Critical

18

Laurie had been awake for a while; she didn't know exactly how long when she finally looked at the clock. By then it was quarter to five, an hour before Jack would be getting up to shower and an hour and fifteen minutes before he would come back and drag her out of bed. That was the normal routine, and the fact that she was already awake spoke volumes about her mental state. Laurie was a night person. Along about ten o'clock, when Jack was finding it hard to hold up his eyelids, Laurie would usually get a second wind. She loved to read at night and would stay up after midnight engrossed in a novel more often than she liked to admit, always to deride herself the following morning and vow never to do it again. Now, as she lay there, fully awake and staring up at the dark ceiling, she knew exactly what the problem was; she was depressed. It wasn't a major, incapacitating depression, which she'd never had but could imagine was like, but rather a nagging melancholy that she was inexorably being set up for a major disappointment. She'd always wanted a child from as early as she could remember, and she always thought of herself as a mother-in-waiting through her long medical training, which she'd blamed for not having had the time to find a spouse. Then she'd fallen in love with Jack and had to deal with his guilt over the loss of his family and whether or not he could commit to another. But that was now behind them and they were trying to have a family, but over the last year, it hadn't happened despite temperature charts and careful monitoring of her cycles. The problem, as she saw it, was her age now that she was in her forties. Every month that went by, she was terrified that her chances of naturally conceiving had sunk, and now Jack was insisting on having an operation, which would take him out of commission for God knew how long, and not only that, he was choosing to have it at a time when he was putting himself at significant risk.

Laurie rolled over on her side facing Jack and propped herself up on an elbow. She gazed at his profile, the picture of tranquility lying on his back with one arm casually thrown onto the pillow behind his head. She did indeed love him, but his obstinacy could drive her to distraction, as was the case with the surgery issue. For the life of her, she could not understand how he could dismiss the data and believe it was prudent to have the procedure.

Recognizing that more sleep was not in the cards, Laurie got out of bed. With her bathrobe and slippers on, she padded into the study they had made facing out onto 106th Street. It was just becoming light. She looked down from the window onto Jack's beloved basketball court, wishing it would suddenly disappear. Then she turned back to the partner's desk. Her side was piled high with the MRSA case files and hospital records of the twenty-four cases, along with her uncompleted matrix. She'd hauled all the material home with the intention of working on it the previous evening, but she hadn't done it. And now that she was awake early, she thought she would take advantage of the time, but before even sitting down, she recognized she felt the same as she had the night before. Her despondency kept telling her that her efforts were in vain. Jack was just going to do what Jack wanted.

In the kitchen, Laurie made herself some coffee. Sitting down at the breakfast table, she began thinking about the process of in vitro fertilization and how Jack would respond to the idea..Although it would be a natural progression, they'd not discussed it. In truth, Laurie had been afraid. She knew that Jack's agreement to have children was more to please her than something he intrinsically wanted to do.

To Laurie's surprise and despite being unable to fall back asleep in bed, she fell asleep at the kitchen table as evidence of how tired she was. What woke her was Jack standing in the doorway completely naked with his hands on his hips and an exaggerated expression of confusion on his face.

"What the hell are you doing snoozing in the kitchen?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep," Laurie said, conscious of the irony.

Jack advanced into the room and put a hand on her shoulder. "If you are still fretting about this surgery, I'll promise you I'll be fine."

"Oh, yeah, sure," Laurie said sarcastically. "As if you have control. Why do you have to be so headstrong?"

"Look who's talking!"

"Well, if the situation was reversed, I sure as hell wouldn't be taking the kind of gamble you're planning on taking."

"Hey!" Jack said. "We've been through this, remember? Let's agree to disagree. I have to go over to the hospital this morning on the way to work for a quick pre-op blood and urine test, get the MRSA swab I told you about, and have a quick chat with the anesthesiologist. That's why I'm up early. Why don't you come along? Witnessing all such preparation, maybe you'll feel better."

