%le to his nose! His (ole6 slid out fro beneath his
&uff; the sooth rotation of the se&ond hand showed that it was
real! 3aily oney, no doubt! He &ouldn't afford that wat&h on a
poli&e dete&tive's salary!
#avid stepped around Bale so he was fa&ing hi again! 7*lease
get this rap &lear as soon as you &an! "e &an't have patients
going &riti&al out here be&ause you're putting a &rie s&ene ahead
of a edi&al eergen&y!7
Bale sighed, putting on a weary e6pression! 7#r! Spier, we're 1ust
doing our best to &ut down the nuber of patients you do get!7
The orphine had ellowed Sandra out substantially,
&onstri&ting her pupils and giving her libs a la6, alost fluid
fle6ibility when they oved! #iane &lut&hed Sandra's soft uns&arred
hand as she poured water down over her blistering left forear!
#avid &rou&hed on the far side of Sandra's bed as *at wor%ed
the left half of her fa&e with a saline bottle! 3ro his vantage, her
profile was lovely! The sooth brown s%in of her &hee%, the soft line
of her sterno&leidoastoid, the ar&h of a pen&iled eyebrow! The
&ontrast between the halves of her fa&e was brutal! He did not want
to rise fro his &rou&h!
7! ! ! &ouldn't see anything,7 Sandra &ontinued, her voi&e a drone!
7"hen + loo%ed up, + 1ust saw the stuff &oing at e!7 She seeed
oblivious to the people wor%ing industriously to repair her fa&e! 7But
+ %new it was hi! + fell down, and + %new to a%e sure + %ept y
eyes s/ueezed shut!7
*at du&%ed her fa&e behind a hand as a sniffle es&aped her!
#iane loo%ed over, resting a hand on *at's wrist! 7"e got it fro
here,7 she said softly! 7#on't worry!7
*at turned, averting her fa&e, and headed out of the e6a roo!
She hurled the saline bottle as she e6ited, and it popped open
when it stru&% the floor!
+t was the first tie #avid had seen her lose her teper!
7! ! ! didn't want to s&rea,7 Sandra said! 7#idn't want to open y
outh so he &ould throw the stuff down y throat!7 A halting breath!
7+ don't want to be li%e $an&y!7 Her voi&e went high, and bro%e, so
her ne6t words were alost soundless! 75h God! 5h God!7
7Bou're all right!7 #avid wanted to stro%e the unarred side of her
fa&e, feel it soft beneath his fingers, but he did not! 7$othing went in
your eyes or down your throat! Bou 1ust sustained burns on one
side of your fa&e, whi&h we have under &ontrol!7
7+t stung,7 Sandra said! 7+t stung so bad but + &ouldn't s&rea! +
&ouldn't open y eyes!7 A single tear beaded at the pointed &orner
of her eye and strea%ed down her perfe&t &hee%! #avid wiped its
trail away with his thub, wanting to %eep the &hee% pristine!
7"hy did soeone do this to e97 Her head rolled loosely to the
right so she was fa&ing hi! The blistering had blown her &hee% out
of shape''a weeping, pitted bulge of ruby and white! Mu&h of the
hair had fallen fro the side of her head! The flesh at the base of
her ear had been eaten away, the divots pooling with serous fluid
and saline! Her tragus was burnt down to a sall nub!
#avid felt hiself shot through with a burst of anger so sudden
and intense it left hi nauseous! He shoo% his head and laid the
ba&%s of his fingers a&ross the uns&athed s%in of her forehead! 7+
don't %now!7
His legs were sha%ing when he rose fro his &rou&h!
#alton tossed the +n'$'5ut bag in Bale's lap! Bale /ui&%ly pi&%ed
it up, trying to wor% a spot of grease out of his pants with a
fingernail!
7Sorry,7 #alton ubled! He raised the reaining &res&ent of
double &heeseburger to his outh and angled it in!
Bale glan&ed inside the bag, &losed it, and set it aside on the
ben&h! He stret&hed his legs, running his eyes around the grassy
/uad of the Medi&al *laza!
A burly ale patient in a hospital gown flirted with a nurse near
the wide steps of the hospital entran&e! He leaned in to whisper
soething to her, and she drew ba&% slightly!
#alton wiped his nose with his sleeve! 7+ too% another loo% at the
&onstru&tion guys on -e )onte! Two of the have ar tattoos, but
neither one resebles a s%ull! 5ne of the guys is a parolee, got
popped for a B and 0 in 'ED, but he's alibied three ties over! 5ther
guy's tat loo%ed li%e 1ailhouse in%! +' gonna run hi, but he's also
got a solid alibi!7
7"e're loo%ing for a disorganized offender,7 Bale said! 7He's
sart enough to wear late6 gloves, but dis&ards eviden&e at the
s&ene! + thin% he gets &lose to the vi&tis by ne&essity''he's not
sophisti&ated enough to figure out how to do dirty wor% fro afar!7
7+ don't %now about that! There's a hundred easier ways to fu&%
soeone up!7 #alton sighed! 7+t's 1ust too bad neither vi& got a good
loo%!7
Bale signaled to #alton that he had a &rub on his &hee%! 7That
&ould be soething psy&hologi&al, not 1ust strategi&!7 He pressed
his fists together, lining up the %nu&%les! 7Maybe there's another
otivation to his not wanting to be seen! Maybe he's got soe
physi&al ipairent he's ashaed of!7
7-ip or soething97
Bale shoo% his head! 7*robably not! Too eorable! Soeone
would've noti&ed''and reeber, he's vanished into thin air twi&e!
+' thin%ing soething less iediately visual! Soething you only
noti&e if you tal% or intera&t with hi! Glass eye! A lisp! Bad a&ne!
Soething! + thin% he doesn't want to be seen! + thin% he's afraid to
be seen! Self'&ons&ious! Avoids eye &onta&t! As soon as the vi&tis
are aware of hi, they have #rano flying in their eyes!7
7$ot a single fu&%ing eyewitness! The goddan 0( doesn't post
guards at the doors! 0veryone &oes in in their vehi&les, so the
guys in the par%ing %ios%s are the gate%eepers! $o one wal%s to the
0(!7
7God bless -A,7 Bale said!
#alton s&rat&hed his head! 7"ell, now that we have two vi&s, at
least we &an rule out a personal atta&% on $an&e!7
7+ don't %now,7 Bale said! 7"e gotta &ross'&he&% re&ords, see if
there's any patients both $an&y and Sandra Bee treated! )ould
a%e sense! $urse and do&tor! Maybe they fu&%ed soeone up,
pissed hi off!7
7They're reading li%e &ries of opportunity to e! "e've found no
eviden&e to show he stal%ed either of the vi&tis! And believe e,
e and .en%ins dug hard for any unusual shit in $an&e's life!7
#alton pi&%ed a loose string off his shirt! 7+ thin% anyone who
stepped through the 0( doors into the abulan&e bay at that
oent was gonna &at&h the fa&eful of lye! Bee 1ust got unlu&%y!7
7So%ing %ills,7 Bale said!
7+ thin% he would've hit anyone!7
7Male or feale97
7)ries li%e this, +'d guess he's at least se6'spe&ifi&!7
7Beah!7 Bale nodded! 7Beah!7
#alton pushed a hand through his hair, leaving his bangs sti&%ing
up on one side! 7Maybe he's got a vendetta against the hospital!7
75r nurses, or do&tors! 5r professionals, for all we %now! -i%e
you said, he's not pi&%y with who he's hit so far! Tall )au&asian
nurse and a short Asian do&tor! Sounds li%e a porn!7 Bale popped a
sile, then lost it at #alton's glare! 7Gallows huor! The one saving
gra&e of the 1ob! -ighten up! + want to bust the pie&e of shit as u&h
as you do!7
7Bou ay want to bust the *5S,7 #alton said, 7but + got three
years in unifor with her brother, and +'ve eaten food off her table
after ore than one graveyard shift! +' loo%ing forward to losing a
few bullets in this guy's s%ull!7
7+ understand,7 Bale said! 7But that's of little utility!7
#alton glan&ed down at the ground, his ne&% wrin%ling into
another &hin, and s&rat&hed his forehead! Then he nodded!
7Both assaults o&&urred during &onventional wor% hours,7 Bale
said! 7Maybe our boy's uneployed!7
7That would fit the low sophisti&ation level of the &ries!7
7The fa&t that we're dealing with an inse&ure, disorganized
offender tells us soething about the vi&tis he &hooses! And the
lo&ale! They'd both be within his &ofort zone! This isn't the %ind of
guy to stray to new territory to hit his ar%s!7 Bale too% in the
breadth of the plaza! 7+ thin% he %nows his way around here, aybe
even wor%s nearby, and he's failiar with do&tors and nurses!7 He
tapped his &hin with a %nu&%le, a rare ine6pedient gesture! 7"e
should &he&% re&ords for plaintiffs in alpra&ti&e suits against the
hospital!7
7Though pursuing legal avenues would iply resour&es and
wherewithal not ne&essarily in %eeping with our profile,7 #alton
added!
7True!7 Bale snapped his gu! 7+' thin%ing he's too old to be a
student at ,)-A, but we probably &an't rule it out given we're right
on &apus! Bou tal% to )A#97
7They're running a *A)M+S and a ))AB, seeing if anything rings
the &herries,7 #alton said! 7Should hear ba&% toorrow!7 "hen the
)rie Analysis #etail offi&er put the al%ali assaults through the
*oli&e Arrest )rie Manageent +nforation Syste and the
)onsolidated )rie Analysis #atabase, siilar &ries in the area
would show up iediately! The list would in&lude anything in
"estwood, on &apus or off!
#alton sat on the ben&h beside Bale, and they wat&hed the burly
patient near the hospital steps try to ebroil a passing woan in
&onversation! She siled &urtly and %ept wal%ing! 7)ould be
anyone,7 #alton said! 7)ould be that fu&%er right there!7
Bale shoo% his head! 7$o sir! 5ur guy fears woen! That guy ! ! !
7 He stabbed a finger in the an's dire&tion! 7That guy's got
&onfiden&e!7 A note of adiration found its way into his voi&e! 7He'd
be a %eeper and a player, not a hit'and'runner! He'd be a Bundy!
5ur guy's a welfare Ber%owitz!7
#alton stared hungrily at Bale's unopened +n'$'5ut bag! 7The
al%ali &ae ba&% fro lab! #anny said they're all pretty u&h
sodiu hydro6ide and sodiu hypo'soething, but the surfa&tants
are different! 5ur boy's using #rain0ze! 0ver hear of it97
7$o!7
706a&tly! Aside fro being sold in a few drugstores, it's ostly
used institutionally! S&hools, fa&tories, warehouses ! ! ! 7
7And hospitals!7
7Bingo! They don't use it here, though! +' giving a loo% at other
pla&es in the area, see who sto&%s it! +t's a long shot!7
7They're all long shots,7 Bale said! 7But we do have one thing
going for us!7
7Two &ases, sae M5!7
7That's right! "e have the vi&tis tied through the hospital, and
we %now where he li%es to &oit his assaults!7
#alton's sile was &roo%ed! 7That eans we %now where to
wait!7
Bale tapped his teple with a finger!
#avid and .en%ins appeared at opposite sides of the plaza at
about the sae tie! They both ade their way toward Bale and
#alton, neither noti&ing the other! Bale wat&hed the ipending
&ollision with disay! #alton pi&%ed up on his tense posture and
followed his gaze! 75h! Shit!7
#avid rea&hed the first and s/uatted before the ben&h, white
&oat spreading behind hi li%e a &ape! 7+ was told you were up
here! + was wondering if you had any strong leads + &ould bring
ba&% to the 0(!7
7"ell,7 .en%ins &alled out as he approa&hed! 7+f it isn't the good
do&tor! "hat brings you off your turf97
#avid rose /ui&%ly, so as to fa&e .en%ins on his feet! 7+ 1ust
wanted an update! To see when you thin% you'll have this guy safely
in &ustody!7
.en%ins laughed a hard laugh! #avid waited patiently through the
perforan&e! 7Safely in &ustody,7 .en%ins repeated! 7That's a good
one!7
7"hy,7 #avid as%ed, 7is that a good one97
#alton stood! 7.en%ins,7 he said, his voi&e low and soothing!
7$o,7 #avid said! 7+ want to %now!7
A pulse was beating in .en%ins's teple when he loo%ed ba&%
over at #avid, and #avid realized for the first tie 1ust how
dangerous a an he was!
Bale reained sitting through the ensuing silen&e, ars spread
a&ross the top of the ben&h! 7There are &ertain rules, #r! Spier,7 he
said, spea%ing as if to a &hild! 75ne does not atta&% s&hools,
hospitals, poli&e stations, or the people who wor% there! These are
dire&t atta&%s on the institutions and people that %eep our &ities
fun&tioning! The brea%ing of su&h rules does not''&annot''go
unpunished!7
+t too% #avid a oent to find his voi&e! 7+ agree!7
7Su&h atta&%s are una&&eptable!7
7+ agree,7 #avid said again, in a easured tone! 7But punishent
doesn't really fall under either of our 1ob des&riptions, does it97
7+'ll tell you what falls under''7
7.en%ins87 Bale snapped, sharply but without anger! .en%ins
&losed his outh! +t seeed to ta%e &onsiderable effort! #alton put
his ar around .en%ins's shoulders and wal%ed hi a few pa&es
away! .en%ins shrugged off the ar but followed!
Bale ad1usted the %not of his tie, though it was already perfe&tly
straight! He e6uded a &alness la&%ing in the other two offi&ers!
The only thing unreasonable about hi was his .oseph Abboud
four'button bird's'eye suit! 7$o, #r! Spier,7 he answered! 7+t
doesn't!7
#avid lowered his voi&e so #alton and .en%ins &ouldn't overhear!
7These are y staff ebers getting hurt! + 1ust want to assure
the they're being prote&ted! +'d li%e to bring soething ba&% to
settle the! "hatever you &an dis&lose!7
7+'ll be happy to dire&t you to our *+5!7
7*+597
7*ubli& +nforation 5ffi&er!7
75h,7 #avid said! 7+ see!7 He heard the hard fri&atives of .en%ins
&ursing behind hi! #alton had a hand hoo%ed around his ne&% in a
half hold, half ebra&e! 7+ thin% it's iportant that we all %eep our
heads in the iddle of this,7 #avid added!
The evenness of Bale's stare was unsettling! 7.en%ins is 1ust a
patrolan,7 he said! 7#alton and + are dete&tives! +t's under &ontrol!7
7+'d 1ust ! ! ! the ood in the 0( ! ! ! 7 #avid drew a deep breath,
trying to figure out what he wanted to say! 7+ don't thin% any of us
want things to turn ugly!7
7+ believe they already have, #r! Spier!7
7+n our professions, it doesn't do us any good to give in to
hatred!7
7Bou don't %now anything about y 1ob! +'d suggest you refrain
fro proffering advi&e about it!7 Bale's upper lip &urled slightly! The
first sign of anger! 3air enough''#avid hadn't realized how
&ondes&ending his words were until they were out of his outh!
He tried to pro&eed ore &autiously! 7+ %now this is the %ind of
liberal bullshit you hate to hear, but the an we're dealing with ay
even be aware of the fa&t he needs help! Have you &onsidered
that9 Bou &ould use that inforation soehow to &at&h hi! He's
targeting people right outside the 0(, feet away fro the treatent
and &are they need! Sub&ons&iously, aybe he doesn't want the
to get hurt!7
Bale tossed the unopened +n'$'5ut bag at a trash &an a good
five yards away and hit it dead &enter! 7+f he didn't want people to
get hurt,7 he said, 7he wouldn't throw #rano in their fa&es!7
)hapter 2?
*0T0( Ale6ander's balan&e was not aided by the a/uariu
wal%way that ran fro the reservation des% to the restaurant proper,
but #avid %new better than to offer his assistan&e! The hostess
wat&hed as *eter lur&hed and waddled, ars spread wide as
though he were anti&ipating a hug! A fat'eyed parrotfish darted
/ui&%ly underfoot and *eter swayed, one of his leg bra&es &lin%ing
against the ba&% of a &hair! The hostess slowed her pa&e and
&aught #avid's eye, but #avid %ept his hands in his po&%ets and
shoo% his head!
The &rowd at )rusta&ean evin&ed Beverly Hills's notion of
ups&ale''&ell phones and sil% shirts, ovie oguls, and the
o&&asional high'pri&ed &all girl! *eter's unusual gait &aught a few
glan&es, but ost people had dire&ted their attention elsewhere by
the tie he passed!
They rea&hed the base of the stairs and the hostess turned,
flustered! 7+' sorry, but the table is upstairs! + &an see how long the
wait is down here! + didn't %now ! ! ! when you ade the reservation
no one told us that ! ! ! 7
7A&tually,7 *eter said, with a sile and an aristo&rati& tip of his
head, 7+ prefer upstairs!7
He gripped the banister, but seeed displeased with its height!
He be&%oned #avid with a hand and #avid turned around, a%ing
his shoulder available! *eter's oversized hands were unnaturally
strong, and #avid was grateful for his blazer's shoulder padding!
-eaning over, *eter read1usted his loafer around the &urved base of
his leg bra&e! The etal had stret&hed and distorted the outh of
the shoe, lining the o6blood leather with tan wrin%les!
Turning sideways, both hands on the &urved banister, he swung
one stiff leg out behind hi, hoo%ed it on the first step, then pivoted
his hips so his other leg followed! He slid his hands about a foot up
and repeated the otion! Step nuber two!
The hostess glan&ed nervously up the &urved length of the
stair&ase! There were over thirty steps to the top! #avid too% the
enus fro her with a sile!
7+t's the table for two in the ba&% &orner,7 she said!
#avid %ept a few steps behind *eter as he wor%ed his way up!
*eter was winded when he rea&hed the top, and he opped his
brow with a floppy white hand%er&hief!
A paddle fan turned slowly above their table! An effeinate
waiter too% their order with his hands &lasped together, leaning
forward as if into a strong gust of wind!
*eter pulled off his &oat and hung it over the ba&% of his &hair!
His bla&% hair, shot through with gray, was unruly and aniated''the
hair of a &oposer! #avid %new *eter was at least twenty years his
senior, though they'd never arrived at his age &onversationally!
Along with *eter's disability, whi&h he never e6pounded upon, his
age was siply off'liits!
7Bour other would have &aptured the bastard herself,7 *eter
said! 7Bound hi with her stethos&ope and dragged hi %i&%ing
and s&reaing to a se&lusion roo in the $*+!7
The $europsy&hiatri& +nstitute's nas&en&e had o&&urred under
#avid's other's tenure! She'd been a&tively broadening
psy&hiatry's horizons, ba&% when ost pra&titioners of the field
were busy erely s&rubbing off the stains of wit&h&raft and
ysti&is! *eter had %nown her sin&e his young days as a fledgling
urologist!
7#r! 0vans &alled e this orning,7 #avid said!
7How is our vibrant &hief of staff97
7)haring but hard'assed, as usual! "anted to ensure + was
%eeping on top of the 0(, leaving no loose ends for the press to
grab hold of!7
75ur al%ali thrower has &aptured -A's iagination! The edia
loves gory details!7
73uel for a &ity &hara&terized by A##! But + suppose it beats
hearing about .ennifer Aniston's hair!7 #avid set down his enu
and aligned it neatly with the edge of the table! 7"e 1ust &an't let all
this slow the hospital down!7
7+t's a nightare,7 *eter said! 7-ast night, + had a nine'hour
standing surgery that got out after one in the orning! They ade
e wait nearly forty inutes so a se&urity guard &ould wal% e to
y &ar! 3orty inutes!7
The sell of garli& heralded dinner's arrival! Two steaing plates
of %ing prawns resting on beds of swirled linguini! *eter rea&hed to
&enter his plate before hi but withdrew his hand /ui&%ly, a flash of
pani& lighting his eyes! He spilled soe i&e water on his hand
where it had tou&hed the plate, though there was &learly no sign of
redness or swelling!
#avid &ontinued the &onversation as the waiter served''a
rudeness in whi&h he did not usually indulge, but the waiter had
annoyed hi earlier by as%ing twi&e if he was sure he didn't want
wine!
7+t has been wret&hed,7 #avid said, realizing with soe
auseent that he'd inadvertently irrored *eter's tone of fau6'
0nglish prissiness! 7$ow that it's &onfired that the atta&% on
$an&y wasn't an isolated in&ident, +'ve been assured that the
hospital's se&urity level will go through the roof!7 He shoo% his
head! 75ne of y edi&al students alost a&ed a hoeless an
in the abulan&e bay! She was wearing s&rubs''he was
approa&hing her for help!7
75ne &an hardly blae her,7 *eter said! He anipulated his %nife
and for% gra&efully, hands turning in deft, fluid otions! +t was a
pleasure to wat&h hi dine!
7The last thing we need is a war entality on the floor,7 #avid
said! 70spe&ially with the deographi& oving through there! And
people are angry!7 Absentindedly, he tapped the tines of his for%
against the plate! 7God, are they angry!7
7And why shouldn't they be9 Two lovely young pra&titioners
auled and utilated! At the pla&e where they render edi&al
&are!7
7Bes, than% goodness they weren't hoely sewer wor%ers!7
*eter regarded #avid huorlessly! 7Bou understand what +'
saying,7 he said! 7This business is vile! Siply vile!7
7+' ta%ing that as a given,7 #avid said! 7And believe e, + %new
both these woen, and treated the when they &ae in! "hat +'
saying is, we need to loo% &loser! 4iolen&e should not attenuate our
edi&al epathy!7
7Bah87 *eter said! *eter was the only person #avid %new who
said 7Bah!7 7A little anger is a good thing!7 *eter fiddled with his
wire'ri glasses, &leaning the &ir&ular lenses with a &orner of his
nap%in! The &lipped, eti&ulous oveents of his hands betrayed
his irritation! 7This an''he's the result of what9 A bad tour of duty9
)astration threats fro an unloving other9 +t's not an e6&use!
$one of the hands we are dealt &ontain a Get'5ut'of'Morality &ard!
"e grow and we fight and we &ope!7 His finger, pointing down into
the table&loth, grew white around the %nu&%le! 7This an is
deserving of our anger!7
7He has y anger,7 #avid said! He set down his for%, resting the
ne&% on the lip of the plate! *eter wat&hed hi &losely, intelligently!
7+' sorry,7 #avid said!
*eter nodded, his outh drawing down in a thoughtful frown! 7As
physi&ians, when &onfronted with soeone li%e this assailant, we're
instin&tively drawn to e6planations involving psy&hopathology or
ental illness! But we shouldn't fool ourselves!7 He raised his for%,
&oiled with linguini, and pointed it at #avid! Soething in the
gesture gave it onuental weight! 75dds are, he's a ali&ious,
sadisti& bastard, whether he's si&% or not!7
7+ %now that,7 #avid said!
*eter twirled his for%, &apturing ore linguini! 7#o you97
They ate in silen&e for a while! #avid stifled a yawn with his
nap%in!
7Bou loo% li%e hell,7 *eter said! 7Burning it at both ends97
#avid nodded wearily! 7+ &an't wor% the way + used to!7
7Bou're getting old!7 *eter's eyes twin%led when he laughed!
7"hen + used to wor% the Air 3or&e base down in (iverside, +'d get
these young a&ho pilots in for vase&toies! Married a few years,
%no&%ed out a few %ids, didn't want to worry about ipregnating
their wife or anyone else with who they happened to be sleeping!
+'d get the done, and afterward +'d tell the to be &areful and use
prote&tion be&ause they were still shooting live rounds for another
thirty e1a&ulations! And they'd 1ust sile and say, 'Thirty s/uirts9 +'ll
get that ta%en &are of this wee%end, #o&!' 7
#avid laughed!
7#o you %now what the oral of that story is97 *eter as%ed! He
drew out the pause draati&ally! 7Bou &an't go li%e you used to!7
An attra&tive iddle'aged woan wal%ed past their table,
ad1usting a satin spaghetti strap on her dress! #avid felt a rush of
elan&holy! There was no wine to blae it on! 7+f + ever lost this, y
wor%, +'d ! ! ! + don't %now!7
7-ose your wor%9 Bou're at the height of your &areer!7
7+ &an't wor% ninety'hour wee%s anyore!7
7+ never &ould!7
7But + &ould! + &ould!7
*eter leaned ba&% in his &hair, as if that provided a better
vantage fro whi&h to regard hi! 7Bou inherited your other's
vanity!7
#avid rubbed the bridge of his nose with a %nu&%le! 7+ inherited
the runoff!7
7She was a great woan, your other, but she was &ruel in the
way great people are &ruel! Bou have none of that!7 *eter pi&%ed at
a prawn with his for%, but did not spear it! 7#o you %now why great
people are &ruel9 They have so u&h of theselves to prote&t!7 He
rea&hed down and ad1usted one of his leg bra&es! #avid &aught a
fli&%er of a gria&e before *eter repla&ed it with a sile! 7"e all
have our liitations,7 *eter said!
*eter insisted, despite #avid's protestations, on pi&%ing up the
&he&%''a habit he'd developed when #avid had been a penniless
intern and persisted in, #avid believed, to perpetuate an air of
affe&tionate &ondes&ension!
#avid folded *eter's 1a&%et over his ar and waited patiently for
hi to rise! +t too% the nearly five inutes to a%e it down the
stairs and to the lobby!
)hapter 2D
B(5$$0( s&ooped the wedge of toba&&o dip fro his lower lip
with a &urled finger and fli&%ed it out the window! .en%ins sat rigidly
in the passenger seat, wat&hing the sun dip to the horizon! They
headed up 4eteran, the rolling hills of the &eetery sprawling to
their left! The white posts of the soldiers' graves rose li%e glowing
pi&%ets into the dus%!
They turned on "eyburn, heading into "estwood 4illage, the
large tower of the hospital looing to the east! Students &lustered
around the outdoor tables at the )offee Bean on the &orner! ,)-A
blue and gold was everywhere''ba&%pa&%s, sweatshirts, hats,
1erseys! Apparently unable to find a &hair, a girl with e6&eedingly
long legs bent over a fluores&ent blueberry laptop! A pair of 1ean
&utoffs were stret&hed tight over her rear end, the botto &urves of
her butto&%s 1ust in view beneath!
Bronner &leared his throat and got a good phleg rattle! 7+
reeber when &oputers were new! + reeber when they were
tan or white! $ow they got all these dan &olors! #on't %now
whether to boot 'e up or hang 'e on a )hristas tree!7
.en%ins loo%ed fro the girl's high hard ass to Bronner's fa&e!
7And that's what you find worthy of &oent97
70asy there, young .edi! + so u&h as double'ta%e, y old lady'll
fly over here on her broosti&% and staple y eyelids shut!7
Bronner turned the plain gold band on his ring finger! 7Twenty'three
years of wear and tear, and the fu&%er still fits snug as a hair in an
ass &ra&%! +t's on till the finger falls off!7
7Bou never &heated on her9 0ven when you were younger97
Bronner shrugged! 7+ didn't inhale!7
The light &hanged and they pulled forward! A ,)*# &ar passed
the, and the driver and Bronner e6&hanged nods!
7.esus )hrist,7 .en%ins said! 7How any do they have running97
7)alled additional units down fro ,)SB and +rvine! A little e6tra
ba&%up!7
7As long as #alton and Bale have lead on the &ase, they &an &all
in the *oli&e 06plorers for all + give a shit!7
7Bou want to go visit $an&y97
.en%ins glan&ed in the dire&tion of the Medi&al *laza! $ight had
fallen /ui&%ly, and the windows of the hospital shone as floating
s/uares in the distan&e! 7$o,7 he said!
They patrolled the &apus perieter twi&e in silen&e before
&oing up behind a beat'up van with tinted ba&% windows on
Sunset! 7That's a #-(,7 Bronner said!
.en%ins pushed hiself ere&t in his seat! 7Bou're right,7 he said!
7That fu&%er #on't -oo% (ight at all!7
Based on the open layout of the streets surrounding the hospital
and the speed of the suspe&t's departure, Bale had laid down the
hypothesis that the suspe&t had used a vehi&le to get to and fro
the &rie s&ene! .en%ins and Bronner had spent the last twelve
hours loo%ing for #-(s!
Bronner steered into the other lane and pulled up to the van's
blind spot! 3(0##B'S +$#,ST(+A- )-0A$+$G was written on the
side in &hipped white paint!
.en%ins's 1aw tightened! 7-et's 1a&% hi up!7
7*robable &ause97
7(ear li&ense light97
Bronner leaned his head to the window, &he&%ing! 7Bup!
(earview irror97
7Bup! *ull forward!7 Bronner did, but the van sat too high for
the to see the driver through the passenger window! 73ront
plate97 .en%ins as%ed hopefully!
7Bup!7 Bronner's eye pi&%ed over the &ar e6terior! 7Bingo!
)ra&%ed windshield!7 He fisted the radio and it &hied its distin&tive
-A*# &hie, propting hi to spea%! 7-A, 0ight Ada Thirty'two,
traffi&!7
The van turned down Hilgard, and they followed a half blo&%
before .en%ins swit&hed on the lights! Sorority row flew by as the
radio &ra&%led its response: 70ight Ada Thirty'two, -A! Advised
traffi&!7
The van pulled to a halt in front of two enorous garbage &ans at
the &urb!
70ight Ada Thirty'two, traffi&,7 Bronner said! 70ight hundred
blo&% south Hilgard on a bla&% )hevy van, possibly ideighties!
Twenty'eight, twenty'nine, please! -i&ense plate two $ora si6 eight
one four two! )ode four at this tie!7
He angled one spotlight into the driver's side irror! Be&ause the
van's ba&% window was tinted, he &ouldn't get the se&ond one on
the rearview irror, but he put it through the ba&% window anyway!
They sat in the &ar for a oent, gathering theselves! .en%ins
unsnapped his holster, then snapped it shut again! 7A fu&%ing
industrial &leaner's tru&%! +sn't that perfe&t97
They stared straight ahead, letting the suspe&t get nervous,
waiting for traffi& to &lear!
.en%ins pulled out a sall tape re&order, hit (0)5(#, and
/ui&%ly rattled off the Miranda rights! He &li&%ed the tape re&order
off and turned a /ui&% grin to Bronner! 7Glad we got that out of the
way!7
Bronner &leared his throat, then too% on a news&aster's
intonation! 7"hy did you shoot the suspe&t, 5ffi&er .en%ins97
7+ feared for y life and the life of y fellow offi&er! "hy did you
shoot the suspe&t, 5ffi&er Bronner97
Bronner &ra&%ed a grin! 7+ was &on&erned for y safety and the
safety of others!7
7(eady97 Both doors opened siultaneously, and the offi&ers
&ae up on the van on ea&h side! They did not &ross their paths!
The driver s/uinted into the flashlight, whi&h Bronner held about
two feet away fro his fa&e! Bronner's radio &ord ran fro his hip
up his ba&%, away fro grabbing hands, the unit hoo%ed over his
shoulder! 5n the other side of the van, .en%ins shined his light
through the tinted ba&% windows, trying to get a loo% at the dar%
interior!
7"hat'd + do, an97 The driver, a heavyset an with wide,
doughy &hee%s and heavily gelled &urls of hair, raised an ar to the
flashlight's glare!
7-i&ense, registration, proof of insuran&e,7 Bronner said! Behind
hi, a bro%en sprin%ler spurted a thi&% two'in&h fountain that turned
the lawn slee% li%e pelt! The runoff had left the sidewal% wet and
spotted with snails! 7:eep your left hand on the dash or steering
wheel and rea&h with your right hand to your glove bo6!7
7"hat are you''97
7#on't a%e e as% again!7
The driver leaned toward the glove &opartent, his thin
polyester snap'up pulling up out of his 1eans! He did not see to be
&on&ealing any weapons on his body! His sleeve rode up on his
right shoulder, revealing a tattoo of Mi&%ey Mouse! *erhaps through
her pani& haze, $an&y had ista%en Mi&%ey Mouse for a s%ull!
7Slowly,7 Bronner added!
The driver handed hi the do&uents, then dug in his po&%et for
his wallet! Bronner held the flashlight to the registration but %ept his
eyes on the driver's hand until it eerged fro his po&%et! He
glan&ed at the li&ense! 3rederi&% (ussay!
Bronner &lipped the li&ense and registration to his shirt po&%et,
sliding it beneath the protruding pen &ap!
7+s there soe proble, offi&er97 A little ore polite this tie!
7Are you aware that you have a &ra&%ed windshield97 Bronner
as%ed!
7Beah, + guess! +s that li%e soe big deal or soething97
7"ould you ind stepping out of the vehi&le please97
7"hy97
73or our safety!7
"hen (ussay hun&hed forward, his shirt was stu&% to his ba&%
with sweat!
7Get out of the vehi&le,7 Bronner said, a bit ore firly!
73or a &ra&%ed''97
7Get out of the vehi&le iediately!7
(ussay s&rabled /ui&%ly out onto the &urb, leaving his door
open! 7-oo%, an, + don't %now what's going on here, but + didn't''7
Bronner spun hi and pushed hi for&efully up against the side
of the van! He patted hi down, even &he&%ing his &rot&h for a
pie&e dangling fro a belly band! He found nothing! 7+s there
anyone else in the vehi&le97
7$o!7
7Mind if we ta%e a loo%97 Bronner %ept his forear a&ross
(ussay's ba&%, pressing hi forward into the side of the van!
7$o! + guess not!7
Bronner &aught .en%ins's eye through the open passenger
window and signaled hi with a 1er% of his head! .en%ins wal%ed
ba&% to the rear of the van, snapping and unsnapping his holster!
The street grew suddenly /uiet! He threw open one door, and light
fell into the van's dar% interior fro a nearby streetlight! The van
selled of )loro6, &offee, and wet rags! The flashlight's bea
pi&%ed over the ounds of gear! Mops in dirty bu&%ets, several
&oiled drain sna%es, piles of dirty overalls! +n the ba&%, half hidden
by an open toolbo6, was a &ontainer of (ed #evil #rain )leaner!
The us&les stood out on .en%ins's 1aw li%e walnuts!
He wal%ed around and stood beside Bronner! 7He's got lye ba&%
there!7
7)ould be legit if he is a &leaning guy,7 Bronner uttered!
7)ould be,7 .en%ins said! 7+f!7
Bronner nodded! 7"e'll %now soon enough!7
(ussay oved his head, trying to turn around! 7"hat are you
guys''97
A burst of stati& &ae through Bronner's portable, then it
s/uaw%ed, 70ight Ada 3ourteen -os Angeles!7 Bronner wal%ed a
few yards up the &urb! .en%ins %ept (ussay up against the side of
the van, hands and legs spread!
70ight Ada Thirty'two, -A,7 Bronner said! 7Go ahead!7
74ehi&le has no wants, no warrants! 4ehi&le &oes ba&% to
3rederi&% (ussay's +ndustrial )leaning )orporation, one'two'two'
five Ara&ost nuber two'ten, -A!7
7(oger that! )an + get a twenty'eight also on a 3rederi&%
(ussay97 Bronner un&lipped the li&ense fro his shirt po&%et and
alternated his eyes between it and (ussay as he read off (ussay's
so&ial se&urity nuber, date of birth, and li&ense nuber!
3orear resting lightly a&ross (ussay's shoulders, .en%ins
waited for Bronner to give hi a sign one way or the other! A
)abriolet with three brunettes slowed as it passed! -aughter and
pop usi&! 5ne girl waved, her ar undulating in the dar%ness li%e
a sna%e in water! (ussay's breathing was harshly audible!
Bronner tilted his head ba&% and e6haled hard! 7Be advised,7 his
portable finally said! 7There are no wants, no warrants! Sub1e&t has
a total of si6 points! Two previous e6&ess of speed, one in 'E<, one
in 'EI! 0verything else &lear!7
7(oger that!7 He released the portable button with a flare of his
thub!
.en%ins wat&hed the slight slup of Bronner's shoulders and
stepped away fro (ussay! (ussay reained leaning forward
against the van! 7Get up,7 .en%ins said!
(ussay stood up and tu&%ed in his shirt as Bronner wal%ed over
and offered hi ba&% his do&uents! His hand &losed over the
brus/uely, and his driver's li&ense fluttered to the ground! He %ept
his eyes on .en%ins as he &rou&hed to pi&% it up!
7That's all, Mr! (ussay,7 Bronner said!
7So the &ra&% in y windshield's o%ay97 (ussay rested his hands
on his hips! "arring eotions fli&%ered through his fa&e; he
seeed unsure whether to be grateful or angry! Bronner gestured
hi to head ba&% to the van, and he went, sha%ing his head in
e6asperation, the &urls of his hair barely swaying under the weight
of the gel!
.en%ins followed hi, &at&hing up as he slaed the door! 7Mr!
(ussay97 he said, through the open window! The spotlight still
shone on (ussay's fa&e, refle&ted off the side irror! (ussay raised
his eyebrows! 7"e have your nae and address!7
7"hat does that ean97 (ussay &alled after hi! His voi&e rose
a half o&tave into a nervous whine! 7"hat the hell is that supposed
to ean97
.en%ins wal%ed ba&% to his vehi&le, boots &run&hing snails
underfoot!
)hapter 2I
)-B#0 wal%ed with his head set low on his ne&%, as though he
&ould retra&t it within his body! )orduroy hat blo&%ing his eyes,
hands shoved into his po&%ets, loose shoela&es trailing fro his
dirty white Adidas snea%ers, he wandered the streets of 4eni&e
ailessly! A &lown with a large red banana of a sile wal%ed past,
trailing a beer &ooler with M(! 3,$3A)0 lettered on the side in
bottle&aps! He loo%ed pissed off!
Two young girls wal%ed by, shuffling and dan&ing to "al%ans,
etal protruding fro their pier&ed brown bellies li%e the tips of fish
hoo%s! They were /ui&%ly gone, the tinny blare of their uffled
usi& floating away with the! The wheels of the &lown's &ooler
hi&&uped a&ross sidewal% &ra&%s, a dissonant night song!
3luttering window &urtains, sleeping drun%s, &ars with steaing
windows''the streets were epty but alive, their inhabitants
withdrawn li%e &reatures of the woods! )lyde wal%ed alone, &asting
a broad shadow, the asphalt sli&% with o&ean fil underfoot! A sell
&ae off his war flesh''not a typi&al body odor, but soething
unpleasant and stagnant, soething ba&%ed up in his pores!
A &ar drove by and )lyde &aught his refle&tion in the flash of
refle&ted light fro an apartent window''a wide an with red
&hee%s and a bowling ball of a head! He stiffened! The night drew
itself around his shoulders li%e an i&y shawl! He wal%ed for a few
blo&%s, the us&les of his fa&e rela6ing by degrees, and then he
sat on an epty por&h and wept! His weeping was veheent and
prolonged! He pushed his balled hands hard into his eyes until his
%nu&%les ground the bone of the so&%ets!
The breeze &ooled his &hee%s /ui&%ly! (eoving his hat, he
wor%ed the bill until it was &urved in a loose ,! +t fit ore snugly,
prote&ting the sides of his eyes!
A pair of red pups appeared on the sidewal% in front of hi!
The toenails, painted pin%, stru&% an unpleasing &ontrast! 7Hey,
honey'honey! Bou loo% lonely!7
7$ot lonely!7 His voi&e was still thi&% with u&us fro &rying!
7"hat, baby9 #on't you be all ubling at e!7
7+' not lonely!7
7"hy don't you loo% on up here at e9 See what + &an lay on
that big strong body of yours! + said loo% on up here! Ain't nothin'
down there on the sidewal%!7
She &rou&hed, legs bending wide, the two wings of a butterfly!
She was not wearing panties! $atural, sagging breasts hoisted up
in a pin% tube top! 7See anything you li%e97
7$ot lonely!7
7-et's go for a wal%! -ast &han&e for the Tuesday night spe&ial!7
He du&%ed his head down into his ars, hiding!
The legs straightened! 7Shit, fool!7 She %no&%ed his hat off and
he raised his ar /ui&%ly, li%e a &elebrity du&%ing photographers!
His thi&% fingers s&rabbled over the paveent for his hat! She threw
her head ba&% when she laughed, one leg lo&%ed, one swaying at
the %nee, her fists resting on &o&%ed hips!
)lyde grabbed the hat and pulled it on roughly, not bothering to
straighten it! Her laughter followed hi up the street li%e a &luster of
winged inse&ts! He wal%ed with his shoulders hun&hed, his head
lowered! His outh was twisted up as if his self'loathing had a
taste! The fingers and thub of his left hand slid against ea&h other,
rubbing and fli&%ing, as though soething were &oating the that
he needed to rub off! As he put a few blo&%s between hiself and
the woan, his posture grew ore ere&t, his stride ore
eboldened! His feet &arried hi toward hoe!
A building had been torn down on his blo&%, the s&or&hed
s%eleton of a )hevy sitting up on blo&%s in the weed and rubble!
)lyde reoved a hidden pa&% of Marlboros fro beneath the hood
and lit two &igarettes, whi&h he so%ed at the sae tie! Soeone
had pla&ed a sta&% of wee%ly newspapers over the springs where
the driver's seat used to be, and he sat on the, pla&ing his hands
on the bro%en wheel! So%e wreathed his head, &at&hing on the
po&%ar%s of his &hee%s! His pupils 1er%ed a few ties, horizontally!
The run'down two'story house visible through the &ra&%ed
windshield was now a hoe for retarded adults! A easly row of
browning snapdragons lined one side of the sagging por&h! He
waited and wat&hed the large upstairs windows, ost of the
illuinated with night lights, for signs of life! -ast wee%, he had
seen two of the residents grappling on a bed in what he had first
ista%en for a bout of violen&e! 5ver the onths, he had seen
any strange things in the house for retarded adults! His insonia
had left hi with so any ore hours to fill, ea&h day a long,
rabling 1ourney to the ne6t!
He pulled his se&ond'rate oney &lip fro his po&%et and set it
on the dash so he &ould adire it! The wad &onsisted ostly of
wrin%led singles! He so%ed the &igarettes down until they burned
his fingers, then stubbed the out in the glove bo6! )losing his
eyes, he urured to hiself, 7Three, two, one! Three, two, one!7
"hen he opened his eyes, a light was on in one of the upstairs
roos! A oent later, a ba&% door opened and a heavy woan in
her thirties wal%ed out into the side yard! She wore a pin% 1upsuit
with a puffy bunny sewn on the front, and open'ba&%ed slippers!
She tried to whistle but &ould not! (ed &hee%s, half'ast eyes, and
a essy fountain of hair protruding fro a flower'eblazoned
s&run&hy gave her the appearan&e of an overgrown &hild! "hen
she stepped off the por&h, a otion'sensor lap &ast a sall &one
of light on the ground! 0lbows lo&%ed, she &lapped her hands softly,
still trying to whistle, though only a wet rushing noise issued fro
her lips!
A s&raggly dog, ribs showing through a &oarse gray &oat, po%ed
his nose around the far &orner of the building! She waved to hi
and &lapped again, stiff'ared! The dog oved toward her in a
liping trot!
The dog drew nearer, sat, and growled, showing off a
surprisingly healthy &olle&tion of teeth! The woan dug in her
po&%et, the &otton fabri& of her pants pushing out in the iprint of
her hand, and pulled out a fistful of oist tuna! A dollop fell fro
one of the spa&es between her fingers, and the dog slurped it off
the ground, tongue oving li%e a pin% slug a&ross the ground!
The woan &rou&hed and the dog s&urried ba&%, teeth bared
again!
7, on,7 she said! 7, naw gonna urt you!7
She spread her hand wide, revealing a ashed lup of tuna,
and the dog tentatively approa&hed, body &oiled to spring ba&%! He
too% the reaining tuna off the ground first, then oved &autiously
to her hand, nose twit&hing! Then soething in the dog gave way,
and he do&ilely lowered the pointed tip of his snout into her hand!
She giggled as his tongue played a&ross her hand, alost
s/uealing as he li&%ed it &lean!
The dog tensed and flashed ba&% around the building when the
&ar door slaed! She loo%ed up at )lyde's approa&h! 7,ht are
you doing97 He drew nearer, and the di por&h light fell a&ross his
fa&e! 75h! +t's you!7
Her alost perfe&tly round eyes seeed pushed into the soft
flesh of her fa&e li%e buttons! Her &hee%s, a raw red, &rowded her
outh with folds! Another bunny de&orated her thigh, siling with
white se/uined teeth!
7Hey, honey'honey,7 he said! He pulled the thin blade fro the
side of his oney &lip, then fli&%ed it shut with a deliberately &asual
gesture!
70llo!7 She glan&ed nervously in the dire&tion the dog had
disappeared! 7,hr not onna ell e about y dog, are you97
3our etal nubers nailed into the wall announ&ed the house's
address: 2I22! He pried off one of the 2s with his blade, po&%eted
it, and turned ba&% to the woan! 7Bou loo% lonely,7 he said!
7Bou never u up ere! Bou oraly ust sit in your ar!7
7$ot tonight!7 He &rou&hed, found a sti&%, and dug its pointed tip
into the dirt! 7+ want to go for a wal%!7
7+ an't! +' not suppose ta be out ere!7 The stars fli&%ered
overhead li%e win%ing diaonds! 7+ unt ant to iss orning bed
&he&%! (honda ill et angry!7
7#on't worry,7 he said! 7+'ll have you ba&% by then!7
Her voi&e &ae high and pleading! 7,hr not onna ell e about
y dog97
He s&rat&hed his &hee%, his un&ut nails drawing blood fro one
of his zits! 7$ot if you &oe with e!7
70e'yeew,7 she said, waving an ar in windshield'wiper sweeps
in front of her nose! )lyde &losed the door behind her and lo&%ed it!
7+t doesn't sell,7 he said!
7+t ure does!7
He grabbed her and pinned her against the door! His fingers dug
into her soft shoulders! 75n't,7 she said! She stared at hi! He
blin%ed twi&e and loo%ed away!
He wal%ed a slow, sweeping &ir&le around his apartent,
stepping over the trash and &lothes, then &harged her and pressed
his open outh violently against hers! Her outh was war and
dry, and surprisingly not sour fro sleep! His eyes were s/ueezed
shut, a defensive ove for when she &lawed at his fa&e!
+nstead, she %issed hi ba&%, her thi&% tongue a%ing deep
spirals in his outh!
He pushed off her and wiped his outh! 7"hat're you doing97
7+ssing you! ,nt you ant to iss e97
)lyde's eyes went to the floor, his lips oving in a urur! She
stepped forward and put a hand under his &hin, raising his head!
He spun her and seized her around the waist fro behind, shuffle'
wal%ing her to the bed! He bent her over, and she grunted when her
elbows 1arred against the attress! Her 1upsuit bottos &ae
down easily, the elasti& stret&hing to a&&oodate her wide rear
end! He pulled the off roughly, and her slippers &ae with the!
He fought her huge beige panties down to the &roo%s of her %nees!
She gave surprisingly little resistan&e!
He ounted her fro behind, pushing and laboring through a
pani& sweat as the se/uined bunny loo%ed on fro the pin% puddle
of &otton on the floor! After a few stro%es, she responded with
guttural noises, and he was alared and disayed to realize they
were &olored with pleasure! He iitated the, drowning the out,
pretending they were grunts of fear! His iagination &ould only
stret&h so far!
-ip and defeated, he &libed off her! They were both sli&% with
sweat and unsatisfied! She san% down, flat on her stoa&h! She
did not loo% at hi! 7Are you onna ell e about y dog97 she
as%ed!
7Bes,7 he said!
She &ried softly into a stained pillow! He sat and stared at the
floor! Her /uiet weeping went on steadily!
He rea&hed under his bed and pulled out an old shoebo6! The
rubber bands around it had grown brittle, and one snapped as he
pulled it off! He nudged her! She did not loo% up! He nudged her
again, and she rolled to her side, fa&e swollen and ugly!
He handed her the shoebo6! Sniffling, she slid to the edge of the
bed and sat with the bo6 a&ross her lap, staring down at it!
He studied the half'oon of grit riing his overgrown
thubnail! 75pen it!7
She reoved the lid, her head 1er%ing ba&% slightly at the odor!
7"ow,7 she said! (ea&hing in, she reoved a white seagull's wing,
balan&ing it on her open pals li%e a &rystal plate! +t had been
severed at the shoulder, and the s&apular feathers were stained
bla&% with blood!
)lyde too% it fro her gently and spread it, the priary feathers
fanning wide! She rea&hed over and felt the longest feather, her
thub tra&ing its lines! She tugged on the wing, and he
relin/uished it to her! Her tears dried as she spread the wing, then
&ontra&ted it, spread and &ontra&ted!
She did not see to noti&e when he rose fro the bed! He
opened the footlo&%er and reoved a &ontainer of #rain0ze and a
*yre6 bea%er! Al%ali filled the bea%er /ui&%ly when he poured, the
white gradation nuerals outlined &learly against the blue li/uid!
He put the #rain0ze &ontainer ba&% in the footlo&%er and &losed
it! The full bea%er sat alone on the table! He stood beside it li%e a
stern patriar&h in a faily portrait, %nu&%les pressed to the s&arred
wood! She did not loo% up fro the wing! 7+t's eautiful,7 she said!
)lyde pi&%ed up the bea%er and set it ba&% down with a sall
thup! Still, she did not loo% up! She was playing with the wing and
siling!
The attress boun&ed her up a bit when he sat beside her! 7Bou
need to go,7 he said!
3ingers wor%ing through the soft feathers! 7Huh97
7Bou need to go! +f you go now, + won't tell anyone about your
dog!7
Her eyes narrowed''she had forgotten about the dog! She set
the wing gently ba&% in the shoebo6 and rose, her long 1upsuit top
dangling over her thighs li%e a dress! She pulled up her panties,
then yan%ed on her pants, for&ing her legs through without pointing
her toes!
)lyde held his sweating head in his hands! 7Go,7 he said! 7Go!7
She paused beside the table, rising up on her tiptoes to peer into
the *yre6 bea%er, though it was &lear! 7,ht is this97 she as%ed! 7+t's
pretty! *retty blue!7
He rubbed his teples, rubbed the hard! 7Taste it,7 he said!
Tentatively, she dipped a fingertip into the li/uid! +t &olored the tip
of her print li%e a blue &ondo! She stared at it for a oent! 75w,7
she said, sha%ing her hand! 75w!7 "hen she twirled her finger in
the fabri& of her top, it left a blue stain on the bunny's &hee%! 75w,7
she said! She stu&% her finger in her outh, ade a fa&e, and spit
onto the floor! She gagged and drooled a little!
7Go,7 he said! His fingers dug through his tufts of hair, gathering
the!
7+ on't li%e that,7 she said! She spit again!
He did not loo% up at the sound of the &losing door, though his
fists tightened around handfuls of hair!
7Go,7 he said!
)hapter 2J
TH0 s&rea reverberated through the 0(! Adrenaline puping,
iages of flying al%ali and blistering fa&es ra&ing through his ind,
#avid sprinted through the )"A to Hallway Two!
A disheveled an was sha%ing *at against the wall, banging her
head while two nurses and a lab te&h loo%ed on, stunned! 7Bou
stole y fu&%ing tote bag,7 he yelled! 7"here is it97 He wore a
baseball &ap, though the ba&% of his head was sti&%y with blood!
(alph was running down the hall, his full set of se&urity %eys
1ingling against his thigh, but #avid rea&hed the atta&%er first and
dug a thub into the spinal a&&essory nerve at the base of his
ne&%! The an yelped and dropped away fro the pressure, as
#avid hoped he would! As he fell, he swung his elbow and &aught
#avid in the teple! #avid reeled ba&%, his free hand stri%ing a
stray &rash &art, but he didn't release his grip! He &aught the an's
loose hand and found a pressure point, digging his nail into the fat
part of his thub! The an &ried out and his body went sla&% again,
this tie long enough for #avid to get hi on the ground! (alph
dove on top of hi, then another se&urity offi&er slid into the i6!
The an spread hiself flat and stopped resisting! He ree%ed of
booze!
#avid eerged fro the pile, a hand pressed to his teple! A
flap of s%in had lifted on the ba&% of his %nu&%le where it had stru&%
the &abinet! The white of his ,)-A se&urity shirt stained with blood
fro the ba&% of the guy's head, (alph hauled hi to his feet!
7+ didn't ean no trouble, an,7 the guy whined! 7+ 1ust wanted
y tote bag ba&%!7
*at was bent over, hands on her %nees, gasping! 7He &ae in
with a head la&! + was trying to get hi into an e6a roo!7
7Soeone &all -A*#, "est -A station,7 #avid said! 7As% for
#ete&tive Bale!7
As (alph and another guard oved the an bris%ly toward the
lobby, #avid turned to the staff who'd gathered around! 7All right!
0veryone who's not with a &riti&al patient, into the )"A! "here's
#r! -abert97
A radiology resident breezed by! 7M+A as usual!7
#avid headed ba&% first and waited patiently for the others to
&ongregate, pressing soe gauze to the ba&% of his %nu&%le! 7A few
new &onsiderations,7 he said! 7,ntil the assailant is apprehended,
we're going to have to be on heightened alert! The easiest way for
the assailant to es&alate his 0( atta&%s would be to &oe in here
posing as a patient! So grab a partner before going into a roo
alone with a ale patient! And if you find yourself with soeone
who appears to be aggressive, get out of the roo and find
se&urity! These are shitty &onditions to wor% under, + understand,
but for now they're a ne&essity!7
An intern piped up fro the ba&%! 7That guy they 1ust hauled off!
Bou thin% he's the guy97
#avid raised the gauze fro his hand and saw it was spotted
with blood! 7"e &an always hope!7
#avid sat on the e6aination table, suturing his own %nu&%le! His
first /uiet five inutes of the day! #iane stood near enough that her
thigh brushed his %nee! She %ept it there!
Bale had infored #avid within a few hours that they'd been
unable to establish a &onne&tion between the an who'd atta&%ed
*at and the al%ali thrower! #avid had been surprised at the
sharpness of his disappointent! The &ops had found the tote bag
that the an had been so desperate to prote&t in the waiting roo
under a &hair! +t hadn't &ontained lye after all! The &ops were
holding the an for assault, but Bale said he didn't fit the profile
they'd been wor%ing up for the al%ali thrower; he was too so&ially
integrated!
#avid pulled the suture high, using his teeth to %eep one side
taut, and guided the needle through the loop with his thub! 75ne'
handed sutures! (einds e of internship!7 He yan%ed the top of
the string so the %not slid down and nestled near his flesh! 7Bou
should see *eter tie these! He's li%e a agi&ian with his hands!7
#iane rolled her eyes! 7Maybe you should have been a surgeon!7
7)ut this!7 She leaned over with the s&issors, and he felt the
softness of her hair on his forehead! He hoped his tri&eps didn't
loo% too soft beneath the &ut sleeves of his s&rub top, and he
laughed silently at hiself for having su&h 1uvenile thoughts!
He rose bris%ly and opened the door! A group had gathered
outside! )arson stood in the front! 7,h, #r! Spier, we de&ided in
light of your &ourageous es&apades today, and your fighting spirit,
we should present you with this prize!7 *at handed hi a bo6 with a
ribbon on it, and several lab te&hs giggled!
#avid opened it to reveal a pair of bright red bo6ing gloves! The
group e6ploded in laughter! At )arson's propting, #avid slid the
gloves on, &areful not to lift the suture, and raised his fists as *at
snapped a *olaroid!
They laughed and 1o%ed for a few inutes, and then #avid
headed to the do&tors' lounge to put away the gloves! "hen he
opened the door, he re&ognized Sandra's other sitting on one of
the &hairs, fa&ing an open lo&%er! A diinutive Asian woan with a
sad, thoughtful &ountenan&e, she'd evidently &oe to retrieve her
daughter's things! She held Sandra's white &oat in her hands, her
shoulders trebling! #avid realized she was &rying!
3eeling foolish, he lowered his hands, red puffy globes in the
bo6ing gloves! -ost in grief, Sandra's other did not ta%e note of
his presen&e! He wanted to ove forward to &ofort her, to rest an
ar a&ross her shoulders, but found he was paralyzed!
After a oent, he pulled off his gloves, wal%ed ba&% to the
)"A, and lo&ated #iane! 7Sandra's other is in the lounge,7 he
said! 7+ thin% you ight want to ! ! ! 7
#iane nodded and handed off the &hart she'd been s&ribbling on!
He wat&hed her head ba&% to the do&tors' lounge without hesitation!
He felt suddenly ineffe&tive!
)hapter 2E
#A-T5$ slou&hed down in the ba&%seat of the -A 06press
Airport Shuttle van, and Bale loo%ed over at hi with a grin! 7The
windows are full tint,7 he said! 7"e're &overed!7
#alton pulled hiself up in his seat with a groan! 7That's 1ust how
+ sit,7 he said! -i%e Bale, #alton wore a surveillan&e pie&e, the &lear
plasti& tube hoo%ing around his ear, the spring &oils hidden beneath
his hair! The tube &onne&ted to a wire that disappeared beneath his
ba&% &ollar, and hoo%ed into a Motorola Saber radio strapped over
one of his love handles!
75ur boys have been bedded down sin&e five this orning,7 Bale
said! He leaned forward and tapped the driver! 7.erry, bring it
around through the par%ing %ios%s and into the 0( lot! "e're gonna
do a drive'through and see how it loo%s!7
Be&ause of the high'profile nature of the &ase, it had ta%en less
lobbying to get approved for the overtie ne&essary to do a
sta%eout! +n the end, the )aptain had personally &alled the Mayor;
he'd anaged to pull si6 under&overs, who Bale had briefed at
the "est -A station! Bale had as%ed #alton not to attend the
briefing, so he &ould assess the sta%eout with fresh eyes!
#alton leaned forward, fo&using as they turned left off -e )onte
and approa&hed the par%ing %ios%s! Bla%e, the older ,)*# &op
fro who they'd a&/uired the &ase, leaned out the window! He
wore a baseball &ap and a ,niversity of )alifornia *ar%ing T'shirt!
7That'll be five dollars please!7 He did not so u&h as glan&e at the
two offi&ers in the ba&% of the van, aintaining their &over!
7A&tually, sir,7 .erry said, 7we're 1ust pulling down to the 0(! +
believe there's no &harge for 0( short'ter par%ing!7
7All right!7 Bla%e waved the forward!
7"hat the fu&%97 #alton uttered as they pulled away!
Bale shrugged! 7,)*# wanted in, and, to be fair, they have a
better idea how par%ing wor%s here!7
7"hy not soeone younger9 3or par%ing, you should've pulled a
twenty'two'year'old out of the a&adey or soething!7
7*oliti&s,7 Bale said! 7They're still &hafing we yan%ed hi and
Gaines fro the &ase, so we &ut Bla%e in on the loop! Besides,
given the se&ond atta&%, we don't ind sharing 1uris as u&h! +t's
ore than a gla &ase now! +t's a fu&%ing plague!7
7+f our guy's failiar with this area of the hospital, new fa&es
ight throw hi!7
7The par%ing wor%ers swit&h all the tie, fro &ople6es all over
&apus! There are new fa&es every wee%!7
#alton ade a noise of resignation and turned in the seat, ta%ing
in the surroundings as the van veered right and headed toward the
abulan&e bay! An old an sat on the bus stop ben&h, a girl with
pigtails sitting on his lap and trying to untangle a yo'yo fro her
legs! An overweight woan assisted her elderly other up the
wal%way fro the abulan&e bay into the *)HS lot! A hoeless
an padded by on (eebo%s, pushing a shopping &art filled with
&ardboard bo6es and plasti& bags, and two Me6i&an gardeners
wor%ed on their hands and %nees on the stret&h of ground ivy to the
right of the abulan&e bay! A tren&h they'd dug left soe piping
e6posed, and one leaned over with a wren&h, pushing his fanny
pa&% to the side! A s&attering of tall trees, ostly pines, fraed the
edges of the buildings and the par%ing stru&ture!
The van drove down the rap into the subterranean abulan&e
bay and idled alongside an abulan&e double'par%ed at the left
&urb! ,)-A )(+T+)A- )A(0 T(A$S*5(T was blo&%'lettered on
the side; the ba&% windows were bla&%ed out! Bale slid the van door
open and stepped out and iediately through the ba&% doors of
the abulan&e! #alton followed suit, slaing the abulan&e door
behind hi! The two offi&ers sat on sall stools, peering out the
one'way rear windows! The shuttle van ,'turned in the narrow
spa&e and passed the, heading up out of the abulan&e bay!
)on&rete pillars, painted blue at the bases, set off the par%ing strip
to their left! Beyond that, near the entran&e, a &hain'lin% fen&e
en&losed a utilities storage area! *lenty of natural light spilled down
the rap, and the rows of fluores&ent lights overhead &olored the
far rea&hes of the abulan&e bay a tired yellow!
3ro their seats, #alton and Bale had a &lear view up the rap;
any in&oing traffi& or pedestrians would have to pass right by
the! Beyond the rap, a pat&h of grass was visible, as well as the
par%ing turnaround and the edge of a %ios%!
7"ell97 Bale as%ed!
7$i&e tou&h, finding Me6i&ans for the gardeners! Bou pull the
fro Southeast or IIth97
73ro IIth! How'd you a%e 'e97
73or starters, there's an -A sun overhead and no sweat stains on
their shirts! The fanny pa&% &ouldn't be ore obvious''what the
fu&%, are they 0uropean gardeners9 *lus, their hair's a bit high and
tight, but not u&h we &an do about that!7
7"hat else97
#alton tilted his head ba&% and &losed his eyes! 75h yeah,7 he
said! 7+ went through the a&adey with Gar&ia!7
Bale pressed his lips together to %eep fro siling! 7And here +
thought it was your %een dete&tive s%ills!7 His fingers found the
i&rophone beneath his shirt and pushed the button! Sin&e they
were on TA)2>, there was no need to spea% in &ode! 7Gar&ia,
Gar&ia, Bale!7
5utside, Gar&ia fa%ed s&rat&hing an it&h beneath his shirt and
a&tivated his i%e! 7Bale, Bale, Gar&ia! Go ahead!7 Sin&e he barely
oved his lips, his vowels were better enun&iated than his
&onsonants!
7Bou got a friend who wants to say hello!7
#alton siled as he spo%e! 7Gar&ia, you lazy spi&, if you're not
gonna wor% out there, at least fa%e it well! Splash soe water on
your shirt in the front, and a bit beneath your ars! Tell your buddy
too!7
7Hugh #alton, you otherfu&%er! + was sure you'd never get
prooted!7
70very utt has his day! #id you &he&% the sprin%ler tiers9 "e
&an't have you getting doused out there and loo%ing li%e a roo%ie!7
7Already ta%en &are of! Hey, + was sorry to hear about :athy!7
#alton's fa&e shifted, the folds and wrin%les rearranging
theselves but staying the sae! 7Than% you,7 he said!
7She was a good &op!7
#alton nodded, as though Gar&ia &ould see hi! His voi&e was a
bit raspy when he spo%e again! 7Also, you gotta lose the fanny pa&%
up front! Too obvious, espe&ially with the drawstring!7
7+ already got y portable beneath y shirt! +f + ove the gun to
y waistband, +'ll bul% up even ore!7
7+t'll still be less &onspi&uous than a big bla&% bri&% strapped to
your di&%!7
7All right! 5ver!7
#alton sat staring through the tinted windows of the abulan&e,
not loo%ing over at Bale! 7Bou gonna as% e what happened to y
wife97
7$o!7
7She was %illed on a routine traffi& stop last year! *ulled
soeone over and was approa&hing the &ar when a sei swerved
and &lipped her! Guy wasn't drin%ing or anything! He 1ust leaned
over, rea&hed for the radio!7 His hand flared, then &lapped to his
%nee! 7She was a good &op! Great lady! Twi&e y +A and four ties
y loo%s!7 He siled faintly! 7$ot that that's saying u&h!7
Bale pulled his (evos down over his eyes, despite the fa&t they
were in an underground garage! 7:ids97
7Two girls! $ine and twelve!7 #alton rea&hed for the pi&ture in his
wallet but stopped hiself! 73orget it!7
Bale didn't insist!
#alton &leared his throat, a little too loud! 7Tell your hoeless
guy to wear shittier shoes toorrow! The span%ing'white (eebo%s
are a no'brainer! The overhang to this entran&e is a par%ing area!
Have hi patrol up there fro tie to tie in &ase our psy&ho
de&ides to drop an al%ali balloon down on a pedestrian! And have a
,)-A *# &ar &oe by and roust hi every now and then to a%e
hi loo% legit! That's all + got! + hope you didn't put anyone up a
tree''they ight be stealing our guy's hideout!7
7$o trees! "e got a bla&% feale wor%ing re&eption inside, and a
white ale orderly standing by near the other entry &ontrol point!7
7.ust one other 0)*97
7Beah, there's one hall into the 0( fro the hospital proper, but
+' pretty sure our guy's loo%ing to hit here again! More open,
&loser to the streets, easier!7
7So he thin%s!7
Bale nodded! 7So he thin%s!7
7Getting bolder, isn't he, the fu&%er9 He hit $an&e up on the
sidewal%! Too% the se&ond girl 1ust about where we're sitting!7
#alton loo%ed down, as though he &ould see through the
abulan&e floor! 7)ae down here, right near the 0( doors!7 His
head snapped up! 7"hat do we got east of the hospital9 Anyone in
the Botani&al Gardens97
Bale shoo% his head! 7There are a lot of good hiding pla&es down
there, but we figured soeone &oing in fro the east would've
been pi&%ed up by the ))T4 on the %ios%!7 The only &losed &ir&uit
television &aera near the abulan&e bay entran&e was ounted
on the front par%ing %ios%, angled down and eastward, &at&hing
&ars as they pulled through and paid! +t re&orded a wide s&ope and
would have &aught any pedestrian traffi& looping around into the
abulan&e bay entran&e fro that dire&tion! Bale had spent ore
tie than he &ared to re&all wat&hing the footage! Aside fro the
o&&asional woan in a low'&ut dress, he'd found very little of
interest! 7"e &ouldn't pull ore than si6 under&overs,7 he
&ontinued! 7+ figured they were best used elsewhere!7
Bale and #alton had de&ided on a sta%eout after several other
angles had led to dead ends! Though the &onsisten&y of the assault
lo&ation pointed to the hospital as the priary &onne&tion between
$an&y .en%ins and Sandra Bee, #alton had also been investigating
the possibility of it being se&ondary! +f both vi&tis stayed in the
sae hotel attending a edi&al &onferen&e, for instan&e, they ight
have been sele&ted by the suspe&t off the hotel guest list!
,nfortunately, they'd ta%en no trips at the sae tie and had not
attended any siilar &onferen&es! A&&ording to the woen's &redit
&ard bills and re&ords, there had been no overlap between wor%ers
and servi&een they'd had through the house in the last si6
onths! #alton had been briefly e6&ited when he'd dis&overed
they'd both re&eived 3ed06es on the sae day, but a few phone
&alls had &onfired that the pa&%ages had been delivered on
different routes! The hospital files had been diffi&ult to get hold of,
but &onversations with other physi&ians and nurses revealed little
regarding patients $an&y and Sandra had treated together! +t was
loo%ing ore and ore as though they'd been targeted erely
be&ause of their asso&iation with the hospital!
Bale had been slogging through pending lawsuits against the
hospital and had yet to un&over any solid suspe&ts! $o reports on
disgruntled e6'eployees! $o al%ali' or even a&id'throwing
in&idents had &oe ba&% fro *A)M+S or ))AB! A &ar a&&ident
vi&ti who felt he had re&eived poor 0( treatent last year had
sent hostile letters to the hospital board, but he now lived in
Massa&husetts! Bale had run hi through the Autoati& "ants and
"arrants Syste anyway and had found no red flags!
"hen Bale stret&hed, his hands tou&hed both sides of the
abulan&e interior! #alton shifted on the sall stool and groaned,
then &he&%ed his wat&h! The first two assaults had o&&urred in the
early orning, two days apart! The last atta&% had been Tuesday,
and it was now Thursday orning!
Soeone was due to be atta&%ed!
The stools inside the abulan&e be&ae in&reasingly
un&ofortable as orning dragged into afternoon! Bale and #alton
re&eived the o&&asional alert fro Gar&ia and gave a few heads'
ups to the offi&er wor%ing re&eption inside, but the a1ority of the
patients and wor%ers &oing in were not suspi&ious! Bla%e had an
arguent with a news van that tried to pull past the par%ing %ios%
down toward the abulan&e bay and su&&eeded in fending it off
without blowing his &over!
#espite the fa&t that Bale %ept the front windows &ra&%ed, the
abulan&e reained stuffy; they &ouldn't run the air'&onditioning
without starting the vehi&le and giving away their lo&ation! They ate
lun&h around one''sandwi&hes fro .erry's''then sat soe ore!
The offi&er disguised as an orderly &alled in laughing when a
woan dressed as Barbie was aditted to the 0( with bad flu
syptos! 0vidently, the sae Mattel e6e&utives who had
pur&hased the ,)-A )hildren's Hospital had hired and &ostued a
Barbie to tour the pediatri&s ward, bringing good &heer and produ&t
pla&eent to the si&% &hildren!
"ith the e6&eption of 06plosive #iarrhea Barbie, the rest of the
afternoon passed without in&ident!
$an&y barely stirred when #avid stepped through the &urtains
surrounding her bed, though he ade an effort to rattle the to
alert her of his arrival! Her torso was slightly elevated, and she'd
pulled her hospital gown up high to hide the s&arring fro her
esophageal rese&tion, a sall a&t of odesty that #avid found at
on&e patheti& and oving given the assive distortion of her fa&e!
A bandage pushed out her gown where they'd lifted s%in for grafting
fro above her &lavi&le!
The +), stood ostly epty''1ust an elderly an intubated
a&ross the way on a onitored bed, ultiple +4s stringing around
his ars! The sunset, diffused through the -A sog, glowed orange
through the venetian blinds, lighting the roo in bands of &olor!
#avid be&ae aware of the intensity of his heartbeat and
realized it was probably due to the +),'s siilitude to the M+),,
where 0lisabeth had been reoved fro life support! He &losed his
eyes for a oent, &learing the thought!
7$an&y,7 he said softly! 7+t's e! #avid!7
Her head rolled slowly to fa&e hi! Her response was rela6ed
and listless, as though she were oving underwater! 7#r! Spier!7
Spea%ing around a tongue sluggish with orphine!
He too% in the sho&% of her fa&e! Her eyes, il%y white, shrun%en
and sightless, were those of a Ma&beth wit&h! Bolsters &overed her
fa&e fro forehead to &hin! @erofor''yellow antibioti&'ipregnated
sheets''had been sutured into her fa&e over the s%in grafts and
pa&%ed with &otton soa%ed in ineral water! Then the @erofor's
edges had been folded ba&% over and tied li%e a pa&%age, olding
the new s%in into the wound so it would ta%e! +f the grafts hadn't
been laid, the wounds would have &ontra&ted as they &losed over,
pulling her features out of proportion! #isfiguring &ontra&tions &ae
in all shapes and sizes''seared nostrils, drooping eyes, lips
stret&hed wide and thin! *olysporin antibioti& ointent stood out in
globs over the bolsters! +nfe&tion''the ne6t fight!
#avid found he was tal%ing! 7''in four to five days, we'll get those
bolsters off and see if the grafts too%! The sutures are sheep gut, so
they'll dissolve! + insisted the plasti&s guys get in right away! They
found a pretty good &olor at&h with the s%in fro your
supra&lavi&ular and postauri&ular areas, and they pulled a bit ore
fro your lateral thigh''7
She was sha%ing her head ba&% and forth! 7$o ore,7 she said
thi&%ly! 7$o ore!7 Her voi&e was hoarse''when she was in the 0(,
he should've seen about revising her &ri&h to a tra&h earlier!
#avid &rou&hed, resting his forears flat on her bed! 7+' sorry,7
he said! 7.ust %now you're being ta%en &are of!7
7S&ary,7 she said! 7So s&ary! A an &oing at e ! ! ! 7 She
ade a noise li%e a sigh! 7#id they &at&h hi97
The thought of the assailant free, plotting and oving aong
others, ade #avid's outh tighten! 7$ot yet!7
7+ heard he got Sandra too! +s she o%ay97 $an&y's voi&e was flat
and droning, the words all blending together!
7She'll have soe s&arring, but she should be all right!7
7#id she swallow any97
He shoo% his head, then reebered $an&y &ouldn't see hi!
7$o,7 he said!
7"here is she97
7Her other too% her up north! She's being treated at Stanford,
&loser to hoe! +' not sure if she's &oing ba&%!7
They sat in silen&e! The overhead lights were giving hi a
heada&he!
7+ don't want to wor% anyore,7 $an&y said! 7#on't want to be
around people!7 A bit of drool ran fro the &orner of her outh
down her &hee%, tra&ing the edge of a bolster!
7Bou &an see about that later! "or% &an help pull you through a
tough tie!7 He sounded platitudinous and foolish, even to hiself!
Her head loo%ed li%e that of a utant inse&t in a '?=s fear fil! 7+
don't want to help others,7 she said! 7$ot anyore!7
75%ay,7 #avid said! 75%ay!7
7They said + &an't have a &orneal transplant!7
7$o,7 #avid said! 7+' so sorry!7
7"hy7 ''she paused, su&%ing air'' 7why not9 "hy won't they let
e97
7Bou lost over half of your &ornea! +' afraid there's not enough
to sew into!7
70ither eye97
7+' afraid not!7 +' afraid, +' afraid''he thought about the
&onstru&t and how little it &onveyed, how &lini&al it sounded! This
woan was blind and terribly s&arred! "hen she &ould finally eat
solid foods again, she'd e6perien&e pain swallowing and she'd
probably regurgitate her food with soe regularity! Her esophagus
would s&ar and tighten, &ausing stri&tures! +' afraid didn't /uite
&over the bases!
She was &rying softly, her head wea%ly sha%ing! Her eyes &ould
no longer produ&e tears! 7+ don't want to be blind,7 she sobbed! 7+
want to see things! Grass, people, ovies! "hat did + do9 "hat did
+ do97
He stood dubly over her, both of the painted with lines of
e6/uisite sunset! 7$othing! Bou did nothing to deserve this!7
7+s Sandra blind97
7$o, she was fortunate! The al%ali didn't go in her eyes!7
3ortunate! Another do&tor's &rut&h!
Hoarse, rasping sobs! 7"hy e and not her97
#avid too% her hand /uietly and sat with her as she drifted ba&%
into a drugged sleep! He did not have an answer!
The $intendo Gaeboy ade a woeful noise in #alton's hands,
and he &ursed and banged it on his %nee! 7Gae over,7 he said!
7"anna play97 He offered the unit to Bale, who regarded it
disdainfully for a oent before snapping to attention at oveent
by the 0( doors!
An elderly woan eerged, liped a&ross the abulan&e bay,
and &libed into a blue 4olvo! Bale gria&ed and settled ba&% on
his stool within the &raped &onfines of the abulan&e!
As the 4olvo sputtered up the rap and out of sight, #alton
strained to a%e out the li&ense plate through the night air! 75ne
5&ean Sa )harles three four seven,7 he re&ited!
Bale reained statue'still, his eyes fi6ed on the 0( doors!
7-et's see,7 #alton &ontinued! 7+'ll ta%e the four, whi&h gives e
three of a %ind be&ause of the red '4ette and the #odge (a! "hat
do you want9 Hey''what do you want97
Bale's eyes fli&%ered over to #alton! 7"hatever!7
7$ot whatever! Bou have to pi&% soething! "hy don't you ta%e
the seven, whi&h'll give you two pairs!7
73ine,7 Bale said! 7+'ll ta%e the seven!7
75r you &ould ta%e the four and go for a straight!7
7The four,7 Bale said! 7Great!7
7"ell, whi&h one97
Bale studied #alton for what seeed a very long tie! 7The four
will be fine!7
#alton started up on the Gaeboy again! 7These goddan
sta%eouts &an really try your patien&e!7
7+ndeed,7 Bale said!
)hapter >=
A bla&%'and'white slowed as it passed )lyde, and he propped his
&hee% &asually on his fist to blo&% his fa&e! His hands, sli&% with
sweat, slid on the steering wheel until he tightened the! He drove
up and down -e )onte under the glare of the orning sun, but
there were no par%ing spa&es open, so he pulled into the lot by the
deserted Ma&y's building and par%ed in the far &orner behind a
#upster! He sat, his outh pressed against the plush top of the
steering wheel, one hand hanging liply over the gearshift that
protruded fro the steering &olun!
His &ar, a 'E> 3ord )rown 4i&toria, was brown, though the paint
had &hipped on the hood and trun%, revealing the dull, o6idizing
etal beneath! (ust had eaten through the wheel wells, and the
tires were worn nearly sooth in the iddles! )arl's .r! Superstar
wrappers, Bar/'s root beer &ans, and other pie&es of trash littered
the ba&%seat and rear shelf! The beige upholstered interior ree%ed
of so%e and %et&hup! )igarette burns had left holes in the seat
&ushions, the fringes bla&% and hard!
)lyde pulled a pa&%et of $obleen's Cin& -ozenges fro the
glove bo6! The orange su&%ers were individually sealed into a foil
sheet in rows of three! He dug with his nail a few ties to &at&h and
lift the &orner of the foil ba&%side fro the thin plasti& &overing, then
peeled ba&% the foil and popped a lozenge in his outh! Then he
tore free a s/uare &ontaining another lozenge, &areful to bend the
sheet first along the perforations, and held it in a sweaty hand!
He pulled his navy &orduroy hat low over his eyes, then reoved
a pair of late6 gloves fro his po&%et and put the on! Beneath his
sweatshirt, his s&rub top, oist with sweat, &lung to his body! He
hid his ball'&hain ne&%la&e with its dangling %ey in the dirty ashtray
on the passenger door!
After a oent, he pulled the gearshift down into #(+40 and sat
perfe&tly still, his foot on the bra%e! His lips, fleshy and oist,
oved slightly! He urured to hiself as if debating whether he
should drive away!
He shoved the shift lever ba&% up to * and got out! -eaving his
%eys hidden atop the left rear tire, he headed for the hospital!
The se&ond orning of the sta%eout had been nearly as
uneventful as the first! #alton leaned against the tint'windowed
doors of the abulan&e, gazing longingly up the rap to the
re&tangle of blue s%y! About every twenty inutes, Bale fli&%ed a bit
of lint fro his pants or shirt; aside fro that, he was still!
Gar&ia and the other gardener had been ba&% on their shift sin&e
five in the orning! #alton and Bale had reained holed up in the
abulan&e overnight! $either noti&ed the edi&inal s&ent of the
vehi&le's interior anyore! +t selled of sweat, a browning apple
&ore fro Bale's lun&h the previous day, othballs fro #alton's
shirt!
7+f nothing happens by noon, +' gonna ta%e a brea%,7 #alton
said! 7Go hoe and &he&% up on the %ids and the sitter!7
7+f nothing happens by noon, we're up a &ree%,7 Bale said!
#ay Three sin&e the last atta&%! Assuing their guy, li%e ost
violent offenders who sele&t rando vi&tis, was wor%ing on soe
%ind of internal &lo&%, their window was &losing! There had only
been a two'day gap between the first vi&tis!
7Maybe he retired,7 #alton 1o%ed!
Bale had a habit of sitting still when he spo%e, %eeping his hands
at rest on his %nees or the seat! 7He's got a taste of it now! The
power, the &ontrol!7 He oistened his lips with his tongue! 7+'
worried he wised up and oved on! Swit&hed lo&ations on us! Two
atta&%s establishes a pattern, aybe he %nows we're waiting!7
7"e &an't wait u&h longer,7 #alton said! 75nly have overtie
&learan&e for the wee%end!7 He uttered soething under his
breath! 7+ wish we had the anpower to sta%e out the other 0(s in
the area!7
7They're on alert! That'll have to be good enough!7
#alton gripped the stool and leaned ba&%! 7+t's never good
enough! 0very one of these atta&%s we iss, it's a lifetie of''7
Bale held up his hand and rea&hed for his portable! 7Bale, Bale,
Gar&ia,7 &ra&%led through! 70yes up! 0yes up! Suspi&ious guy on
the *)HS lot periphery, southeast &orner! :eeping one hand under
his sweatshirt! -oo%s li%e he's wearing s&rub bottos!7
7"hat's going on97
There was a full inute of silen&e, whi&h neither Bale nor #alton
interrupted!
Bla%e finally &ut in, announ&ing hiself over the radio! 7He's sort
of lur%ing in the bushes over there! Got one eye on Gar&ia!7
7#id he a%e hi97
7#on't thin% so, but +' not sure he's gonna ris% an assault with
two gardeners right there! Guy loo%s fifty'one, fifty! 0yes all bugged
out, tal%ing to hiself! +f he is our guy, we got a real :oo%y -u&y on
our hands!7
#alton had one hand on the door handle, but Bale tapped it and
waved a slender finger! 7#on't 1up hi! )ould be a diversionary
ta&ti&! Grover, are you there97
They heard the rattle of the shopping &art when Grover bro%e in!
7+n the lot right above your heads! +' on y way! Hard to ove fast
in these old otherfu&%ing shoes!7
7#on't ove too fast,7 #alton growled!
7Suspe&t is oving in, ta%ing a &loser loo%,7 Bla%e said!
A vein throbbed in Bale's teple when he spo%e! 7)an you see
what he has beneath his sweatshirt97
#alton turned to Bale with pleading eyes! 7-et's go, let's go,7 he
hissed!
7Bla%e, &all .en%ins and Bronner, tell the to ove into position
behind hi on -e )onte in &ase he bolts,7 Bale said into the radio!
He swung open the ba&% door and stepped out into the fresh air,
inhaling deeply! 7-et's go ta%e a loo%!7
The two gardeners &ontinued to wor% the dit&h, reoving a pipe
of soe %ind, and )lyde waited in the shade of the trees, his
&hee%s pu&%ering as he su&%ed on a lozenge! 5ne of the glan&ed
up briefly in his dire&tion, then bent ba&% down and ad1usted
soething with a wren&h!
)lyde gazed ba&% toward -e )onte and too% a few steps in that
dire&tion before a woan pushing a stroller &ae into view on the
sidewal% ahead! Ba&%ing up until his shoulders pressed against the
&on&rete wall of the *)HS stru&ture, he wat&hed her! His gloved
hand fondled the *yre6 bea%er, a%ing asturbatory bulges
beneath his sweatshirt, until she disappeared fro view! He turned
ba&% to the hospital, his wide 1aw set, and too% a few tentative steps
toward the abulan&e bay, his hands sha%ing!
"hen he stepped fro the &over of the bushes, he froze, his
eyes tra&%ing the hoeless an pushing a shopping &art along the
far edge of the drive'through! The an &rossed behind the %ios%s,
heading his way! 5ne of the gardeners spo%e down into his &hest,
and then two en in shirts and ties bro%e fro the shadows of the
abulan&e bay, one of the wearing dar% sunglasses!
0itting a stifled yelp, )lyde s&urried ba&% toward -e )onte 1ust
as a patrol &ar pulled up to the &urb! A tall, lean offi&er 1uped out,
one hand rea&hing for his pistol!
"hen )lyde turned ba&% to the hospital, the en in ties and the
hoeless an were heading for hi in a dead sprint, and he
shrie%ed and stubled through the bushes along the side of the
par%ing stru&ture, losing his hat!
Shouts filled the air and a poli&e badge &aught the sun and
gleaed, and he ran, leaves whipping against his fa&e, heading for
the &ar rap that led up onto one of the e6posed lots! His 1arring
footsteps &aused the al%ali to lap up the sides of the *yre6 bea%er,
and then his sweatshirt spotted in the front and he s&reaed, his
foot &at&hing a tree root! He pit&hed forward and &ouldn't get his
hand untangled fro his sweatshirt to brea% his fall, so he stru&%
the ground for&efully with his &hest and &hee%, the *yre6 bea%er
shattering beneath hi!
"ailing, hands s&rabbling over his sweatshirt, he &urled and
writhed on the dirt at the base of a pine tree, and then they were
there, tall dis&ordant figures blo&%ing out the sun and pointing
guns''en in suits, a par%ing attendant, poli&e offi&ers, a hoeless
an! The sweatshirt pulled tight a&ross his fat stoa&h, and every
tie it shifted, shards of *yre6 dug into his flesh, the al%ali eating
into healthy s%in and open wounds ali%e!
Hands rea&hed out at hi, but he fought the, &lawing, and then
a poli&ean's boot &ae hard in his side and he was s&reaing
and 1er%ing on the ground, yan%ing in vain at the sweatshirt!
-oud, stabbing voi&es!
7#on't tou&h hi87
7He's got lye all over hiself87
7Gloves8 Gloves87
73ris% hi!7
7Grab that ar! Soebody grab that ar87
7+ don't want to get the shit on e!7
7)all HazMat! )all Anial )ontrol!7
He was flipped over onto his stoa&h and he bellowed, his
outh bent wide, dry lips &ra&%ing! A thread of saliva &onne&ted the
&orner of his outh to a pine &one near his &hee%! )uffs &laped
down hard around his wrists! A %nee pinned his shoulder to the
ground on either side and hands fluttered all around hi''up the
lengths of his legs, under his ars, in his &rot&h! Glass &run&hed
beneath hi, against his gut and &hest!
A &luster of onloo%ers gathered on the sidewal% at -e )onte!
7)he&% the s&rub top''there's a hidden po&%et inside the breast!7
A hand s&rabbling over his breast, darting into his inside po&%et!
0pty! 75w, shit87 The an 1uped ba&%, wiping blue li/uid off his
hand!
7Stand ba&%8 Stand ba&%8 Grab his ars! Stay &lear of the
sweatshirt! +t's doused!7
5ne of the unifored &ops pressed a pistol to the ba&% of )lyde's
head and )lyde &losed his eyes, but soeone grabbed the barrel,
pulling it away! 7Are you fu&%ing &razy9 Bou &an't do that!7
7"at&h e!7
A s&uffle! Soeone fell! Searing pain!
7Bou &an't do it! +t's too obvious!7
7There's press around!7
7#o we haul hi in97
7There are &ivilians wat&hing!7
The air selled of ran%led flesh! )lyde s&reaed as loud as he
&ould, a high'pit&hed, girlli%e warble, his open outh pressing into
dirt and pine needles! The spass in his throat distorted his words!
7+t hurts oh God it hurts!7
7+ hope so, you otherfu&%er!7
7$ow you %now! $ow you %now!7
They stood ba&%, fraing his writhing body li%e trees fringing a
pond! 3a&es sug with satisfa&tion! 5ne of the &rossed his ars!
)lyde ro&%ed and lur&hed li%e a trussed &alf, his entire body
shuddering, his ars pinned behind hi! His sobs &ae as pained
wet grunts! 75h God it hurts! +t hurts so bad! Three, two, one, stand
ba&% fro ba&% fro oh y God no!7
7Should we bring hi into the 0(9 "e're gonna have to bring
hi in!7
73u&% that!7 A wad of spit landed on his &hee%! 7-et hi burn!7
)hapter >2
#A4+# heard the &oing before he saw the''the loud bellow
of a wounded anial and a &res&endo of shuffling boots! The doors
slaed open as the offi&ers shoved the an through, and #avid
lowered his &hart and &losed the door to the e6a roo he'd 1ust
left!
.en%ins held an anial &ontrol &oe'along pole, the wire noose
at the end of the shaft &in&hed around the wailing an's ne&%!
75h God! Help e! Ma%e it stop help e a%e it'' 7 Another
loud, wavering &ry!
.en%ins released the spring &at&h and pulled the noose free! The
an instantly &ollapsed! He lay fa&edown on the floor, his ars
bent ba&% behind hi, wrists &uffed! Still gloved in white late6, his
hands stu&% up li%e soe sort of plue!
The offi&ers stood in a half &ir&le behind hi!
.en%ins flashed a &old grin at #avid! #avid loo%ed fro the
gardeners to the hoeless an to Bale and #alton, realization
dawning!
#avid ran forward and &rou&hed over the an! 7"hat happened9
"hat happened to hi97
7Al%ali,7 Bale said! 7#uring our pursuit, he tripped and spilled on
hiself!7
7His sweatshirt is soa%ed! Bring e traua shears! Soeone
bring traua shears8 How long ago did this happen97 #avid pulled
a pair of gloves fro a bo6 on a nearby &art and pulled the on!
7Get a stret&her87
*atients and staff had spilled out of the e6a roos and the
)entral "or% Area into Hallway 5ne, gaw%ing! -eaving her post at
the triage des%, *at strode through the swinging doors behind the
offi&ers! #on stood in the iddle of the hall behind #avid, hands
stuffed into his physi&ian's &oat!
7)lear the hall of patients,7 #alton bar%ed! 7$ow87 #oors
slaed shut and patients s&urried!
The an's &hee% pressed flat against the floor! Saliva sprayed
the tile when he whipered! #avid &he&%ed his pulse, whi&h was
ra&ing! At first, he thought the an's fa&e had been burnt, but then
he realized the redness was severe a&ne! "isps of hair wreathed
his s&alp, whi&h was shiny with sweat!
#avid would need to get the patient out of the &uffs to treat hi!
(ight now, the an seeed ore s&ared than dangerous! *osture
lip and sluped! +n &ase he be&ae agitated, soeone should be
standing by with a high'poten&y neurolepti& for +M rapid
tran/uilization! However, the sight of soeone waiting with a
needle ight alar and anger hi! +f it &ae down to it, #avid
would try to tal% the patient into ta%ing sedatives orally''it would be
less violating and would a%e the an feel as though he were an
a&tive parti&ipant in his treatent! 3or now, he needed to be
&aled and reassured!
7Bou're in a safe pla&e,7 #avid told hi! 7+' here to ta%e &are of
you! + need to as% you soe /uestions! Are you ta%ing any drugs97
A long drawn'out groan! )ould ean yes, no, or nothing!
7+s this al%ali9 + need to %now if this is al%ali!7
The an's head ro&%ed up and down against the floor in a nod!
#avid loo%ed up at the offi&ers! 7How long ago did this happen97
7+ don't %now,7 Bale said! 73ive inutes aybe!7
7,n&uff hi! "e have to get hi out of this sweatshirt!7
#alton shoo% his head! 7$o way, #o&! Ain't gonna happen!7
7Saline bottles87 #avid tried tearing the oist sweatshirt with his
hands, but it didn't give! His gloves &ae away blue and he shot
the off onto the floor and pulled on another pair! 7Traua shears''
where are the traua shears9 And soeone &all psy&h''preferably
#r! $wan%wa! Give hi a heads'up!7
The staff ebers stood still! Their stares, hardened with hatred
for )lyde, were nearly tangible! The hall too% on an eerie drea
silen&e!
#avid turned the an on his side; he rolled willingly! The entire
front of his sweatshirt was doused in al%ali! A few 1agged edges of
*yre6 protruded! The fabri& selled heavily of &igarette so%e!
7They wal%ed so slow,7 the an sputtered!
7"e'll give you soething for the pain,7 #avid said! 7Soe
orphine!7
The an shrie%ed and bu&%ed! 7$o shots,7 he &ried! 7$o
needles!7
75%ay, o%ay! How about pills97
7+ don't ta%e pills,7 the an oaned! 7*ills are for faggots!7
-eaning in the doorway of 06a 3ourteen, .ill slid her pen into
her s&rub top! The aterial above the front po&%et was lined with
in% fro near'isses! 7+ hope it hurts,7 she uttered!
7.ill,7 #avid snapped! 7The patient &an hear you!7
7+ hope so!7
#avid found hiself loo%ing for #iane, though he %new it wasn't
her shift! He'd have to find support elsewhere!
The an was sobbing! 7They ade e wal% slow and burn!7
#avid tried to /uell his rising anger at his staff! Still, no one was
oving to help hi! 7"here the hell are those traua shears87
*at stood behind .en%ins, the overhead lights &at&hing the bla&%
hairs peppered through her gray buzz &ut! The s%in around her
eyes was drawn taut, sending a networ% of wrin%les through her
&hee%s! Her e6pression was one #avid had never seen!
The an flopped and s&ree&hed!
7)an soeone ove9 "ill soeone get to wor% here97 #avid's
voi&e was high and thin! $obody responded!
5ne of the under&over &ops, dressed as a par%ing attendant,
stepped forward! 7-et's go, guys,7 he said! 7#o your 1obs!7
7*at,7 #avid said! 7Bring traua shears!7
*at glared down at the an! She did not ove! An instantaneous
sweat &overed #avid's ba&%, and he felt a tingle roll a&ross it! 7This
is not a &hoi&e for us to a%e!7 He spo%e slowly, his voi&e sha%ing!
7There is no de&ision here!7
Slowly, *at &rossed her ars!
)ho%ing on rage, he rose and shoved past .ill into 06a
3ourteen! )arson wat&hed hi fro the far side of the hall,
sho&%ed! #avid grabbed soe traua shears fro a tray, and
holding his stethos&ope so it wouldn't slide off his shoulders, half
1ogged ba&% to the patient! Aside fro the &rusted red a&ne, the
an's fa&e was &orpse'white!
7+ have to flip hi over! Ta%e off the &uffs!7
7$o way,7 .en%ins said! 7$o fu&%in' way!7
The &op dressed as a par%ing attendant stepped forward, but
.en%ins pla&ed a hand on his &hest! 7#on't even thin% about it,
Bla%e!7
The an's shoulders hit the floor with a slap when #avid rolled
hi onto his ba&%! His ars were twisted beneath hi, and he
shrie%ed!
7+ %now,7 #avid said! 7+t hurts, but we're doing this to help you!7
#on wat&hed, feet planted, hands in his po&%ets!
7+' going to &ut your sweatshirt off, be&ause it's burning you,7
#avid said, fighting to %eep his voi&e level! 7+' going to &ut it using
these s&issors!7 He slid the open traua shears up the front of the
fabri&! 7"hat's your nae97
7$ot telling!7
7Hey, hey!7 #avid leaned over, &lose to the an's fa&e! +t selled
sti&%y and sweet, li%e orange'flavored &andy! 7+t's o%ay! +' here to
help you! "hat's your nae97 The an's eye beat a few ties as it
pulled over to loo% at #avid! #avid loo%ed away /ui&%ly, wanting to
avoid eye &onta&t that &ould be interpreted as &onfrontational! A
shiny puddle of drool had &olle&ted on the tile where the an's
outh had been!
7)lyde!7
#avid threw the halved sweatshirt open li%e a blazer! A few
pie&es of glass and the broad lip of a *yre6 bea%er tin%led to the
floor! -u&%ily for )lyde, the bea%er had shattered between his
sweatshirt and his s&rub top! The sten&il on the s&rub top featured a
seal, below whi&h ,$+40(S+TB 53 )A-+35($+A M0#+)A-
)0$T0(: ,)-A, ,)+, ,)S# was written in a 1ailhouse blue! +t
&ould have been stolen fro this very hospital! The top yielded
easily to the blade, and #avid saw that the thin layer of aterial
had helped to lessen the daage! The al%ali had soa%ed through,
leaving the s%in red! +n a few spots, white blisters were beginning to
rise! Minor &uts &overed his &hest and lower ne&%, but little glass
had ade it all the way through the s&rub top into the wounds!
