Read Online Chaos at Crescent City Medical Center by Judith Townsend Rocchiccioli - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Judith Townsend Rocchiccioli
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grandfather hung up the phone and was soon deep in thought as he dressed for his lunch appointment. The events concerning Grace Raccine concerned him, mainly because he was fond of her and was disturbed by the brutality, or at least the symbolism of it. He shook his head as he left the hotel. Damn this city, he thought as he hailed a cab. Alex need s to move back home to Virginia. We 've got plenty of hospitals there that need a good lawyer.
Alex returned to work and as she began to outline the events of the morning for the board of trustees , she became acutely aware that she didn’t have the understanding or expertise to deal with the Raccine situation. S he called John Marigny, an esteemed and political ly-wise New Orleans lawyer, who handled most of the trial work for CCMC.
Alex explained the situation at the hospital , and John made no comment, but agreed to meet with the board at one o'clock. Alex prodded John for an explanation of rooster and snake, but he remained silent.
***
The three men who had dined at Tujague’s Friday night met for an early lunch at Bocco's on Tuesday at noon. Frederico , t he mafia boss, glared at the evil-faced, ponytailed man and asked , "Things set for tomorrow, Salvadal?"
The ponytail ed man stroked his leather strap and shifted in his seat and replied softly, "All set."
Frederico then turned his attention to the third man , the ordinary man, and asked roughly , “What do you know? Are t hings in place?"
The ordinary man nodded.
"No mistakes, you hear, none. People who work for me don't make mistakes or if they do, that don’t live to make another one . " Frederico glared at the man, his intent clear.
The ordinary man looked subdued. "Don' t worry, R ico. Landry's a shoe in. He’s weak. I have known him forever and he o wes me. I have a meeting over there as s oon as we eat."
Monte Salvadal fingered his ponytail , looked bored and wondered just how stupid his companions were. How'd he ever get hooked up with such bozos? His employer sure called this one wrong. Proved business people didn't know shit about crime and how t o get things done . 'Course, the bozos were supposed to provide for his cover, keep the heat off him. Maybe it'd work. Who knows? But, in reality , he never depended on anybody. He always took care of things himself. Long as he had his friend here, he'd be okay. Salvadal smiled as he caressed the strap in his lap. His friend had never deserted him.
"Hey, asshole, you talking? Eating's supposed to be social." Frederico glared across the table at him, forking food in his mouth.
"Yeah, man. Talk. I'll listen." Salvadal started eating and wished that lunch was history.
Suddenly, the ordinary man got up and looked around frantically. "Got to go, got a meeting," the ordinary man said as he threw his napkin and a fifty dollar bill on the table. He ran out of Bocco’s , not looking back at his companions.
"What's with the choir boy?"
Salvadal shrugged his shoulders and gave his plate his full attention and said, “Don’t know, and don’t give a shit.”
***
At one o'clock, the board of trustees of Crescent City Medical Center convened in the main conference room. As Alex entered, she noticed two faces she didn't recognize. She seated herself between Elizabeth and John Ashley, and asked Dr. Ashley who they were.
"The man seated next to Don is Andre Renou, the chief aide for Gover nor Raccine. The other gentlema n is a new member of the board. I'm not sure of his name, but I believe he's originally from the east coast but has lived in Texas until recently. He has tons of money in oil. Anyway, his strength on the board is supposedly his business acumen."
Alex studied the man, noting that he was young, mid-to-late thirties and pretty ordinary in appearance. Somehow he seemed vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn't seem to place him.
The tens ion in the
Alex returned to work and as she began to outline the events of the morning for the board of trustees , she became acutely aware that she didn’t have the understanding or expertise to deal with the Raccine situation. S he called John Marigny, an esteemed and political ly-wise New Orleans lawyer, who handled most of the trial work for CCMC.
Alex explained the situation at the hospital , and John made no comment, but agreed to meet with the board at one o'clock. Alex prodded John for an explanation of rooster and snake, but he remained silent.
***
The three men who had dined at Tujague’s Friday night met for an early lunch at Bocco's on Tuesday at noon. Frederico , t he mafia boss, glared at the evil-faced, ponytailed man and asked , "Things set for tomorrow, Salvadal?"
The ponytail ed man stroked his leather strap and shifted in his seat and replied softly, "All set."
Frederico then turned his attention to the third man , the ordinary man, and asked roughly , “What do you know? Are t hings in place?"
The ordinary man nodded.
"No mistakes, you hear, none. People who work for me don't make mistakes or if they do, that don’t live to make another one . " Frederico glared at the man, his intent clear.
The ordinary man looked subdued. "Don' t worry, R ico. Landry's a shoe in. He’s weak. I have known him forever and he o wes me. I have a meeting over there as s oon as we eat."
Monte Salvadal fingered his ponytail , looked bored and wondered just how stupid his companions were. How'd he ever get hooked up with such bozos? His employer sure called this one wrong. Proved business people didn't know shit about crime and how t o get things done . 'Course, the bozos were supposed to provide for his cover, keep the heat off him. Maybe it'd work. Who knows? But, in reality , he never depended on anybody. He always took care of things himself. Long as he had his friend here, he'd be okay. Salvadal smiled as he caressed the strap in his lap. His friend had never deserted him.
"Hey, asshole, you talking? Eating's supposed to be social." Frederico glared across the table at him, forking food in his mouth.
"Yeah, man. Talk. I'll listen." Salvadal started eating and wished that lunch was history.
Suddenly, the ordinary man got up and looked around frantically. "Got to go, got a meeting," the ordinary man said as he threw his napkin and a fifty dollar bill on the table. He ran out of Bocco’s , not looking back at his companions.
"What's with the choir boy?"
Salvadal shrugged his shoulders and gave his plate his full attention and said, “Don’t know, and don’t give a shit.”
***
At one o'clock, the board of trustees of Crescent City Medical Center convened in the main conference room. As Alex entered, she noticed two faces she didn't recognize. She seated herself between Elizabeth and John Ashley, and asked Dr. Ashley who they were.
"The man seated next to Don is Andre Renou, the chief aide for Gover nor Raccine. The other gentlema n is a new member of the board. I'm not sure of his name, but I believe he's originally from the east coast but has lived in Texas until recently. He has tons of money in oil. Anyway, his strength on the board is supposedly his business acumen."
Alex studied the man, noting that he was young, mid-to-late thirties and pretty ordinary in appearance. Somehow he seemed vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn't seem to place him.
The tens ion in the
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