Laurie thought for a moment about the suggestion. At first she thought she didn't want any further association with Jack's surgical plans as a way of protest, but rethinking the issue, she didn't want to cut off her nose to spite her face. On this visit, she'd be invited as a spouse of a patient, so she wouldn't be blamed for making an official ME visit. Laurie couldn't help but feel that if the MRSA cases weren't intentional, then it had to be some sort of systems error involving all three hospitals, and if there was any chance of her guessing what such an error could be, she'd have to have opportunities to visit, which Jack was obviously affording.

"Okay, I'll come," Laurie said with such sudden decisiveness that Jack was mildly taken aback.

"Wonderful," he said. "Let's hit the shower and be on our way."

FRANCO AWOKE BUT opened only one eye. His cell phone was ringing, but before he answered it, he looked at his radio alarm to see the time. It was five-forty-five. Accompanied by an extended string of blasphemy and expletives, he snaked a hand out from beneath the covers and put the phone to his ear.

"Yeah?" he said with a tone that would let the caller know he was not happy about being disturbed at such an hour. The only reason he answered was because it might be Vinnie.

"Let's get a move on," Angelo said. "But let's not take your boat. Let's take a van."

With a few more carefully chosen expletives, Franco reminded Angelo what time it was.

"I know it's early," Angelo admitted. "But when I got back to my apartment last night, I called the ME office. I asked about Dr. Laurie Montgomery and was told she still works there. I also asked what time she comes into work, in case we can snatch her. I know these people work long hours."

"You're too damn eager," Franco complained.

"Vinnie wanted it done yesterday, don't you remember?"

"Yeah, I remember," Franco said reluctantly.

"Okay, let's meet up at the Neapolitan. I'll get the van."

"The Neapolitan's not going to be open."

"Oh, you're right."

"Angelo, you're too into this. Slow down! It's when you're all keyed up that mistakes are made, like forgetting that nobody's at the damn restaurant until after ten."

"You're right. I am keyed up, but you would be, too, if you was me. I tell you what! I'll pick you up at your apartment at six-thirty. Okay?"

"You can still pick me up at the restaurant," Franco said. He didn't want to be without his car later on in the day. "There's always a place to park right in front as early as it is." He disconnected and threw his feet out from under the blankets. He sensed it was going to be a long day trying to tamp down Angelo's zeal, especially since knocking off a public servant who worked in a reasonably secure environment was not going to be a walk in the park.

ADAM WILLIAMSON answered the phone on the first ring. Especially on a mission, he slept like a nervous cat, always prepared to leap up at the slightest provocation.

"Mr. Bramford, it is six o'clock, as you requested. The weather is expected to be cloudy with a possible shower and with a high temperature of sixty-two degrees."

Adam thanked the operator and immediately called room service for a full breakfast of juice, eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, and coffee. On missions like this one, he never knew when he'd have a chance to eat again on a stakeout of the target's home or place of work. To help him, his handlers always provided commercial plates in the particular state the operation was to take place, along with lettering on the Range Rover's doors. On this occasion, it was an interior design and antiques store on 10th Street called Biedermeier Heaven.

With a contented feeling that all was in order, Adam stepped into the shower. Ever since returning from Iraq, it was only at times like this that he felt whole: He was on a mission, and all was going according to plan. The only way it could have been better was if he were doing it with several of his fellow Delta Force buddies who'd been with him on his last, fateful military mission. Of course, the apogee was yet to come. That was when he made the kill.

LAURIE STAYED A few steps behind Jack as they entered Angels Orthopedic Hospital. It was significantly busier at six-fifteen in the morning than it had been at two-thirty the previous afternoon. As Jack went to the information booth, Laurie stayed close. Although she had a legitimate reason for being there, she was not interested in causing any sort of confrontation, such as what might happen if she had the misfortune of running into either Angela Dawson or Cynthia Sarpoulus. Loraine Newman probably would have been a different story, but even she might feel obligated to call the others if she saw Laurie. After all, they were her bosses.

Jack was given directions to the second floor. As they waited for an elevator, Jack noticed Laurie's vigilant behavior.

"What the devil's gotten into you?" he questioned. "You're like a squirrel expecting there's a dog in the neighborhood."

"I told you I wasn't treated with much hospitality yesterday. I'd just as soon avoid meeting the organization's CEO or their infection-control specialist."