7Try to slow your breathing, )lyde,7 #avid said! 7"e don't want
you to hyperventilate!7 His voi&e betrayed his anger and
e6asperation! 7"e need to irrigate87
3inally, a hand holding a saline bottle e6tended toward #avid, a
woven leather bra&elet around the wrist! #avid too% the bottle fro
)arson and began spraying! )arson &rou&hed on )lyde's other
side and 1oined hi!
7Missed a spot,7 .en%ins said sardoni&ally, pointing at a large
blister under )lyde's nipple!
#avid ignored .en%ins, leaning forward so his fa&e was near
)lyde's! 7"e're spraying you off with water now! "e're doing this to
wash off the al%ali that is burning you!7
)lyde shifted on his bound hands, s/uealing with pain! $o one
else &ae near the; the staff and offi&ers standing ba&% in their
uted ring! 7+ didn't want to,7 )lyde whipered! 7+ was going to, li%e
before, but + didn't want to do it!7
7-et's get hi to an e6a roo! #r! -abert, get e a stret&her!
A stret&her!7 #avid glan&ed up, his outh pursed with anger! 7Get
e a stret&her now87
#on returned #avid's gaze for what seeed an eternity, the only
sound in the hall that of )lyde's whipering! 3inally, he turned and
wal%ed leisurely to retrieve a stret&her! +t too% hi ten se&onds to
turn the &orner, his slow pa&e o&%ing #avid!
Sweat dripped fro #avid's forehead onto )lyde's fa&e, and he
leaned ba&% and wiped his brow with an ar! 7"e have to get hi
on a bed! "e don't have tie to wait while #r! -abert plays
gaes! )arson, %eep irrigating!7 #avid turned to the &op .en%ins
had referred to as Bla%e! 7And you! "ill you give e a hand97
)lyde was heavy and lip, and #avid and Bla%e had to struggle
to get hi to his feet! He was taller and wider than either of the,
and they staggered under his weight! The other offi&ers wat&hed
&losely!
#avid loo%ed over .en%ins's shoulder at *at! She held her head
high on her slender ne&%, stately and pitiless! #isdain and hatred
twisted her fa&e into an ugly as%! 7Get the hell out of y 0(,7
#avid said! Her fa&e &rupled, and he felt a flash of satisfa&tion
ove through the olten haze of his anger!
He and Bla%e pivoted and began to drag )lyde toward 06a
3ourteen, )arson &ontinuing to douse hi with saline, Bale and
#alton wal%ing on either side! )lyde was unsteady on his feet!
.en%ins followed &losely behind, pal resting on the butt of his
pistol, and the other offi&ers dissipated slowly, heading ba&% out
through the doors! By flan%ing #avid and )lyde, Bale, #alton, and
.en%ins &reated the illusion they were assisting!
7"e're going to help you,7 #avid said! 7#o you understand that
+' here to help you97
Tear tra&%s strea%ed )lyde's &hee%s li%e &lown paint! He nodded,
his &hest heaving!
7"hat else &an we get you, #o&tor97 .en%ins as%ed /uietly! 7A
pluber's sna%e to &lear out his throat9 A bag for his head,
aybe97
7Should we give hi five, one, and one97 )arson as%ed!
3ive illigras of Haldol, one of )ogentin, and one of Ativan!
He'd be out in ten inutes and stay that way for hours! 7+ don't want
to go there yet,7 #avid said! 7+'d li%e hi lu&id! He's been fine so
far!7
7That's be&ause he's in hand&uffs,7 .en%ins inter1e&ted!
#avid turned to )lyde! 7Bou won't give us any trouble97
Headsha%e!
7Bou proise97
7*roise,7 )lyde &ried! 7+ proise!7 He &losed his eyes,
uttering, 7Three, two, one!7
#avid felt a burning sensation along the tender s%in inside his
bi&eps! Al%ali! He wiped it off hastily on his s&rub top! 7"at&h your
ars,7 he warned Bla%e!
)lyde finally found his feet and helped the the last few steps
into the roo, snuffling and yelping, and then they had hi seated
at the edge of the gurney! )arson &ontinued spraying )lyde down,
the saline pooling in his lap! His s&rub bottos turned dar% with the
li/uid, &linging to his thighs and &rot&h!
#avid grabbed two saline bottles and stepped into the hall! Many
of the staff ebers were standing around, rubberne&%ers illing
in the wa%e of an a&&ident! #on had 1ust returned with the stret&her
#avid had re/uested! He tossed it on the floor! #avid too% in ea&h
fa&e, the &old, peering eyes!
He and )arson would need help! Given the patient's history of
violen&e against woen, sele&ting ale staff seeed &learly the
right &ourse! 7Bou two!7 #avid snapped his fingers and pointed to a
ale nurse and a ale lab te&h, neither of who he re&ognized! 7+n
here and help )arson! Move it! $ow87
The nurse too% a step forward, then the lab te&h followed! #avid
handed the ea&h a saline bottle as they shuffled past!
#avid regarded the others for a oent! 7+n y seventeen years
pra&ti&ing edi&ine, this is the ost horrifying thing +'ve seen!7 His
voi&e sounded foreign to hi! 75n top of whi&h you've allowed the
floor to &oe to a standstill! Get ba&% to wor% iediately!7
He stepped ba&% in the roo and fa&ed Bale! .en%ins's hand
hovered over his Beretta, a%ing #avid intensely nervous! Bla%e
stood to the side, &learly uneasy! 7,n&uff hi,7 #avid said! 7Bou've
had your fun, now we need to get at hi to treat hi!7
7$o, sir,7 .en%ins said! 7Bou're dealing with a dangerous an!7
7"e're dealing with a patient in1ured with al%ali under suspi&ious
&ir&ustan&es who hasn't even been boo%ed, let alone &onvi&ted of
anything!7
7The guy got &aught stuffing al%ali under his shirt! + thin% we both
%now''7
7,n&uff y patient87 #avid stepped forward, eye to eye with
.en%ins!
Bale pressed a hand against #avid's &hest, whi&h #avid %no&%ed
aside! 7The best we &an do is put hi in four'point restraints,7 Bale
said! 7"ould that be better97
7"e handle a lot of potentially violent patients!7
7"ould it be better if we got the suspe&t in four'points97 Bale
repeated &ally!
#avid too% a deep breath! 7Bes!7
7Hard restraints!7
73ine! The se&urity guard up front &an get the for you! *lease
hurry!7
#alton strolled out to fet&h the restraints, as #avid s&ribbled the
order! The nurse and lab te&h were standing a few feet ba&% fro
)lyde as they sprayed hi down!
7"hat do you ean, restraints97 .en%ins as%ed! 7Throw soe
water on hi and let's haul his ass to Harbor!7
7Ba&% off, let us do our 1ob! Bou &an do yours later!7 Seeing his
words were having little ipa&t, #avid tried a ore pragati&
approa&h! 7Bou want hi to stand trial wrapped in bandages97 he
as%ed! 7"hat do you thin% that'll do for 1ury sypathy97
He turned around and e6ained the patient! The fa&t that the
s&rub top had reained between the al%ali spill and )lyde's flesh
had really liited the daage! The irrigation was &oing along
ni&ely''there would be soe painful blistering and a few &uts, but
nothing too serious! Morphine would have helped )lyde's pain, but
he'd rea&ted violently earlier when #avid had entioned giving hi
a shot, and #avid didn't want to ris% agitating hi again now that
he'd &aled down!
#avid stepped forward, again &areful to avoid )lyde's eyes!
)lyde's lips were oving slightly, and #avid realized he was
&ounting ba&%ward fro three, over and over!
7"e're 1ust spraying the al%ali off you,7 #avid said! 7"e're trying
to a%e the burning stop!7
)lyde's lips stopped their /uiet &hant for a oent! 7Than% you,7
he said!
7"e have soe /uestions for hi,7 Bale said!
7,n&uff hi and let us treat hi,7 #avid said over his shoulder!
7Bou &an /uestion hi in an hour!7
.en%ins grabbed #avid's shoulder fro behind! 7This guy fu&%ed
up two of your nurses''7
7A nurse and a do&tor, and we don't %now the patient is
responsible!7
7"hy don't you stop worrying about hi so u&h and let us get
what we need! "e brought hi in here!7
#avid stared down at .en%ins's hand until he reoved it fro his
shoulder! He loo%ed around for Bla%e, his sole ally aong the &ops,
but he'd left the roo! 7That was your legal responsibility,7 #avid
said! 7$ot a favor!7
7He is not the vi&ti here,7 .en%ins shouted through &len&hed
teeth, 1er%ing a finger violently in )lyde's dire&tion!
7"e need you out,7 #avid said! He turned to Bale! 7+ need hi
out! He's agitating the patient!7
7"e'll get the suspe&t se&ured, then give you a little spa&e,7 Bale
said!
#alton returned with the leather restraints! He wal%ed behind
)lyde's ba&%, &ir&ling the gurney, and )lyde grunted and whipped
his head around, trying to %eep hi in view! )arson and the nurse
and lab te&h were startled ba&% a few steps! .en%ins grabbed
)lyde's legs roughly, and )lyde thrashed as #alton undid the
hand&uffs! The two /ui&%ly had )lyde flat on his ba&%, strong
leather restraints binding his an%les and wrists to the etal rails of
the gurney! #avid dire&ted the to bind one of )lyde's hands up
and the other to the railing down by his waist so if soething went
wrong, they &ould turn hi on his side to iniize the ris% of
aspiration!
The s%in on )lyde's &hest was raw and shiny where it wasn't
raised in blisters, but it loo%ed as though ost of the al%ali had
been flushed off! He was in a u&h better position for )arson to
a&&ess the burns on his &hest, and the four leather &uffs held his
libs tight enough that the others weren't afraid to wor% ore
&losely on hi!
7All right,7 #avid said! 7That's enough! He's not going anywhere! +
&an ta%e it fro here!7
7"e'll be outside,7 Bale said!
7Have fun,7 #alton added! He had to grip .en%ins's forear to
ove hi fro the roo!
The roo hadn't been prepped for a potentially violent patient, so
#avid reoved both +4 poles, sliding the out into the hall and
leaving the door slightly a1ar! He found soe s&issors near a bag of
5'negative blood that had been left on the &ounter fro the
previous traua, and slid the into his po&%et! The lab te&h wore a
shirt and tie, having not yet &hanged into s&rubs for the day, and
#avid pulled hi aside and whispered to hi to ta%e off his tie
before going near the patient! He &aught )arson's eye and
gestured for hi to reove his yin and yang earring!
7Stand ba&% fro the door,7 )lyde was uttering when #avid
turned his attention ba&% to hi! 7Stand ba&% fro the door!7 He
%ept his eyes &losed, as though he were praying! His hands were
puffy, perhaps swollen fro the &uffs!
He repeated &ertain phrases li%e antras, #avid realized! The
re&itations seeed to have an obsessive'&opulsive eleent to
the; aybe they were uttered for the sae reason soe people
with 5)# wash their hands forty ties a day''to redu&e an6iety!
#avid &rou&hed so he wouldn't have to lean over )lyde in
threatening fashion! 7"e're going to reove your gloves now''7
)lyde s&reaed, balling up his hands into fists behind his ba&%!
75%ay, o%ay,7 #avid said! 7"e'll wait till later! "e'll ta%e the
gloves off later! How's the pain9 +s it better97
)lyde nodded! 7Still burns but it's done eating its way through
e! + %now! + &an tell when it's done!7
7#o you want soe pills for the pain97
7+ told you, + don't ta%e pills!7 His &rying and s&reaing had finally
stopped, though he was still breathing hard! A sall wedge of *yre6
gliered in a &ut near his left arpit!
7+' going to rea&h a&ross you,7 #avid said! 7And +' going to
use these for&eps to reove a sliver of glass fro one of your
&uts!7
75%ay,7 )lyde said!
#avid leaned over, but )lyde's left ar was lo&%ed down by his
waist, blo&%ing the &ut! He turned to )lyde, again doing his best to
avoid what &ould be per&eived as threatening eye &onta&t! 7+'
going to untie one of your ars to get at the &ut! +' doing this so +
&an help you! (eeber, you proised not to give e any
trouble!7
)arson too% a half step forward! 7-oo%, + don't %now''7
)lyde's sweaty head oved up and down in a nod!
#avid untied the restraint and raised )lyde's ar, the thi&%
leather band reaining around )lyde's wrist! He bent down,
navigated the for&eps &arefully into the wound, and reoved the
pie&e of *yre6! He lowered )lyde's ar ba&% to the etal rail and
se&ured it again, threading the leather strip through the hasp!
)arson let his breath out in a rush!
)lyde raised his head wea%ly and stared at #avid as the others
&ontinued to flush his wounds with saline! His voi&e hit&hed in his
&hest! 7Than% ! ! ! than% you,7 he said!
#avid thought of the @erofor bolsters stit&hed into $an&y's fa&e
and strongly resisted the urge to tell hi to go fu&% hiself!
)hapter >>
7T5 say +' pissed off would be an understateent!7 By the tie
#avid entered the do&tors' lounge his rage had turned to disgust!
He had pulled ost of the staff who had been on the floor during
the in&ident into an iproptu eeting, leaving )arson and a few
nurses to oversee the floor! *at had apparently followed his orders
and left! $urses and interns &raed onto the &heap vinyl &ou&h,
leaned against the &offee'stained sin%, and sat &ross'legged on the
floor!
He loo%ed blan%ly fro fa&e to fa&e! Alost all of the lowered
their eyes fro his stare! 7A patient &oes into our division in a&ute
pain, re/uiring eergen&y treatent, and we withhold &are! A top'
not&h edi&al fa&ility withholds &are! + &an't ! ! ! 7 The words were
1ubling in his outh, so he paused and too% a breath! 7+'
eeting with #r! 0vans today, but + &an't even begin to figure out
how +' going to present this!7
A few of the interns stiffened at the ention of the hard'nosed
&hief of staff!
He &ouldn't re&all ever seeing the staff so un&ofortable!
$ervous shuffling, regretful e6pressions! 5ne of the nurses loo%ed
up to stop her oist eyes fro lea%ing! A edi&ine intern raised a
fist to stifle a &ough!
75utside these doors, the world &an be as vi&ious and &old as it
wants! *eople don't help ea&h other! *eople don't have to help
ea&h other! +n here, we ta%e &are of the, trite as that ay sound!7
7That an is a vi&ious utilator of woen who got a taste of his
own edi&ine!7 The anger in #on's voi&e surprised hi!
7That an is a suspe&t7 ''#avid ephasized the nouns with 1abs
of his open hand'' 7but that's the &ops' &on&ern! To us, he's a
person with a serious in1ury, li%e any other!7
7.ust doing our 1ob, huh9 That's the philosophy you want to rely
on97
#avid's stoa&h was awash with a&id and rage! 7The Hippo&rati&
5ath, #r! -abert, is the philosophy + rely on! "e too% an oath,
every one of us, that we would wor% by our edi&al ethi&s and hold
the above everything else! "hat does it ean if that oath ends
beyond the point that soeone is appealing, or entally sound9 5r
li%able97
7+t's not that bla&% and white!7
7+t is pre&isely that bla&% and white! +f we &an redu&e the pain of
another huan being, we do it!7
7How &an you want to show that an &opassion97
7)opassion9 +t has nothing to do with &opassion! This is our
1ob! +f you don't li%e it, go be a goddan a&&ountant! But you &an't
stay here and thin% you &an &all your own shots!7
The others wat&hed the e6&hange with stunned e6pressions!
#avid too% another oent to gather his &oposure! 7+t is not
our pla&e to /uestion our patients' orality! #o you really thin% you
&an %eep your footing on that slippery slope9 "hat ne6t9 "e stop
treating &riinals9 How about people who &heat on their in&oe
ta6es9 #o we let the lie in pain9 The entally ill9 #o we deny
the edi&al &are9 #o we97 #avid's ars were tensed before hi!
7That an in 3ourteen &ould very well be entally in&apa&itated!
-eave 1udgent to the &ourts, and do the 1obs you swore under
oath to do!7
7+ never abandon y own instin&ts,7 #on said! 7$ot for any &ode
of ethi&s!7
73ine,7 #avid snapped! 7+f that &ode of ethi&s doesn't wor%, try
this one! +' the division &hief, and you will listen to e! So do your
fu&%ing 1ob! All of you! $ow!7
He wal%ed out and left the door standing open, the ururs
following hi a few yards up the hall! "hether the &onfrontation
had done any good or not, he felt &onsiderably better!
He returned to the )"A and &he&%ed in with )arson, noting the
eptiness of the 0('s ain a6is! Aware that he had 1ust a&ted li%e
the %ind of anager he'd sworn he would never be, he fo&used on
the board as the other staff ebers tri&%led ba&% to wor%!
*reo&&upation stayed with hi for the ne6t few hours! His
&on&entration wandered; his oveents were e&hani&al! He
forgot a patient's nae during an e6aination for the first tie
sin&e .une of 2EJI!
The rest of the staff gleaned the fa&t that he didn't want to
intera&t with the! 06&ept for essential e6&hanges, the nurses left
hi alone! The interns went to #on to present &ases and have their
orders signed! #on spent his tie alternating between gloating over
his newfound popularity and sul%ing li%e a s&orned girl!
"hen #avid stopped by the )"A later, the roo /uieted as he
entered! He glan&ed at the board! Aside fro an M+ and a severed
finger, things appeared to be /uiet, so ost of the staff were
hanging out on the stools or leaning on the &ounters, &at&hing up
on paperwor%!
#on's hand rasped over the stubble he %ept Miai 4i&e length!
His eyes, beneath his perfe&t brow, were intensely angry! .ill
tou&hed #avid's ar, a gesture he thought was apologeti&! The
others ignored hi!
He nodded at .ill, a bit aw%wardly, and wal%ed fro the roo!
Before heading to his lun&h eeting, he went to &he&% on )lyde!
He was 1ust about to turn the &orner when he overheard .en%ins
tal%ing to the two -A*# &ops stationed outside the &losed door to
)lyde's roo! They loo%ed tall and hard in their unifors, their
bla&% belts laden with tools and weapons! Bale stood by also, silent
and seeingly uninvolved in the &onversation!
7''business end of y nine'illieter,7 .en%ins was saying!
#avid peered around the &orner and saw hi reove his pistol and
ai it at an iaginary vi&ti, e6e&ution'style! The hall was
oentarily deserted; #avid had de&ided to dire&t new patients to
the roos off Hallway Two until )lyde was oved!
5ne of the unifored &ops uttered soething, though #avid
pi&%ed up only snat&hes! 7! ! ! do& releases hi ! ! ! get your hands
on ! ! ! 7
7That's right,7 .en%ins said! 7"e'll file it under #SA3: #id So&iety
a 3avor!7
#avid was unsure how to gauge the severity of .en%ins's
grandstanding, but he felt his fa&e tingling with the pani& i6ture of
anger and sudden dread! Bale leaned against the door but didn't
&oent! "as he &opli&it in .en%ins's s&heing, or did he
believe .en%ins was siply venting9
#avid pulled silently ba&% fro the &orner and headed to his
eeting! +t too% hi nearly ten inutes to negotiate the &afeteria
lines and lo&ate two opposing seats at a table, and he found
hiself fondly re&alling the days of the separate physi&ians' dining
roo! He had already finished eating when he spotted Sandy
0vans &rossing the &afeteria toward hi, 1uggling a soft leather
brief&ase and a forest'green tray &overed with a ound of food!
She wore a well'tailored &har&oal suit, and wore it well for a si6ty'
five'year'old! Her hair, &hestnut with auburn highlights, was shag'
styled down around her ne&%!
He was glad to have pinned her down for lun&h; the last tie
he'd needed to spea% to her on short noti&e, he'd had to s&rub in
and &at&h up to her in the 5(! Spea%ing through surgi&al as%s
tended to blur the words, and though surgeons never seeed to
ind, #avid had always found a &ertain star% irreveren&e in
dis&ussing unrelated issues over an opened patient! To a&&ent her
points, Sandy had pointed at hi with a :elly'&laped segent of
rese&ted bowel!
#avid rose slightly in the bla&% &afeteria &hair, and he and Sandy
tou&hed &hee%s in a seblan&e of a %iss! Aside fro her husband,
#avid was the only person she peritted &loser than a handsha%e,
an indulgen&e granted hi only be&ause she'd had an e6&eedingly
&lose relationship with his other! She was u&h li%e #avid's
other in any regards''the stern attra&tive loo%s, the insatiable
abition, the aggressive set of the shoulders! 0ven their fa&es
soeties blended in #avid's eory; both had a hard'shelled,
resilient &ast, the result of weathering yriad broadsides early in
their &areers fro ale &olleagues and superiors! But #avid felt
Sandy's siilarity to his other ost %eenly in soething
une6pe&ted and unsettling''his desire to please her!
Sandy dropped her brief&ase on an epty &hair and lowered the
tray to the table, a bottle of Gatorade rolling toward the edge until
#avid grabbed it! Her voi&e was deep and throaty, a so%er's
voi&e, though she'd never so%ed a single &igarette! 7The Board of
#ire&tors wants a &oplete edia bla&%out, and rightly so! 5ne
suture untied, and we'll have a s&andal on our hands! AB), )$$,
MS$B), and 3o6 $ews are all pressing y offi&e for &oent, and
they're e6pe&ting e to roll over! -ittle do they %now!7 Her vivid
green eyes gleaed! 7They'd better gear up for one hell of a
dogfight, '&ause this old bit&h don't roll over unless she's in the
ood!7 Her eyebrows, lightly pen&iled, rose beneath her bangs!
75h, it's true! Bou &an as% Stephen!7
#avid absentindedly bent a plasti& for% in half! 7+'ll ta%e your
word!7
Sandy opened two &ontainers of yogurt, unwrapped a burrito,
and lifted the lid of a &ardboard bo6 fro the grill! Sandy still 1ogged
five iles every orning, and ate li%e an $3- lineba&%er! 7Sounds
li%e you've had your hands full today,7 she said around a outhful
of &hi&%wi&h!
7More than you %now,7 he uttered!
7"hat97
7$othing!7 #avid shoo% his head! 7"hat happened this orning''
the entire division not stepping in to provide &are''+'ve never seen
anything li%e it!7
7*eople rea&t violently when friends and &olleagues have been
in1ured!7
#avid loo%ed up, sho&%ed! 7Bou're &ondoning this97
7Hey87 She pointed at hi with the end of a banana! 7#ire&t that
righteous Spier anger elsewhere, #avid! +' on your side here! +f +
&ondoned your staff's behavior this orning, +'d be perfe&tly
&apable of e6pressing that sentient, so don't get pissy with e
over ipli&ations!7
7All right! +' sorry! + apologize!7
7+f you'll pardon the e/uestrian etaphor, #avid, you're one of
y Thoroughbreds! Bou were the youngest division &hief in the
history of this hospital, and + leaned li%e hell to get you that post,
not be&ause your other was y entor and dear friend but
be&ause you are that good! Bou're one of aybe three departent
heads here who + trust ipli&itly, a&ross the board, without
/uestion!7 Her voi&e was hard and driving, as if she were still being
&hallenged!
7"ould you li%e e to apologize again97
Her lips pursed and pulled to one side in her distin&tive sile!
7$o! 5n&e was suffi&ient! $ow, + agree that your staff's behavior
was egregious! +' erely pointing out that, however isguided
and asinine, there are e6tenuating &ir&ustan&es here! $ow let's
tal% about this! 3irst of all, what's this an's nae9 The patient!7
7)lyde!7
7)lyde9 "ho the hell's naed )lyde97 She loo%ed at #avid,
iffed, as if he were soehow responsible for naing hi!
7That's all he'll give up,7 #avid said! 7$o last nae either!7
7All right! How any staff ebers refused to help you97
70veryone!7
7#avid, if the radiology te&h or a des% &ler% didn't pit&h in, that's
not relevant to this dis&ussion! +' interested in how any ebers
of 0( staff who re&eive and treat new patients refused to help you!7
#avid thought for a oent! 7Seven! 3our nurses, two interns,
and #on -abert!7
7All right! So legally, we're &on&erned with seven people here!7
7My &on&erns are ethi&al, Sandy! $ot legal!7
She finished &hewing a bite of burrito! 7Hurrah, #avid! However,
what +' &on&erned with, in running this fa&ility, is the area where
your ethi&al &on&erns &ross the boundary into legal &on&erns!7
75r *( &on&erns!7
Her pen&iled eyebrows pulled up as she appraised hi! 7Bou
inherited your other's oral sense, but it's a shae you didn't
inherit her overriding grasp of politi&s! +t's the only thing that stands
between you and a future post as &hief of staff!7
#avid ignored the dig! 7How do you intend to handle this issue,
Sandy97
7"ell, we've long %nown that #r! -abert is a lazy S5B, but
when he's fo&used he's a&tually /uite &opetent, and he is very
popular aong the staff! #o you really want to push this9 +t'll be a
big stin%! #o you feel your patient's &are was &oproised97
7"ell, + &ouldn't get to hi as /ui&%ly''7
7Truly &oproised97
He bit his lower lip! 7*robably not!7
7All right! $ow let's bear in ind that we are dealing with a very
spe&ifi& situation! This an was atta&%ing 0( wor%ers! "hile the
behavior of your staff is ine6&usable, +' not &on&erned that they'd
withhold &are fro other patients! And the li%elihood of soeone
else atta&%ing 0( wor%ers and then needing edi&al &are at the
hands of that sae staff ! ! ! well, we %now how reote a possibility
that is! Bou have to pi&% your battles! $ow let e as% you again! #o
you really want to push this97
#avid suddenly felt /uite nauseous! 7+ want the to be forally
reprianded, yes!7
A woan trudging slowly past glan&ed over at hi, and he
realized the intensity in his voi&e was a%ing it &arry!
7#on't get e wrong, #avid! +' as pissed about this as you are!
+n fa&t, +' planning on personally eeting with all seven
eployees and tearing the ea&h a new orifi&e! "hat +' as%ing is,
do you want to involve the 0thi&s )oittee9 (is% Manageent9
The )alifornia Medi&al Board97
He rolled the soft lining s%in of his botto lip between his teeth!
7$o!7
7All right!7 She siled &urtly! 7+' /uite good at being furious! By
the tie +' through with those seven, they'll have the Hippo&rati&
5ath tattooed on their foreheads!7
He nodded, soewhat forally, and she returned the gesture,
aused!
7$ow +'ve got another tangentially related heada&he,7 Sandy
said! 7As + entioned before, the edia's been &rawling all over the
hospital, 1aing the phone lines! +t's not the %ind of press we li%e,
but, even worse, it's interfering with the hospital's effe&tiveness!
"hen &an you get this ! ! ! )lyde on his way to the Sheriff's
station97
7+t's &opli&ated!7
7$o, #avid, it's not! Get hi stable and get hi oved!7
Sandy leaned ba&% and &rossed her ars, an aused, attra&tive
little sile playing a&ross her fa&e! 75ne of the rules when dealing
with Thoroughbreds is that you don't rein the in too u&h! They
lose soe of their fire, their passion! So +' a%ing a suggestion,
not a dire&tive, and you &an throw it out if you'd li%e!7
He %new what was &oing, and he %new he deserved it!
7More people loo% up to you here than you're aware,7 Sandy
said! 7Bou're part of the bedro&% of this hospital! + heard you lost
your &ool pretty badly this orning! That unsettles people! "hether
we li%e it or not, your division is under intense s&rutiny be&ause of
this &ase''both internal and e6ternal s&rutiny!7
#avid too% this in, trying to strip away his anger and
defensiveness, and find soe utility in the inforation! 7Bour
suggestion97 he as%ed!
Sandy rose, pi&%ed up her tray, whi&h was littered with gutted
food &ontainers and fruit rinds, and win%ed at hi! 7:eep your &lay
feet &overed!7
)hapter >F
BA-0 eerged fro 06a (oo 3ourteen, 1otting soething in
a worn bla&% leather notepad! A rubber band held several yellow
sheets to the top &over, ar%ing his pla&e! As #avid approa&hed
fro the &afeteria, Bale flipped the pad shut and slid it into his
sport'&oat po&%et! The two -A*# offi&ers had been repla&ed by
,)-A *# &ops, who now stood guard at the door!
7#r! Spier,7 Bale said! He too% a few steps toward #avid, perhaps
so the offi&ers wouldn't overhear the &onversation to &oe! 7"e'd
li%e to get the suspe&t oved to the 1ail ward at Harbor! As +' sure
you're aware, the ward there is a high'se&urity treatent zone, and
we thin% it will be safer for everyone involved when we get hi
oved there! +s he stable97
7+'d li%e to &ontinue irrigation for a few hours! Al%ali &ontinues to
burn deep within the s%in, even when it loo%s li%e it's been &leaned
off!7
7Bes,7 Bale said! 7"e've learned that the hard way!7
7+ also need to get hi stit&hed up!7
7)an't that wait and be handled at Harbor97
The last tie #avid had &he&%ed, )lyde was still reporting pain!
#avid had his hesitations about releasing a patient in a fragile state
into the hands of offi&ers who were less than &on&erned about his
health and safety! He thought about how slowly they'd sauntered
into the 0( with )lyde s&reaing and burning in their hands!
.en%ins's e6e&ution pose with his pistol! 7+ need to %eep an eye on
hi for a few ore hours, see how things settle! + don't want hi
oved in this &ondition!7
7+'d really prefer''7
7Maybe tonight!7
7"hat tie97
7"e'll see how he's doing at eight, nine o'&lo&%!7
That would give #avid ore tie to observe the burn's &ourse
and a%e sure the gashes were stit&hed and &leaned up! *lus,
.en%ins's shift should be over by then! #avid would be less
&on&erned about turning )lyde over to a ore ipartial offi&er!
Bale glan&ed over his shoulder, and the two offi&ers at the door
loo%ed away /ui&%ly, pretending they hadn't been eavesdropping!
7+' gonna be honest with you,7 Bale said! 7+t's not going well in
there! He won't tal% to e!7
7Maybe you alienated hi too u&h during the arrest!7
7*erhaps!7
7"hat too% you so long getting hi to the 0(97
7"e were busy subduing and fris%ing hi! Minor &onsiderations
li%e that!7 Bale tapped his pen, a &heap Bi& ballpoint, against his
lips! 7+' thin%ing aybe you &ould try to loosen hi up for e!7
7That's really not y 1ob, #ete&tive Bale! The psy&h &onsult will
be along shortly, and +' sure''7
7#r! $wan%wa! +' failiar with hi and not optiisti& he'll be
loo%ing to advan&e our &ause!7
7Advan&ing your &ause is not his 1ob! 5r ine! 5ur 1ob is to treat
patients!7
7+n any event, +' not peritting #r! $wan%wa to see the suspe&t!
This is not the tie for a psy&hiatri& assessent!7
73ine! + need #r! $wan%wa to assess the patient's need for
antipsy&hoti& edi&ation! +f we &an %eep )lyde &aled down, that
benefits both our agendas!7 #avid &rossed his ars! 7My treatent
of this patient will be unipeded!7
Bale studied #avid with &lever, shiny eyes! 7Bou %now, #r! Spier,
our 1obs share &ertain siilarities! "e're both e6posed to eleents
of so&iety few people deal with! "e both see people at their worst''
in pain, terrified, furious, sui&idal, dead! .ust li%e you thin% + don't
%now y ass fro ! ! ! .ust li%e you thin% + don't %now u&h about
what goes on in the 0(, + &an tell you, you don't %now u&h about
how things wor% on the street! Bour &ode of ethi&s holds up 1ust fine
in here, between the s&rubbed white walls, but there are different
%inds of &hoi&es, different %inds of pressures and stresses and
&on&erns out there! This an is a predator''7
7A suspe&ted predator!7
7*lease %eep your voi&e down, #r! Spier! +' saying that this an
is a suspe&ted predator, and when you deal with predators at large,
free fro restraints and ba&%up, you ight find your politi&s sliding
slowly to the right!7
7My politi&s are irrelevant to y ethi&s! +' sorry you don't
understand that!7
7+ learned y ethi&s wading through disebered bodies, drug
labs, and hoeade torture &habers!7
7So tell e, then,7 #avid said! 7How do you thin% a suspe&t
should be treated97
7+s this the issue at sta%e9 Bou wouldn't be holding this patient
for reasons other than to provide &riti&al edi&al &are9 As you're
well aware, that would be overstepping your bounds, #r! Spier!7
7The patient is still in need of &riti&al treatent!7
7+ see!7 Bale too% a step ba&%!
#avid &leared his throat! 7"ill .en%ins be involved in the
transfer97
Bale studied hi &losely! His pupils were dar% and sooth; in the
sterile overhead light, they resebled obsidian! 7.en%ins will be
involved as long as he wants to be involved!7 His little sile was
&old and effi&ient! 7He's got a first'&lass &rush on the suspe&t! "on't
leave hi alone, even for a inute! He's sitting out in his patrol &ar
on -e )onte right now, 1ust in &ase we need hi for anything!7
7+n edi&ine, physi&ians don't treat their faily ebers!7 He did
his best not to pi&ture 0lisabeth's fa&e! 7There's too u&h eotion
there! Might a%e a bad de&ision!7
7#alton and + are running the show, not .en%ins! But +' not
going to ta%e away his involveent! This is his way of dealing! So
we let hi drive behind the transport vehi&le, let hi twirl his lights
and run his siren! He needs this!7
7He's under a great deal of stress, and he's highly unstable!
"hat are you going to do if he &oes undone9 A&ts rashly97
7There are any nuber of things about e that are /uestionable,
#r! Spier! My &opeten&e is not one of the!7
#avid pointed to the &losed door of 06a 3ourteen! 7That is a
si&% individual in there! Si&% and violent, but also &onfused and
s&ared! He needs your prote&tion!7
7And why do you trust e and not the others97 Bale said!
Through all #avid's dealings with Bale, this was the first hint of
anger he'd heard in his voi&e! 7Be&ause + &an afford the sae suits
as you97
7Bou wear better suits than + do, and no! + trust you ore
be&ause you're the only one not a&ting li%e you want to treat y
patient li%e (odney :ing!7
7-et e tell you soething,7 Bale said, stabbing a finger at #avid!
7Bou &an ta%e your &lassist disdain and shove it! Bou thin% you
understand what goes on in our lives9 #o you thin% you even
understand what went down in the (odney :ing fias&o9 There were
twelve offi&ers on the s&ene for a reason! "hy don't you loo% into
it97
The two offi&ers by the door listened intently, leaning to a%e out
ore of the &onversation!
A sharp noise of disdain es&aped fro the ba&% of Bale's throat!
7*atrol offi&ers &an get %illed any inute of any day! 0spe&ially in
this &ity! "hy do they do it9 "hat's your %nee'1er% answer to that9
They're all 1ust power'hungry pigs, right9 Bullshit!7 His hand rested
lightly over the badge &lipped to his belt! 7They do it to prote&t and
serve &ivilians! 0ven arrogant bastards li%e you!7
His usually stoi& fa&e lined with eotion, and in that instant
#avid saw right through hi! The defensiveness, the pressured
spee&h, the hint of hurt that found its way into his voi&e''it all
ree%ed of regurgitated arguent! Anger ossified by re1e&tion! His
wealthy ba&%ground was betrayed by the split'toe stit&hing of his
)ole Haan loafers, his faily's re&eption of his &hoi&e of vo&ation
by the &ontentious set of his outh! His affluen&e &ae at a &ost; it
was thorny'steed! Bale seeed to sense he had given too
u&h up, for he loo%ed away and too% a step ba&%, his lips
twit&hing li%e a bo6er's!
7+ don't want to argue about (odney :ing,7 #avid said!
7Then don't bring hi up!7
7+'d 1ust li%e your reassuran&e that there won't be any vigilante
retribution against y patient!7
The two en studied ea&h other, still'fa&ed and tense! 7A
suspe&t has never &oe to har under y &oand,7 Bale finally
said! 7$ever!7
#avid e6tended his hand! 7+s that a guarantee97
Bale regarded #avid with &ontept! 7+ don't give guarantees!7 He
wal%ed away, leaving #avid and his proffered handsha%e behind!
"hen #avid stepped out of the abulan&e bay, a an with
sli&%ed'ba&% hair and a florid adras shirt &onfronted hi, readying
a noteboo% and sliding a pen fro behind his ear! 7Hear you're
having soe probles with your staff!7
7"ho are''9 $o! 0verything's fine!7
#avid %ept wal%ing, but the reporter followed hi, hovering off
his elbow! He held up his noteboo% and de&laied, 7Sour&es inside
the hospital indi&ate that there are growing tensions between
#ivision )hief #avid Spier, ebers of his own staff, and the
poli&e!7
7*lease,7 #avid said! 7$ot now!7
7+ &an a%e you loo% better if you tal%!7
7Bou &an a%e yourself loo% better if you &hange your shirt!7
The an pulled to a halt, grinning! #avid was happy to leave hi
behind! He paused on the dirt path near the *)HS stru&ture! A
sall blue puddle &ontinued seeping into the ground near one of
the trees, and #avid re&ognized the few surrounding shards as
*yre6! The %i&%ed'up dirt betrayed the re&ent struggle between
)lyde and the offi&ers! The area was partitioned off with yellow
poli&e tape!
.ust ahead, a poli&e &ar idled at the &urb on -e )onte! As #avid
drew near, Bronner e6ited the passenger side, heading a&ross the
street toward a &offee shop, pi&%ing up his feet in a heavy 1og!
.en%ins sat behind the wheel, flipping through soe fliers with
grainy bla&%'and'white photos!
#avid leaned toward the open passenger window, hands on the
sill, his position and the painted 3ord -T# a%ing hi feel,
ridi&ulously, li%e a prostitute! 706&use e!7
.en%ins did not loo% up! 7#r! Spier,7 he said!
7Mind if + ! ! ! 97 #avid gestured to the passenger seat!
Still no eye &onta&t! .en%ins 1otted soething in his pad! 7Bou
&an sit in the ba&%!7
After a oent's hesitation, #avid opened the rear door and
&libed in! The ba&%seat was &oposed of a solid plasti& old,
with no &ra&%s into whi&h suspe&ts &ould stuff drugs or weapons! A
&rie alert flier sat on one side, a displeased Afri&an Aeri&an
ale with 3,): -A*# tattooed a&ross his forehead peering out
fro the fuzzy photo! #avid s&ooted a&ross to the iddle and
viewed the ba&% of .en%ins's head through the prote&tive *le6iglas
shield that separated the front and ba&% seats!
.en%ins had been %ind enough to leave the sall window open in
the *le6iglas shield! A strip of his fa&e peered at #avid fro the
rearview irror, but #avid &ould not a%e out his eyes through his
5a%ley blades!
7The +), nurse told e you've had a rough tie going in to see
your sister, so + wanted to let you %now she's a%ing good
progress! The s%in grafts are ta%ing so far, and plasti&s is feeling
/uite &onfident! She fought off an internal infe&tion pretty well,
and''7
7Soething tells e you didn't &oe all the way out here to tal%
about y sister!7 .en%ins's voi&e, deep and resonant, betrayed little
eotion!
#avid realized 1ust how &laustrophobi& the ba&%seat of a &op &ar
was! The strip of .en%ins's fa&e reained perfe&tly &entered in the
rearview irror! He had astered silen&e as a weapon, and #avid
found it a powerful one!
He wasn't sure how to find the balan&e between &ondes&ension
and &ouni&ation! 7"hat happened to your sister was horrible!
And + %now ! ! ! and if there's anything + &an ever do ! ! ! But the
patient is a''7
7*atient,7 .en%ins sneered!
7The suspe&t is a very si&% an! #isturbed!7
7Si&% enough to wear a fa%e tattoo to throw off our investigation9
Si&% enough to use surgi&al gloves be&ause they leave a less
distin&tive print than leather gloves9 #on't buy the duy routine,
#o&tor! 5ur boy's pretty &lever for soeone si&% in the head!7
7*eople &an be sart and still be unbalan&ed! +agine how ill
you'd have to be to do the %inds of things he's done!7
7That doesn't interest e!7
70ven if this guy is guilty, he's still got rights! Bou don't want to
give his future attorney any aunition against the #A, do you97
.en%ins shifted in his seat and then finally turned his head! #avid
stared ba&% at his own distorted refle&tion in the broad band of
.en%ins's sunglasses! 7My sister is blind! She has to barf up into
nap%ins for the rest of her life! #ead s%in falls off her fa&e in gray
pat&hes! And you're ore &on&erned about the guy who did it!7
A&ross the street, Bronner eerged fro the shop, holding two
&ups of steaing &offee!
7+' e6treely &on&erned about $an&y! But she isn't y patient
anyore! The suspe&t is!7
7Then go ba&% to the hospital and ta%e &are of hi so we &an
ta%e hi off your hands!7
#avid slid toward the door on the hard plasti& seat! 7+ &an't,7 he
said sheepishly!
7"hy not97
7The door handle won't wor%!7
)hapter ><
H0( &areful arrangeent of designer'styled, blond'highlighted
hair boun&ed as she leaned ba&% on the gurney! Her hand, set
aglitter by deep aroon fingernails, &lut&hed a &ell phone to her
ear! Her lips stret&hed full and aorphous, blown out of proportion
by &ollagen in1e&tions! #ar% eyeshadow filled the hollows beneath
her eyes, where long'vanished tears had deposited it!
75h yes,7 she said into the phone, in a so&ialite's singsong
&aden&e, 7it's been awful! + tried to %ill yself this orning! ! ! ! ,'
h! *roza&, &odeine, and a bad Bordeau6! Threw it all up by the
tie the paraedi&s arrived! Bou'll never believe where they
brought e! The ,)-A eergen&y roo! + was terrified! Thought +'d
get doused with al%ali on y way through the doors!7 She pi&%ed at
a &uti&le! 7"hat's that, darling97 She glan&ed up at the resident at
the bed beside hers, drawing blood fro another woan! 75ne of
the is, + suppose, in a Billy Baldwin sort of way!7
)arson loo%ed up fro his &hart and nudged #avid! 7"el&oe to
"est -A!7
7Thin% &opassion, #r! #onalds! "here else do you thin% a
lonely, depressed woan &ould get this u&h attention97
75n .erry Springer!7
#avid &oughed to &over his sile!
#ashiell $wan%wa suddenly filled the wide doorway to 06a
Ten! 7Bou rang97 he as%ed, his booing voi&e &ausing )arson to
drop the &hart he was holding! #avid wal%ed over to greet #ash as
)arson &rou&hed to gather the s&attered papers!
#ash had to du&% slightly to get through the doorway! At D'J7, >J=
pounds, #ash's was an iposing presen&e! His fa&e, so dar% it
diffusely refle&ted the lights of the roo, was partly blo&%ed by an
overflow of thi&%'braided dreadlo&%s! -i%e ost psy&hiatrists, he
wore a dress shirt and tie, but during edi&al s&hool he'd had to slit
the already'wide sleeves of his s&rub tops a good two in&hes to get
his ars through!
#ash's appearan&e was so rear%able that several psy&hiatry
progras had re1e&ted hi on that basis, &laiing it would
&oproise his ability to intera&t with patients and put the at
ease! After he failed to at&h in a fellowship progra, #ash sued
ea&h of the in a widely publi&ized series of &ases, winning
adission to ea&h departent! The &ases were de&ided in large
part by his near'perfe&t grades through )olubia Medi&al S&hool,
and his e6&ellent re&oendations! The &hair of ,)-A's psy&h
departent had stepped in early in the pro&eedings and offered hi
a spot, and though he had not originally applied to ,)-A, he'd
ele&ted to sign on! His perforan&e through the four'year progra
had been so ipressive that he'd been offered a tea&hing position
iediately afterward, and he'd /ui&%ly be&oe a proinent
eber of the departent!
He was also a favored e6pert witness for the defense! He loo%ed
tough but spo%e &onvin&ingly about ental illness''a good
&obination for winning the 1ury's trust! Most e6pert psy&h
witnesses, thin'ne&%ed and bespe&ta&led, were /ui&%ly painted as
wips soft on &rie! Be&ause of #ash's e6perien&e with violent
patients and &riinals, he'd been #avid's first &hoi&e to assess
)lyde!
7"hat do we have here97 #ash's voi&e, so deep it found
resonan&e in #avid's bones, was itigated with a usi&al lilt''the
faintest whisper of a $igerian a&&ent! He glan&ed over at the
woan on the bed behind #avid and )arson, who &ontinued to
&hat on the &ell phone! 7Sui&ide attept97
7How'd you guess97 )arson said!
7)arson, why don't you ta%e over,7 #avid said! 7#ash, our guy is
in 3ourteen!7
As they oved toward the door, the woan's purse, 1ust beyond
her rea&h on a etal tray, began to vibrate!
7+s that your pager97 )arson as%ed, rea&hing into the purse! The
woan froze, silent for the first tie, her outh a lipsti&%ed 5 near
the phone's re&eiver!
)arson withdrew an eight'in&h vibrator and stared at it, ortified!
#ash's laughter, even &ho%ed down, ade the light &asings rattle
overhead!
As they rea&hed the end of Hallway 5ne, #avid shot a nervous
glan&e at the two offi&ers guarding the door to )lyde's roo! He
turned to #ash, lowering his voi&e! 7+t was all + &ould do to slide you
past the &ops! 0veryone's on edge! Anyone as%s, you're assessing
his need for antipsy&hoti& eds!7
7Got it!7
7And %eep tight'lipped! Soe tabloid s&hu&% fa%ed a
&on&ussion this afternoon 1ust to get in here and po%e around!7
#avid breathed evenly and deeply as he approa&hed the roo,
gathering hiself! His stoa&h &hurned, a orass of yet'
unidentified eotions''fear, an6iety, duty of soe ill'defined sort!
Anger was in there as well, he realized, in no sall aount!
He nodded to the offi&ers and paused for a oent, hand on the
door%nob, sear&hing for &opassion! He fought past $an&y's fa&e,
and Sandra's, past the blue li/uid that burned and ate flesh, past
the disgust that &a%ed the edges of his per&eption''the disgust that
sprang, innate and full'fored, when he pi&tured )lyde's a&ne'
s&arred fa&e! "hen he turned the door%nob, he felt &aler, ore
deta&hed!
He was ready to see his patient!
He swung the door open /uietly, and he and #ash entered!
)lyde lay on the gurney, bound, eyes &losed, drawing deep
breaths! #avid and #ash approa&hed hi and stood a few feet
ba&% fro the gurney rail! 7Hello, )lyde! +t's #r! Spier again!7
7Spier,7 )lyde urured! 7-i%e the building!7
7Bes, but spelled differently! +' here with #r! $wan%wa fro the
$europsy&hiatri& +nsti''7
)lyde's eyes opened, a ripple of terror transforing his features
fro pla&id to violently agitated! He s&reaed, straining with his
libs against the restraints, bu&%ing and thrashing! #ash &ally
too% a step ba&% and signaled #avid to do the sae!
7Bou said87 )lyde bellowed! 7Bou said you'd help e87
7+' trying to,7 #avid said!
)lyde's franti& eyes fli&%ered to #ash! 7Get hi away!7
7#r! $wan%wa is here to help y''7
7Get hi away87
#ash too% another &al step ba&% and sat down in a &hair
against the far wall! )lyde stopped thrashing and lay flat on the
gurney, his &hest heaving!
7#on't let hi near e,7 )lyde said! He tu&%ed his &hin to his
&hest, hun&hing his shoulders, his eyes turned to the wall!
7+ won't &oe near you,7 #ash said softly! 7+' 1ust going to sit
right here!7
)lyde flopped over, his eyes darting to #avid and then /ui&%ly
away! 7"here were you9 Bou went away! Bou said you would help
e, but you didn't! "hy is he still here9 Have hi go away! Bou
said he would''7
7#r! $wan%wa is here to try to help you! There are 1ust a few''7
"ith renewed strength, )lyde thrust his torso at the &eiling, his
ars bent ba&% li%e wings! 7#on't let hi near e87 4eins stood out
on his ne&% as he let forth a for&eful, lengthy s&rea! His entire
body strained! #avid waited for hi to stop to &at&h his breath, but
he only su&%ed in air and s&reaed again! His eyes were
s&run&hed shut; his fa&e was turning red!
#ash rose and stepped forward, tou&hing #avid on the shoulder!
He had to put his outh to #avid's ear for #avid to hear hi over
)lyde's &ontinuous, wavering s&rea! 7+ don't thin% we'll a%e
u&h headway now!7 He tilted his head, indi&ating the door, and
#avid followed hi out! The offi&ers outside regarded the with
raised eyebrows!
#ash and #avid wal%ed silently down the hall and into the epty
do&tors' lounge! #avid &losed the door behind the! #ash sat
heavily on one of the &ou&hes, resting his hands on his %nees, and
#avid too% a seat opposite hi!
#avid said, 7Maybe he's got an aversion to psy&hiatrists!7
75r to bla&% people,7 #ash said! 7+ got that rea&tion in a #enny's
on&e!7
#avid laughed! 7Maybe it is ra&e'based! But if we assue he's
venting soe hostility toward the hospital or its eployees with his
atta&%s, it's also relevant to see whi&h staff ebers agitate hi
the ost! He was largely &ooperative with the 0( staff''the first real
fear and anger +'ve seen fro hi was dire&ted toward you!7
#ash pushed his fingertips together, using! 7He's too agitated
right now for e to push hi! +t's unfortunate we don't have the
lu6ury''or the opportunity''to wait for hi to settle a bit so + &an
attept a prolonged interview or foral assessent!7
7Any guesses97
75bviously, + &an't glean u&h fro that little e6&hange, on top of
whi&h the environent is less than &ondu&ive to interpreting his
behavior, but +'ll throw around a few hypotheses if you proise not
to /uote e!7 #ash settled ba&% on the &ou&h! 7#eterioration of
hygiene &ould indi&ate depression or s&hizophrenia, and eans
he's probably not well assiilated into a peer environent! -ow'set
ears ight be a red flag for developental probles or ight not''
at soe point, one ight &he&% for spa&ing between his first and
se&ond toes! He sees to be fi6ated on you!7
7"hy do you thin% that is97
7Maybe in light of what happened this orning, he views you as
a savior!7
7+ barely intera&ted with hi!7
7Bes, but for all we %now, you're the first person in his life to show
hi %indness in the fa&e of opposition!7 #ash swept a stray
dreadlo&% off his forehead! 7He appears to be terrified of eye
&onta&t''he loo%s away alost &onstantly! That &ould be lin%ed to
inse&urity resulting fro his general unattra&tiveness''that he's
afraid to be seen''but + thin% it's a bit ore &ople6! +' thin%ing his
fear is lin%ed to the nature of the &ries!7
7How so97
7He atta&%s woen's fa&es! Their eyes!7 #ash siled! 7"hat do
staring eyes represent97
#espite the fa&t that #ash was nearly ten years #avid's 1unior,
#avid didn't ind being treated li%e a resident! 7+ntense intia&y,
usually hostility,7 #avid answered!
7"hy hostility97
7Be&ause staring eyes presage an atta&%97
#ash shoo% his head, dreadlo&%s swaying! 7$o! Be&ause for
those with low self'estee, for those who are painfully inse&ure,
staring eyes are the wellspring of shae! Thin% about it''#elilah
blinding Sason, 5edipus putting out his eyes, Ada and 0ve
hiding theselves beneath fig leaves''all these a&ts too% pla&e
after the real har had already o&&urred! They are a rea&tion to the
awful a&t, not the awful a&t itself! "hen we drea of shae, we're
na%ed before others, &aught with our pants down! A person who
feels shae wants to turn away the eyes of the world, so they &an't
see his e6posure, his vulnerability!7
7Magi&al thin%ing! +f you &an destroy the eyes of those who loo%
upon you, you &an destroy shae! And your feelings of vulnerability
and e6posure!7
7An oversiplifi&ation, of &ourse, but yes!7 #ash shifted, and the
&ou&h &rea%ed and groaned! 7)lyde throws al%ali in woen's fa&es!
+t destroys their eyes so they &an't shae hi, destroys their
beauty so they &an't appear superior to hi, destroys their ouths
so they &an't say bad things about hi or laugh at hi! The ost
effi&a&ious way to %eep soeone fro laughing at you is to a%e
her weep!7
7"ell, he's &ertainly su&&eeded at that,7 #avid said!
7Bes! +'d guess that infli&ting fear is one of his priary
otivations! (epla&ing his own fear with that of soeone else!7
7+ suppose it e6plains what see to be otiveless &ries!7
The first notes of #ash's laugh startled #avid in his seat!
7+'ve been on the stand enough to %now there's no su&h thing as
a otiveless &rie,7 #ash said! 7All violen&e is an attept to
a&hieve 1usti&e! All violen&e stes fro per&eived self'defense!
Most &ries are an attept to repla&e shae with pride!7 His sile
gleaed white in his dar% fa&e! 74iolent &rie and state'&ondoned
punishent are rear%ably siilar when you thin% of it! They both
ai to avenge in1usti&es!7
7+n )lyde's &ase, he ust be avenging soe in1usti&e that has to
do with the hospital! 5r psy&hiatrists!7
#ash shrugged, dreadlo&%s swaying! 75r nurses! His vi&tis
were two woen in s&rubs! He probably believes he atta&%ed two
nurses!7
7#o you thin% he's a psy&hopath97
7+ don't! *sy&hopaths are glib and superfi&ial! He sees to have
deeply felt eotions! (apidly flu&tuating eotions! He went fro
&ooperative to s&ared to angry li%e a *ors&he going zero to si6ty! +
wouldn't be surprised to find soe guilty ruination, depression,
internal &onfli&t, &hroni& feelings of eptiness''you %now the
sypto &luster!7
#avid nodded! 7#ifferential diagnosis! $ot 5therwise Spe&ified!7
7$5S! The psy&hiatrist's &rut&h! ,ntil + &an get ore out of hi!7
7+'d li%e to turn hi over to -A*# a bit ore sorted out! He
&ertainly won't be in the ost sypatheti& hands!7
7He sees to have soe sort of bond with you! Maybe you
should see if you &an get hi to open up! +f you lead hi to tal%
about the fear behind his &ries, rather than the &ries
theselves, he ight be ore li%ely to tal%! Cero in on his sense of
in1usti&e!7
#avid stood, s/ueezing his fist so his %nu&%les &ra&%ed! 7"ell, +
need to &he&% in on hi anyway! See if he's ready to ship out!7 He
rested a hand on #ash's assive shoulder on the way to the door!
7Than%s for the input!7
#ash drew hiself to his feet and glan&ed down! 7Hey, #avid97
5ne hand on the door%nob, #avid turned, an eyebrow raised
/uizzi&ally! -oo%ing at #ash's fa&e, he &ould not lo&ate the affability
to whi&h he had grown a&&ustoed!
7Be &areful!7
)hapter >?
A burst of noise sped #avid around the &orner, where he saw the
,)*# offi&ers standing in the open doorway, one of the shouting
for help! #avid saw .en%ins e6plode through the swinging doors of
the lobby! .en%ins sprinted for )lyde's roo, boots haering, and
swept inside!
#avid was already running down the hall, past the startled fa&es
and the ,)*# &ops! He entered the roo 1ust after .en%ins! )lyde
was thrashing violently on the bed in a seizure, libs rattling the
gurney rails to whi&h he was bound! His eyes were rolled ba&%,
showing strips of white, and a line of drool ran down his &hee%!
*istol gripped tight in one hand, .en%ins &harged the bed! #avid
&aught up to hi a few steps fro )lyde's gurney and pla&ed a
hand on his &hest, whi&h .en%ins /ui&%ly %no&%ed away!
7+t's under &ontrol,7 #avid said! 7He's having a seizure!7
.en%ins's eyes were still trained on )lyde! He swung his head
slowly to fa&e #avid, his pupils hard, bla&% pinpoints, and in that
instant, #avid had no doubt that he would have %illed )lyde!
#avid's adrenaline rush ade his pulse beat at his teples! He et
.en%ins's hard stare, the words &oing li%e bullets fro his outh!
7Step ba&% fro y patient!7
Two nurses and one of the ,)*# &ops poured into the roo,
and .en%ins's eyes suddenly loosened! He too% a step ba&%,
holstering his weapon! 7.ust a%ing sure the suspe&t was se&ure,7
he said!
#avid turned ba&% to the bed and grabbed one of )lyde's ars,
whi&h went lip in his grip, even as the rest of his body &ontinued
to seize!
7Ba&% up87 #avid dropped )lyde's ar and too% a step ba&%
hiself! He turned to the others, registering a /ui&% relief that
.en%ins had left the roo! 7Stand ba&%!7
)lyde oaned, spittle fle&%ing his lips, his head boun&ing fro
side to side on the pillow!
7$i&e try, )lyde,7 #avid said! 7Bou &an stop now!7
)lyde seized for another oent, then stopped! His tufts of hair
had been swirled upright, and when he raised his head, &hin shiny
with saliva, eyes dar% and unblin%ing, he loo%ed deoni&! His grin
was sharp and sli&%, a &urved blade! He loo%ed nothing li%e the
frightened, &ooperative an #avid had treated earlier!
#avid had %nown )lyde was fa%ing as soon as his ar had gone
lip in his grasp! Generalized seizures o&&ur in all libs, and
se&tions of the body don't rela6 under pressure!
)lyde said, 7)an't blae e for trying!7
7"ould you ind leaving us alone97 #avid said to the nurses and
the ,)*# offi&er! They &oplied, the offi&er shutting the door
behind the!
#avid was alone in the roo with the bound an! He stared at
hi fro about three feet, breathing heavily, trying to pro&ess all
that had 1ust nearly o&&urred! Shirtless, )lyde lay on his ba&%,
restraints tying his an%les to either side of the gurney, spreading his
legs! His white'gloved hands loo%ed odd protruding fro the
restraints!
#espite #ash's &lais, )lyde was having no trouble a%ing eye
&onta&t at the oent! A sall line of blood &urved fro the slit
beneath his arpit!
#avid waited until he &ould spea% &ally! 7That didn't do u&h
good! Bou opened up that &ut under your ar with all your
thrashing! "hy are you fa%ing a seizure9 #id you want to har
soeone when they &ae to help9 "e're trying to ta%e &are of you
here!7
7Bullshit,7 )lyde hissed! His breath was parado6i&ally ran% and
sweet''there was an alost edi&inal s&ent to it! His right foot
waved ba&% and forth, a pendulu ti&%ing off se&onds! 7Bou left e!
Bou left e and didn't &oe ba&%!7
#avid pulled over a &hair and sat, to put his head lower than
)lyde's! Maybe )lyde would be ore &ofortable tal%ing if #avid
assued a subissive posture! 7+ have other patients + need to
see! 5ther patients who need help the way you needed help!7
7+ don't need you!7
#avid drew &loser! The blisters on )lyde's &hest were resolving!
Though still raw, they had either popped or &eased swelling! Again,
#avid was aazed at how well )lyde's s&rub top had prote&ted his
flesh fro the al%ali!
7+' not here to har you, )lyde! +' here to see that you get the
edi&al attention you need! That's why + brought in the other
do&tor! "hy didn't you li%e hi97
The roo had not been prepared for )lyde''#avid and )arson
had dragged hi in be&ause it was the nearest uno&&upied e6a
roo, and #avid had given it only a &ursory on&e'over! $ow he
stood and sear&hed the roo ore e6tensively for unsafe ob1e&ts,
1ust in &ase )lyde anaged to wor% an ar free! A lubar pun&ture
%it, stained aber by Betadine, leaned fro the trash &an! That
eant there were needles, probably down in the trash liner! The
unit of blood he'd spotted earlier reained on the &ounter nearby,
aong several pa&%ages of gauze! )learly, it had been out of
refrigeration for ore than the adissible thirty inutes! He'd
already reoved the s&issors; now he glan&ed in the drawers
beneath the &ounter for s&alpels but found none! An o6ygen sour&e
bo6 protruded fro the wall! The flow eter was ade of glass, but
it was hard and sall, li%e a test tube buried in the unit! +t would be
diffi&ult to brea%!
7+ hate you,7 )lyde said! 7+ fu&%ing hate you!7 His lips /uivered
slightly! 7The nurses &ae in here, told e you would leave e!
They said you were saying bad things about e!7
7+ didn't say anything bad about you!7
(elief washed a&ross )lyde's fa&e! 7That's what + told the! + told
the you were a great person, a great an, and you would never
do that! + defended you!7
#avid &arried the trash &an outside and set it by the door! 7This
has needles in it,7 he told one of the &ops! 7And &ould you please
tell a &ler% to &all the blood ban%, have the send soeone down!
"e have a stray unit of 5'negative that needs to be spoiled!7
The offi&er nodded, and #avid returned to the roo, sat, and
fa&ed )lyde! 7+ don't believe the nurses said those things about e!
#o you thin% you're iagining soe of the things they said97
7$o! $o way!7 His breath whistled and wheezed! 7+f they ta%e e
away, will you &oe with e9 Bou said you'd stay with e!7
7+'ll a%e sure you get the help you need,7 #avid replied evenly!
7Bou! + want you! Bou helped e! Bou helped &ure e when no
one else wanted to!7 )lyde's right foot &ontinued its restless otion
ba&% and forth!
7+' an 0( do&tor! + have to stay here!7
)lyde strained against the restraints, and #avid noti&ed again
the swelling of his hands! His wrists were &hafed, one hand up over
his head, one down by his side, li%e a playground on%ey! #avid
noti&ed an old stain on the &uff on )lyde's lower wrist! *robably
seen! Soeties they had to put guys on aphetaines in
restraints, but they'd be hyperse6ual fro the drug, so they'd turn
on their sides to get at their penises and asturbate theselves
bloody!
7#o you %now why you're here97 #avid as%ed!
7Be&ause +' tied down! "here else a + gonna be97
)on&rete thin%ing! *ulling on a pair of gloves, #avid pressed
forward into the Brief Mental Status 06aination! 7)lyde, do you
%now what onth it is97
His eyes beaded until they loo%ed li%e sall spots of oil! 75f
&ourse + do! Bou thin% +' fu&%ing stupid97
#avid began applying Silvadene to the blisters on )lyde's &hest,
spreading the antibioti& &rea with a fingertip! )lyde win&ed at his
tou&h! #avid too% &are to lean ba&% out of )lyde's spa&e so he
wouldn't feel &rowded!
7$o,7 #avid said! 7+ thin% you're si&%! + want to help you!7
)lyde laughed, a low snort! 7They're running around the hospital
s&ared of e! They have guards here be&ause of e! +' not si&%! +
%now what +' doing!7
His va&illation between swaggering self'righteous &riinal and
eotional &atastrophe was staggering in its range and rapidity!
7"hat are you doing97 #avid as%ed!
7Ma%ing the sorry!7
7Sorry for what97
73or lo&%ing e up in the dar%ness! $ot letting e out!7
7"ere you lo&%ed up9 As a &hild9 "ere you %ept lo&%ed up by
your parents97
7$oises and lights and sna%es! They put the lights out on e!
They put e alone! + 1ust want ! ! ! + 1ust want the to be sorry! 3or
the flashes and the noise!7
-o&%ed in the dar% with sna%es''it seeed too stereotypi&al to be
real, li%e a serial %iller's &hildhood &ase study! *erhaps the fantasti&
stories were an indi&ation of delusions or hallu&inations &aused by
-S#, *)*, or speed! Maybe even s&hizophrenia!
7#o other people thin% you have &razy ideas97 #avid as%ed! +f
the /uestion was worded sub1e&tively, )lyde would be ore li%ely to
answer it honestly!
7+ don't ! ! ! + don't %now! + don't stay around people anyore!7
)lyde's spee&h was slightly slurred, as if he were spea%ing around
a thi&% tongue! 7$ot people that &an loo% at e ba&%!7
7Bou said you weren't ta%ing any drugs! Are you sure about
that97
7+ don't ta%e any pills!7 The sae defensive note #avid had
en&ountered fro hi previously on the topi&! #avid noted that he
had &hanged drugs to pills! He seeed to be &on&erned with the
issue of ta%ing edi&ine, not illi&it drugs!
7#id soeone do soething wrong to you97
)lyde breathed hard for a oent, &at&hing his breath! 7+ don't
li%e the way they loo% at e! They always loo% at e li%e that here!7
7Here9 As in here at this hospital97
7Beah,7 )lyde said! 7Beah! But not anyore! $ow they're afraid!
Bou shoulda seen their fa&es after they got the stuff on the!7 His
fingers, swollen %nu&%le'wide down their lengths, /uivered as his
hands twisted in the restraints! His fingernails were yellow and
pitted! 7+ have plans! +' sarter than you thin%! + &an do things too!
+ %now they're wrong, but + &an do the and not get &aught!7
7"hat plans9 "hat are your plans97
7Maybe you &an stop e! + &ouldn't! + &ouldn't stop e!7
A slightly obese feale te&h stu&% her head in the door! )lyde's
head snapped up, the loose flesh of his &hee%s and 1owls ta%ing a
oent to still!
7+' here fro the blood ban% to pi&% up''7
7*lease, not right now,7 #avid said!
7-oo%, + &ae down here all the way fro''7
7$ot now!7
"ith a s&owl, she withdrew!
7See97 )lyde said! 7-i%e that! #id you see how she loo%ed at
e97 He drew a ragged breath! 7+ 1ust ar%ed her! Mar%ed her fa&e,
her eyes! She's there now, in y ind! Green dangling earrings!
3re&%les a&ross her nose! Birthar% on her right &hee%!7 #avid
&ouldn't even re&all the woan's hair &olor, but )lyde, in the four
se&onds she'd been in view, had drun% her in!
)lyde raised his head, e6aining the thi&% leather &uff that
bound his wrist to the railing! 7$ow + see how you guys are &lever,
trying to &at&h e! + &an be &lever too! + have ways, + have better
ways to get at people!7 )lyde began sobbing /uietly! 7+ don't ean
to! + don't li%e it! +t's awful but + have to!7 He win&ed suddenly,
s/uinting!
7Are you all right97 #avid as%ed! 7#oes your &hest hurt97
7God! 5h God! #i the lights! )an you di the lights97
#avid &rossed to the light swit&h and turned off the ban% of lights
dire&tly over the gurney! The roo glowed with light fro the @'ray
bo6, whi&h soeone had left on!
The only sound in the roo was that of )lyde's labored
breathing! #avid wat&hed hi in the soft'lit dar%ness! )lyde's
re/uest steed fro either a heada&he or a sudden phobia, he
wasn't sure whi&h!
7"hen + go out,7 )lyde said, 7the as% goes on! +t prote&ts e!7
7"hy do you need a as%97
A single tear rolled down )lyde's red and swollen &hee%! 7+ want
their fa&es to be gone! + want the to be destroyed and ruined and
no ore!7
)lear hoi&idal ideation, available eans and well'forulated
plans for &ontinued atta&%s, la&% of &opassion, self'view as
vi&ti''the red flags were rising one by one! #avid said, 7#o you
thin%''7
The door swung open, flooding the roo with light! #ressed in
1eans and a Gap button'up, #iane entered! 7There you are,7 she
said! 7"hat the hell has been''7
#avid sprang toward her, trying to blo&% her fro )lyde's view!
7$ot now! Get out8 "ho told you you &ould &oe in here97
She shuffled ba&%ward as he pushed her! 7The &ops said it was
o%ay, that you were 1ust''7
7:eep this door shut,7 #avid growled at the offi&ers! He slaed
the door and leaned against it, one pal spread over an anatoi&al
diagra of a lung!
)lyde's voi&e drifted around hi, a iasa rising! 7That one's
spe&ial to you, huh97
7$o,7 #avid said! 7+ 1ust don't want anyone disturbing us!7
7#idn't see you 1up to when that little pig fro the blood ban%
showed herself to e! $ot li%e you 1uped for this one! #on't blae
you! She's a pretty nurse!7
#avid &rossed the roo and stood over )lyde! The glow of the
@'ray bo6 turned his s%in a si&%ly blue, dar%ening the pits in his
&hee%s and the twinning tufts of hair that protruded ridi&ulously li%e
an offset garland! He stared at )lyde, and )lyde turned away with a
soft, dying whiper!
0pathy is not innate! +t is a learned eotion, &onditioned
through trial and error, defeat and reward, forged in a S%innerian
oven! #avid sifted through forty'three years of instin&t and
so&ialization, sear&hing for the string of a buried arguent! The
only way a person &an %now that soeone else's pain atters is if
soeone has taught the that their own does! +f no one ever
showed that to )lyde, as a baby, as a &hild, then he had learned
that his pain did not atter! And, ore a&utely, he would have
learned that things in pain did not atter!
7Bour pain,7 #avid said! 7The awful pain on your &hest! +' sorry
that happened to you!7
)lyde wat&hed hi, rigid and sweating!
7The way you feel, the pain you feel''the woen who you threw
al%ali on feel that also! That sae pain!7
)lyde's eyes watered! Tears beaded and stu&% to his thi&%
lashes! 7My head hurts,7 he said!
#avid wondered what thoughts rattled through the &orridors of
)lyde's ind! 7+ need to go see soe other patients! +'ll &he&% on
you later!7
)lyde turned his fa&e away, staring dar%ly at the wall! 7$o you
won't,7 he said!
#avid left hi bound in the seidar%ness!
)hapter >D
BA-0 was waiting for #avid outside )lyde's roo, his ars
spread! 7"ell, we're ready to ta%e hi off your hands! *ress is
&ordoned, transport vehi&le's waiting in the abulan&e bay!7 He
thrust a &lipboard at #avid! 7*lease sign hi out!7
#iane pa&ed the hall behind Bale, hands tu&%ed into the ba&%
po&%ets of her 1eans! His fa&e still flushed, .en%ins &ongregated
with a few offi&ers farther down by the lobby doors! Mururing to
one another and shifting on their feet, they dire&ted their stares
toward #avid and the &losed door of )lyde's roo! "aiting li%e
1a&%als for a whisper of opportunity!
#avid felt the &rush of an ugly dilea! "hat was already a
diffi&ult, &ople6 de&ision was now enflaed by the agitation of the
hospital board, the press, an angry &ity! He felt the yriad
pressures in the heat rising to his fa&e, and he fought to find the
&orre&t response! Soething flared in hi, bright and sharp, and he
found hiself saying to Bale, 7+' afraid the patient is not ready to
be released!7
The &lipboard sa&%ed against Bale's thigh! 7$o97 He fli&%ed his
wrist and the (ole6 appeared! 70ight'fifteen! Bour shift is over!
"ho's the ne6t attending on &all97
7The patient is not iproving at a rate that indi&ates he'll be
ready to be oved tonight!7
Bale opened his outh, then &losed it! He s&rat&hed his forehead
with two fingers! #iane was wat&hing #avid, a puzzled e6pression
on her fa&e!
7"hen is the earliest he'll be ready97 Bale as%ed!
70ight toorrow orning!7
7And it's 1ust a &oin&iden&e that that's when your ne6t shift
begins97
7Bes! +'ll brief the ne6t attending to &onta&t e in the event of any
&hange in )lyde's &ondition, no atter the hour! +f he has a
ira&ulous re&overy in the night that enables hi to be oved, +'ll
&oe in iediately and sign off on hi!7
5ne of the &ler%s stu&% her head out of the )"A but withdrew it
/ui&%ly when #avid loo%ed at her! Two nurses whispered to ea&h
other in the doorway of Twelve!
7Bou said you thought he'd be ready to be oved by now,7 Bale
said!
7My patients don't always abide y e6pe&tations!7
Bale dropped the &lipboard on the tiled floor, where it ade a
startlingly loud bang! 7+f you insist, + suppose we have little &hoi&e!7
.en%ins and the other offi&ers stood in a flying wedge at the hall's
end, loo%ing foolishly foral!
A grin flashed a&ross Bale's iperturbable fa&e and vanished
instantaneously! 7"e'll be here waiting!7
#iane pa&ed tight &ir&les while #avid signed out to #r! $elson, a
young attending who'd trained under hi! She wal%ed swiftly to
%eep up with #avid as he headed through the hospital toward the
lobby, avoiding the abulan&e bay so he wouldn't have to pass
.en%ins!
7"hat are you doing, #avid97 she said! +t &learly was an effort for
her not to raise her voi&e! 7"e've released patients to &ustody in
worse shape than that!7
7+f + release hi,7 #avid said, 7he's li%ely to die!7
7$obody dies of that %ind of al%ali burn!7
#avid loo%ed at her, his stoa&h twisted into a %not! 7+' not
tal%ing about the burns!7
(eoving his &ell phone fro his po&%et, he du&%ed into the
epty fluoros&opy roo and had the operator put hi through to
the ,niversity *oli&e! #iane sat on a gurney, waiting patiently!
7+ need to rea&h 5ffi&er Bla%e! ,rgently ! ! ! Bes, + would
appre&iate it if you'd page hi to this nuber!7 #avid rattled off his
&ell phone nuber! 7$o, +'d rather not say what this is regarding,
but please tell hi it's e6treely iportant!7
He snapped his phone shut and fa&ed #iane! She ade a
&ir&ular gesture with her hand! 7+'ll 1ust as% when this is over,7 she
said!
He glan&ed at her &lothes! 7"hat are you doing here anyway9
+t's your day off! +' not used to seeing you dressed!7
7+'ll ta%e that the way it was intended!7
+t had been a long tie sin&e he'd siled, and it felt good!
7"ith all the shit that went down this orning, how &ould + not
&oe in97 #iane said! 7+ wanted to a%e sure you were still in one
pie&e!7
7And a +97
.udging by her e6pression, he ust have loo%ed li%e soething
soeone &oughed up! He fisted his stethos&ope on either side of
his ne&% and tugged on it li%e a s&arf! 7That bad97 His phone rang!
7Bla%e here!7
75ffi&er Bla%e, this is #avid Spier, the physi&ian who treated
)lyde when he &ae in!7
75h! 5h yeah! )an + help you97
7"here are you97
7)an + help you with soething97
7Bes, +'d li%e to have an off'the're&ord &onversation with you!7
A pause! 7"here would you li%e to not eet97
7Are you in the area97
7Beah, +' still on &apus!7
7)an you eet e right now97
7"here97
7My &ar is par%ed on the top tier of the *)HS lot! +t's a green
Mer&edes! They're not letting press through to that area!7
7+'ll eet you there in five inutes!7
#avid hung up and gestured for #iane to follow! They threaded
through the lobby and out a&ross the dar% /uad! #r! :ingston, a
white'haired senior eber of the board, paused and regarded
#avid 1udgentally, but #avid siply nodded and %ept wal%ing!
#iane %ept her eyes on the ground! 7Bou really thin% they'd %ill
hi97
7+ thin% .en%ins would, yes!7
7"hat are you gonna do97
7That's what +' figuring out! But + 1ust bought yself''and
)lyde''twelve hours! And this guy, Bla%e, there's no love lost
between hi and .en%ins! +' hoping he &an help!7
They rea&hed the top tier of the par%ing lot, and #avid saw Bla%e
leaning against the trun% of his Mer&edes! He was glad Bla%e's
poli&e &ar was not in eviden&e!
#avid had par%ed at the far side of the tier, away fro ost foot
traffi& and passing &ars! He unlo&%ed the doors to his &ar, and they
all got in, #iane sliding in the ba&%!
Bla%e &upped his hand and ran it over his thi&% usta&he! 7"hat
would you li%e to not dis&uss97
7+ appre&iated your helping today in the 0(!7
Bla%e nodded, &ontinuing to regard #avid a bit ipatiently!
#avid too% a deep breath! 7+' &on&erned that if + release )lyde
to the -A*#, he'll be %illed!7
Bla%e's eyebrows rose and spread! 7.en%ins is a live wire!7
7+' holding hi through the night for edi&al reasons! +s there
any way + &ould release hi to your &ustody9 To the university
poli&e97
"ith a fingernail, Bla%e wor%ed soething out fro between his
teeth, his usta&he bristling! 7$o! $o way! He's in -A*# &ustody!
He has to be released to -A*#!7
7And they're ta%ing hi to Harbor for further treatent! +n a
transport vehi&le!7
7Beah! A s/uad &ar!7
7*robably .en%ins's97
Bla%e studied #avid for a oent, his fa&e te6tured and leathery
under the light of the lapposts! 7That's not /uite how it would
wor%,7 he said!
7How would it wor%97
7+f it was gonna wor%9 Soeone else's s/uad &ar! .en%ins
following, off'duty or on! Bale and #alton eating at a diner
soewhere, soewhere with high visibility! A near'es&ape in a dar%
alley! A i6'up!7 Soeone wal%ed by and Bla%e turned away so his
fa&e &ouldn't be seen! 75f &ourse, + don't u&h buy into &onspira&y
theory!7
#avid realized he was sweating! He turned on the &ar and put
the air'&onditioning on low! Bla%e rea&hed over and turned the %ey,
then loo%ed to see if anyone had ta%en note of the &ar starting up!
7#o + have any options97 #avid as%ed! 7)ould a 1udge do
anything97
Bla%e shrugged! 7Shit, +' no lawyer, but +'d doubt it on your tie
line! A &ase this big, there'd be a huge in/uiry and investigation!7
#iane leaned forward! 7How about Sheriff's Medi&al at ,S)
Med9 "e send &riti&al patients there soeties! #oes that fall
under a different 1urisdi&tion97
7+f the patient is &riti&al, as in &riti&al &riti&al, he'd get sent there
and signed in to the Sheriff's &ustody! But he'd still have to be
transferred!7
7How97
7By the &ity, a&tually! They'd send an -A )ity fire paraedi& unit
with a unifored poli&e offi&er over to haul hi off! But -A*# won't
let that fly! They're not gonna want to lose &ustody''it's a big fu&%ing
&ollar! They'll want hi under their thub at Harbor! *lus, the dude
wal%ed into ,)-A''if they're wal%ing at all, they go to Harbor, not
)ounty! And you &an't bullshit this one! The -A*# &hief would be
over there with a se&ond opinion fro one of his guys before they'd
let hi roll to )ounty!7 His eyes were a weary blue! "ashed out!
75n&e you &lear hi, he's going to Harbor, all right! ,nless you
want to fu&% hi up ore with drugs or soething, a%e it so he
has to roll out on a gurney!7
#avid shoo% his head! 7)an't do that!7
7How about if we &onta&t the Sheriff97 #iane as%ed! 7#oes he
have any %ind of intervening authority9 "ouldn't he want the &ollar
too9 )ould he send his guys over97
Bla%e laughed a so%er's laugh! 7Shit, you guys don't get it! Bou
really thin% the Sheriff's gonna step on the )hief's ass li%e that9 5n
this &ase9 $o sir!7
Bla%e turned away as a se&urity guard approa&hed, and #avid
/ui&%ly got out and regarded the an a&ross the top of his &ar! He
was relieved to see it was (alph! 7+t's e,7 #avid said! 7"e're
having an iproptu staff eeting!7 #iane &leared the fog fro the
ba&% window and waved!
75%ay, #o&! .ust %eeping an eye out around here!7
#avid nodded and du&%ed ba&% in the &ar!
Bla%e shoo% his head! 7Se&urity 1a&%asses!7 He pressed his
hands together! 7+s that it, then97 He started to get out!
7How about a psy&h hold97 #avid as%ed! 7+f he got put on
seventy'two'hour hold, would he still have to be transferred97
Bla%e &o&%ed his head, silent for a oent! 7+ don't %now! -et e
loo% into that for you! My &hief's throwing a party for his wife's
birthday tonight! + &an snea% over there on&e things wind down,
bend his ear for a bit!7 He turned so he &ould ta%e in both #avid
and #iane! 7+f +' loo%ing into this, you %eep a lid on things till + get
ba&% to you!7
75%ay,7 #avid said!
7:eep your &ell phone on!7 Bla%e got out fro the &ar! (esting
his ars on the roof, he leaned ba&% in! 7Hey! +' 1ust dispensing
inforation, not re&oendations! Got it97
7Absolutely,7 #avid said!
The door slaed shut, and #avid too% a deep breath and
e6haled hard, puffing out his &hee%s! He regarded #iane in the
rearview irror! 7"here to, a'a97
7"hy don't you let e ta%e you to dinner9 Soewhere real!7
7+ don't thin% + have the energy to go soewhere real!7
73ine! "e'll grab a si6'pa&% and soe Ta&o Bell! 5h''and #avid9
.ust in &ase the press is on the loo%out for the 0( &hief's &ar ! ! ! 7
She flashed a grin! 7+' driving!7
#iane drove a aroon 06plorer, whi&h was bad enough, and
drove it too fast for #avid's taste! After they pi&%ed up soe food,
she'd ra&ed up )oldwater )anyon to a brief, dusty plateau! They
sat on the hood of her vehi&le aid a &lutter of ta&o wrappers,
sipping beer and following the headlights' gaze out to the hazy
)entury )ity s%yline! The August heat infored the evening &ool,
wrapping around the, fresh yet stuffy as only -A air is! #iane
listened silently as #avid finished filling her in on the day's events!
She popped open her se&ond Heine%en and too% a sip! 7"ow!
Sounds li%e an episode of 0(! $ever underestiate vengean&e!7
7+ guess not!7 #avid let the beer dangle fro two fingers and
wondered if it ade hi loo% younger! He too% a sip and
reebered he didn't li%e beer! A &ar drove by behind the, its
headlights briefly illuinating the windshield at their ba&%s! 7This is
a ni&e area! There's a little +talian restaurant down that way!7 He
pointed! 7+ 1ust ate there last wee%!7
75h9 "ho'd you go with97
(ea&hing into the brown paper bag, he surreptitiously swit&hed
his beer for a )o%e! He studied her as he too% a sip! 7+ went alone!7
She peeled the label off her beer, her fingernail lifting the gu
fro the green bottle! 7+ go out to dinner alone a lot too! A thirty'
one'year'old resident! :ind of in that dead spa&e between noral'
age house staff and the older do&s! + ean, it's not li%e +' gonna
date )arson! And you've ade it &lear you're way too old!7
#avid siled! 7+' sure you have plenty of options! 3or &opany,
+ ean!7
7+ suppose!7 She siled self'&ons&iously! 7+'ve never really dated
u&h! $o real relationships, so to spea%! $ot that + haven't wanted
to! + guess +' soething of a ! ! ! 7 After a oent, it be&ae &lear
she wasn't planning on finishing the senten&e!
7Men are a stupid breed,7 #avid said! 7They're intiidated by
intelligen&e in a woan, parti&ularly when paired with beauty! God
%nows why! Maybe it a%es the feel less virile!7
7+ suppose that's a &oplient!7
75ne subtle enough that you're supposed to pretend you didn't
noti&e!7
7+ didn't!7 She sipped her beer again! The silen&e seeed to
a%e her uneasy! 7So, what else do you do9 + ean, with your
tie!7
He shrugged! 7(ead! "or%! Ta%e wal%s! "or%! Masturbate!7 He
loo%ed over at her! 7That was a 1o%e!7
7(eally97
He set the )o%e bottle down beside hi on the hood! 7$o!7
Her eyes too% a pensive &ast! 7+t ust be hard,7 she said! 7Being
alone after not being alone!7
The blin%ing light of an airplane &ut through the distant haze,
des&ending! 7+t's the little things,7 #avid said! 7+t's always the little
things, isn't it9 -i%e now, + turn on the answering a&hine when +
ta%e a bath!7 He siled sadly, to hiself! 7"e had a good, solid
arriage! 3ull of honesty and openness and all the things ost
arriages aren't! +t was a real relationship, with a lot of &aring and
&oproise! #id you %now + was wor%ing the night she &ae into
the 0(97
#iane shoo% her head slowly, as if afraid any abrupt gesture
would %no&% #avid off &ourse!
Bitterness overlaid the pain in his voi&e, hiding it beneath a
sharper veneer! 7An ebolus! "hy not a &ar, a plane, a fire9 A
goddan ebolus! Her slipping away and e 1ust standing there
with y useless, useless hands!7
His hands, thin, sooth, and unlined, were indisputably the
hands of a professional! $o s&ars or thi&% &alluses fro the %ind of
wor% en toiled at year after year, hauling &rates or fighting shovels
into the ground! He was fortunate! #espite everything else, he had
his wor%!
#iane's voi&e startled hi fro his reverie! 7"hat do you iss97
She was staring out a&ross the tree'dar%ened valley to the floating
lights of the high'rises! Her fa&e was heavy, soehow, weighed
down with elan&holy, or sadness, or both! 73ro your relationship!
"hat do you iss the ost97 A soft vulnerability hid within her
&uriosity!
The answer was there waiting, though he didn't %now it until he
started spea%ing! 7+ iss that feeling when you're out, and the night
is softly lit, and you %now that after the siles and the glan&es and
the red wine, you're going to go hoe and a%e love! That's what +
iss!7
#iane loo%ed at hi, a soft noise of appre&iation es&aping her
throat, then they wat&hed the hazy s%yline together for a while,
sipping their drin%s!
#avid pulled out his &ell phone, &alled the 0(, and had the &ler%
put hi through to #r! $elson! 7How's the patient97 he as%ed!
7-oo%s fine! + 1ust po%ed y head in! +' doing y best to avoid
any foral assessents!7
7-A*# giving you any trouble97
7A&tually, no! They've retreated to the abulan&e bay!7
#avid than%ed hi and hung up!
7"hat tie do you thin% Bla%e'll &all97 #iane as%ed!
#avid s/uinted at his wat&h, a plasti& digital thing fro -ongs
#rugs! He wore bad wat&hes to wor% be&ause he &onstantly
ispla&ed the; he had a drawerful at hoe! +t was nearly 22:F=
*!M! 7Any inute!7
7"hat's *lan B97
7#epending on what Bla%e says, + &an gather soe other
opinions! + have a friend on the board at Mass General''attorney! +'d
rather not overe6pose yself, but + do trust hi! And *eter, of
&ourse! He's e6&ellent with this sort of thing!7
7"hat about #r! 0vans97
7The last thing Sandy wants is a big fias&o, but if + don't &oe up
with any better options by orning, +'ll tal% to her first thing!7
7)an + as% you a /uestion you probably don't want to answer97
7Bou 1ust did!7
7"hy are you doing all this9 + don't ean to sound &allous, but
this isn't your ess!7
7+ &an't release a patient when + believe he's going to be %illed!7
7But you're beyond your doain, #avid! Bour 1ob is to treat hi
and hand hi over! Bou're a do&tor, not a vigilante! A bun&h of &ops
are probably fu&%ing up soe guy in &ustody soewhere right now!
"hy is this any ore your business97
7Be&ause + &an do soething to prevent this!7
7$ot as a physi&ian, you &an't!7
He finished his )o%e and &rupled the &an!
7*lus, what about .en%ins9 +f he's really as rash and unstable as
you thin%, what's to say he won't go after you97
7He ight!7
7"ho %nows how far he'll push this9 Bou're stepping into a
different world here, #avid!7
7So you disapprove97
7God no! $ot at all!7 She finished her beer and set the epty on
the hood behind her! 7There are no easy answers here! But + do
%now the doga of a physi&ian is the sae as the doga of a
soldier! +t's 1ust better arti&ulated! Thin% beyond the rules and oaths
of the profession! :now what you're getting into! Then, whatever
you de&ide, fine!7
#avid's phone rang in his 1a&%et, and he pulled it out and flipped
it open! 7Hello97
7Bla%e here! 0ven if you throw a psy&h hold on your boy, he'd still
have to be transferred, and sin&e he's not &riti&al, -A*# would be
the guys to do it! But he &ould go to ,S), not Harbor, sin&e Harbor
doesn't have a se&ure psy&h ward!7
7So he'd end up in the Sheriff's &ustody97
7+f he gets there! And be advised''the Mayor's got this one in his
roundhouse! His approval ratings are down! Bou do the ath!7
As if there weren't enough stresses already in play! 7Than%s for
&alling ba&%!7
7+ didn't!7
#avid hung up and loo%ed over at #iane! 7A psy&h hold gets hi
to ,S), but he'd still have to be transferred! +n an -A*# s/uad &ar!7
7"hy don't we &all #ash9 Might as well see if a psy&h hold is
even plausible!7
#ash answered after four rings, his voi&e heavy with sleep!
7Beah97
7+t's #avid! Sorry to wa%e you!7
7"hat's up97
#avid e6plained the situation in its entirety while #ash listened in
silen&e!
7"hy didn't you say anything to e this afternoon97
7+ didn't want to get ahead of yself! *lus, + was waiting to get a
better handle on 1ust how real this threat was! "hat do you thin%9
#o we have any options97
7"ell, &learly +' not going to put hi on a psy&h hold without a
&oplete and foral assessent!7
75f &ourse!7
7And even if + deterined he &ould only be released to a se&ure
psy&hiatri& fa&ility, that doesn't get you around the transfer
proble!7
7,nless ! ! ! 7 #avid pressed his lips together, thin%ing hard!
7,nless you deterined he was so unstable he had to reain in
four'point restraints! 3our'points would buy us an abulan&e! And
a supervising physi&ian inside it!7
7Bou %now the &ops will believe he &an be transferred 1ust fine in
hand&uffs!7 #ash e6haled long and hard! 7+ understand the
predi&aent, #avid, but a foral psy&h assessent goes on
re&ord! There &ould be raifi&ations for the trial! He is highly
unstable, but + don't %now that he deands psy&hiatri& supervision
versus in&ar&eration!7
7.ust &oe in for an offi&ial psy&hiatri& evaluation! That's all +
as%! +'ll figure out how to get you past the &ops and buy you the
tie you need! Bou &an get hi to tal% ! ! ! 97
7+' &onfident + &an, yes! "ith soe ore tie! But even if +
&an't, +'ve ade assessents on un&ooperative patients before,
#avid!7
7+'ll eet you at the hospital now and get you in with hi!7
7+ &an't do it unless +' the psy&hiatrist on &all! +t'll sell bad! +n
the paperwor% and in the &ourts!7
7"ho's on tonight97
7Bi&%le! Asshole &lo&% pun&her!7
7Are you on &all toorrow97
7Seven A!M!7
7Meet e at )lyde's roo!7
7+' not proising anything, #avid!7
7+ understand that!7
#avid hung up and loo%ed over at #iane, who was wat&hing hi
intently! 7#ash will a%e an assessent in the orning! +f he puts
)lyde on psy&h hold, and if he wants hi %ept in four'points, we're
in the &lear!7
7And if not97
7+ get into it with y lawyer friend and Sandy!7
7"hat do we do now97
#avid leaned ba&%, a&&identally %no&%ing one of #iane's
epties! +t rolled off the hood and shattered on the ground! 7"ait
until orning!7
)hapter >I
TH0(0 is no nighttie in an eergen&y roo! #ay or night, the
&lean's&rubbed halls have the sae feeling of perennial wa%ing, of
intrepid alertness tinged with e6haustion and suffering, li%e the rung
of soe ever'glowing *urgatory!
Behind the lo&%ed and guarded door, )lyde lay in his own private
torent, awash in the s&reas of a boy in a roo nearby! After
#avid had left, the &ops had turned the lights ba&% on in his roo,
despite his pleas! He win&ed fre/uently and with regularity, his
forehead wrin%ling now and again as if to fend off the tightening
1aws of a igraine!
#espite the soft lining of the leather restraints, his wrists and
an%les had reddened fro his &onstant tugging! He twisted, his
bare and blistered &hest ar&hing to the harsh, &easeless lights of
the &eiling! He let out a grunt, then settled ba&%, spread and
defeated, a dog wa6ing passive, a turtle flipped, *roetheus
bound!
"hatever they were doing to the boy &eased, for there were no
ore &ries e&hoing through the halls! A shuffling past his door, but
the bar handle did not turn! Sliding the restraint of his lowered hand
along the rail until it was even with his hip, )lyde turned on his side!
He anaged to get ahold of the drawstring of his s&rub bottos
and the waistband fell instantly loose, revealing his oney &lip
tu&%ed within the sall interior po&%et! Be&ause it was flat, nestled
on the inside of his hip, and soft'padded with several singles, the
oney &lip had survived the bris% patdown outside! The fa&t that
he'd been swathed in al%ali'soa%ed aterial had dis&ouraged a
ore vigorous sear&h!
He swayed ba&% and forth on his rear end to bring the po&%et
&loser to his bound, gloved hand, his fingers straining pronged and
stiff! He snagged the ragged edge of a bill between his se&ond and
iddle fingers and anaged to pull the &lip halfway out, but it
&aught on the fabri& pulled tight by his shifting otion! The tin
s/uare &ontaining the lozenge, pressed beneath the &lip in his
po&%et, dug into his thigh with a sharp &orner!
He released the oney &lip and wiggled several ore ties
before tiing a better grab, his fat thub and forefinger &laping
shut around one of the rearing horses, fa%e tur/uoise against
haered brass! Breathing in sall, repetitive grunts, he slid his
body down as far as the restraints allowed, pressing his rear end
down into the attress so he'd drag his loose s&rub bottos with
hi!
The oney &lip popped free!
He rested for a few inutes, his fa&e a red, sweaty globe! He
shifted the oney &lip in his hand, then wriggled his thubnail into
the slender groove that lifted the blade fro the &lip! The blade
pulled slightly open, then snapped shut! He tried again and again
until his thub a&hed near the &uti&le fro the pressure! He wasn't
able to get the blade far enough open so it would hold until he &ould
reshift his hand and thub it the rest of the way!
3inally, he raised the blade 1ust far enough to slide his inde6
finger beneath it before it &ould snap shut! "hen he released his
thub, the spring pulled the blade hoe, sli&ing down through the
thin late6 glove and his flesh! He bit his lip, eyes watering, and
/ui&%ly repositioned his thub and fli&%ed the blade fully open!
A strea of blood found its way fro the neat slit of the wound
down over his %nu&%le! He turned the oney &lip in his hand so the
blade protruded down toward the restraint! The leather &uffs
theselves were far too thi&% to &ut through without better leverage
and a serrated blade, but they were &onne&ted to the gurney rail by
a thin band threaded through a sall bu&%le and hasp!
"ith soe effort, he slid the blade between the restraint and the
band, and turned the sharp edge up until it tented the thin leather
strip! (o&%ing gently on the attress, he began to saw!
At F:2I A!M!, a gurgling s&rea fro 06a (oo 3ourteen sent
both offi&ers rigid on their feet in Hallway 5ne! 5ne fubled at the
door handle as the other stood ba&%, already sear&hing for an 0(
nurse!
Made unusually unsteady on his bra&ed legs by e6haustion and
a ild irritation at being &alled out of his war bed at three in the
orning to assess a shotgun wound to the groin, *eter was nearly
startled off his feet by the s&rea! He froze a short distan&e up the
hall, leaning in the open doorway to *ro&edure (oo 5ne!
The first offi&er swung open the door to )lyde's roo, the gurney
&oing slowly into view, and the gruesoe, twisted body strapped
to it! )lyde's torso was literally doused in blood, broad strea%s
flowing down his ars and &rossing his bare, burn'po&%ed &hest!
His head wavered drun%enly as he raised it to regard the &op, and
then san% ba&% to the pillow, eyes rolling to thin white bands!
The offi&er's voi&e hi%ed high when he spo%e, approa&hing the
bed! 73ind a do&tor,7 he said! 7"e have a sui&ide!7 The other &op's
footsteps faded down the hall!
