Natural Causes

DEAR LISA,

I know that you are angry with me for things I did that hurt you. I'm sorry, very sorry that I did not take the time to understand you better. I need you. Please forgive me, and come back into my life. I promise this time it will be on your terms.

I love you,

I'm sorry. Five years. Five years gone from their lives together. If only he had understood that those were the only words she needed to hear. I'm sorry… I need you. Lisa touched the bandage covering what remained of her arm. Now she needed him as well. Perhaps she always had.

The telephone interrupted her thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Lisa, it's Janine at the nurses' station. Your father's here again."

"Good. It's time. Could you please send him back?"

When Willis Grayson knocked and entered her room, Lisa was on her feet, facing him. He held a rose in one hand and a newspaper in the other. He stood in the doorway for a time, getting a sense of her; then he tossed the paper and flower on the bed and rushed to embrace her.

"You have no idea how much I've suffered without you," he said.

"Daddy, you wrote you were sorry for the way you treated me-for driving me away from you. That's all you ever had to say."

"I want you home with me. Today."

"I think they're not going to discharge me until tomorrow."

"They'll do it today if you say the word. I've already spoken with Dr. Snyder and Dr. Blankenship. Your blood is back to normal, and we can have your stitches taken out at our hospital."

"How's my room?"

"At Stony Hill?"

"Yes."

"Why, it's… it's the same. The same as the day you-the same as it ever was. You'll come?"

"I have some things to pack at home, and I want to say good-bye to my housemates."

"Tim and I will help you," Grayson said excitedly. "Your friend Heidi is welcome to come anytime and stay with us for as long as she wants. I've spoken with her several times. She's a very fine person."

"Can we leave here now?"

"We notify the nurses, and as soon as your doctors stop by and write the order, we're out of here."

"I'd like to see Dr. Baldwin before I go."

Grayson's expression tightened. "Lisa, could you sit down for a few minutes? There's something we need to talk about."

He handed her the Herald, folded to Axel Devlin's column.

"Two women died? Is this true?"

"I'm afraid so. Did you take those herbs?"

"Every week. Twice a week toward the end. Both of the other women did that, too?"

Grayson nodded. "Lisa, I have two men outside I'd like you to speak with. They're attorneys. I want them to represent us."

"Represent us?"

Grayson gestured toward her bandage. "If someone, anyone, is responsible for this, and… and for what happened to my grandson, your son, I want them to pay as dearly as you have."

"But Dr. Baldwin-"

"Lisa, I'm not saying she was responsible, or anyone else for that matter. I only want you to talk with these men."

"But-"

"Honey, two other women and their babies have already died from this thing. We need to get to the bottom of it. For their sake, for your sake, and especially for the sake of whoever may be next."

"As long as you promise me that nothing will be done without my approval," she said tentatively.

"I promise."

"Daddy, I mean it."

"Nothing will be done without your approval. Now will you speak with these people?"

"If you really, really want me to."

"I do."

Grayson stepped to the doorway and motioned. Moments later two men entered carrying briefcases. One was overweight. The other was thin and sharp-featured, with hard, gray eyes.

"Miss Lisa Grayson," her father said proudly, motioning to the heavier of the men, "this is Gabe Priest. His firm handles much of our business on Long Island."

The lawyer stepped forward, about to offer Lisa his right hand. At the last moment, he realized what he was doing, stepped back, and nodded.

"And this man will be handling matters for us in Boston," Grayson went on, motioning the other one forward. "Lisa, I'd like you to meet Jeremy Mallon."