"Don't be so paranoid. You have full right to be here."

"Maybe so, but I prefer not to get in any row about it."

On the second floor, they found their way with ease to the pre-op waiting area. The space was decorated more like a living room in a private mansion than part of a hospital. Even the name was a misnomer, as there was little waiting involved. Although there were a number of other patients for surgery the next day, there was adequate staff available. Jack and Laurie didn't even have to sit down before Jack was about to be taken back to an examination room where his blood was to be drawn.

"Do you have your cell phone?" Laurie asked Jack.

"Of course. Why?"

"I have mine as well. I'm going to run up to the fourth floor and visit the clinical pathology lab. Call me if I'm not back here when you're ready to go."

Jack winked. "So, you are going to make constructive use of your time?"

"Something like that," Laurie admitted.

Although Laurie initially didn't want to be recognized while visiting the hospital, she now changed her mind. She thought she'd use the opportunity to see if Walter Osgood was there. Remembering that she would be calling the CDC sometime during the day, she wanted to know if Walter Osgood would like to know if the MRSA infecting the hospitals, at least in three patients, was the selfsame subtype, meaning they'd have to all three come from the same source. It had irked her the previous afternoon when he'd tried to justify not subtyping the bacteria on all the cases. From an epidemiological point of view, it was mandatory, especially in a situation where the source and the method of spread were unknown.

On the fourth floor, Laurie walked into the laboratory and asked the first technician she encountered if Dr. Osgood was there.

"I have no idea," the technician admitted. "You'd have to ask Dr. Friedlander, the supervisor of the clinical lab. His office is against the back wall. You can't miss it." She pointed across the room.

"I've heard that before," Laurie mumbled to herself as she walked in the direction she was shown. Despite her misgivings, she did stumble directly onto the office as the technician had suggested. Advancing to the open door, Laurie looked in at a thin, bearded man in a spotless, crisply ironed long white coat, engaged in paperwork at his desk.

"Excuse me," Laurie called out.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Dr. Osgood. Can you tell me if he is here this morning?"

"No, not today. Today he is…" Simon spun around in his chair to gaze at the bulletin board behind him. "He is at Angels Heart Hospital. He's here only Monday and Thursday."

"Thanks," Laurie said.

"Is there something I can help you with? I'm the supervisor of the clinical pathology lab."

"I think I need to talk directly with Dr. Osgood," Laurie said, although she briefly thought about asking Dr. Friedlander to convey the message.

"Is it urgent? We could always call. He's usually available on his cell."

"It involves the MRSA outbreak."

"I'd say that was important enough. And who exactly are you?"

After Laurie had identified herself, Dr. Friedlander made the call. As soon as he got Osgood on the line, he told him that a Dr. Laurie Montgomery was standing in his office and wanted to speak with him. Laurie reached out for the phone, but Dr. Friedlander put up his hand to have her wait. Laurie could not hear what Dr. Osgood was saying, but Dr. Friedlander locked eyes with her as he intermittently said "yes" into the phone with a final "I understand." He then dropped the receiver into its cradle before returning his attention to Laurie and said, "Sorry, I'm afraid Dr. Osgood is fully engaged. He asked that you call him back sometime today at the home office. I can give you the number." Taking one of his own business cards, he circled the Angels Healthcare number and, leaning across his desk, handed it over to Laurie.

Mildly chagrined at being so impersonally rejected when she thought she was about to do the man a favor, Laurie turned on her heels and walked out of the windowless office.

NOW IT WAS definitely an emergency, Walter Osgood reasoned. The first time it had been vague intuition, based mostly on Dr. Laurie Montgomery's resistance to accepting his rationale for failing to have the MRSA completely characterized. But now it was different. She was back in the Angels Orthopedic Hospital, despite the company's CEO all but telling her directly not to return, and on this occasion requesting to speak with him of all people.

Getting out the emergency number again, Walter called Washington. This time the phone rang even more times than it had the previous day, yet it was eventually answered. The deep, wary voice on this occasion sounded sleep-addled. "What is it this time?"

"The same problem."

"Are you on a landline?"

"Yes."

"Call me back at this number." The man gave Walter another number, then disconnected.