)lyde's body flopped listlessly, a &aught fish losing life! The
offi&er stepped forward again, adrenaline blooing red in his
&hee%s! The restraints all seeed to be in pla&e! 5ne of )lyde's
&hee%s, ipossibly, was sudged with blood! His head lay still on
the pillow!
The body tensed, then lunged at the offi&er with a bellow, ars
swinging free and fast! The offi&er leaned ba&%, fubling for his
pistol, but )lyde whipped his wrist around, arored with the hard
leather restraint, and &aught hi a&ross the forehead with the etal
hasp! He poun&ed on the offi&er as he fell, and yan%ed the Beretta
fro the holster with a blood'sli&% hand! The offi&er raised his hand
as if to defle&t a bullet, but )lyde %i&%ed hi a&ross the fa&e
instead, and he went lip on the floor!
)lyde darted to the door, shirtless and bloodstained, restraints
still banded around his wrists and legs li%e &uffs and an%le weights!
He sprang into the hall as the other &op bore down with a nurse! An
old an wearing an o6ygen as% lay on a par%ed gurney between
the, awaiting transport to the wards! The &op noti&ed )lyde first
and he yelled soething, fast'drawing his pistol!
3isting the Beretta, )lyde leapt at the gurney, his foot %no&%ing
the lever to release the bra%e when he landed, his oentu
sending the gurney hurtling toward the &op! The old an rose with
a oan as he flew forward, o6ygen as% tangling around his ne&%!
The front of the gurney stru&% the &op &rot&h level and his &hest
flopped forward onto the attress as he fell, legs s&rabbling on the
sli&% tile! His gun went off, blowing out an overhead light, the re&oil
%i&%ing it fro his hands! *eter, who'd been shuffling up the hall
behind the se&ond &op and the nurse, du&%ed his head inside a
door1ab!
(ather than running for the e6it, )lyde sprinted toward the heart
of the hospital, sidearing the &op's head with a restraint'heavy
wrist as he passed! $urses and interns s&reaed, s&rabling for
&over! As )lyde passed *ro&edure 5ne, *eter swung a leg out to
trip hi! The thi&% etal bra&e &aught )lyde a&ross the shins,
spilling hi onto the floor! )lyde tubled on&e, &rying out, his bare
&hest slapping the tile and leaving a bloody (ors&ha&h! His fa&e
tightened as he turned and glowered at *eter over a shoulder,
haun&hes already rising beneath hi!
His feet slipped for his first few steps, then he hit a &razed sprint,
patients and do&tors leaping out of his way! By the tie the se&urity
guards arrived, he had disappeared into the hospital's interior!
)hapter >J
H5(A)0 .ohnson M&)annister, a high s&hool dropout with
ouseli%e fa&ial features and a sharp osoti& ind, hued as he
pulled on his shoe &overs! His feet had plenty of roo at the botto
of the white plasti& boots, and the elasti& held the tops tight around
his s&rub bottos, 1ust below the %nees! He always wore shoe
&overs now, having learned his lesson his first day as a -ab Te&h ++
at ,)-A's )enter for Health S&ien&es, when he'd a&&identally
sawed into a swollen length of &olon and splattered shit a&ross his
brand'new (o&%ports! His parti&ular wing of the hospital's seventh
floor, the Three )orridor, reained /uiet when the ed students
weren't tin%ering with bodies in the gross anatoy lab ne6t door,
and it was deathly still now at three'thirty in the orning!
He tossed his %eys and &igarette pa&% on the &ounter and
ad1usted his surgi&al &ap before turning to regard the two new
bodies wrapped tightly in sheets before hi! The prep roo shone
with etal''stainless sin%s and &abinets, &ountertops and gleaing
tools, and, in the iddle, the s&rubbed'dull ebaling table! To
Hora&e's ba&%, the twelve'foot door to the anatoy &rypt rose li%e a
&astle gate, a wooden re&tangle with dar% etal lat&hes!
*lasti& Surgery had re/uested ribs still atta&hed to us&ulature
for a I A!M! tal%''an unusual le&ture fo&using on the innervation of
the teres a1or! He &ould see already that one of the bodies was
too obese to be of u&h use to the ed students! He'd 1un% that
one for parts and preserve the other inta&t! The obese body lay
supine, wrapped li%e a uy! He prodded the bulge of its
stoa&h, debating where to dig in!
+t would be a essy pro&ess!
Hands sheathed in thi&% blue gloves, he pi&%ed up his autopsy
gown but hesitated a oent before pulling it on! He'd had two
&ups of &offee on his way over, trying to &hase reinis&en&es of
sleep fro his hazy head, and he'd have to stop soon and ta%e a
lea%! He opted to go now, before he got sti&%y!
Shuffling out in his oversize shoe &overs, he headed down the
epty hall to the bathroo and pissed long and hard, siling to
hiself afterward while he fubled in his autopsy gloves to zip up
his fly! "al%ing ba&% down the hall, he pun&hed a four'digit &ode
into the 5nilo&% and reentered the prep roo!
+f he snea%ed a &igarette, all lingering tra&es of so%e would be
long dissipated by the tie the first students began to arrive in a
few hours! He sear&hed the &ounter, but his &igarettes were gone!
Maybe he'd ispla&ed the on his way to the bathroo! Shrugging
on a blue autopsy gown, he slid a surgi&al as% over his head! The
built'in eye shield, a re&tangle of &lear plasti& atop the as%, would
be helpful on&e the sawing began!
He started with the obese body, ele&ting to leave the saller one
for later! Moving it to the ebaling table gave hi soe trouble,
but he anaged! He used traua shears to free the &adaver fro
the white sheets! A bluing elderly gentlean with sagging 1owls and
a thi&% usta&he, funeral'dressed in a dar% suit! The rose in his
lapel had wilted! *robably oved straight fro the &onvales&ent
hoe to the parlor to the hospital! 5n&e they arrived, bodies were
brought to Hora&e's happy wor%pla&e by the freight elevators, whi&h
rode up and down the shafts on the ba&%side of the passenger
elevators! Hospital staff did their best to %eep the bodies out of the
patients' sight! $othing &hills the si&% li%e a fresh reinder of
ortality!
Hora&e pulled the &lothes off the &adaver and tossed the in a
&orner! Then, huing 4ivaldi's 7-a *riavera,7 he shaved the
s%ull with a pair of barber &lippers! He used a s&alpel to peel the
s&alp, the fresh eat yielding a steady &urrent of blood! The slant of
the table &aused the blood to flow toward the feet to a drain, whi&h
was hoo%ed up to a sin% against the wall! Bodies also yielded vis&id
fluids and tangles of tissue! )logged drains here were a bit&h and a
half!
5n&e he had the s%ull ade/uately peeled, he began to &ut a
large &ir&le around the top with a Stry%er saw! The &ir&ular blade did
not spin; it vibrated ever so slightly! Hora&e had, on o&&asion,
slipped and tou&hed the os&illating blade to his hand, but it wouldn't
&ut flesh, only hard surfa&es li%e bone! The end of the saw heated
up, sending up thin tendrils of so%e that he &ould sell through
his as%''a pungent odor li%e burning hair, li%e the dentist'&hair
sten&h of a tooth being hollowed!
5n&e he finished, he popped the s%ull lid off, lifted the frontal
lobe of the brain, and &ut the &onne&tive tissue, starting with the
opti& nerve, then oving through the other nerves, the arteries, and
finally the spinal &ord! "iggling his fingers beneath the brain, he
gently peeled it up out of the head!
*assing a string under the artery so the brain dangled fro the
iddle, he lowered it into a bu&%et filled with foralin and snapped
the lid on /ui&%ly, &laping down on both ends of the string! +nside
the bu&%et, the brain hung upside down in the fluid, a perfe&t
natural spe&ien! Had he not suspended it, it would have sun% to
the botto and hardened with a distorting flat spot, and he never
would have heard the end of it fro neurobiology!
He swit&hed to a pistol'grip Sawzall, an old'fashioned
re&ipro&ating saw! *ressure on the trigger sent the straight blade,
whi&h protruded fro the saw's long body, haering up and
down! Hora&e sawed off the feet ne6t, wrapping the in a red
biohazard bag and dropping the into a top'loading freezer that ran
the length of the east wall! The fire red wrapping would tip off the
podiatrists that they were dealing with fresh aterial''ripe, bloody,
and possibly &ontainated!
$e6t he atta&%ed the %nees and elbows, severing the libs about
ten in&hes off the 1oints on either side but %eeping the s%in and
us&les inta&t! There wasn't a big &all for hands, so he left the
atta&hed! He dropped all four units in the freezer, praying that
would buy hi soe tie with the orthopedi&s guys, and turned to
the big &hore of the day''the us&ulature'atta&hed ribs needed for
the orning le&ture!
The Sawzall got hi through the ribs in short order, the soft
organs throwing a good splatter a&ross his gown, then he &ut a
/uadrant around the shoulder and reoved the lungs fro the ribs
with a s&alpel! The table's blood gutters grew &ho%ed with debris!
He bagged the spe&ien and set it aside, prepped and ready for
the tal%!
He de&ided to reove the spine as a favor to a professor in
neurosurgery! 3lipping the &adaver over, he sawed down three
in&hes on either side of the spine, &utting through ribs and pelvis!
He reoved all organs fro the interior, &utting through the
esentery and along the vis&eral &avity walls! He s&ooped out the
bowels and re&tu as one unit, trying to hold his breath, though the
sten&h still anaged to wor% its way into his syste! The
neurosurgeon wouldn't &are that the brain was issing, so he %ept
the topless head atta&hed to the spine! Having whistled his way
through 7-'+nverno,7 he stepped ba&% to adire his wor%! +t was
beautiful! All the vertebrae were inta&t, fro ne&% to ass!
0very body had so u&h to give! At ties, Hora&e viewed his 1ob
siply as playing Santa )laus to the various edi&al departents!
He la&ed his hands and raised the above his head, &ra&%ing his
%nu&%les! Things would slow down soon enough''this was the last
wee% of suer session gross anatoy for the ed students''and
then he'd have the entire area to hiself for a few blissful wee%s
until regular &lasses started up again in Septeber! His gown
sported a ishash of fluids and bits of vis&era, and an
unidentified string of pin% atter &lung to the botto of his eye
guard! The saw swayed at his side, a warrior's tool!
+t was tie for body nuber two!
Body nuber two proved to be a woan, idforties, with a
sho&% of bright orange hair! +t was u&h easier to ove her to the
ebaling table, and her vivid hair /ui&%ly su&&ubed to the
&lippers! Hora&e ade a three'in&h in&ision 1ust below her &lavi&le
and raised her &arotid artery and 1ugular vein so they protruded
fro the &ut li%e fat soda straws! A pup syste was strategi&ally
positioned on a table nearby, one wide &ylinder &ontaining the
al&ohol'based, five'per&ent'foraldehyde solution! A tube atta&hed
to the pup terinated in an enorous needle, whi&h he san% into
the &arotid! He %notted a string around the end of the artery so the
needle wouldn't fly out when he turned on the pup!
*ressurized at about fifteen pounds, the pup a&tivated with a
low hu, and began pushing the urine'&olored ebaling fluid into
the &arotid! The fluid would wor% all the way through the &ir&ulatory
syste, deep through the tissues, pushing the old blood and body
fluids out the 1ugular ahead of it! The entire pro&ess would ta%e
about twenty'five inutes!
Hora&e wiped his brow with the ar of the autopsy gown,
a&&identally leaving a oist &rison sear a&ross his forehead!
The saws sat still and bloody on the &ounter against the wall,
beasts slubering after a feast!
+t was tie for a sna&%!
)hapter >E
TH0 phone rang, and #avid was instantly awa%e in his dar%
bedroo! 7Bes97
*eter's voi&e! 7Bou'd better &oe in! +t's )lyde!7
7#id they %ill hi97
A pause! Sirens in the ba&%ground!
7$o! He es&aped!7
At <:>I A!M!, the abulan&e bay festered with &op &ars! 3our
se&urity offi&ers 1ogged past, radios boun&ing on their hips! #avid
bra&ed hiself as he wal%ed past the par%ing %ios% and des&ended
into the abulan&e bay! Sandy had rea&hed hi in the &ar on his
way over and po%ed around the issue in her in&isive, aggressive
way! He'd been vague; he &ould tell the &all had left her displeased
and unsatisfied, and her tone had seeed to hold soe unspo%en
warning! #avid had &alled *eter ba&% so *eter &ould fill hi in on
the es&ape! The realization had not yet fully hit; #avid oved with a
dazed &al!
An offi&er straight'ared #avid as he stepped through the sliding
glass doors! #avid un&lipped his edi&al badge and displayed it, as
he had already done at the poli&e perieter by the par%ing %ios%s!
7+' #r! Spier! + run this division!7
7All right, sir,7 the offi&er said! 7Be advised this entire area is a
&rie s&ene!7
#avid heard .en%ins yelling the inute he stepped through the
swinging doors into Hallway 5ne! .en%ins had &ornered (alph and
was 1abbing his finger in his &hest! 7Bou're the &hief se&urity offi&er!
"hat the fu&% do you ean you &an't find hi9 He ran into your
hospital87
(alph &ally pushed .en%ins's hand, finger still e6tended, to one
side! 7-isten, &owboy, this building has twenty'nine iles of
&orridor, three'point'one illion s/uare feet, and fifty'seven e6its!
+t's se&ond only to the *entagon!7
7"e gotta shut this pla&e down, ove roo to roo with dogs
and S"AT!7
7That would ta%e wee%s! *lus he probably already slipped out an
e6it!7
7This isn't e6a&tly "here's "aldo! "e're loo%ing for a shirtless
an &overed in blood running around with a stolen Beretta! 3igure
it out!7
#avid slid past the and found Bale, who was &rou&hed in 06a
3ourteen, his ba&% to the door! A few en in rupled shirts and ties
po%ed through the &abinets and the gurney attress! #avid &ir&led
Bale and s/uatted beside hi! Bale was e6aining an epty blood
bag, turning it slowly on the end of his pen!
7+t was supposed to be pi&%ed up by the blood ban%! They &ae
down, but + was in with hi! ! ! ! 7 #avid s/ueezed his eyes shut
tightly, regretfully! 7That's what he seared all over hiself! To
a%e it loo% li%e he'd attepted sui&ide!7
Bale nodded! He was &hewing gu, soething strong's&ented
and fruity! He pointed with his pen to the severed leather band!
7(estraints,7 he said! 75n&e you get through one, the other three
are a snap!7
#avid stood and regarded the epty gurney! Several strands of
)lyde's hair reained behind on the pillow! A &rie s&ene
te&hni&ian was lifting the with tweezers and depositing the in a
&lear plasti& bag! 7Bou &an &at&h hi again, right9 +t'll be easier this
tie97
7He never even &oughed up a last nae!7
#avid gestured to the te&hni&ian ta%ing hair saples fro the
pillow! 7"hat about the forensi&s97
7"e &an run a #$A on the hair fibers, but unless he's been
arrested and had blood drawn in the last five years, it won't do us
u&h good!7
#avid's voi&e sounded in&reasingly desperate! 7But you have
fingerprints! ! ! ! 7
Bale shoo% his head slowly! 7He was wearing gloves the whole
tie! "e don't boo% the and lift prints until we get 'e transported
to Harbor!7 Bale studied #avid through a &ool, even &ountenan&e!
#avid felt his fa&e go sla&%!
Bale turned his gu over in his outh and snapped it on&e,
loudly! 7+f he was well enough to es&ape, he was well enough to be
oved to Harbor! $ow either you're a liar or a shitty do&tor! "hi&h
is it97
The blood bag lea%ed onto the floor!
#avid felt as if Bale were loo%ing straight through his head,
studying the ba&% wall of his s%ull!
7+f you were gonna %eep hi here, you should have tied down
your fort,7 Bale said! 7Made sure the roo was se&ure!7
7But +' a do&tor! That's not y 1ob!7
Bale loo%ed at hi again, the sae ipenetrable shine in his
eyes! 706a&tly!7
#avid too% a oent to let the roiling in his gut settle! 7-isten!
"hy don't we figure out who's to blae later and fo&us on finding
hi!7
Bale loo%ed rightly irritated!
7+ %now y way around this hospital better than you! Better than
Se&urity, even!7
7Sure,7 Bale said derisively! 7+t's your faily business!7
#avid stopped short, trying to %eep up with a sudden &as&ade of
thoughts! 7How do you %now that97
7The building's naed after you! 0ven if + weren't a dete&tive''7
7That's what )lyde said! He said, 'Spier, li%e the building!' +
thought he was thin%ing of a spire! But he saw the S*+0(
A,#+T5(+,M sign by the &afeteria''it loo%s li%e that whole portion
of the building bears y faily nae! )lyde's been around the
hospital! A lot!7
7$ot a news flash! He did es&ape into the hospital!7
#avid's fa&e felt hot! He blurted, with sudden &onvi&tion, 7He
wor%s here!7
7Bou &an't say that with any''7
7)oe here!7
Bale relu&tantly followed #avid into the hall! #avid swung a
nearby gurney over between hiself and Bale, and set the bra%e!
7Try to ove this,7 he said! 7Go ahead!7
Bale tried to push it out of the way, but it didn't budge!
7*eter said he shoved the gurney at the offi&er, but if the gurney
was left in the hall with a patient on it, it would've been lo&%ed,7
#avid said! 7The foot levers on the new gurneys have to be %i&%ed
to the right to release the bra%es''that's not &oon %nowledge!
Bou &ouldn't figure it out 1ust now''iagine if you were running and
soeone was pointing a gun at you! )lyde already %new how the
gurney operated! 3ro wor%ing here!7
7A helpful hypothesis! But it's tie for you to leave!7
7That's why he ran into the hospital interior''he %nows these
&orridors and %nows where to hide! 5r what if it's not even a
detour9 Maybe he in1ured hiself to get in here!7
7"e're on it! And this is our 1ob! $ow it's tie for you to stay out
of our way!7
7+ thin% we &an''7
7+f you &ontinue to &oproise this perieter, +'ll bust you for
non&oplian&e!7 Bale pointed down the hall! His fa&e showed he
wasn't listening anyore!
#avid turned and headed for the lobby! A S"AT &rew 1ogged by
with two Geran shepherds straining at the leashes! Through the
sall windows atop the swinging doors, he &ould see #alton
interviewing *eter! 3ro *eter's gestures, it appeared he was
&onveying details of the es&ape! A&ross the lobby, .en%ins
alternated between shouting at (alph and bellowing into his
portable, &onta&ting offi&ers around the perieter of the hospital!
7Be advised suspe&t is &onsidered to be in the possession of a
poli&e offi&er's nine'illieter,7 #avid heard hi say! 7-et's ta%e
hi down!7
#avid glan&ed in 3ifteen as he passed; #on was playing the
hero, tending to the in1ured offi&ers! )lyde's blow had infli&ted soe
daage, the hasp on the restraint splitting the s%in above one
offi&er's ear! As he finished stit&hing, #on told a 1o%e #avid &ouldn't
overhear''probably soething involving golf or heaven''and the
offi&er's laughter &arried to #avid as he pushed through the doors
to the lobby!
.en%ins had disappeared, leaving (alph to dire&t poli&e traffi&
through the lobby! #avid oved up beside (alph! 7+s soeone
wat&hing $an&y97 #avid as%ed!
7Beah, #o&! "e got her &overed!7
7"hat would )lyde want to do if he was loose in the hospital97
Two ore dogs wal%ed by, sniffing, their nails s&uttling over tile,
pulling S"AT guys behind the!
7Get his ass out of here, +'d thin%,7 (alph replied!
7"hi&h way did he head97
73ound sudges of fresh 5'negative blood in the Three )orridor!
#oors ba&% there are 5nilo&%ed, but we only &hange the &obos
on&e a year, so the &odes are around! *lus, people soeties
leave the doors propped open!7
#avid thought of the &onvoluted hospital interior, the endless
white &orridors, and realized how hopeless it would be to try to find
)lyde's hiding pla&e!
(alph shoo% his head! 7+'d say our bird's flown the &oop!7
#alton finished with *eter and strode over! His tie was yan%ed to
one side, and he'd issed a button on his shirt, the sall gap
revealing a threadbare undershirt! 7)ongratulations, #o&! Bou've
turned the 0( into a &rie s&ene! $ow + have 1urisdi&tion! Get out!7
#avid loo%ed over his shoulder and saw *eter tal%ing to a
forensi& artist! She shaded soe eleent of the s%et&h with the
side of her pen&il, than%ed *eter, and headed into Hallway 5ne,
probably to see the wounded &op!
7Go hoe,7 #alton said! 7Bou've done enough!7 His fa&e, for
on&e, was fir and intense! 7+' not as%ing this tie!7
#avid nodded on&e, slowly, and headed for the door, passing
*eter! *eter ebra&ed hi a&ross the shoulders with one ar!
7How are you doing97 #avid as%ed!
73ine, fine!7 *eter ran his fingers through his hair, attepting to
sooth it down! +t did little good! His voi&e was a tou&h sha%y! 7Bou
never thin% about it, but a hospital is full of weapons! *rongs and
hoo%s and blades! +t's grotes/ue, really! Tools of healing turned
outward!7 He &oughed into a fist! 7The way he loo%ed at e ! ! ! 7
7Bou didn't hurt your leg tripping hi97
*eter waved off the notion! 7+t's steel'enfor&ed, reeber97
7All right,7 #avid said! 7+ have to leave! They're a%ing e
leave!7
#alton had finished s&ribbling soething in his worn notepad! He
flipped it &losed with a flourish, raed it into his ba&% po&%et, and
loo%ed up, sighting #avid! 7+' not fu&%ing around, #o&! +' gonna
&he&% on our artist, and if you're still here when + get ba&%, +'ll have
you for&ibly reoved fro the building! #on't thin% + won't!7 He
banged through the swinging doors into the 0( proper with the
heels of his hands!
*eter trebled slightly, perhaps be&ause the lobby was &ool!
7Are you sure you're all right97 #avid as%ed!
7Bes,7 *eter said! 7Always!7
#avid was headed for the door when he felt a hand on his
shoulder! He turned, e6pe&ting *eter but finding .en%ins!
Stress had gone to wor% on .en%ins's fa&e over the last few
days! The s%in had reddened, as if pulled taut a&ross the bones,
and his &hee%bones pro1e&ted in alost s%eletal fashion! His voi&e
&ae low and vi&ious! 7Bou treated hi! Bou held hi so he &ould
es&ape! 3ro here on out, every girl that winds up aied and
blind is your fault!7 He too% a step ba&%, as if not wanting to reain
near #avid for fear of losing &ontrol!
#avid loo%ed at hi, unsure how to rea&t, afraid to respond! An
adrenaline rush left hi light'headed, his ears huing!
"hen .en%ins spo%e again, his voi&e was deathly &al! His
finger stabbed the air, pointing at #avid's fa&e! 7+t's on your head
now,7 he said!
)hapter F=
#A4+# returned to his &ar in the *)HS lot and slid behind the
wheel! +t was ?:2> A!M! There was little point in his going hoe;
he'd be unable to sleep anyway! He rolled down the window to let in
the &hilly air!
The flurry of a&tivity around the hospital didn't see to be
slowing! Two ,)*# &ops strode past #avid's &ar!
7''sleazeball reporter dressed as a do&tor tried to snea% in a
ini'&aera! )ran%ed the &uffs e6tra tight for his ride to the
station!7
5ne of the &ops saw #avid in his &ar! 7)an + see soe +#97 he
as%ed!
7Bes, +' the &hief of the eergen&y roo!7 #avid flashed his
badge! He thought he dete&ted a note of re&ognition in the &op's
eyes! And disdain!
7The 0('s shut down for at least a few ore hours, sir, and we're
%eeping this area &lear! Bou're gonna have to leave!7
7"hat tie do you thin% they'll open the 0( again97
7+ don't %now! At least a few hours!7
#avid drove slowly down the &on&rete tiers to the e6it! A few &ars
were /ueued at the poli&e perieter, and #avid gazed ba&% at the
hospital, ta%ing it in! The 0(, #avid now saw with renewed &larity,
was the ost a&&essible part of the institution! And the ost
vulnerable! As he'd dis&ussed with #ash, the atta&%s on the 0(
were probably not spe&ifi& to the division but syboli& atta&%s on
the hospital itself! 0ven if )lyde did wor% at ,)-A Med, that didn't
ne&essarily ean his eployent was the starting point of his
relationship with the hospital! )lyde had been terrified of #ash in a
way that seeed to indi&ate per&eived abuse at the hands of
do&tors! "hi&h &ould have been his interpretation of a &hildhood
trip to the hospital or the $*+! +f only #avid had a last nae for
)lyde, he &ould run hi through the hospital files and see what
&ae up!
#avid was puzzled by )lyde's &lai that he wanted 7the7 to be
sorry for lo&%ing hi in the dar%! "as this erely a hallu&ination, or
was it grounded in reality9 And if it was reality'based, what did it
have to do with the hospital9 #avid had &onsidered that )lyde's
&oents ight be &over so%e''&rafty anipulations designed to
islead investigators''but his presentation had been authenti&
enough!
A &op waved #avid through at the perieter! $ot wanting to go
hoe, #avid drove to a gas station two blo&%s away, leaned against
his trun%, sipped a &up of &offee''s&alding in taste and
teperature''and tried to order his thoughts! He felt the night &hill
through his thin shirt and realized that, though it was past five in the
orning, he wasn't even tired! Seventeen years in the eergen&y
roo provided e6&ellent sleep'deprivation training!
He threw away the epty &up and &alled #iane fro his &ell
phone! She sounded wide awa%e! 7+ heard,7 she said! 7*at &alled
e! +t's all over the news!7
7+' going to need you to &over a bit for e toorrow,7 #avid
said! 7"ould you ind &oing in97
7$ot at all! #o we have another attending in the orning97
7$elson!7
73ine! The edia is stringing you up over this!7
He fended off a stab of inse&urity! 7As well they should be!7
7"hat does that ean97
7+' never going to apologize for treating hi, obviously,7 #avid
said!
75bviously!7
7But as you said, + stepped beyond y doain! "hi&h is fine! +
don't li%e boundaries, espe&ially when other people are drawing
the for e! But if + was going to assue responsibility for )lyde''
and ta%e that responsibility away fro those who were a&tually
entitled to it, however fu&%ed up they ay have been''+ should have
assued all aspe&ts of that responsibility!7
7-i%e how97
7-i%e instead of resenting se&urity, + &ould have insisted it be
tightened!7
A pause as #iane pro&essed this! 7+ guess we all dig ourselves
into our own neat little areas of e6pertise, grow sug, and forget
how any things we're not good at!7
7My list is longer than +'ve been for&ed to &onsider for soe
tie!7
7So now what97
7$ow + have to see this through! That patient''and the fa&t he's
on the loose''is still y responsibility!7 #avid hadn't said it aloud
yet, and it rang with sudden &onvi&tion!
7So what are you gonna do9 Tra&% hi down97
7Bes!7
7+' not sure you want that ission!7
7+ %now + don't want it! But that's irrelevant!7
7Beah,7 #iane said! 7+ guess it is!7 A pause! 7"hat are you gonna
do now97
7)all #ash, fill hi in, and let hi %now the assessent's off for
the orning!7
7Then what97
7Sit here, drin% shitty &offee, and wait for the 0( to open up so +
&an get on this!7
)hapter F2
A &leaner Hora&e returned a half hour later, un&hing on a
Sni&%ers! The &adaver had paled ni&ely, ta%ing on a yellow hue! He
threw the white sheets that had previously wrapped the bodies into
a large rolling trash bin, followed by the woan's &lothes! The
an's &lothes were not there, and he glan&ed under the table,
puzzled, before &on&luding he ust have thrown the out right
after reoving the fro the body!
An +'bea ran overhead, &ontinuing through a sall gap in the
top of the &rypt door! Several &hains dangled fro the +'bea, and
Hora&e slid one along its length, positioning it above the woan's
body! The &hain terinated in a pin&er &lap, a unit with two 1aws
that &rossed theselves and &urved inward! Hora&e fitted the dull
ends of the pin&ers into the ebaled woan's ear &anals and
hoisted the &hain! The &lap tightened as it rose, the weight of the
body pulled the pin&ers taut, and the &adaver 1er%ed up to a sitting
position! Hora&e raised her straight off the table until she was
dangling fro the +'bea, the weight of her body sustained by the
two pin&ers digging into the holes of her s%ull!
Swinging the assive &rypt door open, Hora&e returned to the
woan's hanging body and slid it along the length of the +'bea,
through the open door, and into the iense refrigerated roo! To
the left, about a dozen other bodies hung suspended fro their
heads, pale and na%ed! Storing the in this fashion ensured that
their features wouldn't distort; a body left to harden on an
ebaling table had a plan%'flat ba&%side, whi&h did little to help
edi&al students who needed to e6plore the huan body in its
natural for!
Though Hora&e had long grown a&&ustoed to the roo, it was
a gruesoe pla&e! Swollen blue tongues protruding fro ouths,
s&rotus tightened to sall walnuts between loose'dangling hairy
legs, eyebrows perfe&tly plu&%ed on wrin%led yellow foreheads! The
donors, agnanious givers to the &ause of s&ien&e, now hanging
up with every in&h of their bodies e6posed! 0a&h e6tra tuft of hair,
ea&h fold of the abdoen, ea&h ole and birthar%! The sae
s&rutiny would soon be applied to their insides!
Bu&%ets around the periphery of the &rypt &ontained brains and
eyeballs, ready to be &laied by the various departents! Blue and
red tubs, the type bought at Hoe #epot to i&e down beers at
suer parties, were positioned beneath the bodies to &at&h the
ooze and drippings! Hora&e slid a red bu&%et beneath the woan
and paused for a oent, nostrils widening! He rose, glan&ing
around suspi&iously! Beneath the overwheling foralin and eaty
odors, he had &aught a whiff of soething! )igarette so%e!
The swaying bodies &rea%ed and swayed as Hora&e wal%ed
slowly through the, sear&hing! 5n&e during his first wee%, he'd
heard the &rypt door swing shut behind hi when he'd been
hanging a s/uat Asian an! He'd pushed aside the pani&, wal%ing
&ally to the door and finding that there was indeed a post to open
it fro the inside! Aside fro that brief oent when he'd thought
he was lo&%ed in with the &adavers, he'd never felt frightened inside
the roo!
,ntil now!
He wal%ed along the far wall of the &rypt, half e6pe&ting soeone
to 1up out at hi fro behind a wall of yellowed flesh! He pushed
aside the last &adaver in the row, a woan who he &ould tell had
been young and robust in life, but no one was hiding behind her!
Hora&e san% slowly to his haun&hes and gazed beneath the
swaying feet! Aside fro bu&%ets and stained plasti& tubs, there
was nothing! The woan's body pivoted slowly on its &hain,
&rea%ing! She was a fresh &adaver, and still draining! A thin strea
of yellow li/uid &urved around the inside of her &alf, dripping fro
her big toe into the red tub beneath her! (ealizing he'd been
holding his breath, Hora&e e6haled long and hard, rose, and wal%ed
out of the &rypt!
Had he loo%ed ore &losely at the woan's &adaver, he would
have noti&ed a wisp of so%e rising fro her foot! +f he'd drawn
nearer still, he'd have seen the sall holes that had been burned
into the side of her heel, 1ust in front of the A&hilles tendon!
"ith two &igarettes, held side by side!
"rapped in an effluviu of foralin, )lyde sauntered past the
gift shop and the se&urity des% in a dar% burial suit, the Beretta
shoved in the band of his pants and pressed to the sall of his
ba&%! The buttons that ran up the ba&% of the 1a&%et were
isaligned, the gaps and flares of the fabri& betraying the
iproptu &ontortions he'd underta%en attepting to don apparel
designed for the de&eased! The &obination of the suit's anti/uated
style and )lyde's robust build gave hi the appearan&e of a
vaudeville bar%er!
He &aught a sideways glan&e fro a si6'year'old pulling an +4
post, but neither of the guards at the des% loo%ed up as he strode
past, the glass hospital doors sliding open before hi! The &ops
running the investigation had no photograph of hi to &ir&ulate, but
if the guards had loo%ed &losely, they ight have seen dar% spots
on the shirt where the fabri& &lung to his weeping blisters!
The doors slid open before hi and he stepped out, pulling the
pa&% of &igarettes fro the suit's dap breast po&%et! He lit a
&igarette''1ust one''with a at&h fro the boo% nestled inside the
&lear wrapping and inhaled deeply, shooting a plue of so%e into
the dar% air of the plaza! +n front of hi, a assive lawn stret&hed
wide, rea&hing alost to the top tier of the un&overed *)HS lot!
The par%ing stru&ture had any low walls, and e6its leading to
streets, paths, and gardens! The &ops would have sear&hed the
&ars that had reained there overnight, as well as those left along
-e )onte!
His )rown 4i& waited, hidden behind a #upster at the ba&% of
the old Ma&y's lot a&ross the street, %eys resting atop the left rear
tire!
An offi&er 1ogged up the front steps, tou&hing his &ap! 7Morning!7
)lyde nodded, then, with an e&onoi&al oveent of his fat
grubby fingers, fli&%ed the &igarette butt aside! The &ool air breezed
around hi as he wal%ed forward into the open e6panse of the
plaza, the hospital towering behind hi!
The s%y was 1ust beginning to grow light!
)hapter F>
*5-+)0 offi&ers were still oving about the hospital in &lusters,
but u&h of the a&tivity had died down! The 0( reopened at I:<?
A!M!; #avid was there waiting at the poli&e perieter, doing his
best to hide his intense dis&ofort at the reporters pressing hi for
stateents! The &ops spitefully ade hi wait until eight to enter
the hospital, as that was when his shift offi&ially began! The gas
station &offee, bad as it ay have been, had &ertainly been
&affeine'intensive, and he a&tually felt a few steps better than
e6hausted!
+t would be a long, unrelenting day! After wor%ing a full shift, he'd
have to run over to the Sunset (e&reation )enter for the eet'and'
greet for the in&oing &lass of residents! Aside fro #iane and #r!
$elson, the 0( staff was &urt with hi! He wasn't sure if they held
hi responsible for )lyde's es&ape or if it was erely his own guilt
at wor%!
)oposites of )lyde had been posted in the lobby and the )"A!
#avid reoved one and gazed at it! The artist had failed to &apture
)lyde's dead, flat eyes, but she'd anaged to s%et&h the outh
and &hin perfe&tly! #avid stared at the wide ne&% and a&ne's&arred
&hee%s and felt a faintness ripple through hi!
After a%ing sure the floor was under &ontrol, he found (alph in
the rear hall of the 0(! 7Anything97 #avid as%ed!
(alph shoo% his head!
#avid pulled the s%et&h of )lyde fro his po&%et! 7#id you send
these around to staff97
7"e posted the 1ust about everywhere!7
7+ thin% we should &ir&ulate &opies through the internal ail,
a%e sure every single staff eber sees this! "e should write on
it that )lyde is a possible hospital wor%er, so people give it ore
than a &ursory glan&e!7
7Bale told e about the wor%er angle,7 (alph said! 7But it would
ta%e e awhile to get a re/uest li%e that through the bureau&rati&
bullshit!7
7*ut y weight behind it! See if that helps! +f not, let e %now
and +'ll get into it personally!7 #avid wal%ed bris%ly through the
networ% of halls a&ross the hospital and into the &onne&ted
$europsy&hiatri& +nstitute! He unfolded )lyde's &oposite and
e6ained it on the elevator down to the Badge )enter in the
baseent! +n order to ove freely within the hospital, every
eployee of the ,)-A Hospital was re/uired to wear a photo
badge! All pi&tures were ta%en passport style at the Badge )enter,
with a digital &aera and a blue ba&%drop!
An obese woan anned a &oputer behind the terinal, her
onitor &luttered with faily photos and sti&%ers featuring
anthropoorphi& anials! A pla/ue adhered to a bulletin board
behind her read: S0@,A- HA(ASSM0$T "+-- $5T B0
T5-0(AT0#! B,T +T "+-- B0 G(A#0#! #avid shuddered!
The woan loo%ed up with a wide grin! 7Hello, #r! Spier!7 She
glan&ed hi over, then waved a finger at hi in s&olding fashion! 7+
see you're not wearing your badge!7
#avid found it diffi&ult to for&e a sile! 7Bou %eep all eployee
photographs on &oputer file, right97
7#id you lose your badge again9 #o you need us to a%e you up
another new one97
7$o, + have ine right here!7 He reoved his badge fro his &oat
po&%et and brandished it at her! 7+ was wondering how any years
ba&% your photo files run!7
73ive years, three onths ! ! ! 7 she re&ited proudly! She leaned
over and &he&%ed a 3ar Side day'by'day &alendar propped on her
des%! 7! ! ! and si6 days! 0ver sin&e we swit&hed to a digital
&aera!7
#avid laid the poli&e s%et&h on the &ountertop and soothed out
the &reases! 7The an who es&aped ! ! ! + have reason to believe
he wor%s here at the hospital!7
She pi&%ed up the s%et&h and shivered, her weight shifting
beneath a stret&hed yellow sweater! 7That's the guy, huh9 The a&id
thrower!7
7He said his nae is )lyde, though +' not &ertain he was telling
the truth! )an you run a &oputer &he&% and see if you &an at&h
the s%et&h to a photo97
7"ell, 1eez, #o&tor, + don't %now! There's really no way to do that!
+ ean, it's not a big fandangled progra or anything! +'d have to
run through every entry &li&% by &li&%! And there are thousands of
photographs in here! *lus, + &an't run a sear&h without a first and
last nae! That's how the badge sear&h engine operates!7 She
pi&%ed up the &oposite and stared at it, as if it &ontained the
solution to the predi&aent! 7Sorry, #o&tor!7
#avid too% ba&% the flyer, refolded it, and began to wal% away
before being stru&% by a new thought! The woan loo%ed ba&% up
with the sae wide grin when he returned! 7Hello again,7 she said,
with a short burst of laughter!
7Bou get a lot of people through here, +'d iagine, fro all the
departents, right9 $ew eployees and people who need
repla&eent badges97
7Bessirree! "hy 1ust this orning +'ve had five lost badges,
in&luding''7
7"ould you ind running &opies of this flier and handing the
out to people to pass around their departents9 .ust in &ase it gets
lost in the ass ailing! As% people to loo% at it, really loo% at it,
and see if they reeber this guy wor%ing here! "ill you do that for
e ! ! ! 7 He glan&ed on the &ounter for a nae tag, but &ouldn't
spot one! "hen he loo%ed ba&% at her, she was holding up her
badge proudly for hi to read! 7! ! ! Shirley97
She seeed ta%en aba&% by the intensity in his fa&e! 7, ! ! ! it's
not norally our poli&y to distribute non'badge'related inforation!7
#avid too% a deep breath! 7+ thin% the ris% of ore woen
be&oing horribly disfigured probably outweighs this brea&h of
badge eti/uette! "ould you &on&ur, Shirley97
The &olor seeed to wash out of her fa&e, leaving only the two
splot&hes of rouge that &apped her &hee%s! 7Bes, #r! Spier,7 she
said tightly! 7Though + don't see why you have to be so rude!7
)hapter FF
#+A$0'S s&rubs shifted when she leaned over, the fabri& holding
tight to her body in spots''a&ross the rounded band of her lower
ba&%, at the &urve where her butto&%s et her legs, on her right
s&apula''before fading ba&% into folds and wrin%les! A wisp of hair
had settled in a &res&ent along her &hee%, the botto point
lingering near the &orner of her outh! She spo%e a soft, badly
a&&ented Spanish as she pla&ed the bell of her stethos&ope on the
boy's distended belly! The father loo%ed on, as did #avid fro his
eavesdropper's post at the door!
79#olor a/ui97 #iane as%ed, palpating the boy's idabdoen!
78Ay, pin&he &abron bende1o ari&on87 the boy hissed through
&len&hed teeth!
The father s&rat&hed his forehead, hiding his eyes! 7He say yes!7
#espite the shier of oisture rising in the boy's eyes, #avid
&ouldn't help but grin at the e6&hange! He waited for #iane to finish
and approa&h hi, then lowered his voi&e! 7Sin&e )lyde %new
where the %i&%'pedal release was on the gurney, aybe he has
soe 1ob that involves transporting patients! +' already &overing
the orderly angle! )an you thin% of any other'' 7 #avid stopped
when he heard hard footsteps on the tile, then turned and saw
.en%ins and Bronner heading his way!
"ith a single bris% otion, .en%ins whipped a pair of hand&uffs
fro their pou&h on his belt and lo&%ed the around #avid's wrists!
#avid loo%ed down at the, dubfounded! 7"hat the hell is this97
75bstru&tion of 1usti&e! Bou had a suspe&t in here five days ago,
August 3ourteenth, with a gunshot wound fro the :in%o's
shooting! "e've been loo%ing for hi for soe tie, but you
deliberately isled us, giving hi tie to es&ape!7
75h,7 #avid said, 7this is brilliant! + thought we were through with
that business!7 He had to raise both hands to s&rat&h his nose!
7+ re&onsidered,7 .en%ins said!
7"hat the hell is going on here97 #iane as%ed!
.en%ins ignored her, &ontinuing to address #avid! 7"e're ta%ing
you in! +' gonna have a field day on your ass!7
75n y ass97
7+t's a figure of spee&h!7
7And a rather &haring one at that!7
7Save your breath for the station! Bou'll need it to tell us about
the suspe&t you aided!7
7"ell, you see, there's this little thing &alled patient
&onfidentiality! Bour only out on that front is the Tarasoff ruling in 'ID
and it's less than irrelevant here!7
7"e'll throw you in a roo with the )aptain, see how /uiet you
are then!7
7)aptain Billings9 3eel free! + haven't seen hi sin&e the Getty
)enter dinner in Mar&h! +'d love to &at&h up!7 #avid glared at
Bronner, and &ould see the older &op was getting uneasy! 7*lus,
you're harassing e on a false &ivil &harge, not a &riinal one''you
have no right to arrest e! +f you pull e out of here id'shift, +'ll
sue your asses! -oudly!7
7Bou have the right to reain silent'' 7 .en%ins began!
7,n&uff the attending physi&ian iediately,7 #iane said!
7Handle whatever grudge you have later! The other attending is on
lun&h, and +' not /ualified to run this departent yself!7
7"ell, Ms!''7
7+t's #o&tor!7
.ill &ae running down the hall, her yellow hair boun&ing! 7"e
have a horror show rolling in! A forty'year'old ale sustained a
penetrating traua to the &hest wall, ninety over si6ty in the field,
heart rate one'thirty, respiratory rate forty!7 She paused when she
noti&ed the hand&uffs around #avid's wrists! 7Be &areful with those
hands,7 she said to .en%ins! 7They're worth ore than you are!7
7,n&uff e,7 #avid said!
7''anything you say &an be used against you in a &ourt of law!
Bou have the right to an attorney''7
.ill loo%ed fro #avid to #iane to .en%ins and Bronner, as if
unsure to who to address the edi&al inforation! 7Two'inute
0TA by ground transport!7 The failiar s&ree&h of gurney wheels,
followed by the bang of the swinging doors! 75r right now!7
Two paraedi&s sprinted toward #avid, pushing the gurney, the
lead one shouting, 7)ode traua8 He was oaning and groaning in
the rig, but we lost vitals in the abulan&e bay! "e got nothing!7
A bent pie&e of rebar protruded nearly two feet fro the an's
&hest on the left side! Strapped to a ba&%board, the an's head
was se&ured with a )'&ollar! His visible flesh was pale blue!
#avid held up his hands, the &hain tight between his wrists!
7,n&uff e! $ow!7
7They were blasting out a se&tion of the building a&ross the
street,7 the other paraedi& said! 7Soeone forgot he was in there
and let fly!7
7(elease hi iediately! This is no tie to fu&% around,7 #iane
yelled over her shoulder as she ran toward the gurney, eeting it
halfway, only to turn and run with it toward Traua 5ne! #avid
1ogged after her into the resus&itation suite, hand&uffs 1ingling, and
the two &ops relu&tantly followed! #iane oved alongside the body!
7$o spontaneous respirations, no pulse, and he's &yanoti&!7
#avid rea&hed his &uffed hands out and felt the an's stoa&h,
pushing gently! +t gave with a soft &run&hing sound, as though he
were pressing on a bag of (i&e :rispies! Air had es&aped fro the
an's lungs and oved beneath his s%in! 7)repitan&e,7 he said!
Several hands grabbed the ba&%board when they rea&hed the
wider hospital gurney!
75n y &ount,7 #iane yelled! 7Three, two, one!7 They slid the
an safely over onto the new gurney, and the paraedi&s ba&%ed
out to a%e ore spa&e!
By the tie #avid glan&ed up at the an's fa&e, #iane already
had hi intubated and hoo%ed up to one hundred per&ent o6ygen!
She helped the nurse s&issor off the an's &lothes! 7"e're gonna
have to open hi up! Soeone get e a thora&otoy tray87
*eople s&urried about the body! The superfi&ial veins had
&ollapsed; they had a rapid infuser going on the right ar! .en%ins
wat&hed the wor%ing on the body, his fa&e angry and distant!
7Soeone find a line in the feoral,7 #avid said! A 1unior nurse
responded, digging in the hip with a needle! She got a flash of
blood in the syringe! 7Good,7 he said! 7$ow feed a guide wire
through the needle! (ight, right!7 The nurse slid a blue nuber'
eight 3ren&h &atheter over the guide wire into the vein! 7#on't let go
of the guide wire!7
Si6 units arrived fro the blood ban%! #iane pulled on a gown
and gloves! 7Swit&h the saline for 5'neg!7
#avid turned and shoved his hands at .en%ins! 70nough already!
Ta%e these things off e! $ow!7 -ab te&hs and nurses darted
around the to get to the gurney!
The thora&otoy tray arrived, swathed in blue towels! *ulling the
towels aside to reveal a for&eps, rib spreader, rib &utter, and an
array of gleaing s&alpels, #iane paused and turned to the offi&ers!
#avid's hands were in&hes fro .en%ins's &hest, but .en%ins didn't
so u&h as loo% down at the; he %ept his &old, hard gaze lo&%ed
on #avid's fa&e!
#iane &rossed her ars! 7+ &an't do this without hi,7 she said!
7Get ready for a lawsuit!7
The a&tivity around the body seeed to stop! 3or an instant, all
eyes were on #avid and .en%ins! Bronner bro%e the silen&e,
stepping forward to unlo&% the &uffs! .en%ins tried to restrain hi,
but Bronner shoved hi away fier&ely! 7Bou'd better settle down
there, pup,7 he growled!
.en%ins's fa&e was alive with eotion''rage, frustration,
huiliation! He glared at Bronner, then turned and banged out
through the doors! Bronner /ui&%ly unlo&%ed #avid's &uffs and
wal%ed out also, his boots &rea%ing!
#avid had his stethos&ope off his shoulders and into pla&e
iediately! He set the bell over the an's left lung, then his right!
Mira&ulously, there were no de&reased breathing sounds''neither
lung had &ollapsed! 7"hat are our three a1or &on&erns with a
penetration to the ediastinu97 he as%ed!
7Tension pneuothora6, peri&ardial taponade, la&erated aorta!7
,sing a s/uirt bottle, #iane doused the an's left side in Betadine,
the antisepti& falling a&ross the ribs li%e an orange drape! Her
gloved fingers felt their way into position on the an's side, finding
his fifth inter&ostal spa&e! ,sing a s&alpel, she sli&ed downward
fro the an's sternu, &arving an ar& that ran the length of his
ribs! Blood gushed over her hands, &oating her white gloves
&rison as she &ontinued to &ut down to the us&le!
.ill's patterned s&rub top, a &heery Aazon green nuber
de&orated with frogs, seeed oddly dis&ordant! She leaned over
with the spray bottle to &lear the wound for #iane! A spurt of blood
&aught a poison arrow frog a&ross the fa&e!
A flash of a/ua green s&rubs to #avid's left! 7Surgeon's stu&% in a
ess of an appende&toy,7 he heard the &ler% say! 7The 1unior
surge resident is on his way down!7
#iane finished s&issoring through the inter&ostal us&les, then
wedged a rib spreader into the bloody gap! The pronged tool was
silver and rat&heted, and she flipped out the handle and &ran%ed it
li%e a win&h! The an's ribs stret&hed, then snapped, sending a
splattering of blood a&ross her surgi&al gown and .ill's fa&e!
7How's the left lung97 #avid as%ed!
#iane peered into the hole in the an's body! 7-oo%s fine!7
7$ow feel your way in there! )he&% to a%e sure the aorta isn't
la&erated!7
She paused for an instant, her gloved hand hovering near the
gap! #avid had wal%ed her through this ove on a &adaver, but
she'd never had a live run! She loo%ed up, her brilliant green eyes
&at&hing #avid's, and he nodded on&e, reassuringly!
-owering her shoulder, she slid her hand into the an's living
body!
7Bou feel the lung along the ba&% of your hand97 #avid as%ed!
7Bupy and soft97
She nodded! 7+ have y bearings!7
Her ar disappeared idway to her elbow as she slid her hand
down along the inside of the an's ba&%!
#avid's hand twit&hed at his side as he entally undertoo% the
aneuver with her! 7#id you &he&% the aorta97
She shoo% her head!
7How &an you restrain yourself97
Her eyes widened! 7+'ve got it87 A sile blooed on her fa&e, a
&hild's sile at sighting soething wondrous! 7,nder y fingertips!
+t's fir and full of blood!7
7Good,7 #avid said! 7$ow let's &he&% for a peri&ardial
taponade!7 +f the heart had sustained a traua, whi&h #avid
guessed it had fro the angle of the rebar, it was probably bleeding
into the peri&ardiu! And if the sa& around the heart filled with
blood, it would interfere with the heart's e&hanis, preventing it
fro puping effe&tively!
Soeone banged into a rapid infuser and it nearly &apsized!
7"here the hell is surgery97 #iane said! She read1usted her
hand, and a soft su&%ing noise eerged fro the wound!
7+t's all right,7 #avid said! 73o&us on the tas%!7
#iane twisted her body so she &ould better aneuver her hand!
7Got it8 The peri&ardial sa& is full and tense! The heart ust've bled
into it!7
She reoved her right hand to grab a tiny pair of s&issors, pi&%ed
up a pair of tongs with her left, and went ba&% in with both!
75%ay,7 #avid said! 7Grab the edge of the sa& with the tongs and
a%e a sall verti&al in&ision!7 He strained to loo% around her and
saw blood spill into the &hest! 7Good! $ow deliver the heart!7
Her ar oving with e6/uisite &are, she gripped the heart and
pulled it out through the sall in&ision, holding it in her hand! 7+t's
beating,7 she said, du&%ing her head to see through the ess! 7+t's
got a sall hole!7
7+t's trying to push blood but &an't! *ut your thub over the hole!7
She ad1usted her thub, then turned and loo%ed to #avid again!
He held her gaze as they waited! $ow that she'd plugged the
heart's hole, blood should begin puping ore effe&tively! A nurse
near the an's head loo%ed up triuphantly! 7+ got a pulse87 A
&arotid pulse eant the blood pressure had 1ust hit si6ty!
7Me too87 another nurse e6&laied! 73eoral pulse87 The blood
pressure had risen to seventy!
A wisp of hair fell a&ross #iane's eyes, and she fli&%ed it aside
with a /ui&% 1er% of her head! Her lips were trebling ever so
slightly''#avid was sure he was the only one who noti&ed! Her fa&e
had ta%en on the fervent, &onfounded &ast of one in e6tree grief
or e&stasy! She held a an's beating heart in her hand, and her
thub plugging its hole was the only thing %eeping hi alive!
The 1unior surgeon 1ogged into the roo! 7)all 5(,7 #iane said!
7Tell 'e we're on our way!7
The gurney too% off with a lur&h as .ill shoved it toward the door,
several others grabbing for the &onne&ting gear and a%ing sure it
oved with the body!
:eeping her thub firly pressed over the hole in the heart,
#iane threw one leg over the an's body as she hopped on the
gurney! #avid stepped ba&% as the gurney and its attendant ob
swung out into the hall and rattled along at an iproptu sprint, the
1unior surgeon bar%ing orders, nurses dragging rapid infusers on +4
poles, and #iane straddling the patient's un&ons&ious body, her ar
inside hi, seeing to ride the entire ob li%e a &owboy!
-oo%ing up a&ross the bobbing heads and waving poles, she
&aught #avid's eye! She win%ed 1ust as the gurney turned the
&orner, and he realized he was in love with her!
)hapter F<
A3T0( &he&%ing that )lyde's &oposite was indeed being
&ir&ulated through internal ail, #avid rode up to the fifth floor and
entered the +), ward! +t was busier than the last tie he'd visited
$an&y, two days ago! A frail woan &alled out to hi fro a bed,
wanting ore orphine, and he siled at her as he passed! 7+'
sorry, a'a, + don't wor% in this departent, but +'ll get the nurse
for you!7
The &urtains were drawn in a tight oval around $an&y's bed, li%e
a &offin pall! The rattle of the rings wo%e her! She turned her fa&e,
and he did his best not to let his horror show despite the fa&t that
she &ouldn't see hi! +f sho&% found its way into his fa&e, it would
find its way into his voi&e!
+f anything, she loo%ed worse, her burns resolving into wounds
even ore horrifying for their peranen&e! +n the si6 days sin&e the
atta&%, her hair had fallen out along the front of her &rown, leaving
her with a &oarse fringe of ringlets around the sides and ba&% of her
head! The large bolster on her right &hee% had dried and turned
gray, and the s%in around the edges had yellowed! #avid didn't
have a plasti& surgeon's eye, but he doubted that the graft would
ta%e! Between her other bolsters, her pat&hwor% flesh shone red,
sli&% with residual Silvadene! +n the idst of it all, her two eyeballs
per&hed inside their so&%ets, shrun%en and sightless!
7"ho is it97 she said wea%ly, her voi&e a tiny rasp! 7"ho's
there97
7+t's #avid Spier!7
75h! + don't want to see you! + heard what you did ! ! ! that you
helped hi ! ! ! and now he got away!7 Her head drifted slightly on
the pillow, a dying otion! 7How &ould you97
7+ didn't help hi,7 #avid said! 7+ treated hi!7
She drew breath raggedly! 7+ don't want to see you!7
75%ay,7 #avid said!
70ver again!7
75%ay!7
#avid ba&%ed up /uietly and pulled the &urtain shut!
#iane was ba&% fro surgery by the tie #avid got downstairs!
She'd already &hanged into fresh s&rubs when #avid entered the
do&tors' lounge!
7This orning's in&ident with .en%ins gave e an idea,7 he said!
She gathered her bloody s&rubs fro the floor! 7+f it's the
hand&uffs you're interested in, you'll have to buy e dinner first!7
7Sadly, nothing so titillating! That patient we helped out who the
&ops wanted''97
7Hell's Angel guy97
7$o! The guy .en%ins was yelling about! The bullet in the ass!
"hat was ostensibly his nae again97
70d *in%erton!7
7(ight!7 #avid went to his lo&%er and withdrew the odd boo%ar%
that 0d had left behind in the 0(! +t read: AM5: B55:ST5(0!
TH0 0@T(0M0S 53 +$35(MAT+5$!
#avid stopped at a bad ta/ueria and wolfed down a burrito he
was &ertain would give hi a&ute G+ distress! #riving toward the
Ao% Boo%store, he glan&ed down at the boo%ar%, double'
&he&%ing the address! -o&ated in a downs&ale'trendy area of -os
3eliz, the storefront was sall and unassuing, and #avid drove
right past it and had to ba&%tra&% when he hit Hollywood Boulevard!
The boo% 0d had been reading, "iretapping and 0le&troni&
Surveillan&e, iplied that he'd be an asset in an effort to find
soeone! *lus, as an e6'&on, he probably %new how to get done
any nuber of things #avid &ould s&ar&ely even nae! He'd done
0d a favor, after all, and the an with the aw%ward flesh wound
ight be willing to point hi in the right dire&tion!
0ven if 0d hadn't stolen his file, #avid would have had no way to
get ahold of hi without going out and tra&%ing hi down! #avid
had not been surprised to find that he was unlisted''the only 0d
*in%erton in the area had turned out to be a ninety'year'old veteran
of the Se&ond "orld "ar''so he only had the boo%ar% to go on!
#avid par%ed at a bro%en eter in front of a shop that advertised
inflatable sheep! He wal%ed toward Ao%, en1oying a sall flare of
pride at operating li%e a noir dete&tive! Any notion of pride /ui&%ly
vanished, however, when he entered and realized 1ust how out of
his league he was!
A twanging 0ast Asian tune played over the spea%ers,
interspersed with pleading in a foreign tongue and s&reas that
#avid, who had heard a fair variety of s&reas at wor% ea&h day,
&ould not disiss as staged! "raiths of in&ense so%e &urled in the
air, dispersing, disappearing! The narrow store was lined with
boo%&ases that displayed boo%s &over'out, and a sinewy an in a
leather vest leered a&ross an old &ash register at the front, tufts of
grayish hair es&aping fro the 4 above the vest's buttons! Massive
spiderweb tattoos wor%ed their way up both his ars and &lut&hed
the balls of his shoulders! A bar pier&ed his septu, protruding a
few &entieters beyond ea&h nostril!
Several &ustoers perused the shelves, indifferent to the
abient wailing! #avid pretended to do the sae, though he &ould
not sha%e the &ashier's stare or the feeling that he'd been
iediately re&ognized as an ipostor! A boo% &alled .ugular
"ine, positioned between (ed Stains and the ore respe&table'
loo%ing Sodoy and the *irate Tradition, &aught his attention! He
flipped through a few pages with a sort of horrified interest, then
lowered the boo% and ris%ed a loo% around!
A an too predi&tably &lad in an over&oat shuffled through the
front door to the &ounter, his nose glowing the bro%en'vessel red of
a &onfired al&oholi&! The tattooed &ashier hun&hed over the
&ounter, spea%ing in a lowered voi&e that #avid had to strain to
a%e out! 7Got soething up your alley!7
The al&oholi& ade soe gesture that rippled his over&oat, and
the wor%er pulled an unlabeled 4HS video&assette fro beneath
the &ounter and slid it toward hi!
#avid only heard bits and pie&es of the &ashier's ne6t &oent!
7Buddy of ine ! ! ! &rie's&ene guy in To%yo ! ! ! 7
The al&oholi& withdrew a hand fro his over&oat po&%et and
tossed three balled twenties on the &ounter! The 4HS tape
disappeared with his hand into the sae po&%et and then he was
shuffling ba&% toward the door, never having uttered a word!
Setting down .ugular "ine, #avid &ouldn't help but register his
aazeent; he felt as though he'd 1ust wandered into a parti&ularly
unsavory episode of The Twilight Cone! The boo%s on the shelves,
the ba&%ground 7usi&,7 the &ustoers''they represented a
seeingly vast under&urrent of so&iety, people with alternative
deviant needs and desires, not only buyers of su&h aterials but
&reators, publishers, distributors!
Gathering his &ourage, #avid approa&hed the &ash register!
7Hello,7 he said! 7+' loo%ing for ! ! ! well, + have this friend who''
who shops here, and +'ve been''7
7Boo% re&ords are &onfidential,7 the an snapped! 7:ennie Starr
found that out when he tried to subpoena re&ords of Ms! -ewins%i's
pur&hases at :raerboo%s in 'EJ! So if you're going to, go ahead
and serve e and get the fu&% out!7
#avid held up his hands and too% a step ba&%! 7+' not serving
you anything! +' not even a%ing any in/uiries about his reading
habits! + was 1ust wondering if you %new this guy! He's /uite stri%ing'
loo%ing! 4ery pale s%in, bright red hair that he 1ust shaved!7
7)onfidentiality is of the utost iportan&e to our &ustoers,7
the an said! He sneered, revealing a set of perfe&t, glistening
teeth! 7Good friend, huh97
7-oo%,7 #avid said! 7He's not a friend!7 He %new he was losing
ground, but he &ouldn't e6a&tly reveal that he'd treated 0d without
violating his patient &onfidentiality! 7He's soeone + et last wee%! +
helped hi out of a 1a! + %now he fre/uents this store, and +
thought if you saw hi, you &ould ention''7
7+ don't involve yself in y &ustoers' lives,7 the an said!
7There's nothing involving about it! +'ll pay you to give hi a
essage for e!7
7+ don't ta%e bribes!7
7Thin% of it as a delivery fee!7
"hen the an leaned over the &ounter, the spiderwebs bulged!
7+ don't %now who you're tal%ing about! "e have a lot of &ustoers!
+ suggest you buy soething or get the fu&% out!7
#avid ele&ted to get the fu&% out!
)hapter F?
(0A-+C+$G he was running late for the resident eet'and'greet,
#avid ra&ed ba&% a&ross town! His annoyan&e that The 0agles now
/ualified for the 5ldies radio station was /ui&%ly repla&ed with
disay when the news &ut in! 7The "estwood A&id Thrower is still
on the loose after a daring es&ape fro the ,)-A Medi&al )enter
last night! Sour&es indi&ate that 0( #ivision )hief #r! #avid Spier
was in a standoff with the -A*# after he refused to release the
suspe&t due to''7
An abrupt dis/uietude seized #avid! He &li&%ed off the radio and
drove in silen&e! His untainted &areer had not prepared hi for
being the &enter of &ontroversy! $ow every de&ision he ade would
be before the glaring spotlight of the edia!
Before going to the Sunset (e&reation )enter, he stopped at
hoe and &hanged into a suit! #inner was over by the tie he
par%ed and arrived at the ban/uet hall on the third floor! *eople
were illing on the ba&% terra&e, en1oying the suer evening! An
iense sei&ir&le of a bal&ony, the terra&e overloo%ed the ,)-A
tra&%, its view bro%en only by the o&&asional tree! #avid was
aused to find he'd &oiled his stethos&ope inside his 1a&%et po&%et
fro for&e of habit!
He nodded to his &olleagues as he ade his way through the
&rowd outside, ta%ing &are to see% out the new fa&ulty ebers!
)arson wore Bir%ensto&%s beneath his sla&%s, and a wide grin!
$ear the bar, #on spo%e in hushed tones to a busty blonde in a
se/uined dress, drawing &lose to whisper so their &hee%s tou&hed!
5ther &olleagues seeed to huddle together after #avid wal%ed by,
probably dis&ussing his treating 7The "estwood A&id Thrower!7
#avid ordered a &ranberry 1ui&e and soda, and stood at the
&on&rete balustrade alone, sipping his drin% fro a too'sall red
straw! -arge overheads lit the tra&%, a few reaining athletes toiling
below through the tail end of a pra&ti&e! The &ra&% of a starting gun
&arried to #avid on the breeze, and he thought of days when he too
ran and lifted and sweated and wo%e up unsore to do it all over
again!
A soft hand on his shoulder bro%e hi fro his thoughts, and he
turned to see #iane at his side, wearing a bla&% wraparound dress!
A single &hain of pearls rested a&ross her upper &hest, %in%ing
slightly over the lines of her &lavi&les!
7+ %now,7 #iane said! 7Bou're not used to seeing e dressed! Any
lu&% tra&%ing down our friend at the seedy boo%store97
7$o! But + got to leaf through a &offee'table boo% featuring &litoral
pier&es, so the outing wasn't a total loss!7
#iane gria&ed!
Two attendings at the bar loo%ed away /ui&%ly when #avid
&aught their eye! Being s&rutinized by his own goddan &olleagues
on top of everything else! His anger departed /ui&%ly, though; he'd
ade his bed! Turning ba&% to the tra&%, he saw that dar% &louds
had gathered by the ountains, threatening a shower! 7+ see #on's
no longer with his wife!7
7Bou didn't hear9 He got one of those photo traffi& ti&%ets, the
%ind li%e in Beverly Hills where a &aera snaps your pi&ture at an
interse&tion when you run the red light!7
7#on't you ean if you run the red light97
7Anyway, the pi&ture showed up at hoe, and his wife opened it,
and there was #on in the &ar with soe nurse fro peds!7
7How'd you hear that97
73ro #r! .enner! They play golf together!7
7#o do&tors really play golf together9 How wonderfully
stereotypi&al!7
#iane rea&hed for the front of his shirt, then stopped herself!
7Bou issed a button!7
0veryone began oving inside for the post'dinner address!
Having ra&ed around for the past few days, #avid had negle&ted to
prepare a spee&h! He was too tired to worry about it; he'd spo%en at
so any events, he'd be able to regurgitate soething suitable!
A an in a red &aterer's 1a&%et shuffled along the edge of the
terra&e, plu&%ing epty &ups and bottles fro the balustrade! #avid
had noti&ed earlier, when the an had siled, that his teeth were
stained gray, probably fro ta%ing tetra&y&line at too early an age!
He liped slightly, favoring his left leg! #avid glan&ed down''sure
enough, a spe&ial shoe! *robably a &hildhood brush with polio! The
va&&ine was developed in the id''?=s; the an loo%ed to be in his
late fifties''that seeed about right! +f he was twelve when he
&ontra&ted''
7#avid!7
"hen he turned to fa&e #iane, he was surprised to find the
bal&ony ostly epty!
7Bou're zoning out on e! "hat were you thin%ing about97
He shoo% his head, &learing his thoughts! 7How our bodies are
ar%ed! How physi&ians are li%e dete&tives, reading s&ars and
lips and intonations, seeing what we &an glean about a person's
past and present!7
#iane loo%ed disappointed! 7(elevant to the past days' events, +
suppose!7
7"hy9 "hat were you thin%ing about97
75ur &onversation in the &afeteria!7 She folded her ars, a fluid,
gra&eful otion! 7+ de&ided we'd both be stupid to wal% away fro
this after a few half'assed dates!7
He siled as if she were 1o%ing, though he %new she was not!
7)oe on! Bour ageis aside, you thin% + don't noti&e how you
loo% at e9 How we intera&t9 "e both %now it's ore than
professionalis, #avid!7
7"ell, it shouldn't be!7 He realized he was spea%ing loudly, and
he lowered his voi&e! 7+' the division &hief and you're a resident!7
7+ thought we were &olleagues!7
7"e ! ! ! we are!7
7Besides, it's not li%e anyone &an a&&use you of se6ual
harassent! +' the one who'd get hauled off on that &ount!7
7#iane, +' still your superior!7 He did not eet #iane's stare
when she loo%ed over at hi! His tone be&ae ore assertive!
7There are &ertain boundaries that shouldn't be &rossed in the
wor%pla&e!7 He felt his fa&e flush and realized he was growing
an6ious! He wiped a line of sweat fro his forehead with two neat
stro%es of his inde6 fingers! 7And besides, + 1ust lost y wife!7
She didn't loo% as though she wanted to tou&h that one! She let it
sit with hi, and it didn't sit well! +t was a &heap e6&use; he
wondered how long ago it had lost its legitia&y! "as two years
long enough to ourn9 To let go9
7That's three e6&uses in thirty se&onds,7 #iane said, 7and + still
haven't heard you say you don't feel the sae way!7
7"ell, + don't thin% + really need to''7
7"hen's the last tie you had a friend over for dinner97
7"hat97
7A friend! .ust a friend!7
7+ don't %now! + guess it's been awhile!7
7#avid, you are the ost heavily subliated person + %now! Bou
wor% &onstantly, you're in a field that doesn't involve long'ter &are
so you have no long'standing relationships with patients, you have
very little personal tie, and with the e6&eption of our few nights
out, you don't date! +t's li%e you've pulled yourself into a prote&tive
little shell! Maybe you don't want to re&ognize the fa&t that you still
have feelings!7
His anger flared, instin&tual and prote&tive! 7+t's been a few years
sin&e your psy&h rotation, #r! Tra&e! "hy don't you ba&% off the
ar&hair analysis97
#iane's fa&e hardened, and he felt a sharp stab of regret!
3rustration, sadness, and intensity were all part of her wee%ly
routine, but this was the first tie he'd seen her really pissed! He
started to say soething to itigate the harshness of his rear%,
but a woan stepped through the 3ren&h doors to the ba&% terra&e!
7#r! Spier, we're ready for you87
7+'ll be right there!7
#iane refused to loo% down or turn away; she fa&ed hi, angry
and vulnerable! He tried desperately to figure out what he wanted
to say but &ould not, and finally it was he who turned away as he
headed inside to deliver his address!
He oved through his rear%s on autopilot! At one point, the
roo filled with laughter, and he was oentarily nervous before
realizing he'd delivered a sto&% 1o%e! #iane &ae in about halfway
through and sat in the ba&%!
As soon as he finished, she headed out with one of the new
residents, a tall, stri%ing brunette! #avid had to wal% at a fast &lip to
&at&h her in the par%ing stru&ture nearby! #iane was &libing into
the passenger side of a red 4", the other resident at the wheel! A
soft rain was falling, ore li%e a wet breeze!
706&use e, #r! Tra&e!7
#iane paused, half in the &ar! 7Bes, #r! Spier97
7+ wanted to tal% to you ore about ! ! ! about the &ase this
afternoon! "ould you ind terribly if + gave you a ride hoe97
She thought for a oent, &hewing her botto lip! 7+ guess
that's fine!7 She leaned ba&% down! 7+'ll see you toorrow, Mar&y!7
The friend nodded and pulled out, and #avid returned her wave!
7"here are you par%ed97 #iane as%ed!
He loo%ed around the wide lot! 7To be honest, +' not sure!7
She shoo% her head but did not &oent! She waited patiently
as he wal%ed around the lot with the alar button depressed on his
%ey &hain, pointing it in all dire&tions! 3inally he heard a blip
soewhere behind hi and followed the noise ba&% to his
Mer&edes! He debated opening the door for her, but de&ided that
would be inappropriate!
Aside fro her o&&asional dire&tions, they drove in &oplete
silen&e to her apartent building on )henault! He pulled over to the
&urb and they sat silently in the &ar, studying the fau6 walnut dash!
#iane said, 7-et e get a word in edgewise, would you97
7-oo%,7 #avid said! 7+t's been a very diffi&ult past few days and,
for e, past &ouple of years! -ately, +'ve been trying to figure out
how it all fits together, where + a in all this! As foolish as it sounds,
+ don't thin% +'ve really %nown where + a for a good long tie, and
+'ve only re&ently started pie&ing that together! And then this whole
shitstor hit with the es&ape! ! ! ! 7 His voi&e trailed off and he
realized he wasn't sure what he was saying! 7Bou're right''+ won't
deny that + have &ertain feelings for you! But +' not sure that those
feelings are entirely appropriate!7
73eelings &an't be inappropriate,7 #iane said!
7+t's not that siple for e right now!7 He studied the steering
wheel! 7+' afraid +' a little lost!7
She nodded on&e, slowly! 7That's the first honest answer you've
given e, so +' gonna let you get away with it!7 Auseent
fli&%ered through her eyes! 73or now!7
7And +' sorry + spo%e to you so sharply!7
7+' sorry + was pushing you! That's not y pla&e!7 She laughed!
7"ow! 5ur first fight and we haven't even had se6! Bou really %now
how to &ut right to the good stuff!7 Siling, she put her hand on the
door handle!
7So after all that, would it be entirely rude for e to tell you + thin%
you're /uite stunning97
She &onsidered! 7Bes,7 she said!
75%ay,7 #avid said! 7Bou're not stunning!7
7Bou're not either!7
#avid swerved out of his lane when he answered his ringing &ell
phone! He straightened the &ar and gave an ebarrassed loo%
around, but the road was epty!
Bla%e's raspy voi&e! 7Bou paged e again97
7Bes!7
7#on't turn it into a habit!7
7+' loo%ing into a few angles and if + ! ! ! if + happened to lo&ate
the suspe&t and &ould bring hi in or alert you, would you handle
the arrest97
Bla%e's laugh gave off a deep rattle! 7Bour planning didn't wor%
out so hot last tie!7
7"ould you97
7Shit, yeah! +'ll ta%e the &ollar! And the boo% deal! T4 ovie! Tal%'
show &ir&uit! This &op thing's only teporary! + really want to dire&t,
you %now!7
7+' serious!7
7"ell, shit, now that a%es all the differen&e!7 A sigh! 7Bes! +
would handle the arrest''if you silver'platter it for e! But + &an't
interfere with an -A*# investigation without getting y ass in a
serious sling! So short of you wal%ing this guy in to e or giving e
an e6a&t lo&ation, save your /uarter!7
7All right! + 1ust wanted to %now who to &onta&t if anything fir
pans out!7
7+'ll be waiting with bated breath! 5h''and #o&tor9 #on't get
yourself hurt!7
#avid snapped the phone shut and laid it on the passenger seat!
He turned off San 4i&ente, leaving behind the aisle of &oral trees
draped with nighttie ist, and threaded ba&% through the /uiet
residential streets to his house! He &ursed softly when he saw the
flashing lights behind hi!
He pulled over and waited, retrieving his registration fro the
glove bo6! A loud %no&%ing at the window startled hi upright!
.en%ins! "ith a bla&% etal flashlight! He'd hit the window so hard
with the flashlight, #avid was surprised it hadn't &ra&%ed! .en%ins
held the flashlight down near the lens, so the shaft &ould be
snapped forward li%e a baton! Bronner appeared on the passenger
side, his flashlight angled into #avid's eyes!
#avid too% a oent before rolling down his window and then
only rolled it down halfway! "ithout turning his head, he gazed into
his rearview irror, sear&hing for other &ars on the dar% road! There
were none!
7-i&ense and registration,7 .en%ins said!
7)an + as% what''97
.en%ins turned, his boots &run&hing on pebbles as he headed
ba&% to the poli&e &ar!
#avid sat /uietly in his &ar, debating hitting (0#+A- on his &ell
phone! But what would he say9 He'd been pulled over for a routine
ti&%et, no doubt! He de&ided to get ,)*# on the line 1ust in &ase
.en%ins be&ae violent, but as he rea&hed for his phone, .en%ins
reappeared!
7+' giving you a fi6'it ti&%et,7 .en%ins said! 7Bou have a bro%en
taillight!7
7$o + don't,7 #avid said! 7+ 1ust had''7
7+ don't thin% you want to harass a poli&e offi&er! #o you, sir97
.en%ins ripped off the ti&%et and handed it over the glass!
#avid realized that Bronner was now waiting ba&% in the &ar, and
he grew even ore tense!
.en%ins &li&%ed on his flashlight and shined it into #avid's fa&e
fro two feet away! #avid s/uinted into the light! 7He %nows right
fro wrong well enough to hide fro the authorities,7 .en%ins said!
7He's not &opelled to &oit these a&ts if he &an plot and wait!
This is a ind that is purposeful! This is a ind that is in &ontrol!7
.en%ins's shadow looed aorphous and large behind the
powerful bea! "hen he spo%e again, his voi&e was little ore
than a &old urur! 7This is a ind that you ele&ted to defend!7 He
&li&%ed off the flashlight, and his eyes refle&ted ba&% a glint fro the
dashboard lights!
#avid reebered his other's hard'learned lesson fro the
young nephrologist who beat her''don't push a an on the edge''
so he reained silent, but he readied hiself to blo&% a fist or
flashlight butt &oing at his teple! +nstead, .en%ins pushed off the
door frae! 7Bou see about getting that taillight fi6ed,7 he said!
He headed ba&% to the poli&e &ar! As he passed the rear of the
Mer&edes, he swung the sto&% of the flashlight, sashing the
taillight lens without brea%ing his stride!
)hapter FD
#A4+# tossed his %eys on the arble &ounter, &losed the door to
the garage behind hi, let out an e6asperated sigh, and hit the light
swit&h! $othing happened! He stepped forward into the living roo,
his hand s&rabbling along the dar% wall for another swit&h!
The voi&e &ae at hi out of the dar%ness! 7#on't bother!7
#avid dropped his brief&ase, the etal &orner stri%ing the
hardwood floor, and he felt the flutter of papers settling around his
feet! His eyes pi&%ed through the dar% living roo, &oing to rest
on the dar% ass on the shadow of the leather &hair!
7"hy don't you sit down, Spier97 The voi&e was &ivilized and
e6&eedingly &al! +t wasn't )lyde, that u&h was &ertain! #avid
wasn't sure whether he should be relieved by that, or ore
frightened!
7#o you want oney97 #avid as%ed!
7"hy don't you sit down97 the voi&e repeated! An ar rose fro
the forless shadow, indi&ating the &ou&h a&ross fro the &hair!
#avid found hiself obeying! He sat rigidly forward on the &ou&h,
trying to dis&ern a fa&e in the dar%ness! 7+t's &oe to y attention
that you've been a%ing ! ! ! in/uiries about e,7 the voi&e
&ontinued!
7-oo%, + don't %now what'' 7 #avid stopped! 70d9 *in%erton97
7That'll do!7
#avid too% a oent to gather his thoughts! 7How's your
wound9 +s it healing97
7#on't try to anipulate e,7 0d said! 7Bou're wondering: A +
going to hurt you9 The answer: $o!7
7And why should + believe you97
7Bou &ae loo%ing for e, Spier! + didn't &oe loo%ing for you!7 A
oent of silen&e! 7"hy don't you have an alar97
7+t's a safe neighborhood! *lus, we have 0dison Ared *atrol!7
7Beah, they're doing a bang'up 1ob!7
7How's your %id97 #avid as%ed! 7Bour little boy97
7)lever, Spier! "e both %now + told you + had a little girl! + always
use the sae lies! They're easier to %eep tra&% of!7 His affe&t was
different fro that he'd displayed in the 0(! More shrewd!
7Bou used e,7 #avid said!
7+ use a lot of people!7
7But + went out on a lib for you! So you owe e!7
7A phrase + wouldn't e6pe&t fro you, Spier! "hat have you
gotten yourself into9 A dead hoo%er in the trun% of your Mer&edes97
7Bou've heard of the "estwood A&id Thrower9 He &ae in and''7
7So now you feel responsible,7 0d interrupted!
)overage of the &ase ust have been even ore detailed than
#avid thought! 7Bes,7 #avid aditted! 7+ do! This guy's out there
disfiguring woen!7
7Bou want revenge!7 Halfway between a stateent and a
/uestion!
7$o, no! God, no! + want hi lo&ated and lo&%ed up!7
7"hy do you thin% + &an help you97 0d's /uestions &ae out of
the dar%ness at hi, one after another, baseballs fro a pit&hing
a&hine! #avid was struggling to %eep up, to pull &on&ise answers
fro the uddle of his eotions and otives!
7Bou'd said you were on parole, and that boo% you were reading !
! ! you seeed a&&ustoed to dealing with things outside the law! +
don't %now any people li%e that!7
7"hy don't you trust the poli&e97
7The first vi&ti is a &op's sister! They're out to evis&erate the
guy!7
7And you don't thin% he needs evis&erating97
7+ thin% he's fu&%ed up! #ysfun&tional, possibly s&hizophreni&! +
thin% he needs to be put under lo&% and %ey, and provided with
psy&hiatri& &are!7
7-ye thrown in woen's fa&es! That's pretty evil!7
#avid sat forward, shoulders hun&hed! 70vil &oes in any
guises! +t &an be banal! "hy not patheti&97
7And you want to ! ! ! what97
7+ want to find hi and get hi into the hands of the right
authorities!7
7How97
7+ haven't figured that out yet,7 #avid aditted! 7But if + &an get in
tou&h with hi, + thin% + &an tal% hi in! Safely! He sees to trust
e!7
7A renowned physi&ian li%e yourself ta%ing a wal% on the wild
side!7 0d's hands went to his shadowy head, ars bent to the
sides! 7Soeties people have to pay &onse/uen&es whether they
a%e the right de&ision or not! Bou learn that in y line of wor%!7
7"hat is your line of wor%9 "hat e6a&tly do you do97
706tree shit!7 A rustling sound as 0d ran his hand along the fine
leather ar of the &hair! 706pensive shit!7
7"hy did you steal your &hart fro the hospital9 +t didn't &ontain
your real nae!7
75ur bodies are full of &lues, Spier! @ rays and written re&ords
&an be daning! Bou'd be aazed at what the 3B+ &an use to +# a
body''dental fillings, stoa&h staples!7
7+' not &ertain, but + don't re&all any dental fillings in your ass!7
0d laughed, a loud, sharp laugh, and #avid felt a sudden relief!
7"ill you help e97 #avid as%ed! 75r point e to soeone who
&an97
0d's shadow rustled, and #avid ade out several shapes on the
table beside 0d! Sall and rounded! #avid wondered briefly if they
were grenades! He found his surprising la&% of fear to be
epowering!
7+'ll tal% to you! Soe! "hile + de&ide whether or not + trust you! +f
+ de&ide + trust you, + ight be willing to point you in a few
dire&tions! But first, soe rules! + don't do violen&e! Bou saw y
build''+' not a fighter!7
73ine,7 #avid said! 7+ don't want violen&e!7
7+ have no involveent with the poli&e! 0ver! +s that understood9
This thing gets out of hand, it's &oing down on you! Believe e, +'ll
vanish!7 0d waited for #avid to agree! 7$ow tell e about this guy!7
75verweight, disheveled, about D' 27!7
7Bou'll have to do better than that! Bou want to play dete&tive,
Spier9 Get observant! There are thousands of things you &ould've
noti&ed! "as he &lean'shaven9 #id he have soft hands, rough
hands, &lean hands, dirty hands9 #id he &hew gu9 Any s&arring9
,nusual fa&ial features9 *ier&ing9 Tattoos9 -ength of hair9 Type of
shoes9 "or% shoes, &heap shoes, dress shoes, 4el&ro shoes9 #id
they at&h his outfit9 #id he wear designer &lothes9 #id they have
any paint on the9 *laster9 Mud9 "as he laid'ba&% or intense9
"ere his &lothes tight or loose9 #id he have a wat&h9 #id he wear
it on the left wrist or right9 #id he wear a belt9 *ager9 )ell phone9
(ings9 $e&%la&es9 #id you undress hi9 #id you put anything in
the property lo&%er9 #ub as it sounds, &ops soeties forget to
&he&% it! "hat was he tal%ing about9 Any unusual rear%s97
#avid sat in silen&e for a oent, pro&essing! 0d did not rush
hi! 3inally, #avid said, 7His spee&h was rabling and
disorganized! He seeed e6treely agitated, espe&ially in the
presen&e of a psy&hiatrist! He wore no rings or 1ewelry! A tattoo was
reported by his first vi&ti, but he didn't have one when he &ae in!
He has bad a&ne and pitted fingernails! + don't %now if he's right' or
left'handed, and + don't reeber his shoes! He wore hospital
s&rubs, loose, with no belt! They selled faintly of &igarette so%e!
The s&rubs ay indi&ate that he feels identified with the hospital
soehow! My guess is, he wor%s there! + don't %now if he &hewed
gu, but his breath selled of orange &andy''very strong! His hair
was thinning and greasy! His hygiene was terrible!7
#avid's eyes were ad1usting slowly to the dar%, and he saw 0d
nod approvingly! 7Bou're a do&tor! ,se that! Give e ore!7
#avid pressed his hands together and rested his &hin atop his
fingertips! 7-et's see! He wanted the lights died, so aybe he
has re&urring igraines! His balan&e was off, and he slurred
slightly! He ight be obsessive'&opulsive or delusional''he
repeated what seeed to be ritualisti& phrases and displayed
&on&reteness of thought! He &laied he'd been lo&%ed up in
dar%ness with sna%es, and he entioned lights and noises! His
fi6ation on woen, on punishing woen, is e6tree and &ons&ious!
And he sees to have defi&its a&&urately interpreting the intentions
of others!7
7"hat does that ean97
7He isinterprets benign /uestions as hostile, and this eli&its
aggression fro hi! 3or instan&e, + was &he&%ing his ental
status, and as%ed hi if he %new what onth it was! He be&ae
hostile and as%ed if + thought he was stupid!7
7+f he doesn't understand soething, it's an insult,7 0d said!
7*re&isely! 0ven when the presented &ues''tone of voi&e, fa&ial
e6pression, &onversational &onte6t''would lead an ordinary person
to realize that the /uestioning is benign, even benevolent, he finds
it antagonisti&! "hi&h eans he finds hiself &onstantly oving
through a hostile lands&ape, where he per&eives that people are
antagonizing hi! +agine how that would be, if you thought people
were always insulting you, atta&%ing you! +t would a%e you pretty
aggressive!7
A hint of irony &rept into 0d's voi&e! 7+t sure would!7
7He's also e6traordinarily inse&ure and defensive, and he
adaantly denies ta%ing any drugs or pills, whi&h leads e to
believe he probably does! He sees siultaneously afraid and
desirous of being alone, and betrays an intense fi6ation!7
75n who97
75n e!7
7Better,7 0d said! 7$ow we have a profile shaping up!7
7So you'll help e97
7$o! + need ore fro you first! A fingerprint, de&ent photo, or at
least a nae!7
7"hat &an you do with that97
7+ have &ertain advantages over the poli&e be&ause + don't have
to ove through legal &hannels!7
7+' not as%ing you to do anything illegal or unethi&al,7 #avid
said!
0d's laugh e&hoed around the living roo! 70verything's ethi&al!
The /uestion is: "hat %ind of ethi&s97
0d rea&hed over and plu&%ed one of the ites off the table at his
side! He tossed it at #avid! #avid lost tra&% of it in the dar%ness,
and the ob1e&t stru&% hi in the &hest and fell to the &ou&h! 70d9
0d97
$o sound in the dar%ness! #avid felt along the &ushion, finally
finding the thing 0d had thrown at hi! A lightbulb!
#avid &rossed the roo, buping into a lap and nearly
%no&%ing it over, but he &aught it by the thin etal post! He
anaged to reove the shade in the dar%ness and s&rew the
lightbulb in pla&e!
He turned the swit&h and was not surprised to find 0d gone!
-ying on the reading table were three other lightbulbs! Tu&%ed
under one of the was an unprinted business &ard, blan% save for
a phone nuber written a&ross the botto in bla&% in%!
Sadly, it too% one .ewish do&tor ore than ten inutes to s&rew
in three lightbulbs! Afterward, #avid &he&%ed the doors and
windows but was unable to find any signs of for&ed entry! $o
s&rat&hes on any of the lo&%s! "hoever 0d *in%erton was, he %new
what he was doing!
(ather than sleep, #avid prepared a list of all )lyde's syptos
he had observed and then translated the ore diffi&ult ters into
nonedi&al phrases in &ase he had to show it to others! The list
read:
nystagus''pupils 1er%ing heada&hes diffi&ulty &on&entrating
&louding of &ons&iousness dysarthria''slurred spee&h a%athisia''
restlessness ata6ia''drun%en wal%ing
Beneath that, #avid wrote soe potential diagnoses, in&luding
)$S lupus, s&hizophrenia, s&hizoaffe&tive disorder, brain tuor,
Huntington's, "ilson's, eta&hroati& leu%odystrophy, subdural
heatoa, viral en&ephalitis or an obs&ure &entral nervous syste
infe&tion, a/uedu&tal stenosis, teporal lobe epilepsy,
thyroto6i&osis, ultiple s&lerosis, drug to6i&ity, inse&ti&ide
poisoning!
Given the vagueness of the inforation #avid &urrently had, it
was ipossible to narrow the list further!
He thought about )lyde's &opulsive repetition, the &ounting
ba&%ward fro three! "hat did that represent9
#avid set down the pad of paper and &he&%ed his wat&h! +t was
&lose to idnight! He undressed in his bedroo! "hen he got into
bed, he was stru&% by its vastness, and the epty spa&e at his
side!
He thought of his wife on the M+), bed, the onotonous hu of
the onitor at her side! He thought of )lyde, an ugly, bro%en an
shuffling through life, barely &apable of loo%ing other people in the
fa&e, and he wondered if he had a responsibility to eerge fro the
hibernation that had been his life for the past few years! His hard
shell of Spartan regularity prote&ted hi, ostly, fro the epty
stret&h of bed at his side! But it also shielded hi fro other, vital,
things!
Though he'd been awa%e for nearly forty'five hours, his whole
body was huing with energy! He lay for a few inutes with his
thoughts, then threw ba&% the sheets and got dressed again! The
ride ba&% to the hospital was dreali%e, the streets shiering
bla&% and silver!
There was little a&tivity in the 0( lobby, and the e6aination
roos were ostly epty! #on had fallen asleep on a high stool in
the )"A, sluped on the ba&% &ounter! $urses and interns
lethargi&ally filled out &harts and shuttled the fro tray to tray!
7"as there anything put in the property lo&%er97 #avid as%ed,
announ&ing his presen&e! 73ro )lyde97
#on lazily raised his head, his eyelids heavy! 7"hat97
#avid &ontinued, addressing the others! 7Maybe soething fell
out of his po&%ets, or soeone too% soething off hi and stored it
in the property lo&%ers!7
7-oo%ing for &lues, #r! Spier97 one of the nurses as%ed! The
others loo%ed at hi with barely &on&ealed auseent!
7"as there97 he as%ed again!
A an #avid re&ognized as the lab te&h he'd pulled in to help
irrigate )lyde answered! 7The property lo&%ers are all epty! "e
didn't ta%e anything off hi, reeber9 And the &ops &onfis&ated
everything that was left in the roo!7
7"hy are you worrying about this at two in the orning97 #on
as%ed!
#avid pla&ed a hand on the &ounter, feeling the weight of the
stares aied in his dire&tion! Meeting the fi6ed loo%s with resolve,
he thought about how )lyde shied away fro eye &onta&t, how he
found it threatening! "hat had )lyde said9 + don't stay around
people anyore! $ot people that &an loo% at e ba&%!
The realization hit #avid with su&h for&e that he drew ba&% his
head! "here would )lyde have gone to hide out after his es&ape
fro the 0(9 Soewhere that people &ouldn't loo% ba&% at hi!
Soewhere suited to a person siultaneously afraid and desirous
of being alone! A pla&e where he'd be aong dead people! #alton
had entioned that they'd found tra&es of blood in the Three
)orridor''ba&% by the freight elevators! The freight elevators were
used to &art bodies up to the anatoy &rypt on the seventh floor!
#avid too% a step ba&%, %no&%ing over a tray of &harts, and left
the roo at a bris% wal%, leaving the others to e6&hange puzzled
glan&es behind his ba&%!
)hapter FI
#A4+# entered through the anatoy lab, the wide re&tangle of a
roo dotted with &adavers lying on elevated etal tables! The
hat&hli%e doors of the disse&ting tables had been left open! The
bodies were e6posed, their &hests &ra&%ed, fa&es peeled, libs
sinewy and yellow! The sten&h of foralin hung in the air, a sell
that reinded hi of his own ed s&hool &adaver that he and his
anatoy partner had 1o%ingly naed Her&ules be&ause of its
s&rawny us&ulature!
He paused above a body and peeled ba&% the thin layer of
blea&hed &heese&loth! The student had done a poor 1ob on the
&hee%, a%ing a ess of the asseteri& fas&ia! The yellowed flesh
of the 1aw hung down li%e shredded &hi&%en! #avid &overed the
fa&e again and pro&eeded through the lab into the prep roo!
The light swit&h &li&%ed up loudly! Stainless steel &ounters and
&abinets &opounded the &lini&al light of the roo! #avid rea&hed
for the large door to the &rypt, and it pulled open with a soft su&%ing
noise!
The foralin ade his eyes water! The rows of bodies, dangling
fro hoo%s li%e sides of beef, the &rossed s&issor &laps pin&hing
the ears''how &ould he have forgotten9
Holding his breath, he wal%ed into the iense refrigerated
roo, unsure what he was loo%ing for! His foot stru&% a bu&%et, and
he loo%ed down to see a deta&hed brain swaying in the &loudy
water, hanging fro a taped string! He wal%ed forward, his eyes
pi&%ing through the bodies! His shoulder stru&% a &orpse and set it
pivoting slowly until it loo%ed down at hi, blue'fa&ed and
undignified!
He too% his tie, wal%ing slowly up and down the rows,
sear&hing the floor between the red and blue plasti& drainage tubs
for any sign that )lyde had been there! +n the ba&%, a &hun%y
&adaver was suspended fro her oversized head! She'd retained
fluids in her belly and e6treities before dying! #avid stepped
&loser, e6aining the id'sternal in&ision on her &hest! A re&ent
&ardia& surgery! *robably died of heart failure! He glan&ed down,
loo%ing for the telltale linear in&ision along her inner leg fro whi&h
they would have harvested her saphenous vein for the bypass!
3our eergen&y roo restraints floated in the li/uid that had
pooled inside the tub beneath her! Hard restraints! #avid felt his
heart /ui&%en!
He &rou&hed down and studied the!
He'd learned enough fro old )olubo episodes to %now not to
handle anything and &oproise eviden&e! He reoved a pair of
late6 gloves fro the po&%et of his white &oat and pulled the on!
Stainless steel abounded inside the &rypt and the prep roo!
Many good surfa&es, #avid iagined, off whi&h to lift fingerprints!
But it would be diffi&ult; )lyde's es&ape was nearly twenty'four
hours ago, and a de&ent aount of traffi& oved through the area
ea&h day! 3urther disappointent set in when #avid reebered
that )lyde had es&aped still wearing his surgi&al gloves!
#avid finished perusing the &rypt, found nothing else of note, and
went out and sat at the sall wooden des% in the &orner of the prep
roo! He had little ore to go on hiself, so it didn't a%e sense to
&onta&t 0d! He'd 1ust have to infor Bale and ta%e the resultant
repriand for involving hiself in the &ase further!
(ea&hing for the phone, he s&ooted forward in the &hair, one of
the legs %no&%ing over a sall etal waste bin! He leaned over and
righted the bin, then retrieved a few pie&es of &rupled paper and a
banana peel fro the floor! A sall foil s/uare had slid a short
distan&e under the des%, and #avid bent down farther and rea&hed
for it, unsu&&essfully!
+t appeared to be the &asing for a pill''+odiu, perhaps''torn
fro a larger sheet! The lettering &aught his eye 1ust before he
tou&hed it: $obleen's Cin& -ozenges''orange!
#avid froze, his ar aw%wardly e6tended beneath the des%! That
was the sell he had pi&%ed up on )lyde's breath''the distin&tive
odor of orange'flavored edi&inal tablets! He withdrew his hand
/ui&%ly! Maybe the lozenge had been )lyde's, and he had eaten it
here while he'd been hiding!
#avid dug /ui&%ly through the drawers until he found a pa&%et of
Sudafed! He reoved a foil sheet and tried unsu&&essfully to peel
off the ba&%ing while leaving his gloves on! He reoved a glove,
then used his thubnail to lift the &orner of the foil, the print of his
bare forefinger pressing firly against the sall s/uare!
0ven if )lyde had been wearing gloves, he'd have had to ta%e
the off to get at the lozenge! "hi&h eant that the dis&arded
s/uare under the des%''the plasti& top with the foil half atta&hed''
would li%ely bear his fingerprint!
#avid felt the sae rush of pleasure that a good diagnosis gave
hi! *ulling 0d's &ard fro his po&%et, he dialed the nuber and
was greeted with three short beeps! A pager! The telephone
nuber of the prep roo phone was s&ot&h'taped to the re&eiver,
and #avid pun&hed it in and hit the pound %ey! He'd barely hung up
when the phone rang!
