Read Online Dead on Arrival by Lori Avocato - Free Book Online Page A

nostrils.”
    She let him but grabbed his arm and said, “You can stick something else into—”
    â€œWe’re gonna take you on a little trip to the hospital, Virginia,” Dano interrupted.
    Since she didn’t look in any immediate danger, other than mental health-wise, I had to smile.
    Virginia wiggled and jiggled in the bed. “Why? Why? Why?”
    â€œJust to make sure you are all right, ma’am,” Buzz interrupted, standing at attention.
    Dano turned to him.
    â€œUhn, sorry.” Buzz kinda faded into the background of the shrine-room.
    I felt sorry for him, but intrigued that Jagger stood so silently near the doorway. Was he merely letting them do their job, or was a sexy, gorgeous nut like Virginia hard for him to deal with? Interesting.
    Virginia took a tissue from under her pillow and started to wipe her hands. She rubbed at each nail as if taking polish off, although there wasn’t any on. The compulsive behavior continued while Buzz went to get the stretcher, Jagger offered to help him, and ER Dano and I stayed in the room, listening to Virginia, who now chanted something.
    Sounded like a Gypsy Rosalie stripper tune.
    Dano leaned near. “What’d you take today, Virginia?”
    I was amazed at his gentle yet firm tone. Even I would have answered him , I thought as she turned to him.
    â€œLa, dee, da,” she said, then stopped. “Vodka.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œWhat makes you think there’s an ‘and,’ handsome? You are one hot guy, buddy.” She reached up to him, grabbed his tie, and pulled him near enough to give him a kiss, but Dano was apparently on the ball at all times. Before she could, he’d taken her hands and firmly released them.
    â€œLet’s keep to ourselves, Virginia. What’d you take with the Vodka?”
    â€œYou married, handsome? Kids? Good sex?” she asked.
    I found myself leaning forward to hear better then caught myself.
    â€œGin?” Dano asked.
    For a few seconds, she looked like a child. Her eyes grew watery, her lips pouted, and she took a few deep breaths. “He broke up with me. He broke up with me.”
    Dano rolled his eyes but not until after he’d turned his head away. “Yeah, sometimes life sucks. Maybe it’s for the better. Look, kid, no guy or anyone for that matter is worth dying for.” He looked around with a “Where the hell is that stretcher” look. “So, pills?”
    â€œPills. Pot.”
    â€œKinda pills?”
    She looked toward the bedside table, which was so crowded with statues none of us had noticed a prescription bottle hidden amongst them. I walked toward it and lifted it up. “Xanax. Antidepressant.”
    ER looked at me. “No kidding.” He turned back to her. “Whose pills are they?”
    I started to look at the bottle to see that the name was scratched off. Dano was one sharp guy. I wished he wasn’t involved in the fraud. We could probably use his help.
    Buzz and Jagger appeared at the doorway.
    Virginia started to chant in some kind of tongue. Everyone ignored her as they covered her, re-covered her each time she threw off the sheet, and got her safely on the stretcher, where she promptly spit out a pill, most likely Xanax, which landed on Buzz Lightyear’s crispy new shirt.
    I don’t think I’ve ever seen that kind of look of horror as was on poor Buzz’s face right now.
    Then Virginia said to Buzz, “You look like shit, buddy. You should be down here, not me.”
    While she laughed, I felt sorry for Buzz, but Dano shook his head as if that wasn’t the first time a patient had said that to Buzz Lightyear.
    Virginia started to chant a Hail Mary.
    Now her sister shook her head and looked at me, “We’re Jewish.”
    In a sitcom, that would be funny. I merely touched her arm and smiled.
    â€œYou drive,” Dano said to Buzz, who beamed with delight once we were