Silent Treatment

Chapter7

After half an hour, the battle to controlEvie's astronomical blood pressure was finally won. But everyone involved inthe case knew that the war had already been lost. Harry stood helplessly by thedoor as the respiratory technician adjusted the controls on the ventilator thatwas now Evie's only link to life. There were IVs in both her arms and tubesinto her stomach, bladder, and lungs. Every minute or two, in response tonothing in particular, her entire body would tighten and extend into a decerebrateposture. This nightmarish scene was one he had witnessed many times in hisprofessional life and in Nam. But emotionally he had never become very adept atdealing with it.

There was inevitably a part of himunwilling to accept the simple truth that it was over.

Wait. Give me another fiveminutes. Just be patient. This woman's going to get right up and walk out ofhere. . You'll see. .

'No, thank you,' he replied to a nurse whooffered him coffee. 'I … I've got to call Evie's folks.'

He glanced at the corridor behind him.Maura Hughes seemed calmer. Her brother, a carrottop with a face too youthfulfor the uniform he wore, continued stroking her hand as he watched theunfolding horror in room 928. It was quarter of eleven. The CT scanner would befree in five minutes. Blood samples had been sent off to the lab for tissuetyping. On the way back from the CT scan, assuming nothing had come up thatwould send her to the operating room; Evie would get the first of what would probablybe a series of electroencephalograms. Two flat or near flat EEGs twelve hoursapart were considered to be the electro-physiologic equivalent of death. Harryreached up unaware and brushed aside a tear that had worked its way to the topof one cheek.

'Corbett, what in the hell is going onhere?'

Still half-dazed, Harry turned toward thevoice. Caspar Sidonis stood several feet away, hands on hips, his expressionpinched and angry.

'I don't know what you're talking about,'Harry managed. 'But right now I'm a little busy. You see, my — '

'I'm talking about Evie, dammit!' Sidonissnapped. 'Oh, never mind.'

He pushed past Harry and into the room.Richard Cohen, the neurosurgeon, was again checking Evie's eyes. Sue Jilson wason the other side of the bed adjusting the IV.

'Dick, what happened here?' Sidonis asked.

'Oh, hi, Caspar. This woman a patient ofyours?'

'No. She's. . she's a close friend.'

'Well, her husband is right over th — '

'I don't want to hear from him, Dick. Iwant to hear from you. Tell me what happened.'

It was a demand, not a request. Cohen,taken aback by the physician's aggressiveness, quickly regained his composure.

'You know she was pre-op for repair of aberry?'

'Yes, yes. Of course I know.'

'Well, a little while ago, Sue Jilson,here, came in and found her unresponsive, with one blown pupil and a systolicpressure of over three hundred. We've thrown the whole pharmacy at her andwe've still had a bitch of a time getting her pressure down to one-thirty,where it is now. Meanwhile, her other pupil's blown. She has bilateralpapilledema indicative of massive intracranial pressure, and she's posturing.'

'Jesus.' Sidonis looked shaken.

From the doorway, Harry watched, stunned,as the cardiac surgeon reached down and took one of Evie's hands gently in his.Then, with his other hand, he caressed her cheek. Richard Cohen looked onnonplussed. Sue Jilson was wide-eyed.

'Dick, does she have any chance at all?'Sidonis asked.

To any physician, let alone one ofSidonis's pedigree, the answer to the question was inescapable. Theneurosurgeon looked at him queerly.

'I … um … I don't think so, Caspar,'he said. 'We're waiting to take her down for a CT and an EEG.'

'Was he in here with her?' Sidonisgestured toward the doorway.

'Pardon?'

It was only now that Harry shook off hisown reluctant fascination with what was transpiring and moved into the room. Asfar as he knew, Sidonis and Evie might have met in passing at some staff partyor other. But certainly she had never spoken of the man.

'Caspar, do you know my wife?'

Sidonis whirled like a startled cat. 'Youknow damn well I do. Were you in here with her before. . before thishappened?'

'Of course I was with her. She's my wife.Now, just what in the hell — '

'Dick, was anyone else in here after him?'

'What?'

'I said, was anyone else in here with Evieafter Corbett?' Sidonis was nearly shouting.

'Caspar, calm down. Calm down,' Cohensaid. 'Let's go out in the hall and talk.'

'Leaving the respiratory technicianbehind, the three physicians left the room, followed by Sue Jilson.

'Now, what's this all about?' Cohenwhispered. 'Does this have something to do with the meeting this morning?'

Sidonis's fury was barely under control.He spoke loudly, without regard for Maura Hughes, her brother, or the tworesidents standing nearby.

'All I asked was whether anyone else cameinto this room between the time Corbett — excuse me, Dr. Corbett — left,and the time Evie was found.'

'I think I can answer that question,' SueJilson said. 'There was no one else. Dr. Corbett didn't leave untileight-forty-seven. That's in my notes. The only way on to the hall after eightis through the elevators and past the nurse's station. Officer Hughes — that'sMaura's brother, the man with her over there — arrived on the floor aroundnine-thirty, but we were already in with Mrs. Corbett. You can check with AliceBroglio, the other nurse on the floor, but I'm sure she'll confirm what I'vesaid.'