7Hello97 #avid heard nothing but silen&e! 7+t's #avid,7 he said!
7#avid Spier!7
7-oo%,7 said a gruff voi&e! 7.ust be&ause + give you a phone
nuber doesn't ean you have to &all it at three in the fu&%ing''7
7+ have a fingerprint,7 #avid said! 7+ thin%!7
There was a long pause! And then, 7Bou'd better fill e in!7
After #avid did, there was another long pause, and #avid
thought he ight've lost the &onne&tion! 7Hello97
7Still here! -isten &arefully! #o not tou&h the wrapping! 3ind a
pen or a ruler or soething, and push it into a bag! #on't tou&h
anything else in the roo, and leave iediately! +'ll eet you on
the &orner of -e )onte and "estwood in fifteen inutes! Stand
near the &urb!7
7But what about the poli&e9 #on't they need to get here for a
ore thorough loo%97
7+'ll pla&e an anonyous &all! (ight now! So &lear out!7
7"ill you turn over the fingerprint to the if we get a''97 #avid
realized 0d had already hung up! #own on his hands and %nees,
he &arefully followed the pro&edures 0d had laid out, using a
tweezers and a Ciplo& spe&ien bag he found in a drawer!
3ifteen inutes later, he stood out on the &orner of -e )onte and
"estwood, hands pushed into the po&%ets of his white do&tor's
&oat, feeling as if he'd 1ust stubled into a )old "ar thriller!
He &lut&hed the plasti& bag with the lozenge pa&%aging in his
po&%et, wat&hing the o&&asional &ar speed by! All of a sudden, the
street was epty! A sheet of newspaper fluttered in the wind!
A red *athfinder with tinted windows pulled into view, slowing as
it neared #avid! #avid pulled the bag fro his po&%et and stepped
off the &urb! The opa/ue driver'side window glided slowly down,
and 0d's hand rea&hed out and plu&%ed the bag fro #avid!
7-oo%,7 #avid said! 7+ was wondering if''97
The window slid ba&% up and the *athfinder pulled away, leaving
#avid standing foolishly at the &urb!
)hapter FJ
TH0 bent etal lap on the s&arred tabletop gave off a low hu
as the bulb fli&%ered on and off! Beside it, )lyde sorted through a
ound of generi& gel&ap pain relievers! His swollen fingers sifted
through the, %no&%ing the epty plasti& bottle on its side! +t rolled
off the table, boun&ing out of sight!
Behind hi, the rain tapped against the window li%e hundreds of
little fingers!
He dipped a oist soupspoon into a 1ar of instant &offee and
brought it &arefully to his outh! He &hewed the grounds slowly,
s&owling, then gulped water fro an oversize M&#onald's &up
featuring Mar% M&Gwire! His shirt was off, his flabby &hest arred
with weeping burns and sall &uts, ost of the well on their way
to healing!
He grasped one red and yellow &apsule, &areful not to &rush it,
and gently twisted it so the two halves &ae apart! He duped out
the white powder and set the hollow &apsule halves to one side! His
lips oving /ui&%ly and silently, he repeated the pro&edure over
and over until he had a sall pile of epty &apsules!
(ea&hing into the etal footlo&%er, he retrieved a &arton of
#rain0ze and a bare razor blade! He popped the lid of the &arton
and sprin%led soe of the solid'for al%ali onto the tabletop! The
little ro&%s glittered white and blue! He pi&%ed up the razor blade
and sorted the al%ali into thin strips, li%e lines of &o&aine!
-i&%ing his pin% lips, he held an epty yellow gel&ap half so its
tiny open outh was level with the table! ,sing the width of the
blade now, he swept one of the al%ali lines off the table, &at&hing
ost of it in the &apsule half! He repeated the pro&ess, filling a red
&apsule top! )areful not to spill, he fitted the red top over the yellow
botto and s&rewed it a half turn into pla&e! )losing one eye and
raising the perfe&t &apsule between his thub and forefinger, he
appraised his wor% li%e a 1eweler! He bent over the table, pi&%ed up
the razor blade and another epty &apsule half, and went ba&% to
his painsta%ing wor%!
There was still u&h to be done before sunrise!
)hapter FE
AT dawn, #avid pulled a pillow over his head and attepted to
prolong his few hours of sleep, but the stresses of the past wee%
pulled hi fro any thoughts of sluber! +t was his first full day off
sin&e the atta&%s had begun, and he wasn't about to waste it in bed!
(ea&hing for the phone on the nightstand, he paged 0d
iediately!
He trudged into the study and reoved the drape fro the large
brass bird&age! Two glassy bla&% eyes stared out at hi fro
beneath the fan of the bright salon &rest! The &o&%atoo's bea%
disappeared into its breast feathers, preening!
#avid sighed! 7Hello, Stanley!7
7"here's 0lisabeth97 the &o&%atoo s/uaw%ed! 7MGM's! "here's
0lisabeth97
7(an off and 1oined )ir/ue du Soleil!7
The &o&%atoo's head tilted, then straightened! 7"here's
0lisabeth97
7Moved to Mephis with a blues band!7 #avid too% &are not to
spill any birdseed this tie as he angled a handful through the bars
of the &age into the plasti& &up!
The &o&%atoo shifted fro foot to foot, then dashed over and
pi&%ed at the birdseed! Before #avid &ould leave the roo, it raised
its head again! 7"here's 0lisabeth97
#avid paused by the &age! 7+&e fishing in Alas%a!7
Ta%ing the &ordless phone and oving to the living roo, he
paged 0d again, then &ollapsed into a plush leather &hair! Above
the antel hung a signed de :ooning print''"oan +! A violent
depi&tion with rough, haphazard brush stro%es, the painting
portrayed an ar&hetypal woan with a gleaing, devouring
&res&ent of a outh and a ess of broad, bloody stro%es where her
hips should be! +t had been his other's favorite painting!
Arrayed on the 5riental &abinet to one side were a "aterford
vase and several photographs in silver fraes! A pi&ture of *eter
with #avid's other fro late in her tenure as &hief of staff''her
head was tilted slightly ba&%, suggesting royalty or aloofness! His
favorite shot of 0lisabeth, in the tub, only her head and %nees
visible in the wash of bubbles! A photo fro the 0( retreat to
)atalina''#avid tal%ing to #iane on the ferry over to the island, her
sile 1ust be&oing a laugh! 3or the first tie, it stru&% hi as
noteworthy that he %ept a fraed pi&ture of hiself and #iane on
the &abinet with his personal photos! The ind oves before it is
aware!
The phone rang and he pi&%ed it up on a half ring, eager to get
an update fro 0d!
7#avid, it's #iane!7
7"hat's wrong97
7+t's )arson! "e had a seventy'year'old stro%e vi&ti in early this
orning! He was putting her in the sniffing position to tube her and
a&&identally snapped her ne&%! She died a few inutes later!
#avid9 Are you there97
7.esus, that's awful! How's he doing97
7$ot great! #r! -abert s&reaed at hi for five inutes in front
of the whole staff, &alled hi a %iller, and %i&%ed hi out of the 0(!
He was a ess! +' stu&% here all day, then +' &overing Mar&y's
late'night shift! + thought aybe you ight want to''7
7"hat's his address97 #avid found a slip of paper and 1otted it
down! )arson lived in a little apartent &ople6 at the top of
Barrington near Sunset with whi&h #avid was failiar! 7+ a&tually
have to ta%e &are of soe things around the hospital today! +'ll stop
by his pla&e this afternoon''he &ould probably use soe tie alone
now anyway!7
75%ay! Swing by the floor if you get a &han&e!7
7"ill do!7
7+'ve never seen )arson li%e this!7 A long pause! 7+ have to go
figure out how to ta%e a history fro a deaf'ute!7
#avid felt si&% when he hung up the phone!
He dressed /ui&%ly and fi6ed hiself a /ui&% brea%fast! He left
the -A Ties out on the doorstep, not wanting to see the day's
blaring headlines, but he &ouldn't resist turning the radio on during
his drive to the hospital! The news about the &ase was ostly high
draa and rehash! He wasn't sure what to a%e of the fa&t that 0d
hadn't returned his pages; he found hiself se&ond'guessing
whether turning over to hi a %ey pie&e of eviden&e had been a
wise &all! Maybe 0d hadn't even pla&ed an anonyous &all to the
poli&e, as he'd &laied he would!
#avid par%ed and hurried up to the seventh floor, pausing
outside the anatoy lab!
Students illed in &lusters, sporting ba&%pa&%s weighed down
with boo%s! +nside, students were bent over &adavers with s&alpels
and tongs, sli&ing and prodding! +n the &orner, a frail student with a
proinent Ada's apple ena&ted the tieless ritual of a%ing the
s%eleton tal%, anipulating the andible so it oved up and down
as he attepted a bad pirate a&&ent! He stopped abruptly when he
noti&ed #avid!
#avid had alost rea&hed the door to the prep roo when it
swung open with a gust of foralin, revealing Bale and #alton! A
nauseated e6pression on his fa&e, #alton paused outside the door,
leaning slightly on a &hair!
Bale regarded #avid suspi&iously! 7"hat are you doing up here97
7+ was &oing by to see the -ab Te&h,7 #avid said! 7There are a
few aneuvers +'d li%e one of y ed students to pra&ti&e on a
&adaver!7
Bale snapped his gu! 7,h'huh,7 he said!
7"hat are you guys doing here97
Bale said, 7"e got an anonyous tip to this lo&ation!7
7Bou wouldn't %now anything about that, would you97 #alton
added!
,na&&ustoed to lying, #avid shoo% his head, hoping he loo%ed
&onvin&ing! 73ind anything interesting97 he as%ed!
7)apone's gold! -indbergh's %id!7 Bale flashed a /ui&% sile!
75!.!'s other glove!7
#alton's loo% was fir and pier&ing! 7"e don't want to find you
anywhere around this &ase, #o&,7 he said! 7(eeber that!7
#avid stepped around the, entering the prep roo and &losing
the door behind hi! Hora&e loo%ed up fro the body he was
wor%ing on, bloody saw in hand! A goofy sile lit his fa&e! 7Hey, #r!
Spier, how ya doing97 He offered #avid a blood'&a%ed glove but
then glan&ed down at it and withdrew it before #avid had to protest!
Bits of gray atter &lung to his eye shield, whi&h he shoved atop
his head with a forear! His eyes were large, bugli%e, and
soehow endearing! 7Good to see you! Goddan, has it been
&razy in here! The %ids are hyper be&ause it's their last day of
anatoy, on top of whi&h the &ops had e sealed out for four hours
this orning! #usting and pi&%ing and prying! Then the
/uestioning!7 He rolled his eyes! 7+ guess after all that, they didn't
find a single goddaned print they li%ed!7
A poli&e flier sat on the wooden des%, the &oposite of )lyde
staring up fro it! Hora&e followed #avid's eyes and nodded! 7The
&ops brought that with the! + guess they went out through the
hospital, but + haven't pi&%ed up y ail yet today!7
7So he does wor% here97
7"or%ed here! )razy, huh9 + always %new the guy was a few
nerves short of a full ple6us!7
#avid's outh went dry! 7"hat's his nae97
7#ouglas #a4ella! He wor%ed here up until a few onths ago, as
an orderly! His 1ob was to bring the &orpses up fro the hearses
and help e hang 'e!7
So )lyde was a fa%e nae, as #avid had &onsidered! 7"hat else
did he do97
7He ran spe&iens, got the to the appropriate labs!7
That would ean he'd had a wor%er's pass, and would have
%nown the &odes to ost of the 5nilo&% doors in the fa&ility!
(unning deliveries''oving fro stret&h of &orridor to stret&h of
&orridor''would've taught hi his way around the hospital!
Transferring &adavers had been how he'd learned to operate a
gurney; #avid had been wrong in a%ing in/uiries about the
orderlies who dealt with patients!
Hora&e wal%ed over and opened a &abinet below the sin%,
reoving a plasti& &ontainer of #rain0ze! He plun%ed it down on
the ebaling table beside the &adaver lying inert and gray, a fresh
hole sawed through its &hest! 7Trade se&ret!7 He grinned! 7+ have to
spe&ial'order it! "hi&h eans #ouglas probably stole it right fro
here!7
7"hat was he li%e97 #avid as%ed! 7#a4ella!7
Hora&e shrugged! 7$ot u&h into hygiene, if you &at&h y drift!
3or our lower's%illed positions, we li%e to hire people a bit
disadvantaged!7 A glint of pride showed in Hora&e's fa&e, the pride
of a self'taught an who has pulled hiself up the 1ob ladder! 7+'ll
tell you, he so%ed with a vengean&e, two at a tie soeties!
Bou %now, li%e trying to &al hiself down! "illing hiself to hold
together! But he didn't!7
7"hat happened97
7He started &oing undone! Showing up late! $ot reporting ba&%
fro runs! + found hi on&e in the &rypt, standing aong the
bodies! "asn't doing anything weird, 1ust swaying on his feet! Said
the stillness &aled hi!7
7Any trouble with the &orpses9 Any of the ! ! ! violated or
anything97
7$o, no! $othing li%e that!7 Hora&e drew ba&% his head as if he'd
1ust been e6posed to a bad odor! +t was the first tie #avid had
seen hi wear an e6pression of disgust!
7"as he fired97
7+ finally had to let hi go,7 Hora&e said! 7+ didn't have a &hoi&e,7
he added defensively! 7Things weren't getting done!7
#avid wondered if )lyde was avenging the fa&t he'd been fired!
He'd told #avid, + 1ust want the to be sorry! 7#id he see pissed
off when you fired hi97
7$o! $ot really! :ind of sad, aybe!7
7#id he intera&t well so&ially97
7Boy, you as% a different breed of /uestion than the &ops,7
Hora&e said! #avid resisted the urge to as% hi what Bale and
#alton had in/uired about, letting Hora&e &ontinue! 7#ouglas
avoided students li%e the plague! 0spe&ially the girls! He li%ed to
&oe in during off hours, when the pla&e was epty!7 He gestured
to the door, behind whi&h the lab &laored with students pi&%ing at
bodies! 7They harassed hi, now and then! *retty upsetting, when
you thin% about it, the being future do&tors! But +'ll tell you, do&tors
ain't the pi&ture of epathy these days! $ot li%e it used to be!7 He
nodded deferentially!
7How would they harass hi9 The students97
7"ell, it didn't happen u&h, to be fair! But now and then they'd
stop hi, try to get hi to tal%, assess his spee&h patterns, posture,
things li%e that! Bou %now how ed students are''thought they were
being subtle and helpful! He found the s&rutiny unbearable! A girl
tried to pra&ti&e on hi with her ophthalos&ope on&e! (edu&ed
hi to tears! She got apologeti& after, of &ourse, but it didn't see
to help!7 Hora&e's eyes tra&ed over the split body before the!
7*oor bastard!7
"hen Hora&e loo%ed up, #avid was surprised to see that he
seeed upset!
7+'ve wor%ed hard for this 1ob! Hard li%e you wouldn't believe! And
when #ouglas started going loose on e, + had to prote&t y
position! There was nothing else + &ould have done!7 His fa&e
loo%ed tired, aybe fro his wor%ing on guilt, or guilt wor%ing on
hi!
Before #avid &ould respond, Hora&e revved up the saw and
turned ba&% to the body! #avid left /uietly!
He found (alph down in the 0(, leaning against a &art, ars
folded a&ross his &hest! He seeed perturbed and didn't loo% over
when #avid stood beside hi!
7Goddan &ops,7 (alph said! 7Get a guy in that unifor, ta%es
about two days before he's a ,S#A'&ertified pri&%!7
7"hat happened97 #avid as%ed!
7They 1ust want what they want, and they want it iediately! $o
&onsideration for the fa&t that +'ve got other responsibilities here! +'
running se&urity for this fa&ility, +' not an errand boy for -A*#!7
(alph 1er%ed his thub at his &hest! 7+ was Third Battalion, Se&ond
Marines, )harlie )opany! Two tours! Two fu&%ing tours, and soe
doughnut'un&her e6pe&ts e to how'high his shit!7
7"ho97
7Bale! #alton!7
7"hat did they want97
(alph &ast a loo% in both dire&tions, and #avid too% a step &loser
so (alph &ould lower his voi&e! The &onspiratorial nature of the
e6&hange diluted (alph's anger &onsiderably! 7They &onfis&ated
re&ords on a dude, nae of #ouglas #a4ella,7 (alph said! 7He's a
suspe&t, + guess! ,sed to wor% upstairs with Hora&e the Ha&%er!7
75h9 Anything interesting97
(alph hoed in on #avid's interest li%e a dog spotting prey! 75h
no, #o&! Bou don't want to step into this too far! Bou're playing with
a new brand of fire here!7
#avid studied (alph &losely! 7+ was in over y head before +
%new what was going on! + &an either sin% or swi! "hat would you
do97
(alph rubbed his nose and it gave easily, the &artilage fle6ible
fro a few brea%s! He studied #avid's fa&e for a oent and
seeed to rea&h soe &on&lusion! 7They were ostly after his
address and phone and stuff,7 he said! 7But the guy was a bit
uneven! He had a &ouple of &oplaints filed against hi! $othing +
investigated personally, but the re&ords were there!7
A few interns wal%ed by without saying hello to #avid! 3or the
first tie, he appre&iated the priva&y his estrangeent fro the
staff peritted hi! 7"hat were the &oplaints for97 he as%ed!
7He got a bit uppity on&e when &onfronted by a gal over in
Huan (esour&es! Soething about hi ta%ing too any si&%
days! Turned out to be nothing! She &laied he got aggressive, but
he was settled down by the tie it was &he&%ed out! Afterward, she
&ouldn't point to anything &on&rete! Then there was another
&oplaint, fro a patient over in the $*+, 1ust before #a4ella got
fired! Guy's a real wha&%1ob, + guess''si6 fingers on ea&h hand! He
said Mr! #a4ella was trying to steal his eds, but the guy's a bit
&u&%oo for )o&oa *uffs, so no one too% the &oplaint too
seriously!7
7"hat was #a4ella doing over at the $*+9 As a transporter of
body parts, the psy&h ward should've been the last pla&e he wound
up!7
7He said he got lost &oing ba&% fro a%ing a delivery to the
(eed +nstitute ne6t door! + %now''it's %inda loose! But he was pretty
&ooperative during /uestioning, and the patient had soe type of
paranoid disorder, so it all %ind of washed out!7
7"ho /uestioned Mr! #a4ella97
7A fellow naed Toy .ones was point on both &oplaints!7
7)an + tal% to hi97
7Moved to Baltiore! #ivor&ed! 3ell out!7 (alph shrugged! 7Bou
%now how that tune spins!7
#iane swept past the in the hall, did a double ta%e, and
stopped! 75h! Glad you're here! "e need you in 3our!7
7+' off today!7 #avid was an6ious to get over to the
$europsy&hiatri& +nstitute to follow up on the &oplaint that had
been issued there!
7+ %now, but it's Alberto,7 #iane said! 7Sore throat! He said he'll
only see you''you %now how he is!7
#uring the suer onths, Alberto followed his father, who was
a gardener for ,)-A, around &apus on his s%ateboard, &ausing
daage to stairs, &urbs, and hiself! #avid had always treated hi
warly, and Alberto soeties ade up e6&uses to &oe in and
tal%! #avid e6&used hiself and headed down the hall, wal%ing
beside #iane!
7+ hear they +#'d soeone,7 she said! 7Bou have soething to do
with that97
He nodded! 73ill you in later! "hat tie are you off97
7Si6! Then +' on again at ten, filling in for Mar&y!7
75%ay! -et's eet over at )arson's around si6'thirty! Ma%e sure
he still has his head s&rewed on!7
70ver try to su&% your own di&%, #o&97 The boy's sooth's%inned
fa&e loo%ed up at #avid! Alberto wore his hair long in the ba&%, and
it bun&hed above the &ollar of his 1a&%et! Sitting on the e6aination
table with a beat'up s%ateboard a&ross his lap, he loo%ed even
younger than his twelve years! His eyes always s/uinted, ever so
slightly, as if needing &onstant prote&tion!
7$ot re&ently, no,7 #avid said! 7+ have a bad ba&%!7 He wal%ed
over and &losed the door, then studied Alberto! The boy was &learly
si&%, his fa&e pale and tired, e6&ept where his lips were stained
purple fro soe &andy he ust've eaten earlier! 7Soething you
want to tal% about97
Alberto shrugged! 7+ tried on&e,7 he &onfessed! His heels
drued against the base of the e6aination table! 7#oes that
a%e e gay97
#avid tou&hed Alberto's forehead''hot''then wal%ed his fingertips
up along the ba&% of Alberto's 1aw, feeling for swollen glands! 7"hy
would that a%e you gay97
Alberto pulled away! 7"ell, + li%e girls! +' dying to get laid, even!
+ don't want to be gay!7 His eyes pooled with &on&ern! 7But, + ean,
+ alost had a di&% in y outh!7
#avid inhaled deeply and held it for a oent! 7"ell,7 he began,
in a te6tboo% voi&e, 7gender roles are a &opli&ated and ! ! ! 7 He
paused, then rubbed his eyes with a thub and forefinger! 7$o,
Alberto, it doesn't a%e you gay!7
The relief in Alberto's eyes was palpable!
7$ow &an we fo&us on your sore throat97 #avid felt again for
Alberto's glands, and Alberto win&ed slightly when #avid found
the! #avid grabbed a tongue depressor fro a *yre6 bea%er!
75pen up! 5pen!7 Alberto refused, and #avid s/ueezed his &hee%s
gently until he &oplied! (ed beefy throat, enlarged tonsils with
e6udate u&us''what #avid's other would have &alled 7angry
throat!7 75h boy, %iddo! "e have soe a&tivity going on in here!
#oes it hurt97
7+ had to spit into a bag last night be&ause it hurt too u&h to
swallow!7
7"hy didn't you &oe in97
Alberto loo%ed down! 5ne of his untied shoela&es trailed along
the tiled floor! 7"e don't got insuran&e no ore! My dad got laid off,
and + didn't want to &ost hi nothing ore!7
#avid &rou&hed, resting his hands on Alberto's %nees! 7Alberto,
listen to e! +f you ever feel si&%, you &oe in here! #on't worry
about oney! 5%ay9 $ow say aah!7
Alberto opened his outh, and before he realized what was
going on, #avid had already swabbed hi with the elongated A'tip!
He handed it to .ill outside! 7-et's get a (apid Strep on this!7
He du&%ed into the do&tors' lounge and &alled )arson but got the
a&hine! Soeone had taped )lyde's poli&e &oposite to the wall,
and #avid studied it as he left a essage! 7)arson, it's #r! Spier! +
hope you're doing all right! +' going to stop by around si6'thirty,
and + hope we'll be able to tal% then!7
.ill et hi in the hall on his way ba&% to Alberto's e6a roo
and wal%ed alongside hi! 7+t's positive,7 she said! 73irst strep of
the day!7
7All right! The patient has a peni&illin allergy! He's also got no
insuran&e, but + 1ust et with a rep fro Bia6in, and + stowed a
bun&h of saples in the lo&%ed drawer in Three! "ould you ind
grabbing the for e97
#avid swung into the e6a roo and fa&ed Alberto with a
resigned sile! 7Bou have group A betaheolyti& strepto&o&&i, a%a
strep throat! +' going to get you soe antibioti&s! Bou'll ta%e one in
the orning, one at night, for ten days! $ow, this parti&ular drug
has a side effe&t! +t'll give you a dry etalli& taste in your outh, so
you'll want to get soe Altoids or strong su&%ers so you &an'' 7 He
froze!
Two inutes later, having paged 0d three ties &onse&utively
fro the do&tors' lounge, he had hi on the phone! 7+ have
soething,7 he said!
7-' 0ritage! Twenty inutes!7
)hapter <=
A an ipe&&ably dressed in a &har&oal suit with a shiering
blue tie, his gray hair &oifed, paused in front of #avid! Still dressed
in his s&rubs and white edi&al &oat, #avid sluped on a leather
&ou&h in the elegant &o&%tail lounge of the odern, ups&ale hotel! A
fire fli&%ered beneath the s&reen to his right, though it was August!
Before hi, on a siple glass table, sat a tray &ontaining 1ars of
wasabi peas, *aresan twists, and herb'&ured olives!
7$i&e outfit, Spier,7 the an said! 7+ appre&iate your not &alling
attention to us!7
#avid literally did a double ta%e as 0d shoo% his hand roughly
and slid into the love seat opposite the &ou&h, slightly favoring his
left side! 7#on't say anything loud,7 0d said softly! 7#on't raise your
voi&e, don't a&t surprised! .ust start tal%ing!7
#avid swallowed hard, finding his train of thought! 7The orange
zin& lozenges that )lyde was su&%ing''+ thin% he uses the
be&ause he's ta%ing eds that &an &ause a dry or etalli& outh
as a side effe&t! #o&tors usually re&oend Altoids or zin&
lozenges to &over it!7 #avid's voi&e was high and sha%y; he &ould
feel his heart haering!
7Slow down! )al down! )an't you use anything to &over the
taste9 -i%e gu97
7Bou &an, but generally soething stronger is ore effe&tive!7
The waitress &ae over, and 0d ordered a Sapphire artini, up,
&hilled, with three olives! #avid ordered &ranberry 1ui&e!
7And guess whi&h drugs ost &oonly have that side effe&t97
#avid said, as soon as she departed! 7*sy&hiatri& drugs! Sure, now
and then an antihistaine li%e )laritin will dry you out, but
&lassi&ally it's antipys&hoti&s''&lozapine, Mellaril, Haldol, *roli6in,
risperidone, Cypre6a''or antidepressants, li%e *a6il or *roza&!7
#avid pulled a sheet of paper fro his po&%et and soothed it on
the &o&%tail table between the! 7+ ade a list of )lyde's
syptos! .er%ing pupils, heada&hes, diffi&ulty &on&entrating,
&louding of &ons&iousness, slurred spee&h, restlessness, and
drun%en wal%ing! These all pointed e to nervous syste diseases
and &onditions!7
7But you thin% these traits are a&tually drug side effe&ts, not
syptos of a disease97
706a&tly! + was so fo&used on the nervous syste presentation, +
negle&ted to write down other relevant traits! So + went ba&% in y
ind and tried to thin% of what + ight have issed!7 *ulling a pen
fro his s&rub top, #avid added dry or etalli&'tasting outh to the
list! 7(eeber + told you he had swollen hands9 "ell, + re&alled
his ne&% was a bit swollen as well, whi&h &ould indi&ate
hypothyroidis! He left hair behind on the pillow when he fled, so it
&ould be falling out! A&ne and pitted fingernails should be on the list
as well!7 He wrote down swollen hands''hypothyroidis9;
alope&ia''loss of hair; a&ne; pitted fingernails!
#avid glan&ed down at the potential diagnoses he'd written
beneath! The new syptos did not fit the sypto &lusters for
ost of the diagnoses on the list! He drew a line through the all
e6&ept drug to6i&ity and inse&ti&ide poisoning! But inse&ti&ide
poisoning generally &auses e6&essive salivation, the opposite of a
dry or etalli&'tasting outh, so he &rossed that one out as well!
7"e're probably dealing with a drug to6i&ity issue here! "hatever
he's ta%ing, he's ta%ing too u&h of it and it's poisoning hi!7
#avid loo%ed at 0d with sudden irritation! 7And you''where have
you been9 "hat happened with the print9 "hen did you tip off the
poli&e9 #id you %now )lyde's not even )lyde anyore9 He's
#ouglas #a4ella! He used to wor% at the hospital!7
7$o,7 0d said! 7#ouglas #a4ella died three years ago Sunday of
&olon &an&er! He was a si6ty'seven'year'old veteran of the :orean
"ar! + ran the print, and the results &ae ba&% this orning!7 Before
#avid &ould say anything, 0d held up his hand! 7+ got the print
results over to the poli&e, as + proised + would! 5ur boy is indeed
)lyde! )lyde )! Slade, to be pre&ise! #5B .anuary >, 2EDF!7 He
ad1usted his wig with a subtle gesture that loo%ed as if he were
straightening his hair in the front!
7Holy shit,7 #avid said! 7So he really is naed )lyde! But how
did he ! ! ! 97
7)lyde too% #ouglas #a4ella over! Soeone's so&ial se&urity
nuber isn't pla&ed on the so&ial se&urity death inde6 when they
die, it gets put there when their death benefit gets &laied! As far
as the re&ords go, no &laied death benefit, no dead guy!7
7#on't registrars &ross'inde6 birth and death &ertifi&ates97
75nly by &ounty, soeties state! )alifornia does it statewide,
but our boy #oug was fro 4irginia! He didn't ove out here till
after his tour in :orea! "hen he died, )lyde stole his so&ial se&urity
nuber so he &ould apply for a 1ob at the hospital under a false
nae! 5ne ight argue that showed preeditation, were one
prone to legal arguing!7
7How did you find out about #a4ella97
7*ubli& ,tilities )oission re&ords! The &ops always go the
#M4 route, whi&h ta%es longer and is easier for &riinals to
de&eive! But no one thin%s to lie to the gas &opany! My s&anner
gave e a heads'up they were going after a #ouglas #a4ella, and
y intelligen&e showed that )lyde )! Slade had &hanged his nae
on a gas bill to #ouglas #a4ella three years ba&%, right after
#a4ella %i&%ed! ,nfortunately, he's not at that address anyore,
and there's no new utilities listing for either nae! So either he's
living in soe e&onoy shithole where utilities are provided or he's
got a new fa%e nae! Ba&% to s/uare one!7
7They got a &urrent address on #a4ella fro se&urity! + listened
to the news on the way over to see if there was anything about an
arrest! 5r a shooting! Have you heard97
7+t was a fa%e address''soe &rib off *als in "est -A!7
7How'd he get his pay&he&%s97
0d shrugged! 7Maybe he pi&%ed the up hiself! All + %now is,
the address is a bust!7
7How did )lyde %now #ouglas died9 There &ould be a
&onne&tion there! Maybe they lived in the sae apartent
&ople6!7
7+' &he&%ing it out, as, evidently, are the &ops! $othing yet!7
7#a4ella had two &oplaints filed against hi when he wor%ed at
the hospital, one of the over at the $europsy&hiatri& +nstitute
where he wasn't supposed to be! He also had a violent rea&tion to
one of our psy&hiatrists, who's bla&%, and we'd hypothesized that
he was afraid of shrin%s or bla&%s! $ow +' thin%ing he's got a
hang'up revolving around the $*+! +' planning on &he&%ing it out
when + get ba&% to the hospital! The &ops too% the se&urity re&ords,
but + &an get at the edi&al re&ords! +n this &ase, +' hoping, that'll
give e the upper hand!7
7-oo%s that way so far!7
7"hat did you get on )lyde's ba&%ground97
7Thirty'eight years old! Spent his &hildhood shuttled fro foster
hoe to foster hoe! 0leven different hoes in the first fifteen
years of his life! Then he ran away! His 1uvenile re&ord's e6punged''
whi&h is odd for soeone in his deographi&, given the resour&es
that ta%es''but he's got two adult priors! An inde&ent e6posure and
a D<I!D!7
7"hi&h is97
7)hild olestation!7 He too% note of #avid's e6pression! 7$ot li%e
you thin%! +t's not ne&essarily se6ual! +t &an be anytie soeone
annoys a %id under eighteen! This was your standard *eeping To
s&enario! He was staring at a seventeen'year'old girl through an
open window! They tried to get a resburg7 ''0d &aught hiself and
ba&%ed up'' 7a residential burglary, but they &ouldn't prove he
&rossed the plane of the window!7 He bit his lip! 7+t was a dusty sill,
so they would've seen prints if he had! He 1ust stood there and
stared at her''frea%ed her out! +t's pretty u&h 1ust that and the
weenie wagger!7
7"ho'd he flash97
7A hoo%er!7
7And she reported it97
7She got pi&%ed up ten inutes later! She &laied she was
erely propositioning the ,)''the under&over &op''to &at&h a ride
out of the area, be&ause there was a flasher on the prowl! "hen
they rounded up )lyde, he &opped to! Said he was 1ust trying to
s&are her!7
0d leaned ba&%, too% a sip of his drin%, and gria&ed!
7Bou don't li%e artinis97 #avid as%ed!
7+ hate the!7
7So why ! ! ! 97
7Be&ause two grown en sipping 1ui&e in a bar are bound to be
reebered, 1ust as a waitress ight reeber a an dressed in
a thousand'dollar suit for ordering a Bud! "hi&h is what + really
want!7 He leaned ba&%, &rossing his legs daintily! He had indeed
astered the affe&t of a polished businessan! 7Besides, one
should always &hange one's habits! Habits are trails that lead ba&%
to you! $ever drive the sae route, never shop at the sae stores,
never order the sae thing twi&e!7
#avid realized fro the e6pression on 0d's fa&e that his brief
spee&h was ore than inforational''he was &ons&iously showing
#avid that a trust and rapport was growing between the!
+nforation was 0d's &urren&y, and he spent it &autiously!
7+' wor%ing a sting right now in the finan&ial distri&t! Thus the
attire!7
7+ thought you were on the wrong side of the law!7
7"hen you have a parti&ular s%ill set,7 0d said, 7there are no
sides of the law! .ust things that need to get done!7 His tone
&hanged /ui&%ly; the sall tal% was over! 7So, now that we %now
that )lyde is, in all li%elihood, ta%ing psy&hiatri& edi&ation''too
u&h psy&hiatri& edi&ation fro the sound of it''how does that
help us97
7+ &an find out whi&h drugs were pres&ribed for #ouglas #a4ella
while he was at ,)-A, who pres&ribed the, and what phara&ies
they were &alled in to! That gives us a few trails! *lus, the $*+
in&ident involved an alleged attept on his part to steal a patient's
eds, so when + loo% into that, it ay dovetail!7
0d su&%ed an olive; the piiento left the &ore with a popping
sound! 7+' beginning to li%e you ore and ore! "hen &an you
get on that97
7(ight now! +' off today, and +'ll have soeone &over y shift
toorrow!7
7But you haven't ta%en a single va&ation day in two years,7 0d
said! 7Two years and fourteen days, to be pre&ise!7
7How do you %now that97
7Bou thin% +'d do anything for you without running you9 + %now
how u&h you owe on your ortgage! + %now that asshole .en%ins
gave you a fi6'it ti&%et last night, and that the word is it was a brea%'
it fi6'it! + %now the only B you ever got in your life was in ebryology
your first year of edi&al s&hool!7
#avid siled, ipressed! 7Goddan ebryology!7 He
straightened up on the &ou&h! 7+ have to pro&eed soewhat
&autiously''too u&h tie off in the idst of this &ould further
daage y reputation at the hospital!7
0d ar&hed a red eyebrow! 7Still &are about that, do we97
7+f it under&uts y effe&tiveness, yes!7
0d's pale fa&e reained blan%! 7-et e %eep sha%ing on the
paper trail! Get ba&% to e with any info about the eds''that front
sees stronger!7
7#o + need to ! ! ! Should + pay you for any of this97
73ree of &harge for now! +n y line of wor%, si6ty per&ent of what
+ do ends up being favors for good people! Thin% of e as a
guardian angel!7 He popped the last olive in his outh and &hewed
it! 7*lus + owe you for repairing y ass!7
)hapter <2
)-B#0'S pate, visible through his thin veil of hair, glistened with
sweat! "ith a final glan&e to the /uiet upstairs window, he stepped
fro his &ar onto the &urb! He %ept his head lowered and oved
swiftly to the apartent building entran&e!
A %id with a defi&ient usta&he and a blaring "al%an &leaned
the floor with ipre&ise swipes of a op! He'd propped open the
front door, enabling a breeze through the lobby! )lyde waited until
the %id ade a dan&ing half turn toward the far wall, then s&urried
through the lobby and into the stairwell!
3lattening hiself against the wall, he &aught his breath, the
redness slowly draining fro his fa&e! He opped the sweat fro
his forehead with his T'shirt, leaving a &res&ent stain on the &ollar!
He turned and headed upstairs!
#avid &alled #iane in the 0( on his way ba&% to the hospital and
filled her in as best he &ould! 5ne of her &ollege friends wor%ed at
the #rug 0nfor&eent Agen&y, so #iane proised to follow up the
pres&ription route before eeting #avid at )arson's!
#avid stopped off in the &afeteria to grab a sandwi&h and a
)o%e! As he waited in line at the &ash register, he was a&utely
aware of the ururing that seeed to follow hi, the /ui&%
glan&es in his dire&tion! The &ashier's newspaper was pinned
beneath a half'eaten, browning apple on the &ounter at her side,
awaiting the ne6t &ustoer lull! The photograph on the &over was of
#avid, sitting in the ba&%seat of .en%ins's patrol &ar, loo%ing as if
he'd been arrested! The headline: T0$S+5$S B0T"00$ S*+0(
A$# -A*# 0S)A-AT0! The fa&t that he'd 1oined the list of
nefarious -A last naes''Menendez, 3urhan, 3leiss''eli&ited in
hi a i6ture of ebarrassent and alar! +t was as if he'd passed
soe point of no return and found hiself suddenly lost!
#avid paid and went into the ad1oining &ourtyard to eat in pea&e!
A group of ale nurses were playing pi&%up bas%etball on a worn
wooden ba&%board soeone had haered up! #avid wolfed
down the sandwi&h and was 1ust on his way to the $*+ when he
noti&ed *eter wobbling a&ross the &ourtyard and waving, holding a
lun&h tray in his other hand!
#avid &aught up to *eter and wal%ed patiently beside hi,
resisting the urge to offer to &arry his tray! 7How are you97 #avid
as%ed!
75h, you %now! +' oving y pro&edure suite fro a&ross the
street to upstairs fro y offi&e! Getting the dan thing up and
running again has been soething of a hassle, but aside fro that''
7 *eter isstepped and gria&ed, setting down his tray on a nearby
pi&ni& table! An epty wrapper blew fro his tray, but he pretended
not to noti&e! 7"ould you ind resting a oent97
7$o,7 #avid said! 7$ot at all!7
*eter released his leg bra&es and they sat at the table, wat&hing
the en leap and pivot and shoot! 5ne of the nurses too% a low
pass, bi&eps fle6ing beneath the &ut sleeves of his s&rub top, and
shot a turn'around 1uper fro ten feet out! The ball issed wide
and a flurry of legs and ars fought for it beneath the bas%et!
*eter wat&hed the athleti& elee! 7Magnifi&ent,7 he said! 7So
agnifi&ent!7
#avid &leared his throat un&ofortably! *eter waited patiently for
#avid to find the words he was loo%ing for! 7Bou %now how u&h +
disli%e being told what to do! ! ! ! 7
7+ do!7
7"ith this business with )lyde and the es&ape ! ! ! "as that a
&lassi& e6aple of y going too far over an ethi&al point97
7Bou Spiers are prone to inflation,7 *eter replied! 7But + thin% +
%now you well enough to say that wasn't the &ase here! 3ro what
+'ve pie&ed together, you per&eived there were soe real ris%s!7
#avid rubbed his eyes hard and it felt divine!
7"hen your ba&% is really to the wall, you rely on instin&t,7 *eter
said! 7+t's all you have left! +'ve had to do it &ountless ties! Hour
eight of a pro&edure! )obat surgery in 4ietna! Bou let go and
you trust that your instin&ts are good!7 He rea&hed out with an
oversized hand and hoo%ed the ba&% of #avid's head! He shoo% it
on&e, roughly, an avun&ular gesture! 7Bou have good instin&ts,7 he
said! 7Bou %now that as well as +! #on't pi&% yourself to death!7
#avid e6haled deeply, the tightness in his &hest dissipating by
degrees! 7+ 1ust wish +'d handled hi better! )lyde! :ept hi
se&ured and gotten hi the treatent he needs!7
A hard foul at the hoop led to shouting aong the nurses!
7There's not always soething helpful to be done for people,7
*eter said!
7+' a s&ientist,7 #avid said! 7+ believe people &an be fi6ed!7
7*eople &an't always be fi6ed, #avid! They're not a&hines!7
7$o, but they &an be analyzed li%e a&hines! Their posture and
affe&t, blood wor%, and vitals! A good eye draws it together, finds
what's bro%en, &oes up with a proto&ol!7
*eter laughed, a tou&h derisively! 7Bou're so u&h li%e your
other in &ertain regards! Bour instin&t is there, your ethi&, your
profi&ien&y! But not always epathy!7
#avid re&oiled! 7"hat's that ean97
7+t eans you're e6traordinarily s%illed and talented''God %nows,
ore so than +''but o&&asionally you lose yourself in ethi&s and
s&ien&e! Soeties it's better to feel your patients' pain and fear!
Get dirty!7
7Bou %now,7 #avid said, 7in this &ase, that's pre&isely what + did!7
The nurses s&rabled after a loose ball!
7*eople are wonderfully &opli&ated, flawed &reatures, #avid!
#on't oversiplify the''for good or for bad!7
A tall bla&% nurse %no&%ed the ball out of bounds, and it boun&ed
over to *eter! He &aught it easily and held it a oent too long
before throwing it ba&%!
He turned a wistful sile to #avid! 7"e're ore than the su of
our parts!7
)hapter <>
#A4+# headed over to the $europsy&hiatri& +nstitute, e6iting the
elevator on the si6th floor! He hit the buzzer to the side of the
lo&%ed white door! A oent later, the door swung open, #ash all
but filling the frae, ars folded a&ross his assive &hest! 7There's
been soe whispering on the wards about the way you've been
a&ting! Then you &all e with this97
7#id the &ops &oe through here yet97
7Bes! 3illed e in on this #a4ella business! 5f &ourse, they were
pissed off when + didn't let the in! As you %now, we don't dis&lose
ost patients' naes!7 #ash eyed #avid, as if to a%e sure he'd
&aught the ipli&ation!
7+ need your help, #ash!7
7My shift is over! +' on y way to y wor%out!7
7This isn't trivial!7
#ash sighed, a deep ruble! 7Bou're loo%ing for a patient with
polyda&tyly, huh9 5n both hands97
7#o you have a person fitting that des&ription97
#ash's head tilted in a half nod, half sha%e! 7"e ight!7
7+ need to spea% with hi,7 #avid said!
7How do you %now it's a hi97
#avid sighed! 7Bou %now what they say, #ash!7
#ash's lips twit&hed, but did not for a full sile! 7"hat's that97
7+nternists %now everything and do nothing! Surgeons %now
nothing and do everything! And psy&hiatrists %now nothing and do
nothing!7
#ash's booing laugh e&hoed a ways up the &old &orridor!
7+' as%ing you to do soething here,7 #avid said! 7+f there was
anyone who would ever respe&t patient &onfidentiality, it's +!7
7Bou loo%ed li%e an asshole, #avid! After the es&ape!7
7+ %now,7 #avid said softly! 7+ %now!7 He waited patiently for a
verdi&t!
7#on't a%e e regret this,7 #ash finally said! He turned and
entered the ward, gesturing for #avid to follow! They wal%ed down
the long &orridor toward the re&eption des% en&ased in reinfor&ed
glass! Behind windows to their left, patients &ongregated in a
re&reation area!
A &luster of patients sat together, following a low'ipa&t
stret&hing wor%out on T4! The busty woan on's&reen leaned
forward in a hastring stret&h, grabbing both feet! Most of the
patients &ould barely get their hands to their an%les! An attra&tive
woan in her twenties shuffled ailessly through the roo, her
paper slippers shushing on the tile! An older an with tardive
dys%inesia sat alone at a table, his lips popping out in a rapid series
of pu&%ers, his fingers a%ing &horei& oveents, as if playing the
piano!
A nurse sat down a&ross fro hi and engaged hi in a gae of
&ards! His straining lips loosened into a oentary sile!
#ash steered #avid past the re&eption des% down another
lo&%ed &orridor lined with se&lusion roos! The se&lusion roos
were always %ept lit, so staff ebers &ould observe the en&losed
patients through the sall sliding windows in the doors!
#ash paused outside a door and tapped it gently with a %nu&%le!
7Give a holler if you need e,7 he said! 7+'ll wait out here!7 He
wal%ed a short distan&e up the &orridor and leaned against the wall!
#avid gripped the %nob and slid open the tiny window! The roo,
no larger than eight by ten, was entirely white! A wiry an pa&ed
along the far wall! He paused, his head snapping up at the sound of
the window sliding open, his tight, &lose'set features /uivering! He
swept his hands through his hair with deft, /ui&% gestures!
#avid stepped inside and eased the door alost shut behind
hi! The white walls refle&ted the overhead light harshly! #avid
folded his hands out before hi, %eeping the &learly in the an's
view! 7Hello, +' #r! Spier! + wor% over in the eergen&y roo!7
7+' #ean -ograine,7 the an said! He offered a si6'fingered
hand, whi&h #avid shoo% &autiously! 7My friends &all e Mouse! My
eneies too!7
His gown was patterned with snowfla%es, as had been the one
0lisabeth had worn on her final day! #avid found the siilarity
unsettling! 5ver ea&h of Mouse's nipples, a stain had spread
through the fabri&, the size of a /uarter''breast dis&harge, a side
effe&t of soe psy&hiatri& eds!
7+ &ae by to follow up on a &oplaint you ade a few onths
ago, against a #ouglas #a4ella!7
7So you believe e that guy &ae in here was harassing e
soething awful and + told hi to go stuff it! Stuff it + said but he
%ept on and %ept on about y eds li%e he was as%ing everyone
and he seeed s&ared really s&ared and angry 1ust to be there!7
7"here did this ta%e pla&e97
75ut in the re& roo! Arts 'n' &rafts! "e were doing arts 'n' &rafts!
*opsi&le'sti&% en! 0ver a%e those97
7Bes,7 #avid said! 7Though +' not u&h of a &raftsan!7
Mouse threw ba&% his head and laughed! And %ept laughing!
3inally, #avid interrupted hi! 7#o you reeber any spe&ifi&s of
your &onversation with hi97
7He saw e ta%ing y orning eds and he &ae over and
as%ed e what they were for! And + told hi +' ani&, a bit ani&,
but there's a downswing to that, you %now, not 1ust all high flights of
fan&y, and so + get depressed and soeties, only soeties, +'ve
been %nown to get agitated and the eds %eep e fro getting
agitated or an6ious or violent!7 He flashed a toothy grin! 7#on't
worry! + won't get violent now!7
7+' not worried,7 #avid said! 7+f you don't ind y as%ing, what
edi&ations are you on97
Mouse spat in the &orner! 7#o you have any Ti& Ta&s97
7+' afraid not! +f you don't ind y as%ing,7 #avid repeated
slowly, 7what edi&ations are you on97
7+ don't ind, not at all! $ot at all! That's what he as%ed too! +'
on risperidone and )ogentin and lithiu!7
7And what happened9 Between you and #ouglas #a4ella97
7He tried to steal y pills! But + fought hi + didn't want hi to +
need those pills to %eep e glued together you %now that's what
they're for to ar against delusions and hallu&inations and ! ! ! and !
! ! and ! ! ! 7
7+ &an understand why that would be upsetting,7 #avid said! 7#id
he say why he wanted your pills97
Mouse regarded #avid, and his &lose'set eyes glowed with a
sudden &larity! 7He said he didn't want to be violent!7
+f )lyde had in fa&t given Mouse a reliable answer, the
raifi&ations were fas&inating: )lyde was self'edi&ating to try to
&ure hiself! And poisoning hiself by overdosing!
7But + bit hi,7 Mouse &ontinued! 7And then the orderlies &ae
and ta&%led e! But + wasn't lying! He tried to steal y eds!7
7But no one believed you!7
75f &ourse not!7 Mouse's words trebled with indignation! 7They
told e + was delusional!7
7Than% you so u&h,7 #avid said! 7Bou've been a treendous
help!7
He ba&%ed up to the door until he felt it against his shoulders,
then he rea&hed behind hiself for the handle!
7Hey, #o&tor97
#avid paused halfway out the door! He leaned ba&% in the roo!
Mouse pulled his gown down tight a&ross his &hest, and #avid
noti&ed for the first tie that he had gyne&oastia, in&reased
breast tissue pushing out two bups in his thin gown! Another side
effe&t! Mouse released the gown and regarded #avid with a
pier&ing stare!
7"e ta%e edi&ations and do these things to ourselves, to our
&heistries, to be well! +t's &ourageous of us! "e are willing to
taper with ! ! ! taper with ! ! ! 7
#avid nodded at hi, a brief, sad tilt of the head, and &losed the
door!
He followed #ash ba&% to his offi&e! 7There is definitely
soething going on with )lyde and the $*+,7 he said! 7(eeber
how agitated he be&ae when you were introdu&ed by title, and
then there was this in&ident with ! ! ! Mouse ! ! ! and Mouse
reported that )lyde seeed s&ared and angry when here!7
#ash &losed his offi&e door and unbuttoned his shirt! Beneath,
he wore a tan% top that barely stret&hed a&ross his torso! He
retrieved a gy bag fro the &orner, whi&h he hefted with soe
e6ertion! 7+'d agree''he probably has soe phobia about the pla&e!7
7Maybe )lyde witnessed soething here when he wor%ed at the
hospital,7 #avid said, following #ash ba&% out to the ain hall!
7Soething trauati& to hi!7
#ash leaned forward and hit the elevator's down button! 7#oesn't
e6plain why he'd go to all that trouble &overing hiself with a fa%e
nae before he wor%ed here!7 He read1usted the bag's strap a&ross
his shoulder as the elevator dinged and opened!
7#iane's following the pres&ription trail as we spea%! +' &he&%ing
edi&al re&ords this afternoon! Any way you &ould &he&% $*+
re&ords97
#ash's hesitation showed in the four lines that oentarily
et&hed a&ross his forehead! 7+' only playing with a half de&% here!
Bou want to bring e up to speed97
By the tie #avid finished filling hi in, the elevator had hit the
ground floor and #ash's fa&e was far less pla&id! They wal%ed in
silen&e through the lobby! Stepping out into the war afternoon,
they headed for the tra&%!
7+s there any &han&e soeone li%e hi &ould be rehabilitated97
7"hat are you trying to do here, #avid9 Assiilate hi ba&% into
so&iety97
7"hat's the prognosis97
7$ot good,7 #ash said! 7#elin/uen&y probles, withdrawal, bad
history of ad1ustent! 06punged 1uvie re&ord would indi&ate early
age of onset! Add the gender bias to that, and it don't loo% pretty!7
7+ thin% he's stri%ing out against re1e&tion, abandonent! As you
said earlier, he per&eives he's prote&ting hiself!7
75f &ourse he does,7 #ash said! 7But there's ore! Assaulting
woen gives hi a satisfa&tion he doesn't a&hieve in any other
aspe&t of his life! +t's an a&&oplishent, #avid! +t allows hi to
repla&e &hroni& feelings of inferiority with feelings of epowerent
and pride! He's ugly, stupid, and profoundly aso&ial! He never %new
what having &ontrol felt li%e until he seized that al%ali and let fly!7
7So aybe if he's given soe &ontrol in his life ! ! ! 7 #avid said!
7+f he doesn't feel li%e he's &onstantly threatened ! ! ! 7
7And how about when he is97 #ash as%ed! 7+ had a teenager &all
e a nigger at the gro&ery store for ta%ing the last &arton of orange
1ui&e! "e live in a routinely hostile world!7
#avid eyed #ash's bulging ars! 7Brave %id!7
They rea&hed the field and #ash threw down his weighty bag
and began to stret&h out his ars!
7So you believe he has deeply ingrained psy&hopathology and
his prognosis is bad,7 #avid said! 7Sounds li%e a &andidate for an
insanity plea if he's brought to trial!7
7There are a lot of people with severe ental and eotional
probles who &an still distinguish right fro wrong!7
7"hi&h eans97
7"hi&h eans he ight be psy&hologi&ally insane, but in his
&ase, that probably won't translate to legal insanity! The &ourts
present us with two options''drooling psy&ho or nut&ase''and they
rarely if ever fit! +f a violent person pleads insanity, it redu&es the
to a status of nonpersonhood, a passive vi&ti of brain disease,
whose behavior is senseless and unintelligible! This is fa&ile and
despi&able, and unfortunately, the better option! But it's probably
not open to )lyde! He's insane and &riinal! $o get'out'of'1ail'free
&ard!7
7+t doesn't atter if he's in legitiate need of psy&hiatri& &are9
He &an't go to a high'se&urity hospital li%e *atton97
7There are eight ties as any entally ill people in prisons as
there are in state ental hospitals! #oes that answer your
/uestion97 #ash too% note of #avid's e6pression! 7+' 1ust being
realisti&! +f he's &aptured, it be&oes a legal gae! Has he shown
goal'oriented a&tivity9 Bes! Has he attepted to avoid dete&tion9
Bes! The M'$aghten (ule still holds, and )lyde fits both &riteria to
be senten&ed harshly''he %new the nature and /uality of the a&ts
he was &oitting, and he %new they were wrong! +f eory
serves, he ade both of these fa&ts abundantly &lear in your
&onversation with hi in the 0(! So yes, he will, in all li%elihood,
wind up in prison! And you'll be the prose&ution's star witness!7 He
regarded #avid with a tilt of his head! 7,nless you de&ide to ta%e up
per1ury!7
7$o, + thin% +'ll pass on that one!7
7This &ase has all the eleents for a good s&apegoating! Heavy
press &overage, benevolent vi&tis, an inarti&ulate, unattra&tive
assailant! He'll be lo&%ed away as soon as they &an 1a hi
through the &ourts!7
#ash &rou&hed, reoving a dis&us fro his bag! He was still the
$igerian re&ord holder in the dis&us, though #avid had never been
&ertain of how noteworthy that distin&tion was!
#ash entered the dis&us &ir&le and pra&ti&ed a few rapid pivots,
his feet shushing over the &on&rete! The sun lent the surrounding
grass a etalli& sheen! #ash paused, breathing heavily, and fa&ed
#avid again! 7And sin&e +' already on y soapbo6, let e whine a
bit about our lovely prison syste! (ape is an institutionalized
pra&ti&e! Massively underreported!7
7+' aware that prisons aren't a good pla&e to suer, #ash!7
7My point is that soeone li%e )lyde is parti&ularly ill e/uipped to
handle it! The a&ute deprivation, the &onstant abuse''he'll be ripped
apart! -oo% what happened to .effrey #aher!7
7"hat did happen to #aher97
7Bludgeoned to death with a etal bar!7 #ash hurled hiself into
the spin, his enorous body oving /ui&% and gra&eful, and
unleashed the dis&us with a grunt! +t shot fro his grip, ar&ing
a&ross the &lear blue s%y!
#avid let out a long, weary sigh! 7"ell, odds are the &ops'll shoot
hi anyway!7
#ash stood, hands on his hips, and wat&hed the dis&us hit the
grass and s%id to a halt! "hen he turned ba&% to #avid, his eyes
were deeply sorrowful! 7+n soe ways,7 he said, 7that ight be
ore huane!7
)hapter <F
TH0 shadows were beginning to lengthen by the tie #avid
arrived at )arson's apartent &ople6, a two'story 'I=s stu&&o
sprawl! The grounds were a &onfusion of stairs, patios, and short
outdoor halls!
Two guys in ,)-A baseball &aps sat in their fen&ed'in por&h on
&roo%ed lawn &hairs, wat&hing a gae of soe sort, 1udging by the
roar of the &rowd that eanated fro the T4! A video gae unit
was per&hed on a shoebo6 at their feet! The &ontrols, atta&hed to
&urling gray &ords, loo%ed &opli&ated, with any buttons and
dials! #avid reebered the Atari 1oysti&%s with their single red
buttons and suddenly felt /uite old! A feale news&aster bro%e in
on the T4, proising ore details about the es&aped 7"estwood
A&id Thrower7 after the gae! #avid leaned around a ountain
bi%e hung verti&ally and as%ed to be pointed to Apartent <B!
7(ight down there, an,7 one of the guys said, pointing around a
&an of beer! A fli&%er of re&ognition &rossed his eyes, and he
glan&ed ba&% at the T4! 7Hey, aren't you''97
7Bes,7 #avid said!
He rang four ties before )arson answered, wearing a ripped
pair of gy shorts and no shirt! His hair was even ore disheveled
than usual, and his nose and eyes were a weary red! He loo%ed
siultaneously glad and ashaed to see #avid!
7#r! Spier! + got your essage, but this isn't really the best tie!7
$onetheless, )arson stepped ba&% and let the door swing open,
and #avid followed hi in!
The s/uare living roo was filled with bo6es, s&attered &lothes,
and an old T4 on a fruit &rate! There were no &hairs, so #avid
followed )arson's lead and sat on the stained beige &arpet, his
ba&% to the wall! They fa&ed ea&h other a&ross the length of the
roo! A worn &ardboard bo6 to one side evidently served as
)arson's dresser! An open suit&ase sat barely visible in the hall, a
few pie&es of &lothing thrown in haphazardly!
7+ haven't really had tie to ove in,7 )arson said!
7"hen + was a resident, + earned a little under four thousand
dollars a year! 0lisabeth and + had 1ust gotten arried, and our big
treat was going for a wal% in Golden Gate *ar% on&e a wee% and
buying li&ori&e! That was really splurging!7
7+ have loans out for ed s&hool,7 )arson said! 7$ot ab1e&t
poverty, but + ain't living la vida lo&a either!7 He wiped his nose with
his forear! 7Bou loo% li%e you haven't slept in days!7
7As you %now, there's been a lot going on!7
7Beah! "ith e too!7 "hen )arson spo%e again, his voi&e
trebled! 7+ should have &leared her )'spine with @ rays!7
7#id she &oe in in a &ollar97
)arson shoo% his head!
7#id #r! -abert order an @'ray series97
)arson seeed to re&oil at the ention of #on's nae! 7$o!7
7She was a stro%e vi&ti, #r! #onalds! This wasn't a head
traua! There was no way to tell her )'spine was &oproised!7
7+ 1ust did it too hard! Her bones were old and brittle! The last guy
+ tubed was the starting &enter for the football tea''he had a ne&%
li%e y waist! She was seventy years old! + should've handled her
ore &arefully!7
7That's probably true,7 #avid said! 7But it was an honest ista%e,
the %ind of ista%e that happens in a hospital! + ight have ade it
yself as a edi&al student!7
)arson raised his head! 7(eally97
7Bes,7 #avid lied! )arson wat&hed hi for a oent! The roo
was poorly lit''the soft evening air barely filtering through a yellow
&urtain''and #avid &ouldn't a%e out his fa&e &learly! 7,)-A is a
tea&hing hospital,7 he &ontinued! 7There is no tea&hing pro&ess that
doesn't progress through trial and error! "e have as any &he&%s
and balan&es in pla&e as we &an, but we learn with our hands in the
body! Being a physi&ian is different fro being an a&&ountant, a
lawyer, a e&hani&! "hen we slip up, the &ost soeties gets paid
in huan life! That's what we sign on for! "e're not beyond error!
"e're not beyond &ausing pain when we isstep! 5r death!
7Bou &ertainly need to learn fro this''you'd be a fool not to''but
this was not &oproised &are! She was a seventy'year'old stro%e
vi&ti, for )hrist's sa%e, and you had to get her tubed /ui&%ly!7
)arson's lips trebled! 7+ saw her daughter on y way out!7 He
lowered his eyes behind a hand, and his breathing /ui&%ened!
7And you'll see ore &rying faily ebers over the &ourse of
your &areer! But you'll also see soe who are elated be&ause you
1ust saved a &hild, a parent, a sibling!7
7#r! -abert told e to ta%e soe tie off! He said + should''7
#avid glan&ed again at the half'pa&%ed suit&ase! 7#r! -abert
doesn't a%e the de&isions in y division!7 He stood and fa&ed
)arson's lowered head! 7Bou're a fine physi&ian! "ith fine edi&al
instin&ts! #on't a%e us lose a good do&tor over soething li%e
this! +t &ould have happened to anyone!7
"hen )arson raised his head, his eyes shone, red'ried and
oist! Before he &ould respond, the doorbell rang! #avid too% the
liberty of answering it and found #iane outside, tapping a noteboo%
against her thigh! 7+s he all right97
7Sees to be holding up!7
7)an + see hi97
7Bou %now what97 )arson's voi&e was &ra&%ed and wavering! He
did not rise! 7+ appre&iate your both stopping by, but + &ould use a
little tie by yself right now!7
#iane leaned around #avid! 7+f you need us,7 she said! 7*age
away!7
#avid stepped outside and pulled the door gently shut behind
hi! They wal%ed down Barrington, side by side! #iane opened her
noteboo%, a hint of e6&iteent &reeping into her voi&e! 7So, get this!
"hen )lyde''or #ouglas''wor%ed at the hospital, he had a
pres&ription for lithiu &arbonate! 0s%alith, to be pre&ise!7
#avid read1usted his stethos&ope a&ross his shoulders! 7"ell,
the patient in the $*+ who + 1ust interviewed''he said that )lyde
tried to steal his edi&ation on&e! And guess what one of his eds
is97
7-ithiu!7
7That's right! 0vidently )lyde thought it would help &ontrol his
eerging violent urges!7
7But its priary use isn't to &ontrol violen&e! +t's for ania!7
7+ %now! But it &an help against violen&e! +t's been used to treat
aggression in prison inates and the entally retarded! But the
e6tent to whi&h lithiu a&tually &ontrols violen&e isn't iportant!
"hat's iportant is )lyde thin%s it helps &ontrol violen&e! +f he's
after lithiu, we have a paper trail! "ho wrote the pres&ription97
7"ell, that's 1ust it,7 #iane said! 7#r! "arren!7
7#r! "arren9 An orthopod pres&ribing lithiu97
7+ %now! + &he&%ed it out with hi! He's never heard of #ouglas
#a'4ella, of &ourse! )lyde ust've gotten ahold of his #0A nuber
soehow!7
7"ell,7 #avid said, 7)lyde ust've ade plenty of deliveries to
5rthopedi&s! Hora&e does a lot of &utting for the! .oints and
whatnot! +t would have been easy enough to lift a loose pres&ription
off a &ounter soewhere and &opy down a #0A nuber!7
7"hy didn't he 1ust go see soeone and get drugs pres&ribed
legally97
7"hen he &ae into the 0(, + as%ed hi if he was on any drugs,
and he be&ae intensely defensive! +'d guess he's ashaed of the
fa&t he needs help! S&ared to adit it outright! +t's not un&oon,
espe&ially for soeone presuably unedu&ated! So he forged a
pres&ription!7
#iane added, 7And his eds would've all been &overed by his
eployee health plan! 0s%alith doesn't &oe free!7
7But he gets fired''7
7''goes off the health plan''7
7''&an't afford drugs''7
7''believes that this affe&ts hi''7
7''and begins a&ting drasti&ally,7 #avid finished!
#iane whistled! 7Holy shit!7
7"hat are the signs of lithiu to6i&ity, #r! Tra&e97
7,pset stoa&h, diffi&ulty &on&entrating, &louding of
&ons&iousness, hair loss, weight gain ! ! ! 7 She paused! 7+t's as bad
as #ilantin!7
7"hat else97
706&essive thirst, etalli& taste in the outh, G+ distress, a&ne,
fre/uent urination!7 She paused, sha%ing her head, a faint sile
&rossing her fa&e!
7Slurring of spee&h, swelling of hands, psoriasis of the
fingernails, nystagus, ata6ia, hypothyroidis,7 #avid added!
7There are any ore, of &ourse, but these see to be the
relevant ones!7
7But one thing doesn't a%e sense,7 #iane said! 7+f he lost his
pres&ription &overage when he was fired onths ago, then why
was he displaying signs of lithiu to6i&ity 1ust last wee%97
7Be&ause he's still ta%ing it!7
7But y friend at the #0A said there have been no pres&riptions
of any %ind filled in the past three onths for either )lyde )! Slade
or #ouglas #a4ella! So how's he getting it97
7Maybe he's been stealing it!7 #avid ade a ental note to tell
0d about this possibility!
.ust south of the post offi&e, they turned into a par% &oposed of
two &onverted baseball fields! (ange (overs and -and )ruisers
pulled up and dogs bounded fro tailgates''dalatians and
(hodesian (idgeba&%s and Great #anes''and headed for the large
lawn ahead! #avid had forgotten about the dog par%, and found
hiself entertaining the idea of trading in his wife's &o&%atoo for a
-abrador! A golden retriever nuzzled #iane's hand and she
laughed, &rou&hing to s&rat&h behind its ears! +ts owner, a young
Hollywood type in a tight bla&% :enneth )ole T'shirt that showed off
his prodigious bi&eps, used the opportunity to stri%e up a
&onversation with #iane, while #avid stood by dubly!
"hen Mus&les finally strode off to 1oin the other dog owners,
#iane and #avid headed for the field! #avid felt a tug at his sleeve
and loo%ed down to see a hand &overed with paint, the fingernails
and rough &uti&les fle&%ed white and green! +t belonged to a
disheveled %id in his idtwenties with a long, pointed goatee and a
pair of glasses with a green thubprint at the edge of one of the
lenses! The %id wore Tevas and a ripped Ber%eley T'shirt, also
splattered with paint! 0ven the greyhound dog at his side was
spe&%led with green dots!
7Hey, #r! S87 the %id said ai&ably!
7Hello, Shane!7
7Hey, an, +' sorry about 0lisabeth! She was one of the good
ones!7
7Bes! Bes she was!7
7+f she hadn't &oe to y opening at that shithole gallery on
)ahuenga, +'d still be running the &oasters at Magi& Mountain!7
The greyhound sped off and began furiously huping Hollywood
guy's leg! #avid wat&hed with perverse auseent!
75h, shit,7 Shane said, running over to retrieve his dog! 7+'ll see
you around, an,7 he &alled over his shoulder!
#iane and #avid hi%ed up in the blea&hers overloo%ing the
forer baseball diaond and wat&hed the dogs wrestle and &hase
ob1e&ts! The brief dis&ussion about 0lisabeth, &opounded by his
sleep deprivation, had unsettled hi! He %new #iane &ould see it in
his fa&e and was grateful she turned to the ore pressing atters
at hand!
7$ow,7 she said! 7Bour turn! "hat have you dis&overed97
#avid filled her in, telling her about eeting 0d, dis&overing the
lozenge wrapper, and dis&ussing atters with Hora&e, (alph,
Mouse, and #ash! The inforation &ae flooding out! He realized
how u&h he issed having #iane as his &onfidante and
&olleague, being able to tal% openly!
7Bou &ertainly pulled out all stops,7 #iane said! 7Are you sure you
want to get involved to this e6tent97
7Bes,7 #avid said! 7+ &an pursue this in ways that the &ops &an't!7
7Bour diagnosti& eye!7
7+t sounds ridi&ulous, + %now, but + have a sense of this an!7
7Bou thin% the poli&e are still out to %ill hi97
7Bes! But + thin% + &an find y way to hi first!7
7And then what, #avid97
#avid wat&hed Shane's greyhound zipping a&ross the open field!
7+ guess + turn hi in to the authorities + trust and hope he &an get
the %ind of rehabilitation a person is entitled to! +n a hospital or a
1ail!7
#iane wat&hed hi &losely! 7#ash said his prognosis is bad!7
7+t's terrible! But that's irrelevant! "e don't always fight these
battles to win the!7
#iane ade a popping sound with her lips, then too% a deep
breath! 7There's no out&oe here that you want to feel li%e you
ade happen!7
7$o, there's not! + guess + have to find the ost a&&eptable
version of defeat!7
They sat for a while, wat&hing the dogs run! #avid en1oyed the
brief respite, %nowing he had to return to the hospital soon and
begin slogging through re&ords! As dus% en&roa&hed, the par%
&leared out until only a &onfused iniature poodle reained! +t
stood on se&ond base until its owner &olle&ted it and &arried it off,
and then, save for the soft whistle of the wind through the &hain'lin%
ba&%board, the par% was silent!
7"ell, + need to go hoe and &at&h soe sleep if +' gonna go
ba&% on at ten,7 #iane said! She rose to go, but #avid laid his hand
over hers!
She sat ba&% down, putting her heels up on the edge of her
blea&her plan% and hugging her %nees! The s%y had dulled to a
heavy gray, perhaps in anti&ipation of rain! The sog wreathing
"estwood ade a beautiful filter for the setting sun, s&attered
petals of violet and orange!
7Bou're not stunning,7 he said!
7+ %now!7
7+ don't thin% about you when we're not together!7 He leaned
forward, hands la&ed together! The s%in on his %nu&%les was hard
and &ra&%ed fro overwashing! 7+ don't love the way your hair
&olle&ts around your ne&%! Bour eyes aren't the ost deep and
e6/uisite +'ve ever seen!7
"hen he finally loo%ed up, her fa&e was soft and unlined, li%e a
(enaissan&e angel's! Her eyes, slightly isty, spar%led li%e green
ges!
7+ don't thin% about you either,7 she said!
-eaning over, he pressed his lips tenderly to her forehead! He
held the oent, his eyes &losed, before brea%ing off the %iss! A
strand of her hair &lung to his fa&e for an instant before blowing
free!
They loo%ed at ea&h other, &onfused and a bit breathless!
)hapter <<
TH0 Medi&al (e&ords 5ffi&e hued with an all'hours vibran&y!
A young &ler% leaned ba&% in his &hair behind the &ounter, listening
to the #odgers gae on the radio and flipping through a worn
Mi&hael )ri&hton paperba&%!
He didn't so u&h as loo% up when #avid slid into a seat at one
of the &oputer terinals and began pun&hing the %eys! To a&&ess
the &onfidential re&ords, he typed in his user nae and then his
password''0lisabeth's aiden nae! His password, whi&h he'd
%ept for the past four years, stru&% hi for the first tie as dire and
slightly patheti&, so he &hanged it to pin%erton, in %eeping with his
new respe&t for se&urity atters! 5n the drive over, he'd &alled 0d
to set hi on the trail of stolen lithiu!
He entered the database and typed in &lyde slade and )lyde's
birthday! The sear&h engine seeed to run for an eternity, the
&ursor turning into a ti&%ing &lo&% i&on that stared out at hi li%e a
iniature eye! $o results!
Sheffield tripled, and the radio roared with applause!
#avid tried )-B#0 )! S-A#0! Another tedious wait, and again,
no results!
He pushed out fro the terinal and &rossed to the &ounter!
706&use e!7
The &ler% held up a finger! 7Hang on!7
7-isten, + really need''7
7.ust lee finish this page!7
#avid set aside his irritation! 7)ri&hton, huh9 + en1oy hi!7
The &ler% slid a boo%ar% between the pages and loo%ed up!
7*retty &ool stuff! + dig his range! #o&tors to dinosaurs!7
7+ was hoping you &ould tell e how far ba&% these re&ords are
&oputerized!7
7+ don't %now! -i%e twenty years!7
$ot far enough ba&% to in&lude relevant re&ords, if )lyde was
indeed harboring a &hildhood grudge against the hospital! 7+ need to
loo% for a pediatri&s file that's probably older,7 #avid said! 7"here
would it be97
7Medi&al (e&ords Storage! )ulver )ity!7
7Any way + &ould get it tonight97
7$o! Sorry!7 The &ler% thrust a for a&ross the &ounter at #avid!
73ill this out! ,sually ta%es four to si6 days!7
7)an + go down there yself97
7$ope! They're &losed! +t's not run by the Med )enter''it's 1ust
soe warehouse that stores old files for &opanies!7
#avid 1otted down )lyde's inforation on the sheet and passed it
ba&%! 7+ don't have four to si6 days! This is an absolute eergen&y,
and +'d really appre&iate it if you &ould put a rush on it and get this
file for e first thing toorrow!7
75%ay, +'ll do y best!7 The &ler% glan&ed at the nae! 7The &ops
were down here as%ing about re&ords for this guy,7 he said!
7Anything related97
7#id you give the a&&ess97
7$o way! $ot without a &ourt order and y boss's signature!7
75%ay!7 #avid slid his &ard a&ross the &ounter! 7+'d really
appre&iate it if you would page e the inute that file hits this
offi&e!7
(eturning to the &oputer terinal, #avid typed in douglas
davella and tried to be patient as the &lo&% i&on stared out at hi
&heerily!
The &lo&% radio 1arred #iane fro her nap, blaring 7-a
Ma&arena,7 a song she thought had been &onsigned to 7A&hy
Brea%y Heart7 obs&urity! "ith a groan, she slapped at the top of the
radio until she hit the appropriate button, and slid out of bed! She'd
barely napped for an hour before being awa%ened for her night
shift!
-owering her feet into a pair of slippers, she shuffled to the
bathroo and turned on the shower so hot water would be flowing
by the tie she finished brushing her teeth! The fa&t that she didn't
drin% &offee ade her that u&h ore reliant on a hot shower to
get her rolling before a long shift! She undressed and regarded her
body in the irror as she brushed, turning sideways for a better
view of her rear end! Behind her, the showerhead &oughed a few
ties, then the water steadied again!
She &libed into the steaing shower with a groan of pleasure
and turned her fa&e up into the flow, running her hands through her
hair! The water went fro &lear to a &loudy white!
#iane s&reaed, 1er%ing ba&% out of the spray and %no&%ing over
a etal shower &addy propped in the &orner! Shapoo and
&onditioner bottles spun on the slippery floor! She stepped on a &an
of shaving &rea and went down, feeling her razor dig into her
hand! Her fa&e felt as though it had been set afire! She shoved the
translu&ent shower door open, %no&%ing it fro the tra&%s, and fell
out, the railing along the side of the tub digging into her stoa&h!
As she s&rabled fro the shower, she opened her eyes
oentarily fro instin&t, and s&reaed even louder, her hands
s&rabbling over her fa&e! The sell of ran% flesh filled the air and
she re&ognized it instantly! +t was the sae sell that had lingered
about $an&y's and Sandra's fa&es when they'd stubled into the
0(! Al%ali! Soehow, it had gotten into her water supply! That
eant it &ould flow fro the sin% fau&et as well!
She pulled herself up fro the bath at, felt her way to the toilet,
and raised the lid! She for&ed her eyes open again, for an instant,
and saw through the tears and e6&ru&iating pain that the water was
&lear! -owering her head, she leaned heavily on the ri, splashing
water up into her fa&e &ontinually with one hand and alternating
prying her eyelids apart with her other, trying to get her breathing
ba&% under &ontrol! Though she felt no burning in her outh or
throat and &ould taste nothing unusual, she ho&%ed and spit, a &ord
of drool dangling fro her botto lip! The pain in her fa&e did not
see to be subsiding!
She flushed the toilet, saw that the fresh water spiraling in was
also &lear, and leaned farther down, s&ooping it up over her fa&e!
She tried desperately not to thin% of the al%ali eating its way through
her flesh, fo&using instead on treating the in1ury as if it were
soeone else's!
She flushed and irrigated for about another four inutes,
preparing herself to a%e the dash to the telephone! Her bedroo
phone was the &losest, but the one in the %it&hen had a sin% nearby!
She should start filling the sin% while she dialed''there was a wash
rag draped over the fau&et she &ould use to plug the drain! 5n&e
the water was running, she'd have to for&e her eyes open again to
&he&% that it was &lear!
)ontinuing to splash herself with water fro the toilet, she
envisioned the route to the %it&hen! 5ut the bathroo door, right
down the hall, dodge the sall table with the vase set against the
left wall, si6 pa&es to the %it&hen door, then around the &entral table
to the &ountertop! The dial pad was on the inside of the telephone
re&eiver; E was the se&ond button up on the right side, 2 the top
left!
The pain &ae in waves, li%e tiny fragents of shrapnel flying in
her fa&e fro a series of e6plosions! Her harsh breaths,
strengthened with groans, fired through her &hest as though she
were finishing a arathon! Grinding her teeth, tensing her entire
body, she drew her legs up under her and prepared for the blind
sprint!
#ouglas #a4ella's re&ords popped up on's&reen, and #avid
s&anned through the eagerly! #a4ella had &oe into the 0( for a
standard physi&al after a fender bender in 'JI''no signifi&ant
findings''and he'd seen a gastroenterologist in 'E2 for irritable
bowel!
)learly, they hadn't &ross'referen&ed edi&al files with eployee
re&ords when )lyde had wor%ed at the hospital as #ouglas
#a4ella! That ade sense, given patient &onfidentiality and
logisti&al &onsiderations!
#avid 1otted down #a4ella's so&ial se&urity nuber, date of birth,
and address''2I22 *earson (d! He'd 1ust noted that the address
was in 4eni&e when his pager went off, its te6t essage alerting
hi to get down to the 0( iediately!
)hapter <?
"H0$ *at ignored #avid, he thought it was erely residual ill
will fro their &onfrontation earlier in the wee%, but the entire staff
was stiff with hi as he ade his way to the )entral "or% Area! He
&ouldn't find the attending on &all, so he tapped a nurse on the
shoulder as she passed! 7)an you tell e what's going on97
7Bou haven't heard97 She had a &ruel, stupid fa&e and wore too
u&h eye shadow!
7+ guess not,7 #avid said!
A edi&ine intern loo%ed up fro his paperwor%! 7There's been
another atta&%, #r! Spier!7
#avid felt the air leave his lungs all at on&e! 75n who9 "ho is
it97
The )"A was full, but no one answered! They stared with dull,
ipla&able eyes, or turned ba&% to their &harts! 7"ho is it97 he said
again!
The edi&ine intern angled his head toward the door to Hallway
Two and #avid wal%ed out at a fast &lip! Bronner sluped in a &hair
near the door to 06a 0ight! .en%ins stood over hi, sipping &offee
fro a Styrofoa &up!
.en%ins loo%ed at #avid with ore &on&ern than anger, whi&h
sent #avid's an6iety through the roof! He strode toward the door
and shoved it open!
#iane lay on the bed inside, her forehead and right &hee%
blistered in strea%s and pat&hes! A series of raised white bubbles
ringed her right eye!
#avid stepped forward, dazed, his hand swiping the air several
ties before finding the ba&% of a &hair! He leaned! A tingling
warth spread a&ross his fa&e, and he blin%ed hard several ties
to stri%e preeptively against tears!
#iane loo%ed away! 7That bad, huh97
He %new his voi&e would be unsteady, so he waited a oent to
spea%! 7$o,7 he said! 3ighting to %eep his eotions fro
overwheling hi, he &rossed to her bed, dragging the &hair along
with hi! She still didn't eet his eyes! He wanted desperately to
tou&h her, to &aress her fa&e, but &ould not! Her hair, still wet fro
saline irrigation, had dar%ened the pillow! He too% her hand, and
she let hi!
He sat at the side of her bed!
7Bou 1ust issed plasti&s! )an't do anything a&utely! *robably
have soe s&arring, but no disfiguring &ontra&tions! $eosporin and
Silvadene, blah blah blah! "ait and see! Should be fine!7 Head still
turned, she laughed to herself, a nasty little laugh! 7"ait and see!7
75phthalology97 #avid as%ed, still not trusting his voi&e to for
longer senten&es!
7Hourly *red 3orte, )ipro four ties a day! Mild &orneal epithelial
erosion, faint anterior stroal haziness, no is&hei& ne&rosis of
perilibal &on1un&tiva or s&lera!7 She shoo% her head! 7"ords! -ots
of words!7
7*rognosis97
7+ should have little or no &orneal s&arring!7 She raised an inde6
finger and twirled it lazily! 7"hoopee!7
#avid e6haled, relieved! 7Bou're very lu&%y!7
7-u&%y! God, do we sound that stupid to people who &oe in
here9 + don't feel lu&%y, #avid!7
He weathered her burst of anger /uietly! She was entitled to it!
After a oent, he as%ed, 7"here did he ! ! ! 97
70ptied out edi&ine gel&aps, filled the with al%ali &rystals!
Then, he bro%e into y pla&e, uns&rewed y showerhead, and
stu&% the behind there! Hot water elts the &apsules! *resto!
-i/uid al%ali!7
7"ho thin%s of that97 #avid as%ed in disbelief!
7+ hate to &onfess + find it soewhat ingenious! +f he'd 1ust
pa&%ed the showerhead with straight &rystals, it would've &logged
up, or + would've noted the iediate &hange in water &olor! 5f
&ourse, it was slightly diluted, whi&h is why + &an see you right now!7
He pi&%ed at the s%in of his &uti&le, drawing blood! 7That bastard!
That sadisti& bastard!7 He stood up and pa&ed around the roo!
7This is y fault!7
7This isn't your fault, #avid!7 Her fa&e reained turned away!
7*ardon y anners, but + don't really feel li%e being &oforting
right now!7 Her voi&e softened, though she still didn't turn to hi!
7+t's a fu&%ed situation! -et's use it for what it's worth! Bou told e
he sensed you and + were &lose when + burst in on you in his roo
in the 0(! He probably did this to piss you off or get ba&% at you for
soething! +'d guess that +' a&tually irrelevant!7
#avid stared at the ba&% of her head, adiring her, still waiting
for the heat to leave his fa&e!
7+t's a ore elaborate setup,7 #iane &ontinued! 7$ot to ention a
tedious, tie'&onsuing one!7 Her voi&e &olored with a&riony!
75ur little boy's growing up!7
#avid tried to thin%, but &ouldn't find his way through the 1uble
of his eotions! He wal%ed over and stood beside her bed! 7-oo% at
e!7
7$o!7 Her shoulders began to sha%e!
7#iane! -oo% at e!7
Her voi&e, tiny li%e a &hild's, was wren&hed high! 7+ &an't!7
)rou&hing, he rea&hed out and tou&hed her unarred &hin, ever
so gently, and turned her fa&e to his! The blisters were sli&% and
shiny with &rea, and they lea%ed a pale yellow fluid!
She tried to turn her fa&e away, but he didn't let her! Her lips
were trebling so hard she &ould barely spea%! 7+ loo% repulsive! +
ust loo% repulsive to you!7
7"e're beyond that, #iane!7 His voi&e was hard, reprianding!
She wavered on the verge of tears, her fa&e fighting itself! 7+'ve
s&raped out bedsores,7 he said! 7+'ve pa&%ed infe&ted abdoinal
wounds! +'ve &ut into gallbladders that spilled green bile! +'ve seen
enough of the huan body for si6 lifeties''seen enough to %now
not to ta%e it literally!7 He leaned forward, his fa&e in&hes fro hers!
She et his stare, her eyes green and sooth! 7Bou are as
beautiful as you have ever been,7 he said!
She rea&hed up with trebling fingers, too% his hand, and
pressed it to her &hest!
The gray s%y had given way to showers! After du&%ing the press
outside the hospital, #avid drove hoe &arefully; the anoalous
bursts of rain of the past few days had brought the oils to the
surfa&e of the roads! He wat&hed the windshield wipers beating
double tie, trying to let the &lear his ind! *uddles spotted the
dar% streets li%e pools of oil! The roads were deserted; the rain had
even driven the dogged Tibet pi&%eters fro the sidewal% outside
the 3ederal Building!
He had wanted to stay with #iane through the night, but found he
&ouldn't! He held a reservoir of strength for su&h things''pain
steeped in personal eotion''and for the past two years, his wife's
eory had drawn steadily fro it! Thoughts of #iane wor%ed on
hi fro the inside, guilt and fury searing hi!
He thought of )lyde's dull, flat head, the odd, de&aying odor of
his body, li%e rotting wood, the fat fingers that rubbed and slid
aong theselves li%e rodents &lustering for warth! #avid
iagined hi holed up in a dar% roo, lur%ing and plotting and
healing, wrapped in a blan%et of unutterable sorrow! )lyde's wiring
was off! He was bro%en!
#avid's edi&al ethi&s seeed distant right now, stolid and brittle
li%e shelf things! He re&alled Bale's aspersion''you don't %now u&h
about how things wor% on the street''and it stung li%e a virgin blow!
#avid had been a &hild playing with a loaded gun! The ost painful
thing of all was that he'd suffered none of the &onse/uen&es
hiself! #iane had!
The Mer&edes's tires whipped through puddles, sending water
haering up on the under&arriage of his &ar! Through the bleary
windshield, he saw flashing red lights ahead on San 4i&ente! An
abulan&e had pulled over near the lawned edian, beside a &ar
that had s%idded off &ourse and sashed into one of the gnarled
&oral trees!
#igging in the po&%et of his white &oat for his stethos&ope, #avid
pulled over behind the abulan&e! A woan lay on her ba&% in the
grass, two 0MTs %neeling over her with a ba&%board!
#avid sprang out, his shoes pooling with water as he splashed
through a puddle to his trun%, where he %ept his father's old'
fashioned leather do&tor's bag for eergen&ies! 7#o you need any
help97 he &alled out!
5ne of the 0MTs deli&ately wrapped a )'spine &ollar around the
woan's ne&% and se&ured it with a strap a&ross her forehead! 7"e
got it &overed,7 he said!
7#id you &he&% her airway97
7"e got it under &ontrol, buddy!7
#avid pulled to a halt, his stethos&ope dangling fro his hand!
7+' an 0( do&tor!7
5n a three'&ount, the two 0MTs raised the ba&%board and
headed ba&% to the open doors of the abulan&e! A oent later,
the vehi&le was off, siren s&reaing!
Behind hi, #avid heard the pinging open door alert fro his &ar!
The abulan&e faded slowly fro view! He stood in the rain, the
&rashed &ar steaing before hi, water dripping fro his hair and
running over his lips!
He didn't feel u&h li%e going hoe!
)hapter <D
#A4+# pulled into the garage and ade his way ba&% through
the house to his bedroo, reoving his &lothes as he wal%ed! He
stood at the foot of the bed in his bo6ers, wat&hing through the bare
window as the rain &ae down in sheets!
Bed felt soft and divine, even ore &ofortable for the stor
brewing outside! He put in his earplugs and burrowed beneath the
&overs! A roll of thunder rattled the windowpane above his head,
but not loudly enough to wa%e hi!
As he slept, rain drued softly on the roof!
A li&% of lightning lit the s%y, throwing the outline of #avid's
window, a s%ewed, yellow re&tangle bro%en at the botto by the
waving tips of fronds, against the far wall! A few oents later,
another low ruble vibrated through the air!
"hen lightning lit #avid's window again, the outline &ast against
the wall was bro%en by a an's silhouette! "ide and distorted, it
reained perfe&tly still above the frenzied waving of foliage
shadows! The lines of the silhouette were so distin&t that even the
water dripping fro the an's oversize head was visible! The bla&%
for seeed to float on the far wall, hovering over #avid's sleeping
body!
+t fli&%ered on the wall for only a oent before the roo fell
ba&% into dar%ness!
His sli&% loafers s%idded on the %it&hen linoleu, and *eter felt
his balan&e go! He let hiself topple over stiffly, so as to %eep his
legs straight and out of the way, and bro%e his fall evenly with his
ars and &hest! +f there was one thing he %new, it was how to fall
well!
Getting up, however, was usually a bit ore diffi&ult! He too%
sto&% of his libs! His right %nee&ap, e6posed between the two
strips of etal that ran down the length of his leg, throbbed a bit!
-ying on his side on the &old %it&hen floor, he tugged at his pant leg
and it hi%ed up over his &alf before &at&hing on his bra&e! A few
ore tugs and his %nee &ae into sight! +t would swell ni&ely, but
the s%in was not bro%en! 0ven so, he'd probably have to dig his
ortho &ane out of the &loset and use it for the ne6t few days! "hi&h
he hated!
*eter turned ba&% onto his stoa&h, his breath stirring a few
toast &rubs near the base of the &ounter, and pushed hiself up
and ba&% onto his stiff legs! A nearby stool gave hi the grip he
needed, and he wal%ed his hands slowly up its etal ba&%, &areful
not to let it s%ate out, his legs sliding to verti&al beneath hi!
His pant leg reained stu&% up over his %nee, the fabri& tangled
in a bolt at the 1oint! He wiped the sweat off his forehead with a
&upped hand and began the slow waddle ba&% to his bedroo,
trying not to thin% about what would happen when he was seventy!
5r eighty!
His hands found their failiar pla&es, pla&es where the wallpaper
had been worn thin, the &ounters polished to a shine! -eaning
against the bathroo &ounter, he brushed his teeth! "hen he
turned to his bed, he noti&ed the thin water stain left a&ross his pant
thighs fro the &ounter!
He reoved his shirt and belt, then unbuttoned his pants, and let
the fall! The tangle over his right %nee reained, and he wor%ed
the pant leg out fro where it had wedged in his bra&e! Shuffling a
few steps to the bed, he turned and sat, then released the &at&hes
near his %nees that peritted his bra&es to bend! Breathing hard,
he reoved his shoes and tossed the toward the &loset, where
they landed in a pile of stret&hed, distorted footwear! He lifted his
feet fro the puddle of his pants and then, finally, reoved the leg
bra&es! (ed indentations lay in bands a&ross his thighs and along
the outsides of his heels! $ear these indentations, the s%in was dry
and &ra&%ed, and his eyes rolled ba&% in his head as he rubbed
the!
He lifted his legs into bed, assisting with his hands, and wiggled
to get hiself under the &overs! He noti&ed he'd forgotten to &lose
the blinds, and he stared at his own refle&tion in the dar% window,
&onfronting an ine6pli&able sense of unease that too% a few
oents to dissipate! Given the steps he'd have to go through to
get ba&% up, the window was a good ten inutes away!
The nightstand lap, on the other hand, was only an in&h out of
rea&h! He had to roll over to get to the swit&h! A soft &li&% and the
roo was bathed in dar%ness!
He fell into a deep and iediate sleep!
#alton swung open the front door, wearing a threadbare red'and'
white striped bathrobe! He saw .en%ins standing out in the pouring
rain, and lowered his hand so his gun rested against his thigh!
"ater pasted .en%ins's hair to his head! He blin%ed twi&e to &lear
it fro his eyes, but ade no ove to enter! 7Bou loo% li%e a fu&%ing
&andy &ane,7 he said!
7Bou drove over here at two in the orning in the rain to tell e
that97 5ne of the girls &alled fro down the hall, and #alton leaned
away fro the door! 7+t's o%ay! Go ba&% to sleep87 He rea&hed out,
fisted .en%ins's shirt, and pulled hi inside! .en%ins followed hi
into the %it&hen!
#alton turned on the light and a ouse s&urried under a &abinet!
He reoved two 5ld Milwau%ees fro the refrigerator and sat at
the table! 7#on't %no&% the robe,7 he said! 7+t was :athy's! + li%e sl'' 7
He slid one &an a&ross the table at .en%ins and opened the other!
7+t was :athy's!7
.en%ins had pulled his &hair out fro the table so he fa&ed the
wall! He slou&hed in the &hair, his posture unusually la6! #alton
waited patiently! After a while, he finished his beer and rea&hed
a&ross the table for .en%ins's, whi&h sat full! He was halfway
through that one before .en%ins spo%e! 7+ &an't see her,7 he said!
7$an&e97
He nodded! 7+ &an't go in there anyore! + tried yesterday, but +
got to the &urtain and &ouldn't pull it aside! She &alled out, as%ed
who was there, and + turned and left!7
#alton sipped his beer! He &leared his throat but didn't spea%!
7My little sister,7 .en%ins said! 7She eant ore to e than
anything in the world!7
The only noise was the /uiet ti&%ing of the &ra&%ed plasti& &lo&%
above the sin%!
7+ wish she was dead,7 .en%ins said! After a oent, #alton
realized he was &rying! He was an ine6perien&ed &rier, all gasps
and 1er%s! #alton wal%ed slowly to the light swit&h and fli&%ed it
ba&% off, then returned to his seat!
7Than%s,7 .en%ins said!
They sat /uietly in the dar%ness, #alton o&&asionally sipping his
beer!
#avid awa%ened at three in the orning, and it was as though
he'd never fallen asleep! The sae iages had followed hi fro
e6haustion into sleep, and then ba&% out again! #iane dabbing
&easelessly at the weeping wounds on her fa&e! Their %iss at the
par%! Tae as it had been, his %iss with #iane had been wonderful!
+t had also been unsettling, and he suddenly realized why! He had
grown a&&ustoed to feeling other people's flesh only when
e6aining the! He as%ed hiself whether soe part of hi was
as fearful of huan &onta&t as )lyde was!
After forty inutes of lying in dar%ness, #avid rose fro his bed!
He sat in the living roo and tried to read a edi&al 1ournal but
&ould not &on&entrate! )hanging into wor%out &lothes, he went into
the garage and ran on the treadill for a half hour! After his shower,
he lay in bed again, studying the &eiling, the plants s&raping softly
at the dar% window overhead!
At five, he fell into a fitful sleep, full of 1er%s and treors! He
awo%e several ties, bathed in sweat, the sheets wrapped around
his legs! At si6 o'&lo&%, he rose and showered again, went to the
study dripping wet, and raised the drape fro the &o&%atoo's &age!
He wat&hed the bird slowly awa%en, li%e a e&hani&al toy
&oing to life! 7"here's 0lisabeth97 it as%ed! 7"here's 0lisabeth97
At si6'thirty, a sudden and irresistible urge to do laundry seized
hi! He grabbed the haper fro his bedroo and sorted his
laundry &arefully by &olor, washing the dar% blues with the bla&%s
and browns, and leaving the light blue s&rubs for the ne6t load! As
he awaited the washer's &hie, he sat in the laundry roo and
wat&hed the applian&e vibrate and hu!
"hen he finished, he stood over the war ound of &lothes on
his bed and began to separate the ites! "ith the slow autoati&
oveents of a robot, he lined the so&%s in pairs, sta&%ed his
bo6ers, folded his shirts in tight ilitary re&tangles!
His s&rub bottos were all folded identi&ally, and he laid one pair
on top of another until they rose li%e a sooth blue tower! 5ne of
the pant legs was a half in&h out of line with the others and he
pulled it out and refolded it, refolded it, refolded it, his hands
wor%ing in short &on&ise oveents until they began to treble
and then the sta&% blurred before hi and he turned to sit on the
bed, using one hand to lower hiself slowly, and the sobs seized
hi fro the &hest up, his breath &oing in short &ho%ing gasps,
and he &overed his eyes with a &upped hand though there was no
one there to see and wept for the first tie in two years!
)hapter <I
#A4+# double'&he&%ed the address he'd 1otted on a slip of paper
as he pulled the &ar to the &urb near the interse&tion of Butler and
+owa! +t was 2DDF Butler Ave! The "est -A #ivision poli&e station
would have been another dull &ity building if the &urved
entran&eway hadn't been tiled a fantasti& reddish'orange!
#avid par%ed in the lot a&ross the street beneath the red'and'
white etal tower he'd sighted fro Santa Moni&a Boulevard! He'd
heard siilar stru&tures referred to on T4 shows as repeaters; they
were presuably used for radio &onta&t between poli&e vehi&les!
The s%y, gray and heavy fro last night's stor, loo%ed as though it
ight not return to its suer blue without another downpour!
His head swiing drun%enly fro his sleepless night, he
&rossed the street to the station! He had to push hard into the
heavy glass doors to get the to swing! *robably bullet proof! The
lobby selled of dust! Two des% offi&ers anned the sprawl of the
wooden &ounter, one fa&ing away fro the entran&e, typing
hypnoti&ally on a &oputer! A #r *epper a&hine hued against
the near wall, boo%ending a row of ustard'yellow &hairs! A sign
pro&laiing investigators hung overhead, with an arrow pointing
down a hall! The ain des% offi&er, a bla&% woan in her late
thirties, stood with one hand on a &o&%ed hip, arguing with
soeone on the telephone!
