by JJ Lamb
It was so easy, it felt like magic.
Then he stepped away from the more risky surgeries and nailed every possible Cath Lab procedure, needed or not, and more and more money poured in.
More magic.
His net worth soared as cash turned into stocks and bonds, tax shelters, off-shore accounts. He’d become a Midas.
Blind, stupid, he hadn’t seen it coming. Annie found someone else to love and appreciate her.
A judge had pointed a finger at him, warned it was now his responsibility to take care of his ex wife, pay for her upscale lifestyle with another man. He fumed, at first more angry at the loss of money than with the loss of his wife.
That’s when Vlad-the-murderer stepped in.
Lolly Stentz was the lucky one. She’d seen the threat for what it was and ran. She escaped Vlad Folo.
Too late, Tallent understood it all.
Annie was gone. Maria Benke and her mother were gone, and soon Gina Mazzio would be gone—all because of him.
* * *
Tallent was reading the newspaper and finishing his third cup of coffee when Vlad oozed into the kitchen. He was like an apparition—one second Tallent was alone, the next Vlad was standing next to him.
“I have decided to leave sooner than I planned.” Vlad sat down at the table and helped himself to an uninvited cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant.
Tallent didn’t look up. “The sooner you leave, the better.”
“Yes. I knew you’d feel that way. So, doctor, you and I are going to your bank so you can purchase a cashier’s check—what you owe me to take care of the nurse.”
Tallent lowered the newspaper. “I could write you a check right now, or don’t you trust me?”
“I trust no one.” Vlad stared him down. “Besides, why leave a paper trail? And you might cancel it once I walked out the door.”
“I admire that,” Tallent said, his voice sounding dead even to himself. “You do think things through.”
Vlad blurted a humorless laugh. “Personal check or no personal check, remember, I could still make sure the police find what they need to send you away—for a long, long time.”
“I never doubted it.”
“Maybe you are getting smarter, because if you do something dumb, I will kill you.”
* * *
Gina and Harry were paying for their morning coffee at the Ridgewood cafeteria when they heard Vinnie call to them from in back of the line. It was thirty minutes before they were due on the unit.
The two of them found a table for four, sat down, and waited for Helen and Vinnie to join them.
“You’re worried, I can tell,” Vinnie said to Gina.
“Of course she’s worried.” Harry squeezed Gina’s hand. “Mulzini’s not only a friend—the man’s saved our tails too many times to count.”
“I know. Mulzini’s the best.” Helen took a quick sip of her coffee and set her cup on the table. “I love the guy.”
Gina knew Vinnie was studying her face. “Something’s up. There’s more to this than you’re telling us, right?”
“Nothing, really, other than I’m worried.” Gina put a spoon in her cup and stirred and stirred and stirred. “I just wish someone else was doing the surgery.”
“None of us like Mort Tallent,” Helen said. “How did Mulzini end up with him? Why didn’t you steer him to Cantor or Brichett?”
“I tried. But Mulzini was in a hurry to get it over with and the other two guys didn’t have any openings for moths. Besides, Mulzini’s a grown man. We can’t make those kinds of decisions for him.”
Harry glared at Helen. “Why ask something like that now? Jeez.”
“All right, let’s not get all riled up,” Vinnie said. “What time is the procedure scheduled?”
“He’s second up. Probably about ten.” Gina downed the rest of her coffee, looked at Harry. “I can’t just sit here. I’m going to the unit.”
Harry took hold of her hand. “I’ll walk you up, doll.”
She turned and waved goodbye, worried not only about Mulzini, but herself.
* * *
Outside the CCU, Gina and Harry held hands, turned to each other. People were coming on shift, walking around them. Gina barely noticed.
“Harry, what am I going to do? I can’t risk having Tallent hurt Mulzini.”
“Listen, doll, just keep your eyes open. That’s the best way to protect Mulzini—and yourself. Besides, we don’t really know that third payment has anything to do with you.”
