Read Online Whispering Bones by Rita Vetere - Free Book Online

chart as he met and observed each one.
    He continued in the same manner through the second ward. Just as they finished in ward two, Rossi heard shouts coming from the next room. He and Fenelli rushed through the opening into ward three, where two attendants were attempting to physically restrain a struggling patient shouting incoherently at the top of his lungs. Two more attendants arrived a moment later, but it took all four of them to subdue the man. Even after being restrained in his bed with leather straps at his wrists and ankles, the patient continued yelling.
    “That’s Carbone,” said Fenelli. “Admitted just over a year ago. He’s become extremely delusional over the past several months.”
    “What’s he saying?” Rossi asked. “I can’t make it out.”
    “He’s yelling that they give him no rest.”
    “Who?”
    Fenelli sighed. “The spirits. He claims to see spirits, almost on a daily basis. As I say, the delusions started approximately three months ago. He appears to have developed symptoms of schizophrenia since his admittance, and his condition has worsened considerably in the past few weeks.”
    “Have him transferred to the quarantine building. Today. I don’t want him threatening the safety of the other patients. I’ll review his history in more detail tonight then conduct a thorough examination of him first thing in the morning.”
    “Of course, Dottore .”
    Fenelli gave directions to the attendants nearby to remove the patient into quarantine, and Rossi continued making his rounds.
    * * * *
    At six o’clock that evening, Rossi boarded the waiting vessel at the landing for his return to the mainland. He carried with him the files of nine patients. It appeared whatever affliction the patient, Carbone, suffered from he was not the only extremely delusional patient in the hospital. Eight of the other patients seemed to also be suffering from a similar condition, requiring the regular use of restraints. He supposed it might be possible the patients could be feeding off each other’s paranoia, but the matter definitely warranted further investigation. By the time he’d finished making his rounds that afternoon, all nine of the patients who’d exhibited violent behavior had been transferred to the quarantine building. He would spend tonight studying their case histories and, in the morning, intended to conduct his own examination of each of them.
    His brow creased in a frown as he considered the heavy caseload he’d taken on, with Dr. Fenelli the only other doctor to assist him. Still, Rossi had never been afraid of hard work, and this was the opportunity he’d waited for all his life. Whatever it took, he was going to make his mark here. Besides, he had to admit, he’d been more than a little intrigued by the similar symptoms being displayed by the unruly patients. Truth be told, he couldn’t wait to examine them tomorrow.
    * * * *
    Rosaria doubled over in pain, rocked by another contraction only moments after the last one. Her mother-in-law helped her up the stairs and into bed. “It’s not time yet,” Rosaria fretted. “The baby’s not due to arrive for another month.” She raised her worried eyes to her mother-in-law.
    “Babies have a way of coming when they’re ready,” her mother-in-law reassured her. “It is a little soon, but I’m certain everything will be fine. Lie down now and I will send Massimo to stay with you while I fetch the midwife,” she said, hurrying out of the room.
    A few minutes later, Massimo entered. He smiled warmly at her, and kissed her.
    “I can’t believe it’s finally happening,” she told him. “Soon we will be holding our child.”
    “Are you in much pain?” he asked, his concern evident in his eyes.
    “Not so bad.” She smiled, thinking that, most likely by tonight, Massimo would be more than a husband; he would be a father holding their newborn child in his arms, as he had longed to do for the past two years. “Are you happy?” she