#avid realized he'd never been in a poli&e station! 0ver!
A bulletin board labeled west la predators hosted several &rie'
alert flyers, a &oposite s%et&h of )lyde staring va&antly fro the
one pinned dead &enter! A sta&% of e6tra flyers sat on the nearest
yellow &hair, and #avid too% one of )lyde, folded it, and slid it into
his po&%et!
He headed for the en's roo at the end of the lobby, wanting to
ta%e a oent to bra&e hiself! The bathroo floor and walls were
overlaid with yellow and avo&ado'green tiles! The fier&e lighting
ade the whole roo shine li%e a dentist's offi&e, and he left before
his in&ipient heada&he &ould gain oentu! He waited patiently
at the front &ounter while the woan ignored hi, dire&ting her
&onsiderable energies toward the telephone handset!
7That is the way it wor%s, sir! Bou are to &oe down here if you'd
li%e to file a report! That is all we &an do! ! ! ! -isten to e! -isten to
e! -isten to e! That! +s! All! "e! )an! #o!7 She glared at the
handset suddenly, as if it were to blae for the fa&t she'd been
hung up on! +t &langed loudly ba&% into pla&e beneath the &ounter!
Then she loo%ed up at #avid for the first tie! 7Bes97
7+ need to spea% with #ete&tive Bale!7
7"as he e6pe&ting you97
7Bes! "ell, no, but + thin%''7
7"ell, whi&h is it9 Bes or no97
7-oo%, 5ffi&er, y nae is #avid Spier! +' a physi&ian at the
,)-A eergen&y roo! + wanted to tal% to hi about the al%ali
throwings! He said to &all anytie!7
She glan&ed #avid up and down! 7+ don't see no phone!7
7+ thought it would be better to handle this atter in person!7
She pi&%ed up the telephone and wedged it between her &hee%
and shoulder! Assuing she was a%ing soe sort of in/uiry &all,
#avid strolled over and pretended to study the #r *epper a&hine!
Her tradear% hang'up nearly rattled the windows!
7Hey, you! #o&tor'an! Go down this &orridor! This one! Bou're
going to go up to the se&ond floor! $o! $o! Stop! That door! 5%ay!7
She hit a button beneath the &ounter and the door in front of hi
buzzed!
He pushed through and ade his way upstairs to find another
lobby with another &ounter! A gruff offi&er was waiting for hi,
ree%ing of &offee, the edge of his brown usta&he dar%ened by a
re&ent beverage! 7"ell, well, well,7 he said! 7+f it isn't #r! :evor%ian!7
He loo%ed behind hi, presuably for soeone to laugh at his
1o%e!
7+' loo%ing for #ete&tive Bale!7
7#ete&tive Bale is in &ourt this orning and won't be rea&hable!7
He pawed his hand down over his usta&he and wiped it on his
&heap sla&%s! 7+ &an handle whatever atter you have!7
7+'d really prefer to spea% with hi!7
7Then &oe ba&% toorrow!7
#avid inhaled deeply, druing his fingers on the &ountertop!
7How about #ete&tive #alton97
7#ete&tive #alton too% the afternoon off!7
7"here is he97
7+ &an't tell you that!7
7+ was told by both en to &onta&t the iediately if + had
anything iportant to tell the!7
The offi&er loo%ed unipressed!
7Bou %now what this is regarding,7 #avid added!
7+f you have anything iportant to dis&uss, you should dis&uss it
with e!7 The &op saw he was getting nowhere and heaved a
&offee'stale sigh! 7All right, #o&tor! #alton's up at the A&adey!
Bou'll find hi behind the graduation field!7
#avid got turned around three ties trying to find his way, but
finally drove up a hill and saw the etal sign stret&hed between two
stone towers with Spanish tile does, los angeles poli&e a&adey
spanning its width in gold letters! A series of stu&&o buildings and
terra&es reinis&ent of a grandee's ha&ienda, the A&adey wor%ed
its way up the slope of a hill! A sentry post stood near the base of
one of the stone towers, and a blond guard anned the booth!
#avid heard the &ra&% of gunfire fro a nearby shooting range!
3eeling a bit uneasy, unsure if a&&ess to the A&adey was
restri&ted, #avid approa&hed the sentry! 7Hello,7 he said! 7+ was
hoping you &ould point e to the graduation field!7
Her sile, fast and radiant, reinded hi of #iane's! 7Absolutely,
sir! +t's right up here!7 She raised a gloved hand and pointed!
He nodded his than%s and trudged up the hill, turning left onto
the wide field! #own at the end, he noti&ed a pi&ni& ground and
re&ognized #alton's slup near the iense barbe&ue pit! As
#avid drew &lose, two girls &ae into view, sitting behind #alton at
a battered pi&ni& table! They sat perfe&tly still, a few badly wrapped
presents in a sall pile before the! A breeze %i&%ed up, and the
younger one shivered!
#avid paused, %nowing he shouldn't intrude!
#alton pulled a two'liter bottle of )o%e fro a plasti& bag, whi&h
proptly blew away in the wind! He &hased it down and turned
ba&% to the barbe&ue, only to find the hot dogs on fire! He poured
soe )o%e over the to put the out, and pulled the fro the
bla&%ened grill onto a paper plate! #avid ba&%ed away, but #alton
spotted hi before he &ould leave unnoti&ed!
#alton wore a red flannel shirt and a pair of 1eans, ended badly
at one %nee! The left leg of his 1eans flared at the an%le, aybe
fro a gun! 7Still want to help the si&% fugitive, #o&97
#avid did not respond!
7This is personal tie for e,7 #alton said, turning ba&% to the
soggy hot dogs! 7My little girl's birthday party!7
7+' sorry,7 #avid said! 7+ wouldn't have &oe if +'d %nown! + was
told you were at the A&adey, so + figured it was wor%'related!7 He
leaned over toward the girl, hands on his %nees! 7How old are you97
he as%ed!
#alton nodded at his younger daughter! 7Go ahead and answer!7
He glan&ed ba&% at #avid self'&ons&iously!
7Ten,7 the girl said! Her fa&e, stained with food, was downturned
and sad! Her older sister didn't loo% u&h happier!
A hoeade &a%e sat lopsided on a sheet of &ardboard at the
end of the table! #alton slid two burnt hot dogs, oist with )o%e,
into buns and set the plates in front of the girls! The older daughter
pried at the hot dog with a glittery pin% fingernail, and the burnt shell
&rubled a bit!
7Go on,7 #alton said! 7+t's not that bad!7 He fi6ed hiself a hot
dog, too% a bite, and pretended to en1oy it!
The girls stared at their plates! The little one loo%ed as if she
ight start &rying! A volley of gunshots e&hoed in the ba&%ground,
and the &hildren 1er%ed in their seats!
7+' going to tal% to the an for a oent, girls,7 #alton said! He
nodded at his ten'year'old affe&tionately! 7Bou &an go ahead and
open your presents!7
He strode off toward the graduation field, and #avid followed!
Ars &rossed, #alton fa&ed hi! 7"hat97 he as%ed!
7+'d li%e to put our differen&es aside and offer whatever help +
&an,7 #avid said!
7After you've been /uestioning our 1udgent9 Getting in our
way97
7+ %now you were doing what you thought was right''7
7#o&, + a%e thirty'two thousand dollars a year after ta6es! "hat
the fu&% do you thin% + do things for9 The oney97
7+ don't &are anyore,7 #avid said! 7+ 1ust want to help!7
7"hat, now that soeone you li%e got hit97
#alton ust have seen the pain in his fa&e be&ause he loo%ed
down at the ground! A re&ently dis&arded &igarette soldered in the
grass, and #alton stubbed it with a savage twist of his foot! #avid
&ould see on the side of his shoe where he'd &olored the worn
leather with a brown pen!
7"hy should + wor% with you97 #alton &ontinued! 7Bou're the guy
who tells the 1ury this guy needs to go to the nuthouse!7
7"hy don't we &at&h hi first, then de&ide what to do with hi97
7Still we, huh9 Sees to e you got a .esus &ople6, #o&! And
let e tell you soething! +t's stupid to thin% you &an save anyone
else! That's a lie reserved for fils and shitty novels!7 #alton
studied the tip of his shoe! 7There's no we about this! Bale and +
have it under &ontrol! #on't get involved!7
#alton's eyes were hard and intra&table! To a%e any progress,
#avid %new he'd have to deal with Bale! The dete&tive at the station
had said Bale was in &ourt''aybe he was ba&% by now!
#alton turned to &he&% on his girls! The hot dogs sat on the
plates before the, uneaten!
7+' sorry to have bothered you,7 #avid said! He e6tended his
hand and after a oent, #alton too% it!
7.en%ins isn't a bad guy, you %now,7 #alton said! 7He thin%s li%e
you do! Bou gotta &ut out disease!7
He did not release #avid's hand, and #avid did not pull it away!
7)utting is always a last resort,7 #avid said!
7+'d say we've rea&hed the last resort,7 #alton said! 7"ouldn't
you97
#avid was too spent to argue!
7Me and .en%ins,7 #alton &ontinued, 7we 1ust figure enough shit
goes wrong in the world without soeone planning it!7
#alton's younger daughter began to &ry, drawing his attention!
She lowered an unwrapped Barbie doll into her lap, as her older
sister tried to &onsole her! #alton dropped #avid's hand and 1ogged
over!
7"hat's wrong97 #avid heard hi say!
The older girl glared at hi! 7She already has a #o&tor Barbie!
Mo would've %nown that! Mo used to %eep tra&% of stuff li%e
that!7
#alton &rou&hed in front of his younger daughter and s/ueezed
her thin little an%les! She wiped her tears with a tiny fist! 7+' sorry,7
she said! 7+t's not that! + don't &are about that!7 Another volley of
gunshots e&hoed over fro the range, startling her upright, then
she &ontinued &rying! The &louds &lustered dar% and oinous
overhead! (ain would soon ruin #alton's little pi&ni&!
#alton loo%ed up fro his &rou&h, a bit shyly, and nodded! #avid
returned the gesture and left hi with his faily!
The des% offi&er at "est -A &o&%ed her head and glared at #avid
with annoyan&e! 7$o, #ete&tive Bale hasn't &oe ba&% in! "hy
don't you leave a essage97
7*lease tell hi''7
7+ %now, + %now! #r! Spier stopped by! 3ine! Than%s!7
#avid left and sat in his Mer&edes in the par%ing lot a&ross fro
the station, %eeping an eye on the entran&e! He listened to the
radio for a while as he waited! Boredo began to set in after about
a half hour, and he debated leaving and finding Bale later!
A %no&% on the driver's window startled hi! He turned to see
Bale &rou&hed over, a barely per&eptible sile on his fa&e! #avid
rolled down the window!
7)an + help you97 Bale said!
7+'d li%e to tal% to you about soe things!7
7Spe&ifi&s are helpful!7
7The &ase,7 #avid said! 7+n private!7
Bale too% hi upstairs and en&losed hi in an interrogation
roo, &oplete with an observation irror! He left hi in there
alone about fifteen inutes, probably ena&ting an intiidation
strategy he'd learned in soe noirish dete&tive &ourse! #avid
studied the &arving in the wood table beneath his hands! Tyrone's
waiting for your sweet little pun% ass! +n/uire in -A )ounty .ail, )ell
>2F! High s&hool et&hings with a street verna&ular!
+nto the ba&% of one of the &hairs, soeone had et&hed the three
wise on%eys wearing gangsta shades''see no evil, hear no evil,
spea% no evil! An apt trio of as&ots for an interrogation roo!
3inally, Bale entered! He pulled up a &hair opposite #avid!
7+ want to help you &at&h hi,7 #avid said! 7And don't tell e to
tal% to the *ubli& +nforation 5ffi&er! + &an help you! -et e help!7
"hen Bale stood up and pa&ed behind hi, #avid resisted the
urge to turn and %eep hi in sight! 7And what do you want97 Bale
as%ed!
7+ want the guarantee you wouldn't give e earlier! That )lyde
won't be ta%en into an alley and shot!7
Bale let out his breath in a long rush! 7+ don't get you! This guy
has atta&%ed your &olleagues and now your girlfriend, and you're
still hell'bent on prote&ting hi! "hen do you get ad97
#avid felt his fa&e &olor with intensity! 7+' ad already! But that's
not relevant!7
7"hen do you want revenge97
7+' not about revenge! +' happy to leave that to .en%ins! And
)lyde!7
7He's es&aped! $o longer under your &are! "hy do you still give
a shit97
7+ want to deliver hi to the authorities safely, as he would have
been had + not &ontributed to his being in this position!7 #avid
leaned forward, hands resting on the table! 7-isten! +' going to
have a&&ess to a lot of inforation! "ould you rather + shared it
with another law agen&y97
Bale &ir&led around and sat opposite #avid again! 7+ &an't give
you a guarantee''now or ever''but + &an tell you this: This &ase has
be&oe too u&h of a edia &ir&us for .en%ins to be allowed
latitude within it! The Mayor's been &ra&%ing the whip! "e have
pressure &oing at us fro all angles! Things will go by the boo%!
And if you don't trust y interpretation of the politi&al situation, trust
y selfish nature! Shit is not &oing down on y ass! .en%ins's
sister too% it fro the wrong end, and that is &ertainly unfavorable,
but + a not having y &ase fu&%ed up! There was a tie when
.en%ins ight have had an ! ! ! outlet ! ! ! but that tie has long
passed!7 He let his hands slap to the table!
He and #avid regarded ea&h other for what seeed a very long
tie!
7+f a &op shoots )lyde in self'defense, or in defense of soe
other vi&ti, would that be o%ay with you97 Bale as%ed!
The harsh realities of the &ase haered #avid even through
his haze of e6haustion! )lyde had whipped the &ity into a hurri&ane
frenzy! )onsidering all the for&es at wor% felt li%e sifting through the
afterath of soe natural disaster! 0very new bit of inforation
seeed only to in&rease the burden on #avid's shoulders!
#avid weighed Bale's /uestion &autiously! 7$o! But it would be
a&&eptable!7
7"hat are you offering e97
7+ have a&&ess to )lyde's edi&al re&ords! +' the only one he's
really spo%en to, and + believe he's atta&hed to e in soe ways
that ight prove helpful down the line! + &an assist you in navigating
through the hospital bureau&ra&y should the ne&essity arise!
Anything new + dis&over, + give to you!7
7+ don't want you interfering with our investigation!7
7+'ll stay out of your way!7
Bale settled ba&% in his &hair with a sigh! 7+' still gonna treat you
li%e the dirt dog you are in front of y &olleagues be&ause + don't
want the to %now we're dealing!7
7Are we dealing97
7$ot yet!7 Bale slid a business &ard a&ross the table! 7This is y
pager nuber! 5nly tal% to e!7
7My preferen&e!7 Still no pa&t, but it seeed they were a%ing
headway! 7How did he get into #r! Tra&e's apartent97
7She's listed! There are two Tra&es in the area, and the other
one's not #o&tor! The front door of her &ople6 is a siple bar lo&%,
&an be pi&%ed with half a brain and a tilted &redit &ard! ,sed a
regular pi&% set on her apartent door! $o prints, sudges
&onsistent with late6 gloves! S+# &ouldn't even find a partial! "e
found he dropped a &ouple e6tra do&tored &apsules in her Tylenol
bottle, in &ase she popped a few of those first!7 Bale &hewed his lip,
his features softening! 7+t sees we all underestiated this guy!7
)hapter <J
#A4+# stood at the &ounter in Medi&al (e&ords, staring down at
)lyde Slade's file! He'd spent about an hour at the station, filling in
Bale but withholding the theories he wanted to flesh out ore in his
own ind! And of &ourse, he'd ade no ention of 0d! 5n the drive
hoe, he'd re&eived a page fro Medi&al (e&ords, inforing hi
)lyde's file had arrived!
Again, the &ler% was listening to the #odgers gae, staring at the
radio as though that would enhan&e the e6perien&e! He bro%e off
his intent fo&us to glan&e at the s%ipy file! 7$ot u&h there, huh97
he said!
#avid flipped open the file, revealing a single sheet! The note at
the top: Aditted JK2FKIF for $*+ study under #r! .! *! )onnolly!
A tingling swept a&ross #avid's body: the feeling of nailing a
diffi&ult diagnosis!
August 2F! The day of $an&y's atta&%! )lyde had been aditted
for the study twenty'eight years before''to the day! He would have
been ten years old! The study was a li%ely sour&e of his fear of the
$europsy&hiatri& +nstitute and of #ash as its representative! Maybe
the date had been an un&ons&ious trigger, a pre&ipitating event for
)lyde's assaults! *sy&hologists refer to the phenoenon as the
anniversary syndroe''people entering depressions on the
anniversaries of the deaths of their loved ones, post'trauati&
stress vi&tis feeling their an6iety es&alate on the anniversaries of
the original traua!
The study's lead resear&her, #r! .! *! )onnolly, had been a
world'renowned psy&hologist! A &lose friend of #avid's parents, he
had grown soewhat &antan%erous in the final years of his life!
He'd passed away about a de&ade ago!
#avid glan&ed down the page! The only other note indi&ated a
respiratory infe&tion )lyde had sustained in Septeber of 'IF''the
reason for the file's e6isten&e in Medi&al (e&ords as opposed to the
$*+'s!
#avid pi&%ed up the phone and rea&hed #ash at the offi&e! He
too% a few steps away fro the &ounter, lowering his voi&e, though
the des% &ler% seeed iersed in the ball gae! 7Hi, #ash! #id
you loo% for that $*+ file + as%ed you about97
7#espite y better 1udgent! $othing &ae up under either
nae!7
7+ found a peds file for )lyde Slade! Shows he was entered in a
study run out of the $*+ by )onnolly in August of 'IF!7
7That's odd! There's nothing here under Slade''+ did a thorough
sear&h! Hang on a se&, +' logged on right now!7 The sound of
%eyboard stro%es! 7$othing about a )onnolly study in August either!
5f any %ind!7
7"hy would files be issing97
7+ don't %now! (estri&ted, aybe! 5r )onnolly &ould have %ept
his files at hoe! He did have funding fro a variety of sour&es!7
7But shouldn't there at least be &opies at the $*+97
7Bes! And the 1ournal in whi&h the study was published! But
there's nothing!7
7All right! Than%s for your help!7 #avid hung up, his enthusias
under&ut by the nagging sense of soething as%ew!
The wal%way was as #avid reebered it as a &hild, a thin path
twisting through gardens to the front door! The gardens theselves,
however, were hardly re&ognizable, so overgrown were they with
weeds and pat&hes of sourgrass! The tradear% arigolds drooped
in lip &lusters, ba%ed brown by the heat!
#avid had not been to the )onnollys' house in over twenty'five
years! He re&alled dar% leather furniture, thi&% &arpeting, and the
pervasive, &oforting sell of a pipe! "hen he %no&%ed on the
front door, a distant, warbling voi&e sounded fro within! 7.ust a
inute, please!7
Mrs! )onnolly's estiate was overly abitious; it too% her nearly
two inutes to get to the door! )lut&hing a tissue that had been
worried to shreds, she gazed up at #avid! 5ld and /uite frail, she
wore a heavy &otton nightgown de&orated with flowers! The s%in of
her ars draped in wrin%led sheets over her bones! 7Bes97
7Hello, +' #avid! .anet Spier's son!7 #avid realized too late that
he'd negle&ted to ention his father!
75h y goodness!7 The woan's eyes grew watery! Her hand
des&ribed a fretful ar& in the air with the tissue! 7#avid, + haven't
seen you sin&e God %nows! + 1ust &an't believe it! How handsoe
you are!7 She rea&hed out and stro%ed the front of his white &oat
on&e, reverently!
7+t's good to see you, Mrs! )onnolly!7
7+ reeber you used to run around wearing your other's white
&oat! +t would be down to your shins!7 A faint, sad grin et&hed itself
on her fa&e! 7+ was so sorry to hear about her!7
7Than% you! My father too!7
75h dear,7 Mrs! )onnolly said! 75h dear!7
7And +' sorry about your husband! + don't believe we've spo%en
sin&e he passed! #r! )onnolly was a great psy&hologist!7
7Bes!7 Her head bobbed with tiny nods, perhaps a *ar%inson's
treor! She stepped ba&%, opening the door! 7*lease &oe in! +t's
been so long sin&e +'ve had a visitor! "hat propted you to stop
by97
7+ ! ! ! + a&tually wanted to %now if your husband %ept any of his
old files and re&ords!7
Her fa&e fell with disappointent, and #avid &ould have %illed
hiself for it! 75h, of &ourse! Bou stopped by on a wor% atter! Bou
ust be awfully busy!7
She turned and shuffled slowly ba&% into the usty interior of the
house, steadying herself by setting her trebling hands on
&ounters and the ba&%s of &hairs!
7My .!*! %ept all his files and re&ords! They're in his study, every
last one of the, organized by date, &olor, size! He was very
prote&tive about the, but +' sure he wouldn't ind .anet Spier's
son having a loo% around!7 She raised her ar up in the air with a
giggle, and #avid re&ognized, for the first tie, the younger Mrs!
)onnolly he reebered! He followed her patiently down a long,
thi&%ly &arpeted hall, gripping her ar gently fro behind! She
paused before a door! 7Bou'd better open it, dear! +t sti&%s! +' afraid
+ don't have the strength anyore!7
#avid found he had to throw a little shoulder into the door to get
it open! #r! )onnolly's offi&e sat virtually untou&hed! A agisterial
des% and leather &hair, a wall of filing &abinets, rows of eti&ulously
organized edi&al 1ournals! A thi&% fil of dust &overed everything,
and the sell of pipe so%e that #avid re&alled still tinged the air!
Mrs! )onnolly stood in the doorway for a oent, ta%ing in the
roo! 7+ haven't seen the inside of this roo in soe tie!7 She
shoo% her head on&e, as if throwing off sad thoughts, and for&ed a
sile! 7Ta%e your tie, dear,7 she said! 7+'ll be in the living roo,
wat&hing the T4!7
#avid waited to a%e sure she safely navigated the dar% hall,
then &losed the door and surveyed the roo! #r! )onnolly %ept his
offi&e ipe&&ably organized, and #avid lo&ated the relevant files in
the &abinets in no tie! 3ear's -ega&y''2EIF!
He pulled out the two general files and set the on the des%!
Swirls of dust lifted fro the leather blotter and refused to settle!
The abstra&t sat at the front of the first folder! +t was titled 30A('S
-0GA)B: S5((5", #+ST(0SS, A$# A$G0(!
3ear arousal &an be obtained using several stiuli, in&luding but
not liited to: noise; sudden &hange in illuination; sudden
une6pe&ted oveent; rapidly approa&hing ob1e&ts; height;
strange people; failiar people in strange guises; strange ob1e&ts
and strange pla&es; threatening anials; dar%ness! 5ften, two or
ore of the above ites &an be &obined to a&hieve a higher
degree of fear arousal Li!e!, dar%ness and the noise of a growling
dog's rapid approa&hM! "hen &onfronted with fear, &hildren respond
in three distin&t and predi&table ways: They grow iobile, or
7frozen7; they in&rease their distan&e fro one type of ob1e&t
Lsna%es, loud noises, flashes of lightM; they in&rease their pro6iity
to another type of ob1e&t Lother figuresM!
Twenty'seven boys between the ages of si6 and ten were
sele&ted fro foster hoes, orphanages, and delin/uent holding
fa&ilities! 0a&h sub1e&t was reoved fro his 7hoe7 for a period of
si6 wee%s and ta%en through a twelve'phase series of fear'arousal
e6perients, four trials a day, seven days a wee%, in&reasing in
intensity! 0a&h set of sub1e&ts lived together through the si6'wee%
trial, barra&%s'style, so the &ontagious effe&ts of fear ight also be
analyzed! All trials o&&urred within a &ontrolled environent!
3eeling a growing sense of nausea, #avid paused to rub soe
dust fro his eyes! #r! )onnolly had &hosen &hildren without
failies! That way, there were no parents to &oplain! $o one to
noti&e if the &hildren deteriorated eotionally as a result of the
e6perients, or developed abnoral atta&hent patterns! 3urther,
the study evin&ed bad s&ien&e! There was no &ontrol group''
)onnolly had sele&ted &hildren who already, in all li%elihood, were
eotionally fragile! The e6perients were biased before they even
got off the ground!
(eebering #r! )onnolly's %indly blue eyes and his well'
tried white beard, #avid &ould not re&ast hi as the perpetrator
of these e6perients! But his other had told #avid &autionary
tales about #r! )onnolly, who had deteriorated in his later years
beneath the burden of tongue &an&er and a rapidly diinishing
reputation! He'd be&oe re&lusive, holing up in his house! 3or the
last three years of his life, the professional &ounity heard fro
hi only in the for of his letters to psy&hology and psy&hiatry
1ournals, angry diatribes de&rying the wor% of ore'renowned
rivals!
#avid's other, he re&alled, had gone to great lengths to
distan&e herself fro the an! $ow he %new why! The study had
ta%en pla&e during his other's tenure as &hief of staff''he was
appalled and surprised she had peritted it! "hen he glan&ed ba&%
at the abstra&t, he felt the soothing glow of relief! (esults were
in&on&lusive, as the study was terinated on 5&tober 2?, 2EIF!
#avid's other had, in fa&t, stopped the e6perients! The paper
&ontinued:
However, several of the results are worthy of note, perhaps for
in&orporation into future studies! "e found that on&e the sub1e&ts
rea&hed a state of a&ute distress, they were not easily &oforted! +n
so&ial wor%shops following the trials, they were peritted to role'
play with dolls, intera&t with nurses, and draw pi&tures! "e noted
an in&rease in hostile behavior following ea&h trial, parti&ularly
hostile behavior dire&ted toward the nurses, who &arried out the
logisti&s of the e6perients and a&ted as atta&hent LotherM
figures! The sub1e&ts seeed to hold the nurses at fault! Those
sub1e&ts who did not a&t out their aggression harbored a
treendous aount of latent resentent!
Through ea&h si6'wee% trial period, the sub1e&ts tended to
develop along one of two distin&t routes, either be&oing intensely
&linging and an6ious, or growing in&reasingly eotionally deta&hed!
Those who be&ae deta&hed e6pressed three &entral beliefs: L2M
The atta&hent figure would not respond to &alls for support and
prote&tion, L>M They did not 1udge theselves to be the sort of
person toward who an atta&hent figure would respond in &aring
fashion, and LFM Their a&tions had no &onse/uen&es on the e6ternal
environent!
All three beliefs are reinfor&ed by &lassi& &onditioning! As the
sub1e&ts were rewarded randoly and punished randoly, they
&ae to view theselves as powerless within their environent!
Soe intense bonding o&&urred between sub1e&ts during off'
hours between trials! "hen one sub1e&t per&eived that another
&ould offer &ofort or respite fro fear, an intense, alost
obsessive relationship developed, reinis&ent of &olle&tive
&onfabulation, the shared fantasy worlds that soeties develop
between &astaways and *5"s! Through these relationships, the
sub1e&ts attepted to wrest ba&% soe eans of &ontrol over their
lives!
The ne6t few pages had been ripped out! 3eeling slightly light'
headed, #avid pushed ba&% in the &hair, sending up a iniature
&loud of dust, and returned to the filing &abinet! The subse/uent
alphabeti&ally arranged files were bul%y and labeled by nae''all
ales: .5SH A#AMS, T+M5THB #+--0(, 3(A$: G(A$T! #avid
s&anned the, his finger &oing to rest on the tab reading )-B#0
S-A#0!
He pulled the file, returned to the des%, and sat staring at it,
gathering his &ourage! :atydids shrilled in the dar%ness outside the
window!
He flipped open the file to reveal a bad *olaroid atop a sta&% of
papers! )lyde, age ten, s/uinting into a ba&%ground light! His
posture was un&ofortable and defensive''head lowered,
shoulders hun&hed, s%inny ars dangling aw%wardly at his sides!
The points of his shoulders were visible through his threadbare T'
shirt! #avid re&ognized the dar% flat eyes and wide nose, but little
else!
The top papers &ontained )lyde's history, ost of whi&h 0d had
already told #avid about! Moved fro foster hoe to orphanage to
foster hoe! Beneath the history were )lyde's &lini&al results! He
had grown in&reasingly withdrawn throughout the study, the
do&uent reported, displaying a fair aount of latent aggression
toward the nurses! The e6perients had been &ondu&ted against
)lyde's will; he had begged repeatedly to be left alone, to be
peritted to return to his last foster hoe! His re/uests were
re&orded erely as data! He had no parents to lodge ore
persuasive &oplaints or to deand that his rights be prote&ted!
The following pages &onsisted of self'reports, &lini&al
observations, and the results of physiologi&al e6as, in&luding a
pre&o&ious series of s%in &ondu&tan&e tests! A few wrin%led
drawings reained at the botto of the sta&%! #rawn with the fat,
siple lines of a &oloring boo% pi&ture, they all featured the sae
guideline figure: that of a nurse! The nurse's outline was &learly
defined, right down to her patronizing sile and white &ap! )lyde
had used ostly red &rayons, turning the siple s%et&hes into
gruesoe depi&tions! 4i&ious slashes &olored the nurses' fa&es,
ar%ings pressed so firly down into the pages they left
indentations and even tore the paper in spots! Their heads were
&overed with layer upon layer of &olor, until they resebled bloody
blurs! Many of the nurses' breasts and genital areas were li%ewise
ravaged with red!
A note at the botto read: *arti&ularly fier&e and ipassioned!
And below that: 3il (eel N>F!
#read spreading inside hi, #avid loo%ed up and lo&ated the
dusty old pro1e&tor in the &orner! The &upboard above the filing
&abinets seeed to stare ba&% at hi! He opened it to find reel
upon reel of si6teen illieter fil, labeled in bla&% ar%er! He
found (eel N>F! A s&reen pulled down fro the &eiling in front of the
window, unleashing ore billows of dust! The light swit&h &li&%ed off
loudly, filling the roo with shadows!
#avid blew the top layer of dust fro the pro1e&tor, plugged it in,
ounted the ta%e'up reel, and threaded the fil! He pulled a &hair
around beside the pro1e&tor and, bra&ing hiself, flipped the swit&h!
Ten'year'old )lyde Slade, brought into a se&lusion roo with a
tier on the wall! He wears a &hild's hospital gown! A nurse sits in a
&hair &entered in the sall roo, staring at the wall li%e a statue!
He goes over to her and ta%es her hand, but she pulls it away,
%eeping her stoi& stare leveled at the far wall! A loud wavering
shrie% sounds fro hidden spea%ers, so sudden it startles #avid
ba&% in his &hair! 5n the s&reen, )lyde begins to &ry and attepts
to pull hiself into the nurse's lap! She oves only to repel hi,
shoving hi off! )lyde sits on the floor, hands pushed over his ears,
outh bent wide, his &ries not even audible beneath the shrie%ing!
The noise ends! By the tier on the wall, it ta%es )lyde over three
inutes to &ease his franti& sobbing!
And then a loud e&hani&al voi&e intones, 7Three, two, one!
Step ba&% fro the door!7 The loud sound of the door's bolt being
unlo&%ed, and )lyde s&rables to freedo!
)lyde's ritualisti& phrase, his private antra, was a&tually the
hard'&onditioned &ue given to hi as a &hild that his fear was about
to end! He used it still to alleviate an6iety!
The fil &ut out and #avid wiped the sheen of sweat fro his
forehead! Se&onds later, the se&lusion roo appeared again on the
s&reen, this tie with the lights off!
The outline of the nurse in the &hair is barely visible! )lyde is led
in, though he pounds at the door as soon as it is &losed behind hi!
7*lease8 *lease87 He runs to the nurse, who again oves only to
push hi firly away! The door opens and another nurse enters
with a large re&tangular bo6! She opens it and dups what appear
to be harless garden sna%es on the floor! )lyde shrie%s and tries
to run away but the sna%es /ui&%ly spread out through the sall
se&lusion roo! The se&ond nurse pushes the toward )lyde!
#avid &losed his eyes for a oent, but )lyde's wails still &ae!
7*lease8 +'ll be good!7 And then: a final terrified strategy'' 7+' sorry!
+' sorry!7
"hen #avid viewed the s&reen again, his outh was dry and
sour! )lyde turns to the wall, burying his fa&e in the &orner as the
sna%es &url around his feet! He ururs to hiself, soething
inaudible, though #avid %new he was &ounting down fro three
over and over, anti&ipating! 3inally, the se&ond nurse &olle&ts the
sna%es and the e&hani&al voi&e sounds, 7Three, two, one! Step
ba&% fro the door!7 )lyde sprints for freedo!
At the beginning of the ne6t trial, )lyde &rosses iediately to
the seated nurse and bites her leg! She rises and adinisters hi a
/ui&% but vi&ious span%ing before returning to her stoneli%e per&h
on the &hair! "hen a series of blinding lights begin to flash in the
white roo, a wet spot spreads down the leg of )lyde's trousers!
Trial after trial followed on the reel of fil! 06perients with
anials, with people in threatening poses, with otorized
&ontraptions that sprang open li%e 1a&%'in'the'bo6es, but with no
warning! By the final trial, )lyde had resorted to sitting against the
far wall, fa&e blan% and dazed! He ade no attept to approa&h
the seated nurse! They brought in a snarling Geran shepherd on
a &hain and held it in&hes fro )lyde's fa&e! )lyde seeed hardly
to noti&e it! The s&ene &ut out and the end of the fil flapped in the
reel!
As the reel &ontinued its indless rotation, #avid sat in the
dar%ness of the study, breathing dust! A long va&ant blo&% of tie
passed as the fil slapped the reel and the %atydids &hirped!
3inally, #avid peeled hiself fro the leather &hair and &li&%ed the
lap on the des%! "ith the /uiet, pre&ise oveents of a priest, he
put away the pro1e&tor and the s&reen! He 1otted down the naes
of the sub1e&ts and their dates of birth! )lyde's file, the general files,
and a few reels of fil he too% with hi!
The rest of the house was dar% and selled of othballs and
fragran&ed powder! Mrs! )onnolly had fallen asleep in the living
roo, a /uilted blan%et at her side! #r! Auinn Medi&ine "oan
fli&%ered a&ross the T4 s&reen, uted! #avid &rossed silently and
pulled the blan%et up around her! She stirred as he rea&hed the
door!
Her voi&e was gentle, and it warbled slightly! 7#avid97
7Bes, Mrs! )onnolly97
7#id you find what you needed97
7+ did!7
She siled, though sadness found its way even into that! 7"e
always appre&iated what your other did for us!7
A /ui&% flare of unease! 7"hat do you ean by that97
Her eyes gathered an a&uity he had not before noti&ed! +t /ui&%ly
faded! #avid wondered for the first tie if her usual deeanor was
an affe&tation!
7He was a good an, wasn't he9 My .!*!97
#avid felt a slight tingling in his fa&e at her avoidan&e of the
/uestion! 7Bes, he was!7
He &losed the front door gently, leaving her to fall ba&% into
sleep!
)hapter <E
TH0 naeplate on Sandy's door, li%e Sandy, was bold and
straightforward! +t read siply: 04A$S! )H+03 53 STA33! $o first
nae, no appended M!#!
Though it was late and the halls had fallen /uiet, light shone fro
beneath Sandy's door! An inforal pool aong ebers of the
Board rode on how any &onse&utive nights she'd wor% past 2=
*!M!
#avid %no&%ed, and she &alled out for hi to enter! She was
sitting at the end of the long &onferen&e table at whi&h she li%ed to
wor%; her des% sat epty and untou&hed at the other end of the
offi&e! Her fa&e lit with the glow of a green'shaded ban%er's lap,
she pored over papers! She loo%ed up at #avid and siled! He was
one of the few people at whose entran&e she siled! He was aware
of this and ade uneasy by how u&h it flattered hi!
7#avid, what's this + hear about you nosing around the hospital97
7+'ve been following the trail a bit!7
7Ma%e sure you don't follow it too far away fro the 0(! There is
a division to be run! Bou &ould also stand not to ruffle any ore
feathers!7
He ignored her rear% and his resultant irritation, not wanting to
be sidetra&%ed! 7#r! .! *! )onnolly did a fear study in 2EIF at the
$*+! Are you failiar with it97
Sandy pulled off her glasses and set the neatly on a sta&% of
files! 7Bes! + a!7
7The $*+ has no re&ords of it! $one at all! + tra&%ed it down at #r!
)onnolly's house! *retty gri!7
7+t wasn't unusual for the tie, #avid! Bou'd be surprised!7
7Then why did y other terinate it97
Sandy averted her eyes, 1ust for a oent, but it was su&h an
un&hara&teristi& otion that #avid noti&ed it! 7+f eory serves, the
s&ien&e was sloppy fro the get'go!7
7Bour eory serves well! *arti&ularly for a study that too% pla&e
thirty years ago!7
Her green eyes gleaed &old and arbleli%e! She tapped her
forehead! 7-i%e a steel trap!7
7+t had soe interesting ethodology too, wouldn't you say97
7.ust be&ause you and + now loo% at a study li%e that with
disdain, you'd better reeber it was not su&h a ar%ed departure
fro the standard of the day! +t ay be hard to believe, but that's
how any e6perients were ba&% then! +' not %idding! Go ba&%!
Ta%e a loo% at fear and separation studies fro the late 'D=s, early
'I=s!7
7Are you aware that )lyde Slade was a parti&ipant in that study97
Sandy flushed, sho&%ed! +t was astounding how /ui&%ly she
regained her &oposure! 7+ was not!7
7+ thin% soething else happened! Soething to do with the
study! There were pages ripped out of )onnolly's files! + thin% the
hospital reoved the &opies fro the $*+ and e6purgated the files +
found at )onnolly's! + thin% if you wanted to, you &ould tal% to soe
people and figure out a way for e to see what's issing!7
Sandy's lips pursed''they were 1ust beginning to te6ture with
wrin%les! 7Sees you're out of your bailiwi&% here, #o&tor!7
7There are lives at sta%e!7
7How do you %now that whatever inforation is or isn't issing
fro those files is at all relevant97
7+ don't! But if it is, and you withhold it, thin% about what that
eans!7
7Ah! A dire&tive!7 Sandy's &hee%s drew up in a half s/uint! 7#on't
pry too deep, #avid! Bou ight not li%e what you find!7
7+n light of what we're dealing with here, +'ll handle it!7 He paused
by the door, tapping it with his fist on&e in a soft %no&%! 7+'ll &he&% in
with you toorrow!7
Sandy had already gone ba&% to her papers! 7+ %now where to
find you, #avid,7 she said! 7Should + want to!7
3or the tail end of her re&overy, #iane had been oved to the
4+* se&tion of the prestigious ninth floor! She'd be ready to be
released the day after toorrow; her do&tors thought it wise for her
to reain on site so her eyedrops &ould be applied regularly and
Silvadene spread over her wounds!
The elevator doors &langed open, and #avid stepped into the
&lean tiled hall! The door to #iane's roo was a1ar! #avid entered
and &losed it gently behind hi!
#iane gazed through bleary eyes at the sall &lo&% on the wall!
70leven o'&lo&%, huh97
7+t's ten!7
75h! 0ither way, you loo% e6hausted! Go hoe and get soe
sleep!7
He felt a pull toward the door''a ne&essity to pursue, to
investigate, to undo''but he &ould not ove! #iane's fa&e was shiny
with antibioti& &ree and, ine6pli&ably, even ore beautiful for its
s&ars! They seeed to highlight her elegan&e, li%e the bla&% spots
on the water'sooth red wings of a ladybug! 7+ wanted to see you!7
7Bou saw e yesterday!7
She loo%ed down, pi&%ing at a thubnail! The swelling on her
fa&e had begun to weep! She patted her blisters with a s/uare of
gauze! #avid loo%ed in the trash &an beside the bed; it was full of
soiled gauze pads! She'd spent all day sitting up here, ostly
alone, trying to staun&h the fluids lea%ing fro her fa&e!
+t too% hi a oent to find his voi&e to &ontinue! 7+ wanted to
see you again!7
7#on't you dare! #on't you dare feel sorry for e!7 She raised the
heel of her hand to her eyes but &ouldn't tou&h her fa&e! He %new
her tears were burning her! 7Goddan it,7 she said softly!
7Goddan it!7
He &rossed to her and sat on the bed! She found his hand and
s/ueezed it so tight he &ould feel his wedding band digging into his
other fingers! )arefully, he brushed the hair off her forehead,
sweeping it ba&% fro her fa&e! He too% the stained gauze fro her
trebling hand, threw it out, and pulled a fresh pad fro the bo6 on
the bedside tray!
He dabbed at the blistering on her right &hee%, her forehead,
around the so&%et of her right eye! Her hands went lip in her lap
as she let hi wor%, win&ing fro tie to tie! He shifted on the
bed, oving &loser to her! Her left &hee% and &hin were unarred,
the &urved bow of her lips perfe&tly sooth! He oistened a &lean
s/uare of gauze with soe saline and swept it along the elegant
line of her 1aw, &leaning her!
Her breathing was sharp and shallow! Through the swelling
around her eye, her iris shone, i&e'green and pristine! She turned,
a sudden shy oveent, and her lips were against his, ipossibly
soft! He felt the gentle su&% of her breath in his outh and the roo
seeed to swirl around hi, selling of disinfe&tant, Silvadene,
and a distant tra&e of her perfue! She &ringed against the pain of
her fa&e oving against his! He started to pull ba&% but she oved
her fa&e forward to %eep it pressed against his, %issing hi still as
the salt tears burnt tra&%s down her wounded &hee%!
)hapter ?=
)-B#0 had been ta%ing the pills ore and ore, but they didn't
do what the boo% proised they'd do! He stayed in bed ostly,
rising to drin% and piss and reheat beans in a dirty pot! He'd
stopped feeding the &at! He too% to urinating in 1ars again and
&arefully labeling ea&h 1ar with the tie and date!
The an&ient Cenith T4 in the &orner got terrible re&eption! $ow
and then, if he angled the antenna 1ust right, he &ould get the audio
on a porn &hannel, though stati& still blotted the s&reen!
He gathered his dirty sheets in a ball between his legs and sat in
bed, loo%ing out the window and fishing pi&%le after soggy pi&%le
fro a wide 1ar! "hen he finished his sloppy &run&hing, he tilted
ba&% the 1ar and dran% the sour, green'tinged 1ui&e! The 1ui&e left his
lips stained a fishy gray, as it had his left hand to the wrist!
-eaning the irror against the base of his bed so he &ould see
his refle&tion, he siled at hiself and pra&ti&ed tal%ing! He spo%e
gently and softly, rea&hing out to tou&h his water'spotted refle&tion!
Soeties his voi&e was drowned out by grunts and groans fro
the T4!
At night, a few girls wal%ed past the window, their giggles
&arrying into his dirty apartent, and he loo%ed around, pupils
1er%ing, as if seeing the roo for the first tie! The ounds of dirty
&lothes, the halved &apsules piled on the po&%ed wooden table, the
grease splatter up the %it&hen wall above the stove!
He &ried for a little bit without gasps, 1ust a slow lea%ing of his
eyes, then rose and stood in the iddle of the roo in his white
underwear! He pulled on soe loose s&rub bottos and his
yellowed Adidas snea%ers! Hunting around, he found an old button'
up shirt under the bed! He pulled it out and shoo% it to rid it of &at
hair! -aying it on the bed, he flattened it as best he &ould with a
swollen hand!
He pulled it on and loo%ed at hiself in the irror! He fi6ed the
&ollar, twisting it ba&% into pla&e! He pra&ti&ed a sile, then
urured a greeting to hiself! +n the %it&hen, a 1ar atop the
refrigerator was filled with &hange! He poured it on the floor and
&ounted the few silver &oins out of the wash of &opper!
"hen he left the apartent, he ade sure to turn all three
deadbolts!
The bar at the &orner had tinted windows and a torn green
awning! He shuffled inside, eyes on the ground, and &libed onto a
bar stool with &onsiderable effort! He rested his hands on the bar,
but then loo%ed down at the''swollen with pitted nails''and put
the in his lap!
The bartender, an older lady with wrin%les and blush, slid a rag
up the &ounter! 7"hat'll it be97
He lowered his eyes, his hand &lut&hing the ball of /uarters in his
po&%et! 7"ater,7 he said! 7Two waters!7
She ade a disappointed &lu&%ing noise! 7"e're not a welfare
offi&e! Bou don't order soething soon, we'll as% you to leave!7
A blush blooed beneath his po&%ed &hee%s! His button'up shirt
&lung to his body, dotted with sweat! 7Sorry,7 he said! 7+' 1ust
thirsty! So thirsty!7
7Then buy a goddaned beer,7 she uttered, as she filled two
glasses with water fro the tap!
An attra&tive blonde sat on the stool two over fro hi, turned
toward a girlfriend! The water glasses banging down on the bar in
front of hi nearly startled hi off his stool!
The bartender loo%ed regretful when she saw his e6pression!
7-oo%, +' sorry! Bou &an ta%e soe tie and finish those up before
you go!7 She oved down the bar to serve other &ustoers!
He sat alone in his little bubble''a an on a bar stool at a bar''
breathing heavily, ururing to hiself, &ounting down fro three!
He drained one glass of water, then the other!
His thubnail was so severely pitted it had begun to fla%e! The
s%in beneath it had reddened, li%e an enorous hangnail! He
worried it with his teeth for a oent, head angled down, and
&han&ed a loo% at the blonde to his left!
She turned with a 1angle of bra&elets, outh open in a bar% of a
laugh fro her girlfriend's 1o%e, and then she spotted hi!
Her fa&e &hanged! The light in her eyes vanished! Her lips drew
together and &urled in disgust, distorting her nose!
Her eyes said: Bou do not have a right to view e!
They said: Bou are soething soiled and rotting!
They said: Bou are not fit to ate!
He loo%ed /ui&%ly ba&% down at the bar, hand rising to his head
to blo&% his eyes fro hers! He felt a &lup of hair give under his
soft fingertips and drift down, landing on his shoulder!
7#isgusting,7 she said!
A strong hand on his ba&%! A ale voi&e! 7Hello, ladies, is this
guy bothering you9 Are you bothering these woen, pal9 "hew,
how 'bout you go ta%e a wal% through a &ar wash97
-aughter!
7"hat's the atter, you don't answer when soeone as%s you a
/uestion97
)lyde's lips oved, but no sound &ae out! They outhed:
Sorry! +' sorry!
He stood, sensing the large ale presen&e, and stubled toward
the door, uneven on his feet!
7#run% fool,7 the blonde said!
As he rea&hed the door, he heard the ale introdu&ing hiself to
the two woen!
-eaning on lightposts and ailbo6es, he ade his way to the
Healton's #rugstore about a blo&% and a half fro his apartent!
The large white sign with blue Gothi& lettering glowed into the night!
+t was soething of a neighborhood bea&on; when sitting in his
bed, )lyde &ould see it through his window!
He &ouldn't afford a &arton of &igarettes, so he bought a pa&%,
&ounting out the &oins on the &ounter before a frustrated wor%er!
The &hiing bells on the &losing door seeed inordinately loud!
He wal%ed ba&% to the bar and stared at the people inside, barely
dis&ernable through the dar% window! A few wee%s ago, he would
have endured su&h a re1e&tion, dissolved it in the bla&%ness inside
hi! But not anyore! $ow he ade sure that soeone answered
to hi! Answered with their own pain! Their own fear!
He wandered away fro the dar% window, his lips oving to
%eep up with the rush of thoughts through his head! He found
hiself before the two'story house for retarded adults! The house
that was no longer his own!
He oistened his thi&% lips and whistled a few be&%oning notes!
Soe tie later, he found hiself within the prote&tive shell of
the s&or&hed )hevy, sitting on the brittle and lupy newspapers
that &oposed the driver's seat! He wat&hed the house ahead,
waiting for the nighttie signs of life, waiting for her to &oe
downstairs and dis&over what he'd done!
He so%ed the pa&% straight through, two &igarettes at a tie!
The light went on in the roo upstairs! A wait! The ba&% door
opened and she appeared! Sae bunny 1upsuit, sae essy
ponytail positioned too high on her head!
He ro&%ed slightly in the &ar, his hands gripping segents of the
bro%en steering wheel! "hen he loo%ed to the side, his pupils beat
on&e, twi&e, unable to hold in pla&e!
"ith a whooshing whistle, she stepped down off the por&h,
a&tivating the otion'sensor lap! Her hands fluttered up to her
fa&e as she gasped, her eyes widening until he &ould see the
whites even through the spiderweb &ra&% in the windshield!
The s&raggly dog lay on its side in the tall weeds of the yard, its
head bent ba&% a&ross the ne&%, bro%en! A tri&%le of blood ran fro
a wound at the base of its throat, where a 1agged bone had
pun&tured the flesh!
Her outh bent wide, wavering! She san% to her %nees!
He dran% her tears!
He got out fro the )hevy, slaing the &ar door behind hi!
She %ept her gaze on the dead lup of fur, even as he wal%ed
toward her drun%enly!
Her hand trebled as she rea&hed for the dog! She began to pet
the &oarse hair &overing its ribs, her hand oving soothingly while
her breath &ae in sharp gasps!
He stood over her, tall and powerful, the lap &asting his shadow
a&ross her fa&e! She &owered in her bunny sweatsuit, but at last
loo%ed up at hi, &ringing! She selled of tuna! Sounds &ae fro
within the house''an inner door &losing hard, then the rapid beat of
footsteps!
He fled, his feet dragging through weeds and bro%en bottles,
leaving behind the light and the people! His breath &ae in anial
grunts, sounds of e6ertion or of sobbing! He turned to s/ueeze his
wide body through a issing slat in the wooden fen&e at the yard's
edge and then he staggered toward hoe, his fa&e flushed a deep
red, alost at&hing the splatter of dog blood a&ross his button'up
shirt!
)hapter ?2
TH0 0( bustled! Bro%en legs, heorrhaging wounds, a
(ors&ha&h blot of voit on the tiled floor of 06a Seven! #on had
been &alled in to provide double &overage in the rush, and he and
#avid spun fro roo to roo, pushed, prodded, and pulled by
residents and nurses! #avid didn't have tie to &he&% on Se&urity,
but he %new they were wor%ing double'tie outside, fending off the
alost &onstant influ6 of edia! The flurry of press surrounding the
hospital over the past wee% ade hi feel in&reasingly
&laustrophobi&!
At one point, #avid had tried to go up to see #iane, but he'd
been pulled into a food poisoning &ase by an an6ious edi&ine
intern! +t was already past lun&h, and neither he nor #on had had a
oent to sit down! A &ollege %id who'd been in a otor&y&le
a&&ident &ae in #5A, and #on was wal%ing a edi&al student
through the gestures with the defibrillator!
Stepping on a pedal to turn on the sin%, #avid rinsed his hands
and shoo% the dry before sliding on another pair of gloves and
stepping ba&% into the hall! He pivoted /ui&%ly, dodging a &ooler
that a siling orderly wheeled past hi fro the abulan&e bay''
probably a heart on i&e! "hen he stu&% his head in the )"A, he
saw the board was filled, a Magi& Mar%er tribute to bad do&tor
s&rawl!
7Soeone &all the blood ban% and get a few units on the way for
.efferson in 3ifteen Two,7 he said to a passing nurse! 7"here's
)arson9 Has anyone seen )arson9 Soeone &all hi and get hi
in here! And get urology on the phone again''they're dragging their
feet on :inney in 3our be&ause he's Medi)al!7 He glan&ed down
Hallway 5ne and saw, through the sall windows atop the
swinging doors, #on spea%ing to a an in his forties! #on held a
hot dog in one hand and was &hewing between words; the an's
fa&e was lowered and he held his head, as if in great pain! +t too% a
oent for #avid to put it together''the an was the father of the
student who'd died in the otor&y&le wre&%, and #on had 1ust
infored hi of his son's death! "hile eating a hot dog!
His teper flaring, #avid stored down the hall! He for&ed
hiself to &al down, %nowing that it would a%e atters worse for
the father if he ade a s&ene! +nstin&tively, #avid thought to grab
#iane to see to the father, before reebering why she wasn't
wor%ing!
#on was finishing as #avid approa&hed! 7So, again, +' really
sorry to have to bring you this news!7
#avid struggled to %eep his rage fro finding its way into his
voi&e! 7#r! -abert, would you ind if + had a word97
7$ot at all!7 #on gave the an's elbow a &ursory s/ueeze before
following #avid ba&% into 06a 3ourteen!
#avid &losed the door and too% a oent to get his breathing
under &ontrol while #on wat&hed e6pe&tantly, hot dog in hand!
7#o you thin%, #r! -abert, that you &ould refrain fro eating
while inforing people of deaths in their failies97
#on popped the end of the hot dog in his outh! 7Sure!
"hatever!7
7This is not a whatever issue! + %now you do this every day, but
he doesn't!7 #avid 1abbed an angry finger in the dire&tion of the
father outside!
75h &oe on! -oo%, #ave''7
7#avid will do 1ust fine!7
7-et's not a%e a big deal out of this! +'ve been on y feet all
day! +f +' hungry and &ran%y, that doesn't help anyone, least of all
y patients!7
7So eat in the do&tors' lounge!7
7+ would, but + haven't had tie to get ba&% there!7
Soeone rapped on the door! 7Be there in a inute87 #avid said!
He turned ba&% to #on! 7Then wait to eat, or if the agony is too
u&h for you to bear, &oe get e, and +'ll ta%e &are of dealing with
the faily ebers!7
7That an 1ust lost his son! #o you really thin% y not eating a
hot dog is going to a%e things easier for hi9 + doubt he even
noti&ed!7 He &rossed his ars! 7-oo%, you brought a bun&h of shit
down on yourself lately! The press is beating you up! The board's
on your ass! #on't ta%e it out on e! This is preposterous!7
7$o, #on! +t's shitty &are!7
7Bou are always on y ass! "hat are you worried about9 #o you
thin% if +' gone for an e6tra ten inutes, or +' eating a hot dog,
that soeone's gonna sue your pre&ious departent97 He shoo%
his head! 7"ell, rest assured! 0verything + do &an hold up in a &ourt
of law!7
7Sin&e when is that the gauge by whi&h we 1udge our level of
treatent97
#on did not respond! 5n his way out, #avid grabbed a roll of
gauze fro the &ounter and tossed it at hi! 7Bou have ustard on
your lip,7 he said!
He found the an sitting stunned in a &hair in the lobby, people
bustling around hi in all dire&tions! His fa&e had reddened and he
was breathing hard, as though fighting down a pani& atta&%!
#avid &rou&hed and loo%ed up into his fa&e! 7Mr! Henderson9
(obert Henderson97
The an's eyes fli&%ered, but there was no loo% of re&ognition in
his fa&e!
7"hy don't you &oe ba&% with e for a inute97 #avid said!
7"e &an find a private roo!7
"ith a hand in the sall of Henderson's ba&%, #avid guided hi
ba&% to 3ourteen! The sleeves of Henderson's yellow )arhartt
1a&%et e6tended down over hard, &alloused hands! A white outline,
the shape of a tin of toba&&o dip, had been worn into the ba&%
po&%et of his 1eans!
Henderson sat on the bed, paper &rin%ling beneath his legs! He
turned his hands over before his eyes, as if &he&%ing to see if they
were real! His fa&e, slightly sunburned, was wrin%led beyond its
years fro hours spent wor%ing outside! His fa&e /uivered, as
though he were about to &ry, then stiffened again! #avid sensed
that Henderson did not &ry very often!
#avid slowly be&ae aware of his own dis&ofort in the fa&e of
Henderson's suffering! He was inade/uate at this''the &oforting!
As a diagnosti&ian, as a te&hni&ian, as a s&ientist, he was
e6&eptional, but in this departent he was la&%ing! There was
nothing for hi to do''no a&tion to ta%e, no edi&ine to adinister,
no test to run! +f these past few days had driven anything hoe, it
was the fa&t that people suffer fro events beyond their &ontrol!
5ften, they a%e all the right &hoi&es and suffer anyway! Again, he
found hiself wishing #iane were here to &onsole Henderson!
7:evin was gonna be the first one on y side of the faily to
graduate &ollege,7 the father said! 7"as a%ing good grades too!
His o's been wor%ing double shifts to help pay! + been trying
too''to wor% steady! He was a good %id! A good fu&%ing %id!7 He
swiped angrily at a tear with his &uff! 7#on't %now how +' gonna tell
his o!7
7#o you live with her97 #avid as%ed!
Henderson shoo% his head! 7She's up in Seattle! (earried!7
7"ould you li%e e to &all97
Henderson shoo% his head! 7+ should do it!7 He sighed, puffing
out his &hee%s! 7Bou have %ids97
7$o!7
7"ell, if you do, have ean ones! Good %ids, good %ids are the
ones that die! Bou get a fu&%up li%e e, +' gonna live forever!7 He
lowered his eyes into the for% of his thub and inde6 finger! 7That
%id was the best thing + ever did in y life! + hope + told hi! + hope +
told hi enough!7
#avid sat /uietly, un&ofortably! 7+ don't %now a single person
who gets everything said to those they love! +t sounds li%e you said
so u&h ore than ost of us do!7 His pager went off''a te6t
essage to pi&% up a pa&%age at Sandy's offi&e''and he felt a /ui&%
flare of ne&essity! His desire to leave Henderson to 1up ba&% on
)lyde's trail shaed hi! He turned off the pager and sat with
Henderson for a few inutes, glad he had &hosen to reain!
7Bou have to go97 Henderson as%ed!
7$o!7
Henderson lowered his shoulders, his hands twit&hing on his
%nees! (e&eptive! $eeding! He loo%ed up at #avid, his fa&e starting
to &oe apart! 7)an +97
#avid oved over and ebra&ed hi, and Henderson %eened
openly for a while! +t too% hi a few oents to raise his head
again, then #avid sat by his side, the stain of Henderson's tears
drying on the front of his &oat! The two en stared at the wall!
7Me and y old an, we never tal%ed u&h! All growing up, we
never tal%ed about anything, li%e ! ! ! you %now! He was a an's
an! "hen + got divor&ed, + was hurting, you %now, soething
awful! *eggy's a great gal''she 1ust finally figured out what she
deserved, + guess! But when she left e, + de&ided + wasn't gonna
fu&% around no ore! + was gonna tell people how + ! ! ! you %now,
how + felt! So + too% a whole wee%end and wrote a letter to y
father! Told hi how u&h + ! ! ! how u&h + loved hi, what he
eant to e, all that stuff! + wrote it and rewrote it and rewrote it!
Spent the whole goddan wee%end at the %it&hen table! And finally
+ finished it''eight pages''and + went over there and gave it to hi!
He read it, right there with e standing there wat&hing hi, then he
handed it ba&% to e and you %now what he said97
#avid shoo% his head!
7 '$i&e letter!' 7 Henderson laughed, a genuine laugh! 7 '$i&e
letter!' 7 Grief washed through his eyes again! 7+ hope + told y boy
enough,7 he said!
)hapter ?>
TH0 huble roo that served as the &hapel barely fit ten &hairs!
A stained'glass window lit the front, and bad paintings of &louds
de&orated the walls! 0nglish and Spanish &opies of the $ew
Testaent leaned fro a sall bo6 adhered to the wall!
#avid sat on a &hair in the iddle row, one foot per&hed on the
genufle&ting pad before hi, the o&&asional sound of a rolling
gurney audible in the hall outside! The anila envelope he'd pi&%ed
up oents before fro Sandy's assistant sat in his lap,
unopened! Sandy had written on it: #avid''the en&losed is all publi&
re&ord! )overing her ass, as always!
Henderson's open weeping had unsettled hi, and he stared at
the ta&%y &hapel walls, thin%ing of the ways he'd weathered his own
losses! An iage &ae, whitewashed and ethereal! 0lisabeth blow'
drying her hair, na%ed so she wouldn't overheat, her dress draped
a&ross the bathroo &ounter! She'd &aught hi loo%ing, siled
around the &ob she held between her teeth, and &losed the door
with a foot! The a&hing rea&hed a pla&e inside hi it had not in
onths, and he wondered whi&h intia&ies had allowed it its
inroads! He thought about lying beside his wife, feeling her warth
along the full length of his body! They used to sleep forehead to
forehead soeties, &urled beneath the sheets! Through a brief
&hin% in his s&ientist's aror, #avid &aught hiself wondering if we
go anywhere when we pass, and if so, what things we iss the
ost!
He wondered if he would ever allow hiself to %now soeone so
intiately again! He wondered why it too% a sattering of al%ali to
eat through the onotony of his life and reveal it for what it was!
He opened the anila envelope and pulled out the two pie&es of
paper it &ontained! The first was a photo&opy of a newspaper
arti&le!
*sy&h Study Terinated After (esultant Aggression in )hildren
A psy&hology study at ,)-A's prestigious $europsy&hiatri&
+nstitute was terinated after several alaring in&idents involving
its sub1e&ts! )hief +nvestigator .! *! )onnolly was not available for
&oent, but $*+ )hief of Staff #r! .anet Spier des&ribed the
study's fo&us as 7e6aining &hildren's responses to stiuli, that
parents and edu&ators &an better &reate healthy, supportive
environents, and avoid unhealthy ones!7
#avid felt a growing si&%ness! Mrs! )onnolly's &oent''"e
always appre&iated what your other did for us''had snagged on a
raised suspi&ion in his ind! He s&anned farther down the arti&le,
loo%ing for inforation betraying the e6tent of his other's
involveent in what was /ui&%ly betraying itself as a &over'up!
The probles arose when the first set of sub1e&ts were released
fro the study and returned to their hoes! Several of the boys
were observed by foster parents to be ore aggressive, disrupting
the hoe environents with persistent fighting and teper
tantrus! After one boy bro%e a foster sibling's nose, his 7other7
phoned the )hief +nvestigator and lodged a foral &oplaint! 7"e
shut the study down iediately,7 Spier said! 7"hile we stand
behind its eritorious and &ons&ientious nature, we also re&ognize
that &ertain inor probles have resulted in assiilating the
sub1e&ts ba&% into their so&ial environents, so we de&ided to halt
and re&alibrate!7
The study, whi&h was to run for three onths, was shut down
after nine wee%s!
The other pie&e of paper was a photo&opy of a &he&% for
O<=,===, signed by the ,)-A Medi&al )enter's treasurer! #ated two
days previous to the arti&le, it was ade out to Happy Horizons
3oster Hoe! )learly, soe aspe&t of the study had gone terribly
awry''soething worse than a bro%en nose''if the foster hoe
owners were being paid off so grandly!
#avid's nausea rea&hed a roo'1arring pit&h as he &onteplated
his other's involveent in su&h a atter! +t was probably she who
had ordered the files &leared fro the hospital, wanting to leave
behind no paper trail! His head buzzed with sho&%! The full for&e of
epiphany would &oe later, he %new; this was only the tug of the
retreating surf, drawing ba&% and ba&% and ba&%!
The foster hoe's address, listed on the &he&% stub, was 2I22
*earson (d! The sae as #ouglas #a4ella's!
#avid slid the papers ba&% in the envelope and sat /uietly, trying
to untangle the ipli&ations of what he'd 1ust read! He breathed
slowly and evenly, ta%ing advantage of the surprisingly effe&tive
surroundings of the &hapel!
#avid's earliest eory was of visiting his father at the hospital!
He'd followed hi around the entire day, tugging at the edge of the
white &oat! "hen he'd gotten bored, his father had inflated a late6
glove and drawn a fa&e on it for hi! He &ouldn't reeber how old
he'd been, but when he'd wal%ed by his father's side, he'd only
&oe up to his hip! His father had rested his hand on his shoulder,
as he always did!
A nurse had stopped his father, flipping soe pages on a
&lipboard and needing advi&e! A bad traua had &oe in''a
otor&y&le &rash''and the body approa&hed the on a gurney!
#avid had ade out only the gruesoe red ess of the fa&e before
his father's hand rose fro his shoulder and shielded his eyes,
&ool, prote&tive, and rough fro overwashing, pulling his fa&e in
tight to his white &oat, never issing a beat in his &onversation with
the nurse!
He wra&%ed his brain to re&all an e/ually war eory he had
of his other but found none! He reebered only briefer, &older
iages''how she wouldn't eet his eyes when he'd had &hi&%en
po6, as though soething about his wea%ened state shaed her;
the way his pals had sweat when he'd &alled to tell her about his
low ar% in ebryology; how she wouldn't address 0lisabeth at the
dinner table when she broa&hed edi&al topi&s!
Still, he was horrified by her &opli&ity in &overing up the study!
And she was not alive for hi to &onfront, /uestion, or a&&use! He'd
always held her edi&al &ode of honor to be ipe&&able! That
she'd been &old and withholding in her personal life, and a sharp'
edged politi&ian, had always seeed separate fro that soehow!
He should have %nown that in a field as absorbing as edi&ine the
lines would eventually blur!
The bedro&% had shifted beneath his feet! #avid had no &hoi&e
but to desert it and see% ore solid ground, to a&&ept the in1usti&es
of the past and wor% at redeeing the present!
The door opened and soeone sat in the &hair beside hi! He
gradually &ae to realize it was #iane! He loo%ed over! Her fa&e
was wrapped loosely in gauze! 7+ a not an anial,7 she 1o%ed in a
&rea%y voi&e! 7+ a a woan!7
7Bou shouldn't &over your wounds,7 he said, his voi&e tired and
flat!
7+ %now,7 she said! 7But + don't want to s&are the patients!7
7Bou are a patient!7
75h,7 #iane said! 75h yeah!7 She put her feet up on her &hair
and hugged her %nees to her &hest! 7"hat are you doing in here9
Bou're a .ew! And an atheist!7
7How'd you find e97
7.ill said she saw you du&% inside!7
7How are you feeling97
7+ feel pretty! 5h so pretty! +t's a pity how pretty + feel!7 #iane's
onotone at&hed #avid's pretty well! 7They let e out of y
&age, at least! Said + should be ready to go hoe toorrow!7 She
pointed to the anila folder in #avid's lap! 7More notes fro the
underground97
He told her briefly about )onnolly's study, then handed her the
folder! She read it slowly, then set it down! She didn't say anything
for a few inutes as they stared at the tiny stained'glass window
ahead! #avid realized it depi&ted a tree! A an &ae in and uttered
a few prayers, his lips oving soundlessly! He departed /ui&%ly
afterward!
#iane patted the bandage gently over her &hee%, as if trying to
alleviate an it&h! 7This %eeps getting essier!7
7+t's 1ust that with the atta&%s, the &ops, bullshit hospital politi&s,
the edia all over e ! ! ! 7 He rubbed his eyes! 7+t's all been
wearing on e enough! And now to learn y other bears soe
responsibility for these assaults ! ! ! 7
#iane's eyes sharpened! 73ro what do you draw that
&on&lusion97
7The e6perients too% pla&e under her tenure!7
7+t sounds li%e she stopped the when she &aught wind! Bou
%now dan well that the $*+ &hief of staff &an't oversee every study
run over there!7
7She &overed up the e6perients that &reated hi!7
7Helped &reate hi, #avid! 5nly helped! There were twenty'
seven other %ids in that study! $one of the are throwing al%ali!7
7+f you'd seen those fils''7
7They sound awful! +' 1ust saying you &an't shoulder this one
too! Bour trying to is an a&t of arrogan&e! A lot of psy&h studies
were /uestionable before the 0thi&s Board tightened up! And
besides, who's to say that your other or even those e6perients
have any spe&ifi& &ulpability9 $ature versus nurture! )ausation
versus &orrelation! Genes versus environent! Bou're wading into
soe pretty ur%y philosophi&al waters!7
7My other taught e a lot of things,7 #avid finally said!
7*robably ore than anyone else! She was as tough as they &oe,
tough to the point of being obdurate and unfeeling!7
7That toughness also gave her her &areer in an age when
woen didn't have &areers li%e hers,7 #iane said! 7*eople's best
traits are often also their worst! That's true for ost of us!7
7But you have to own up,7 #avid said! 7Bou're peritted to
stuble as long as you re&tify! She never did! That study was
wrong! There's no way around it! +t was wrong! And she %new it!
She &overed it up!7
7"ell, you hardly have tie to ope about that now!7
He wiped his hands on his s&rub top, and they left a sweat stain!
7"hat a + supposed to do97
7Go &he&% out that address, for one thing! Bou have double
&overage today''you &an probably snea% out a bit early!7
#avid nodded! 7Happy Horizons! Sounds li%e a '?=s retireent
fa&ility!7
7Are you %eeping the &ops at bay97
73or the tie being!7
7)lyde has &learly been e6a&ting revenge for being run through
those e6perients! Bou need to get a better handle on what,
spe&ifi&ally, he's after!7
7The illion'dollar /uestion is: Then what97
They studied the stained'glass tree, sorting their respe&tive
thoughts!
#iane tou&hed her good &hee% with her fingers! 7+f you were the
%ind of an who stri&tly wanted to see hi punished, there would
be an easy solution!7
They loo%ed at the tree a few oents longer!
7But then + probably wouldn't love you,7 she said!
)hapter ?F
"H0$ #avid stepped on the de&repit front por&h, it sagged as
though about to give way! The address on the side wall, &oposed
of rusting nuerals, read 2I 2, the iddle 2 having fallen off! The
pla&ard by the doorbell read pearson hoe for the developentally
disabled! The ad1a&ent lot stood desolate and epty, save for a
heap of trash and a burnt'out old &ar up on blo&%s that loo%ed
soehow haunted in the twilight!
A woan in a ratty sweatshirt opened the door, pinning the
s&reen with her %nee! She wore her hair in a high ponytail, a young
style for soeone who loo%ed to be in her late thirties! Behind her,
an overweight an with #own's syndroe sat &ross'legged on the
floor, folding and refolding a se&tion of newspaper! 7)an + help
you97
7Hello, +' #avid Spier''+' a do&tor at ,)-A! A an naed
#ouglas #a4ella used to live here! + was hoping you &ould put e
in tou&h with soeone who %new hi!7
75h sure! #oug was y dad, %ind of! He passed on a few years
ba&%! He and his wife, Sue, used to run a foster hoe here! That's
where + grew up!7 She siled proudly! 7+ started wor%ing here after
high s&hool, and we swit&hed the pla&e to a retarded hoe in 'JD''
ore oney available for that %ind of stuff, you %now!7
7How do you ean97
7The governent subsidizes it when you ta%e in %ids, or people
with disabilities! $ot a ton of oney in it, but it's a living! And you
get to, you %now, help people!7
The an on the floor behind her ade an in&oprehensible
noise!
75%ay, sweetie!7 She wal%ed over and handed hi a new se&tion
of newspaper, whi&h he began assiduously folding! She siled at
#avid self'&ons&iously! 7He's a handful soeties, but it's twenty'
five hundred a onth!7
7That sees li%e a good arrangeent,7 #avid said! 7#id you live
here in 2EIF97
7Bup! + was ! ! ! 7 Her head tilted ba&%, her tongue po%ing at her
lip! 7$ine!7
7#o you reeber an in&ident that year involving a study run at
the $europsy&hiatri& +nstitute97
7Beah! But we weren't supposed to tal% about it! Still aren't, +
suppose! But you're fro the hospital, didn't you say9 + guess you
%now already!7
7*retty u&h,7 he lied! 7+ 1ust wanted to tal% to soeone to flesh
out the details!7
7"ould you ind if + too% a loo% at your +#97 She siled
ingratiatingly! 7+' sorry; we do get all %inds through here!7
7$o proble!7 #avid pulled his ,)-A badge fro his po&%et, and
she e6ained it before stepping ba&% fro the door!
7"hy don't you &oe in9 :eep your voi&e down, though! +t's
/uiet tie! 06&ept for those who did the ost e6tra &hores last
wee%! +sn't that right, Toy97 She ruffled Toy's hair, but he
reained fi6ated on the newspaper!
#avid sat on a plush aroon &hesterfield! The house selled
strongly of &oo%ed vegetables and aonia! The antel was
de&orated with well'dusted por&elain figurines and a &olle&tion of
.esus plates! 7+' (honda #e&%er, by the way!7
7$i&e to eet you, (honda! Than%s for inviting e in!7
Toy rose and wal%ed into an ad1oining bathroo, and #avid
and (honda pretended not to hear hi urinating!
7"hen the study started, #oug didn't thin% u&h of it! They paid
good''a grand a %id, + thin%''and he never dreaed they'd do
anything harful to any of the! Two %ids went off and did the
study! 3ran% Grant and )lyde soething! +t was an awful, awful
thing! That's a vulnerable age, espe&ially for %ids li%e us! +f they
wanted to study fear in %ids, they &ould have as%ed 1ust about any
one of us about it and we &ould have answered! "e didn't need
sna%es and lights and stuff to s&are us! $ot us!7
7#id 3ran% and )lyde have probles when they got ba&%97
73ran% wasn't ba&% for long! He got oved soewhere else,
down to San #iego or 5&eanside or soething! But the other %id,
he did soe awful stuff!7
7-i%e what97
Toy returned and stood beside #avid! He rubbed the top of
#avid's head, and #avid too% his hand and held it, ostly be&ause
he wasn't sure what else to do with it! (honda stood and handed
Toy the Business se&tion, and he sat and happily resued his
folding!
7That's what we weren't supposed to tal% about! They gave soe
oney, so we wouldn't tal% to the press, or other foster hoes that
were involved in the study! They didn't want to adit anything to the
others, you %now! -iability and stuff! + guess + &an understand!7
7+' a representative of the hospital, so that arrangeent doesn't
apply to e!7 The liits and &onditions of #avid's honesty, he was
dis&overing, were different fro what he'd have hypothesized
during a &aler wee%!
(honda too% a deep breath! 7The other %id, )lyde, he used to
wa%e up the younger %ids in the iddle of the night and, well, sort
of torture the! #oug had no idea this was going on! $ot until later!
#oug was a good parent to us!7
+t seeed that, despite the fa&t that #a4ella had rented hi out
to the hospital, )lyde still felt a &ertain atta&hent to hi! +t was,
after all, #a'4ella's nae he had &hosen to steal! 7How would
)lyde torture the97
7"ell, there's an upstairs roo with e6posed rafters! "e had
three %ids in there, five to sevens! )lyde used to string rope over
the rafters and a%e a noose, then dangle the %ids 1ust above the
ground, so their tiptoes &ould barely rea&h! He'd sit there, holding
the other end, wat&hing the struggle! The thing that was ost
awful was, the other two %ids had to wat&h! He'd rotate the, one a
night! They were showing up all e6hausted at brea%fast, none of
the sleeping at all, waiting up s&ared all night! +agine that, lying
in the dar%, trying to sleep, but %nowing what's &oing! ! ! ! +t ust
have been terrifying!7
)lyde's own reversal of the e6perients! +nfli&ting fear on others!
0powering hiself! He'd &ertainly su&&eeded with his al%ali
assaults at the hospital! $ot 1ust by frightening the woen he'd
atta&%ed, but in &reating an environent of intense alar and
an6iety all through the Med )enter! The sae hospital that had
on&e vi&tiized hi the sae way!
(honda shoo% her head, her eyes &louding! 7$one of the would
tell, either! S&ared, + guess! #oug noti&ed red ar%s around one
%id's ne&% but thought it was fro wrestling! And then .i :ipper
died! )lyde dangled hi too long and he 1ust ! ! ! died! #oug heard
the body hit when )lyde rela6ed the rope! (an in there! The two
other %ids were &rying! )lyde was in sho&%!7
7"hat did he say97
Her &hee% twit&hed below her right eye! 7He said he was 1ust
trying to s&are hi!7
The sae thing he'd told the &ops about why he'd flashed the
hoo%er! #avid tried not to let his eotions show in his fa&e! +t had
been the Med )enter that had e6punged )lyde's 1uvenile re&ord, in
order to prote&t the &over'up fro future investigations! And the
Med )enter had paid off #a4ella spe&ifi&ally not to alert the other
foster parents, so it wouldn't be opened up to paying other
settleents! They'd ta%en %ids already terrified of the world and
their pla&e in it, and turned up the volue of their fear, yielding
rear%able results for the study! Then they'd released these %ids
ba&% into so&iety, trauatized and angry, and ta%en no steps to
ensure their safety or the safety of those around the!
And #avid's other had helped &over it up, providing spin
&ontrol! His eotions, loose and searing, were of little use right
now! He tried to refo&us!
7They too% hi off to a youth detention &enter,7 (honda was
saying! 7Bou %now how that goes! 4i&ious &y&le pi&%s up speed!7
7Have you noti&ed anything strange around the house lately97
75h, you %now! Bad part of town, so the usual! Spray paint! Mail
rifled through fro tie to tie! Soeone %illed a dog out in our lot
last night, but the &ops thought it was a &ult thing!7
7-ast night9 "ho found it97
75ne of y girls! -ayla! -i%e fro the )lapton song!7
7)an + tal% to her97
7+ thin% she's napping, but + guess + &ould wa%e her up!7
#avid followed (honda up the stairs and into a &ozy roo,
alost a large garret! A &rude but &haring rainbow was rendered
in paint on the far wall! A &hild's des% sat in the &orner, beside a
single bureau! A retarded woan lay on her bed, fa&edown,
wearing a dirty pin% 1upsuit, snoring deli&ately! (honda sat beside
her on the bed, plu&%ing the fabri&! 7+ &an't get her to wear anything
else,7 she whispered with a sile!
#avid pulled up a &hair as (honda rubbed -ayla's ba&% in tight
&ir&les! 7)'on, sweetie, wa%e up! A an wants to tal% to you!7
-ayla rolled over and sat up, yawning so wide #avid &ould
distin&tly a%e out her dangling uvula! Her fa&e was puffy fro
sleep and, aybe, fro &rying! 7Hi!7
7Hi there! How are you97
7Tired!7
#avid siled! 7+ a too! + wanted to as% you about the dog you
found!7
Her eyes welled instantly with tears! #avid adired her /ui&%
vulnerability!
7My dog! He got illed!7
7"hat do you ean your dog97 (honda as%ed!
7 '5thing! .ust that + i%ed i!7
7#id you noti&e anyone out there wat&hing you when you found
hi97
Her eyes went to (honda! 7$o!7
7Are you sure97 (honda as%ed!
7+ idn't do anything!7 Her breathing /ui&%ened into 1er%s,
threatening to grow to sobs! (honda's presen&e &learly ade -ayla
less forth&oing!
7"e didn't say you did! "e're not blaing you for anything at all!7
#avid turned to (honda and said /uietly! 7+s there any way + &ould
see her alone97
7$o, sir,7 (honda said! 7+ %now you're a do&tor and all, but + don't
leave y girls alone with anyone!7
75%ay! + understand!7 He turned ba&%! 7Have you seen anyone
else around9 Hanging around the pla&e97
7 '5eties he oo%s at e fro his &ar!7
73ro his &ar97
7"e get perverts drive by fro tie to tie,7 (honda said!
7Teenagers po%ing fun!7
7+s that what you eant97
-ayla again &ast a nervous glan&e at (honda, then nodded
heavily, her full &hee%s boun&ing with the oveent!
7Are you sure97
7Bes!7
7$othing unusual or s&ary at all! $o en hanging around97
A big head sha%e!
(honda &he&%ed her wat&h, then ruffled -ayla's hair! 75%ay,
sweetie! "hy don't you go and round up the others for dinner97
-ayla shuffled out!
#avid stood up, noti&ing, for the first tie, the e6posed rafters! A
&oldness oved through hi! 7"as it here9 +s this the roo where
)lyde tortured the boys97
(honda nodded! 75bviously, we don't tell the %ids that!7
#avid stared around the roo, feeling an irrational sense of awe!
The rafters were lower than he'd iagined! 7How often did he do
this to the9 More than a few ties97
(honda nudged the &hair toward #avid with her foot! 7See for
yourself,7 she said!
,nsure what she wanted hi to loo% at, he &libed on the &hair,
bringing the top of the rafters into view! 0very few in&hes down the
&enter rafter's length, shallow grooves had been worn in the wood!
The %ind of grooves a hanging body would a%e!
)hapter ?<
#A4+# had spent very little tie at hoe the past few days, so it
was with a sense of relief that he pulled into the garage and
entered his house! A light was on in the living roo, and the house
selled of pop&orn!
He tensed, until he re&ognized 0d's voi&e, &alling, 7Honey, you're
hoe87
#avid threw down his %eys on the &ounter by the garage door
and wal%ed into the other roo! "earing a wife'beater tan% top and
a pair of paint'splattered 1eans, 0d lounged on #avid's &ou&h in
front of the television! His hair was 1ust starting to grow ba&%, giving
the top of his head an orange sheen! He held an open Astel -ight,
a bag of i&rowave pop&orn, and the reote &ontrol to the
television! 7Bou need to go gro&ery shopping,7 he said! 7$othing in
the fridge!7
7*lease,7 #avid said, sitting down beside 0d with a sigh! 7Ma%e
yourself at hoe!7 He rea&hed over and tou&hed one of the paint
dollops on 0d's 1eans, &he&%ing that it was dry!
0d put a ragged wor%an's boot up on the &offee table! +t was
worn through the heel, alost all the way! A green so&% showed
through!
7+ thin% it's tie for soe new boots,7 #avid said!
7These are new boots,7 0d said! 7They're beat up be&ause +
pulled the behind y tru&% for a half hour this orning!7
7So they'll blend with your new getup97
7Bou got it!7
7Are you ever going to tell e what you do97
7*robably not!7
7Bou didn't 1ust happen to wal% into that :in%o's, did you97
7$o,7 0d said! 7+ was tagging the guy for soething else! All of a
sudden, he was &oitting an ared robbery and people were at
ris%!7
7+ thought you didn't li%e to get involved! "ith violen&e!7
7+ don't! But soeties we don't have a &hoi&e, do we97 0d
bro%e off his %nowing loo%! 7So what do you have for e9 +'ve been
waiting eagerly for the Spier update, and the news, for on&e, is a
few steps behind!7
#avid filled 0d in on his progress as best he &ould! 0d listened
attentively, as%ing o&&asional /uestions! "hen #avid finished, 0d
regarded hi with an e6pression of aused respe&t! 7Go go
Gadget,7 he said!
#avid rea&hed for 0d's beer, too% a swig, and handed it ba&%!
7#o you thin% )lyde's aware of your other's role in this97 0d
as%ed! 7Has he &onne&ted you to her97
7"e shouldn't rule it out, but + don't thin% so! He re&ognized y
nae fro the Spier Auditoriu but didn't see to lin% it to any
other person! + would guess a ore signifi&ant re&ognition of y
nae would have shown!7
7So he holds the hospital in general responsible for vi&tiizing
hi!7 A sall sile played a&ross 0d's fa&e! 7The al%ali atta&%s are
a pretty uni/ue revenge strategy!7
7+ thin% those e6perients et&hed into his e6perien&e what he
already %new as a %id who'd spent his life shuttled fro hoe to
hoe''power is in the hands of those who s&are! By atta&%ing
$an&y and Sandra, he s&ared not 1ust the but every young
woan in that Medi&al )enter! $ow he holds the reins!7
7+ suppose that's one definition of power!7
7That's the definition the study taught hi! 3or all these years,
he's been lo&%ed in a terrified preadoles&en&e! $ow he's slowly
finding his way out of fear! 0ven the nature of his atta&%s are
&hanging! They're ore &ople6, ore spe&ifi&! The atta&% on
#iane probably had to do with e''aybe he was 1ealous of y
affe&tion for her, or aybe he felt + betrayed hi in soe way''but it
also shows that this an is &apable of growth!7
7He's &apable of getting what he needs too!7 0d &li&%ed the
reote, turning on the television and 4)(, then &li&%ing pause! The
frozen video appeared to be a store's se&urity &aera re&ording!
7There have been eleven phara&y burglaries in -A )ounty in the
past three onths! Mostly orphine and *er&o&et''those
a&&ounted for five of the brea%'ins! Three ties, 4i&odin was ta%en,
and one guy stole &ondos! Tal% about being desperate to get
laid!7
7That only adds up to nine! + thought you said there were
eleven!7
7+ was getting to that! -ithiu &arbonate was ta%en in ass
/uantity fro Healton's #rugstore on May fifteenth! 0s%alith, to be
pre&ise!7
7How u&h97
7About five hundred <?='illigra tablets!7
#avid whistled! 7That should be enough for si6 onths at a
noral dose!7
70vidently not, be&ause our boy &ae ba&%! -ast night!7
7The dog was %illed by the *earson Hoe last night, too!7
7"ell, Healton's was sart! They installed a se&urity &aera
after the first brea%'in! )aught this on tape!7 0d pressed the pause
button, and the s&reen unfroze! A few oents of silen&e, then the
figure of a an appeared outside the store! He pi&%ed up a nearby
trash &an and hurled it through the window! -ights &ae on within
the store; alars flashed! The an staggered inside, and #avid
re&ognized hi for the first tie! )lyde! He stubled into a display
pyraid of sodas, sending the rolling up the aisles!
7-oo%s pretty haered,7 0d observed! 7There's your ata6ia,
huh97
)lyde stubled to the phara&y door and found it lo&%ed!
(earing ba&%, he %i&%ed it in, the 1ab splintering!
7*owerful guy,7 0d said softly!
)lyde entered the sall ba&% roo of the phara&y and
eerged thirty se&onds later, a few pills falling fro his po&%ets! He
grabbed a &arton of &igarettes fro above one of the &ash
registers, then staggered out of the frae! He reappeared a
oent later, &radling a few ites to his &hest, shuffled out the
door /ui&%ly, and was gone in the dar%ness!
The sall tier at the botto of the s&reen indi&ated that the
entire brea%'in too% )lyde less than four inutes! 0d sighed!
70stiated poli&e response tie to that area is twelve inutes!
*a&ifi& #ivision is over on )ulver and )entinela, but they ight as
well ove it to 4eni&e Bea&h sin&e that's where all the &ops hang
out! )he&%ing out the &hi&%s on (ollerblades!7
7"as that a bottle of Gatorade he grabbed97 #avid as%ed!
0d nodded slowly! 7Bou said e6&essive thirst was a side effe&t!
*olythirstia!7
#avid siled! 7*olydipsia! +s that all he too%97
7A few &ans of beans! More lozenges!7 0d ran his hands over the
red stubble dotting his s&alp, a%ing a harsh rasping sound! 7And
two &ontainers of li/uid #rain0ze!7
#avid leaned ba&% on the &ou&h, e6haling loudly! He rubbed his
eyes! 7Goddan it!7
7)heer up! "e got soe good news fro this tape!7
7-i%e what97
7Thin%!7
#avid's voi&e sharpened again with frustration! 7"hy &ouldn't
they have 1ust &aught hi at the goddaned drugstore97 He stood
and pa&ed around the living roo, running his fingers through his
hair!
7This does us no good!7 0d snapped his fingers! 7Sit!7
#avid wal%ed ba&% and sat on the &ou&h!
7This is eergen&y surgery, Spier, and we've 1ust had a
&opli&ation! "e're going to %eep our &ool! "e're not gonna pani&
li%e a &andy striper! $ow ! ! ! what does the tape tell us97
#avid too% a deep breath before spea%ing! 7The lithiu to6i&ity
has progressed! )lyde burned through the pills he stole at a
dangerous rate! +'d guess his blood level is up over two point zero!
His balan&e is even worse than when we saw hi last!7
7"hi&h eans97
7"hi&h eans ! ! ! 7 +t stru&% hi! 7"hi&h eans he probably
&ouldn't operate a vehi&le!7 He too% a deep breath! 7So he probably
wal%ed to the drugstore, sin&e ta%ing a bus would have been too
visible!7
74ery good, Spier! He lives within wal%ing distan&e! "e now have
an area pinned down! +s this drun%en'wal%ing thing peranent97
7$o! +f he ba&%s off the pills, it'll resolve! His &oordination &ould
be signifi&antly iproved within twenty'four hours!7
75%ay, so it is possible that he ay be ore obile in the future!
"hat else97
7"ell, he stole food too, so that probably eans he's low on
oney!7
7Good! He was laid off three onths ago, and he doesn't stri%e
e as a eti&ulous finan&ial planner! So he's probably overdue on
rent!7 0d siled and tossed a pie&e of pop&orn in his outh!
7*issed'off landlords li%e to tal%!7
7So how do we go about that97
7"e97 0d shoo% his head! 75h no! This is the stuff + &an't get
involved in! Grunt wor%! #oor'to'door! +t's too visible! +'d suggest
you turn all this info over to Bale so he and his boys &an start
following up on it! Bou'll 1ust have to trust hi!7 He siled playfully!
7Tie to unleash the hounds!7
)hapter ??
TH0 full oon &ast the pal fronds' shadows against the wall at
the base of #avid's bed! He wat&hed the dip and bow li%e
distorted puppets! A horn blared up on Sunset, followed by the
s/ueal of bra%es! #avid listened for a &rash, but there was none!
)learly, the earplugs weren't helping, so he reoved the and set
the by the alar &lo&% on his nightstand! +t was 2=:>I *!M!
He'd paged Bale over ten inutes ago!
He rea&hed for the phone, dialed <22, and as%ed to be put
through to the listing! He was surprised when he got an answer!
7Healton's #rugs! Help you97
7Bes, how late are you open97
7Midnight!7
7)an you''7
7And not a inute later! Got that9 #oors lo&% the instant the
se&ond hand &li&%s!7
7Bes,7 #avid said! 7+ understand! )an you give e your address
please97
After heaving a weighty sigh, she &oplied, and #avid 1otted
down the address on a notepad! A run'down part of 4eni&e, &lose to
the interse&tion of ?th and Broadway! And a few blo&%s away fro
the *earson Hoe for the #evelopentally #isabled!
A hefty &oin&iden&e!
The drive too% less than fifteen inutes! #avid slowed as he
neared the drugstore, ta%ing in his surroundings! He passed
several weedy lots where buildings had been torn down! +n one, a
group of en huddled around a burning attress! +t be&ae
in&reasingly evident why the poli&e's response tie to this area was
so slow!
#avid pulled into the Healton's par%ing lot! Though the front of
the store was well lit, he had soe isgivings about leaving his
Mer&edes unattended! He too% his &ell phone with hi rather than
leaving it in the &ar!
3ourth of .uly drawings still de&orated the building's large
windows''flags and fire&ra&%ers depi&ted with thi&%, essy paint!
The window )lyde had bro%en was ba&%ed with plywood and
&overed with garbage bags that su&%ed in the wind! The inside
selled of )loro6 and Band'Aids! The tabloids at the unanned
&he&%out &ounter s&reaed out in vivid &olors: westwood a&id
thrower still on loose after dr! death aids his es&ape8 Beside it
looed a photograph of #avid entering the hospital, ta%en at
paparazzi distan&e!
Aside fro a few food aisles to the right, the drugstore featured
health, &leaning, and hoe iproveent produ&ts! #avid
happened on a pair of heavy'duty earplugs and grabbed the,
figuring he'd give the a try! He wal%ed up the aisles until he
arrived at the row of lye produ&ts! #rano, (ed #evil #rain 5pener,
-i/uid *lur, and, there at the botto, #rain0ze! +ndustrial
strength, the label advertised!
The harsh feale voi&e startled hi! 7"e're &losing up! +f you're
gonna buy soething, bring it to the register!7
#avid turned to find an elderly woan in a hand'%nit sweater, her
fa&e wrin%led and seared with a%eup! She selled distin&tly of
baby powder!
7Hello, a'a! + was hoping you &ould''7
7#on't you 'hello a'a' e! +' trying to &lose up now! Buy what
you're gonna buy or else get out!7
*ulling a &opy of the poli&e &oposite fro his po&%et, #avid
followed her surprisingly fast hobble up to the &ash registers in the
front! 7+'d really appre&iate it if you &ould ta%e a loo% at''7
He halted! Through the front windows &louded with the seared
de&orative paint, he ade out oveent around his &ar! A shadow
seeed to orient itself toward #avid and freeze, as if aware of
#avid's gaze! Then the figure flashed away into the night!
#avid stepped out through the doors, and the old woan was
there instantly behind hi, lo&%ing hi out! A an, sto&%y li%e
)lyde, was wal%ing up the deserted street, hands shoved into the
po&%ets of a torn 1a&%et, loose shoela&es trailing! 3leeing, yet trying
to reain in&onspi&uous! He did not loo% ba&%! #avid 1ogged a few
pa&es to %eep hi in sight!
He followed the an at a distan&e of about half a blo&%,
wondering if he was, in fa&t, )lyde, and if so, how he had spotted
#avid! Had he been sta%ing out the drugstore9 The pair of earplugs
grew sweaty in his hand, and #avid realized he had inadvertently
stolen the! The an turned a &orner into one of the deserted lots
#avid had noted on his way to the drugstore, and #avid pi&%ed up
his pa&e, trying unsu&&essfully to %eep hi in view! He passed a
dilapidated phone booth, the bla&% re&eiver dangling fro its &ord
inside the four shattered walls! "hen he turned the &orner, he
realized the an had entered the epty lot beside the *earson
Hoe!
Bro%en bottles, gravel, weeds, and a few &hun%s of &on&rete left
over fro the deolition! A s&or&hed &ar sat up in blo&%s in the
iddle of the lot! $obody in sight!
)autiously, #avid stepped off the street and entered the dar%,
deserted lot! He noti&ed a slat issing in the fen&e at the periphery
and headed toward it! An opening to another street! His Broo%s
Brothers loafers &run&hed gravel underfoot as he wal%ed slowly
forward! His ind ra&ed with all the reasons it was foolish for hi to
be out here in this neighborhood in the iddle of the night pursuing
a dangerous fugitive, but soething drew hi forward, a deep'
seated &opulsion!
)lyde had been &areful so far to atta&% only those who &ouldn't
effe&tively fight ba&%; #avid hoped he was too tiid to go after an
able'bodied an!
#avid stubled over a beer bottle, and it shattered against a
ro&% with a dry, popping sound! He paused, leaning on the hood of
the tor&hed &ar!
Through the yriad &ra&%s of the windshield, he saw two eyes
glinting in the dar%ness! His outh went instantly dry, and his voi&e
seeed to &at&h in his throat on the way up! 7)lyde97
The door &rea%ed open! #avid stood frozen, one hand resting on
the &ar hood, as a rustling figure got out and slowly too% shape in
the dar%ness! The door &losed with a bang, then )lyde stood over
hi, his fa&e dar% and shadowed!
The two en fa&ed ea&h other, #avid loo%ing up at )lyde!
06&iteent ingled with fear, %i&%ing both up a not&h!
)lyde &ally drew ba&% a large, puffy fist and stru&% #avid in the
fa&e! #avid's head snapped down and to the side, a splattering of
blood leaving his outh and spraying a&ross the &ar's hood! The
pun&h ade a dull thud, that of a dropped orange hitting asphalt!
The a&tion was oddly atter'of'fa&t; the en had observed it as it
o&&urred, as if they were both soehow deta&hed fro it! )lyde
ade no ove to stri%e #avid again!
Slowly, #avid raised a hand to his outh and pressed it to his
split lip! He had felt no pain, 1ust a sudden pressure! His stoa&h
&hurned!