“That man I saw in the cafeteria and outside our apartment was following me. I know it.”
“Maybe, but let’s take care of one thing at a time.” Harry leaned over and kissed her on the lips.
Gina took a deep breath and stood taller. “You’re right! Mulzini and I have to get through the day, one minute at a time.”
She gave Harry tentative smile, waved goodbye, and walked into the CCU.
.
Chapter 51
Stepping into the CCU, Gina hurried to the surgical area. She could see that all the ORs were running at full speed. Down the hall where the Cath Rooms were, the first patients were being taken from the holding cubicles for their procedures.
Gina flew to the central nursing station to check on the department schedule. Bob Cantor was in Lab One, Brichett in Lab Two. Both were doing ablations.
When Gina saw her assignment, she wanted to scream. Mulzini was up next and she was chalked in to assist Tallent.
She didn’t want to even look at the man, but at least she would be right there to watch over her friend.
Gina hurried to the family waiting room. She was jumping out of her skin, but Dirk and Marcia were in the longue trying to look calm. Gina knew how scared they really must be.
“Hi, you two.” Gina reached out to hug Marcia, and then Dirk. “How are you guys holding up?”
“A walk in the park.” Marcia looked as though someone had drained all her blood; her eyes were like huge saucers.
Dirk smiled, but when he turned away. Gina knew he was crying.
“Your sons aren’t coming?” she asked Marcia.
“Mulzini wouldn’t let me tell them.” Marcia’s arms were covered with goose bumps. “It’s probably better this way. Less pressure on my guy.”
“Well, I’ve got to get back. It won’t be too long. In the meantime, they’ll give him some meds to relax him.”
“That’ll be the day,” Marcia said.
* * *
Harry was having trouble concentrating on the change of shift report. All he could think of was Gina, and how frightened she was.
He was frightened, too.
She’d been in a lot of dangerous situations—had a lot of near misses where she could have died. But no one had ever been paid to kill her. He couldn’t wrap his mind around that.
The ICU census was light today, but even with fewer patients, the noise level was unnerving with the shrill alarms and buzzers constantly going off.
“Harry!”
“Yeah? What?” The team leader must have been asking him something—he was in a different zone, trying to come up with a plan to keep Gina safe.
“What’s with you, Harry?” The team leader was looking at him, head tilted, brow furrowed. “Not like you to be off in the clouds. You’re usually keyed and ready.”
“Sorry. Personal problems.”
“Is that Gina gal giving you a rough time?”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
* * *
Mulzini tried to focus on the nurses, running back and forth between him and another cardio patient.
He was handling it, but the man next to him was climbing the walls. He wouldn’t shut up.
“What are you having done?” the guy asked.
“Ablation,” Mulzini said.
“I know what that is. Mine’s more serious.”
“Look, man. I don’t want to be rude, but you’re making me more freakin’ nervous than I already am.” Mulz
ini gave him a nasty eye beating. “So if you could just zip it, I’d really appreciate it.”
“You don’t have to be such a douche-bag.”
Mulzini half sat up. “You think I’m a douche bag now, you ain’t seen nothing yet. So shut the fuck up!”
One of the nurses hurried into the room, syringe in hand. “All right, you two. Cool it!” She checked the ID bracelet of the big mouth and then added medicine into his IV. “You’re next, Mr. Mulzini.” She finished and hurried back out of the room.
Mulzini watched the guy’s glare slowly disappear. After a while, he closed his eyes and was off to slumberland.
Jeez, it’s about time! Thought he’d never shut up.
As promised, the same nurse returned with another syringe. “Your turn. Any questions before I give you this?”
He shook his head, saw Mazzio step up to his bedside. “Nora, can you give me a moment? Mulzini’s a friend of mine.”
“Sure. We have a little time.” Nora turned and walked out.
Mulzini looked up at Mazzio, tried to come up with some kind of wisecrack. Nothing. Just plain too scared.