Walter waited for several minutes before dialing. The same man answered, although the slight hoarseness was gone. "Are you talking about the medical examiner?"

"Yes, she came back this morning, apparently investigating even though she was all but told not to. She worries me. I'm not sure I want to continue if something is not done about her."

"Something is surely being done. You have to be patient."

"Like what is being done?" Walter demanded. He hated all the secrecy, especially since he was the one out in the cold.

"We have an individual in the city at this moment whose specialty is to take care of this kind of problem."

"You are going to have to be more specific."

"I think the less you know, the better."

"Are you saying someone is here in New York right now?"

"That's exactly what I am saying."

"How about his or her name and a number."

"Sorry, I can't do that."

"I'm not sure I want to continue with all this."

"I'm afraid you don't have any choice at this point. It was your option to begin, but it is not your option to stop. The pressure must be maintained at least for a few more days."

Walter felt a mixture of anger and fear, but the fear won out. He didn't respond.

"I hope your silence means you understand the reality of your situation."

"If she shows up again in the next few days, can I call you to let you know whomever you sent here hasn't convinced her to stop her meddling?"

"Yes, you do that, but rest assured, we have sent our best negotiator."

"One other question. I don't know your name."

"There's no need for you to know my name."

Similar to the call the day before, the line was cut off precipitously and Walter found himself listening to a dead line. Slowly, he hung up the receiver. Despite the reassurances the man had given, Walter panicked and wondered how bad a decision to become involved it would turn out to be when all was said and done. His only consolation was that his son had seemingly stabilized, and the doctors who were administering the supposed experimental treatment were moderately optimistic.

BY THE TIME Laurie had had the time to read only a few of the day's op-ed pieces in the Times, Jack had appeared accompanied by a youthful doctor dressed in scrubs but covered by a long, white coat as crisp and clean as Dr. Friedlander's. Apparently, such smartness was hospital policy. Laurie had to admit that it appeared far superior to some of the residents at the University Hospital who seemed to revel in having the most soiled white coats, as if it were testament to how hard they were working.

Jack introduced the man as Dr. Jeff Albright. To Laurie, he had the bluest eyes she'd ever seen.

"I'm lucky," Jack continued. "Dr. Albright has agreed to pass gas for me in the morning. I told him you were concerned about MRSA and me having surgery, so he graciously offered to come out and have a word with you and hopefully put your mind at ease."

Laurie shook hands with the anesthesiologist, and noting how young he appeared made her feel old by comparison. She also felt abashed from Jack's introduction, as if she were an oversolicitous mother. Jeff gave the usual stereotypical assurance and said that Jack was as healthy as an ox, making Laurie wonder just how healthy oxen were, since she thought the expression was "strong as an ox." When Jeff finished his prepared speech, Laurie asked him how many cases he'd done after which the patient came down with an MRSA infection.

Somewhat nervously, his eyes flicked back and forth between Laurie and Jack. Apparently, Jack had not asked such a specific question. "One," he finally admitted. "It was several months ago, after a shoulder rotator cuff repair. Like the others, it was totally unexpected and unfortunately fatal."

"What was the name?" Laurie asked.

"I'm not sure I'm at liberty to divulge that," Jeff said.

Laurie knew she had the right to ask, as it was undoubtedly a medical examiner case, but she didn't push the issue. The name didn't matter, other than to reassure herself she'd not missed a case. She was more interested in Jack's upcoming surgery.

"Was there anything you can remember about the case that was unusual?"

Jeff shook his head. "It went entirely smoothly. Well, there was one thing. We staff have been regularly tested for MRSA ourselves on a weekly basis. During the week that the death occurred, I did turn positive. Whether it happened from that patient, I don't know. But I can safely say I'm free now. I was screened just yesterday."

"I'm happy to report I'm also free of those buggers," Jack said.

"Were you the anesthesiologist for David Jeffries on Monday?" Laurie asked.

"No, I wasn't. That was Dolores Suarez."

"Thank you for talking with me," Laurie said. She smiled weakly. Jeff's efforts didn't make her any more confident.

"We'll take good care of your husband," Jeff promised. He said good-bye and disappeared back into the examining area.