He turned ba&% to )lyde, &areful to %eep his head lowered so as
not to a%e eye &onta&t! The thought of #iane's soft whipering
the first tie she %issed hi in the hospital roo brought on a
sudden, intense rage, but he fought it away! Anger did hi little
good here, as it did little good on the 0( floor!
5nly )lyde's large stoa&h and &hest were within his view! The
si&%ening and frighteningly failiar &obination of body odor and
orange &andy'&oating hung in the air!
+t o&&urred to #avid how surreal it was to be threatened
physi&ally and how ill e/uipped he was to handle it! He'd been in
one fight in his life''#aniel Madison in third grade over a stolen
Sandy :oufa6 baseball &ard! The ass'%i&%ing #aniel adinistered
had &onvin&ed #avid subse/uently to pursue other avenues of
&onfli&t resolution! And to root for the Giants!
7Bou don't %now,7 )lyde said, his words a slur! 7Bou don't %now
how s&ary + &an be!7
7Bes, + do,7 #avid said! )lyde ight stri%e hi at any oent!
He tried to figure out where he'd hit )lyde if he had to defend
hiself! $e&%9 )rot&h9 7But you're in danger! + &an help! + &an bring
you in yself, and a%e sure you're ta%en &are of!7
7+' not a gae!7 )lyde's voi&e, deep and raspy, was pained!
7Bou'd better leave e alone!7
7)lyde, listen to e!7 #avid's voi&e was sha%ing, though he was
doing everything to %eep it even! 7+ saw the fils of the fear study! +
%now what they put you through when you were a %id, and how
wrong it was! + understand why you're angry''you have every right
to be angry!7 He sensed )lyde's shape rela6ing slightly, shoulders
starting to lower!
7$o one's born with probles li%e ine,7 )lyde said! 7Soeone
ade e!7
7+f you &oe with e, we &an tal% to the authorities together and
e6plain everything that's happened to you,7 #avid &ontinued, in as
&al a voi&e as he &ould uster! 7But as long as you're out here
and wanted, you put yourself in danger!7
7+' not in danger! They're the ones! They're the ones who are
s&ared of e!7
7)lyde, + %now there's a part of you that doesn't want to do these
things to people! + %now there's a part of you that wants to be
better!7 "ording the /uestion li%e a stateent, trying to pi&% up
ground! #avid stared up at )lyde's shadowy fa&e, fraed in
silhouette by the glow of a distant streetlight!
7+ tried to go into a &lini&,7 )lyde said! 7To stop the feelings that
were starting to &oe! + wanted the to a%e e better! To give
e ! ! ! things ! ! ! to a%e e better!7 3ear &rept into his voi&e! 7But
+ got to the par%ing lot and saw the with their white &oats and +
&ouldn't! My hands were sweating! + dropped y orange bottle, but
it was epty!7
The orange bottle''for pres&ription drugs9 )lyde's &rypti& words
were &onfiring &onne&tions #avid had already ade! )onnolly's
study had left )lyde terrified of do&tors! 5r at least of re&eiving
treatent! That's why he'd been trying to &ure hiself!
7How about if + went with you97 #avid as%ed! 7To get help97
A voi&e, sall and defiant, li%e a &hild's! 7$o!7
7+f you won't go with e to get help, + have to believe you're not
very serious about getting better!7
A low huing sound broadened into a sob'stained &ry! #avid
waited silently, sho&%ed, as )lyde wept and then fell silent! After a
pause, )lyde said, 7*eople tal% at e but their voi&es don't have
any &olor! They're etal and &old! They s&rape y ears!7 His words
were distorted fro &rying, but his tone was ore gentle!
)onfessional! 7+t's li%e there's dar%ness everywhere and in y eyes
until soeone siles and then it gets light!7 A ournful pause! 7+t
hasn't been light in a long tie!7
#avid tried to &olle&t his thoughts!
7+' not filled inside,7 )lyde &ontinued! 7+t's li%e straw instead of
s%in, and ropes instead of veins! +' rotting! +' rotting fro the
inside out, but + still ove around in y body!7 )lyde beginning to
&ry again! (o&%ing on his feet, uttering! 7Three, two, one! Ba&%
fro the door!7 )aling hiself! "hen he raised his head, his eyes
gleaed, sharp'fo&used and angry! A forged &onne&tion''
vulnerability followed by intense aniosity!
#avid too% a sall step ba&%! 7There are people who &an tal% to
you!7 He ade sure not to ention psy&hologists or psy&hiatrists!
7Ma%e you feel better! *lus your wounds''your wounds fro the
al%ali''those need to be treated as well!7
)lyde turned and spat! 7+ &an taste y rot! +t's li%e there's a dead
rat in y throat and it's elting!7
7That's a side effe&t,7 #avid said, 7and another reason you need
help! Bou've been poisoning yourself with the drugs you're ta%ing!7
)lyde's shadow stiffened, rearing ba&%, and #avid realized he'd
ade a terrible ista%e!
7+ don't ta%e drugs!7 The fist drew ba&% &ally again, li%e a
piston, and drove down into #avid's fa&e!
#avid &ae to with gravel in his outh! ,sing the front buper
of the &ar, he pulled hiself to his feet and spit out the gravel on the
hood! His outh was war and salty; when he studied the gob of
spit in the oonlight, he saw it was dar%, lined with blood!
The vi&e'grip of a heada&he seized hi suddenly and intensely,
pulsed three ties, then dissipated! He slid up on the hood, &areful
to iss his spit, and sat with his feet on the front buper! His pants
were ripped and bloody at one %nee! He &aught his breath slowly,
blotting his split lip with a sleeve and going through a neuro
&he&%list! He didn't have any wea%ness or altered sensations, and
there seeed to be no &louding of his ental fa&ilities! He thought
about getting hiself to the 0( to be &he&%ed out, but &ontinued
toward the issing slat in the fen&e on the far side of the lot!
Halfway there, he noti&ed another slat that had been shoved aside,
farther down the fen&e! This one appeared to lead not to a street
but an alley! #avid was fairly &ertain the slat had been in pla&e
before his &onfrontation with )lyde!
He headed over and stepped through the fen&e without first
s&anning the alley! He was tired, a&hing, pissed off, and no longer
&ared to slow down for the sa%e of ta%ing pre&autions! A hoeless
an shuffled fro behind a #upster, approa&hing #avid in
threatening fashion, but #avid lowered his hand fro his bloody lip
and froze hi with a glare!
He trudged out fro the alley and found hiself on an epty
street of run'down apartents! #ilapidated &ars were par%ed along
the &urbs'')hevettes with tinted windows, 0l #orados on sun%en
sho&%s, tru&%s with soil s&attered in the beds! 5n the apartents,
s&reens hung off windows by single pegs; &lean pat&hes of wood
were visible where de&orative shutters had re&ently fallen off! #avid
wal%ed along the torn'up strips of grass intended to de&orate the
sidewal%s, not really sure for what he was loo%ing! He paused at
the &orner of the street, staring at the row of /uiet, de&aying
buildings! +nse&ts &hirped soewhere nearby, though there was
little vegetation!
The realities of the situation stru&% hi! He was alone, in a bad
part of town at night, sear&hing the streets for an assailant!
#avid turned purposefully and began the long wal% ba&% to his
&ar! Beside an overturned Healton's shopping &art, a an slept on
the sidewal%, drawing deep, shuddering breaths! #avid &ir&led hi,
passing beside a &ar!
A par%ing perit hanging fro the &ar's rearview irror &aught
his eye: ,)-A M0#+)A- )0$T0(! 06pired in May, three onths
ago! The onth )lyde was fired!
#avid froze, peering at the &ar! A &hipped brown )rown 4i&toria!
5n the dash sat an epty bo6 of $oblean's Cin& -ozenges and a
loose twenty'gauge needle, still in its plasti& sheath! "rappers and
soda &ans &overed the ba&%seat!
)arefully sidestepping the hoeless an, #avid headed for the
run'down apartent building &losest to the &ar! He ran his finger
down the list of naes on the ailbo6es, sear&hing for )lyde's to
no avail! He did the sae at the apartent building ne6t door! And
the one ne6t door to that! He was 1ust about to give up when a
nae &aught his eye! Slade #ouglas! Apartent >=F!
The lobby featured a &ir&ular &ou&h with the stuffing showing and
a large dead fern! The &arpet &overing the stairs was worn through
in the iddle! A shattered lightbulb littered the landing between the
floors!
A bare fli&%ering bulb was all that lit the se&ond floor! Maroon
&arpets and brown peeling wallpaper ade the hall see dar%er
than it was!
#avid paused outside the door to Apartent >=F, then slowly
drew his eye &lose to the peephole! A large for, &oing dire&tly at
hi!
He sprang ba&%, nearly tripping over his feet, and darted for the
al&oved doorway to Apartent >=>! As )lyde's door swung open,
#avid pressed hiself flat against the neighboring door! He heard
three dead bolts lo&%, one after another, then )lyde swept past hi,
banging into a wall! )lyde stubled down the hall toward the stairs,
pulling on a torn 1a&%et and uttering under his breath!
-oud footsteps on the stairs, then all was still! #avid realized he'd
been holding his breath, and he let it out in a rush! He felt light'
headed!
"al%ing ba&% outside, he headed out of view along the side of
the building, in &ase )lyde returned! He paged Bale again, this tie
to his &ell nuber, then swit&hed his phone over to vibrate ode!
*eering up the street, he wondered where )lyde had gone!
*robably to spy on #avid again, to a%e sure he'd left the area!
*a&ing ipatiently beneath a fire es&ape, #avid waited for Bale's
return &all! $one &ae! He'd 1ust de&ided to page Bale again when
the uffled &ries of a woan &aught his attention! -oo%ing up the
side of the building, he saw he was standing beneath )lyde's
window! The uffled &ries were in all li%elihood &oing fro )lyde's
apartent!
#avid's fa&e went sli&% with sweat! The breeze %i&%ed up, and he
lost the sound of the &ries oentarily, before it died down! 0d had
pointed out that poli&e response tie to this area was slow! )lyde
&ould return and resue torturing, or even %ill, whoever was up in
his apartent before a E22 &all &ould be responded to! And Bale
hadn't even &alled ba&%!
#avid wal%ed ba&% and forth beneath the fire es&ape, the &ries
overhead driving hi to a near'pani&! His ind stubled through
ters''suppressed eviden&e, sear&h warrants, unlawful entry''
sear&hing for soething to guide hi, but he was for&ed to
a&%nowledge that his legal e6pertise was derived alost entirely
fro bad ovies! A pained, stoa&h'deep grunt overhead drove
hi to a&tion!
#avid pulled on a pair of late6 gloves fro his ba&% po&%et, then
1uped up, grabbing the fire es&ape ladder and yan%ing it down! He
&libed to the first landing, then the se&ond, the stru&ture &rea%ing
beneath hi!
*eering through )lyde's filthy, &ra&%ed window, he saw little ore
than an unade bed! The refle&tion of the glowing Healton's
#rugstore sign shined in the glass, and #avid turned to loo% at the
store, visible beyond the epty lot! +n front of the store, bathed in a
&one of light, sat his Mer&edes, in &lear view fro )lyde's window!
#avid gria&ed at the distin&tive tilt of the headlights''his &ar stu&%
out glaringly fro the surroundings! )lyde ust have re&ognized it
pulling up, and realized #avid had &oe loo%ing for hi! The
*earson Hoe was also distin&tly observable fro )lyde's
apartent! +t stru&% #avid as noteworthy that )lyde had never left
the vi&inity of the Happy Horizons hoe in whi&h he'd spent part of
his &hildhood! )learly, he derived soe &ofort fro being nearby!
The woan's &ries brought #avid's attention ba&% to the dar%
apartent! He &arefully reoved a long shard of glass fro the
&ra&%ed window and rea&hed through, lifting the &at&h! He pushed
the window up and slid inside, resting the shard on the sill!
The first thing to &at&h his attention was the odor of de&ay''
nearly unbearable! Thousands of otes swirled in the artifi&ial light
filtering through the window!
The woan's uffled s&reas &ontinued, rising in pit&h and
fre/uen&y! #avid felt an overwheling sense of ebarrassent as
he &rossed to the oaning ound of &lothes and pulled away a
&rusted sweatshirt to reveal the aorphous, stati&'bathed shapes
of a &ouple forni&ating on an overturned television set! The riddle of
the &ries was solved! #avid &losed his eyes, feeling hiself flush!
He &ould not help but pi&ture 3reud's sober, astute fa&e!
He started for the open window, but then paused! He was inside
now! "hatever laws he ay have violated were already bro%en! He
ight as well loo% around and see what he &ould glean about )lyde
Slade, a%a #ouglas #a4ella, a%a Slade #ouglas, while he waited
for Bale's &all! He ran through a /ui&% &he&%list in his ind of what
he should loo% for! #rain0ze! -ithiu! 0viden&e!
He stepped farther into the apartent, surveying it! )lyde
obviously had been reoved fro noral so&ialization for soe
tie! Burnt and &ra&%ed pots and pans &overed the sall &ounter
that served as the %it&hen! Aong the sat hardened &lups of
bread that )lyde had olded into s&ulptures! They resebled
de&aying gingerbread en! Toothpi&%s protruded fro the
s&ulptures, de&orative flags or voodoo pins!
#avid alost tripped over the &at bowl, overflowing with ush
and teeing with flies! The odor was riper here, ore fresh! He
turned and saw, sprawled along the top of the %it&hen pantry, a
partially de&ayed &at! +t had been dead for wee%s, and the flies and
aggots were at it!
"ith a nervous stare at the door, #avid /ui&%ly entered the
bathroo! 5n the interior door%nob hung a &hild's hospital gown
that loo%ed to be the one )lyde had worn during )onnolly's study!
#avid stared at the filthy irror, dotted with bits of pus fro popped
zits! The toilet was splattered with stains! #iarrhea''an early side
effe&t of lithiu to6i&ity! The edi&ine &abinet was epty, e6&ept for
a assive bottle of generi& aspirin! Aspirin eant ore trouble;
when ta%en with lithiu, it raised the lithiu blood level and thus
the li%elihood of to6i&ity! +f )lyde did indeed suffer fro igraines,
that would e6plain why he %ept so u&h aspirin on hand! #avid
bris%ly sear&hed around the sin%, but was unable to find where
)lyde stored his stolen lithiu!
He pulled aside the frayed shower &urtain! The entire botto of
the tub was lined with 1a 1ars, lids s&rewed on tight, sta&%ed five or
si6 1ars high! #avid raised one to the light and saw the yellow li/uid
inside! ,rine! )lyde was saving his urine! The date and tie was
et&hed on a label on the side in bla&% pen! #avid loo%ed over the
1ars with in&reasing aazeent! )lyde had been saving his urine,
off and on, for onths! A few 1ars were filled with &lusters of hair,
and others with fingernail and toenail &lippings! 5ne held a
&olle&tion of s&abs! #avid tried to swallow, but his throat &li&%ed
dryly!
The best he &ould &oe up with to assess the &ontents of the tub
was a wea% parallel to 3reud's anal stage, and to the fetishizing
nature of re&ently toilet'trained two'year'olds! 3lushing the toilet
and be&oing upset at where it all went! 3i6ation at an early stage
of developent! Maybe )lyde was holding on to soe part of
hiself! Hiself at an earlier age9 #avid shoo% his head, irritated!
Too fa&ile an e6planation!
Stepping ba&% into the ain roo, #avid approa&hed the large
wooden table! Several boo%s were sta&%ed to one side, and he
noti&ed the -ouise M! #arling Bioedi&al -ibrary stap on the fore
edges'')lyde had stolen the fro the hospital! #avid laid the
boo%s side by side! A Mer&% Manual, a #SM'+4, a *hysi&ian's #es%
(eferen&e, a di&tionary, and several psy&h te6tboo%s! 5ne of the
pages of the *#( was dog'eared, and #avid flipped to it!
$ot surprisingly, it was the se&tion on lithiu! Several bullet
points detailed its possible uses: to &ontrol ood swings and
e6plosive outbursts, and to help patients &obat aggressiveness
and self'utilation! 5ne phrase, 7ay also help &ontrol violent
outbursts,7 had been &ir&led in red! )lyde ust have ista%en
violent outbursts to ean outbursts of violen&e rather than intense,
brief tantrus! )ertain words were underlined, and #avid flipped
through the di&tionary and found the ar%ed there
&orrespondingly!
#riven by senseless &opulsions that he didn't understand,
)lyde was''with soe degree of sin&erity''trying to prevent hiself
fro &oitting a&ts of violen&e, and poisoning hiself in the
pro&ess! +t was, above all else, a display of wish fulfillent, a
desperate hope that agi&al pills &ould heal hi and dissolve his
violent urges! )lyde had anaged to galvanize soe of his few and
patheti& resour&es to this isguided end!
Beside the boo%s, stubbed'out &igarettes lay &lustered on a sall
plate, a few wayward butts s&attered a&ross the table li%e shriveled
white wors! Most of the were ashed together in twos, as if
they'd been so%ed that way! )lyde had probably developed a
heavy dependen&e on ni&otine to redu&e his an6iety and iprove
his &on&entration! Two &igarettes at a tie would &ertainly
a6iize those effe&ts!
#avid leaned over a sheet of notes that )lyde had s&rawled,
ost of it phrases he'd evidently &ulled fro the ed te6tboo%s!
)learly, u&h of the reading was above his level; )lyde had drawn
up lists of words he didn't understand! #avid studied his writing,
&onsidering whether )lyde was dysle6i&! At the botto of the page
were several phrases! $i& wether toda! Helo ther! Hav a ni&e dae!
4ariant spellings of dae were written beneath''day, daye, da!
)lyde's desperate attept to wear a as% of sanity!
Beneath the table was a large etal footlo&%er! #avid shoo% it,
and it gave off a etalli& 1ingle! There was a sudge of blue li/uid
near one of the built'in lo&%s, whi&h #avid too% to be al%ali! He
hadn't sighted #rain0ze in the %it&hen or bathroo; )lyde probably
%ept it se&ured in the footlo&%er! Sear&hing for the footlo&%er %ey in
the essy apartent would be hopeless! +nstead, #avid pulled a
toothpi&% fro one of the bread s&ulptures on the %it&hen &ounter,
1aed it in the footlo&%er %eyhole, and snapped it off! That should
be enough to %eep )lyde away fro the al%ali until the poli&e
arrived!
$ear )lyde's bed, on an upended orange &rate that served as a
nightstand, #avid found a rusted nueral''the 2 he'd noti&ed
issing fro the *earson Hoe's address! +t served as a
paperweight, pinning down a yellowed, daaged photograph of
Happy Horizons! The house had not been signifi&antly altered over
the years! These fetishized ob1e&ts fro )lyde's &hildhood hoe''
how did they fit into his psy&hopathology9
Taped to the wall by the bed, a headline torn fro the -A Ties
pro&laied fear &ourses through u&la edi&al &enter! )lyde's goal
a&&oplished! Staring at the headline, #avid wondered how
sin&ere )lyde's attepts to &ure hiself were!
The longer #avid was in the apartent, the ore a&utely he
sensed his own approa&hing pani&! He was breathing hard,
glan&ing at the door every few se&onds, and feeling an iense
urgen&y to leave, but the inforation he was un&overing was
riveting and invaluable! He had no idea when )lyde was &oing
ba&%; he shouldn't push his lu&%!
He turned, regarding the rest of the roo to see if there was
anything else he ight have issed! +n the &orner, a desi&&ated
snapdragon leaned fro an i&e'&rea &arton, soil spilled around its
base! Soething seeed odd about it, and it too% #avid a oent
to figure out what! The stal%s and leaves were angled toward the
%it&hen rather than the window! The plant should have been leaning
in the dire&tion of its sunlight sour&e, not toward the dar% apartent
interior! +t ust have been re&ently oved!
#avid wal%ed over and &rou&hed above the plant, pulling it away
fro the wall! +t hid a heating vent set into the &rubling plaster!
The vent &over tilted fro the hole easily, revealing an orange bottle
of pills! 3alling to his %nees, #avid rea&hed inside and reoved it!
He lined the arrows and popped the white top! +t was full of pale
yellow pills! 0s%alith! <?= g!
)lyde's self'&ons&iousness about ta%ing eds was so great, he
hid the even within his own apartent! As if he &ouldn't bear to
have the in plain view!
#avid repla&ed the eds, set the vent &over ba&% into its hole,
slid the plant into pla&e, and headed for the window! He heard a
%ey hit the lo&% of the front door and felt his gut go sla&%! 5ne bolt
turned, followed by another slide of the %ey, and then the se&ond!
#avid was halfway to the window before it hit hi that he didn't
have nearly enough tie to get out! There was nothing big enough
to &on&eal hi, so he flattened hiself against the wall behind the
bed, in the shadowed &orner beside the window! Save the
dar%ness, #avid was in &lear view!
The third dead bolt slid with a thun% and the door swung open!
)lyde's outline filled the doorway, a few swirling lo&%s of hair
fraing his head li%e a halo set afire! He swayed a oent on his
feet, then stepped inside!
#avid reained &opletely inert, afraid even to e6hale!
)lyde shuffled in, slaing the door behind hi and throwing a
dead bolt, and headed dire&tly for #avid! +f he turned on a light,
#avid would be &opletely e6posed! )lyde's pa&e /ui&%ened as he
neared #avid, then he lunged forward! #avid fought the urge to
draw his ars up prote&tively, but )lyde fell to the bed, fa&e
pressed to the attress, and lay still! After a few oents, he
began to draw ragged, uneven breaths!
#avid reained in a pani& freeze, head drawn ba&% to the wall! A
bit of light fro the distant Healton's sign fell a&ross )lyde's ba&%,
a%ing the &hain around his ne&% glint! #avid eased out a breath!
"ith painsta%ingly slow oveents, #avid too% a step toward
the window! Then another! He was 1ust lowering his foot when his
&ell phone vibrated!
)lyde rolled over, his head rising lazily fro the attress! #avid
sprinted for the front door, rather than ris% s&rabling out the
nearby window! Sensing )lyde's struggle to rise fro the bed
behind hi, #avid turned the three dead bolts furiously, trying to
find the &orre&t &obination to unlo&% the door! Several ties, he
twisted the bolts and yan%ed the door, but it wouldn't open! He
heard pounding footsteps'')lyde &harging hi with a roar''and he
du&%ed to the side, )lyde's weighty body sashing into the door
and splintering several panels! )lyde &ollapsed on the floor,
stunned! The door dangled laely, 1arred loose fro the hinges,
though the dead bolt reained buried in the frae on the other
side! #avid grabbed the hinge side of the door and yan%ed it farther
open! He leapt through the gap into the hall as )lyde stirred and
snat&hed at his an%le, issing it!
#avid flew down the hall, hearing )lyde &rash through the wre&%
of the door, and too% the stairs two at a tie! He sprinted through
the lobby, )lyde bellowing behind hi! Though #avid %new he was
faster, he sprinted with a blind, pani&%ed speed! Through the gap in
the fen&e, a&ross the epty lot, tripping and fubling for his &ar
%eys in his po&%et! He did not hear )lyde pursuing hi!
#avid rea&hed the light'bathed par%ing lot of Healton's, his
Mer&edes sitting out li%e a show&ase vehi&le, and unlo&%ed the
doors with his %ey's reote &ontrol! He slid into the &ar and
s/uealed out onto the street, ban%ing a hard left over the &urb! He
&ould not resist a loo% out the window as he passed the abandoned
lot, and there, halfway a&ross and pulling to a halt near the
s&or&hed &ar, was the shadowy for of )lyde!
Soething glinted in his hand''aybe a gun, aybe not''and
then )lyde stopped, standing frozen in the dar% lot li%e a ispla&ed
statue, wat&hing the &ar speed away! #avid would be haunted by
that iage'')lyde's /uiet for in the lot staring out at hi with
soething &aler than anger, soething li%e interest newly %indled!
He did not let up on the a&&elerator until he was several blo&%s
away, then he realized his &ell phone was vibrating in his po&%et!
He fubled for it and flipped it open! 7"here the hell have you
been97
Bale's voi&e was &al as always! 7Ta%e a deep breath! + was in
an interrogation! "hat's going on97
7+ tra&%ed down )lyde ! ! ! to his apartent ! ! ! he &ae
hoe ! ! ! &hased e ! ! ! 2?=2 Bre&%en Street, Apartent >=F!7
#avid %new he sounded franti&, but he &ouldn't get his breathing
ba&% in &ontrol!
7Bou tra&%ed hi yourself97 The sounds of Bale oving on the
other end of the line! 7+s he at that lo&ation now97
7$o! + don't %now! He %nows + %now where he lives! He &hased
e, but stopped a few blo&%s fro his house!7
7+'ve got the area )lyde's bedded down,7 Bale yelled to soeone
else! 7Get e *a&ifi& on the line! -et's ove, let's ove87 Mouth
ba&% to the re&eiver! 7"here are you97
7+' in y &ar! #riving!7
7+s he &hasing you now97 The beat of Bale's shoes on the floor
/ui&%ened!
7$o! He stopped!7
7All right! "e're oving in! )lear out of the area iediately!7
#avid's heart was ra&ing, and he felt a line of sweat wor%ing its
way down the inside of his bi&eps! 7)he&% the area around )lyde's
apartent, in&luding Healton's, the *earson Hoe, and the epty
lot beside it! +'ll &all the hospital, alert se&urity, and have soeone
get upstairs with #iane and $an&y in &ase )lyde's heading over
there! +'ll go to the hospital now! +'ll be in #iane's roo!7
73ine! +'ll send a unit upstairs too! #on't leave there! :eep your
phone on! And Spier9 Bou're in deep shit if this goes sour! Bou
bro%e our deal!7
7How &an + brea% a deal you never a&&epted97
Bale hung up without responding!
)hapter ?D
.0$:+$S had gotten the &all and driven over iediately! He'd
flown a&ross town, sirens blaring, drawing a nasty loo% fro
Bronner when his &up full of toba&&o spit sloshed over onto a %nee!
Bronner stood by the &urb, s&rubbing at the :odia% stain with a
thubnail! .en%ins bro%e through the &rowd of press, shoving
roughly and dodging /uestions, and bolted up the stairs! A &rie'
s&ene te&hni&ian tried to stop hi in the hall, but .en%ins straight'
ared hi into the wall! Bale et hi at the shattered door of
)lyde's apartent and pla&ed a splayed hand on his &hest, wal%ing
ba&%ward as .en%ins &ontinued to advan&e! 7"e're sweeping for
eviden&e! "at&h your step! S+# doesn't want us all through here!
"e don't %now if he's''ba&% the fu&% off, .en%ins!7
3ive heads snapped to attention! Then, the S&ientifi&
+nvestigation #ivision went ba&% to wor%, dusting and ar%ing! 5ne
held a 1ar of urine to the light; another flipped the pages of the
#SM'+4 with gloved hands!
#alton shuffled over fro his position at the window, stepping
between Bale and .en%ins, resting his hand lightly on .en%ins's
stoa&h and wal%ing hi a few steps ba&%!
7Bou listen,7 Bale said! 7+' %eeping you in the loop on this as a
favor! )al the hell down or you're gonna blow leads! +s that what
you want97 He too% a step forward, glaring at .en%ins over #alton's
shoulder! 7+s that what you want97
7$o,7 .en%ins said!
7All right! Me neither! But save your bull'in'a'&hina'shop routine
for speeders and 1aywal%ers! This is y &ase! And +' gonna bust
the *5S, for your sa%e and your sister's, but don't you fu&% it up by
being su&h a hard'on, or +'ll a%e a few &alls and you'll be
shoveling out stables for the ounted unit!7
.en%ins's eyes narrowed! 7Sorry,7 he anaged!
7"e issed hi! #r! Spier tra&%ed hi here and &alled in the
address! "e &ae over with S"AT to serve the warrant, but by the
tie we got here ! ! ! 7 He gestured to the bro%en door! 7$o sign of
)lyde )! Slade! "e have units out around the area, but nothing
yet!7
5ne of the &ops popped the lo&%s on the footlo&%er and raised
the lid, revealing a &ontainer of #rain0ze nestled aong syringes,
*yre6 bea%ers, and other edi&al paraphernalia! "hen .en%ins
&aught sight of the al%ali, his lips pressed together until the pin% left
the!
7*la&e is a fu&%ing on%ey house,7 #alton grubled! 7.ars of
s&abs and shit! That ree% we're all relishing''it's fro a rotting &at in
the %it&hen!7
A te&hni&ian snapped a photo, and .en%ins tensed up at the
flash!
7#on't worry,7 Bale said! 7By the tie we're through with this
pla&e, we'll %now at what gro&ery store he buys his T4 dinners!7
A te&hni&ian sifting through the &ontents of a va&uu'&leaner
bag paused to sneeze! Bale gria&ed at hi! 7Great! That's 1ust
great!7
7So what's the &all97 .en%ins said! 7"hat now97
#alton flipped open his notepad! 7#M4 &ae ba&% with e6pired
registration to an old address! A 'E> )rown 4i&, bought at a sheriff's
au&tion!7
7+rony,7 Bale said! 7(i&h!7 Hands on his hips, he turned and
gazed at the half'open window! A shard of glass had been &arefully
balan&ed on the sill!
7He had &itations and par%ing violations up the yin'yang, but the
&ar was never ipounded! + assue he still has it, but we've found
no sign of &ar %eys!7 #alton surveyed the wre&% of the apartent!
5ne of the te&hni&ians, on his hands and %nees pi&%ing through
dirty &lothes, stopped to fan hiself! 7Though you &ould lose a
refrigerator in this 1oint! But + thin% he bolted, too% his &ar! "e
already &alled it in!7
7The good do&tor sti&%ing his nose in again,7 .en%ins said!
73u&%ing things up!7
7His ass is &overed, though,7 #alton said! He sighed, irritated!
7+t's within his rights to wal% around, as% /uestions!7
7,nless he bro%e in here,7 .en%ins said!
7He %nows better,7 #alton said!
Bale wal%ed over and lifted the shard of glass fro the
windowsill! He slid the pane down, revealing the hole the displa&ed
shard had left, 1ust above the lat&h! 7#oes he97 he as%ed!
)hapter ?I
*0T0( was sitting at the edge of #iane's bed, his legs straight'
bra&ed out in front of hi, when #avid entered the roo! An ortho
&ane leaned against the base of the bed, but #avid %new better
than to as% about va&illations in *eter's &ondition! *eter oved to
rise! 7*lease,7 #avid said! 7Sit!7
7$onsense,7 *eter said! He turned around, gripping the bar at
the foot of the bed and ba&%ing hiself slowly onto his feet, then he
pivoted, fa&ed #avid, and shoo% his hand gravely! 7Good God, what
happened to you97
#iane &raned to see around *eter! 7Bour lip, #avid! #id he atta&%
you97
#avid wal%ed over to #iane, hesitated for a oent, then
pushed ba&% her bangs and %issed her on the forehead! She
loo%ed surprised by this show of tenderness! *eter did not!
7#on't get affe&tionate on e,7 #iane said! 7+ ight not re&ognize
you!7
#avid turned to *eter! 7+' so glad you were in the 0( when +
&alled!7
7Motor&y&le versus streetlight,7 *eter said! 7)rot&h ro&%ets
indeed!7
7"hat too% you so long97 #iane as%ed!
7+'ve spent the last hour buttoning down the 0( and dealing with
se&urity!7
7"hy97 #iane as%ed!
7+'ve 1ust &oe fro )lyde's apartent! + tra&%ed hi there and
we had a &onfrontation! + es&aped and gave Bale his address, but
he probably fled before the &ops got there! + thought he ight &oe
here!7
7Bou went alone97 *eter san% slowly ba&% onto the bed! 7Are you
ad97
The /uestion hung heavily in the silen&e! A loud rapping startled
the, and #avid tensed as the door swung open! Bale, #alton, and
.en%ins entered the roo, loo%ing e6treely displeased! .en%ins
&losed the door behind hi firly!
7"hat are you doing barging in here97 *eter said! 7This is a
patient's roo!7 He struggled to stand, and .en%ins too% note of his
efforts with a &al disdain!
7"e'd li%e to tal% to you alone,7 Bale said to #avid! #avid noted
genuine anger in his voi&e''it seeed ore than a front for
.en%ins's and #alton's benefit!
#avid &rossed his ars! 7Bou &an tal% to e here! + don't ind if
they're here!7
7"e do!7
7Then you &an tal% to e in the presen&e of y attorney!7
7-isten to e, you otherfu&%er,7 .en%ins growled! 7How about
we 1a&% your ass on the burg you &oitted at )lyde's pad, sti&%
you in the general population at )ounty, and have a big bad 1ig try
you on as a &ondo! How about that97
Bale turned neatly on his soft leather shoes, fa&ing .en%ins!
75ut,7 he said softly! .en%ins did not ove, and Bale wal%ed over
and opened the door! 75ut,7 he said again!
"ith a glare at #avid, .en%ins straightened his shoulders and
wal%ed fro the roo! Bale &losed the door and nodded at #iane! 7+
apologize for that!7
7+ should hope so,7 #iane said! 7That's the first tie +'ve ever
been e6posed to that %ind of fu&%ing language!7
7+ ta%e it you didn't find hi,7 #avid said!
7Bou stepped in it proper this tie, Spier,7 #alton said!
#avid studied Bale; he seeed to be struggling between the
&opeting needs to vent his anger or arrive at a ore &onstru&tive
state of affairs! 7"hat do you ean97
7+ ean, you fu&%ed up,7 #alton said! 75ur best bet for &at&hing
hi would've been you finding the address, getting the fu&% out of
#odge, and &alling the poli&e so we &ould sitting'du&% his al%ali'
throwing ass!7
7That's what + was planning to do,7 #avid said! 7But + thought
there was a woan trapped in there!7
Bale loo%ed puzzled! 7"ell, you thought wrong,7 he said! 7And
even if you were &orre&t, you should have left her in there rather
than ris%ing your &ivilian rear end!7
#alton ti&%ed off the &ounts on his fingers! 75bstru&tion of 1usti&e,
interfering with a poli&e offi&er, burglary, &ontainating a &rie
s&ene!7
7)ontainating a &rie s&ene97 #avid said! 7But how9 + wore
gloves!7
7Gloves! Great!7 #alton &rossed his ars! 7#id you breathe near
anything9 *i&% your teeth9 -ean against a wall9 S&rat&h your
head9 3lush a toilet9 Turn on a sin%9 Bou don't have the slightest
idea of how to enter a &rie s&ene! Gloves!7 He shoo% his head
disdainfully! 7Bou've been fu&%ing up this investigation sin&e day
one!7
7+'ve been trying to wor% with you fro the beginning!7 #avid
&aught Bale's eye and Bale turned his head slightly left''barely a
sha%e! #avid should a%e no referen&e to the fa&t that he and Bale
had spo%en off re&ord in the past!
7That's not your fu&%ing 1ob, #o&,7 #alton said! 7And in fa&t, we
ight 1ust &lin% your sorry ass to %eep it out of our way!7
7+ thin% you have it wrong,7 #avid said! 7+ have ore on this than
you do!7
Heads swiveling, *eter and #iane wat&hed the e6&hange with
surprised interest!
7Then you'd better fu&%ing spill, be&ause if one ore woan
gets''7
Bale held up his hands, ars spread! A huorously saintly pose!
0veryone &aled and loo%ed at hi! 7-isten,7 he said /uietly to
#avid! 7+f + arrest you, it'll be a big hassle and your lawyer will ride
y ass for years! To be honest, + don't have the tie right now''or
the resour&es''to &oit to that!7
#avid resisted the urge to respond, sensing that Bale was
wor%ing an angle of soe sort!
Bale turned to #alton! 7He's involved whether we li%e it or not!
"e ight as well use hi! At least he's a resour&eful pain in the
ass!7
Tal%ing &op to &op as though #avid were not in the roo!
7He'll tal%,7 #alton said! 7He'll have to tal%!7
7But in the interest of tie, + say we give the bastard an out on
&harges and get what he's giving iediately! +f he wants to agree
to it! +f he doesn't, we'll go the arrest'lawyer route!7
7+'ll agree to it,7 #avid said, a bit too /ui&%ly! He hoped #alton
would per&eive it as his being s&ared, rather than his ipli&itly
pi&%ing up the line of Bale's agenda!
#alton's soft, isshapen fa&e seeed to shift as he assessed
#avid!
7There's a lot +'d li%e to fill you in on,7 #avid said!
73ine,7 #alton finally said! 7Bou're now our ost overedu&ated
inforant! Spill!7
7-et's tal% about this privately,7 Bale said, indi&ating #iane and
*eter!
7$o,7 #avid said! 7They &an &ontribute!7
#alton pulled his notepad fro his ba&% po&%et and flipped it
open! 7-et's ta%e it fro the top, #o&! And in&lude that shit about
the woan you thought you heard!7
Bale held up a hand when #avid opened his outh! 7#etails,7 he
said!
#avid told Bale and #alton the events of the past few days,
fabri&ating only when ne&essary so he wouldn't have to ention
0d! #avid was grateful to the for not a%ing light of the porn i6'
up! 3or the ost part, they listened attentively, #alton sha%ing his
head now and then! "hen he related his dis&overy of )onnolly's
study and his other's &over'up, he noti&ed *eter's sho&%ed
e6pression! #iane blan&hed at his des&ription of his &onfrontation
with )lyde! "hen he finished, everyone appeared to be in a state
of ild sho&%!
7"hat happened tonight when you got to his apartent97 #avid
as%ed!
7He &leared out before we got there,7 #alton said! 7Too% his &ar!
Than%s to your intervention, he's now roving! "e got a whole new
world of variables!7
7Bou wouldn't even %now where he lived to begin with if it wasn't
for e!7
7S+# lifted soe vaginal se&retion fro his sheets, so we're
/uestioning the feale apartent residents and soe hoo%ers in
the area to see if we &an obtain ore inforation about that,7 Bale
said! He paused! 7"hat's wrong97
7+ guess +' 1ust surprised he's had any se6ual &onta&t! He's a
real loner!7
#alton studied #avid angrily! 7Bou feel sorry for hi, don't you97
7+ thin% he's pitiful!7
#alton gestured to #iane, %eeping his eyes on #avid! 7*itiful!
That's it, huh97
Bale shot hi a sideways loo%! "rong approa&h! #avid wasn't
the type to get wor%ed up over having his anhood /uestioned,
and he was ipressed that Bale realized that! 7+' answering your
/uestion,7 #avid replied evenly, 7not starting a playground fight!7
7And this e6perient shit! + bet you thin% that e6plains hi!7
7This an, as a &hild, was systeati&ally e6posed to sna%es,
dar%ness, and blinding lights, and denied attention, affe&tion, and
nurturing! That he la&%s gentleness is not his ost surprising
/uality! $or that he's dysfun&tional!7
#alton's &hee%s &olored with anger! 7#ysfun&tional,7 he repeated
disdainfully! 7#o you have any idea how elusive this an is9 "e
see it all the tie''a guy &an't %eep up his own hygiene, or intera&t
with people, but when it &oes to eluding &apture or in1uring others,
he's a regular fu&%ing :a&zyns%i! $ever underestiate what
obsession &an a&&oplish! This guy's bent his entire life to one
ai''haring woen!7
7More than one ai,7 #avid said! 7He's also been trying to &ure
hiself!7
7This guy's a nut&ase, and you're buying what he's selling! +f you
didn't have your +vy -eague &redentials, +'d say you weren't the
sharpest sti&% on the heap!7
#avid felt his anger flare, bright and sudden, fueled by
e6haustion and stress! 7This is not a thriller, or soe ovie of the
wee%,7 he snapped! 7"e're not dealing with Hannibal -e&ter, or
$oran Bates! This is a an''a si&% an, with predi&table and
definable psy&hopathology!7
7Si&% or not si&%''it doesn't get hi off the hoo%,7 #alton said! 7He
%nows what he's doing! "e see fu&%ers li%e this all the tie! 5ut of
prison every tie soe dipshit liberal 1udge gets a tingle in her
&ons&ien&e, then another girl gets raped, another faily %illed! +
don't give a shit if he had a tough &hildhood!7
7Here's an idea,7 #iane said sharply! 7"hy don't you both stop
beating your &hests and do soething produ&tive97
*eter rested a hand on #iane's shoulder, but she shoo% it off!
7Ms! Tra&e,7 #alton said, with e6aggerated patien&e!
7+t's #o&tor and don't &ondes&end to e be&ause y fa&e is
fu&%ed up!7
7+ agree with #r! Tra&e,7 Bale said! 7This pissing &ontest is getting
us off tra&%! -et's &ut the shit and get into it!7
75%ay,7 #avid said! 73air enough!7 He turned to #alton! 7-isten, +
a not suggesting that anything in )lyde's &hildhood does or
doesn't get hi off the hoo%! +' suggesting it's what we need to
bring hi in! His past doesn't e6&use hi! +t e6plains hi! And if we
&an figure it out further, it ight help predi&t hi!7
#alton finally et #avid's eyes! Soe understanding seeed to
pass between the! The politi&s were now irrelevant! They had to
get on the trail and sort all that out later!
7-et's start with the drugs,7 Bale said, glan&ing down at his
notepad! 7+s there any way to deterine how u&h lithiu
&arbonate )lyde is ta%ing97
7The urine 1ars in the bathtub are labeled by date and tie,7
#avid said! 7Ta%e the ost re&ent one and send it to a lab! -ithiu
is &leared by the %idneys, so it'll show up in the urine! That'll help us
gauge his level of to6i&ity!7
7)ould he die fro lithiu poisoning97
7+t's diffi&ult to say! "hen it &oes to psy&hiatri& drugs, the
dosage varian&e between patients &an be iense! But + would
say that if )lyde %eeps up at this pa&e, it'll shut down his %idneys!
As it is, he ight already need heodialysis!7
*eter leaned heavily on his &ane! 75r perhaps he needs to ta%e
the rest of the pills at on&e and have a ni&e long sleep,7 he said!
A thoughtful silen&e!
#alton 1er%ed his head toward *eter! 7+ li%e this guy,7 he said!
7#id you find the pills97 #avid as%ed! 7Behind the heating vent97
Bale nodded!
7-oo%s li%e your wish won't &oe true, *eter,7 #avid said! 7He left
his supply! He's off the eds again! Bou %now what that eans97
7A return of his fa&ulties and otor s%ills,7 #iane said! 7He'll
regain his balan&e! He'll be&oe ore lu&id, probably within
twenty'four hours!7
#avid loo%ed down, wor%ing his &hee% between his olars! 7And,
possibly, ore violent,7 he said!
7"e should sta%e out drugstores in the area in &ase he tries to
brea% in for ore drugs,7 Bale said! 7+f he tries to steal ore al%ali,
that ight provide an opportunity to &at&h hi!7
7There are other trails now, too,7 #avid said! 7+ have the naes
and birth dates of the study's other sub1e&ts! Sin&e the abstra&t
entioned there was intense bonding between the, it &ould be a
lead! + also have )lyde's file that shows all the addresses he lived
at as a &hild''&an you loo% into those too9 "e should &he&% out
people who wor%ed at Happy Horizons, other %ids he overlapped
with! Maybe he's in &onta&t with soeone! *lus, he entioned
trying to go to a &lini& on&e to get help! +n &ase it's true, aybe we
should &he&% that out too!7
7"ait a inute!7 #alton held up a hand! +t was large and
weathered, li%e a baseball itt! 7"e need all files and fils fro
that study! "e'll follow you hoe and pi&% the up!7 He said it as
though e6pe&ting #avid to ob1e&t!
75%ay,7 #avid said! 7"e &an a%e &opies!7
#iane seeed to eerge fro a separate train of thought! 7The
fa&t that )lyde hit you isn't sitting right with e,7 she said! 7+t sees
so out of &hara&ter!7
7Surprised the hell out of e! So far, he's only atta&%ed woen,
and even then fro soething of a distan&e!7
7He atta&%ed two &ops in the &ourse of his es&ape,7 Bale said!
7He didn't atta&% the! He in1ured the trying to es&ape fro
the! There was no eotional otive or release there! But e''he
wanted to assault e!7
7+'ll buy that!7 Bale slid his &heap pen neatly behind his ear! 7So
then, what enabled hi to stray so far and aggressively fro his
previous pattern of atta&%s97
7+ thin% the epty lot and the *earson Hoe are &oforting to
hi!7
7"hy97
7That house is a pla&e of epowerent to hi! +t's the pla&e
where he was able to infli&t fear rather than be vi&tiized by it!
5n&e + spotted hi outside Healton's, he ay have drawn e into
the lot to atta&% e! Being in the vi&inity of the house ay have
helped hi wor% up the nerve to hit e! + doubt he would've
atta&%ed e in publi&!7
7There are ore &on&rete reasons for that,7 Bale said! 7$o
witnesses! $o one to interfere or help you!7
7True! But + thin% y hypothesis is strengthened by the fa&t that
)lyde shows a &lear fi6ation on that house! He too% #ouglas
#a4ella's nae! He &olle&ts ites fro the house''you saw the
photograph and address nuber by his bed! *lus he still lives
within a few blo&%s of the site! As an adult, he sele&ted that area for
a reason! )learly, it's his &ofort zone! He's been &linging to it all
these years!7
#alton &hewed his &hee%, his lips a%ing a sloppy 5! 7+'d agree!
Healton's is two blo&%s away! And he &ashed his &he&%s right over
there on -in&oln!7
7So by that logi&, wouldn't he atta&% soeone in the house97
Bale as%ed!
7+ don't thin% so,7 #avid said! 7That doesn't fit into the revenge
aspe&t of his psy&hopathology! That house never did hi wrong, so
to spea%! The hospital did! To oversiplify, +'d say he draws &ofort
and epowerent fro the house and area around it, and uses
that as a springboard to laun&h his atta&%s elsewhere!7
7And he &ould be angry that the house was ta%en away fro
hi,7 #alton said! 7Maybe he's pissed off that he got reoved fro
his si&%'fu&% nirvana when he strung up the %id and got shipped off
to a youth detention &enter!7
7Again, soething he &ould blae on the e6perients and the
hospital!7
7And so he'll be even ore pissed he's been driven fro the area
again!7
7*robably so!7
7"e'll %eep the units in that lo&ation on alert,7 Bale said! 7.ust in
&ase!7
7+ doubt he's dub enough to go ba&%,7 *eter said!
7+t's a base we have to &over! The bul% of our wor% is proving
what we already %now! +t's tedious, but it helps us sleep at night!7
75ur 1obs are siilar that way,7 #avid said! 5n&e the words were
out of his outh, he e6pe&ted to be rebu%ed by Bale or #alton, but
was pleasantly surprised!
7Bou said you believe he's been evolving, be&oing ore bold
and aggressive,7 #iane said!
7,nusually so,7 Bale inter1e&ted!
7Any way we &an figure out that tra1e&tory and inter&ept it97
7+ thin% that's our top priority,7 #avid said!
7The priary ai of his atta&%s is to s&are people,7 Bale said!
7There's got to be soething there, soething we &an use!7
#alton turned his red, weary eyes to his wat&h! 7(ight now, +
want to get y hands on those fils and files!7 He turned to the
door, propting #avid with a tilt of his head!
*eter fiddled with his leg bra&es! #avid loo%ed over at #iane,
and she tapped two fingers to her forehead in a o&% salute!
"hen #avid turned ba&%, Bale was standing right beside hi!
Bale pulled a sti&% of gu fro his po&%et and popped it in his
outh, bending it #oubleint'&oer&ial style! He fi6ed his sharp,
inde&ipherable gaze on #avid! 7"e wor% together now,7 he said!
75n everything!7
7All right,7 #avid said! 7+ get it!7
7Bou'd better get it,7 #alton said! 7Be&ause if you fu&% up again ! !
! 7 He pointed at the &losed door, behind whi&h .en%ins waited!
7! ! !we're gonna si&% Bad )op on you!7
)hapter ?J
300-+$G slightly s&hoolboyish, #avid &alled #iane when he got
hoe to say good night!
She said, 7Bou're not stunning!7
He hung up the phone and lay on his ba&%, staring at the &eiling
and thin%ing about )lyde! +t sru&% hi that, when tal%ing to #iane,
he'd slowly gravitated to the iddle of the bed, rather than leaving
his wife's side untou&hed as he usually did!
He should have been e6hausted, but he was wired, still riding his
adrenaline high! The &lo&% blin%ed F:F= a!! He'd have a little ore
than three and a half hours to sleep before getting up for his
orning shift! He &ouldn't even &ount how long it had been sin&e
he'd had a respe&table night's sleep! He &losed his eyes and for&ed
hiself to &lear his thoughts! He was 1ust drifting off when the
phone rang! He fubled for the re&eiver, then answered! 7#iane97
7Alost,7 a voi&e said! Suddenly, an awful s&reaing &ae
through the phone, the sounds of soeone being tortured! #avid
bolted up in bed, slowly pla&ing the initial voi&e as )lyde's! He
rea&hed for the answering a&hine on the nightstand and &li&%ed
re&ord! The s&reas &ontinued, followed by a woan's intense
pleading!
7Hello97 #avid's heart was pounding! $othing engendered pani&
li%e e6posure to it! 7Hello9 "ho's there9 Are you all right97
The noise stopped instantly, and #avid heard only labored
breathing! He tried to put his thoughts in order! How had )lyde
anaged to ta%e soeone &aptive9 The s&reaing had &ut off
abruptly''aybe it had been re&orded! "hy would )lyde awa%en
hi with a woan's s&reaing9 To s&are hi! To s&are hi off!
#avid's voi&e sounded wea%, and he had to &lear his throat to
start over! 7)lyde! "hat have you done9 -isten to e! "hat have
you done97
A silen&e during whi&h #avid iagined )lyde relishing the fear
that had shown in #avid's voi&e!
7Bou said you were gonna help e and you didn't! Bou're li%e
the, li%e the others! Bou've seen what + &an do to the!7 )lyde's
voi&e fired with pride! 7The hospital was shut down be&ause of
e! Se&urity guards to prote&t people fro e! They're s&ared! And
you'll be too!7
A woan's s&rea, prolonged and wavering!
The sheets around #avid were stained with his sweat! #avid
fought to %eep the fear fro his voi&e, be&ause he didn't want to
give )lyde the satisfa&tion! He got up and pa&ed &ir&les around the
roo, the phone pressed to his ear! 7#o you have soeone with
you, )lyde9 +s soeone there97
7Beah!7 He laughed! 7Beah! Soeone's here! + got her! +t's your
fault! + did this be&ause of you!7
7)lyde, listen to e! This is very iportant! +f you har another
person''one other person''+ won't ever try to help you again! #o
you understand e97
A pause, and then a stateent, ringing with the &larity of
&onvi&tion! 7+'ll! $ever! Stop!7 The line again filled with the woan's
wren&hing &ries, then &ut out!
#avid turned on a light, suddenly spoo%ed by the dar% bedroo,
and paged 0d! Then, he &alled #iane's roo!
She answered the phone, her voi&e &ra&%ed fro sleep! 7Hello97
(elief poured through hi! 7)lyde &alled! He ight have had
soeone &aptive!7 #avid's refle&tion in the window stared ba&% at
hi, frightened! 7.ust lo&% your door! And &all se&urity! Have the
post a guard at your door!7
75%ay! +'ll &all soeone to stay until + get out of here in the
orning!7
7All right,7 he said! 7All right!7
7Are you going to tell the poli&e97
7+ have to!7 #avid &ursed under his breath! 7They'll probably thin%
+ instigated this soehow!7
7"ell,7 #iane said! 7#idn't you97
After they hung up, 0d &alled ba&%! He sounded wide'awa%e!
7Soething's off,7 he said, when #avid finished re&ounting the &all!
7+ doubt this guy is &apable of holding a &aptive! *lus he no longer
has his own spa&e! "as there any ba&%ground noise97
7+ don't %now,7 #avid aditted!
7Ma%e e a re&ording of the &all before you turn it over to the
&ops,7 0d said! 7#rop it in your ailbo6! +'ll drive by and pi&% it up!7
Bale returned #avid's page iediately, listened with a /uiet
intensity, and said he was on his way!
#avid found an an&ient di&tation re&order in his study, and
dubbed a &opy for 0d! He'd 1ust finished when Bale arrived, and he
handed off the answering a&hine tape at the front door! Bale's
fa&e refle&ted #avid's own e6haustion! Their e6&hange was
wordless! #avid wat&hed Bale striding to his &ar, his ipe&&able
posture undiinished by fatigue or the late hour! #avid waited for
hi to drive away, then dropped the &opy of the tape in his ailbo6
for 0d!
"hen he got ba&% inside, he double'lo&%ed the door! After
inserting a new tape into the answering a&hine, he slid beneath
the &overs, but only stared at the &eiling again, his heart pounding
as the early light of orning spilled through the window! The phone
rang at D a!! and he readied his hand over the answering a&hine
re&ord button before answering! His voi&e sounded wea% and
sha%y, even to hiself! 7Hello97
7#on't worry about it,7 0d said! 7)lyde's not holding any &aptives!
He played you a bootleg &opy of the Bitta%er'$orris torture tapes!7
7+ ! ! ! +' sorry97
7-awren&e Bitta%er and (oy $orris! They raped and tortured girls
in the ba&% of their van, and re&orded their s&reaing and
pleading!7
7But ! ! ! where ! ! ! 97
7Bou &an get the tapes at any nuber of pla&es! -i%e the Ao%
Boo%store, whi&h + believe you're failiar with!7
7)ertainly a good pla&e to find tools to s&are the shit out of
people,7 #avid said!
7Ma%e sure you let the flatfoots in on the 1o%e so they're not
running &ir&les all day! +'ll be en1oying yself thin%ing about what it'll
do to your ego to tell the poli&e you re&ognized the re&ording after
playing it a few ore ties! They'll thin% you have soe pretty
perverse interests!7 +n the ba&%ground, a &oputer onitor
hued! 7"hen + &oe over to install se&urity e/uipent, reind
e to set a phone trap on your line so we &an tra&e in&oing &alls!7
7Bou're installing se&urity e/uipent for e97
7#on't a%e e repeat yself! +' la&oni& and ipatient!7
#avid than%ed 0d and set down the phone! He was not loo%ing
forward to &alling Bale and stubling through a fabri&ation about
how he &ae to identify )lyde's re&ording!
He stared at the &eiling, trying to bring it ba&% into fo&us!
)hapter ?E
#+A$0'S footsteps e&hoed in the par%ing stru&ture, the dull
yellow glow of the lapposts turning her legs to elongated shadows
on the &on&rete floor! The hospital had &hanged the arrangeents;
now all feale eployees par%ed in the *)HS usually reserved for
the attendings! Be&ause it was outside, well lit, and nearer to the
hospital, it was a safer &hoi&e than the distant, en&losed *2 lot!
0ven so, the pre'dawn /uiet of the stru&ture tinged the air
glooy and &ool, as though the rising sun &ouldn't &opete with the
&hill of silen&e! #iane heard the &ars rubling by on -e )onte,
though a tall line of trees blo&%ed the fro view!
As the top tier of the par%ing stru&ture provided the only a&&ess
to the hospital, it was &raed with &ars! A physi&ian pulling out in
a dar% green BM" o&%'saluted her, and she returned the wave,
feeling slightly self'&ons&ious about the gauze wrapped around her
fa&e! Though the bandages she wore were soft, they felt harsh
against her raw s%in! She pra&ti&ed a sile beneath the wrap,
testing the pain!
A few inutes ago, she'd finally been &leared by ophtho, and she
was relieved to be out of the hospital roo! Before this wee%, she'd
never suspe&ted that boredo &ould be su&h an intense affli&tion!
A fresh'fa&ed se&urity offi&er passed her with a nod and an
obligatory double ta%e! 7Ma'a, would you li%e e to see you to
your &ar97 he as%ed! 7There's been soe trouble lately!7
0vidently he thought she was a patient! An ironi& sile tou&hed
her lips beneath the gauze when she realized he was right! 7+'
aware of that,7 she said! 7Too aware, in fa&t!7
A glier of re&ognition oved through his eyes, whi&h she
noted even through the dusty gray dawn air!
75h,7 he said softly! 7+' sorry!7
#iane siled again, a hidden, ineffe&tive gesture! 7+'ll be fine! My
&ar's the ne6t level down!7 She raised an ar, pointing!
He glan&ed down the narrow &on&rete stairs at the line of &ars
he'd 1ust patrolled! 7+'d really prefer to es&ort you down!7 He was
standing rigidly, shoulders ba&%, &hest forward! The posture
seeed to at&h the 7a'a!7
7Bou're right,7 #iane said! 7Bou probably should!7
They headed toward the thin, open set of stairs that led down to
the ne6t tier! His &hee%s were flushed in neat, alost prepubes&ent
&ir&les! 7Ma'a97
She tilted her head slightly, a gesture she'd pi&%ed up to show
she was listening! $ow that she'd lost half of her fa&e!
7+ 1ust want you to %now, we're doing everything in our power to
nail the bastard,7 he said! 7#on't you worry!7
"hen she felt the pain through her &hee%s, she realized she'd
flashed another useless, refle6ive sile! 7Than% you,7 she said!
75ffi&er!7
They eerged fro the stairs! A few &ars spotted the spa&es
sporadi&ally; it was the farthest tier fro the hospital, and usually
abandoned! Her hand rustled in her bag for her %eys! She heard a
thud behind her and the sound of a body stri%ing asphalt!
"hen she turned, she nearly &ollided with )lyde! She gasped
on&e, a sharp, s&ree&hing inta%e of air, and then his eaty hand
was pressed over her outh, hard, the bandages grinding into her
wounds! Soething etal flashed in his hand''a twenty'gauge
needle''then she felt the point against her throat!
Sho&% and pain were one and the sae''sudden, intense, all'
enveloping! )lyde's fa&e was in&hes fro hers, wide and thi&%!
3ro the &orner of her eye, she saw the guard lying on his ba&%
on the ground, un&ons&ious, a &ontusion blossoing a&ross his
teple! Beside hi lay a so&% where )lyde had dropped it! .udging
fro the few stray ro&%s that had spilled out, the so&%'s end had
been weighted with white gravel!
7Bou ove,7 )lyde growled, 7you'll be eating through your
throat!7
Their &loseness and position &ouldn't help but re&all intia&y! His
fa&e was ri&hly te6tured''the fat &url of his nostrils, the deep, pitted
a&ne s&ars, the sparse pat&hes of stubble and rando, &urling
hairs! His loose belly pressed into her, filling the hollow of her ba&%'
drawn torso! A ri&h sell eanated fro his pores, the sell of
&logged sweat and sli&ed, low'grade eat gone slightly bad! He
wore a pair of dirty green s&rubs, and she felt the soft roll of his
penis against her thigh!
She was su&%ing air through her nose, oistening his inde6
finger! Her fa&e was hot with pain and fear!
7)lose your eyes,7 he growled through &len&hed teeth! 7#idn't
you learn your lesson97 The for&e of his words sent a soft spray
a&ross her fa&e!
She &losed her eyes, her &hest pounding, her breath &oing so
hard she thought she ight hyperventilate! The sell of hi &ho%ed
out the air! She felt hi growing hard through the thin fabri& of the
s&rub bottos!
"hen he spo%e again, his voi&e was different! Harder, ore
&onfired! 7Bou &an open your eyes now,7 he said! 7+ don't give a
shit! +' not s&ared of you! 5r the guard they put here to prote&t
people fro e!7
+t too% her a few oents to for&e her eyes open! He was even
&loser, the tip of his nose brushing the bandage of her &hee%
beneath her eye!
7Bou s&rea, +'ll &arve you up even worse! My little 1a&%'o''
lantern!7 A sile spread his thi&% lips into a grin! 7Bou tell hi,7 he
said! 7Bou tell hi + did this to you!7
Slowly, he released the hand over her outh! #iane's eyes
fli&%ered to the se&urity guard, but he still lay perfe&tly still! Any
other guards would be at least several tiers away, and even if one
of the &ould hear an interrupted &ry over the noise of the &ars on
-e )onte, the needle's tip reained, pushing into her laryn6!
)lyde's laugh &ae as a shudder, a grunt that blew ba&% her
bangs! His breath was sour and rotten! 7+' gonna show you 1ust
how unafraid + a,7 he said!
His hand disappeared fro view, down to his waist! He pulled at
the drawstring of his s&rubs! She opened her outh to s&rea, but
his eyes flared wider, dead and &old, and the needle pushed
deeper into her ne&%, threatening to brea% the s%in!
She tried to bring into fo&us a rape prevention &lass she'd ta%en
in &ollege, but its &al setting seeed distant and oddly irrelevant!
A strea of a6is &as&aded through her brain, and she tried to
fo&us! "hat were the three steps she'd been taught9 Soething
fa&ile and probably defun&t! Her s&rabling ind grabbed on to the
&at&hphrase: 3ight, *ersonalize, +ntiidate! She was too
overpowered to fight!
7-isten,7 she whispered, her voi&e trebling! 7My nae is #iane
Allison Tra&e! + was born in -os Gatos, )alifornia! + swa in high
s&hool!7
His nostrils flared and his eyes seeed to withdraw into their
deep &avities! 7#on't,7 he said! 7#on't! Shut up!7 The slur had
returned, blurring his words together!
7My other died of breast &an&er when + was eight, and + lived
alone with y father!7 #iane fought off the pani& sobbing that
threatened to interrupt her spee&h, but her voi&e still wavered, filling
with fear! 7He sold insuran&e! $ow he's''7
)lyde slaed his hand over her outh, gripping it hard,
drawing her lips and &hee%s forward in a half fist! She felt s%in
sliding, wounds brea%ing open, hot razor blades of pain lashing
a&ross her fa&e! His other hand gripped the ba&% of her ne&%, hard!
His hands seeed to en&opass her whole head!
His eyes were &louded, his forehead wrin%led under a fresh
sheen of sweat! His outh fought itself away fro a frown! 7+ don't
&are,7 he said! He released the ba&% of her ne&% and ripped his
s&rub bottos down roughly! His forear fle6ed against her
stoa&h as he wor%ed hiself up! She sobbed against his hand,
u&us lea%ing down onto his fingers!
She prayed for a &ar to drive by, but it was the botto tier of the
lot and ostly deserted! Any s&rea would be terinated by the
needle!
He turned her around, bending her roughly over the trun% of her
&ar! He yan%ed her s&rubs down, pressing up against her! She
started to s&rea finally, not &aring anyore, but his other hand
/ui&%ly blo&%ed the &ry before she &ould put anything into it!
He bent her head ba&%, and she saw his refle&tion in the rear
window of her &ar, hun%ered down behind her, sweaty fa&e &olored
red with fear and e6&iteent! He %i&%ed her legs wide and rea&hed
with the hand holding the needle to pull down her underwear, but
she thrashed on the trun%, preventing hi!
Thoughts streaed through her head, and she &laped her
&on&entration around one, holding it! Step three: +ntiidate! She felt
a sudden, &old lu&idity!
She ade herself go dead still and tried to say soething &ally,
though it was uffled by his hand! He stopped laboring behind her,
&onfused by her abrupt shift in deeanor! 7Huh97
She repeated herself, her voi&e &al and /uiet beneath his
hand!
He released his hard grip on her outh but %ept his hand
hovering over it, in &ase she tried to s&rea again!
7All right,7 she said! 7Bou win!7
He stared at the ba&% of her head, nonplussed!
She &ontinued in the sae low, assured voi&e! 7Bou &an fu&%
e!7
He withdrew fro her, ever so slightly!
7+n fa&t, + want you to fu&% e! But let e tell you soething!7
She s/uired in his grip, twisting to fa&e hi! 7Bou'd better fu&% e
long and hard!7 She glared at hi, trying to pier&e his eyes with her
own! His fa&e loosened, anger giving way to fear! She felt hi
going soft against her! His hand hovered, then withdrew!
She %new her words''aggressive and se6ual''would stri%e at the
heart of his vulnerability! An in&isive psy&hologi&al atta&% was her
last &han&e, so she &ontinued! 7+ need a an with enduran&e,7 she
said, spitting out the words! 7+ hope you're up for that! + hope you're
an enough to fu&% e how + need to be fu&%ed!7
He released his other hand, baffled, and leaned ba&%, pulling his
weight off her! She rea&hed ba&%, yan%ing up her s&rubs, not yet
daring to s&rea! A &res&ent of sweat dar%ened his shirt at the
&ollar! His fa&e had turned pasty, alost totally devoid of &olor! He
was ubling to hiself nervously, 7Three, two, one! Step ba&%
fro the door!7
His putty'fat &hee%s /uivered, then drew tight! He tried to say
soething to her, but the words &ae out a 1ubled ess, an
anial's low'throated bellow! (edu&ed again to the patheti&
&reature he was!
He slapped her on&e, hard, a&ross the fa&e, and s&apered
a&ross the lot, struggling up and over the &on&rete wall, the posts of
his legs %i&%ing in the air!
*ain ringing through her slapped &hee%, #iane waited until he
dropped to the other side, then &ried out as loud as she &ould
anage!
She san% down to the ground, buper digging into her ba&%, and
tried to hold her throbbing fa&e in her hands as she wept with relief!
)hapter D=
#A4+# and #iane sat in perfe&t silen&e at their ends of the
telephone! -istening to the /uiet hu of the line, #avid wat&hed the
inute hand of the bronze &lo&% in his study a%e a full rotation,
then another! He was running late for his orning shift!
#iane had 1ust relayed the news of her near'rape, leaving hi
stunned! 3or the first tie, the thought of )lyde eli&ited in #avid a
&old, vengeful rage! The perfe&t dar% outside his bedroo window
irrored his ood!
7+' leaving now for the hospital,7 he finally said! 7)an + &oe
see you97
7$o! + don't want to see anyone right now!7 A long pause before
she spo%e again, her tone ore re&ognizable! 7Bou've got the night
shift toorrow, right9 Bou &an &oe upstairs and see e then! +'
the new peranent addition to the ninth floor! Me and a bad Monet
print they hung a&ross fro the elevators!7
7And the wounds97
7(eopened! +t set e ba&% a few days, that's for sure! "on't help
with the s&arring either!7
7$o! $o, it won't!7
7He told e to be sure to tell you about his atta&%ing e! He's
using e to threaten you! To hurt you! To get you to ba&% off!7
7+ wish ore than anything he'd &oe after e!7
7That probably would have been less effe&tive!7
He &onsidered this!
7Hey, #avid9 + %now that what you found out about the study has
replenished your store of epathy, but don't e6pe&t that fro e!
The first tie, with the shower, well that was awful! But this! This
was so u&h ore personal! His sell, his dead eyes! There was
nothing there behind those eyes! $othing! He's already dead!
#eath as%ed in flesh and bones!7 He heard her breathing for a
oent on the other end of the line! 7+ thin% if the poli&e found hi
first and shot hi, well that ight be all right with e!7
7(ight now,7 he said, 7+'d have to agree!7
7Bou don't ean that!7
He wasn't sure if ob1e&ting would have been spe&ious, so he
didn't!
7"ith all y involveent sin&e his es&ape, + don't %now how
u&h good +'ve done,7 he said! 7+t sees li%e +'ve only ade things
worse!7
7+ guess it's better to a%e a ista%e than do nothing! +sn't it9
+sn't it97
7Bes,7 he said slowly and with little &onvi&tion!
They breathed together for a few oents!
7+' thin%ing aybe + should leave things in the hands of the
&ops,7 he said! 7They're used to this gae, these sta%es! + have an
0( to run! +f +'d 1ust fo&used on that fro the beginning, neither of
us would be in this ess!7
7"ell, you do what you have to do!7 #iane sounded
disappointed, though he &ouldn't tell if that had to do with hi or the
iserable position in whi&h she'd found herself! Again! 7+ have to
&hange y wrappings! +'ll tal% to you later!7
He hung up the phone and felt the bitter, distin&t sensation of
defeat settle over hi li%e a no6ious rainfall!
The &o&%atoo iediately be&ae aniated when #avid
withdrew the drape fro the bronze &age, preening itself and
gnawing at its bla&% &law! #ressed in his white &oat, ready for wor%,
#avid regarded the bird with weary irritation!
7MGM's,7 it s/uaw%ed! 7MGM's! "here's 0lisabeth97
7(esurre&ting the (ussian e&onoy!7
#avid angled the seed &arefully into the &up, but soe fell
anyway! Grubling to hiself, he &rou&hed and tried to pin&h it up
off the floor!
7"here's 0lisabeth97
#avid brushed his hands off above the sall etal trash &an in
the &orner! 7-eading a nudist hi%e on the Appala&hian Trail!7
7MGM's,7 the &o&%atoo s/uaw%ed! #avid headed fro the roo
as the bird &ontinued to hop about the &age! 7"here's 0lisabeth9
"here's 0lisabeth97
#avid paused by the door, hand on the frae! 7She's dead,7 he
said!
)hapter D2
TH0 0( was a adhouse! Bro%en ars! ,nusual rashes! A few
flu &ases! Three patients as%ed #avid about the &ut on his lip!
)arson still hadn't returned''when #avid &alled, he got his a&hine!
7+ wanted to &he&% in on you and reind you we're a ed student
short,7 #avid said, after the beep! 7"e need you here! + hope we'll
see you soon!7
#avid's alienation was high's&hool apparent! His &olleagues only
spo%e to hi in brief, inforational e6&hanges, and the nurses and
interns had ta%en to not eeting his eyes when they spo%e with
hi! He'd always been a popular attending, so he'd found his rapid
estrangeent fro his own staff over the past five days to be
unsettling! "ith both )arson and #iane issing fro the 0(, he felt
suddenly without allies! And the press had ensured that his plight in
the division was irrored elsewhere! Alienated! 4ilified! His
reputation shattered!
#avid barely had tie to update the board before a faily of five
&ae in on stret&hers after their van overturned! #on was
supposed to be providing double &overage, but #avid had to
dispat&h a nurse to find hi in the &afeteria! By the tie #on
showed up, #avid and the two residents had everyone stable!
"ithout apologizing, #on retreated to the )"A, where he lounged
at the ba&% &ounter, &he&%ing his sto&%s in a twi&e'folded se&tion of
the -A Ties! :nowing that his general stress level had stret&hed
his own patien&e to the point of snapping, #avid ele&ted not to
&onfront hi!
#espite his vigorous efforts, he had trouble finding his way ba&%
into his routine! He &ontinued seeing patients, soewhat distra&ted,
thin%ing of )lyde's flat eyes sun% in his doughy fa&e, the way he'd
stood in the abandoned lot and &ally wat&hed #avid drive away!
He was relieved that 0d planned to install se&urity devi&es in his
house!
The sleeplessness &aught up with hi eventually, a%ing hi
irritable and ore intolerant than usual! A wailing toddler &ae in
with a pro wrestling a&tion figure's head wedged up his nose! An
overwrought Beverly Hills o with tonsillitis droned on at adenoid
pit&h! #avid found hiself ta%ing less tie with patients than he
ordinarily did!
.ill &aught up to hi washing his hands in Traua Twelve! 7That
urine &ae ba&% for M&:enzie in Si6, you've got a''7
7Slow down, .ill!7
7''food poisoning in Two, and there's a football player with a
ruptured spleen in 3our!7
7+ have y hands full, .ill! "here's #r! -abert97
7"e haven't seen hi for about fifteen inutes!7
73ifteen inutes9 Again9 Are you %idding97
Throwing his stethos&ope a&ross his shoulders, #avid stored
toward the do&tors' lounge, drawing several stares fro wor%ers
and patients! He flung the door open, and it stru&% the wall with a
bang! Bla&% ar%er in hand, #on was standing by the far wall near
the &oposite of )lyde! Target rings were drawn around )lyde's
fa&e, beneath whi&h was written: wanted dead or aied''O2===
reward!
#on's deep blush grew visible even beneath his five o'&lo&%
stubble! He &leared his throat, lowering the ar%er! 7-oo%, #ave''7
7Bou've been issing fro the floor for fifteen inutes''again''
and + &at&h you drawing pi&tures li%e a sadisti& little bully!7
Still flushed, #on slid the ar%er into his po&%et! 7+ didn't write
that,7 he said!
#avid felt drun% with fury! 7#on't insult y intelligen&e!7
7Bou've been a bit on edge lately, #ave! -et's not 1up to hasty
&on&lusions!7
7Get the fu&% out of here!7 Gripping #on firly around the bi&eps,
#avid pulled hi toward the door! 7+ want you out of y 0(! (ight
now!7
#on pulled his ar roughly fro #avid's grasp, but %ept wal%ing
toward the door at #avid's propting!
7All right, )hief,7 #on said! 7+'ll let you fle6 your us&les and be
the big ethi&al guy again sin&e it wor%ed out so well for you last
tie!7
+gnoring hi, #avid guided hi through the door into the 0(, his
hand on the base of his ba&%, hurrying hi! By the tie they
rea&hed Hallway Two, #on's un&ofortable e6pression and #avid's
propelling hi toward the door ade the situation /uite evident!
$urses wat&hed with gleeful interest; patients stared; a girl with a
teddy bear tittered! The phone rang and rang in the )"A, but no
one rea&hed for it! #on slapped #avid's hand fro his ba&% and
wal%ed faster toward the swinging doors!
#avid's fa&e still burned with anger! "hen #on paused at the
hall's end, #avid raised his ar, pointing at the doors!
7+agine that,7 #on said! 7A guy who pulled the plug on his own
wife without hesitation getting all wor%ed up over soe a&id'
throwing psy&ho!7
#avid seized #on and hurled hi through the e6it! #on's feet
tangled as he stru&% the swinging doors, and he slapped to the
lobby floor, the doors fanning his red fa&e! A news photographer
popped up fro his re&line in one of the triage &hairs, snapped
several photos, then grinned as if he'd 1ust &aptured Big 3oot
huping the shooter fro the grassy %noll!
An overweight woan with a bun loo%ed up fro her
needlepoint! 75h dear,7 she said! The doors stopped swinging,
hiding both #on and the woan fro view!
#avid turned ba&% up the hall and fa&ed the yriad staring fa&es!
5ne of the nurses began to applaud tentatively, but stopped when
no one 1oined in!
#avid headed slowly ba&% to the board! 7$e6t patient,7 he said!
7A fu&%ing disgra&e is what it is,7 Sandy bar%ed! The elevator
stopped at the se&ond floor with a ding and everyone &leared out,
though plainly it was not everyone's floor! "hen the doors &losed
again, she threw the 0M0(G0$)B ST5* swit&h and glared at
#avid, lowering the tur%ey sandwi&h she gripped li%e a football in
her right hand, &areful to hold it &lear of her aroon sil% blouse!
#avid gestured for her to wipe off the few &rubs that dotted the
&orner of her outh, and she all but swung at his hand!
#on had &alled her after retreating fro the 0(! Sandy had &oe
running fro the &afeteria and followed #avid through the &orridors,
failing in her attepts to %eep a lowered voi&e and drawing loo%s
fro everyone they'd passed! #avid had oved through the halls
purposefully! Soething had re%indled inside hi, and he felt an
overwheling sense of freedo! He'd been weathering Sandy's
repriand without the feelings of reorse and shae he would
have e6pe&ted!
7Bou've done it this tie, and there's nothing + &an do to &over
your ass,7 Sandy said! She shoo% her head! 7Bour other ust be
spinning in her grave!7
7My other is hardly in a position to spin disapprovingly!7
Sandy &o&%ed her head in &ondes&ending fashion! 7Maybe that's
what this is all about!7 He didn't give her the satisfa&tion of a
rea&tion, but she raged on, undeterred! 7Manhandling a &olleague!
Hurling hi out of the 0( in front of his staff and patients!7
7My staff,7 #avid said!
7"ell, aybe not anyore! The board will be &onvening
toorrow at nine in the orning, and you'll need to appear! They've
been less than thrilled at your new &ontroversial self as is, so this is
only fuel to the fire! Bou finally did it! Bou gave the soething
tangible!7 She flipped the swit&h, and the elevator &ontinued to rise!
7Bou %now dan well that as a physi&ian''and parti&ularly as a
&hief''you are a representative of this hospital everywhere you go!7
Soething &rossed tra&%s in #avid's ind! )lyde's intense and
growing fi6ation! The dar% waters of otive! He waited for
soething to resolve but &ouldn't dis&ern it, and Sandy was still
yelling!
7Bou've turned this business with )lyde into a three'ring &ir&us!7
Her &hee%s were getting flushed! 7The Mayor &alled e this
afternoon! The Mayor, for )hrist's sa%e!7
7Bou don't thin% + %now this, Sandy9 Bou don't thin% that +, of all
people, a aware of the sta%es here9 At all levels9 Bou're not the
one getting strung up by a rea&tive press! +'ve been under a
agnifying glass every day of this thing! Bou thin% +' doing this for
y own en1oyent97
7Bour otives aren't relevant here, #avid!7 Sandy too% a deep,
angry breath! 7+'ve been urging you to ta%e soe tie off for a long
while, and it would have served you well! But you stayed here, and
you fiddled around with this &ase, and you &rossed the line, despite
y attepts to help you /uietly and %eep you within the bounds of
dis&retion! And +'ll tell you soething else! +f you %eep pushing this''
with the &ops and the edia and the private eye routine''your
future at this institution will be 1eopardized!7
The elevator opened again, and #avid stepped out! He turned
and fa&ed her fro the hall! 7-isten, Sandy, you &an handle this
however you want, but let e tell you soething! #on -abert is a
lazy pie&e of shit, and +' tired of putting up with his in&opeten&e!
+ a a physi&ian! + a trained to ta%e &are of people, and that's
what +'d li%e to do''y way! +' tired of sug, se&ond'rate
physi&ians; +' tired of the HM5s; +' tired of so'&alled edi&al
professionals ore interested in punishent than repair, and while
we're at it, +' tired of you and your legal &onsiderations! So than%s
for the re&oendation''+ will be ta%ing soe of that va&ation tie,
starting right now, to pursue this &ase and set things right, be&ause
+ ight be the only one who &an! And if you or the board are
displeased with that, you be sure to tell soeone who's a&tually
interested!7
The doors shut in Sandy's surprised fa&e, and #avid headed
down the &orridor to the +),! The halls were still and silent!
7She's been having a tough tie,7 the +), nurse said! 7And she
hasn't had any visitors lately! Should + tell her you're here97
7$o,7 #avid said! 7That's all right! She a&tually as%ed + not visit!
+'ve 1ust been &on&erned!7
The nurse gave hi an odd loo%!
7Are the s%in grafts ta%ing97 #avid as%ed!
7Soe are, soe aren't! (ight now, our priary ob1e&tive is
a%ing sure she doesn't get septi&!7
$an&y's loo%s were the least of their &on&erns!
7+ was 1ust dropping by to let you %now that +' not going to be
around for a while! The hospital!7 He was surprised by how diffi&ult
that was for hi to say! 7But if there's anything + &an do to fa&ilitate
$an&y's treatent, please let e %now!7
7Than%s, #o&tor!7 The nurse tou&hed his ar &urtly, then pivoted
and headed ba&% to the nursing station!
Twilight &rept through the windows, turning the roo gray and
ashy! The &urtains were spread to $an&y's bed, ever so slightly,
and #avid &ould see through the gap!
The front half of her &rown was little ore than ottled flesh, the
hair having all fallen out! Her eyeballs had shriveled further, and the
so&%ets were oozing a thi&% pus! The s%in of her fa&e was the worst
of all''ost of the grafts had not ta%en, and the flesh hung loosely
in gray and yellow s/uares, a grotes/ue pat&hwor%! A &hee% wound
had begun to &ontra&t, drawing her right nostril down toward the
&orner of her outh!
Her lips, &ra&%ed and oozing, oved slowly; she was ururing
soething to herself!
#avid wondered whether the plasti& surgeons were wor%ing on
her as fastidiously as they were on their other patients! There was
little reason to ris% &opli&ations and infe&tion fro plasti&s wor%;
after all, $an&y would never have to see her own fa&e again!
*robably a blessing!
To thin% this was all &aused by a &onfused, patheti& an and a
bea%er of al%ali! $an&y would probably survive, and drag out the
rest of her days in pain, hidden fro her own sight and the eyes of
others! )lyde's perverse turning of the tables!
The indless ebolus that had &laied 0lisabeth's brain
seeed alost huane by &oparison!
$an&y's lips &ontinued to whisper, and when #avid realized what
she was saying, his outh flooded with saliva as it soeties did
before he voited!
7+ wanna die,7 $an&y was saying! 7+ wanna die + wanna die +
wanna''7
#avid drew ba&% /uietly and headed for the door, feeling his
pulse ra&e!
A an sat on a visitor's &hair beside the last uno&&upied bed in
the row, his shoulders hun&hed, his hands dangling between his
legs! .en%ins! #avid had not noti&ed hi on his way in!
.en%ins wore a blan% stare, his &hee%s hollowed with grief! #avid
paused before hi, his breathing slowing! .en%ins's eyes oved
slowly up to #avid's fa&e, but showed no glint of re&ognition!
.en%ins lowered his head again, studying the tiled floor! 7"hat the
fu&% are you doing by y sister's bed97 he urured!
A&ross the ward, a woan &ried out in pain, and .en%ins
flin&hed, the s%in around his eyes drawing up in a s/uint! He did not
loo% up!
7+ shouldn't be there,7 #avid said! 7But you should!7
#avid rea&hed out his hand, an offering to be ta%en or slapped
away! A oent passed, then another! .en%ins's shoulders vibrated
on&e, an intiation of a sob! He rea&hed up with a trebling hand
and grasped #avid's! Then he leaned forward, his weight pulling on
#avid's ar, his fa&e downturned, both hands gripping #avid's so
tightly the s%in of his %nu&%les turned white!
Motionless, he hung fro #avid's hand, &linging to sanity, a an
re&eiving an une6pe&ted blessing! After a oent, he stood!
#avid left /uietly as .en%ins headed to his sister's bed!
)hapter D>
#ASH pulled off his sweatshirt and draped it over #avid's &ou&h,
where it sprawled li%e a gray blan%et! He put his feet up on the
table, and #avid worried oentarily it would give under the weight
of his legs! #ash flipped through the bad photo&opy of )onnolly's
abstra&t''Bale had ta%en the original''and let a gruble es&ape his
&hest!
Soeone had lea%ed the story of the torture'tape &all, &ausing a
fresh influ6 of reporters to sweep through the Med )enter grounds!
#avid had all but waded through reporters on his way to his &ar
after wor%! $ews of #avid and #on's dispute in the 0( had not
helped to abate the edia frenzy! #avid had returned hoe to find
a photographer &aped out a&ross the street and si6 essages on
his answering a&hine fro trashy T4 7news7 produ&ers and ore
legitiate reporters! #avid's proble'resolution instin&ts had been
firing inside hi, phanto synapses''to &all Sandy, to prote&t the
hospital, to spin &ontrol! "hen he'd &losed and bolted his front door,
an intense burst of stress'lined relief had hit hi; at least for the
duration of his tie off, he was no longer a part of the edi&al
establishent! 3or the first tie in his life!
#ash set down the abstra&t on top of the sta&% of other aterials
he and #avid had spent the late afternoon reviewing, and gripped
his shoulder, wor%ing it with a thub''an athlete's habit! 7Have the
dete&tives finished running down the other sub1e&ts97
7Most of the! Three sui&ides, five are in prison, and three have
been &opletely lost tra&% of! *robably hoeless! 5r dead!7
7)onnolly &ertainly raised the bar on sadisti& separation studies!7
#ash leaned ba&% and la&ed his hands behind his head! 7Those
%ids were never given a fair &han&e! -ove, respe&t, &are''these are
not negotiable lu6uries for &hildren! They're fundaental needs!7
7+ %now, but how &an we use all this9 To get to )lyde!7
7+ thin% you have several pie&es of the puzzle,7 #ash said! 75ne:
He wants revenge for this study! Two: He's learned that to infli&t
fear is to hold power!7 He let out a ti&%ing e6hale! 7Bou see the
proble!7
7$o!7
7"ell, the people dire&tly responsible for the study are dead! He's
probably not a suffi&iently abstra&t thin%er to go after grant
&oittee ebers and the bureau&rats who enabled the study!
So what does that leave hi97
7The hospital!7
7*re&isely! But how &an you eli&it fear fro an institution9 Bou
&an't! So he atta&%s soe nurses and do&tors, tries to run a &urrent
of fear through the hospital, but that's not personal or suffi&iently
satisfying! That's why he's evolving! He wants to e6a&t ore! But he
doesn't %now how!7
And evolved he had! He'd varied his atta&%s, and swit&hed their
lo&ation! 3ro a &owardly, unseen hurler of al%ali to a rapist
attepting to doinate a woan dire&tly!
#avid re&alled Sandy's words in the elevator that had stru&%
soething in hi: As a physi&ian''and parti&ularly as a &hief''you
are a representative of this hospital everywhere you go! 7Me,7
#avid said! 7He &an frighten e!7 He stood! 75f &ourse''+'d been
ostly viewing his obsession with e and his atta&%s on #iane as
warnings! As his attepts to get e to ba&% off, sin&e +'ve been
pursuing hi! But that's entirely wrong! He's only swit&hed his
fo&us!7
7"hat do you ean97
7+f he's interested in revenge on the hospital, +' the perfe&t
ob1e&t of his vengean&e! +' the highest'level eployee of the
hospital he's had &onta&t with! My last nae is all over the Med
)enter! And he per&eives e as threatening hi in y attepts to
lo&ate hi''soething that surely ust re&all the perse&ution he felt
as a &hild in )onnolly's study! "hy else would he &all e in the
iddle of the night and play a re&ording of a woan being tortured9
"hy else would he atta&% #iane9 To s&are e! But he doesn't want
e to ba&% off! He wants to involve e ore! He wants e to be
diinished!7
7+ suppose it a%es sense! A oveent fro the general to the
spe&ifi&!7 #ash &rossed his legs, letting a size'seventeen foot
dangle over his %nee! 7"hat are the ways to instill fear in you9 To
threaten or in1ure you dire&tly, or to threaten those you love!7
7+'ll have to &all Bale and see if we &an get soe prote&tion on
people &lose to e!7
75%ay! "ho97
7#iane ! ! ! Sandy ! ! ! 7 #avid was ebarrassed that he &ouldn't
thin% of anyone else!
7+ assue there's already prote&tion on )onnolly's wife!7
7+ believe so, but +'ll double'&he&%!7
7How about en97
7$o way! He doesn't have the balls!7
7He atta&%ed you!7
75n his turf! +n his &ofort zone! He had to lure e near that
house! *lus, + wal%ed into that atta&%''he didn't plan it!7
7He atta&%ed the se&urity guard who was with #iane!7
7Bale said the %id loo%ed barely older than an adoles&ent!7 #avid
shoo% his head! 7+ have to say, despite )lyde's eergen&e fro
tiidity, + still doubt he's a&/uired the &ourage to atta&% a full'grown
an!7 #avid rubbed his teples, straining to thin% of other naes!
7The only other person +' &lose to who he %nows about is you!7
#avid loo%ed at #ash's barrel &hest, the ridges of us&le &apping
his shoulders! 7And he'd be an idiot to try that!7
7-et's %eep in ind that you and those around you are not
ne&essarily his only targets! "hile you're &ertainly appealing to hi,
there's nothing to say he's not still planning other atta&%s on nurses
and do&s!7
#avid oistened his lips, whi&h had grown dry! 7+f there was
soe way to provide an opportunity for hi to infli&t fear, aybe we
&ould lure hi!7
7"ell, what are the ways you &ould draw soeone li%e )lyde9
The appearan&e of vulnerability! "ho appears vulnerable9 5ld
ladies! :ids! "oen!7
7"e wouldn't ris% anyone in those &ategories, e6&ept feale
&ops, aybe! Besides, how do you a%e soeone loo% sus&eptible
to being s&ared97 #avid shoo% his head disissively! 7Maybe
there's a play to be ade at lo&ations that are eaningful to hi!
He's been driven off his own turf! The only other area we %now is of
interest to hi is the hospital! Maybe we &ould tept hi there!7
7+f you thin% he's that stupid! Se&urity's been &ran%ed up another
not&h after his atta&% on #iane! He's got to %now he's playing
in&reasingly bad odds there!7
They sat /uietly for a few oents, digesting their respe&tive
thoughts! The phone rang, and #avid heard the a&hine pi&% up in
the bedroo! 7Hi, To M&$eil fro the -A "ee%ly! +'ve re&eived
word that you're a&tually in &onta&t with the "estwood ! ! ! 7
7+ &ould try to anipulate hi if he &alls ba&%,7 #avid said!
7A&tively draw his interest! +f he threatens e, how &an + respond to
a%e hi ore li%ely to &onta&t e again9 +f + &an agitate hi,
aybe he'll give up ore inforation! Should + a&t really s&ared or
not s&ared at all97
7+'d iagine your being iune to his attepts to s&are you
would be ore galling! +f you taunted hi, even, that ight draw
hi in! But don't overdo it! He's not beyond being s&ared off
hiself!7 #ash paused! 7There are ris%s!7
7Aside fro the obvious97
7Bes! 0very intervention so far has driven hi to a higher level of
violen&e! "hen he's foiled, he &oes ba&% with soething ore
bold! The ore bold he gets, the ore fear he's able to generate!
Thin% of it as an intensifying addi&tion!7
7"hat &an + do about that97
#ash shrugged, a assive, shifting oveent! 7*robably
nothing! +' 1ust a%ing soething &lear! Bou're the one who's been
raising the sta%es!7
)hapter DF
5,TS+#0 Sandy's offi&e, #on shot his &uffs and read1usted a
gold &uff lin% with a pra&ti&ed fli&% of his thub! A feale resident
wal%ed by, full in the ass and tight in the waist, and he wat&hed her
until she disappeared around the &orner!
7)oe in,7 Sandy &alled out, before he &ould %no&%! The door
was solid, windowless!
Seated at her &onferen&e table, she &ontinued to sort through
ounds of paperwor%, not loo%ing up! 7"hat &an + help you with,
#r! -abert97 she as%ed!
7+ wanted to let you %now that +' going to a&tively pursue assault
&harges against #r! Spier unless this atter is handled
e6peditiously in'house!7
7#on't split your infinitives, #r! -abert,7 Sandy said! She
reoved her wire'ri glasses, set the on a folder, and rubbed her
eyes! 7+t spoils the illusion of elo/uen&e you see% to &ultivate!7 The
sell of his aftershave pereated the roo! Sandy finally loo%ed at
hi! She whistled! 7"here you going all dolled up97
#on ad1usted his tie nervously! 7+' on y way hoe fro the
opera! My date is waiting in the &ar!7
7"ell, + hope you left a window &ra&%ed!7
$either siled!
7So you've been worrying this all night li%e a &an%er sore, have
you97 Sandy put her glasses on and studied hi! Her i&y blue eyes
at&hed the star&hed &ollar of her shirt! 7"hat do you propose we
do97
7+ thin% he should step down as &hief of the division!7
7That would be &onvenient for you, wouldn't it9 But in&onvenient
for the board! "e'd be unable to find a /ualified repla&eent''how
did you put it in your &orporate way''in'house!7
#on's voi&e rose in pit&h! 7This isn't about &areer advan&eent,
it's about is&ondu&t and a &oplete disregard for professionalis!
He assaulted e in front of patients and staff! Assaulted e! 5ver
soething + didn't do! He's &oing unwound! He's barely ever in
the 0( anyore, and + heard he left early today!7
7He left early97 Sandy whistled, feigning astonishent! 7Maybe
we should report hi to the Medi&al Board!7
#on stared her down!
She sighed heavily, then her fa&e resued its usual businessli%e
&ast! 7The board is airing the issue toorrow,7 she said dourly!
7(est assured, we are viewing this in&ident seriously!7
7"ell, + hope a&tion will be ta%en before this gets ! ! ! loud!7
Sandy sear&hed for a pen behind her ear and found it! She
tapped it against her lips, whi&h had drawn together in soething of
a s&owl! 73or seventeen years at this institution, #r! Spier has been
a physi&ian beyond reproa&h! #o you %now what that eans9 To be
beyond reproa&h97
75f &ourse!7
She regarded hi dubiously! 7Bour &on&ern in this atter has
been duly noted!7 She glan&ed ba&% down at the papers in front of
her! 7Good night, #r! -abert! Bou don't want to %eep your date
waiting!7
)hapter D<
A3T0( &alling Bale, #avid &rawled into bed! Bale had spent the
day sha%ing leads with #alton and had turned up little of
&onse/uen&e! Happy Horizon's re&ords had not been well %ept, and
the dete&tives were having soe diffi&ulty tra&%ing down the
&hildren )lyde had overlapped with during his tie there! 3ro
inforation &olle&ted at )lyde's apartent, they'd &opiled a list of
the pla&es )lyde had stopped at regularly''(alph's Gro&eries, I'
0leven, Healton's''and they were %eeping an eye on the!
After #avid filled Bale in on his &onversation with #ash, Bale told
#avid a unit had been sitting on Mrs! )onnolly's house, and said
he'd see about getting another &ar freed up to &over Sandy!
Hospital se&urity had been wat&hing #iane's roo!
Though #avid &ould barely %eep his eyes open, he &alled #iane!
7Hey, (o&%y,7 she said!
7Bou heard!7
7#on puts out a loud whine!7
7How are you doing97
7+'ve had better wee%s!7
7#o you want e to &oe in and see you97
7Sorry,7 she 1o%ed! 74isiting hours are over!7
7+' not a visitor!7
7Are you soething ore peranent97 she as%ed!
After he hung up, he lay ba&% and let his us&les go la6! A
revving sports &ar up on Sunset reinded hi of the earplugs he'd
a&&identally stolen fro Healton's #rugstore! He retrieved the
fro his pants in the laundry, returned to bed, and put the in!
They were surprisingly effe&tive! He &losed his eyes, pulling the
sheets up to his &hin, and drifted on the blissful silen&e! He was
asleep in se&onds!
Through his sleeping stupor, he be&ae vaguely aware of a
distant ringing! +t repeated itself at intervals, then he was awa%e
and oentarily lost before the failiar glow of the alar &lo&%
reinded hi he was hoe! The ringing returned! The doorbell!
Muted through his earplugs! And soe %ind of rasping!
"hy was soeone ringing his bell at F:F= in the orning9
Grabbing the &ordless fro its &radle, he padded to the front door,
leaving his earplugs on a hall table!
He peered through the peephole at .en%ins and Bronner! 7Bes9
)an + help you97
7*lease open the door, #r! Spier!7
#avid &ra&%ed the door and peered through the gap! 7"hat does
this &on&ern97
7#r! Spier, please!7 .en%ins's voi&e had an edge of &on&ern in it,
enough to &ause #avid to open up! Both offi&ers stood ba&% toward
the edge of the por&h! 7)an you please step out onto the por&h97
7-oo%, +' not really sure'' 7 #avid noti&ed Bronner leaning to the
side, trying to get a better angle to see around hi into the dar%
foyer, and he stopped short! (esisting the urge to loo% behind hi,
#avid stepped out into the &ool night!
.en%ins grabbed #avid's ar, his hand en&opassing his
bi&eps, and pulled hi ba&%, eyes lo&%ed on the open front door!
7"e got a E22 &all alerting us to this address about fifteen inutes
ago,7 he said!