'I knew it.' Sidonis's fists wereclenched.

'Caspar, will you please tell us what thisis all about,' Cohen demanded.

'Ask him.'

'Harry?'

'I have no idea what's going on,' Harrysaid.

'Bullshit,' Sidonis snapped. 'Evie wasleaving you to be with me, and you know it. She told you so last night at therestaurant she took you to. The SeaGrill. See, I even know the place. Now, whatdid you do to her?'

'You son of a bitch — '

Harry's burst of anger and hatred wasalmost immediately washed away by a consuming despair. There was no reason forhim to doubt what he was hearing. Evie and goddamn Caspar Sidonis. Suddenly, somuch made sense. The months and months of coolness and distance. The odd hoursshe kept. The trips out of town. The excuses for avoiding sex. Yesterday'scryptic call. 'Harry, I need to talk to you'. . Sidonis!

You're lying, he wanted to shout. You sonof a bitch, you're lying! But he knew the man wasn't. For months he hadfelt as if he was battling a persistent, inexplicable sadness. Now heunderstood what he was really responding to. Without another word, he left thegroup and walked back into room 928.

'Give me a minute, will you?' he said tothe respiratory technician. 'I'll call you if there's any problem.'

He turned off the bright overhead light,pulled a chair to Evie's bedside, and sat down. Beside him, the ventilatorwhirred softly, then delivered a jet of oxygen-enriched air into Evie's lungs,paused, then whirred again. It had been nearly ten years since they first met. Tenyears. They had been fixed up by a mutual friend who felt certain that eachwas exactly what the other needed. Harry would acquire adventure, spontaneity,and some stamps in his nearly barren passport. Evie would get some desperatelyneeded serenity and stability. She would be the sail, he the rudder. And it hadworked, too. At least for a while. In the end, though, she never was able tochange in the ways she had hoped to. She just. . just wanted more. That'sall.

'Dammit, Evie,' he said softly, 'whycouldn't you at least have talked to me? Told me what was going on? Whycouldn't you have given us a chance?'

He reached through the bedrail and tookher hand. It had been stupid and naive to believe she could become a differentperson — or even that she truly wanted to.

A hand settled gently on his shoulder.

'Harry, are you okay?'

Doug Atwater looked down at him withconcern.

'Huh? Oh hi, Doug. Actually, no. No, I'mnot okay at all.'

'What's with Sidonis? He's over at thenurse's station right now, phoning the medical examiner and the police. I askedhim what was going on, and he just glared at me. For a moment I thought he wasgoing to tell me to go screw myself.'

Harry shook his head. This was anightmare. The medical examiner. . the police. .

'Doug, I don't know what's going on.Evie's aneurysm has blown. She's not going to make it.'

'Oh, God.'

'Sidonis just announced that he's beensleeping with her and that she was going to leave me for him. He thinks shetold me so last night, but she didn't.'

'Oh, Harry. I'm so sorry, pal.'

'Yeah. What are you doing here at thishour anyway?'

'Anneke and I were at a film. I just stoppedby to pick up some papers, and the guard downstairs told me what was going on.I left Anneke in my office and came up here. Why is Sidonis calling thepolice?'

Harry loosened his grasp and moved awayfrom the bed. The thought of Caspar Sidonis touching his wife was at oncesaddening and repulsive.

'I was the last one in with her. He mustthink. . actually, I don't give a shit what he thinks.'

He left the room with Doug Atwater closebehind. Transportation had just arrived to bring Evie down for her scan.Richard Cohen looked at Harry and shrugged.

'Harry, Caspar's gone to call the ME andthe police. He's sure you gave your wife something to cause her pressure toskyrocket — some sort of pressor drug. I think maybe I should call Bob Lord andOwen, let them know what's going on.'

Lord was the chief of the medical staff.Owen Erdman was president of the hospital.

'Call anybody you want,' Harry said. 'Thisis ridiculous.'

'I'll call Owen,' Atwater offered. 'IsSidonis crazy or what, Richard?'

'I don't know about crazy,' theneurosurgeon replied, 'but he's definitely furious. Harry, he says he spoke toyour wife just as you two were leaving the house last night, and that she sworeshe was going to tell you about the two of them.'

'She didn't tell me anything.'

'Well, listen. We've got to get going.I'll call Lord from X ray. Stick around here, will you? As soon as I've seenthe CT I'll be back up to speak to you. The EEG tech is on the way in, but shelives in the Bronx.'

With the respiratory technician breathingfor Evie with a rubber Ambu bag, the transportation worker guided her bedtoward the elevator. Cohen and Sue Jilson followed, along with the tworesidents who had remained nearby at Cohen's request.

Doug Atwater glanced over at Maura Hughes.

'Evie's roommate,' Harry explained. 'Thecop's her brother. She's in the DTs.'

'In the DTs right now?'