"So," Jack said. "You have to admit this is a nice operation, so to speak. Just the fact there's no waiting makes it unique."

"It's neat, it's clean, it's pleasant," Laurie admitted. "But there is obviously a problem here, despite its apparent cleanliness."

"Don't tell me you are not reassured."

"MRSA is surely not respecting the luxurious venue."

"You are impossible," Jack said with a sigh. "Every hospital is seeing MRSA."

"But every hospital is not seeing multiple cases of MRSA necrotizing pneumonia that's killing people as if it were a raging hemorrhagic fever like Ebola."

"Come on!" Jack said with some frustration. "Let's get to work."

"THIS IS A fucking mess," Franco complained. "This is what you got me out of bed for?" He gestured ahead through the van's windshield. In front of the medical examiner's office was an unruly crowd of fifty or sixty people staging an unauthorized protest over the medical examiner's initial report regarding Concepcion Lopez, whom Bingham had posted the day before. Most of the protestors were Hispanic. And most were carrying amateurish placards taped or stapled to broom handles attesting to a supposed cover-up and complaining of police brutality to the Hispanic community.

"What I can't figure is what they're doing here so goddamn early," Angelo said.

"I'd guess to get on the morning news," Franco said. "Besides, they get more bang for the buck if they block rush-hour traffic, which they are obviously doing."

Many of the protestors were wandering out into First Avenue. Police in riot gear were waiting to be called out of their bus parked on 30th Street. For the time being, the regular police were trying to keep the crowd out of the streets and confined to an area directly in front of the OCME but with minimal success.

Franco and Angelo were sitting in the Lucia organization's van, which was mostly used for hijacking and other forms of thieving at Kennedy Airport. They were parked at the curb between 29th and 30th streets in a no parking/no standing area in front of one of the original Bellevue Hospital buildings. They had a good view of the entrance to the OCME, except for a Range Rover parked in front of them.

"What's with this SUV?" Angelo complained. "This is a no-parking zone for chrissake. It's amazing how people just ignore the law."

"Calm down!" Franco responded.

Angelo hit the steering wheel several times in frustrated anger. "Of all days, why do they have to have their protest today?"

"You're getting yourself all worked up," Franco warned. "Why don't we just leave. With all these cops around, much less all these bellyaching nuts, there's no way we're going to be able to make a grab."

"I want to at least see her," Angelo groused. "Then I want to go to Home Depot."

With a dumbfounded expression, Franco looked over at Angelo. "Home Depot? What the hell are you going to get at Home Depot?"

Angelo returned the stare, and in the process raised his eyebrows as much as he was able.

"Wait a second!" Franco said, suddenly remembering. "Tell me you're not going to get a bucket and quick-set!"

"Vinnie specifically said I could do it my way, and that is exactly what I plan to do. Ever since I saw it in that movie, I've wanted to do it to someone who deserved it, and no one deserves it more than Laurie Montgomery, as I'm sure Vinnie would agree."

"Oh, for the love of God." Franco groaned, raising his eyes heavenward.

"There she is!" Angelo shouted excitedly, pointing out his side window. He reached for the door handle and had the door open before Franco was able to get ahold of his arm.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Franco shouted as Angelo struggled to free his arm. "The place is crawling with cops. It's suicide to go out there."

Angelo stopped struggling, pulled his foot in, and closed the door. He knew Franco was right. There was no way he could approach Laurie under the circumstances. As tense with anticipation as he'd been all morning, he'd reacted by reflex when he'd caught sight of her getting out of a taxi on the opposite side of the street.

obviously avoiding the crowd of protesters in front of the OCME. Suffering from acute and frustrating impotence, he was forced to watch Laurie a mere fifty or so feet away as she leaned back into the taxi and extracted a pair of crutches. Next to emerge was Jack.

"That's her boyfriend," Angelo growled. "I wouldn't mind icing him at the same time."

"Calm down!" Franco said again. "I feel like I'm sitting with a mad dog."