“This is going to be a breeze, Mulzini.” She took his hand, squeezed it hard.
“Will you be around, Gina?”
“Are you kidding me? You never call me anything but Mazzio.”
“Gimme a break, will you? Are you going to be here?”
“I’ll be in the same room. I may even talk to you now and then.” She smiled at him. “But you won’t remember any of it later.” She bent over and kissed his cheek. “You’ll be fine.”
Nora was back in the room with her ever-ready syringe. Gina nodded to her and Nora injected the med into an IV port. “It won’t be too much longer now, Stefano.”
“Mulzini!” Gina and Mulzini said in unison.
Chapter 52
Alexander Yurev was slumped in his car, in a daze. He watched the sun rise, tried to envision what his future was going to be like.
What a fool I’ve been! Twenty hard years doing what I was told to do, thinking all along my Sonya was being faithful, raising our children, waiting for my return.
Idiot! Not my Sonya, Misha’s Sonya. Misha, that disobedient, sex-crazed idiot!
Alex was painfully aware of what a loyal and naive grunt he’d been for the brotherhood. His life had dribbled away while he did penance for fucking up the Antonev assignment.
And now, Misha had stolen his woman and children while he wasted away in America.
He hadn’t slept during the night, cramped up in the car. All he could think about was Misha and how he would return to Russia and kill him.
But first, he would destroy this Vlad Folo, this Antonev/Pushkin kid who had gotten away from him time after time. And there would be no doubt when he cut off Folo’s finger as proof that he had completed his assignment. Folo was as responsible for his destroyed life as was Misha. Together, they had held him prisoner.
After talking to Misha, he’d forced himself to stay with the car and keep watch for Folo. The bastard would not get away this time.
He ordered a pizza and drinks to be delivered to his car and when the streets were deserted, he relieved himself in the bushes like a street dog.
Yes, that’s what he had become: an abandoned, killing animal.
* * *
Vlad watched the doctor as he left the apartment. Yes, this man, this doctor with the slumped shoulders, had given up all hope.
He knew Tallent would pay all of Vlad’s money demands, not only now, but through the coming years—whatever it took to save his miserable ass.
Vlad didn’t like the doctor, never had. He had to hold back a constant urge to kill the coward, put him out of his misery. But Vlad needed money more than the satisfaction of taking the doctor’s life. If he was to start over again, with a new identity and a new home, he would need Tallent’s money.
And so he would kill the nurse for him.
He had studied the Mazzio nurse, watched her with her man in the hospital cafeteria, and watched her outside her apartment building. The woman had a fire in her belly, she would fight hard for her life.
He’d had women like her before. But they all gave in, sooner or later.
Breaking someone’s spirit wasn’t all that difficult. All he had to do was convince them that he definitely would kill them. Easy. No problem.
Vlad smiled, content with himself. Yes, he was a good killer.
He went out to Rosia’s car, but didn’t get in immediately. Something was off—something he couldn’t quite identify. He looked around, along the sidewalks, up and down the street; inspected the windows of the tall, high-rent apartment buildings all around him.
The signs were there again. A chill crawled up and down his back. Who? How? From where?
Jumpy.
He checked his watch.
It was late morning. He drove to a little neighborhood cafe he knew. He would eat, take a nap in the car, and be ready.
* * *
Alex walked into the little café where Vlad was eating, tried not to attract the man’s attention. He slowly, quietly found a seat two booths away, toward the rear of the cafe, and to Vlad’s back.
He edged onto the vinyl-covered seat and waited for the shapely waitress, in a bright yellow uniform, to come to him after taking Vlad’s order.
“Coffee?”
“Yes, that would be good. I would also like some bacon and eggs with rye toast.”
“Like I told the man at the other table ... ten minutes more and you would have missed breakfast.” The waitress smiled at him, showing the whitest teeth he’d ever seen. “Coming right up.”