'I think they've got her pretty heavilymedicated. Doug, I just don't believe this is happening.'

Atwater led Harry over to a molded plasticchair and motioned him to sit.

You going to stay here in the hospital?'he asked, lowering to one knee.

'I … I guess so. At least until thestudies are all back. Cohen wants my permission to have Evie donate her organs.I'm probably going to have to decide before morning.'

'Oh, shit.'

Atwater knew them as a couple about aswell as anyone at the hospital did. He had been a dinner guest at their hometwice, and had double-dated with them on at least two other occasions, althoughthe, last time was probably two or three years ago. He was charming, out-going,and at times — especially when he had had a few drinks — extremely witty. Morethan once, Evie had spoken of fixing him up with one or another of her friends.However, Harry recalled now, as their marriage deteriorated she had stoppedsuggesting a fix-up, and instead frequently encouraged him to join Doug for a'boy's night out.' Small wonder.

'I thought Sidonis was married,' Harrysaid.

'Not as long as I've been here. He has akid or two somewhere. I know that much. But mostly he's married to the OR, plushis stockbroker, his publicity agent, and of course his mirror. I had evenheard rumors he was gay.'

Harry laughed bitterly.

'Guess not,' he said.

'Listen, Harry, I'd better go call Owen. Ineed to check on Anneke, too. Do you want me to say something to Sido — nevermind. Here he comes.'

Sidonis bore down on them.

'The medical examiner's called the lab andordered some blood samples on Evie,' he announced triumphantly. 'And there's aDetective Dickinson on his way over. He'd like it if you could stay until hegets here.'

'I'm not going anyplace. But I havenothing to say to him or anyone else you bring in.'

'Caspar,' Doug said, 'why are you doingthis?'

Sidonis eyed the executive suspicously.Clearly, he had placed Atwater among the enemy.

'You really don't know?' he said finally.'Evie and I have been seeing each other for over a year. Last night she toldHarry she was leaving him. Tonight she checks in here with perfectly normalblood pressure, and not one symptom of her aneurysm for a month. He goes intoher room, she's fine. He leaves, and not half an hour later her bloodpressure's three hundred plus and her aneurysm has blown. Wouldn't you besuspicious?'

Atwater held the surgeon's gaze.

'If I didn't know Harry Corbett I mightbe,' he said. 'But you're way off base. And if what you say is true about youand this man's wife, someone ought to kick the shit out of you for busting uptheir marriage. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to phone Owen Erdman andlet him know what you've been up to. Harry, I'll be back a little later. Becool.'

'Now just a second,' Sidonis protested,hurrying after him. 'If you're calling Erdman I want to talk with him.

He was still railing when he and DougAtwater disappeared around the corner of the hallway. Suddenly, the corridorwas silent.

'Um. . excuse me.'

'Huh?' Harry looked around. Maura Hughes'sbrother, still by her bedside, cleared his throat and self-consciously smoothedhis uniform shirt. Harry noticed the three stripes on his immaculate uniform. Asergeant, then.

'I'm Tom Hughes,' he said, his speech freeof all but a hint of New York. 'Maura's my sister.'

'Hi,' Harry said flatly. He feltembarrassed that the policeman had been witness to Sidonis's outburst anddisclosure. But in truth, not that much.

'I … um. . I'm sorry for what you'vebeen going through.'

'Thanks.'

'Maura says you've been very kind to her.'He looked back at where his sister lay. She was asleep and snoring somewhatunnaturally. 'I guess the sedation has kicked in.'

'It would seem so.'

'Look, I don't mean to butt in, butstanding where I've been, it was impossible for me not to hear.'

'Yeah.'

Harry felt suddenly awkward sitting. Healso felt incapable of maintaining a conversation — even one as superficial as this.He stood up and pushed the plastic chair away with the toe of his shoe. Hestill hadn't called Evie's family. Maybe he should call Steve Josephson aswell. In anticipation of Evie's surgery, he had already canceled his morningpatients and signed out to Steve until one. Maybe he should call and make itthe whole day.

'Look, I'm sorry for blabbering on likethis,' Hughes said. 'I know you've got a lot on your mind and the weight of theworld on your shoulders. But there's something I really need to tell you.'

Harry hesitated, then crossed thecorridor.

'That doctor,' Hughes went on in a nearwhisper, 'the dark-haired one, the one who claims — '

'Yes, yes, I know who you mean. Sidonis.'

'Well, Dr. Sidonis seems to be making abig deal over the report from the nurse that you were the last one in with yourwife before she got so — '

'Yes.'

'Well, you weren't.'

'What?'

'You weren't the last one. There was a manin with her shortly after you left. A doctor, in fact.'

'Are you sure?'

Tom Hughes thought for a few secondsbefore he responded.

'Pretty sure,' he said finally. 'No, makethat very sure.'

'But. . but how do you know that?'

Again the policeman hesitated, his gazefixed on one of the bed wheels. When he looked at Harry again, his expressionwas sheepish.

'My sister told me so,' he said.