#avid shoo% his head! 7"ell, everything's fine! +'ve been sleeping
for hours! +t ust have been a pran%!7
His de&laration did little to wipe the intense &on&ern fro the
offi&ers' fa&es! .en%ins was wor%ing his lip between his teeth, his
ars steeled and rigid!
7"hat97 #avid as%ed! 7"hy are you so alared97
.en%ins unholstered his pistol! 7The &all &ae fro within your
house!7
#avid swallowed hard, but the spit &aught in his throat!
*istol drawn, .en%ins toed the door the rest of the way open and
in&hed inside! 7Stay outside,7 Bronner growled! He turned on his
flashlight, unholstered his pistol, and, &rossing his ars at the
wrists, followed .en%ins into the house!
#avid stood out on the por&h in his bo6ers, shivering in the &old!
After a oent, .en%ins hissed at hi fro within the house!
7-ights8 "here's the fu&%ing light swit&h97
#avid in&hed inside, and &li&%ed one of the swit&hes by the front
door, &on&ealed by the braided trun% of a tall 3i&us ben1aina! A
&one of light fro the &eiling softly illuinated the anti/ue table and
the &ou&hes, 1ust enough to see that the roo was epty and
undisturbed!
.en%ins and Bronner loo%ed relieved, but did not lower their
guns! They did a brief wal%'through of the other roos, using
flashlights, whispering, and sear&hing in &losets and behind
furniture! There was no sign of for&ed entry! 3inally, they headed
down the long hall toward the study and aster bedroo!
The bea of .en%ins's flashlight illuinated the bird&age in the
&orner of the study! The drape had been reoved, and the sall
wire door hung open! The &o&%atoo was issing! .en%ins and
Bronner loo%ed at #avid interrogatively, and he nodded solenly!
#avid reebered the strange rasping whi&h, in addition to the
doorbell, had awa%ened hi, and he felt the hair along his ars
pri&%le! His bedroo!
He pointed to the slightly a1ar bedroo door to whi&h the hall led,
and Bronner and .en%ins slun% toward it, pistols aied at the sall
strip of bla&%ness that ran the height of the 1ab! .en%ins gestured
as if he were flipping a light swit&h, and #avid ied its lo&ation
within the bedroo! Angling his gun to &over the left side of the
roo, Bronner toed the door so it &rea%ed open, then he and
.en%ins burst in, flashlights sweeping the interior!
A sudden stillness! #avid heard Bronner a%e a noise low in his
throat and he stepped into the roo 1ust as .en%ins flipped the
swit&h! He blin%ed against the flash of light!
But not before he saw the bird pinned wide, unfurled a&ross the
wall fa&ing #avid's bed, its wings and feet ta&%ed to the wall with
surgi&al s&alpels! A blood splatter sprayed the wall to one side!
The &o&%atoo's bright pin% &rest was stained and atted, its
feathers shredded and bro%en! A sall s/uare had been e6&ised
fro its throat with one of the s&alpels, and blood drained fro the
hole down its feathers! +ts voi&e bo6 had been reoved, a &rude
surgi&al pro&edure!
A shudder wra&%ed through #avid as he stared at the bloody
tableau! )lyde had pinned the utilated bird to the wall while #avid
had slept feet away!
Had #avid stirred, )lyde ight have %illed hi! The stolen
earplugs ay have saved his life!
The bea% /uivered, then opened wea%ly! The bird was still alive!
+t rustled feebly against the s&alpels ipaling its wings, its head and
feet rasping gently against the wall! #avid &rossed to the wall, and
pulling a s&alpel free fro Stanley's wing, un&ereoniously ran the
edge a&ross the bird's throat! Be&ause its syrin6 had already been
reoved, the blade ran deep through the throat, severing the
windpipe! The &o&%atoo &eased its oveent against its pinnings!
#avid fisted the s&alpel and drove it into the wall, where it stu&%!
Bronner and .en%ins lowered their guns slowly! .en%ins's fa&e
had reddened, his &hee%s flushing with &olor!
#avid's breath left hi in short spurts, reverse gasps!
7+nnovative,7 he anaged! His legs were sha%ing, so he donned his
white &oat, wrapping it around hiself li%e a robe!
Bronner lowered his flashlight with a faint groan and hoisted his
pants! 7+'ll have #ispat&h &onta&t S+#, and Bale and #alton! +'ll %eep
an eye on the front!7 He loo%ed at #avid! 7#on't tou&h anything
else!7 He left .en%ins and #avid with the blood'splashed wall!
7$ot his usual M5,7 .en%ins said! 7He's getting bolder! More
&ourageous!7 He &hewed his lip!
#avid nodded! 7"e're right on tra&%!7
He followed .en%ins to &he&% the garage! 5n the side of the
Mer&edes, )lyde had written ashole in what appeared to be red
spray paint! .en%ins shined his light beneath and inside the &ar,
then too% a step ba&%!
They went ba&% into the living roo to wait for Bronner's return,
and .en%ins flipped all three light swit&hes, using a pen! #avid
noti&ed iediately that the de :ooning was issing! He pointed
to the blan% spa&e above the antel!
.en%ins raised his eyebrows!
7A painting,7 #avid e6plained! 7A de :ooning!7
7+ didn't have hi pegged for a &olle&tor!7 .en%ins's 1o%e was an
offering of sorts! #avid's laugh was genuine! "hen .en%ins siled,
the harshness left his features! 7Motive, otive, otive,7 he said!
7Assuing he's not aware of its value or ! ! ! artfulness, why did he
ta%e it97
7+t was a odern pie&e, a soewhat violent depi&tion of a
woan!7
7+ see!7
#avid felt oentarily li%e a pervert! He thought of the drawings
)lyde had ade as a &hild, the &rayoned revenge he'd e6a&ted on
the study's nurses! )lyde probably found the de :ooning to be
pleasing! The notion that #avid's taste in art was siilar to )lyde's
was not &oforting! That the painting had been his other's lent
the theft a &ertain irony!
7"orth a lot97 .en%ins as%ed!
7Beah,7 #avid said! 7$ow +'ll have to deal with insuran&e! My
penan&e for being part of the edi&al establishent!7 He ran his
fingers through his hair!
.en%ins peered around the ipe&&ably de&orated living roo!
7(ight!7
The vase sat &roo%ed on the 5riental &abinet, and #avid wal%ed
over and rea&hed to straighten it!
7#on't tou&h that,7 .en%ins said!
#avid froze! 7Sorry!7 He studied the sall &olle&tion of
photographs arrayed around the base of the vase, fo&using on the
shot of hi and #iane fro the 0( )atalina retreat! His eyes
lingered on the pi&ture of 0lisabeth in the tub, before s%iing
a&ross the rest of the silver fraes! 5ne of the photographs was
issing; there were norally five! #avid &rou&hed and peered
behind the &abinet! Soe loose &hange, several &lusters of dust,
and the silver glea of the frae!
7There's a pi&ture frae ba&% here,7 he said! He pulled a pair of
late6 gloves fro his po&%et! 7)an + get it97
7-et e!7 .en%ins too% the gloves fro #avid, pulled the on,
and oved the &abinet a few in&hes out fro the wall! He grabbed
the frae by the &orner and held it up for #avid to see! The
photograph of *eter with #avid's other! .anet Spier, the steel
glea in her eyes, her &hin raised in what #avid had previously
thought regal fashion, but now re&ognized as a sypto of her
deeply ingrained sense of superiority! *eter's sile, deferential yet
&onfident, his ar a&ross .anet's shoulders!
There was a sudge on the glass over *eter's fa&e, and #avid
%new, even before he leaned toward the frae and inhaled the
sa&&harine odor, that it would sell of the orange'flavored
lozenges!
)lyde had studied the photograph before he'd ta%en the de
:ooning and, in repla&ing it, had a&&identally %no&%ed it behind the
&abinet!
A flash of *eter after )lyde's es&ape, still sha%en after he'd
tripped )lyde in the hall! 7The way he loo%ed at e ! ! ! 7
#avid and #ash had negle&ted to add *eter to the list of potential
vi&tis! #avid doubted that )lyde had grown bold enough to atta&%
a an, but it now o&&urred to hi that a disabled an ight be a
possibility, as the boyish se&urity guard had been! And *eter was a
representative of the hospital! #epending on the e6tent of his
surveillan&e, )lyde ight even %now that *eter was #avid's &lose
friend!
7#o you thin% we &ould get soe prote&tion on *eter
Ale6ander97 #avid as%ed, pointing to the photo!
7That's up to Bale,7 .en%ins said! 7And the )aptain! But +'ll radio
#ispat&h and have soeone swing by now to &he&% the welfare!7
7+'d appre&iate that!7
.en%ins &alled in the re/uest, then he and #avid stood in silen&e
as they awaited the other &ars, not wanting even to sit on the
&ou&hes in &ase that would disturb eviden&e! +t was an aw%ward
silen&e!
7How was $an&y97 #avid as%ed!
.en%ins shrugged! 7Awful,7 he said! 7She's awful!7 His head
bobbed in an intiation of a nod! 7"hat are you gonna do9 "hat
the fu&% you gonna do97 He raised his hands, then let the fall to
his sides! The silen&e of the roo was deafening! 7My first day on
the 1ob, we were responding to a radio &all,7 he said! 7#oesti&
violen&e! Soe &ra&%head out in )entral had shot his wife! + got
there with #alton''e and #alton were partners before he got
prooted! :i&%ed in the door! -ady was laid out in the %it&hen!
Sawed'off shotgun fro about two feet! "hat was left of her head
was pasted to the refrigerator! The thing is ! ! ! 7 He paused and
too% a deep breath, his nostrils flaring! 7The thing is, she had a
newborn! The baby had been playing in the other roo, but it found
her! )rawled a&ross the dan apartent! +t was nursing on her
when we showed!7 He lowered his head! 7That's the %ind of thing
you're supposed to see in a war! Bosnia, or soe village in
4ietna! $ot in an Aeri&an &ity!7 He shoo% his head! 7$ot here!7
A few &ars pulled up front, blue lights flashing! )oing in the
open front door without %no&%ing, Bale announ&ed his arrival with a
sharp snap of his gu! He was dressed for the offi&e at a "all
Street fir! Behind hi, #alton loo%ed ore aptly li%e soeone
roused in the iddle of the night! His stained tie was 1er%ed hard to
one side, (odney #angerfield style, and he wore unat&hed so&%s!
#avid followed the silently ba&% to the bedroo! Bale appraised
the s&ene silently, then gestured with two fingers for #avid and
#alton to follow hi into the bathroo! He leaned into the shower
and turned it on as hot as it went! The head sputtered a few ties,
then the water turned &loudy! ,sing his pen, Bale fli&%ed the head
to the side, and the water sprayed onto a bar of soap! +t fizzed, then
dissolved rapidly under the al%ali!
7-oo%s li%e our boy had plans for your pretty fa&e,7 #alton said!
7$o,7 #avid said! 7He %nows +'ve been uns&rewing that
showerhead every tie before + turn on the water! That's what he
wants''y an6iety!7
Bale wor%ed his gu as they headed ba&% into the living roo,
where .en%ins was 1ust signing off a radio &all! 70verything &lear on
*eter Ale6ander,7 .en%ins told #avid!
Bale threw open the front door and nodded, and the S&ientifi&
+nvestigation #ivision poured into the house, toting bags and bo6es!
Bale lowered his hard, &ool eyes on #avid! 7+' gonna ta%e a
loo% around,7 he said! 7Then why don't we have a &hat at the barn!
Get out of these boys' hair!7 He turned to .en%ins! 7"e got it fro
here!7 Bale win%ed at .en%ins, and .en%ins headed slowly for the
door!
75ffi&er .en%ins,7 #avid &alled out! "hen .en%ins turned around,
#avid said, 7Than% you!7
.en%ins nodded on&e before du&%ing outside!
)hapter D?
"A+T+$G in the ba&% of the dete&tives' generi& sedan while Bale,
#alton, and the S+# went over the house, #avid paged 0d on his
&ell phone! 0d was seeingly at a &lub or bar of soe sort when he
&alled ba&%, leaving #avid to wonder when, e6a&tly, he slept! +n the
ba&%ground, Gloria Gaynor's 7+ "ill Survive7 blared! 3or 0d to hear
hi, #avid had to raise his voi&e! 0d grew upset on&e #avid
des&ribed the night's events, displaying an endearing sense of
responsibility!
7+ 1ust got the se&urity e/uipent delivered this afternoon! + was
gonna install it at your house toorrow! +'ve been on a sta%eout all
night! 3u&%, +' sorry!7
7+t's o%ay,7 #avid said! 7"e &an get it done today! $othing truly
awful happened! Besides, this ight give us a good lead!7
The s%y was 1ust beginning to lighten when Bale and #alton
eerged! 5n an ordinary day, #avid would 1ust be getting ready for
wor%! At a stoplight, they pulled alongside #r! "oods, the lethargi&
gastroenterologist, in a BM"! His eyes first found the reovable
poli&e light on the dash, and then he did a double ta%e at #avid in
the ba&%seat! #avid raised his hands together, as if they were
hand&uffed, and waved! "oods's 1aw was 1ust beginning to drop
when Bale pulled forward, leaving hi at the stoplight!
#avid told the dete&tives about the pi&ture frae and said he'd
added *eter to his list of potential vi&tis! #alton threw a weary
loo% in Bale's dire&tion! 7)aptain's been &hafing at all the 5T as is!
"e're gonna have to %iss soe serious ass to get another unit for
*eter Ale6ander!7
Bale too% a turn a little too fast! 7*u&%er up!7
"hen they pulled up to the station, #avid waited patiently to be
let out! The -A Ties dispenser showed a &olor photo of #on's
fallen body in the 0( waiting roo, #avid looing unpleasantly in
the ba&%ground! 3ront page! +t was too bad that no edia had
sta%ed out #avid's house through the night; they ight have seen
)lyde brea%ing in!
They headed dire&tly upstairs; #avid was relieved not to have to
deal with the &ontentious des% &ler%! Bale's and #alton's des%s
were pushed together so they fa&ed ea&h other as they wor%ed! A
stained &offee ug at the edge of #alton's des% pro&laied world's
greatest o! $e6t to it were the fil reels of the fear study!
#avid gestured to the reels! 7#id you ta%e a loo% at those yet97
#alton sat ba&% down heavily! Bale pushed his fingertips together
and pressed the over the bridge of his nose! 7-ate last night,7
Bale said softly!
#alton's thub fidgeted on his &hee%! 7The shit they did to those
poor little bastards ! ! ! 7 he said! 7$o %id should have to go through
soething li%e that!7 A series of &rayon strea%s stained #alton's
shirt near the po&%et, and #avid thought again of #alton's pi&ni& at
the A&adey! He found soething poignant in the &rayon strea%s,
as he did in #alton's rupled shirt, though he wasn't sure what or
why!
7Are you done spea%ing with the other sub1e&ts97 #avid as%ed!
7A few we're still running down! $othing's rang the &herries!7
7He's so withdrawn,7 #avid said! 7+'d say it's a long shot that he's
had real &onta&t with anybody!7
7Aside fro you,7 Bale said! He flipped through his ever'present
notepad! 7He used surgi&al s&alpels on the bird! )orre&t97
7Bes!7
7Any spe&ial %ind97
#avid shoo% his head! 7He had plenty of edi&al supplies at his
apartent! Maybe he too% the before he fled! The needle he
wielded at #iane''+ saw a siilar one in his &ar! 3or all we %now,
he's got a #r! Mengele funhouse in his trun%!7
7Bou were right about the urine saple,7 Bale said! 75ur guy at
)ounty Med said his %idneys were &learing a lot of the stuff! He
estiated soething li%e a >!F blood level! That ean anything to
you97
#avid nodded! 7That's bad! (eally bad! But if we're &orre&t in our
assuption that he's no longer ta%ing lithiu, it'll be lower by now! +t
ust be, for hi to have driven over and bro%en in!7 He paused and
oistened his dry lips! 7Soe pretty de6terous aneuvering!7
7"hy didn't he atta&% you9 He's bigger and &ertainly a ore
&apable fighter!7
#avid suspe&ted the latter rear% was intended as a dig, though
he found it erely a&&urate! 7+ thin% he's ore interested in s&aring
e! 3irst the torture tape, then the atta&% on #iane, then this! The
phoneti& graffiti on y &ar is probably intended to huiliate e!
#iinish e further!7
73its your theory,7 #alton said! 7-u&%y for you, huh97
7A&tually, +'d be thrilled to figure out a way to a%e hi &oe
after e ore violently! Better li%elihood of &at&hing hi!7
#alton stood up and ran a hand through his already tousled hair,
his &heap button'up shirt pulling untu&%ed at the side! He &hu&%led
to hiself! 7Bou've got balls, #o&,7 he said! 7+'ll give you that!7
7The %ey is to instigate hi &ons&iously and intelligently,7 #avid
said!
7+'d have to say you've been doing that fro the get'go!7
7But if + &ould provo%e hi in a way we &ould &hannel ! ! ! 7
7Then what97
Before #avid &ould answer, Bale did! 7"e &ould designate his
ne6t vi&ti! The /uestion is: How do we pla&e a fitting stiulus to
propt hi to a%e a ove97
#alton sat ba&% down, the effort pushing a grunt out of hi!
73eale &ops going ,) as nurses97
7But where9 "e haven't turned up shit over in his ne&% of the
woods, and as you said, he's gotta %now we'll nail hi if he steps
on Med )enter grounds again!7
7A nurse ight be a step ba&% for hi,7 #avid said! 7He's already
atta&%ed people further up the hierar&hy of influen&e at the
hospital!7
7Maybe he'll go after that bit&hy &hief of staff! "ho's on her97
7Bi&%s and *erelli,7 #alton said! 7They'll have it &overed! *erelli's
the *oli&e 5lypi&s freehand shooting &hap!7
7)lyde's not going to atta&% soeone with visible poli&e
prote&tion,7 #avid said! 7He ay be getting bolder, but he's still
essentially a &oward! And besides, + still thin% +' a ore appealing
target! "e &ould wait for hi to &onta&t e or &oe after e
again!7
7"aiting,7 #alton said, 7su&%s!7
73or the ne6t few nights, +' putting a unit on you,7 Bale said! 7+f
)lyde &alls again, a%e sure you re&ord it! + assue it's o%ay with
you if we start ta%ing steps to tra&e your in&oing &alls97
7Bes! 3ine! )an you do it iediately9 + iagine he's gonna &all
to soa% up y rea&tion to Stanley!7 At their blan% loo%s, #avid
added, 7The bird!7
7Bou naed your bird Stanley97 #alton said!
7My wife did! )learly she had lapses in taste if she arried e!7
Bale &ra&%ed a grin''the first #avid had seen! 7,nfortunately,
even with your approval, we have to 1up hoops,7 Bale said! 70very
a1or post'5! .! Sipson investigation's gotta s/uea%! "ith the
politi&al pressure on this one, we &an't sneeze without the #A
&he&%ing in! "e'll have to subpoena the phone &opany, get a
sear&h warrant for subs&riber inforation! A &ouple of days
iniu!7
7"hy didn't you start this already97
7"e did!7
+t was #avid's turn to sile! #alton too% a sip of &offee, his fa&e
showing he'd forgotten to refill the &up sin&e yesterday! #avid
eitted a onstrous yawn!
7"hen the last tie you slept97 Bale as%ed!
7+' fine!7
7+' not as%ing if you're fine! +' as%ing the last tie you've
strung together ore than a few hours of sleep!7
7+ don't %now! 3ive, si6 days! + &an handle it! #uring internship, +
was on &all every other day and every other wee%end!7
7Bou were a young bu&% then! +'d guess you didn't loo% this
shitty!7
7$o,7 #avid said! 7*robably not!7
7+' gonna ta%e you hoe to get a few z's! Bou're no good to us
blurry!7
#alton drew his hand down the front of his fa&e wearily, distorting
his features! 7"e have our own world of shit to get ba&% to!
)obing eviden&e fro )lyde's apartent! )ar tips! 06'foster
hoe %ids! #rugstores! Trying to press soething useful fro
3orensi&s!7
#avid's pager went off, beeping loudly! +t was Sandy! His wat&h
read E:>F! He'd issed his appearan&e before the board! 7+ have to
return this,7 he said! 7Sorry!7
He withdrew his &ell phone fro the po&%et of his white &oat, and
wal%ed a few pa&es off so he &ould have a seiprivate
&onversation!
Sandy pi&%ed up the phone after a half ring! 7"here the hell are
you97
Two &ops led a heavily drugged prostitute into a nearby
interrogation roo! She twisted in their grips and tried to bite the!
7Things are ! ! ! &opli&ated right now!7
7"ell, you've su&&eeded in a%ing the ore &opli&ated! The
board is rightly pissed off that you're not here! The eeting is
progressing, whether you're here to defend yourself or not! And
you're being depi&ted in even less flattering fashion than you
deserve! And this orning's Ties photo isn't e6a&tly salve on our
*( wounds!7 An angry pause! 7Bou're doing an e6&ellent 1ob
sabotaging what was shaping up to be a great &areer!7
7+ appre&iate your %eeping e in the loop,7 he heard hiself say!
His voi&e was &old, &lini&al, deta&hed! Sandy hung up without
saying good'bye!
He nodded to Bale and followed hi down the stairs! The irritable
bla&% des% offi&er loo%ed at #avid, then elbowed her &ounterpart''
an obese an with a "ilford Briley usta&he''in the ribs!
7As% hi,7 she said! "hen the an shoo% his head, it set his
1owls 1iggling!
#avid and Bale passed the &ounter!
The woan elbowed her partner again! 7As% hi,7 she repeated!
"ilford Briley loo%ed up with what #avid iagined was
un&hara&teristi& shyness! 7+ got this heart urur ! ! ! 7 he said!
#avid slid his stethos&ope into pla&e and leaned over the
&ounter!
#avid sat /uietly in the passenger seat of Bale's &ar as they
headed ba&% to his house! #alton had stayed at the station, running
down leads on the phone! The s%y was gray'brown, the &louds
overhead indistinguishable fro the haze of pollution! #avid tried to
iagine his life if the Board voted for hi to step down as division
&hief! He'd always lived with a presuption of irreproa&hability,
probably a flaw he'd inherited fro his other! 0vents of the past
wee% had %no&%ed hi fro his aror, and dressed hi in the
trappings of visible failure! Maybe this was a good pla&e fro whi&h
to start over! To pi&% up the fragents and build soething new
fro the!
$ot surprisingly, he ne6t felt a entor's pull to get )arson put
ba&% together!
Bale said soething, pulling #avid fro his reverie!
706&use e97 #avid as%ed!
7+ said, don't worry! "e are gonna nail hi! "e have the whole
departent on the loo%out for hi and his vehi&le! $inety'eight
hundred offi&ers! He ust have the vehi&le hidden away, but every
tie he ta%es a drive or steps out in publi&, he's playing (ussian
roulette with five bullets!7
#avid's ind slowly &aught up to Bale's words, ta%ing a oent
to awa%en! 7Bou're ore &onfident than #alton!7
7#alton is a&&ustoed to fate, &han&e, and the world &onspiring
to fu&% hi! +' not! )lyde is no longer an un%nown suspe&t! He's
now an identified, wanted, violent felon, and he's starting to unravel!
He's ta%ing bigger and bigger ris%s, li%e going to your house! He's
playing an endgae now! There's no /uestion we'll nail hi, and in
y ind, there's no /uestion we'll nail hi soon!7 His hands fisted
the wheel, then loosened! 7There's really only one a1or
un&ertainty!7
#avid rested his head against the glass! 7"hat's that97
7How bloody it gets before it's over!7
They rode in silen&e the rest of the way to Brentwood! As they
turned onto Marlboro, #avid re&ognized 0d's red *athfinder a&ross
the street! The poli&e &ars had all left! 7"ant e to &oe in97 Bale
as%ed! 7)he&% for al%ali throwers under the bed97
#avid glan&ed at 0d's *athfinder warily! 7Than% you, +'ll be fine!7
7#o you have a weapon97
7$o,7 #avid said, opening his door! 7$o!7
Bale leaned over so he &ould see #avid's fa&e! 7:eep your doors
and windows lo&%ed! See about an alar syste! )all e with any
sign of anything out of the ordinary! +'ll &he&% in with you every few
hours! "e'll have a &ar on you by nightfall!7
7Than% you,7 #avid said!
A new lo&% greeted #avid at his front door, whi&h stood slightly
a1ar! "hen he entered his house, 0d was on all fours behind the
fi&us wearing a woan's halter top''ni&ely filled out''and a leather
inis%irt! A pair of patent leather pups sat at the edge of the
&arpet! $e6t to two $e6tel phones on the &ounter lay a :ate Spade
purse!
0d turned toward #avid, revealing a fa&eful of a%eup and a
lu6uriant blond wig! 7$ot a word, not a fu&%ing word,7 he said! He
spli&ed two wires together and atta&hed the to a %eypad!
7#arling,7 #avid said! 7Bour as&ara is running!7
Ad1usting his wig, 0d stood and approa&hed #avid! He oved
differently''high on his toes, shoulders drawn slightly ba&%, &hin
raised! 3einine! "hen he went under&over, he really went all out!
7+ was on a 1ob! + &ae straight over!7
7"hat, on Santa Moni&a Boulevard97
7Bob threat at a drag rave! + %now, it sounds li%e a (oger
)oran ovie!7
#avid laughed! 70verything under &ontrol97
0d shrugged! 7$othing happened! That's what + get for ta%ing a
1ob fro wor%ed'up /ueens!7
7At least you got to get dressed up!7
0d's fa&e registered that he found little huorous about the
situation!
#avid pointed to his wig! 7+ thin% it's safe to say you &an reove
that now!7
75h! 5h yeah!7 0d pulled off the wig and flung it on the &arpet! 7+
&ae over as soon as the &ops left, so put the bra%es on your
&oentary! $ow listen, here's what we did! + swit&hed your
S&hlage lo&%s to Mede&o''double'&ylinder, one'in&h hardened dead
bolts with si6'pin tublers and brass revolving &ollars! + set up a
triangular'patterned, infrared, dual'bea brea% around the
perieter of your property line! +t'll give off a beep to let you %now
when soeone's on your property!7
He paused to glare at #avid! 7:eep your eyes off y tits and pay
attention! $e6t, we have a (adioni&s se&urity syste setup, run off
this %eypad! +t eploys passive infrared through the interior and at
the windows, whi&h are also outfitted with glass'shatter sensors!
#elayed entry and e6it is not to e6&eed forty se&onds! +f the syste
is brea&hed, it'll &all out on *5TS''plain old telephone syste''with
a ba&%up &ellular dial in &ase soeone ta%es out your hard line!
Bour &ode is your birthday, in&luding the four'digit year, plus the
nuber seven! Got it97
#avid nodded!
7Bour little shrub &olle&tion out front provides e6&ellent
&on&ealent for intruders! +'d rather you went with a &leaner loo%!7
7Bou do lands&ape design97
0d pulled a &opa&t out of the purse and began vigorously
reoving his eye shadow! 7Honey, + do it all!7
7"hat about the phones9 The &ops &an't get the paperwor%
through to tra&e &alls for a few days! )an you get a tap on the
line97
7Beah! As soon as + go ba&% in tie to the 2E?=s!7 0d pi&%ed up
one of the $e6tels and pun&hed in a nuber, sha%ing his head!
7$obody uses taps anyore! + have a -u&ent te&hnologist on the
inside!7 He &hanged his voi&e to a drawl! 7Beah, hey there! Bour
baby brother &alling! -isten, +' trying to find o's new phone
nuber! Here's her old one: F2='???'<II2!7 #avid's telephone
nuber! 7+' gonna stay with her about a wee%! ! ! ! $o, to be safe,
+'d li%e to stay with her a wee%''twenty'four hours isn't enough tie
for us to &at&h up! ! ! ! Than%s, bro!7 He hung up and siled at
#avid! 7Bour nuber's red'flagged for seven days!7
7Shouldn't we let the poli&e %now we've done this97
The sile left 0d's fa&e instantaneously! 7Absolutely not! This is
an inside guy +' using! + have to %eep his ass &overed! "e're
trading legality for speed, here!7 0d s&rewed the %eypad into the
wall behind the fi&us and slipped into his stilettos with a pained
gria&e! 7+f )lyde &alls, let e %now iediately and we'll be able
to tra&e the lo&ation he &alled fro!7
7Than% you,7 #avid said! 7+ ! ! ! than% you!7
0d nodded at hi on his way to the door! 7+'ll send you a bill!
Bou'll send e a oney order!7
7How u&h97
0d turned, tou&hed two ani&ured fingers to his lipsti&%ed
outh, and blew #avid a %iss! 7Honey, you don't want to %now!7
#avid retrieved the orning paper, sitting in his leather &hair and
reading the two front'page arti&les on 7The "estwood A&id
Thrower!7 He noted with auseent that they'd sele&ted a less'
than'flattering photograph of hiself, &aptured id'senten&e during
his spee&h at the resident eet'and'greet, to go along with )lyde's!
3or the first tie in several onths, he turned on the television,
but news updates of the anhunt &ut into the prograing every
fifteen inutes and he finally turned it off and gazed at the blan%
spa&e where his other's de :ooning used to hang! His e6haustion
was too &harged to give way to sleep!
He sat /uietly, snipping and reoving the stit&hes fro his
healed %nu&%le! "hen the phone rang, it nearly startled hi off the
&hair! He dashed ba&% to his bedroo so he &ould re&ord the &all if
ne&essary! After ta%ing an instant to &at&h his breath, he pi&%ed up
the phone with a trebling hand! +t was only the dry &leaner &alling
to reind hi he'd had &lothes ready for pi&%up sin&e last Monday!
He hung up, gazing at the light swirl of fingerprint powder on the
plasti& re&eiver! After trying to sleep, then dis&onsolately flipping
through the latest $ew 0ngland .ournal of Medi&ine, #avid &alled
the 0(! )arson still had not &oe in!
#avid &ouldn't rest! He was well on his way to his first glaring
professional setba&%, and )lyde was still on the loose! At least
there was one thing #avid &ould fi6! *eople stared at hi fro their
&ars as he drove up to )arson's building; he wondered why until he
saw his &ar's refle&tion in a store window, ashole lettered a&ross the
side in red! He &ouldn't help but laugh at the e6pressions of
pedestrians and other drivers!
The newsan on the &ar radio &heerily announ&ed, 7#r! #avid
Spier's position as ,)-A 0( division &hief has be&oe tenuous!
Apparently, the board &onvened this orning over allegations that
he atta&%ed a fellow physi&ian! The hospital has not issued a
stateent! Spier has been at the &ontroversial &enter of ! ! ! 7
#avid's la&% of irritation and unease about the report surprised hi
pleasantly!
He anaged to find )arson's apartent easily this tie! "earing
bo6ers and a ripped T'shirt, )arson opened the door! His fa&e,
unshaven and dar%ened with e6haustion, showed little rea&tion!
#avid followed hi inside wordlessly, and they sat on the floor of
the living roo again, fa&ing ea&h other! $ear the window stood a
large bong, whi&h through soe ta&it agreeent, he and )arson
pretended not to noti&e!
7"hen are you &oing ba&%97 #avid as%ed!
7+ don't %now that + a,7 )arson said softly! 7+' not sure +' &ut
out for this!7 He loo%ed away, his fa&e striped with the shadows of
the &heap venetian blinds! 7"ho's gonna want e to wor% on the
now9 +f they %new, if patients %new, they'd never want to be in y
hands! ,nder y &are!7 His fingers slid up into his op of blond
hair, disappearing! He held his head and studied the light filtering
through the window!
73orgive e for being harsh,7 #avid finally said, brea%ing the
silen&e! He brought his hands together and la&ed the into a
teple! 7But you need to pull your head out of your ass!7
)arson blin%ed several ties in rapid su&&ession!
7This self'indulgent wallowing is for lovesi&% s&hoolboys! Bou're a
physi&ian! Bour 1ob is and will be to a%e diffi&ult &alls in the fa&e of
life and death and to live with the! +'ve seen hundreds, aybe
even thousands of young do&tors, and + %now who's &ut out for this
and who isn't! +f you wal% away, you'll grow to hate yourself by
sall, vi&ious in&reents!7
)arson's lips /uivered, ever so slightly!
#avid &ontinued, 7"hen we spo%e the other day, you e6pressed
abivalen&e about your return! +'ve de&ided +' not going to leave
that de&ision to you! Bou need to &oe ba&%! +t's your responsibility
to the division and to yourself! (e&ent events have for&ed e to
learn anew that the world &an be a iserable, diffi&ult pla&e! "e
&an't afford to lose a good physi&ian! $ot ever, but espe&ially not
this wee%!7
)arson loo%ed at hi, his eyes oist!
7+' ta%ing a few days off, starting now,7 #avid &ontinued! 7+ want
to %now that you're in the 0( in y absen&e!7 He stood up and
dusted his hands! 7+' not leaving until you get dressed, get in your
&ar, and start your drive to the hospital!7
)arson stared at hi for a very long tie! Then he rose and
headed ba&% to his bedroo to &hange into s&rubs!
)hapter DD
#A4+# sat in the still of his bedroo, ba&% against the
headboard, files and papers s&attered a&ross his lap! He wat&hed
the pal frond shadows wave a&ross the newly s&oured blood'
tinged wall at the base of his bed, and %new with a sudden and
veheent &ertainty that the telephone was about to ring! He
wat&hed the bobbing shadows of the plants and waited, breathing
softly, as the &lo&% ti&%ed on!
The phone rang and he set aside )onnolly's abstra&t, whi&h he'd
been rereading! His voi&e was surprisingly &al when he
answered! 7Bes, )lyde97
The voi&e, low and sloppy, rattled with phleg! 7Bou saw! Bou
saw what + left you97
#avid's voi&e was entirely &al! 7+ did! And97
A &onfused pause!
7+f you thin% snea%ing into y house and %illing a &anary are
gonna get e upset, you have another thin% &oing! Bou're gonna
have to do a lot ore to s&are e, )lyde!7
Soe ururing: 7Ba&% fro the door! Three, two, three, two!
3ro the door!7 )lyde fell /uiet! The silen&e stret&hed itself out and
out, and 1ust as #avid was &ertain )lyde had hung up, he spo%e!
His voi&e &ae low and growling! 7+'ll a%e you /uiver,7 he said! 7+'ll
a%e you beg!7
7Try it,7 #avid said!
The sound of )lyde spitting &ae through loud and &lear! "hen
he spo%e again, his voi&e was eerily &al! 7+t's gonna get worse! A
lot worse!7
A &hill ran through #avid's body fro his s&alp to the soles of his
feet! Good, he thought! Then let's play!
The line had gone dead!
His heart was pounding''good &opetitive bursts of adrenaline!
"hen 0d returned #avid's page se&onds later, #avid siply
said, 7Bingo!7 0d &alled ba&% three inutes later and said, 7*ay
phone at the )hevron at 4eni&e and -in&oln! )lyde's old staping
grounds!7
7"hat9 He hasn't left the area9 +'ve got to head over! +'ll &all Bale
now!7
7And say what9 Based on an illegal phone tra&e, you have
reason to believe that an es&aped felon pla&ed a phone &all fro a
gas station9 #on't bite the hand that's dealing you, Spier! That's our
deal!7
7So what do we do97
73irst, we slow down! "e figure out what new inforation we've
gleaned fro the phone &all!7
#avid started to protest but held his tongue, reebering the
last tie 0d wal%ed hi through this e6er&ise and the helpful
inforation it yielded! 75%ay! ! ! ! He's probably hiding in an area
near the pay phone!7
7"hy97
7His fa&e has been on the &over of the -A Ties si6 ties in the
past wee%, plus there's an A*B out on his &ar! +t's daytie, so
there's no way he'd ris% a big trip! The farther he travels fro his
hiding pla&e, the higher ris% he runs of being spotted!7
7,nless he %new the &all was being tra&ed and is purposefully
isdire&ting the investigation!7
7Bou're right,7 #avid said! 7That's an option!7
7"hat else97
7He was no longer slurring when he spo%e! That eans he
probably hasn't been ta%ing lithiu, 1ust as we hypothesized, so his
blood level is dropping! That a%es hi ore ena&ing physi&ally,
be&ause his balan&e probles will disappear! He'll be able to run
and drive ore effe&tively, as we already surised! *lus, it a%es
hi ore ena&ing psy&hologi&ally, be&ause whatever benefit the
lithiu was providing in redu&ing his violent tenden&ies''if it did at
all''is now gone!7
7And perhaps he filled up his tan%,7 0d added, 7whi&h would
e6plain why he was at the gas station! "e're assuing he doesn't
have any oney, but if he does, you ight loo% at new apartent
rentals in the area!7
7He's an addi&ted so%er! +f he'd ris% going out for gas, he'd
probably also ris% heading out for &igarettes! +'ll go down there with
his newspaper photo and as% around at I'0levens and Aui&%ie'
Marts! And the gas station too, obviously! 3irst thing that yields, +'ll
&all Bale! Then +'ll have a &on&rete reason for red'flagging the area
for the &ops!7
7And if you spot )lyde9 "hat are you gonna do97
7Tal% hi in!7
75h that's right! + forgot how well versed you are in hostage
negotiations and &obat ta&ti&s!7
7Sar&as suits you better when you're in drag, 0d!7
7+ a not fu&%ing around here, Spier! "at&h your ass!7
The sall &on&rete storage unit stayed &old, so &old )lyde &urled
into the fetal position on the &igarette'burnt &ushioning of the front
seat of his &ar, his abundant rear end pushed against the driver's
door, the &ool Beretta pressed to his &hee%! The o&ean was far
enough away that its hypnoti& sounds were lost beneath the hu of
ele&tri& lines and the whir of passing &ars, yet &lose enough that the
&hill had &rept off its surfa&e last night and slun% its way through the
streets of 4eni&e, a ali&ious ist!
)lyde turned and grunted, ad1usting his ars under his head!
3rustration and then anger found their way into the sall noises he
ade as he shifted! He got out of the &ar and &ir&led it a few ties
in the en&losed spa&e! He pulled two &igarettes fro a pa&% of
Marlboros in the glove bo6 and so%ed the until the &herries
singed his lips! ,sing the tip of the pistol, he slid his dirty T'shirt up
and gazed at the pattern of al%ali burns a&ross his &hest! They
loo%ed fearsoe, with white, dead s%in fla%ing off around the
edges, but they were healing well!
5pening the trun%, he gazed at the i6 of oddities he %ept stored
there! Surgi&al tools, spare s&rub tops and bottos, a &ontainer of
li/uid #rain0ze! ,ns&rewing the #rain0ze &ap, he sniffed the al%ali
solution, then set it on the ground! His hand, tubling through tire
irons and stained towels, found and &lut&hed a *yre6 bea%er! He
slaed the trun% lid, then set the bea%er and the #rain0ze on it!
Two thi&% etal runners for the roll'up storage door ran a&ross the
&eiling! Around one of the, he'd looped a length of rope! He'd left
a a%eshift gag dangling fro the noose at the rope's end! A re&ipe
for fear!
His &all should have drawn #avid by now''a phone tra&e, or at
least &aller +#, would be in pla&e after his last &all! (etrieving the
pistol fro the passenger seat of the &ar, )lyde wal%ed over to the
roll'up storage door, in&hes away fro the front buper of his
)rown 4i&, and slid it up a few in&hes! #aylight streaed in li%e a
gold twin%ling river, pooling around his wide &alves! He gazed down
at the light for a few oents, transfi6ed and siling, before ta%ing
a %nee and peering out of the unit! #angling fro a hasp was the
bro%en &obination lo&% he'd sashed with a tire iron to gain entry
to the unit! The lure!
S/uinting into the bright light refle&ting off the white /uartz
gravel, he peered down the row of bo6y, garage'style units with
bright orange etal doors! The strip of storage spa&es terinated
in the ba&% of a I'0leven! A large &ra&%ed sign set up on posts''
poppy's self'storage''angled toward the road to enti&e drivers'by!
A&ross the street, &ars &raed into lines at the )hevron station's
pups!
The loose s%in of )lyde's fa&e drew up around his eyes in a half
s/uint, half s&owl when he spotted the olive Mer&edes, ashole
lettered on the side! (ight on s&hedule! +t pulled over into the lot
and )lyde wat&hed it, his outh pulsing slowly as if wor%ing a &ud
of toba&&o, his hand tightening around the Beretta's sto&%!
#avid stepped out of his &ar and headed toward the I'0leven!
He paused for a oent, his eyes sweeping a&ross the storage
units! )lyde boun&ed slightly with e6&iteent! A faily of four pulled
into the par%ing lot about fifteen feet away fro )lyde's hiding pla&e
and noisily began loading ites into the storage unit ne6t door!
)lyde's boun&ing slowed! Stopped! His eaty hand snea%ed
through the gap in the roll'up door and snat&hed the in&riinating
bro%en lo&% fro the hasp! He eased the rolling door down until it
tapped the &on&rete, then gripped the inside handle and set all his
weight down against it!
He waited in the dar%ness!
#avid e6ited the I'0leven, peeved at the teenager behind the
&ounter with a fa&eful of pier&es! The %id had barely bothered to
loo% at the photograph before saying he'd never seen )lyde before!
The )hevron wor%er a&ross the street had been e/ually unhelpful''
he'd re&ognized )lyde's photograph only fro the news! #avid's
heart had /ui&%ened when he'd spotted a dilapidated )rown 4i& at
the &urb, but &loser e6aination had revealed it was not )lyde's!
*5**B'S S0-3'ST5(AG0 sign drew #avid's eye again! His
feet &run&hed on the /uartz ro&% as he ade his way a&ross the lot!
A an struggled to unload an anti/ue bureau fro a .eep, his
faily wat&hing with &on&ern! #avid offered to help, but the an
waved hi off, his fa&e red and sweaty! A anly an! See you in
the 0( with a slipped dis%!
At the botto of ea&h unit was a hasp, and ea&h hasp housed a
lo&%! 06&ept one! #avid wal%ed over to the epty hasp and
&rou&hed before the roll'up door! Soe of the paint was &hipped
behind the hasp, as if it had been stru&% by a blunt ob1e&t!
#avid grabbed the door handle and yan%ed upward, but it barely
gave! He &rou&hed so as to get his legs into it and pulled, but
again, it s&ar&ely oved! *robably 1aed!
He headed ba&% to his &ar, s/uinting to &ut the glare &oing off
the ground!
The drive to the *earson Hoe too% only a few inutes! "al%ing
distan&e for )lyde, as #avid had estiated! He pulled over to the
&urb and got out! ,p the street, a few %ids &li&%ed bright yellow
spray &ans and further assaulted the beat'to'shit phone booth!
#avid's feet &run&hed a&ross the gravel and bro%en glass of the
abandoned lot beside the building! A figure oved in the upstairs
window, behind a rippling &urtain! "ide and dan&ing! -ayla!
#avid &ae to the s&or&hed &ar and, on an ipulse, &libed in!
"hen he slaed the door, the glove bo6 fell open! +nside was a
heap of &igarette butts, filling the interior! Mashed together in twos''
the way )lyde so%ed the! A /ui&%ening of #avid's heart!
#avid loo%ed up at -ayla's shadow dan&ing aw%wardly behind
the &urtains! '5eties he oo%s at e fro his &ar, she'd said!
:ind and &ontrolling (honda #e&%er had isunderstood,
isdire&ted! This &ar! This bro%en &ar! +t hadn't been &han&e that
)lyde had hidden here the night #avid pursued hi fro Healton's!
+t was his hideout!
"hat dar% thoughts rushed through )lyde's head when he sat
here and stared at his &hildhood hoe9 )oveting! "at&hing girls
dan&e in the very bedroo where he'd on&e strung up boys and
relished their fright!
The ree% of stale ni&otine filled the &ar! #avid rea&hed over and
felt a &igarette butt on the top of the ound! The &otton filters were
soft and spongy! He pi&%ed one out fro deeper in the pile,
%nowing the sell would taint his fingers and not &aring! #ry and
brittle! +t &rubled under pressure fro his thub! His heartbeat
/ui&%ened with e6&iteent!
The top &igarettes were newer! Though #avid was no so%er,
he'd guess they'd been so%ed within the past day or two! Bale and
3orensi&s &ould figure that out! )lyde had stayed in the area, in his
hideout, so%ing and wat&hing, despite the great ris% of getting
&aught! His pull ba&% to his &hildhood hoe ust have been
stronger than #avid iagined!
His pager vibrated, startling hi! The telephone nuber to
#iane's roo at the hospital, with E22 pun&hed in after it!
Heading ba&% to his &ar, he dialed the nuber on his &ell, trying
to /uell the pani& rising in his throat! +t rang about nine ties, but
#iane didn't answer! As he s/uealed away fro the &urb, he had
the hospital operator put hi through to $inth 3loor (e&eption, but
no one pi&%ed up there either, the voi&e ail %i&%ing in after four
rings! Maybe )lyde had drawn #avid a&ross town with the phone
&all so he &ould atta&% #iane ba&% at the hospital! Growing
in&reasingly franti& and speeding up, #avid had the operator put
hi through to hospital se&urity, who he alerted! Then he &alled
*eter's offi&e!
7#r! Ale6ander is in with a patient, &an + ta%e a essage97 the
offi&e anager intoned!
7+t's an eergen&y! *ull hi out!7 #avid ran two red lights as he
waited for *eter to pi&% up! 7*eter, it's #avid!7
7+' glad you &alled! "hat's this nonsense about poli&e wanting
to follow e around everywhere + go9 + told the''7
7"e'll tal% about that later! + 1ust re&eived a E22 page fro
#iane's roo, but when + returned it, there was no answer!
Se&urity's on their way up, but + was wondering if you &ould &he&%
in to a%e sure nothing's wrong! +'ll be there in7 ''#avid &he&%ed his
wat&h'' 7fifteen inutes!7
75f &ourse! + 1ust wrapped up a vase&toy, so +'ll go now! "hen +
get there, +'ll &all you on your &ell phone!7
7Than% you!7 #avid hung up and ra&ed a&ross town, hon%ing for
slower'oving &ars to get out of his way! Two woen s&reaed at
hi, their oving ouths visible through their fast'retreating
windshields, and one innovative gentlean in a )hevy flipped hi
the bird! +t seeed an eternity to get a&ross town to "estwood
4illage, and #avid pounded the steering wheel, waiting for the light
to &hange at "ilshire and "estwood!
He zooed up "estwood and ade a s&ree&hing right onto -e
)onte! He re&ognized *eter's distin&tive gait as *eter waddled
slowly ba&% fro the hospital toward his offi&e, his &ane oving in
&on&ert with his right leg! #avid tried to read his deeanor fro a
distan&e! *eter did not see to be alared''he even nodded
&asually at a &rew of lun&hing &onstru&tion wor%ers as he passed
the by! #avid pulled his &ar over and hopped out, hailing *eter
1ust as he ade his way beneath the s&affolding flan%ing the
building!
*eter wat&hed #avid approa&h, opping his brow with a
hand%er&hief! 70verything's fine,7 he &alled out! 7#iane wasn't in her
roo be&ause she &he&%ed out this orning after a good set of
e6as! She's safe and sound at hoe as we spea%!7
#avid stopped a few feet off the &urb! 7Then who paged e97
A loud revving behind hi! *eter's fa&e &hanged instantly, his
bushy eyebrows drawing apart and up! 7Move87 he &ried out!
+n dreali%e slow otion, #avid pivoted and saw the &hipped
brown )rown 4i&toria peeling out fro an alley onto -e )onte,
)lyde's wide figure hun&hed over the wheel, pistol'bearing hand
e6tended toward the windshield! The alley was no ore than fifteen
yards away, and the vehi&le bore down on hi /ui&%ly! 3or an awful
instant, #avid's legs froze! He felt the pounding of his heart in his
ears as the &ar barreled toward hi, and then he turned and
dashed for the &over of the s&affolding!
The deafening report of a gunshot! The bullet &ra&%ing the air
beside #avid's head as it sailed past! He did not turn; he %ept his
eyes ahead, fo&used on the ne6t four steps, whi&h would bring hi
to the &urb!
The &ar seeed to fill the air behind hi! #avid dove off the
street into the safety of the s&affolding, %no&%ing over a toolbo6 and
rolling to a stop between a sledgehaer and two sturdy <'by'<s!
The )rown 4i&toria hit the &urb about ten feet away, one tire
popping! +t hurtled at #avid, plowing through the s&affolding,
snapping the rails li%e toothpi&%s and sending &hun%s of wood
airborne! A sharp pain seized #avid's left side, and he felt hiself
go oentarily light'headed! A raised wedge of plywood intervened
1ust before the )rown 4i&toria &ould &rush #avid, tilting the &ar to
one side so the reaining inflated rear tire &ould no longer find
pur&hase!
)lyde revved the engine to a deafening pit&h, the ba&% tires
spinning and sending up showers of splinters and dirt, then the &ar
suddenly /uieted, the steaing front grill so &lose to #avid's fa&e
he &ould have rea&hed out and stro%ed the griy etal!
The s&affolding leaned and &rea%ed fearsoely overhead, but
did not &ollapse!
Behind hi, #avid heard *eter rustling in the debris! He felt
oisture spreading through his shirt around the site of his pain, but
he did not tear his eyes fro the &ar! A bullet had penetrated the
window in its lower left /uadrant, spiderwebbing the glass around it!
)lyde's fa&e, pressed forward against the steering wheel, drew
suddenly ba&%, and the flat eyes, a&&ented by the bright red sear
of a forehead gash, stared at hi!
The pistol had tubled fro )lyde's grip on the &ar's ipa&t with
the s&affolding, and it lay on the dash against the windshield,
gleaing in the diffuse sunlight! #avid's and )lyde's eyes seeed
to fall on the weapon siultaneously, and )lyde lunged for it with a
eaty hand as #avid anti&ipated he would! #avid's hand had been
sifting through the debris as if of its own volition, sear&hing for a
plan% or soe suitable weapon! +t &losed on the handle of the
sledgehaer!
#avid drew hiself to his feet, pain seizing his left side in a fiery
grip, as )lyde fubled the pistol a&ross the dash! )lyde finally
grasped the pistol firly! As he brought it up, aiing at #avid
through the on&e'shattered glass of the windshield, #avid drew the
sledgehaer ba&% li%e a baseball bat, and haered it sideways
at the nose of the hood, dire&tly between the two s/uare headlights!
The air bag inflated with a boo, %no&%ing )lyde's ars ba&% up
in his fa&e and pinning hi to his seat! #avid went wea% with pain,
the sledgehaer dropping fro his grasp! The &ra&% of a gunshot
e&hoed within the en&losure of the s&affolding, and the air bag went
lip! )lyde &lawed and shoved his way through the aterial and
out the door, landing on all fours! The gun s%idded fro his hand!
A strea% of bright yellow on )lyde's forear! The inforation
shifted and fell into pla&e! The freshly spray'painted phone booth by
the abandoned lot! )lyde had been wat&hing #avid! He'd pla&ed
the fa%e distress page fro the booth right around the &orner fro
the *earson Hoe, then followed #avid ba&% to the hospital!
)lyde's head rotated to fa&e #avid slowly, e&hani&ally! His eyes
oved past #avid, finding *eter, then returned to #avid! Standing,
)lyde wiped the blood fro his brow, his eyes widening with the
intensity of his rage! His fa&e was twisted, flushed a deep red!
"rathful! He let out a &ry, an unintelligible e6pression of fury! His
hands &urling into fists, he advan&ed on #avid, who reained
rooted to the spot!
Soeone %no&%ed #avid to the ground fro behind with a
sudden, for&eful blow! *ain s&ree&hed up his side and his outh
filled with sawdust! He rolled over, loo%ing up at the dar% figure of a
an towering prote&tively over hi, his wor%an's overalls
unbuttoned and hanging down, the dar%, twisted for of a swasti%a
tattooed a&ross his &hest! Ce%e )rowley!
)lyde's e6pression &hanged to one of nervous alar! He
ba&%pedaled a few steps, stooping to pi&% up the Beretta, and
sprinted off up the street, turning into the alley fro whi&h his &ar
had sprung!
Ce%e loo%ed down at #avid! 7Motherfu&%er,7 he said dolefully!
7Motherfu&%er!7
+t too% #avid a oent to realize that Ce%e was gazing at
#avid's side! 3or the first tie, #avid loo%ed down and saw the
length of splintered >'by'< protruding about ten in&hes fro his
side! The shard was no ore than two in&hes at its thi&%est! Blood
had &olored #avid's shirt bla&% around the pun&ture site! #avid's
eyes oved drearily ba&% up to Ce%e's! 7)ould you please &all e
an abulan&e97 he said &ally! 7And, if you wouldn't ind, &he&%
on #r! Ale6ander there behind you!7
*eter's gruff voi&e! 7+' fine!7 *eter's bespe&ta&led fa&e staring
down at #avid! 7+ wish we &ould say the sae for you!7
A group of spe&tators had gathered along the wre&%ed
s&affolding, &lustering around )lyde's abandoned &ar! A reporter
was already snapping photographs''how did the press arrive
/ui&%er than the poli&e9 #avid gripped the shard protruding fro
his side so no one would be tepted to pull it out! Straining, he
tried to feel behind hi to see if the point had penetrated the other
side! "hen he spo%e, his voi&e was even wea%er! 7)all #ete&tive
Bale at the "est -A *oli&e Station! And %eep the &rowd away fro
the &ar! That's eviden&e!7
Ce%e fa&ed the &rowd, his throat &ording with us&le as he
yelled! 7Soeone &all the hospital! Tell the a do&tor got hurt! Tell
the it's the .ew do&tor!7
7+' afraid,7 #avid said, 1ust before passing out, 7that won't
sharply narrow it down!7
)hapter DI
#A4+# onitored his own pulse, two fingers laid a&ross his wrist,
as the abulan&e s&ree&hed to a halt outside the 0(! Though the
s&reen near his head flashed his e6a&t heart rate''EJ''he found
soething &aling in feeling for hiself!
7(eady, #o&tor97 one of the 0MTs as%ed, and then the ba&%
doors swung open and the gurney slid out with #avid on it, the legs
snapping down into pla&e!
The glass doors opened as they approa&hed, ipervious,
heavenly gates! The length of wood protruding fro #avid's side
seeed oddly huorous to hi, li%e a shot'through'the'head'with'
an'arrow hat! As they rattled through the lobby, .ill re&ognized hi
and leapt up fro her &hair, spilling a &up of &offee a&ross the triage
des%!
7#r! Spier9 Are you all right97 She turned and shouted up
Hallway 5ne, 7)lear *ro&edure Two87
They banged through the swinging doors! A s&rable of fa&es,
and then #on standing overhead, the stifling sell of his aftershave
pereating the hall! A nurse tried to pry #avid's stethos&ope fro
his hand, but he didn't let her!
#on's fa&e registering &on&ern! 7#ave''.esus87
)arson ran through the )"A as the gurney swept into the
pro&edure roo, his disheveled hair boun&ing with his steps! He
fought through the sea of nurses and interns, ta%ing #avid's hand!
#avid s/ueezed his hand reassuringly! 7"hat do we do first, #r!
#onalds97 he said wea%ly!
)arson too% a step ba&%! 7+ don't ! ! ! 7
#on pushed )arson aside with a glare! 7)arson, get out of here!
This is a serious traua! "e &an't have you u&%ing around li%e
before!7
Through the ars of two nurses, #avid saw )arson's fa&e wilt!
Soeone hit the bra%es and the gurney slid to a halt!
7#r! #onalds will be treating e,7 #avid said!
7Bullshit,7 #on said! 7+' not having that %id in here! $ot after
what happened last tie!7
7He will be y physi&ian!7 #avid's voi&e was uneven fro the
pain, but fir!
7"e don't have tie for this right now, #ave,7 #on said, readying
a syringe! 7He's a edi&al student!7
7And +' the &hief,7 #avid said sternly! 7At least for now! Get out
of #r! #onalds's way!7
#on lowered his hands, irritation fli&%ering a&ross his handsoe
fa&e! 7And who's going to be the attending on this &ase97
#avid anaged a sile! 7+ a!7
)arson's voi&e &ra&%ed when he spo%e! 7-oo%, + don't thin% this is
su&h a''7
A nurse leaned over #avid, then an +4 needle dug into his ar! 7+
a not presenting either of you with a &hoi&e,7 #avid said!
73u&% this,7 #on said! 7-et hi %ill you! "hat the hell do + &are97
Storing fro the roo, he shot a late6 glove at the rolling trash
bin, but it flew wide and landed on a &ounter!
7#r! #onalds,7 #avid said! 7#r! #onalds!7
)arson's eyes slowly found fo&us! 7Beah97
7"hat do we do first97
7)he&% vitals97
7How are we loo%ing97
7"e're loo%ing good!7 )arson slid his &old stethos&ope along
#avid's side, &he&%ing his lungs! #avid inhaled without being
propted!
7"hat do you want to as% e97
7#o you have pain anywhere else aside fro the entry site97
7$o,7 #avid said!
A note of &onfiden&e &rept into )arson's voi&e! 7+ want a 3oley in,
let's see if it ni&%ed a %idney!7
706a&tly!7 #avid &len&hed his teeth to fight down the ne6t wave of
pain as the nurse rea&hed for a urine &atheter! 7But you ay want
to thin% about giving e soething for the pain first!7
7Shit! Morphine!7 )arson turned to the nurse! 73ive gs!7
7-et's start with two,7 #avid anaged! 7"e &an always step it
up!7
7Two gs! And soeone get that 3oley in!7
A flurry of hands at #avid's pants, and then his penis laid bare in
a gloved hand!
7-isten for bowel sounds,7 #avid said! He sensed the nurse
readying the &atheter to shove up his urethra and wished the
orphine had %i&%ed in! )arson too% his hand! The nurse's ar
tensed, and the pain set #avid's body rarod straight in the gurney!
*at appeared fro nowhere and wiped the sweat fro his forehead
with a oist roll of gauze!
)arson set the bell of his stethos&ope on #avid's stoa&h!
7-ower,7 #avid said! "hen he released )arson's hand, the white
iprints of his fingers were visible! 7-ower!7
7Good bowel sounds,7 )arson announ&ed!
7$o blood in the urine,7 *at said! 7+'ll send it for a ,A!7
7#r! #onalds, why do we send urine for a ,A97 #avid as%ed!
7To &he&% for i&ros&opi& blood!7
7That's right! $e6t step, ne6t step,7 #avid said! 7"here are we
going ne6t97
7"e're getting you a )T to see if the shard penetrated the
abdoen wall97
7+s it a /uestion, #r! #onalds97
7"e're getting you a )T to see if it penetrated the abdoen wall,7
)arson said with ore &onvi&tion! His head snapped up! 7-et's
ove hi!7
$urses s&rabled around #avid's body li%e industrious rats! The
gurney started oving again, heading over to radiology! Soeone's
ar brushed the protruding shard and #avid &ried out in pain! His
fa&e felt as if it were on fire! Sweat ran into his eyes! He tried to
slow his breathing!
They slid #avid onto the large white s&anner and the roo was
&leared! He began the slow, lonely 1ourney through the /uietly
whirring a&hine! He felt pea&eful and drowsy, either fro the
orphine or the &al, hypnoti& oveent of the s&anner!
"hen he eerged, he saw )arson through the window, peering
into the &oputer onitor, loo%ing relieved! The a&hine printed
out a few sheets of )T &uts, whi&h )arson pi&%ed up and snapped
into an @'ray bo6! He stepped ba&% into the s&anner roo with the
sheet of )T &uts, finally allowing hiself to sile! 7Missed your
large bowel by a few &entieters,7 he said! 7$o perforation, no free
air! Bou're loo%ing at a deep flesh wound! "hy don't you ta%e a
loo%97
Still lying on his ba&%, #avid raised the sheet above his head so
he &ould view it through the overhead lights! )arson's read was
a&&urate, but before #avid &ould agree out loud, )arson had
already turned to the others and said, 7-et's get hi ba&% to
*ro&edure Two!7
Another hallway &eiling, and then through the doors and ba&%
into the pro&edure roo! #avid's hands hovered prote&tively
around the protruding shard! The pain was rising through hi in
waves, deepening the lines of his fa&e!
Snapping on a fresh pair of gloves, )arson turned to one of the
nurses! 7Another two gs of orphine,7 he said!
7+ don't thin% that's really ne&essary,7 #avid said!
The nurse paused, needle near the port of #avid's +4!
7Another two gs of orphine,7 )arson repeated, ignoring
#avid!
#avid siled wea%ly! 7)ongratulations, #r! #onalds,7 he said!
7Bou are now a&ting li%e a physi&ian!7
After the se&ond orphine in1e&tion, #avid felt only pressure
when )arson gripped the shard firly with two gloved hands! Had
#avid been less drugged, the su&%ing sound it ade upon being
e6tra&ted would have been disagreeable!
He lay ba&%, wat&hing the walls slide around as the nurses
irrigated hi with sterile water! 7#on't even thin% about du&%ing out
on the sutures li%e you usually do, #r! #onalds! Bou're going to tie
every last one of the if it %ills e! "hi&h it ight!7
)arson had gotten through the deep tissue sutures and was
wor%ing on the superfi&ial ones when Bale and #alton arrived!
#avid siled at the sloppily!
7"e're getting awfully tired of running around after you and
pi&%ing up the pie&es,7 #alton said!
7Bes,7 #avid said, gria&ing as )arson slipped with the needle!
7+ &an iagine it's /uite trying for you!7 He pointed into his open
wound! 7Try to appro6iate the edges better! There you go!
*erfe&t!7 He glan&ed ba&% up at #alton, who was beginning to loo%
a bit green! 7#id you &at&h hi97
7"e have thirty units sweeping the area, but he sees to have
disappeared on us again,7 Bale said! 7The Tibet protests had our
traffi& units tied up at the 3ederal Building, so it too% over ten
inutes to get a unit to the s&ene! The )aptain's apople&ti&, the
Mayor's foaing at the outh, and )lyde is gone, baby, gone!7
#alton hit&hed his pants, his gria&e indi&ating that the gesture
too% &onsiderable effort! 7My guess is, he's still in "estwood, holed
up soewhere! "e've lo&%ed down the 4illage pretty well and are
beating the bushes! Soe of the boys are starting to go door'to'
door! 5h, and we found your painting in his trun%! The angled
na%ed lady! -oo%s li%e she got a bit ore angled in transit!7
7That's fine!7 #avid tried to grin! 7+t was y other's! +'ve grown
less trusting of her taste!7
)arson &ontinued to wor% on #avid's side industriously!
7Bou want to fill us in here, 0vel :nievel97 #alton said!
7+ went out to 4eni&e to show )lyde's photograph around soe
other pla&es + thought he ight have gone! Gas stations, I'
0levens!7 #avid's head was reeling fro the orphine, but he
fought his thoughts ba&% into fo&us! 7+ stopped by to ta%e another
loo% at the *earson Hoe! + dis&overed he's been ba&% there,
hanging out in that s&or&hed &ar in the lot! + found what + thin% are
re&ently so%ed &igarettes in the glove bo6, ashed together in
twos li%e )lyde so%es the!7
7The fu&%er was right there,7 #alton said! 7+ don't believe it!7
7Bou should be able to deterine how old they are, right9 The
&igarette butts97
7+'d iagine!7 Bale nodded at #alton! 7"e'll get soe S+# guys
over there!7
7+ thin% he was wat&hing e there,7 #avid &ontinued! 7He sent
e an eergen&y page''#iane's nuber''fro the phone booth
right around the &orner fro the *earson Hoe! Then he followed
e and tried to run e over the inute + got out of y &ar!7
73ro the loo%s of his vehi&le, he's been hiding out in it the past
few days,7 Bale said! 7"e're not sure where, but we found an
unusual white gravel stu&% in the tires' tread! Sae type of ro&% he
used to weight the so&% he hit the guard with when he atta&%ed #r!
Tra&e! -oo%s to be fa%e /uartz!7
"ith the orphine, #avid's fa&e felt loose! 7There's a storage
fa&ility &alled *oppy's at -in&oln and 4eni&e! +t's got a white gravel
lot! -oo% around there!7 )arson loo%ed up at #avid reverently, but
#avid gestured at his wound with his head! 7Get ba&% to wor%!7
#alton reoved his notepad fro a ba&% po&%et and, with a self'
&ons&ious glan&e at Bale, 1otted down soe notes!
Bale tou&hed the end of his nose with a %nu&%le! 7Are we gonna
%eep pretending you're gathering all this inforation yourself97
7Bes!7
#alton bro%e the resultant pause! 7Bou were wrong about hi
leaving all the #rain0ze behind at the apartent! He %ept a spare
in the trun%!7
7"ell, he doesn't have it anyore,7 #avid said! 7And at least no
one got hurt!7
#alton's eyes tra&ed over the gash in #avid's side! 7(ight!7
7)lyde's been slowly deprived of his ne&essities,7 Bale said!
7*ushed out of his apartent, for&ed to leave behind his &ar! He
has no drugs, no al%ali! That a%es hi ore desperate! He's out
of resour&es, so he'll have to steal or surfa&e! A &ar, eds, soe
food, soething, and we'll nab hi then!7
7#o you have en on those people + red'flagged97 #avid as%ed!
7"e have a unit at Mrs! )onnolly's around the &lo&%, and one at
the &hief of staff's house nights! Mrs! Tra&e is being &overed too''7
7#r! Tra&e,7 #avid said faintly!
7''but your buddy *eter Ale6ander is being a stubborn pain in the
ass! He says he doesn't need prote&tion, that he's perfe&tly &apable
of ta%ing &are of hiself!7
7+nfuriating,7 #avid said! 7But not entirely surprising! "e have to
%eep hi &overed! )lyde's seen hi on two o&&asions''during his
es&ape, and 1ust now when he tried to run e over! Both ties
were antagonisti&! +s there anything we &an do97
#alton shrugged his failiar shrug! 7The guy refuses, the guy
refuses!7
7+'ll see if + &an tal% soe sense into hi!7
7Good lu&%!7
7"e need a ore e6tree plan,7 #avid said, 7so + pi&%ed his ne6t
vi&ti!7
#alton s&rat&hed his &hee% with the end of his pen! 7"ho97
7Me!7
7+ don't %now,7 Bale said! 7Bour theories haven't e6a&tly been
airtight! + thought you said he wanted to s&are you, not %ill you!
Trying to run you over in a &ar would /ualify as the latter, + believe!7
7That's be&ause by going to that lot and po%ing around''near the
house that is his san&tified ground''+ &oitted a violation so great
+ probably pushed hi over the edge! That was the first tie +'ve
seen hi &lose to that enraged, in&luding when he was dragged
into the 0( by a wire noose! He &ae at e with blind wrath! + want
to find a way to a%e hi that angry again! So angry that he'll no
longer want to s&are e! He'll want to %ill e!7
Bale and #alton regarded #avid silently, as though ta%ing in a
new person! )arson &ontinued to stit&h and pretend he was not
listening!
7He's grown ore and ore aggressive,7 #avid said! 7Bou want
to inter&ept that tra1e&tory we tal%ed about9 -et's push hi to the
liit!7
7Bour getting hi enraged did a%e hi ore prone to fu&% up,7
#alton &on&eded! 7He followed you in broad daylight in a vehi&le he
%nows we're on the loo%out for! And he atta&%ed you in front of
witnesses''that's a first too!7
Bale as%ed, 7How do you get hi in that state again97
#avid guided )arson's hand to help hi get a better angle at the
wound! 7+' a hot target! The *earson Hoe is a hot lo&ation! The
&obination today did the tri&%! + say we &obine the two again! +
thin% it'll be too u&h for hi to resist!7
Bale studied the gash in #avid's side! 7+'d rather use under&over
&ops! #ress soe feales up as nurses li%e we tal%ed about, then
have the e6it the *earson Hoe and wal% through the deserted
streets!7
7+n that neighborhood9 They'll be ore li%ely to get propositioned
than atta&%ed! +' ore believable! He %nows +' failiar with the
neighborhood! He %nows +'ve gone po%ing around after hi! +'
your perfe&t lure! +f + go near that house, he'll sniff e out!7
The only sound was of )arson wor%ing on #avid''the pi&%ups
pin&hing flesh, the needles pushing through s%in!
7He's stranded in "estwood without a &ar,7 Bale said! 7"hat's to
say he'll head ba&% to 4eni&e97
7He's been persistently drawn ba&% near that house for u&h of
his adult life! He'll find a way! ,nless he &oes after e at hoe,
soeone at the hospital, or the people we red'flagged, in whi&h
&ase we'll &at&h hi anyway!7
Bale brushed soething off the sleeve of his suit 1a&%et! 7"e
won't hesitate to use ne&essary for&e!7
7"ill you %ill hi97
7+f we have to,7 Bale said! He held up his hand when both #avid
and #alton started to spea%, stopping the! 7Bou'll 1ust have to trust
e on this one!7
#avid &hewed his lip, trying to bring his thoughts ba&% into fo&us!
5ut in the hall, an orderly pushed an epty gurney! 7+ guess we
don't have a &hoi&e,7 he said!
3or the first tie, #avid &ouldn't read #alton's eyes! #avid stared
at the dete&tives positioned at the foot of his gurney! The roo
seeed &harged, a triangle of intensity oving between the three
en!
7"ell97 #avid said! 7"hat do you say97
#alton loo%ed over at Bale, &learly waiting for hi to a%e the
&all! )arson finished the last suture, pulling the e6&ess through until
the last segent of the wound was brought to a &lose!
7All right,7 Bale said! 7+'ll run it by the )aptain, and we'll flesh out
a plan on&e you're ! ! ! inta&t!7
#avid offered a wea% hand and, at last, Bale stepped forward
and too% it!
)hapter DJ
-B+$G on the gurney in the epty roo, floating on a post'
orphine ist, #avid surveyed the tools and e/uipent around
hi! A wall su&tion unit, lead aprons, otos&ope and
ophthalos&ope hanging on the walls! )asting his ind ba&% over
the past seventeen years, he tried to thin% about how any
a&&ident vi&tis he'd seen wheeled in this very roo, how any
faily ebers he'd &onsoled, how any he'd reassured! *eople
left in wheel&hairs and gurneys, they left wal%ing and liping!
Soeties they left in bags!
He tried to figure out why he had been so fortunate! "hy the
wood hadn't stru&% half a foot to the left and perfed his intestine, or
a foot higher and pier&ed his heart! He would have li%ed to thin% it
was be&ause of fate''that he was a divine instruent whose
usefulness had not yet been depleted''but he %new that was not
the &ase! He would live for the sae reason that a three'illieter
ebolus had lodged in 0lisabeth's basilar artery and %illed her!
Brute &han&e!
#avid re&ognized the last &ouple of years for what they'd been''
his period of ourning, his tie withdrawn! He'd been letting go of
0lisabeth in sall, eaningful steps, savoring ea&h part of her
before relin/uishing it! The soft s%in of her nape! Her &old feet
pressed against his legs beneath the sheets! The &ant of her
sile''slightly left! The last eories of his wife, lingering in his
half'&losed hands li%e hourglass sand!
A flash of $an&y lying upstairs, her outh oving in a &hant! +
wanna die + wanna die + wanna die! )lyde's flat, senseless eyes:
illness in&arnate! They'd all retreated into their respe&tive agonies''
why had #avid been left a road ba&%9
A %no&% on the open door drew his attention! #iane!
She did not advan&e! Her fa&e was unbandaged, and her
wounds loo%ed raw and healthy! She propped a shoulder against
the door1ab and regarded hi for a full inute! A tear swelled at
the brin% of her left eye, then dropped!
7+ wasn't worried about you at all,7 she said!
7$or + you,7 #avid said!
7+ don't thin% you're fu&%ing insane,7 she said!
A little boy wal%ing by in the hall stopped to stare at #iane's fa&e
until his other whispered an apology and tugged hi along! #iane
raised her eyebrows at #avid, a gesture of ild auseent! 7"e're
li%e Beauty and the Beast without a Beauty!7
7Bou &an be Beauty,7 #avid said!
7Bou're sweet when you're wounded!7 She &rossed her ars,
then un&rossed the! 7*lasti&s &he&%ed e out! +' again free to
en1oy life, liberty, and the pursuit of the paparazzi!7 She siled, but
sadness found its way through!
They stared at ea&h other a&ross the distan&e of the roo!
7Are you going to &oe over here97 #avid as%ed!
7$o!7 #iane shoo% her head, tilting it ba&% slightly so she wouldn't
spill ore tears! 7$o!7
Snapping her &ell phone &losed, Sandy turned into the doorway,
alost &olliding with #iane! She stepped into the pro&edure roo,
loo%ed at #avid, and said, 7)hrist!7
-oo%ing fro #avid's fa&e to #iane's, Sandy too% note of the
eotional &urrent, and her lips pressed together disapprovingly!
7Sandy,7 #avid said by way of greeting! He raised his head fro
the pillow!
Sandy's eyes tra&ed down the front of his hospital gown! 7Bour
&atheter's out! Have you voided97
He nodded! 7-et's 1ust say now + %now what it's li%e to have the
&lap!7
7Antibioti&s97
7,nasyn! Started with two gras!7
Sandy slid her &ell phone into her white 1a&%et and rubbed her
hands together /ui&%ly, as if to draw warth! 7-oo%, + &an see this
isn't the best tie, but, well, ta&t has never been y long suit!7
Hesitating, she glan&ed over at #iane!
7+t's fine,7 #avid said! 7"hat is it97
A oentary droop in the fir line of Sandy's shoulders! 7Bou've
been as%ed to step down as &hief! By the board! There was a vote!7
#iane pushed herself off the wall as if she were going to say
soething! Sandy %ept her eyes trained on #avid!
#avid's laugh was a bit giddy fro the orphine!
7Goddan it, #avid! Bou've had angry &onfrontations with poli&e,
you've been playing $an&y #rew around the hospital, you assault a
&olleague''7
7Assault,7 #avid repeated with auseent!
7''and don't even bother to appear when suoned to the
board! "hat did you e6pe&t97 She shoo% her head in e6asperation,
then ran a thub along the botto of her painted lip, reoving
e6&ess lipsti&%! "al%ing over, she sat on the gurney beside #avid!
7+' having #r! $elson ta%e over responsibilities teporarily''+'ll be
fu&%ed if +'ll give #on the satisfa&tion! +f you spend your tie off
/uietly and distan&e yourself fro this &ase, aybe things will settle
down! Then + &ould see about''7
7$o,7 #avid said!
He shifted on the bed and a dagger of pain shot into his side!
Sandy oistened soe gauze padding and dabbed around the
edges of #avid's wound! By the door, #iane wat&hed silently!
7Ba&% off this &ase,7 Sandy said! 7The press is a%ing you loo%
li%e an ass!7
7To be honest, + don't really &are anyore!7
Sandy wadded the gauze pad into a ball and shot it at the trash
&an! +t hit dead &enter! 7Bou don't have your other's sense, do you
%now that, #avid9 Bou'll never be the do&tor she was!7
7$o,7 #avid said! 7+ won't!7
Sandy loo%ed at hi, reading his fa&e! 0vidently, she didn't find
what she was loo%ing for! 7Goddan it, #avid! Goddan it!7 She
rea&hed out and patted hi on the &hee% roughly, alost a slap!
7"hi&hever way this lands, +' going to be unhappy, aren't +97
Her e6pression te6tured, an odd blend of nostalgia and loss, and
#avid %new she was thin%ing of his other! "hen she loo%ed at
hi, he sensed a glier of newfound respe&t! She spread her
ars so he &ould hug her, whi&h he did, despite the pain!
She s/ueezed hi tightly, as if afraid to let go! Her lips were
&lose to his ear, so he heard her perfe&tly when she whispered in
her sooth, deep voi&e, 7+'d re&oend your not &oing in for a
while!7
They bro%e off the ebra&e and regarded ea&h other!
7+ understand,7 #avid said!
He nodded! Sandy rose to leave, still not so u&h as
a&%nowledging #iane!
7"hat was the vote97 #avid as%ed!
Sandy paused by the door! 706&use e97
7Bou said the board voted for e to step down! +'d li%e to %now
what the vote was!7
Sandy read1usted the broo&h on her suit 1a&%et''a gold s&arab!
73ourteen to one!7
#avid pushed hiself up to a sitting position, letting his legs
dangle over the side of the gurney! He studied his bare feet! 7"ho
was the one97
7Bou %now + &an't dis&lose that!7
7"ho was the one97
Sandy sighed! 7Bou %now who the one was!7 Her hand des&ribed
an ar& in the air and landed ba&% on her hip! 7Me!7 She nodded
&urtly and wal%ed out, leaving the door open behind her!
#avid pressed on the flesh around his wound to gauge its
redness! His white fingerprint slowly faded! "hen he loo%ed up,
#iane was wat&hing hi!
7+ &annot believe they'd have you step down as &hief! + ean, it's
ridi&ulous! +t &an be overturned! Bou'd get staff support, +' sure!7
7$ot anyore,7 #avid said!
7Aren't you going to protest97
7+t's an appointed position, not a politi&al ra&e!7
75%ay,7 #iane said! 75%ay!7 She drued her fingernails against
the door!
He stood up! The thuping pain in his side alerted hi that the
orphine was fading! His fa&e still felt loose and blurry, and he
%new he probably loo%ed li%e hell! ,nhoo%ing his +4 bag fro its
pole, he &arried it with hi as he wal%ed over to #iane! He stopped
a few feet short of her!
#iane blew a strand of hair off her fa&e! He wat&hed her &losely,
lovingly!
7+ don't adore you,7 he said! 7$ot at all!7
7Good!7 Soe of the anger left her fa&e! 7+ don't adore you
either!7
)hapter DE
)-B#0'S breath fogged the window against whi&h he leaned as
he gazed down the seven'story drop to the dar% s/uare of the
,)-A Medi&al )enter /uad! The top tier of the *)HS par%ing
stru&ture glowed beneath the lights, &raed with &ars and tru&%s!
The se&urity guards oved up and down the rows in their nurse'
white shirts! The top floors of the offi&e buildings on -e )onte were
also in view, sti&%ing up above the fringe of trees li%e doinoes,
and he &ould 1ust a%e out the splintered wre&%age of the
s&affolding!
)lyde %ept his eye on one &ar in parti&ular''the olive'green
Mer&edes par%ed in the &hoi&est spot near the hospital! 3ro this
distan&e, the ashole lettering on its side was visible only as a red
sudge!
A few drops of &ondensation resolved on the foggy glass and
tri&%led to the sill! He'd been wat&hing for soe tie!
He spotted the white &oat first, then re&ognized #avid wal%ing
tenderly up the &on&rete stairs to the top level, #iane Tra&e slightly
in front of hi! At either side of the were en in suits''one
standing tall and lean, the other wide and sluped! The dete&tives!
After dis&ussing soething aniatedly, they helped #avid into
his &ar! Then they headed down to the lower tier, es&orting #iane to
her 06plorer!
The Mer&edes pulled out of the par%ing stru&ture, #iane's &ar 1ust
behind it! "hen they passed the par%ing %ios%s, a van pulled out
fro the &urb and followed the both, about a blo&% ba&%!
)lyde pressed both pals against the glass on either side of his
fa&e, li%e a ie, and wat&hed #avid's &ar until it disappeared fro
view!
#on strode up to Sandy's door, white &oat flaring! He raised his
hand to %no&%, but before he &ould, Sandy's voi&e issued through
the solid door! 7)oe in!7
A Bi& pen behind her ear, Sandy wor%ed at the &onferen&e table
under the glow of the green ban%er's lap! She flipped through a
&ontra&t, sighed, tossed it to the side, and glan&ed at the ne6t
do&uent in the pile before her!
7#r! 0vans, +'d li%e to than% you for your support in this atter,
regarding #r! Spier!7 Sandy did not loo% up! #on waited for a
response, but finding none, &ontinued! 7+t was, uh, a wise de&ision,
+ believe, for the division!7
Still loo%ing down at her paperwor%, Sandy ubled soething
under her breath!
7+' sorry97 #on said!
Sandy finally loo%ed up! 7+ said, 'Go fu&% yourself,' #r! -abert!7
She pulled the pen fro behind her ear and atta&%ed the ne6t file in
her sta&%!
#on wat&hed her wor% for a few oents, his outh slightly a1ar!
He ade sure to &lose the door /uietly behind hi when he left!
#avid was vaguely aware of the &arpet &leaning van following
hi and #iane a few blo&%s ba&%; Bale had sele&ted it as the
under&over vehi&le, as it wouldn't be out of pla&e in ups&ale
Brentwood! +t par%ed a&ross the street when #avid pulled into his
garage! #iane left her 06plorer at the &urb, near the ailbo6! She
helped #avid inside, and in a &onfusion of beeps and &odes, he
disared the se&urity alars!
She wal%ed hi down the long hall to his bedroo, one ar
looped a&ross his ba&%, and deposited hi on his bed! He lay ba&%
on the star% white pillows with a groan, holding her hand! His eyes
were swollen, unders&ored by bags so dar% they resebled
&ontusions!
He held her hand and loo%ed up at her! She was s&anning the
plain, epty roo, the white walls, the lonely &hair in the &orner,
and #avid felt a sudden, intense vulnerability''a &on&ern that his
bedroo revealed ore of his life than he hiself wished to grasp
and &onvey!
7Bou should go,7 he said! 7The &ops will es&ort you hoe and
%eep an eye on you!7
7Are you sure you want to be alone97
He nodded! She ba&%ed up to go, but he didn't relin/uish her
hand! #espite the &odeine, his wound was throbbing with his
heartbeat, regular intervals of pain! The sho&% of alost being %illed
had &aught up to hi all at on&e, rushing hi li%e a bad drea
re&alled! And though he'd been anti&ipating it, the news fro the
board didn't lessen the sensation that he was badly navigating
ro&%y waters!
7+ &ould stay,7 she offered again /uietly!
He shoo% his head, but still held her hand, held it tighter!
7+t's o%ay,7 she said! 7Bou &an need e!7 She loo%ed at hi and
gave hi the silen&e for as long as he needed it!
73ive inutes,7 he finally anaged!
She let her hand slide fro his, then, &rossing her ars and
shrugging her shoulders, she lifted off her top! Her hair spilled down
a&ross her shoulders, a golden fan spreading!
She slid into bed beside hi, her ba&% propped up against the
headboard, and then he was lying in blissful silen&e, &lut&hing her,
his fa&e pressed to her bare &hest, her flesh oist with the faintest
re&olle&tion of sweat and s&ented li%e lila& and suer!
)hapter I=
"H0$ the dull a&he in his side awa%ened #avid the ne6t
orning, he was groggy fro the orphine and &odeine, and
profoundly fatigued! #iane had left last night after a few inutes
ore than his re/uested five! The &arpet &leaning van reained
&urbside up the street, visible through his bedroo window!
He &ra&%ed the window, letting the breeze float into the roo,
and lay on his ba&%, staring at the &eiling and win&ing in tie to the
pulses of pain! A bottle of Tylenol with &odeine sat on his
nightstand, but he didn't want to ta%e any! $ot yet! He wanted to
feel the sting of the wound, perhaps in a self'flagellating way;
though he &ould dis&ern no &ons&ious reason why he'd punish
hiself, the instin&tual otives were any and &ople6! More
li%ely, he found the pain reassuring be&ause the beating wound
at&hed the oveent of his heart and reinded hi,
&ontinuously, sharply, that he was alive!
The insistent ringing of the phone pulled hi fro his thoughts!
The woan's voi&e on the other end was e6uberant to the point of
being hysteri&al! 7Hello, #r! Spier! :ate Mantera fro Tie
agazine! "e've re&eived word that you suffered a dire&t atta&%
fro the "estwood A&id Thrower! "e're thin%ing of''7
7Al%ali,7 #avid said!
706&use e97
7He throws al%ali!7 #avid hung up the telephone and it
iediately rang again!
A an's voi&e, deep and ri&h! 7#r! #avid Spier, this is .ohn
)a&&iotti fro :B$0''your ride in the orning''and you're on the
air! "hat we'd li%e to %now is''7
#avid hung up and unplugged the telephone! After uns&rewing
and e6aining the showerhead, he too% a long, steay shower!
"hen he got out, he used his &ell phone to &all #iane at hoe!
"hen she didn't answer, he felt a flutter of pani&! He &alled the
0( and as%ed the &ler% if anyone had heard fro #iane!
7Beah,7 the &ler% said! 7She's right here!7
#iane pi&%ed up! 7#on't worry! + have two ,niversity poli&e
offi&ers in here wat&hing over e! (ight, guys97 Mubled
ba&%ground a&&ord!
7But your in1uries! Bou shouldn't be wor%ing already!7
75h please, #avid! "hat a + gonna do, sit around and heal97
7+ really don't thin% you should be up and on your feet yet! At
least not for a &ouple of days!7
7That's what he'd want,7 she said! 7To shut us down! +'ll be
daned if +' going to be eotionally bla&%ailed into not doing y
1ob! And besides, you should be on bed rest for several days
iniu! Are you going to follow do&tor's orders97
#avid wandered down the hall to the living roo, his side giving
off a dull a&he!
7+ didn't thin% so,7 she said! 7-oo%, we're on overload this
orning! "hy did you &all97
Swit&hing eotional tra&%s, he felt suddenly sluggish! 7+ wanted
to say ! ! ! well, last night ! ! ! + guess it was ! ! ! 7
7+ %now, #avid! Me too!7 He heard soeone shout in the
ba&%ground on her end of the line! 7+ have to run,7 she said! 7-et's
tal% later!7
He heard hiself agree, then hung up! "hatever he'd wanted to
&onvey reained a nervous ball in his &hest! He'd been realizing
with in&reasing &onvi&tion that he didn't have the world figured out
nearly as well as he'd on&e assued!
He opened the front door to get the newspaper, and the &rowd of
reporters stationed at his &urb sprang to life, s&urrying up the wal%
at hi! Startled, he snat&hed the paper and slaed the door! The
doorbell rang behind hi, three ties in rapid su&&ession!
After allowing hiself a oent for his heartbeat to slow, #avid
glan&ed down at the paper in his hand! The headline read
"0ST"55# A)+# TH(5"0( ATTA):S S5')A--0# #(!
#0ATH He &onsidered his new oni%er! #r! #eath! He &ould ad1ust
to that! +t had a ni&e alliterative ring to it! $ow that he was no longer
division &hief, he supposed the new title would have to suffi&e!
As he dialed *eter, he absentindedly s&anned down the arti&le!
The news of the )onnolly study had lea%ed, whi&h, in &obination
with )lyde's highly visible &ar atta&%, had %i&%ed edia &overage
into even higher gear!
7How are you holding up97 *eter as%ed when he pi&%ed up!
7+' feeling u&h better! + finally got a de&ent night's sleep!7
7Alost run down in the street and shot li%e (asputin! How
ignoble!7 *eter ade a &lu&%ing sound!
7"hat's this about you not a&&epting poli&e prote&tion97
7+'ve prote&ted yself 1ust fine all these years, #avid! + hardly
need the :eystone :ops to tu&% e in at night! Besides, oving
into the new pro&edure suite has e seeing double! +' too busy to
be bothered!7
#avid wal%ed over to the window and fingered the &losed blind!
5utside, a unifored &op was strong'aring the press &rowd ba&%
toward the street! 7+ don't thin% you're aware''7
7Bad assuption, #avid! +' always aware! And + ust run! +'
behind s&hedule! +'ll &he&% in later!7
#avid hung up and dialed Bale at "est -A! Bale pi&%ed up on a
half ring! 7"e're lining things out for toorrow! #on't let the edia
get to you! "e still have a unit out front %eeping an eye on things!7
7+ %now! + saw it! +' a&tually &alling about soething else!7
7"hat's that97
7+ spo%e with *eter today! He's still &losed to the idea of poli&e
&overage! And +'d say he doesn't show any signs of &hanging his
ind!7
7"e told you as u&h!7
7His being &overed is absolutely essential! 5ne: His life is at
sta%e! And two: "e need to &over all bases for our trap!7
7+ understand! But without his &onsent, there's nothing we &an
do!7
7"hat if there was soe way to bug hi so we &ould %eep tra&%
of hi fro afar97
A hint of huor &rept into Bale's voi&e! 7+ &ould never parti&ipate
in su&h a atter, of &ourse, as a sworn pea&e offi&er! But if one
were to a%e su&h arrangeents without y %nowledge, +'d be
unable to warn hi of the illi&it nature of su&h a&tivities!7
7+ see!7 Another van s&ree&hed up to the &urb and a guy 1uped
out the ba&%, toting &able! An assistant held up a irror so a
reporter in a star&hy red suit &ould tou&h up her lipsti&%! 7+ need to
get out of here for the afternoon,7 #avid said! 7Alone!7
7"e need to %eep a unit on you! +f )lyde gets his hands on you
before toorrow night, you'll lose your utility as bait!7
7*eter needs to be prote&ted or wat&hed in soe way,7 #avid
said! 7"e have to &over that base! "ithout it, our trap's going to
have a hole!7
7How strongly do you feel about this97 Bale sighed! 7$ever ind!
"hy do + bother as%ing97
7There's soething else, too! There's no way + &an get y
Mer&edes out of the garage and through the press &rowd without
being followed! +'ll arrange with #iane to borrow her 06plorer''it's
par%ed at the hospital right now! )ould you have soeone pi&% it
up, then &all e9 +'ll &lib y ba&% fen&e and eet the &ar on
Bristol, near the hideous o&%'Tudor!7 He waited, but got no
response! 7This is part of our deal, #ete&tive Bale! "e wor%
together! + %eep you in the loop on everything! Bou &an either help
e, or + get this done behind your ba&%!7
7+ have to say, +' surprised by your la&% of respe&t for *eter's
individual rights,7 Bale finally said, the sae tra&e of auseent in
his voi&e!
7"ell,7 #avid said, 7we're playing a different gae now, aren't
we97
#avid stepped fro the &over of a pat&h of el saplings when
the &arpet &leaning van pulled up to the &urb, #iane's 06plorer
idling behind it! The van's tinted window rolled slowly down,
revealing .en%ins and, a&ross in the passenger seat, Bronner! They
were both out of unifor; .en%ins in parti&ular loo%ed odd wearing a
&asual sweatshirt! The s&ent of )orn $uts and :odia% wintergreen
wafted fro the van!
#avid drew ba&% his head in surprise! 7Gentleen! + didn't realize
it was you out here!7
7There was a bit ore overtie to go around, and the )aptain
de&ided he'd rather %eep it within the division,7 .en%ins said in his
tough onotone!
Bronner siled, revealing a dar% &res&ent of dip in his lower lip!
7*lus, we wa6ed the )aptain's &ar for hi! That tends to help!7
#avid glan&ed ba&% at #iane's 06plorer and saw Bla%e in the
driver's seat! $either waved! 7+sn't that the guy who helped you
bring )lyde in97 #avid as%ed!
7Beah! Bla%e!7
#avid started toward the 06plorer, then stopped and turned ba&%
to the van! 75ffi&er Bronner, reind e to send you over soe
slides of lip' and tongue'&an&er vi&tis!7
Bronner spit a brown 1et of saliva into an epty )o%e &an! 7+'ll do
that,7 he said!
#avid gave Bla%e a slight nod as Bla%e &libed out of the
06plorer, turning over the vehi&le to hi! #avid &libed into the
driver's seat! He wat&hed his rearview irror as he pulled out, to
a%e sure .en%ins and Bronner weren't following hi!
)hapter I2
0#'S voi&e was high'pit&hed and irritated! 7Bou paged e E22!
This better be an eergen&y!7
7+t is!7
7"here are you now97
7+' in y &ar!7
7Are you in iinent danger97
7$o!7
0d too% a deep breath! 7All right! "e need to get our signals
straight! )ornered in a shootout''that's a E22! "a%ing up in a
bathtub of i&e with a issing %idney! That's a E22!7
7-oo%, this is e6treely iportant! The &ops are sta%ing e out
to &at&h )lyde! + anaged to snea% out, and + only have a brief
window!7 #avid yan%ed the 06plorer over to the side of the road!
7"here are you9 +' &oing over!7
7How do you %now they're not following you97
7Be&ause +'ve been driving in loops and &ir&les all over the &ity
for the past hour and a half! +' not as u&h of a dub'ass as
when you first et e!7
7.ury's still out on that one, Spier!7
7"here are you97
7+ don't ta%e eetings at hoe!7
7"here are you97
0d paused for a oent, as if debating with hiself! 7+' at 3ive'
thirty'four 3ederal, 1ust south of "ilshire! Apartent Si6!7
7Than% you,7 #avid said! 7Than% you! +'ll be there in less than'' 7
He stopped, loo%ing up at the street sign ahead! 7"here the hell a
+97
Before letting #avid enter, 0d ade hi e6plain hiself at the
door! The sall ground'floor apartent was ransa&%ed! #rawers
pulled fro the dressers and duped, attress sli&ed open, plates
shattered! Holes had been pun&hed into the walls at regular
intervals in a sear&h that went even behind the sheetro&%! 0d
oved through the ess with a pra&ti&ed gait that showed he'd
grown a&&ustoed to it!
5n a long folding table in the &orner sat five or si6 &oputers of
different shapes and sizes, s&reens blin%ing, onitors huing!
About ten $e6tel &ell phones were lined up, &harging! A ban% of
sall televisions showed what appeared to be live shots of several
roos, fro presuably hidden &aeras! #avid wat&hed a woan
lean forward into what ust have been a one'way irror and
attept to floss an entren&hed pie&e of food fro between her
teeth!
Sitting in a rolling &hair, 0d began to spli&e a wire that led to a
inus&ule i&rophone! 7#on't as% /uestions! $ot a one!7
#avid loo%ed around for soewhere to sit! 3inally, he pi&%ed up
a slashed pillow and set it on top of an overturned boo%&ase,
foring a a%eshift ban/uette! He sat &autiously so as not to
stret&h the stit&hes in his side!
0d loo%ed up fro his wor% and pointed at #avid! 7Bes, + trust
you, but let e tell you, if you ention one thing about this lo&ation
to one person, +'ll %now! And believe e, +' not soeone you want
to &ross!7
#avid gazed a&ross the ban% of s&reens! A s%inny an was
fu&%ing what loo%ed to be an obese &all girl on a ahogany des%
soewhere! 7+ believe you,7 he said!
A wee% ago, he would have been horrified to be threatened; now
he found it alost flattering!
7"ant soething to drin%97 0d as%ed!
#avid rea&hed for an unbro%en tubler at his feet!
7$o, no! + %eep the &lean ones over here!7 0d pulled a glass fro
a sta&% sitting atop a fallen dartboard and filled it with water!