When he looked up, Vlad had turned around and was looking directly at him. Alex nodded, got up, and went to the men’s restroom.
Inside, he stared at his image and could see he was a mess. Not as terrible as he felt, but his plain blue tie was askew and his shirt was grubby. It didn’t matter much. His rain coat did a good job of covering most of his wrinkled clothing.
He bent over and washed his face with cold water, then pulled a comb from his pocket and ran it through his hair. After fixing his tie and brushing off his raincoat, he didn’t look quite as grubby as before.
* * *
Vlad didn’t like the looks of the man who came into the café right after him. And when he heard him give his breakfast order to the waitress, he thought he heard an accent, a Russian accent. But the man was soft-spoken and too far away for Vlad to be certain.
He watched the man get up and go to the restroom. There was something about him, something other than his near-bum appearance. Vlad was tempted to leave, then tried to calm himself—he’d been far too jumpy the last few days, and for no real reason that he could identify. Besides, he was here and he was hungry. If this man was a danger, Vlad was more than ready to handle it.
When the man returned, Vlad could see that he’d kind of pulled himself together. He wondered if he was perhaps some kind of traveling salesman. Then he noticed that the man walked with a slight limp. Vlad relaxed. The brotherhood wouldn’t send someone to take him out who wasn’t in the best shape possible.
He smiled at the young waitress when she brought his breakfast of pancakes and sausage. He dug into the food and forgot about the man a couple of booths behind him.
Chapter 53
Tallent stood in front of the bulletin board in the Nurses’ Station. He studied the surgery lineup, couldn’t believe that Gina Mazzio was scheduled to scrub in with him for the policeman’s cardio cath.
He took off for the locker room—needed some space to think. The place was empty—everybody was out on the unit floor, where he should be.
He collapsed on the narrow wooden bench between two rows of ceiling-to-floor metal lockers. He rested his elbows on his knees, cupped his chin in both hands. His mind did cartwheels as he took in deep breaths.
Pull yourself together.
He had to focus on the procedure he would be doing in a few minutes. He needed to
get his ass in gear and start thinking about Stefano Mulzini and his ablation. Instead, his thoughts bounced between Mazzio, Vlad, and Annie.
Stop it!
He reached in one pocket, then in another for the oversized shoe coverings and his cap. He had to get to the scrub room, get ready for the procedure.
His mind flashed to Stinson Beach, where he and Annie practically lived—until his parents revoked his trust fund.
There was no more money. Do it their way—or else!
Another mind jump and he remembered that the first official day of the Mavericks surfing competition would be coming up soon. He could picture the famous rock-studded surf spot twenty miles south of Francisco. He’d been good back then, really good. He and his surfboard rode the waves together, like a superhero—Batman and his Bat mobile.
He smiled, remembering the fifty-foot wave that tossed him into the sea, and his near-suffocation when another wave hit and held him under. He’d barely escaped. But he never told Annie about it. Nothing was ever going to stop him from surfing.
Nothing other than a revoked trust fund.
He still resented the power his parents had held over him. They’d put him in a box with no openings. His father got him reinstated to the Stanford School of Medicine, rented a small house in Palo Alto for him and Annie, and set up no-cash-back credit card accounts to cover living expenses. But no cash.
He still found an hour here and there to surf, but having to be extra careful not to break his board took a lot of the pleasure out of it.
Fool!
* * *
Bob Cantor finished his procedure and left the cath lab, shucking his gloves and loosening his gown. He was dripping with sweat.
His patient was okay following a tricky cardiac angioplasty that had gone much longer than anticipated because the man had required two stents instead of one to open up clogged arteries,
But now his patient was in recovery and doing fine. As soon as Cantor was convinced he was stable, he would send him on over to CCU as an in-patient, where he would spend the night under close observation. If all continued to go well, Cantor would discharge him, probably tomorrow.
With a couple of hours on his hands until his next case, Cantor decided to drop in to see his in-house patients.
