Robin Cook - Critical

"I want to be sure about this, too," Vinnie said finally. "In the past, it seems as if she has had nine lives, and with two hospitals right in the same area, a shot would have to be damn good. It would be just our luck if we got her good and they saved her. Snatch her and get rid of her once and for all! As far as another van goes, we've got more than we need. Are you going back to the OCME at lunchtime? We can't wait around for a week for this to go down, you know what I'm saying."

"We are aware," Angelo said. He was relieved Vinnie didn't jump at the easy way out. The more Angelo thought about it, the more intent he was on a slow demise for Dr. Laurie Montgomery.

"Are you okay with this?" Vinnie asked Franco.

"It has its merits," Franco said grudgingly. "But I'm worried about one thing."

"What's that?"

"In all due respect, Angelo is a bit too juiced up over this job. This morning, after we left the stakeout, we had to stop at Home Depot for a big bucket and a couple of bags of quick-set. I get nervous when there's this degree of emotion. I mean, he's thinking about this purely as payback, not a job. When emotions are involved like this, mistakes happen. People don't think right."

A wry smile appeared on Vinnie's face as he turned to Angelo. Clearly, he did not disapprove of Angelo's vengeful plans. At the same time, Vinnie knew Franco was right.

"So you want Laurie Montgomery to stew for a while before you drop her in the drink?"

"Something like that," Angelo admitted.

"What about Franco's point about mistakes can be made if emotions are involved and you're too eager?"

"I'll keep it in mind, and tone myself down."

Vinnie switched his attention to Franco. "Satisfied?" he questioned.

Franco nodded. "If he listens to me."

Vinnie nodded as well and looked back at Angelo. "You two are a team. Talk to each other! Don't take chances! Be cool!" Angelo nodded.

"Okay," Vinnie said. "It's decided. Freddie and Richie, get another van. Keep in touch with each other and keep me informed."

"Right!" the men said in unison as they slipped out of the booth.

After the men had left, Vinnie had Paolo Salvato make him yet another espresso. As Vinnie sat in the silent, empty restaurant, he thought of Angelo's plans for Laurie Montgomery. It was perfect, and he fantasized about being there himself. After all the troubles she'd caused him, he'd wanted to whack her when he'd been released from prison, but he hadn't because Lou Soldano had specifically warned him that if something were to happen to Laurie he'd personally come after Vinnie, suspecting the worst. But now, ten years later, Vinnie was confident that enough time had elapsed.

Laurie hurried out of the autopsy room after completing her final postmortem for the day. She was anxious about the time, since the final two cases had taken longer than she'd expected, and she was desperate to get back to the MRSA mystery. She was also anxious about not knowing what else to do. She'd put a lot of stock in what she thought she might learn from the CDC, and although she sensed it was important to have learned that the three cases that had been extensively subtyped were all the exact same bacterium, she didn't quite know what to make of it. She'd also hoped that Silvia, a recognized MRSA expert, would have come up with some ideas and suggestions, but she hadn't.

As Laurie removed her Tyvek coverall, she stopped for a minute and looked at her hands. They were shaking, as if she'd had twenty cups of coffee. Preoccupied as to what she should do next, Laurie ducked into the locker room to change back into her clothes.

"Are you just finishing now?" Riva asked as Laurie appeared.

"I'm afraid so," Laurie said, spinning the combination lock on her locker.

"I thought I'd assigned you cases that would have been quick. Sorry."

"Maybe I should have been able to do them quicker, but I felt the medical condition should be carefully documented. Both can be teaching cases."

"Really! Why?"

"The first one, the death at the dentist's office, turned out to be preventable, which is why it would be a good teaching case, particularly for primary-care and emergency-care physicians. The patient was reported by a family member to have had syncopal attacks involving palpitations, flushing, and diaphoresis, but it was never investigated."

"Hyperthyroidism," Riva said.

"You are exactly right," Laurie said. "It was not an allergic reaction as was suspected. The thyroid gland and the thymus gland were both diffusely enlarged, as were the heart and the spleen. That was why her blood pressure was so high in the emergency room."

"What about the second case?" Riva asked. "The stationary bike rider."

"That was also interesting. I thought I was going to find atheromatous coronary heart disease, but I didn't."

"That was what I suspected as well. I'm glad I put it in the pile to be autopsied."

"Everything was normal with the heart and the coronary arteries."

"Really?" Riva questioned with surprise.

"Except for one thing," Laurie said. "The right coronary artery had an exceptionally acute angle takeoff. Suddenly, something the patient had unfortunately done while riding the bike cut off flow to the artery."

"I've heard of that but have never seen it," Riva said.

"Which is why I thought it too would be a good teaching case. I carefully dissected the area free and will have it preserved."

In contrast to Riva, who was taking a break between cases, Laurie had continued changing from scrubs to her clothes during the conversation. When she was finished, she slammed her locker closed, spun the combination lock, and waved to her office mate.

"I'll see you upstairs," Riva called after her.

Not willing to take the time for lunch, Laurie went to the front elevator and rode directly up to the fifth floor. Before retreating to her office, she went into the histology lab to see if her pulmonary slides were available on David Jeffries. She had little hope they would add anything significant at this point. She felt obliged to get the slides, since she'd specifically asked Maureen O'Connor to put a rush on them.

"You are eager," Maureen said in her colorful Irish accent when she caught sight of Laurie. "When I said I'd have them today, I didn't say I'd have them this morning."

"I hate to be a pest," Laurie said. "I'll be in my office."

"I'll have someone run them down when they're ready."

Laurie hastened down the hall. After sitting at her desk, she surveyed the jumble of case files and hospital records, with the matrix front and center. She picked up the matrix. It was far from complete. Glancing back to the pile of cases, she felt a drain on her enthusiasm and optimism. Transferring the information took longer than she expected, yet it seemed as if the matrix was the only hope she had of understanding what was going on with the Angels Healthcare hospitals.

As Laurie was about to start, she remembered she did not have Ramona's hospital record, as well as a few others. Picking up her phone, she called down to the PAs office. When Bart Arnold, the chief PA, answered, she asked to speak with Cheryl.

"What can I do for you?" Cheryl asked when she came on the line.

"I left word with Janice earlier this morning I needed a hospital chart on Ramona Torres."

"I got the message and put in the call. They promised me they'd send it with the others. I'd be surprised if it wasn't already in your e-mail."

"Hang on," Laurie said. Quickly, she opened her e-mail. As Cheryl suggested, the missing hospital records were there waiting for her.

"Sorry," Laurie said. "You're right. They are all here."

After hanging up with Cheryl, Laurie put the large file in the printing queue and then headed down to the first floor to pick up her printouts.