He and #avid sat in perfe&t silen&e, #avid sipping fro the glass
nervously, though he wasn't thirsty! 7So &an you do it97 #avid
as%ed! 7Get e a bug of soe %ind97
7Bes, and we &all it a digital transitter these days, .oe 3riday!7
0d flared his hand li%e a agi&ian, and a flat etal dis% appeared in
his pal! About the size of a wat&h battery, it was dense with tiny
&oponents, li%e a &oputer's otherboard! 7"or%s off radio
fre/uen&y!7 -eaning over, he pulled what loo%ed li%e a wal%ie'tal%ie
fro a des% drawer that had been left on the floor! 7Here's your
re&eiver! + go with the Motorola HT one thousand be&ause it's ore
&opa&t than a Saber, so you &an strap it to your belt without
loo%ing li%e you have a perennial hard'on!7 He siled, his grin a
white &res&ent in the white of his fa&e! 7+t'll get the (3 transission
and %i&% it up to this7 ''he held up a olded, s%in'&olored earpie&e''
7as long as you're within a few blo&%s!7
7+ won't be within a few blo&%s! +'ll be in the iddle of a sta%eout
in 4eni&e!7
0d ran his hand a&ross the top of his head! +t ade a rasping
sound on the red stubble! 7A &hallenge! + love &hallenges! "here's
*eter live97
7"estwood! A few blo&%s east of the hospital!7
7"here's his offi&e97
75n -e )onte!7
7How any stories is the building97
73our!7
0d rubbed his teples! #avid opened his outh, but 0d raised a
silen&ing finger in warning! More teple rubbing! )learly, he was
en1oying this!
7All right, Spier, here's what we're gonna do! +' gonna put an
e6pensive'as'shit repeater on the roof of his offi&e building! Thin% of
it as a big antenna! +t'll pi&% up the (3 transission and boun&e it to
your Motorola a&ross town!7 He spread his ars wide, as though
a&&epting applause! 7+ a a trained professional! #o not try this at
hoe!7
7"hen &an you do it97
7Tonight! 5n&e it gets dar%! But let e as% you a /uestion! "hat
good does this do97
7+'ll %now where *eter is at all ties! +'ll %now if he finds hiself in
trouble! As a worst'&ase s&enario, if he's atta&%ed, +'ll be able to
dire&t the poli&e to hi /ui&%ly!7
7He'll need a gun!7
7*eter won't &arry a gun!7
7How do you %now97
#avid regarded 0d wearily! 7Trust e on this one!7
73ine! "ell, would our liberal and foolish urologist with the
apropos nae lower hiself to &arrying a nonlethal weapon97
7*erhaps!7
0d dragged a large &ardboard bo6 fro the &oat &loset a&ross
the roo and sat ba&% down! The &ontents gave off a etalli&
1ingling as he dug through the! *roudly, he displayed a weapon
with a spear'gun handle that loo%ed as though it shot out two
atta&hed ele&trodes with dart ends! 7A taser,7 he said! 7Bou have to
have de&ent ai, though, and they're a bit&h to get through thi&%
&lothes! 3u&%er's wearing a leather 1a&%et, forget it!7
#avid shoo% his head! 7Too ! ! ! &opli&ated!7
0d threw the taser ba&% into the bo6 and reoved a pair of
spi%ed brass %nu&%les!
7Too savage!7
$e6t, 0d pulled out a silver rod with a %nob on the end! "hen he
fli&%ed it, it teles&oped to for a baton! 7The asp!7
Again, #avid shoo% his head! 7Too easily over&oe!7
0d grubled, tossed the asp ba&% into the &ardboard bo6, and
&ontinued to sort through its &ontents! His fa&e lit up! "ith a 4anna
"hite gesture, he e6hibited a large frying pan! 75ld 3aithful!7
#avid erely loo%ed at hi, and he threw it ba&%!
7+ thin% we have a winner,7 0d e6&laied! He reoved a stun
gun, about the size of a flashlight, &oplete with finger grooves!
The bla&% re&tangular sto&% e6tended into two prongs! He thubed
a swit&h forward, and a burst of visible voltage shot between the
prongs!
7)an it wor% through &lothes97
7Again, nothing too thi&%! But a T'shirt or soething, you ight
as well not be wearing anything at all!7
7+'ll ta%e it,7 #avid said!
0d tossed hi the stun gun! 7)ongratulations! Bou are now the
proud owner of a fifty'thousand volt, hair'standing, &attle'prod
spe&ial!7
7How should + get the ! ! ! bug'transitter thing on *eter97
7+ &ould install it in a wat&h! )ould you give it to hi as an early
birthday gift97
7$o! That would be suspi&ious!7
7#oes he have a spe&ial pen or soething9 + &ould slip it in
there!7
7+ don't %now! $othing + &ould be sure he'd always have on hi!7
7So the /uestion is: "hat sort of pet ob1e&t does he %eep with
hi at all ties97
An idea hit #avid with a sudden, bright &larity! He raised his head
with a sile! 7+ thin% +'ve got it,7 he said!
)hapter I>
*0T0('S offi&e building, a odern four'story stru&ture of dar%
glass and &on&rete, sat near the 1un&tion of "estwood and -e
)onte, a few blo&%s fro the hospital! #avid par%ed at a eter! The
&onstru&tion wor% ne6t door had left a light fall of dust on the
sidewal% before the front doors!
"hen #avid arrived at *eter's se&ond'floor offi&e, his side was
a&hing and it&hing, and he &ouldn't de&ide whi&h sensation was
worse! *eter's offi&e anager was leaving and putting out the
lights! #avid too% a /ui&% step ba&% as she lo&%ed the door and
turned to hi, nearly stri%ing hi in the gut with a 1ubo purse that
swung fro her shoulder li%e a pendulu!
7+' loo%ing for #r! Ale6ander,7 #avid said!
She &ontinued down the hall, not bothering to a%e eye &onta&t!
7He ight be in the pro&edure suite,7 she said!
7A&ross the street97
7$o, in the new one! +t's on the third floor! The ove's been a
royal pain in the rear end! That's why soe of us are still here when
we should be hoe with our husband and two daughters!7
7Have a lovely evening,7 #avid said!
He found *eter in the suite upstairs, s%iing through a folder,
standing between two pro&edure tables aid a s&attering of oving
bo6es and file &rates! *eter loo%ed up with a sile and too% a few
heavy steps toward #avid, assisting hiself with his ortho &ane!
7#avid! To what do + owe ! ! ! 97
#avid thought about pulling hiself up to sit on one of the
pro&edure tables, but didn't want to ris% tearing the stit&hing in his
side! 7+ wanted to see you in person, to &onvin&e you to let the &ops
%eep an eye on you! .ust for a few days!7
7+ appre&iate the thought, #avid, but this is ridi&ulous! 3irst of all,
)lyde Slade has no reason to &oe after e!7
#avid fondled the digital transitter in his po&%et! He'd had 0d
adhere a sall, powerful agnet to its ba&%! *lan B! Getting poli&e
prote&tion was still preferable, so he too% a deep breath, preparing
hiself for his ne6t words! He saw no alternative but to atta&% the
issue head'on, despite *eter's repressive preferen&es! 7To be fran%,
as a disabled an you a%e an appealing target!7
+ndignation &ast its pallor a&ross *eter's fa&e, itigated only by a
devilish glint in his eyes! He flipped his ortho &ane, &aught the end,
and let the long rubber'&oated handle fall between #avid's feet!
"ith a sharp tug, he yan%ed #avid's feet out fro under hi! #avid
landed on his ba&%, an e6plosion of pain s&ree&hing through his
side!
7+ &an prote&t yself better than you ight thin%,7 *eter said!
A groan es&aped #avid as he rea&hed for his side!
75h, .esus,7 *eter said! 7+ forgot about your in1ury! +' so thi&%'
headed!7 He attepted to help #avid rise! +gnoring the pain, #avid
pulled the inus&ule transitter fro his po&%et and pla&ed it on
the inside of *eter's left leg bra&e, 1ust where it tapered above the
an%le! The de&eit helped under&ut his anger at *eter!
He let *eter help hi ba&% to his feet! 7-et e see the &ut,7 *eter
said! #avid raised his shirt obediently! The stit&hes were all inta&t!
7Bou're fine!7 He loo%ed up at #avid, his gray fa&e tired and drawn!
True regret! 7+' terribly sorry!7
#avid did not hesitate! 7Then proise e soething!7
*eter &o&%ed a bushy eyebrow!
3ro his other po&%et, #avid pulled the stun gun! He offered it to
*eter, who regarded it li%e a used hand%er&hief!
*eter raised his ortho &ane and let it thup to the floor! 7Bou
&an't be serious!7
)hapter IF
-AST night, #avid had snea%ed into his house through the ba&%
door li%e a teenager &oe hoe fro a night drin%ing! He hoped
none of the press had snapped a photograph of hi pulling hiself
gingerly over the rear fen&e!
He slept unevenly and awa%ened early when 0d &alled hi to let
hi %now the repeater was in pla&e atop *eter's building! #avid
slipped the earpie&e into pla&e and fiddled with the Motorola until
he heard *eter's snoring!
Ma%ing his way through the house, he &losed all the blinds so the
tabloid photographers &ouldn't shoot hi with telephoto lenses! He
listened to *eter awa%en, eat brea%fast, and spend an
unreasonable aount of tie gargling! Before #avid showered, he
hung a bedsheet over his bedroo window, as it didn't have a
&urtain! The perieter alar 0d had installed beeped at least on&e
every five inutes! #avid felt parado6i&ally 1upy and e6hausted!
)aptive in his own hoe!
By the tie Bale and #alton arrived in the late afternoon, #avid
had long given up pretending he was patient! He'd dressed his
wound twi&e, &leaned the house top to botto, showered several
ties, refolded all his &lothing, and spent nearly half an hour eating
lun&h''an eternity for hi! He'd heard *eter drive for a while, greet
his offi&e anager, and begin seeing patients! "henever guilt
en&roa&hed on #avid for his eavesdropping, he pushed it away,
granting hiself a twenty'four'hour reprieve! He didn't have tie for
guilt until after the sta%eout!
He was dressed in a pair of s&rubs, the Motorola strapped to his
waistband! "earing his wor% &lothes, he hoped, would strengthen
his appearan&e in )lyde's ind as a representative of the hospital!
0very bit ight help!
Bale folded his ars a&ross his &hest, siled an ipla&able
sile, and said to #avid, 7Bou have to wear a baggier s&rub top if
we're gonna hide all this hardware on you!7
#alton self'&ons&iously tou&hed his tie''a brown'striped
.)*enney &lip'on''and it tilted revealingly fro the %not! His eyes
found #avid's earpie&e! 7"hat's the other radio for97 he as%ed!
7"e don't %now anything about another radio,7 Bale said!
#alton pulled the loose s%in of his 1owls down into a tur%ey
wattle, nodding solenly! Bale rested an assuring hand on #avid's
shoulder and steered hi ba&% to the bedroo! #avid indi&ated his
side with a tilt of his hand! 7+' pretty stiff! #o you thin% you &ould
help e out of this97
As Bale briefed hi about the pro&edures for the sting in a &al,
even voi&e, he eased #avid out of his s&rub top and wired hi up,
taping the i%e at his fifth inter&ostal spa&e! After sele&ting a bigger
top fro the &loset, Bale helped #avid pull it over his head!
#avid would drive to Healton's in his Mer&edes behind Bale and
#alton's &ar, being tailed by .en%ins and Bronner in the &arpet
&leaning van! A sweep &ar would &he&% the route ahead of Bale and
#alton! 5n&e there, #avid would wal% fro the par%ing lot
seeingly unes&orted, a%e his way along a highly visible
designated route through the neighborhood, and wind up in the
s&or&hed &ar in the abandoned lot! +n reality, under&over poli&e
offi&ers and S"AT tea ebers would be wat&hing hi every
inute! $ot surprisingly, (honda #e&%er had refused to grant
perission for any part of the sta%eout to o&&ur on *earson Hoe
property! #avid was disappointed; his presen&e in the house itself
would have been a tepting draw for )lyde!
At all ties, an abulan&e would be standing by a few blo&%s
away! #avid did not as% who it was for!
Soeone %no&%ed in &ode on the ba&% door, and Bale swung it
open to reveal .en%ins and Bronner! .en%ins wal%ed a&ross the
living roo, boots &rea%ing, e/uipent 1ingling on his belt, and
leaned against the far wall! Bronner held a plasti& &up! He &hewed
and spat! 7"e have the van in position,7 he said!
Bale rubbed his hands together! 7All right, &rew,7 he said! 7Stay
on point! +f we fu&% this up, the )aptain'll put his foot so far up y
ass +'ll be able to taste shoe polish!7
7A lovely iage,7 #avid said!
7But an apt one! -et's do our 1obs, and hope )lyde's drawn in for
the ! ! ! 7 Bale shifted his weight fro one foot to the other in a rare
display of dis&ofort!
#avid too% a deep, halting breath! .en%ins wat&hed the eotions
wor%ing on #avid's fa&e! 75ur guys are in pla&e,7 he said, in a tone
#avid iagined was as &lose to &oforting as he &ould anage!
7The area's tighter than the #odgers infield!7
#avid siled! 7This season97
Soe nervous grins! A &ough! #alton fiddling with his wedding
ring! $erves wor%ing!
7+'ll eet you in the van,7 Bronner said! He nodded on&e, gravely,
and ba&%ed toward the door &autiously, as though leaving a lion's
den!
Bale leveled his stare at #avid! 7(eady to roll97
The three en fa&ed #avid, and he dete&ted respe&t in their
fa&es! He had &oiled his stethos&ope inside his 1a&%et po&%et for
good lu&%, and he patted it through the fabri& to feel its weight! He
too% a deep breath, and held it before e6haling! 7As ready as +'
gonna get!7
#avid stood in the dar% of his garage, en1oying his last oent
alone! The &laor of the press outside seeed aplified through
the garage door! A strea of light fought its way through the &ra&%
beneath the door, lending the roo a dreali%e &ast! #avid had no
&hoi&e but to forge through the edia outside; his Mer&edes was a
%ey prop in the sta%eout!
+n a tou&hing gesture, #alton had spray'painted over the lettering
so the tabloids would have one less thing to s&ree&h about! #avid
got into the &ar and sat with his hands on the wheel for a inute,
then he hit the garage door opener and pulled out!
The press flooded toward hi! Mi%es tapping the &ar, hands
pressed to the windows, fa&es and a%eup and lenses! )aeras
flashed! 3il rolled!
His first instin&t was to stop, so as not to run anyone over, but he
&ontinued to ba&% out slowly, &arefully, doing his best to fight off
&laustrophobia! He finally hit the street and a&&elerated up the
blo&%! A few neighbors were standing out on their por&hes,
wat&hing! An old &ouple up the street wore at&hing e6pressions of
&onfusion! The van pulled out iediately behind hi, and 1ust
before he rea&hed Sunset, Bale and #alton's &ar swung in ahead of
hi! The edia brigade followed a few blo&%s ba&%, but .en%ins did
a good 1ob driving poorly to slow the up! As #avid's eyes darted to
the rearview irror, he realized he was sweating profusely!
Turning right on 4eteran, he headed for the poli&e &he&%point! As
planned, the two offi&ers pulled aside the sawhorses, letting hi
through but blo&%ing the following edia traffi&! 5ne of the offered
#avid a win% as he passed through, and #avid too% note of the
&lear plasti& tube hoo%ed over his ear!
He followed Bale and #alton south to "ilshire, &opleting the
loop, and the &arpet &leaning van was ira&ulously waiting at the
&urb after he ade the turn! #avid was aazed at how well .en%ins
tailed hi to 4eni&e! The van disappeared several ties, and #avid
thought for sure .en%ins had lost hi for good, but then traffi&
would thin and there it was again, behind hi!
#avid thought about turning on the radio to rela6 hiself, but not
wanting to be distra&ted by news updates, he hued instead! He
stopped abruptly when he reebered that the wire &onveyed his
every noise to &ountless poli&e offi&ers, and it o&&urred to hi with
auseent that they'd overhear if he had to ta%e a lea% later! +n his
right ear, he'd been re&eiving a good transission of *eter
underta%ing a pro&edure''a prostate&toy, fro what #avid &ould
pie&e together fro *eter's &on&ise &oands to the nurse!
The sun began its slow fade beneath the horizon! The air was
1ust tainting gray as #avid entered the failiar neighborhood! He
par%ed in the designated spot, beneath the &one of light in front of
Healton's! The other vehi&les had disappeared in the last few
blo&%s, as was planned!
He got out of the &ar and iediately felt a sense of isolation!
The neighborhood was /uite still! He oved up the first street, his
white &oat baggy over the wound on his side! He passed the
abandoned lot on his right! The s&or&hed &ar, his final destination,
was epty! A hoeless an sat bundled against the fen&e, the
front of his worn 1a&%et stained with what selled li%e egg! 3a&e
ruddy and te6tured, a thi&% usta&he bristling! 0yes anoalisti&ally
&lear! Bla%e! #avid stared at hi a beat too long! Bla%e raised his
eyebrows in a show of ipatien&e! #avid had another &he&%point to
pass down the blo&% in a inute and a half! 7Hey, pal, spare a
&igarette97
His voi&e spurred #avid to oveent! He &ontinued along the
path that Bale had detailed for hi, away fro the lot, past the front
of the *earson Hoe! He thought he saw a rifle s&ope flash in one
of the apartent windows a&ross the street, but wasn't sure if he'd
iagined it sin&e he %new snipers were stationed up there! The
thought that )lyde ight be here soewhere, in or near the area,
/ui&%ened his heart! Maybe )lyde was wat&hing hi now!
The ne6t interse&tion was busy and highly visible! A&ross the
street, Bronner was pretending to a%e a &all in the phone booth,
wearing a flannel and a #odgers &ap! He did not loo% over at #avid,
but he tou&hed his shoulder &asually with his fingertips, their
agreed'upon signal that everything was &lear!
#avid headed down the sidewal%! His path would loop hi
around past )lyde's forer apartent building before returning hi
to the epty lot! A boisterous group of en e6ited a bar! #avid's
eyes blurred oentarily, and he saw the fa&es as a seared
&ongloeration''soe &oing at hi, soe oving past on either
side''and he %new the situation was now beyond his &ontrol! His
fate was in the hands of the under&over poli&e offi&ers in the area!
The wound in his side began to throb, as if in warning! The group
went on! )lyde was not hiding in their idst!
#avid turned left on Bre&%en Street! *at&hes of browning grass
bro%e up the sidewal%s; the &urbs were lined with battered &ars and
tru&%s! The s%y dar%ened a bit, dis&ernibly, whi&h he hoped was not
a bad oen! He started down the street, with its any alleys and
doorways and dar% spa&es between vehi&les! The fa&t that
soeone had s&outed the area before his arrival provided little
reassuran&e! A &hill tangled around his spine when he heard the
&li&%ing of footsteps ahead of hi, but then he realized it was
erely the e&ho of his own, aplified off the surrounding buildings!
He no longer felt any pain in his side; it had gone nub!
He tried to &al hiself by fo&using on *eter's failiar voi&e,
transitted to hi fro the repeater over five iles away! *eter
was sending his offi&e anager hoe! Then, the ding of the
elevator, followed by another, rapid ding! A one'floor ride!
+n front of #avid, a for shifted in a doorway and stubled down
the stairs! #avid too% a /ui&% step ba&%, glan&ing up the street for
ba&%up, but none arrived! The an swept by hi, drun% and fat,
and staggered up the street, ururing to hiself!
#avid tried to slow his heart! A flash on the roof a&ross the street
as a sniper lowered his rifle and san% again out of view! They were
here prote&ting hi, onipresent and out of sight!
#avid wasn't getting anything through the earpie&e aside fro a
whistling''the fabri& of *eter's pants oving a&ross the transitter9
He'd dete&ted a siilar sound earlier when *eter had wal%ed fro
his &ar to the offi&e! Then, the noise of a %ey in a lo&%! *eter
ust've gone upstairs, to &ontinue setting things in order in the new
pro&edure suite!
#avid turned down an alley and du&%ed through the gap in the
fen&e that led to the abandoned lot! $o sign of )lyde! "rapped in
layers of &lothes, Bla%e shifted, a forless ass sluped against
the base of the fen&e!
#avid wal%ed slowly to the iddle of the lot, glass popping
beneath his shoes! He opened the door to the s&or&hed &ar and sat
down, resting his hands on the steering wheel!
The loop had been unsu&&essful!
#avid tilted his head down and urured into his i%e,
7$othing!7 He raised his shirt and &he&%ed his bandage! +t had
blotted up soe fluid fro the wound, but was still firly in pla&e! +n
his right ear, he heard the &lin% of e/uipent! *eter rattling the
surgery &laps9 Testing the &auterizer9 #avid stared through the
&ra&%ed windshield at the *earson Hoe! -ayla's s%ewed
silhouette oved against the &urtains of the se&ond'floor window!
The sae roo where )lyde had on&e dangled boys by their ne&%s
to wat&h the gasp and treble!
#avid loo%ed at the apartent buildings riing the epty lot''
&rubling bri&%, rain'beaten wood, the o&&asional shattered
window! So any pla&es for )lyde to hide, to spy! 3ro the house,
#avid heard the wavering, uneven voi&es of soe of the residents
singing 7Happy Birthday!7
Bla%e rolled over uneasily when #avid got out of the &ar and
slaed the door! #avid wal%ed boldly to the front of the *earson
Hoe! He spo%e down into his i%e with inial oveent of his
lips! 7+' going to the por&h!7
He %new that soewhere, hidden within the surrounding few
blo&%s, Bale was growing enraged''he had spe&ifi&ally told #avid to
stay off the *earson Hoe grounds, in line with (honda #e&%er's
dire&tive! But #avid's wal% hadn't yielded anything, and he wanted
to ta%e a position that )lyde, if he was in fa&t wat&hing, would find
ore provo&ative and galling! Sitting on the por&h of )lyde's
sa&red, &oveted &hildhood san&tuary, in a position of power and
sug presuption, was the ost taunting a&tion #avid had at his
&urrent disposal! +t was li%e throwing darts at )lyde's ost
vulnerable spot!
A ri&%ety wooden &hair with a &oarsely woven straw seat stood
&roo%ed by the front door! #avid pulled it a&ross the por&h and sat,
his white &oat hanging to his sides li%e the he of a s%irt! His
Mer&edes, toplit li%e a show&ase &ar in the otherwise epty
Healton's lot, was visible for blo&%s! #avid's new post was also
&learly dis&ernible!
Aware that soewhere the &ops were &oplaining and
s&rabling and reassessing, #avid leaned ba&%, rested his feet on
the railing, and waited for )lyde to appear!
)hapter I<
TH0 fluores&ent lights illuinating the new pro&edure suite were
giving *eter a heada&he, so he turned the off and wor%ed by the
light of a des% lap! +t &ast a glow on the des%top and around his
hands, a sall ball of light in the dar%ness, whi&h he li%ed, for it
ade hi feel li%e a edieval &raftsan! The blinds reained
&losed on the window behind hi! The des% itself fa&ed the two
pro&edure tables, and beyond the, the door; *eter soeties had
to sit between lengthy pro&edures to ta%e the weight off his legs! A
firly an&hored etal %nob, about the size of a fist, protruded fro
the des%top to aid *eter in sitting and rising! The stun gun lay ne6t
to it, where *eter had tossed it after #avid had left the roo
yesterday!
*eter lined the &ystos&opes side by side, a series of thin
stainless steel sna%es trailing a&ross the des% and dangling fro
the edge! They were e6pensive tools, running about O2J,===
apie&e with lenses, and he &ared for the as though they were
useu artifa&ts! 0a&h one of the s&opes had been used
&ountless ties to peer into &ountless bladders; gazing down at
the, *eter was filled with a vague sense of wonder at all they had
a&&oplished in their brief aterial lives! He 1otted a note to his
te&hni&ian that they were to be sterilized again!
His left bra&e had been digging into his an%le all day, and he
paused to pull up his pant leg, reove his shoe, and rub the
reddish indentation the etal had left in his s%in! A rustle at the door
&aught his attention, and he s/uinted up into the dar%ness!
7Bes, &an + help you9 Hello9 )an + help you97
The for shifted, breathing heavily! The sound of a large person
advan&ing!
*ani& stirred and began to sharpen its &laws inside *eter! Given
his bra&es, it would ta%e hi nearly a inute to rise and shuffle to
the light swit&h on the wall!
)lyde's sallow fa&e pulled into the sall ring of light, seeing to
float as his body reained lost in shadows! He drew &loser,
resolving fro the dar%ness! Held liply at his side was a pistol!
*eter's outh went dry!
The ar holding the gun raised stiffly and e&hani&ally, li%e a
railroad &rossing gate, and *eter was loo%ing dire&tly down the
length of the Beretta! 7"e're gonna have soe fun, you and e,7
)lyde said!
Moths &lustered around the por&h light, a%ing a soft, leathery
sound! #avid s&anned the street, his eyes pi&%ing over the windows
in the apartents fa&ing hi!
He e6pe&ted )lyde to &harge the por&h!
He e6pe&ted Bale to pull up and &all off the sta%eout!
He e6pe&ted (honda #e&%er to appear on the por&h and
repriand hi!
The only thing he did not e6pe&t was )lyde's voi&e to &ut in over
the hu of the unit in his right ear!
He stood, forgetting to favor his wounded side, and leapt over
the por&h stairs, win&ing when his feet stru&% ground! 7He's got
*eter Ale6ander87 #avid yelled down into his i%e! 7They're at
*eter's pro&edure suite! )orner of "estwood and -e )onte!7
Bla%e rolled over onto his feet, loo%ing ineffe&tive and 3alstaffian
in his bundle of griy &lothes! #avid passed hi in a sprint,
straining to a%e out what was being transitted in his right ear!
.en%ins spilled out of an alley behind hi, shouting soething
#avid &ould not a%e out!
#avid rea&hed his &ar, slid behind the wheel, and peeled out!
*eter struggled to %eep his voi&e even! 7+' going to''7
Saliva flew fro )lyde's lips as he spo%e! 7#on't you tal%8 #on't
you tal% to e! Bou're wea%! Bou're what wea%ness is! +' in &harge
here! +' in &harge of you!7
)lyde too% a step forward and swept the des% with his ar!
S&opes, pens, and papers fell to the floor! The lap dangled off the
side of the des% fro its &ord, throwing light errati&ally around the
roo as it spun!
*eter felt along the des%top for soething to grab''a pen, a letter
opener''but there was nothing within rea&h! His eyes fli&%ed a&ross
the des%top! The stun gun had &aught beside the etal %nob! *eter
&ouldn't rea&h for it; it would be too obvious!
7"hat do you want97 *eter as%ed!
)lyde pulled a phone fro the wall'ounted unit and pun&hed in
a nuber! *eter too% advantage of )lyde's distra&tion to rest his
hand over the stun gun and slide it slowly off the des%top into his
lap!
The &ord un&oiling a&ross his &hest, )lyde pushed the phone at
*eter! 7Here! Bou tell #avid Spier +' gonna %ill you right now! Bou
tell hi + %now he's in with the &ops to get e, so he better &oe
down here alone if he wants to stop e!7
*eter too% the phone with his left hand, holding the stun gun in
his lap with his right! )lyde leaned in &lose, pistol pointed at *eter's
head! +f *eter raised the stun gun fro its hiding pla&e, )lyde &ould
shoot hi instantly! *eter wouldn't even have a &han&e to ai!
*eter offered the phone ba&% to )lyde! 7+t's the answering
a&hine!7
7"e're gonna leave hi a spe&ial essage, then,7 )lyde said,
pushing the phone ba&% in *eter's fa&e!
*eter felt the &old barrel pressed hard against his forehead!
7Ma%e soe noise,7 )lyde said! 7+nto the phone!7
*eter's lips started to treble, but he pressed the together, not
wanting to show )lyde his fright!
)lyde &o&%ed the pistol!
7All right,7 *eter said! His tone was hard, &olored with ore
anger than fear! 7-et e stand up! +' not going to die sitting down!7
7+' gonna hurt you hard! And #avid Spier's gonna hear it all
when he gets hoe!7
*eter held the phone away fro his head! 7+'ll leave your ! ! !
noises in a inute!7 He turned his head and loo%ed up past the
pistol into )lyde's dead eyes, tightening his grip on the stun gun!
He spo%e slowly and adaantly! 7But you let e stand up first!7
)lyde studied hi, then his &hin dipped slightly! 7Bou a%e one
bad ove, you won't have tie to leave your farewell essage!7
)lyde stepped &loser, standing alost on top of hi!
*eter pushed his &hair out fro the des%, but )lyde %ept the
pistol planted on his forehead! Still no opportunity to wield the stun
gun! He &ouldn't ove it u&h past his &rot&h without )lyde
noti&ing and probably shooting hi!
*ulling a lever beneath the seat &ushion, *eter lo&%ed the
wheels so the &hair wouldn't roll out fro under hi! He leaned
over and lo&%ed first his left bra&e, then his right, so they would
support his weight! "ith a slight groan, he fisted the etal %nob on
the des%top and pulled hiself up out of the &hair and onto his
reinfor&ed legs! His left pant leg was still hi%ed up high over the
%nee fro when he'd rubbed his an%le!
He released the %nob, standing on his own! The gun barrel slid a
bit on his sweat'oist forehead! He felt breathless, as though he'd
had the wind %no&%ed out of hi! He leaned slightly to his left,
bringing the etal of his an%le into &onta&t with )lyde's thin s&rub
bottos! He eased his &alf over until he felt the press of )lyde's
leg! )lyde did not pull away!
*eter turned into the pistol, loo%ing past it again into the sli&%,
depthless eyes! "ith e6&ru&iating slowness, he oved the stun gun
over and tou&hed it to the inside of the etal thigh band of his left
bra&e! His thub hovering over the power swit&h, he bra&ed
hiself for the pain and prepared to du&%!
7All right,7 *eter said brus/uely! 7+' ready now!7
)hapter I?
#A4+# flew up -in&oln, narrowly issing a &ollision with a
banged'up *ontia&, and floored it, s&ree&hing right on "ilshire and
heading toward *eter's offi&e! He was shouting into the i%e and
trying to listen to the earpie&e siultaneously, whi&h ade both
efforts ineffe&tive! A blast of noise erupted through the earpie&e,
&ausing hi to 1er% ba&% his head, then the unit went dead! "hat
&ould have done that to the digital transitter9
)on&ern did hi little good, so he tried to thin% &learly and
pragati&ally! 3ro what he had overheard, he %new *eter was in
trouble, that )lyde had been planning on haring hi to frighten
#avid! The &ops would arrive at *eter's building soon''aybe they
even had by now''but #avid had to get there as /ui&%ly as possible!
+n the li%ely event of a standoff, he was &ertain )lyde would
deand to tal% to hi!
The &arpet &leaning van &aught up to hi after a few blo&%s but
fell ba&% again, and he lost sight of it when he ran the red at
3ederal! He spo%e &ontinuously into his i%e, updating the &ops on
his lo&ation!
He &areened through "estwood and pulled down an alley into
the ba&% lot of *eter's four'story building! *eter's &ar, a gray BM"
with a hand bra%e sti&%ing up near the wheel, was par%ed in its
usual spot, but there were no poli&e &ars!
#avid got out of his &ar and glan&ed up the epty street
an6iously! 7"here the hell are you guys97 he said, bending his ne&%
so he &ould spea% into the i%e! 7"hy aren't there poli&e &ars here
already97 He stepped ba&%, glan&ing up the side of the building at
the third floor! $o oveent or light! )lyde &ould be there right
now, torturing *eter!
#avid &ouldn't wait for the poli&e to arrive! 7+' going in,7 he said
to the i%e and the epty par%ing lot!
He sear&hed his trun% for a weapon, but he had nothing, not
even a tire 1a&%! An old'style otos&ope was tu&%ed into his father's
do&tor's bag in the trun%, the weighty etal handle protruding! He
grabbed it, and snapped off the plasti& head used for ear e6as! +t
would have to do!
Tossing the Motorola and the dead earpie&e into the trun%, he
sidestepped a #upster and rea&hed the building's ba&% door,
ade of glass! The glass, evidently shatterproof, had been dented
near the handle, but had reained inta&t! The lo&% had been
gouged and s&rat&hed up with a tool of soe sort! The door was
slightly a1ar, a )arl's .r! Superstar wrapper wedged between it and
the frae to prevent it fro &losing!
#avid %new he should wait for the poli&e to arrive, but the
possibility that )lyde was torturing *eter was too u&h for hi to
bear! He pushed the door, and it drifted open easily, the wrapper
falling to the floor! Stepping into the dar% interior, he &losed the door
slowly behind hi, leaving it unlo&%ed!
$ot wanting to draw attention by using the elevator, #avid
entered the dar% stairwell and &rept upstairs! He pushed the third'
floor door open, peering up the hall, and iediately saw the
triangular fall of light fro the open door of *eter's pro&edure suite!
He eased his way down the &orridor, the thin &arpet padding his
footsteps! A deep wailing be&ae audible! Mournful sobbing
interspersed with violent breathing!
#avid drew near to the open door, in&hing his way forward, his
hand &urling around the etal shaft of the otos&ope! The &rying
&ontinued, bro%en by fragented ubling and a slapping noise!
(ea&hing the door frae, #avid pressed his fa&e to the wood and
rotated his head slightly so he &ould see into the roo with one
eye!
+t too% a oent for his eyes to ad1ust to the swinging lap
brea%ing the diness! )lyde sat despondently against the far wall,
holding a pistol liply between his legs! His fa&e was red, his a&ne
standing out in severe blot&hes! Sobbing and ururing, he was
ro&%ing hiself forward and banging his head ba&% into the wall! He
stopped only to rend his fa&e with his hands, &lawing at his &hee%s,
%no&%ing the pistol against his &rown!
#avid's &hest tightened when he saw the pair of inert legs
protruding fro behind the des%, the etal bands of the bra&es
visible at the an%les! The rest of *eter's body was out of view! A
stun gun lay on the floor in the &orner, near )lyde!
A huing in his ears! A tingling in his outh! He wanted to run
downstairs''either Bale or .en%ins should have arrived by now''but
the possibility of *eter's needing iediate edi&al attention held
hi in pla&e! #avid &ouldn't leave his un&ons&ious body up here
with )lyde!
)lyde's fa&e was lined with s&rat&hes fro his nails, soe of
the beading with blood! He was fa&ing the door''there was no
way #avid &ould surprise hi!
)lyde dire&ted his words at *eter's body! 7Bou weren't supposed
to do that!7 He s&rabled to his feet and regarded *eter, li%e a
proble he did not %now how to solve! His fa&e va&illated between
agitation and &onfusion as he ro&%ed ba&% and forth! He s&rat&hed
his head with the barrel of the pistol, then aied it at *eter!
#avid had little &hoi&e!
"edging the otos&ope in the ba&% of his pants, he stepped fro
&over, holding his hands out to his sides! Startled into a little leap,
)lyde aied the pistol at hi! #avid ade no sudden oveents,
and prayed )lyde's hands would stop 1er%ing!
7#on't you ove,7 )lyde bleated! 7Bou stay right there!7 He wiped
his running nose with his sleeve! 7+' in &ontrol here! + %now what
+' doing!7 #espite his agitated &ondition, )lyde was steady on his
feet, and his slurring had stopped!
7All right,7 #avid said! 7Bou don't need to hurt hi! +' here now!
Bou &an s&are ! ! ! you &an s&are e dire&tly! .ust let e &he&% on
*eter first!7 )ally, slowly, he pointed at the two inert legs! 7-et
e ! ! ! 7 His throat dried up, and he lost the end of his senten&e!
)lyde's fa&e trebled; he was still pulling hiself ba&% fro the
edge of sobbing! (aising the torn leg of his s&rub bottos, he
rubbed a red pat&h on his &alf! 7He sho&%ed e! :no&%ed us both
down! + hit hi on the head! He got still!7 He slapped his head, and
the noise rang around the roo! 7He hurt e, and +'ve gotta ! ! ! +'ve
gotta ta%e it out of hi!7 He began ubling in&oherently!
The &urrent of ele&tri&ity fro the stun gun ust have shorted
out the digital transitter! "hi&h eant the sho&% had soehow
run through *eter's left leg bra&e! 7)an + step forward and loo% at
his body97 #avid as%ed! He spo%e slowly and &learly, as if to a
&hild!
The pistol snapped ba&% up at his head! 7+t's a tri&%! Bou're here
to tri&% e and''shit, shit ! ! ! 7 )lyde began to ro&% his upper torso,
his eyes pressing &losed! 7Three two one the door ba&% fro
the ! ! ! 7
#avid's head was huing! 7)lyde! +' going to ta%e another
step forward! And +' going to loo% at *eter! +' going to do this
now!7 There was soething &oforting in the %nowledge that all his
words were being transitted through the hidden wire to the poli&e
offi&ers! +t ade hi feel less alone! 0ven so, he wondered what
was ta%ing the so long to arrive!
)lyde &ontinued to ro&%, his lips oving silently, but his eyes
were open again! #avid eased slowly forward, and *eter's body
&ae into view behind the des%!
(age and sorrow ingled, rising fro #avid's gut! He &rou&hed
over *eter and raised one eyelid, then the other! He was relieved to
see both pupils dilate! (esting two fingers on *eter's ne&%, he
&ounted his pulse for ten se&onds, then ultiplied by si6! Slightly
elevated, around seventy'five beats per inute! He wal%ed his
fingers along the ba&% of *eter's head until he found a boggy spot
near the base of his s%ull! A &ursory feel revealed it to be a basi&
heatoa! *eter was going to be fine!
)lyde's body odor hung in the roo! The sell was &ut with
soething else, soething bitter and edi&inal, though #avid &ould
not pla&e it!
#avid's lips parted, trebling! He &losed his eyes, not wanting to
spea%, afraid of what he ight say! He needed hours to pro&ess the
s&ene before hi and find the &orre&t words, but he had barely
se&onds!
#avid &aught a glipse of guilt and anguish in )lyde's fa&e!
)lyde be&ae aware of #avid's gaze, and anger intensified in the
flat stones of his eyes, the &hange so sudden it was as if he'd
donned a as%! 7He hurt e, the &ripple!7 He &rou&hed over
*eter's head, leering down at hi! 7Bou wea%ling! Bou got it good!7
He rubbed the swollen spot on his leg!
#avid %ept his body angled slightly away fro )lyde, as if turning
fro a live bob!
)lyde loo%ed up at #avid, his &hee%s glistening with sweat! He
was breathing hard! 7+ proised +'d tea&h you about fear,7 he said!
7+t's deep and dar%, li%e a well! +' gonna put you in it!7
#avid drew one hand slowly behind his ba&%! He had 1ust
grasped the shaft of the otos&ope when )lyde's eyes snapped ba&%
into fo&us!
7"hat are you doing9 "hat are you rea&hing for9 Turn around!
Turn around8 7
As #avid turned, )lyde shoved hi against the window, his hand
grazing the wound in #avid's side! #avid's forehead banged the
glass, and his hands gripped the blinds, bending the! He stifled a
&ry of pain! )lyde ripped the otos&ope fro the band of #avid's
pants, and #avid tensed, waiting for it to be brought down on his
head!
But instead, )lyde's voi&e &ae, low and aused! 7Bou were
gonna hit e with a do&tor's toy!7
Through the bent blinds, #avid saw the &arpet &leaning van in
the alley a&ross the street! Two flashlights dan&ing on the third floor
of the building opposite the! #avid felt a sin%ing in his gut when
he realized .en%ins, Bronner, and the other units had gone to
*eter's old pro&edure suite''the one that was fun&tional and
dire&tory listed! -i%e *eter's new suite, it was also on the &orner of
"estwood and -e )onte, so #avid's dire&tions hadn't helped! +f he
&ould ention his true lo&ation, the i%e would &onvey it to the
&ops in the field! "at&hing the flashlight beas play a&ross the
dar% roos a&ross the street, #avid tried to figure out soe way of
entioning his lo&ation that )lyde wouldn't find unusual! The &ops
would never spot his gesturing through the dar% window! He only
prayed )lyde wouldn't noti&e the flashlight beas in the other
building!
A &li&%ing noise as )lyde played with the otos&ope, and then a
bea of light on the ba&% of #avid's head!
)lyde's voi&e was 1ubled in his throat! 7+' tal%ing to you!7
#avid turned his head to the side so the intense light shone
a&ross his profile, through the bent blinds, and out the window! He
hoped .en%ins and Bronner would spot it! 7Bes, )lyde97 He turned
his head slightly so the edge of his &hee% &aught the bea, then
oved his head again, &reating a fli&%ering light to better &at&h the
&ops' attention!
)lyde &li&%ed off the otos&ope and tossed it aside! 7"ere you
gonna hurt e with this97
+n &ase no one had pi&%ed up the otos&ope light issuing fro the
dar% building, #avid had to try to &onvey their lo&ation, no atter
how aw%ward it &ae out! 7"hy are we here at''97
7+ as%ed you a /uestion!7
#avid was aware with a sudden &ertainly that his life hung in the
balan&e of the ne6t few se&onds! He %new )lyde was going to
press the pistol to his forehead even before )lyde did it!
:nowing his life &ould end with a one'in&h oveent of )lyde's
finger sent a ripple of terror through #avid's body! )lyde studied
hi &uriously! #avid's s&rub top &lung to his body with his sweat!
He &ould feel the beats of his heart in the blood rushing through his
fa&e!
)lyde's uneven voi&e drifted fro behind the gun! 7Bou didn't
help e at all! $ot li%e you proised! Bou too% away everything
fro e! My roo and y &ar and y lye! + &an't ! ! ! + &an't get at
people anyore! To ruin their fa&es!7 He twisted the pistol, digging
the barrel into #avid's &hee%! #avid fought not to withdraw, not to
rea&t!
7+ have no one left to s&are!7 )lyde grubled, a noise lost deep
in his &hest! 706&ept you!7
3ro the 1uble in his head, #avid pulled a thought and shaped
it li%e a weapon! 7"hat did you thin% about,7 he as%ed, in a &al,
sooth voi&e, 7when the nurses lo&%ed you up in the dar%9 "hen
no one would ta%e your hand9 "hat did you thin% about then97
)lyde drew ba&% his head, as if he'd been slapped! The Beretta
wavered slightly in his grasp, but reained against #avid's
forehead! 7+' not ! ! ! + don't ! ! ! 7 He blin%ed hard, then pressed his
eyes &losed as #avid had %nown he would! 7Three two one stand
ba&%''7
#avid's hand &urled into a fist and, 1er%ing his head &lear of the
pistol, he swung it sideways into )lyde's ear! He stru&% )lyde's
head with bone'1arring for&e, and )lyde gasped, the pistol %i&%ing in
his hand and blowing out the window where #avid's head had been
a oent ago! )lyde san% to the floor, landing with a hard slap!
#avid &rou&hed over hi, pinning his gun ar with a hand, his
%nee pressing hard into )lyde's tra&hea! )lyde grunted and
struggled against hi! #avid dug his fingers into )lyde's forear,
but still )lyde did not drop the pistol! His hand &lut&hed the
weapon, the barrel sweeping ba&% and forth, aiing a&ross the
open door!
7Stop fighting e87 #avid shouted through &len&hed teeth!
7Stop''7
.en%ins and Bronner &rashed through the doorway, shouting,
their Berettas finding )lyde li%e &opasses pointing north!
7#on't ove87
7Ba&% away fro the''7
A shot rang out, spinning .en%ins around! He %no&%ed against
the door, a growing spot of blood dar%ening his sweatshirt at the
shoulder, and san% to the ground! His legs stu&% out before hi li%e
a doll's, his pistol hand rendered useless by the shoulder wound!
He tried with his good hand to ta%e the pistol fro his lip hand,
but &ould not rea&h!
Bronner's pistol wavered; #avid was in his line of fire! Stutter'
stepping forward with his pistol aied, Bronner freed his &uffs fro
the &ase on his belt with an adept 1er% of his hand!
)lyde's hand felt up #avid's side beneath his shirt and found his
wound! A fat finger pried through the stit&hes! #avid felt a hot flash
of pain and then his s%in giving way! He rela6ed his grip on )lyde
for a split se&ond, and )lyde hurled hi off his throat! Ablaze with
pain, #avid rolled into the far wall and %no&%ed his head! Through a
drun%en haze, his &hee% pressed to the floor, he wat&hed )lyde
find his feet and start to stand!
Bronner was already id'dive a&ross the roo! He &aught )lyde
with a staggering right and fell on top of hi! He was fighting to
angle the pistol barrel at )lyde's &hest, but )lyde bit his gun hand,
tearing a outhful of flesh fro the fat us&le at the base of his
thub and spitting the pin% plug on the floor! Bronner &ried out,
dropping his pistol! #avid tried to &rawl to it, but was paralyzed with
pain!
)lyde and Bronner struggled and rolled, and )lyde's pistol fired,
blowing out a &hun% of wall! Bronner anaged to land on )lyde's
ba&%! )lyde's gun hand was pinned beneath his body, and Bronner
grabbed his other ar and twisted it ba&%, snapping a hand&uff
around the free wrist!
)lyde bu&%ed and spun, whipping the loose hand&uff around his
wrist! The sharp edge bit into Bronner's teple, splitting the s%in!
)lyde wored his other ar free! Tightening his fingers around the
pistol, )lyde pun&hed Bronner in the outh with it, %no&%ing hi
off! Bronner fell to the floor, un&ons&ious, and )lyde s&rabled to
his feet and flashed past .en%ins!
Though his wounded ar did not ove, .en%ins's hand
&ontra&ted around the pistol, angling it up at )lyde and firing! By
the tie the report e&hoed through the epty roo, )lyde was out
the door into the hall! There was the sound of a door splintering''
aybe being sashed in''and then silen&e!
#avid and .en%ins regarded ea&h other fro their respe&tive
sluped positions! .en%ins's head was tilted forward so his &hin
rested on his &hest, his breath fluttering the tattered fabri& at the
edge of the gunshot hole in his shoulder! His ar lay lip''the shot
to the shoulder ust have &oproised the bra&hial ple6us!
The floor was i&y &old against #avid's &hee%! He willed his lips to
ove! 7#o you have an e6it wound97 he as%ed!
His fa&e stret&hed in a gria&e, .en%ins rea&hed behind his
shoulder and patted his ba&%! 7$ot that + &an rea&h,7 he said!
7How's Bronner9 *eter97
7*eter will be fine!7 #avid pushed hiself up onto all fours! The
pain in his side spread /ui&%ly through his abdoen, but he started
to &rawl toward Bronner anyway! Though it was bleeding heavily,
the gash above Bronner's teple was superfi&ial! #avid grabbed
the otos&ope off the floor, raised Bronner's eyelids, and shone the
bea of light into his pupils! They &onstri&ted ni&ely! 70/ual and
rea&tive,7 he said! The wound on Bronner's hand was fairly deep
and would need to be treated for infe&tion, but it was not bleeding
badly!
Still sluped against the door, .en%ins gria&ed again and
spo%e! 7"e responded to the wrong lo&ation! Si6 units a&ross the
street! Me and Bronner saw the light and &ae to &he&% it out!7
7+t was y fault,7 #avid said! 7+ should've thought to &larify whi&h
building!7 He was 1ust about to spea% into his i%e when he saw
.en%ins fubling for his portable with his good hand! .en%ins held it
&lose to his lips! 70ight Ada Thirty'two! 5ffi&er down! 5ffi&er
down! 5ffi&er down! Shots fired! Ten eight hundred blo&% -e )onte!
Third floor! "here the fu&% a +97
#avid loo%ed up fro Bronner's hand! 7Ten eight seventy'five -e
)onte!7
7Be advised it's Ten eight seventy'five -e )onte!7 .en%ins's
words were slowing down! "hen he spo%e again, it was little ore
than a uble! 7(oll an (A! Suspe&t possibly still in the
building ! ! ! &onsidered ared!7 He released the button on his
portable, and his good hand slapped to the floor! His breath &ae
in 1er%s!
#avid pulled hiself to his feet! A sti&%y band of blood ran down
his side, pooling at the top line of his pants! 3or a oent, he
thought he ight faint, but then his adrenaline %i&%ed in, granting
hi &larity and a oentary relief fro the pain!
He trudged over to .en%ins! .en%ins's eyes fli&%ered to the door!
7Go get hi,7 he said!
#avid &rou&hed over .en%ins and pulled hi slightly forward off
the door, &ausing hi to &ry out! There was no e6it wound! #avid
pulled the stethos&ope fro his 1a&%et po&%et, balled up the 1a&%et,
and handed it to .en%ins! 7Apply pressure,7 he said! ,sing the
stethos&ope, he &he&%ed .en%ins's lung beneath the wound! Good
breathing sounds!
#avid strung his stethos&ope a&ross his shoulders and stood!
His wound was running! 7Bou're going to be fine,7 he said! 7+'
going to leave you here!7
.en%ins nodded! +n the distan&e, the pleasing sound of
approa&hing sirens!
#avid dropped the otos&ope, pried the Beretta fro .en%ins's
inert fingers, and stepped into the hall! The pistol felt weighty and
aw%ward in his hand! 5ne of the doors a&ross the hall had been
%i&%ed in, and he trudged over to it, leaving a thin trail of blood
drops on the &arpet!
He loo%ed down and noti&ed another trail of dripping blood
pre&eding his own! )lyde had been hit!
#avid peered past the splintered door, ready to draw ba&% at the
first sign of )lyde! He flipped the swit&h with a trebling hand and
blin%ed against the light! The window a&ross the epty roo had
been opened! The pistol lay beneath the sill where )lyde had
dropped it!
Heavy footfalls thundered in the stairwells''&ops on the way to
*eter, .en%ins, and Bronner! #avid liped a&ross the roo to the
window! The fire es&ape outside wound down into the &onstru&tion
site of the building that fronted on -e )onte! The building was a
&onfusion of Sheetro&% planes and &riss&rossing boards! The
&roo%ed s&affolding up front had been repaired!
A wide sudge of blood dar%ened the painted rail in three
distin&t lines''finger ar%s! 7)lyde's been hit,7 #avid said into the
i%e! 7He dropped his gun! And + thin% he e6ited the east side of
the building!7 He du&%ed through the window, biting his lip against
the pain in his side, and stood on the etal stru&ture! The wind
blew through the s%eletal boards and beas, rattling the plasti&
wrapping &overing the wheelbarrows!
#avid began the slow, painful &lib down the etal ladder,
stethos&ope swinging fro his ne&%, pistol heavy in his hand! He
wal%ed through the dar%, hollowed interior of the building! The
wheelbarrows and slanted boards threw shadows thi&% and fearful!
The hiding pla&es were &ountless! He lifted the plasti& &overing on
one of the wheelbarrows, but there was only gravel beneath!
5ne pie&e of Sheetro&% hung off a <'by'< bea fro a single
nail, swaying slightly in the breeze li%e a weighty pendulu!
Tu&%ing his elbow to his wound and ta%ing in air errati&ally, #avid
wal%ed to it, trudging through sawdust and nails!
As he drew near, the Sheetro&% sashed toward hi, going to
pie&es and s&attering at his feet! Behind it, three flashlight beas
shot out at his fa&e! The plan%s and boards around hi rustled and
&rea%ed, then the whole interior of the building suddenly was alive
with loud, booing voi&es and beas of light!
7*ut down the fu&%ing''7
7''hands on your''7
7#rop it8 #rop it87
#avid dropped the pistol iediately! The &hopping approa&h of
a heli&opter rea&hed a deafening de&ibel, then a spotlight laid down
over #avid! He raised his ars, even though it sent a s&ree&hing
pain through his side!
5ne of the figures stepped forward fro behind the Sheetro&%,
waving his ars, a pistol in one hand! He entered the spotlight, his
fa&e glowing in the wan yellow light! Bale!
Behind hi, the other en rela6ed! #alton turned his ba&%,
bar%ing orders into a portable!
Bale popped out his earpie&e! 7Are you in1ured97 he as%ed!
#avid shoo% his head wea%ly! 7*eter, Bronner, and .en%ins are
upstairs! They're all in1ured, but no one's &riti&al! .en%ins sustained
a GS", but he'll be all right!7
7The building's already se&ured! Medi&s upstairs! "hat the fu&%
are you doing with a weapon97
7+t's .en%ins's!7
75h,7 Bale said! 70ven better!7
The offi&ers who'd been hidden in the building around #avid
&leared the area in groups, their loud, for&eful footsteps and
1angling e/uipent belts reinding hi of platoons deploying!
The heli&opter flew away, spotlight sweeping the street! *oli&e
&ars were suddenly everywhere, herding people off the sidewal%s,
setting up sawhorses!
Bale glan&ed down at #avid's bloodstained shirt! 7How bad97
#avid shrugged!
7"e need to get you to the hospital!7
7So you didn't get hi97
Bale's 1aw tightened! 7"e'll get hi! He &ouldn't have gotten far!7
7How long ago did you se&ure the area97
7.ust as you stepped out onto the fire es&ape!7
7He got out the window at least four inutes before that! -oo% for
blood!7
7Bou said he was hit97
7+ believe so! .en%ins got off a shot! There was blood and )lyde
dropped his gun, so + thin% he ight be wounded pretty badly!7
7Maybe he went soewhere to &url up and die!7 Bale slid his
pistol into his shoulder holster with a /ui&%, pra&ti&ed oveent!
Sha%ing his head, he &rou&hed and pi&%ed up the Beretta that
#avid had flung to the ground! 7Stepping into bad lighting and a
tense situation with a loaded weapon! Good thin%ing!7
Bale's portable s/uaw%ed and eitted an inde&ipherable burst of
stati&%y voi&e that Bale seeed to understand! 7"e've got soe
drun% frat boys essing with the perieter at "eyburn and
Bro6ton,7 he said, starting to 1og off! 7+ assue you &an find your
way to the 0(97
#avid nodded! #alton trudged after Bale, fa&e downturned into
his own portable! He patted #avid on the hip as he passed,
ballplayer style!
The building was suddenly deserted again! +n the spa&e where
the dangling pie&e of Sheetro&% had been looed the sturdy outline
of the hospital against the night s%y!
#avid began the tedious wal% a&ross -e )onte toward the 0(,
pain &oursing through his gut with every step! Soe people had
gathered behind the sawhorses at the sidewal%! A news
photographer leaned forward into #avid's fa&e and shot what ust
have been an entire roll of fil! An offi&er stopped #avid with a
gloved hand on his &hest! 7Sorry, buddy, no one gets through!7
7+' going to the 0(,7 #avid said, turning to show his wound! The
offi&er, evidently ipressed, let hi pass!
Trying to %eep pressure on his wound, #avid wal%ed up the
slope, through the &lusters of trees near the *)HS stru&ture where
)lyde had been arrested, down the &urving sidewal% where he'd
assaulted $an&y, into the abulan&e bay where he'd atta&%ed
Sandra!
Manning the se&urity des% in the lobby, (alph wat&hed #avid
spee&hlessly as he liped in and shoved through the swinging
doors into Hallway 5ne! #avid spotted the ,)*# &ops before he
saw #iane! They loo%ed on edge; &learly, they'd been alerted that
)lyde was in the area!
#avid nodded at the and peered into the &rowded )"A! His
wal% over had opened the wound further, dren&hing his shirt! #iane
handed off an arful of folders, bar%ed a few orders into the phone,
and wrote an order against her %nee!
The taller of the two offi&ers dire&ted an e6asperated e6pression
#avid's way! 7She's li%e the 0nergizer bunny on &o%e! "e're having
a tough tie %eeping up!7 He gestured at #avid's bloody shirt, then
inside the )"A! 7Bou'd better get that loo%ed at!7
#iane wiped a patient fro the board with an eraser and tapped
the slot below! 7+'ll ta%e 4an )anton in 3our and + need the'' 7 She
froze when she saw #avid in the doorway!
The roo fell silent! The nurses and do&tors wat&hed the both!
#iane wore an e6pression of blind pani&!
7+' all right,7 #avid said! 7+t's not a gunshot wound! .ust bro%en
stit&hes!7
She dropped her &hart on the ground and &rossed the roo in
four furious strides, ebra&ing hi hard around his ne&%! He held
her &lusily with one hand, the other pressed down over his
wound! "hen she &ae away, her s&rub top was stained with his
blood!
She fli&%ed her bangs out of her fa&e, the &olor slowly returning
to her &hee%s! 7-et's get you to a roo,7 she said!
The )"A reained silent behind the as she helped #avid
down the hall! The offi&ers followed #iane a few pa&es behind li%e
obedient puppies! She brought #avid into 06a 3ourteen, )lyde's
old roo, and sat hi on the table!
7He atta&%ed *eter,7 #avid said! 7+ anaged to get there before
he %illed hi! "e fought, but he es&aped! He's soewhere in
"estwood''the &ops are sweeping the area now!7
#iane hugged #avid's head, burying his fa&e in her &hest!
70nough, o%ay97 she said! 75%ay97 She drew ba&% and &rou&hed,
raising his shirt! She tested the edge of the wound with a finger!
7Bou need to be restit&hed!7
#avid rea&hed down and tou&hed her fa&e! Her wounds were
&losing over ni&ely, drying out and resolving theselves into faint
s&ars! He felt hiself briing with eotion and %new it showed in
his e6pression! #iane stood and her fa&e softened, laying the
foundation for a sile that had not yet &oe! Her eyes, &ool and
eerald, were vulnerable and deadly serious!
7+ don't love you,7 #avid said, a sile tou&hing his lips!
+t too% #iane a oent to find her voi&e and respond! 7+ don't
love you either!7
Guiding her fa&e with his hands, he %issed her tenderly on the
outh! She leaned into hi, and he inhaled the fragran&e of her
hair!
A loud %no&% on the door, then it swung open! .ill leaned into the
roo! 7"e have a thirtyish )au&asian ale, GS" to the right
shoulder, 1ust hit the abulan&e bay!7
3ro #avid's ebra&e, #iane regarded .ill, who raised her
eyebrows e6pe&tantly!
7.en%ins,7 #avid said! 7Go!7
#iane turned and headed for the door, grabbing a pair of gloves
fro a nearby &art! 7#on't go anywhere,7 she said over her
shoulder!
#avid sat on the e6aination table fighting the pain, whi&h was
proving to be an e6hausting 1ob! He reoved the wire fro his
&hest, win&ing as he pulled off the tape, and dropped it on the floor!
A gurney swept past the open door on its way to the traua
roo, a &luster of shouting nurses and do&tors surrounding it!
#iane was hun&hed over the front of the gurney, ba&%pedaling,
ad1usting the pla&eent of the bell of her stethos&ope and shouting
orders! Through the flurry of bodies, #avid saw .en%ins's fa&e,
drawn and unaused, but fully &ons&ious!
#avid wondered about hiself! His &areer at ,)-A was li%ely
over! He would re&eive plenty of opportunities to wor% elsewhere,
he was sure of that! The &hief of staff at )edars'Sinai had been
pressuring hi for years to &oe run their departent! Swit&hing
hospitals seeed appealing, but #avid thought he'd ta%e a few
onths off first, for the first tie in his adult life!
Bronner &ae in ne6t, wal%ing unevenly but under his own
power, pressing a bloody bandage to his hand! A unifored &op
es&orted hi! They wal%ed past the open door of #avid's e6a
roo without noti&ing hi! *eter's gurney followed shortly
afterward, surrounded by 0( staff! *eter was stirring, but still
seeed groggy! #avid &ouldn't get a good loo% at his fa&e, but he
saw the bra&es against his bare legs! *eter straightened his leg,
and a pat&h of &loth fell fro the etal 1oint at his an%le to the floor!
Hospital blue! A torn pie&e of )lyde's s&rub bottos!
5ne of the do&tors pulled up, letting *eter's gurney &ontinue up
the hall, and turned to fa&e #avid through the doorway! He wore a
white &oat, outdated eyeglasses, and a Canta& po&%et prote&tor!
His peppery bla&% hair, &olle&ted in tufts, was atted down around
his s%ull! The ousy, red'ried eyes were agnified through his
thi&% lenses, and #avid was stunned to realize that he was loo%ing
at 0d's latest persona!
0d's tongue shot out fro his outh, sall and pointy, and
oistened his lips! He blin%ed a few ties in rapid su&&ession, a
perfe&t iitation of a fa&ial ti&%, then flipped soething up li%e a
&oin and &aught it! The digital transitter fro *eter's bra&e! 0d
raised two fingers and tapped the to his forehead in a salute!
Before #avid &ould rea&t, he turned and vanished!
#avid leaned ba&% on the e6a table and fo&used on breathing
evenly! He found the 1arring sounds of the 0( oddly soothing''
gurney wheels on tile, s&alpels &lin%ing on trays, onitors beeping
as they tra&ed hills and valleys!
An orderly left a &overed body on a gurney a&ross the hall fro
#avid's roo, and shouted into the )"A, 7Soeone &all orgue
for a pi&%up87 before disappearing ba&% down the hall!
#avid stared at the dar%, lupy body bag! The &adaver inside
was obese and tall, li%e )lyde! The pain in #avid's side flared when
his feet hit the floor! He shuffled to the gurney and leaned over it,
ta%ing a deep breath before unzipping the bag!
The fa&e of an elderly bla&% an peered out at hi! #avid let his
breath out in a rush! Though the &adaver was fresh, a bitter,
edi&inal sell wafted fro the fabri& of the body bag! .ust li%e the
odor he'd noti&ed eanating fro )lyde in *eter's offi&e! He bent
over slowly, though it pained hi, and pi&%ed up the swat&h of
fabri& fro )lyde's s&rubs! He pressed it to his nose, and inhaled!
The sten&h of foralin!
At on&e, #avid %new with the sae gut assuran&e that &ae
when he pulled a &luster of syptos together and produ&ed a
diagnosis! He trudged slowly down the hall, past the frenzied
traua roo, ba&% into the heart of the hospital!
7Hey, #r! Spier,7 a lab te&h &alled out! 7Get ba&% to the roo!
Soeone'll stit&h you up in a se&!7
#avid %ept wal%ing, drawing loo%s fro patients and other
physi&ians! Blood dribbled fro his wound, leaving a vivid red drop
every five or so feet''his spool of thread through the labyrinth! He
headed down the /uieter halls of the hospital!
*un&hing a four'digit &ode into the 5nilo&%, he stepped through
the door into the ba&% &orridor! He wal%ed slowly to the freight
elevators used for hauling dead bodies up to the &rypt! The elevator
whirred and &rea%ed on its way up, the bright light overhead
assaulting his senses!
+t halted with a definitive thud on the seventh floor, and the doors
spread! #avid stepped out into the unlit &orridor and wal%ed to the
anatoy lab! Another door, another four'digit &ode! The disse&ting'
table doors that &losed up over the &adavers were all laid open, the
units resebling hat&hed pods! The tables were bare and s&rubbed
&lean! #avid noti&ed a ball of wadded &heese&loth at the head of
one of the tables! )lyde had used it as a pillow these last days; he'd
slept on the disse&ting table li%e a vapire in a &offin! Beside the
table was a ound of food that loo%ed to be s&avenged fro trash
&ans''sandwi&h rinds, s%ins of oranges, bent yogurt &ups! $e6t to
that, a s&attering of s&alpels, s&issors, and bea%ers! And, of &ourse,
a &ontainer of li/uid #rain0ze!
The light in the prep roo was also off! #avid stepped through,
approa&hing the ighty wooden door of the &rypt! The door &li&%ed
loudly when he tugged the handle, then he was standing in the
flood of light fro the interior, the strong odor of foralin gusting
around hi! (ow upon row of bodies hung fro their heads,
swaying ever so slightly on &rea%ing &hains and for&ipifor &laps!
*ropped against the far wall, at the terinating point of a essy
band of blood, was )lyde! A hand&uff en&ir&led one hand; the other
was pressed to the gunshot wound in his side! He'd been &rying!
He rea&hed for #avid sha%ily, the loose &uff swaying beneath his
wrist! $o sensation of fear fli&%ered through #avid; he felt only a
steady, hardened &al! He propped the &rypt door open!
)lyde's voi&e was 1er%y fro his irregular breathing! 7They don't !
! ! they don't loo% at e here!7 He gestured to the hanging bodies!
7And they don't leave! They &an't up and leave e!7 His fa&e
trebled, his lips down'bending and spreading in a guttural &ry! 7+t
hurts ! ! ! it hurts a lot!7
7+ %now,7 #avid said!
7+ 1ust wanted to be better! That's all + ever wanted!7 )lyde
banged his head against the wall, sending a dull vibration through
the roo! 7+ too% the pills, so any pills, but they didn't wor%!
$othing wor%ed!7
Still swathed in a blan%et of veritable &al, #avid oved toward
hi!
7#on't ta%e e to the,7 )lyde oaned! 7*lease don't let the
have e!7
#avid &rou&hed over hi, ignoring the hand )lyde &urled in his
shirt! .en%ins's bullet had left a neat hole in )lyde's right upper
/uadrant abdoen! The entry wound was 1ust beneath the ribs,
angled upward! The bullet had probably ni&%ed the liver! )lyde
gasped, sending a spurt of blood through the wound and a&ross his
spread fingers!
7God, don't let the po%e and pry at e! +' s&ared of the! S'
so s&ared!7 His legs %i&%ed dubly against the blood'sli&% floor! 7+t
hurts oh .esus it hurts!7
The top of )lyde's fist pressed hard into #avid's &hee%! #avid
shoved )lyde's hand away roughly, and )lyde whipered! *anting
and grunting, )lyde tried to slide hiself up the wall to a standing
position, but &ollapsed! #avid wat&hed hi with an angry &al! He
thought of $an&y's distorted fa&e, and #iane's &ringing as he %issed
her, and felt his anger intensify until it burned hard and geli%e!
)lyde slid away fro the wall, using a hand to ove his legs! He
eased hiself onto his ba&%, trebling, the stray hand&uff
&hattering against the &old floor! He rea&hed gently for #avid, but,
again, #avid pushed his hand away!
)lyde's voi&e was a hoarse, terrified whisper! 7+t's so awful out
there! The &ops and people who want to pry at e!7 He loo%ed at
#avid with a startling &larity! 7+ don't want to leave this roo,7 he
said! 7$ot ever!7
)rou&hing, #avid slid his stethos&ope fro his shoulders and
into position! He &he&%ed )lyde's heart rate! Ta&hy&ardi&! His 0(
instin&ts flared! )all for a gurney, rush the patient down to the 0(,
get lines into hi! 7+ need to get you downstairs,7 he said! 7Bou
need help!7
)lyde's entire fa&e /uivered! 7$o, no, no! #on't a%e e! + don't
want to anyore! + don't want any of it anyore! Give e a pill to
a%e e end in here!7
7+ &an't do that,7 #avid said!
7! ! !please97
7$o! + will not!7
)lyde wat&hed hi for a oent, his eyes beady and glinting in
his wide head! 7"'why97
7+' your do&tor!7
7Then let e ! ! ! 7 )lyde's breath hit&hed in his throat, a hi&&up
of a sob! 7-et e stay here!7 He bro%e down, weeping pitifully!
7*lease don't ta%e e to the! Any of the!7
#avid felt eotion welling in his throat, his eyes, his fa&e! His
voi&e was sha%ing! 7+f + don't get you downstairs right now, you will
die,7 he said, with a slow veheen&e! 7#o you understand that97
7Bes,7 )lyde said! 7Bes!7
#avid's fist tightened on the bran&h of his stethos&ope! He
should be irrigating )lyde's wound, paging surgery, pushing
orphine! He felt soething brea% inside hi!
7+' sorry,7 )lyde said! 73or everything +'ve done! + wish + &ould
ta%e it ba&%!7
#avid wat&hed )lyde through his thawing nubness!
)lyde's breath hit&hed in his &hest several ties! "hen he spo%e
again, his voi&e too% on an eerie &al! 7+t hurts all the tie! +nto y
head! Sounds and noises and su&h! -i%e a train! The only &al is
around the edges, where there's /uiet dar% and no one to loo% at
e!7 His eyes were watering, steady, silent streas of tears &arving
down his broad &hee%s! He rea&hed and &lut&hed #avid's leg
pitifully! #avid stood and too% a step ba&%, his stethos&ope falling
fro his shoulders! Around hi, the yellowed bodies hung and
swayed!
#avid thought of the blood )lyde had lost, and the long and
painful surgeries he'd have to endure if he hoped to survive! He
thought of the slow, agonizing re&overy, the grueling &ourtroo trial,
vi&ious prison'yard tauntings and &ell'blo&% beatings, and he
realized that the &hoi&e )lyde was a%ing was not u&h of a
&hoi&e at all!
7Hold e,7 )lyde &ried! 7*'please! #on't leave e ! ! ! don't leave
e alone!7 He gasped and bled, his eyes never leaving #avid's! He
tried to tou&h #avid's leg again, but &ould not rea&h!
#avid wat&hed )lyde writhing on the floor! After a few oents,
)lyde's fa&e blurred before hi! #avid sat down beside hi on the
&old, hard floor!
He too% )lyde's hand! +t was war and sti&%y with blood!
)lyde's breaths were growing ore shallow! They were the only
sounds to brea% the silent hu of the &rypt! 7Bou'll stay with e97
#avid nodded!
7Bou won't ! ! ! you won't leave9 ,ntil it's over97
#avid shoo% his head!
)lyde s/ueezed #avid's hand, his lips trebling! 75%ay,7 he said!
75%ay!7
He %ept his eyes on #avid, his breaths 1er%ing his &hest! An
e6pression of resignation settled a&ross )lyde's features! His body
loosened, then his head rolled up and to the side! The wrin%les
soothed fro his forehead! #avid lowered )lyde's lip hand,
bringing it to rest on his &hest!
He &losed )lyde's eyelids with a thub and forefinger, and
stood!
The freight elevator doors opened loudly down the hall! He heard
a &avalry of footsteps, and #iane's worried voi&e &alling out, 7#avid,
are you here9 "here are you97
He opened his outh to spea%, but was still too &lose to
weeping, so he too% a step ba&% fro )lyde's body and studied the
floor, gathering the s&attered threads of his eotions! His
stethos&ope lay on the tile, &urved li%e a &adu&eus sna%e!
#iane &ried out for hi again, down the hall but growing nearer!
"in&ing through the pain, #avid &rou&hed and pi&%ed up his
stethos&ope! He turned to the door, pulling the stethos&ope a&ross
his shoulders, and began the painful shuffle down the hall to #iane!
7Here,7 he &alled out! 7+' here!7
A -5T +S (+#+$G 5$ G0TT+$G +T (+GHT: A$ +$T0(4+0"
"+TH G(0GG A$#(0" H,("+TC
*erfe&tBound spo%e with Gregg Andrew Hurwitz on .une 2=,
>==>!
*erfe&tBound: #o $o Har is of a pie&e with Minutes to Burn
Palso published by *erfe&tBoundQ and your first novel, The Tower ''
but they are also all /uite different boo%s! "hat went into the
a%ing of #o $o Har that differed fro the other two9
Gregg Andrew Hurwitz: 7"rite what you %now7 is the advi&e that
gets handed out to young writers, so + /uite willfully do the opposite!
Be&ause writing for e is an e6&use for &ontinuing edu&ation, +
often pi&% fields to resear&h that have always fas&inated e, but
about whi&h + don't %now u&h when + start out '' psy&hologi&al
profiling in The Tower, $avy S0A-s and evolutionary biology in
Minutes to Burn!
#o $o Har is a u&h ore personal boo% for e, though! And +
a, in fa&t, writing to a &ertain e6tent about what + %now! + grew up
in this intensely edi&al household! 0veryone's a do&tor '' y
grandfather, great un&le, y father, y sister! 3or Minutes + spent
the better part of two years trying to really understand the indset
of, say, a deolitions e6pert! But for #o $o Har the &hara&ter stuff
'' how do&tors thin% and spea% '' &ae /uite easily, in part than%s
to the faily &onne&tion! But + still had to do a great deal of
resear&h to get all the details right! Maybe ore so, be&ause +
&ouldn't have y &hara&ter grabbing the wrong instruent during
surgery or +'d never hear the end of it fro y faily!
*Bd: How about the plot for #o $o Har9 0asier, ore diffi&ult,
than for the other two novels9
Hurwitz: Beah, the plot itself was also u&h ore personal to
e! + try to a%e ea&h boo% about soething aside fro the a&tual
draati& a&tion '' Minutes deals with environental issues, for
instan&e, and offers, + hope, legitiate and ethi&al arguents fro
all sides of the debate! But, again, + was a little &loser to the issues
in #o $o Har to begin with '' the boo% addresses &ertain topi&s
that +'ve been turning over in y ind for a long tie!
*Bd: The Hippo&rati& 5ath, for starters!
Hurwitz: +t was dis&ussed at the dinner table fro as early on as +
&an reeber! And it always fas&inated e '' having a &ode of
ethi&s where you have to heal people, and soeties save their
lives, whether you li%e the or not! At age si6, it's tough to get your
ind around your dad treating a $azi or a rapist, if he has to! +t's
sort of li%e a &op hauling in an established urderer, aybe
soeone who's beaten the rap a few ties, instead of
adinistering street 1usti&e! Be&ause the -aw ust prevail! 0thi&s
over eotion!
*Bd: But it's pre&isely not being able 1ust to do these things
autoati&ally in the nae of professionalis, or soe higher ideal
that's supposed to attend to professionalis, that a%es #o $o
Har really run!
Hurwitz: My resear&h into various odels of psy&hopathology
has led e to believe that there are &ertain types of ental illness
for whi&h there is no &ure! *eople li%e )lyde &an't be fi6ed '' they'll
never be non'threats, let alone good &itizens! So what do you do
with the9 *at&h the up and send the off to a iserable, painful
e6isten&e in prison9 There are no options that a%e sense, only
soe that are slightly less awful! +t's always iportant for e to
have all sides of a dilea represented well '' and here, the
dete&tives and patrolen, at ties, have stronger arguents than
#avid Spier, y protagonist! All y &hara&ters are sorting through a
ess, trying to &oe at it fro various ideologies, and none of
the wor%!
*Bd: Ba&% to the resear&h for a inute; let's not leave that! "e
learned in our interview in the e'boo% edition of Minutes to Burn of
the %ind of intensive resear&h you do! So what was re/uired here9
Hurwitz: "ell, + shadowed in the ,)-A 0ergen&y (oo on and
off for two onths, hanging around wherever + &ould, following
do&tors into e6a roos and wat&hing pro&edures! But also going
to lun&h with the, grabbing a beer after shifts, hearing the
bullshit and &oplain about their &ases! *i&%ing up the lingo wasn't
hard, sin&e + already had a teplate fro y faily, but ea&h field
of edi&ine has its own argot, its own gripes, its own issues with
other spe&ialties and departents!
My tie in the 0( was really e6&iting and &harged! The worst
thing + saw was an an6ious intern giving a re&tal to a hoeless guy!
+ wasn't sure who was ore un&ofortable '' the intern, the patient,
or e, the nauseous resear&her!
The 0( resear&h was great, but to follow up the &ontinuing &are
of our al%ali'burn vi&tis, + had to get to plasti& surgeons, +),
nurses, ophthalologists, gastroenterologists Lthis wasn't too
diffi&ult, as y father and sister are both G+sM, and ore!
To get Hora&e M&)annister right '' the -ab Te&h ++ who ta%es
apart &adavers and distributes their pie&es to various departents
'' + spent soe tie with a true -ab Te&h ++! 4isiting over
segented bodies and the whine of a saw was a uni/ue
e6perien&e!
*Bd: And the poli&e wor%9 The investigative aspe&ts of the
boo%9
Hurwitz: + had to go about the fro two angles! The first was
the -A*#! Sae drill as always '' a%e several &onta&ts, and 1ust
spend tie with the! Tal%ing, drin%ing, driving around! Hearing
the bit&h about other stations! Hearing -A*# &oplain about
,niversity *oli&e and vi&e versa! As%ing /uestions about pro&edure
by the boo%, and pro&edure how it really goes down in the field!
Another angle, whi&h was really fun, was following around a guy
+ et who does a lot of 7unoffi&ial7 surveillan&e and investigative
wor%! 3or the stunts 0d *in%erton pulls in the boo%, + had to learn
how guys get things done off the re&ord, out of the syste! +
developed a relationship with this &onta&t, as + often do! Guys li%e
that don't li%e to tal%, and you have to spend tie earning their trust
and respe&t! So by the tie they tal% '' if they tal% '' they usually
li%e you pretty well! And this &onta&t really developed into a good
friendship!
So + &ould &all hi up and say, 7-et's ta%e a ride over to the
,)-A Medi&al )enter! -et's ta%e a stroll through the abulan&e
bay7 '' where )lyde hurls the al%ali '' 7and tell e what you see!7
Be&ause ore than anything else, writing &hara&ter is about
figuring out how your person thin%s, how they view the world! And
1ust wal%ing around town, this friend of ine would noti&e a
gardener wasn't sweaty enough! He'd say, 7+t's ninety degrees out!
That guy's not wor%ing! He's &ertainly not been there all day! "hat
is he doing9 )asing the pla&e9 "aiting for soeone97 He 1ust had
an eye for noti&ing when things and people were out of pla&e! And +
started developing it too, 1ust hanging around hi! So now +'
tending ore paranoid than oblivious!
*Bd: Bou've opted to go with real settings in the real world for
your story '' notably, the ,)-A Medi&al )enter! #oes using a real
setting enfor&e a %ind of dis&ipline in the writing9
Hurwitz: +t absolutely does! +t a%es the writing harder, and it
a%es it easier! +t a%es it harder be&ause you &an't fudge it! A lot
of the settings in The Tower are fi&tional '' that's be&ause when +
wrote the boo%, + was in 56ford! So if + set a s&ene in a restaurant
in San 3ran&is&o '' guess what9 + ade up the restaurant! But on&e
+ sold The Tower and &ould devote yself to writing fulltie Land
had the resour&es for resear&hM, + strove for greater verisiilitude! +
wrote a few drafts of Minutes to Burn before realizing, This isn't
wor%ing! + have to go to Galapagos! And so + pa&%ed up and went to
0&uador for a while!
#o $o Har was slightly easier be&ause it's set in -!A!, where +
live, but + still had to get y fa&ts right! + reeber being on the
phone for the better part of the orning &alling around ,)-A to get
soe statisti&s on the Medi&al )enter '' that it has >E iles of
&orridor, &overs F!2 illion s/uare feet, and has ?I e6its! "hile this
is harder to do than 1ust a%ing up the figures, it also a%es y 1ob
easier! This is pretty fas&inating stuff! +t a%es for good reading, +
hope! The fa&t that the aount of ,)-A Medi&al )enter's s/uare
footage is se&ond only to the *entagon's is pretty dan fas&inating!
And it rings true be&ause it is true!
*Bd: #efinitely, and it puts you in good &opany! Soeone told
e on&e '' +' not sure if it's true but it sure sounds good '' that
3laubert a&tually &onsulted lunar &alendars so that he would %now
e6a&tly what a &hara&ter in Madae Bovary was &apable of seeing
on a given night! But let's tal% about points where you and Gustave
part &opany '' pretty intense s&enes, the opening of the boo%, and
two that really affe&ted e as + read the, are )lyde's )hapter 2>
and )hapter 2F! Ghastly stuff, but well and honestly told! "hat was
re/uired of the writer to produ&e pressurized, violent s&enes li%e
those and others that follow9
Hurwitz: The violen&e of the boo% is not glaorized, glorified, or
thought up in ters of an a&tion fli&% '' it's very realisti&, and very
star%! + strove to a%e this boo% as gritty as possible! +t's a edi&al
novel, and so + felt a responsibility to a%e the in1uries and the
violen&e progress with s&ientifi& pre&ision! And that holds true for
)lyde's &hapters as well! He's not a drooling, s&heing adan
petting a white &at '' he's a real, unhinged, patheti& an, as are
ost people who perpetrate violent &ries! There are very few Ted
Bundies out there! 5ne thing + learned in the writing of this boo%
was: the ore real the violen&e, the less over'the'top it is, the
greater the ipa&t! And so + %ept pulling ba&% the violen&e, a%ing
it less eotional, and it %ept rat&heting up the tension of the read!
5ne thing + found with )lyde is that + had a real intuitive handle
on hi and how his ind wor%ed! "hen + was tal%ing to
psy&hiatrists at the $*+ P,)-A's $europsy&hiatri& +nstituteQ + was
des&ribing )lyde and trying to find soe neat #SM'+4 &lassifi&ation
to fit hi into P#iagnosti& and Statisti&al Manual of Mental
#isorders, 3ourth 0ditionQ! +s he s&hizophreni&9 +s he this9 +s he
that9 And an $*+ do&tor %ept gaely trying to help e with this, but
then +'d argue with hi! 7"ell, that sounds good, but )lyde's really
ore li%e this!7 And finally, the do& loo%ed at e and said, 7-isten,
ost of our patients don't fit neat &lassifi&ations, anyway '' the
&lassifi&ations are 1ust there for guidelines! +t sounds li%e you have
a real handle on this guy in a way that a%es hi see u&h ore
li%e a real patient!7 And + realized he was right '' y view of )lyde
was already inta&t, and it ade it better than pi&%ing a &lassifi&ation
and wor%ing ba&%ward to invent &hara&ter traits!
*Bd: (odney :ing a%es an appearan&e, in nae, in the novel!
Bou haven't overloo%ed the fa&t that -!A! is a very ra&ially aware
pla&e, to phrase it politi&ally &orre&tly! 3a&ing that fa&t is, +'
guessing, again part of the verisiilitude that you're going for here!
Hurwitz: My goal, when drawing well'rounded &hara&ters, is to
have the tal% the tal% and wal% the wal%! The fa&t of the atter is,
whether &ops are ra&ist or not Land ost +'ve et are notM, they are
rarely politi&ally &orre&t! They don't use deli&ate language, and they
don't shy away fro &alling it li%e they see it! And neither do y
&hara&ters who are poli&e offi&ers!
*Bd: 5%ay, you as%ed for this one: 7"ow! Sounds li%e an
episode of 0(!7 5nly the ost popular draati& show in the history
of television! How does soeone wor%ing this turf bear the
treendous weight of that progra9 +t's not li%e one &an pretend
it's not there! And as a follow'up /uestion '' let e get this in here
now, be&ause + thin% it's iportant '' what do you do when
&onfronted with the fa&ts that 0( gets wrong, &onsistently, and that
have be&oe your readership's version of reality!
Hurwitz: 0( is a rear%able show and a rear%able
a&hieveent! My novel is a different sort of story, but at the sae
tie, you're right, + &ouldn't and didn't write the boo% pretending 0(
didn't e6ist! And so + have y &hara&ters a%e a few referen&es to
the show '' self'&ons&ious ones '' be&ause the show has be&oe
su&h a part of the zeitgeist that do&tors and patients 1o%e about it
now, in reality, all the tie!
"hat is different about #o $o Har is that the priary
orientation is not on 7life as usual in the 0(!7 +t deals with an
e6traordinary, spe&ifi& event! And it is, + believe, ore &hara&ter'
intensive in &ertain ways sin&e + don't have the responsibility of
fitting plot lines for an entire &ast into four twelve'inute segents!
Also, the ephasis of y boo% is priarily ethi&al, and the ways
that an ethi&al dilea affe&ts #avid Spier's &hara&ter!
*Bd: + get the sense fro your boo% and, of &ourse, fro 0(,
that eergen&y roos are not the best odels of &ollegiality!
There's a lot of grousing and bar%ing going on a lot of the tie! True
in reality9 This interviewer has, than%fully, not had to spend a lot of
tie around 0(s and hopes not to!
Hurwitz: -et e start to answer that by saying that + had a very
idealized view of do&s be&ause of y ba&%ground! + thought they
were all ordained fro birth, and were odels of ethi&s and &are! +t
was a disillusioning pro&ess for e '' in high s&hool and &ollege ''
to realize that this wasn't the &ase! A lot of do&s are fantasti&! But
soe are assholes, soe are egoania&s, soe are s&ien&e
gee%s who &ouldn't figure out what they wanted to do, so they too%
pre'ed &lasses and went fro there! + was aazed at how u&h
politi&s plays a role in treatent these days! But then you'll see the
one intern or attending go the e6tra ile, stay an hour'and'a'half
after shift to help soeone, and your faith is renewed! And it puts
your 1ob in perspe&tive! $o atter how shitty a day + have, people
&an't die as a result of it! And it a%es &lear the treendous
responsibility that every do&tor shoulders!
*Bd: )hapter ?? Lthere are a dozen other good e6aplesM aply
deonstrates the %inds of heroi& tests a do&tor &an be put through!
Bet we lose sight of that, + thin%, in part be&ause our own physi&ians
ay see less than heroi& at ties! 5n the flip side, as to T4 Land
+' not 1ust pi&%ing on 0(M the sheer onslaught of horrors are et
inevitably by a super&harged edi&al herois that borders on the
&artoonish at ties '' if it doesn't a&tually &ross over deep into
&artoon territory! So how to find the balan&e here, espe&ially when
you're writing a boo% that aspires to a wide readership! The 7&old,
vengeful rage7 that #avid feels for )lyde late in the boo%, +'ve got to
tell you, + would have felt a lot sooner in his &ir&ustan&es! But
aybe that's why #avid's a do&tor and +' not!
Hurwitz: Again, this is where the boo% gets personal! My father
and grandfather set the standard of the ways a do&tor ust view
the world '' + had a personal e6perien&e of that worldview! +f do&s
are doing their 1ob well, they do &oe to view people and
intera&tions differently, through the tint of a different lense! -i%e
&ops, li%e hoo%ers, li%e anyone else who routinely sees people at
the liits of huan behavior! #avid, as a do&, is u&h ore
in&lined to view )lyde as a an with a si&%ness than to editate on
whether he's evil! "ho &ares if he's evil9 He's &learly disturbed,
&learly ill! "hy spend tie &ultivating a hatred of hi9 This is not to
say do&tors are superior orally '' they're 1ust trained to view
huan behavior ore &lini&ally! However, at the point in the te6t
when #avid feels a 7&old, vengeful rage7 is when )lyde's violations
be&oe e6treely personal! And at that point, #avid's rea&tion is a
ore universal one, be&ause )lyde's a&tions have 1arred hi out of
a physi&ian's indset!
*Bd: +s )lyde's end inevitable9
Hurwitz: Tough /uestion! $o &hara&ter's fate is inevitable when
you begin writing a boo%, be&ause then all you'll do is railroad that
&hara&ter to said fate! But if you draw realisti& &hara&ters, and if
you allow the free reign within your pres&ribed plot, the &hoi&es at
their disposal narrow until one ending &an be said to be ore or
less organi& than another!
*Bd: )lyde es&apes, )lyde &oes ba&% '' happens all the tie
in our all'too'real world! "e've grown used to it! 3urther to the
verisiilitude thee we've got going here Land this relates to #o $o
Har as well as 0(M at what point as a novelist does reality leave
you feeling defeated '' or does it9 +t's be&oe &li&he to say that
anything a writer &an thin% up, wait for 1ust a little while and reality
will trup hi!
Hurwitz: This is not the sort of thing that leaves e feeling
defeated as a novelist! +n fa&t, + find it sort of invigorating! There's a
relationship between art and life '' and a &ople6 one! + don't
believe one erely iitates the other! + thin% they affe&t ea&h other,
while aintaining distin&t rules of their own! There is soething
agi&al in the fa&t that legal pro&eedings fro 5s&ar "ilde to
.oseph M&)arthy offer suspense, stru&ture, and pa&ing that is
superior to ost &ourtroo thrillers! And then soething li%e
Septeber 22 &oes along, and everyone's first thought is 7How
&an we write after that97 But that event offered us e6aples of
herois and patriotis, not to ention &owardi&e and
ali&iousness, on a s&ale that we haven't seen in years! And that,
too, will find e6pression in art!
*Bd: 0ver toy with the idea of be&oing a do&tor yourself9
Hurwitz: $ot re&ently, u&h to the &hagrin of y .ewish parents!
"hen + was younger it was soething + &onteplated, in part
be&ause severe in1uries and blood don't faze e treendously! +
suppose that /uir% of ine aids in y &areer as a novelist as well ''
flipping through &rie s&ene photos or standing in on a gory
pro&edure aren't pleasant tas%s, but + &an handle the! +f + were
going to be a do&, the 0( appeals to e the ost '' the fast pa&e,
the &onstant surprises, the /ui&% fi6es! But + thin% the priary
obsta&le to a &areer in edi&ine is that + li%e writing novels too
dan u&h!
STAT, SA-+$0, )B): 0( T0(MS #03+$0#
"hy do the &hara&ters on 0( say 7stat7 all the tie9 "hy the
&onstant deand for saline9 7*ulseo67 '' huh9 And 1ust what is a
)B)9 Melissa Hurwitz, M!#! Lthe author's sisterM, offers soe /ui&%
definitions of ters you've heard dozens of ties on T4, and also
ters that are spe&ifi& to the edi&al s&enes in #o $o Har! Bou
&an easily navigate between this glossary and the te6t of the novel
with a &li&% of a hyperlin%!
7blood pressure had 1ust hit si6ty7: a healthy blood pressure! +n
this s&ene, it indi&ates that the patient has been helped by fluid and
blood resus&itation, along with draining of the blood fro around
the heart!
)B): The &oplete blood &ount L)B)M easures the nuber of
red and white blood &ells, the total aount of heoglobin in the
blood, and other vital aspe&ts of blood!
&repitan&e: gasKair that has es&aped fro the lungs and has
be&oe lodged in the sub&utaneous tissues, 1ust beneath the s%in!
A faint &ra&%ling sound or sensation is appre&iated when fingers are
run over the s%in!
&yanoti&: displaying bluish or purple s%in or u&osal &olor;
&aused by poor o6ygen supply to tissues!
0:G: ele&tro&ardiogra, also referred to as 0)G! A ethod of
deonstrating the ele&tri&al a&tivity of the heart! )ir&ular adhesive
pat&hes atta&hed to ele&tri&al leads are pla&ed e6ternally on the
&hest wall and other lo&ations on the patient's body! The results,
seen on a onitor or strip of paper fro the 0:G a&hine, show
the heart's rate and rhyth!
erytheatous: redness of the s%in &aused by &ongestion and
dilatation of the &apillaries!
etoidate and ro&uroniu: standard edi&ations used to sedate
and paralyze a patient prior to intubation!
7heart rate R 2<=7: the heart rate is a %ey vital sign! +t is usually
assessed along with blood pressure, respiratory rate, and
o6ygenation saturation! A noral resting heart rate in adults is
between ?='I= beats per inute! An elevated heart rate indi&ates
pain, an6iety, fear, fever, or de&reased intravas&ular Lwithin the
veinsM volue!
#e&reased intravas&ular volue: indi&ates that there is not
enough volue Li!e!, bloodM in the patient's blood vessels to get
enough o6ygen to the patient's tissues and organs! The body
&opensates by having the heart beat faster!
o'two saturation: refers to how well one is breathing and getting
o6ygen to tissues and organs! $oral saturation is 2==S!
paten&y: openness, e6tent of being unblo&%ed!
peri&ardial taponade: o&&urs when blood fills the sa& around
the heart, ipeding the heart's ability to beat properly and pup
blood to the body!
pH strips: pla&ed on the s%in to deterine whether a &ontainant
is basi& or a&idi&! The nature of the &ontainant affe&ts
assessent and treatent of in1uries!
7pulseo67, or pulse o6ieter: is a devi&e used to easure
o6ygenation saturation Lsee 7o'two saturation7; a sall sensor is
typi&ally atta&hed to the patient's finger!
rapid infuser: a a&hine that /ui&%ly transfuses blood!
retra&tions: the s%in of the &hest pulls in upon inspiration,
indi&ating diffi&ulty breathing!
saline: the standard fluid used for volue resus&itation! +f
soeone has had signifi&ant bleeding, lost volue ust be
repla&ed! "hile waiting for blood produ&ts to arrive, intravas&ular
volue &an be /ui&%ly e6panded with saline!
stat: fro the -atin, stati, eaning: 7+ediately87
stridorous: a loud, harsh respiration, usually upon inspiration
LinhalationM; &aused by swelling of the upper airway!
substernal: beneath the sternu!
supra&lavi&ular: above the &ollar bone!
tension pneuothora6: A &ollapse of the lung &aused by a
pun&ture of the lung! Air es&apes and fills the spa&e around the
lung, &opressing it! The lung &annot e6pand during inspiration
be&ause it is being pressed on by the air that now surrounds it! This
was a&&urately depi&ted in #avid 5! (ussell's fil of the Gulf "ar,
Three :ings L2EEEM! "hen Mar% "ahlberg's &hara&ter, Sergeant
3irst )lass Troy Barlow, had a tension pneuothora6 and had a
needle inserted into his &hest with a valve to relieve pressure by
releasing the air!
Melissa Hurwitz, M!#!, is a 3ellow in *ediatri& Gastroenterology
at *a&%ard )hildren's Hospital at Stanford ,niversity!
A&%nowledgents
Melissa Hurwitz, M!#!: My staun&hest Land longestM supporter
and one hell of a reader
The eory of y grandfather, #avid Hurwitz, M!#!
My other: 3or everything
Matthew Gua: My indefatigable advo&ate and not'so'
indefatigable bourbon &ohort
Mar& H! Gli&% and Stephen 3! Breier: #edi&ation personified
.ess Taylor: :ing of )oentary, Aueen of 4itriol
Adriana Alberghetti, Brian -ipson, #awn Saltzan, To Stri&%ler:
Siply the best
#avid 4igliano, #ean "illiason: 3or getting it done
Mi&hael Morrison: My esteeed publisher
-isa Gallagher and -ibby .ordan: Mar%eting gurus
#r! .ordan B! *eterson, *rofessor of *sy&hology, ,niversity of
Toronto: "ho &ontinues to be a a1or influen&e on y life! Blae
hi!
GTTTMTTT: 3or his e6pertise on everything fro digital
transitters to shoe profiling
Matthew -issa%, M!#!, $europsy&hiatri& +nstitute: 3or his insight
Marshall Morgan, M!#!, #ire&tor, ,)-A Medi&al )enter
0ergen&y (oo: 3or allowing e to shadow his attendings and
residents
#on Mebust, M!#!: 3or showing e the ,)-A 0( fro abs&ess
to zoster
:eith -ewis, 0balerKAutopsy Te&h, ,)-A Med )enter:
Brilliant ra&onteur of the grisly
*eter )atalino: 3or the ed student tour
5ffi&er Marlin Hill: 3or helping e get down the attitude and the
argot
The two .ohn #oes: 3or stuff
*rofessor Mi&hael S! Berlin, M!#!, #ire&tor, Glau&oa
+nstituteKBeverly Hills: 3or his generous &ounsel on atters o&ular
Mohaed M! 0lahi, M!#!, 3()S)'*lasti& Surgery: 3or his
guidan&e about burn treatent
(obert Andonian, M!#!: 3or input regarding *eter
)harlotte Brinsont'Brown, -!)!S!"!: 3or enlightening e on
aspe&ts of )hildren's Servi&es
Bret $elson, M!#!: The ne6t generation
:ristin Herold: 3or her support
The boo%sellers: Than% you
My readers: "ho a%e it all espe&ially worthwhile
AB5,T TH0 A,TH5(
Gregg Andrew Hurwitz is the author of The Tower and Minutes to
Burn! He is &urrently at wor% on his fourth novel! He lives in -os
Angeles!
A-S5 BB G(0GG A$#(0" H,("+TC
TH0 T5"0( M+$,T0S T5 B,($
)(0#+TS
.a&%et design by (i&hard A/aun .a&%et photograph by .an )obb
#esigned by (enato Stanisi&