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“Of course,” Laurie said. She could see a bevy of people arranged around the examination table in the middle of the room. She assumed it was Jack who was demanding their attention, but from where she was standing, she couldn’t see any part of him. Several flat-screen monitors built into the wall showed X-rays while another apparently was displaying his vital signs, but Laurie couldn’t make out the details. Reassuringly, the steady beep of a normal-sounding pulse filled the room. Since there didn’t seem to be any tension in the air and from the mere fact that she was being led directly to the room, Laurie felt the first stirrings of optimism.

Laurie watched as Pamela tapped the shoulder of one of the figures in the center of the room. When this individual turned, Pamela pointed in Laurie’s direction. Despite the personal protective gear, Laurie could tell it was a slender female. The woman nodded, and, breaking away from the group, she walked directly over to Laurie.

“I’m Dr. Carol Sidoti,” she said. “I understand you are Dr. Laurie Montgomery, Dr. John Stapleton’s wife.”

“That’s correct,” Laurie said. “How is he?”

“I’m pleased to say he is stable with normal vital signs. At the same time, I have to be honest and warn you that he’s suffered a major trauma, including a concussive head injury, and has not yet regained consciousness. He’s also sustained a nondisplaced right femoral neck fracture and a compound fracture of his right fibula. On the positive side, he has seemingly not experienced any spinal or internal injuries in his chest or abdomen.”

“Any idea of the extent of his head injuries?” Laurie asked. She looked around the ED doctor, wishing she could rush over and check out Jack herself.

“Our portable X-ray capabilities aren’t as good as those obtained in our image center, but so far, we haven’t seen any skull fractures. We have a neurology consult pending and an orthopedic trauma consult is in progress.”

“I’m a physician myself,” Laurie said. “A medical examiner, to be more specific.”

“So I hear,” Carol said. “In fact, I’ve been told you are the chief medical examiner for the City of New York. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’m sorry it is under these circumstances. I understand the patient is also a medical examiner.”

“Yes, all true,” Laurie said. “I’m impressed you are so well informed, and so fast.”

“We have a talented social service team,” Carol said.

“I’d like to see my husband,” Laurie said, again looking over at the group huddled around the examination table.

“Of course,” Carol said as she turned and led the way. Approaching the group, she called out. “Excuse me, everyone, this is Dr. Montgomery, the patient’s wife.”

Several of the ED nurses moved aside, making way for Laurie to approach the table. Her first image of Jack wasn’t as bad as she expected. The only obvious sequelae she could see was an abrasion on his right cheek and a pneumatic splint covering his right lower leg. Other than that, his color was good, and he appeared as if he was sleeping. He had intravenous lines running into both arms.

“This is Dr. Henry Thomas,” Carol said, gesturing across the table at the man occupying center stage. He was dressed in short-sleeve scrubs revealing muscular, moderately hairy arms and sporting both a surgical mask and cap. “He runs our Orthopedic Trauma Department. We’re lucky to have him so quickly. By coincidence he had just finished a case when your husband was brought in, so we prevailed upon him to come right down here.”

Laurie and Henry exchanged greetings, after which Henry said, “Your husband needs surgery straight off following a neurological clearance. Both fractures have to be internally stabilized. As for the hip, an argument could be made for a replacement considering your husband’s age, but personally I’d favor stabilization provided there’s not too much displacement, which there doesn’t appear to be on X-ray, nor any compromise on the blood supply to the femoral head. Also provided the bone quality is good, which I imagine is the case since your husband looks like an active individual.”

“Very active,” she said. “Maybe too active. Let me ask you a question, if I may. What do you think of the idea of him being transferred for the surgery over to NYU? I had surgery there a couple of years ago and had a good experience.” Laurie hadn’t planned on asking such a question until the moment she did. The issue popped into her mind when she felt some relief at seeing Jack’s overall condition despite his still being unconscious. All at once the issue of Sue Passero’s passing and Jack’s talk about a possible medical serial killer at the MMH had come into play in her overworked brain.

Henry paused for a moment. It was not a question he was expecting. He cleared his throat, giving him more chance to think and overcome the mild challenge to his ego. “It would have to be against strong medical advice,” he said. “Personally, I believe it would be assuming an unacceptable risk, especially since your husband is unconscious. But beyond that, a delay in taking care of the fractures doesn’t serve any purpose and could be detrimental.”

“Okay,” Laurie said, feeling slightly embarrassed to have even brought the issue up. “How are you going to decide on what to do with the hip?”

“I believe I should be given the opportunity to decide when I get to see the injury up close in the operating room and can access the bone quality and blood supply issues.”

“Fair enough,” Laurie said. She felt mildly uncomfortable from having brought up the transfer issue, especially after rethinking the medical serial killer idea. She distinctly remembered Jack saying that the hospital mortality ratio had been going down, as had hospital referrals to the OCME, which made the idea of a serial killer moot. Besides, she wondered, why would a medical serial killer be attracted to Jack? Until she remembered that he had been scheduled to speak to someone that very afternoon about Sue’s suspicions.

“Excuse me, Dr. Montgomery,” Pamela said, interrupting Laurie’s thoughts. “If you are finished here for the time being, would you mind following me? We need your signature on admission and informed consent papers.”

“Of course,” Laurie said, but before following Pamela she looked across at Henry. “Thank you for seeing my husband and for patching his leg back together.”

“You are welcome,” Henry said.

“I will be waiting to hear exactly what you find.” Then, turning to Carol, Laurie said, “And thank you for all that you have done. I’m very appreciative to the whole team. And I’ll be particularly interested to hear what the neurological consult has to say.”

“Of course,” Carol said. “But my shift was over at seven, and I’ll be leaving. But I’ll let my replacement, Dr. Vega, know.”

“Thank you all,” Laurie called out as she followed Pamela out of the trauma room.

Chapter 33

Wednesday, December 8, 8:15 p.m.

“Laurie?” a soothing, dulcet voice asked. Laurie was sitting in the ED waiting area, which was much less crowded after the evening rush had slowed. Hearing her name, she looked up from reading emails on her mobile phone into the eyes of a woman in full personal protective gear including a reflective plastic mask. “It’s me.”

Laurie stood up as Colleen Benn removed the plastic mask. The two women greeted each other warmly. “Thanks so much for coming down to say hello,” Laurie said.

After signing all the admission papers for Jack, Laurie had retreated to the waiting area, and as she had calmed down, she’d remembered one of the hospitalists whom Sue Passero had introduced to her on several occasions, as Sue and she were frequent coworkers plus good friends. Wondering if the woman who Laurie remembered as being particularly friendly was on duty, she had called the hospital’s central switchboard and had her paged. To Laurie’s pleasant surprise, she’d called Laurie’s cell phone after only a few minutes.