For almost a minute, Laurie and Jack stood in plain sight, severely testing Angelo's restraint, waiting for the light to change. Then, like a cat forced to watch a tempting mouse walk directly in front of its nose, Angelo had to find the self-control to witness their slow progress across First Avenue. When they turned to cross 30th Street, they were only the length of the Range Rover in front.

"This would have been perfect, if it hadn't been for the protest."

"Maybe so, maybe not," Franco said philosophically. "So now you've seen her, let's get the hell out of here."

Angelo started the van. "I'm thinking," he said. "She's going to recognize me just as easily as I recognized her."

"Maybe easier," Franco agreed.

"That means we should have more people." Angelo put the van in gear, looked behind him down First Avenue, and pulled away from the curb. "When we come back later this afternoon, I think we should have Freddie and Richie with us."

"I think that's a good idea," Franco agreed.

ADAM HAD SCOUTED the area around the OCME the night before and had come up with a plan to make a definitive ID on the target. He'd arrived that morning just before seven and had parked his Range Rover in an appropriate no-parking zone where he was reasonably confident the commercial plates would work their usual magic. He hadn't been happy about the protest, which was just beginning to form, not because of the people and the confusion they would cause but because of the TV vans and crews he assumed would be sent to cover the event. Adam wanted to avoid at all costs being caught on film.

As he'd expected, the outer door to the OCME had been open, although it had been locked the night before. Why he'd been so sure it would be open in the morning was that by peering in the previous night, he had been able to see a reception desk inside and another set of glass doors beyond.

Once inside, Adam had retreated to a vinyl couch with a copy of The New York Times. The receptionist asked Adam if she could be of assistance. He had told her that he was told to wait for one of the medical examiners.

For fifteen minutes, Adam had sat in the reception area. Several people had come in, including one medical examiner whom the receptionist had greeted as Dr. Mehta. The other people had been addressed by their first names. The receptionist's name he learned was Marlene Wilson.

At exactly seven-fifteen, the outer door opened. The first person to come in did so on crutches. Adam lowered the paper so he could see over the top. The second person looked encouraging. She was of medium height with sculptured features, brunette hair with auburn highlights, and a surprisingly pale, almost blond complexion. In Adam's mind she matched the description, as meager as it was, but he had to be certain.

"Good morning, you two," the receptionist said to Adam's chagrin, meaning he was forced to go to plan B. He'd quickly learned the modus operandi for entry was for the receptionist to make verbal contact before buzzing the employees in. The regular employees went through the double doors directly opposite doors to the street. The one medical doctor who'd come in went to a door beyond the receptionist's desk to be buzzed in, requiring her to walk across the room in front of Adam. The person Adam believed to be the target proceeded to follow the route of the previous doctor, as did the man on the crutches.

"Excuse me," Adam called out. "Are you Dr. Laurie Montgomery?"

Laurie stopped a step beyond Adam, as did Jack, who was almost even with the man's location.

Adam got to his feet and regarded Laurie for a beat. In keeping with her light complexion, her eyes were a pale blue-green. Adam asked again if she were Laurie Montgomery.

"Why do you ask?" Laurie questioned.

"I'm from ABC Collection," Adam said. "Could you tell me if you have ever lived in the SoHo section of Greenwich Village?"

Laurie exchanged a questioning glance with Jack. "No, I haven't," Laurie said.

"But your name is Laurie Montgomery."

"Yes, but I've never lived in SoHo."

"Sorry to bother you, then," Adam said and started for the door. "Why are you looking for a Laurie Montgomery in SoHo, if I may ask?"

"For a phone bill which was unpaid when she moved."

"Sorry," Laurie said as she turned toward the ID room door.

Adam continued outside. The protest was in full swing, with the protesters marching in a circle in front of the building, chanting over and over in unison, "Police brutality must be stopped! Cover-up! Cover-up!"

Being careful to avoid any chance of being caught by any of the cameras, Adam returned to his vehicle, climbed in, and then skirted the commotion. Heading north on First Avenue, he thought he'd return to the hotel, do a little planning over a second cup of coffee, and then head up to the Metropolitan Museum. It had been a favorite destination in his youth. He was quite certain he'd not see Laurie Montgomery until late that afternoon. Since he had yet to have her home address, he was going to have to rely on the OCME to provide access.