Read Online Alarums by Richard Laymon - Free Book Online Page B

information.
        Pen's stomach gave a little flip.
        Melanie took hold of her hand.
        'His admitting diagnosis was fracture of the patellae bilaterally…'
        'What does that mean?' Bodie asked.
        'Both kneecaps were broken. His right upper arm was also fractured,' she added, bypassing the medical jargon. She rubbed her mouth. 'He also had a severe head injury. He was unconscious when they brought him in.'
        Melanie's hand flinched in Pen's grip.
        'He was admitted to the hospital for surgery. I only have the ER records here, so you'll need to check the main hospital for his current condition.'
        She gave directions to Bodie. He nodded, then asked, 'Does it say how he got hurt?'
        'He was struck by an automobile while crossing a street in Beverly Hills. A hit and run.'
        Bodie thanked her. He led the way to a door at the rear of the room. Pen and Melanie followed him into a corridor.
         Hit by a car. Pen thought of her own close call on the boulevard outside, but in her mind Bodie didn't stop her and the car broke her knees back. She flew headfirst at the windshield.
         Dad.
         A severe head injury.
         Surgery.
         At least he's not dead, she told herself. At least he wasn't dead when he left the emergency room.
         The woman would've known, wouldn't she, if he'd died later on? Maybe not. Or maybe she knew, but preferred to let someone else break the news.
        They came out of the corridor into a lobby. Double glass doors faced Pico. A woman was seated behind an information desk.
        'I'll try to find out what's going on,' Bodie said. 'Why don't you two have a seat?'
        Pen nodded. She guided Melanie to a sofa near the wall, and they sat down.
        Bodie spoke to the woman at the desk. She made a telephone call, said something to Bodie. He came back and sat beside Melanie. 'A doctor's going to come out and talk to us.'
        They waited.
        Pen rubbed her sweaty hands on her pants.
         I'm sorry, we did everything humanly possible.
        A man came through a doorway at the far side of the lobby. He walked straight toward them. He was not the old, weary physician Pen had expected. He looked young, not much over thirty, handsome and energetic. He belonged in tennis whites, but he wore gray slacks and an open white jacket, a shirt of Stuart plaid and a solid green tie, loosely knotted. He carried a clipboard.
        Pen tried to read his expression. It was business-like. It gave nothing away.
        Bodie was already standing.
        Pen forced herself up. Melanie hesitated, then stood.
        'I'm Dr Gray,' he said, and shook hands with Bodie. 'I'm the neurosurgeon who operated on Mr Conway.' He had a pleasant voice, a pleasant smile.
        'How is he?' Melanie asked, her voice a choked whisper.
        'Your father's in a stable condition.'
        His words tore the fog from Pen's mind.
         Dad's all right.
        The tears came and she thought, it's okay, oh my God, he's not dead, he's okay. 'Can we see him?' she asked. Blubbering. I'm blubbering. I don't care.
        'Certainly. But we need to talk first. Will you step this way?'
         Talk.
         It's not okay.
        Dr Gray led them into an office. They sat on soft chairs and he sat on the edge of his desk, facing them.
        'Your father sustained what we call a subdural hematoma. The impact from the accident caused blood vessels inside his skull to rupture. We operated on him immediately after he was admitted last night to open the skull, relieve the pressure of the blood build-up inside, and stop the bleeding. The surgery went well. However, your father did sustain a certain amount of brain damage, which is almost inevitable considering the trauma he experienced.' Frowning, Dr Gray rubbed his cheek as if checking for whiskers. 'I've seen patients in worse condition than your father make full