Bone Crack: A Medical Suspense Thriller (The Gina Mazzio Series Book 6)

by Bette Golden Lamb

  “Hey, kid. You can ask me anything—anytime, anywhere.”

  “Would you mind if I call you Dad instead of Mulzini?” Dirk smiled down at him.

  It caught Mulzini off guard. He swallowed hard. “I was wondering if you’d ever come around to it.” He stood, leaned over and buried his head in the kid’s chest. Before he could stop himself, he started bawling.

  “Hey, hey, if you don’t want me to, don’t worry about it. I know you already have kids and ... and ... really, I’ll understand.”

  Mulzini stood and looked deep into Dirk’s eyes. “Damn! I’d be honored, son. So would Marcia. You know how much we’ve come to love you.”

  “Thanks ... Dad!”

  Mulzini smiled at him.

  “Good! Now that we’ve got that out of the way ... and I already knew you’d say yes ... tell me, what the hell is going on?”

  “Smart-ass kid.” Mulzini walked across the room and plopped down on the sofa. Dirk followed and sat down beside him.

  “It’s this damn surgery. I don’t mind admitting that I’m really scared.”

  Dirk took his hand. “Well, sure. Who wouldn’t be?”

  “But it’s tomorrow; it’s actually tomorrow.”

  “I know. But now isn’t the time to push us away. You need Mom and me.”

  “Yeah, well, I don’t like needing people—no matter how much I actually do. You get it?” Mulzini gave a humorless laugh.

  Dirk nodded.

  “I’m used to hoofing it alone, with my head up.”

  “It doesn’t make you less of a person because you need people.”

  “And I believe that—for others. Not me.” Mulzini smiled weakly and looked away.

  “Dad, you’re going to get through this with flying colors. Have I ever lied to you?”

  “Well, yeah, I can think of a few occasions.”

  “Those don’t count.”

  Then they were both laughing as Marcia came back through the front door.

  She stared at Mulzini, defiance bouncing off every inch of her. “What’s so damn funny, if I may ask?”

  “I’m sorry, babe,” he said. “Really sorry. And I need you to forgive me.” He put an arm around Dirk’s shoulder. “This one just asked if he could call me Dad.” He turned to Dirk. “But no Da-Da. Got it?”

  Marcia’s scowl slowly morphed into a smile. “So you finally did it?”

  Dirk nodded.

  She leveled her eyes at Mulzini. “Just to let you know, he‘s been calling me Mom for the past month.”

  “How come I never picked up on that?” Mulzini slapped Dirk’s thigh.

  Marcia carefully removed her wet jacket, threw it on the floor, and jumped into his lap. “Because you’re a lousy detective, Mulzini!”

  * * *

  Vinnie, Helen, Gina, and Harry stood outside the Mulzinis’ front door, waiting for someone to respond to the doorbell.

  Vinnie said, “Are you sure he won’t mind our popping over like this on the night before surgery?”

  “I don’t care whether he minds or not,” Gina said. “I know he’s scared to death and I’m sure Marcia could use a little backup.”

  “And having us here is going to help distract him.” Harry held up the huge box of pizza they’d brought with them.

  “Need some help with that,” Helen said. “Not that I’m offering—I’m just saying, the bottom is probably damn hot.”

  Dirk opened the door and Gina knew it was a good thing they’d come when he gave them a big smile.

  “Hey, come on in. Dad’s going to love this. Mom planned a nice intelligent dinner, but pizza? Dad’s going to go wild.”

  Dirk stepped aside and they all marched into the living room. Mulzini and Marcia were holding hands and smiling.

  Everyone started laughing at the look of surprise on Mulzini’s face.

  * * *

  Gina and Mulzini found a corner in the living while the others were still eating around the kitchen table.

  “You guys are something else.” Mulzini held up a wedge of pizza “Thanks for this. I really do appreciate it.”

  “You know, every time I look at Dirk I remember that night after being dumped in the park and buried, he found me and really saved my life. I was so scared.”

  “You’ve always said it was cosmic.” Mulzini had a toothpick trying to work out a piece of tomato caught in his eye tooth. “

  Gina nodded. “He’s a great kid.”

  Gina watched Mulzini’s eyes fill with tears. She reached for his hand. “I know you’re afraid. But look at it this way—you’re having surgery in my department and I’ll be in the thick of things, looking to save your ass.”

  “Does that mean you’ll also have your hand inside my chest?

  “Cool it! They are not opening your chest. They’re going in to try to stop your atrial fib by buzzing some cells.” Gina squeezed his hand. “Aren’t you tired of that rapid heartbeat sending you to the ER?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Of course I am. But that doesn’t mean I want someone electrocuting me.”

  “They’ll find the area in your heart where those bad cells are sending out the wrong signals. Then they’ll shut them up.”

  “Now you’re at least talking like a mench instead of some medical wizard.”

  “I love it when Italians speak Yiddish.” She leaned over and looked into his eyes. “I’ll be there for you, Mulzini. Just the way you’ve always been there for me.”

  “You’re a good kid, Mazzio.” He squeezed her hand. “But you’re definitely a pain in the ass.”

  “I know. It’s one of my more endearing qualities.”

  Chapter 50

  Mulzini was on a gurney, on his way to the Cath Lab. He was wide awake, telling Gina over and over that he really didn’t want to do this. He’d refused any pre-op meds, and kept insisting he wanted to get up and go home.

  “You can’t go home until you have your procedure.” Gina pulled scissors from her jeans and waved them in front of his face. “Don’t worry, Mulzini, I’ll cut away all the bad parts, put them in a jar of formaldehyde.”

  “Hah! Very funny.”

  “Look, you’re going to be fine.”

  “You’re a liar.” Mulzini tried to scoot off the gurney but the nurses held him down. “I know damn well that doctor is going to murder me.”

  * * *

  Gina jerked up in bed, drenched in sweat. She could barely breathe.

  Harry turned over, nudged her, and mumbled, “Go back to sleep, doll.”

  She was chilled when she lay back down. She scooted under the covers, cuddled up to Harry’s back. She closed her eyes, and tried to relax.

  A dream. Only a dream.

  But she was afraid, worried it was a warning that Dr. Morton Tallent might end up killing Mulzini.

  * * *

  Tallent spent a restless night, turning from side-to-side, barely getting any sleep. Having Vlad in his house, in the next room, made him edgy. The guy was like a fuse, lit and ready to blow.

  He finally turned on the light; the first thing he saw was his bedside picture of Annie. She’d had the softest eyes he’d ever seen. Even when she was angry there was always room in her heart for forgiveness.

  He held the picture to his chest, tears blinded him.

  I’m such a fool.

  In the year before she left him, she did all the crying in bed at night, just as he was doing now. He would take her into his arms, try to soothe her. But even while he held her close, his head was filled with numbers: projected income, investment growth, the S&P, the Dow.

  Money. Money.

  At the crack of dawn, he crawled out of bed, padded down the hall, and went into his study. He looked around the room, his gaze moving from one item to another. He was searching for something, not knowing exactly what. Then he saw Vlad’s name scratched across the surface of his surfboard.

  That piece of shit knows he owns me. Owns my soul.

  Tallent collapsed into his desk chair, stopped to look
back and forth between the damaged board and another picture of Annie on his desk.

  Everything he treasured had been stolen away while he was trapped in a snarl of numbers that he’d created.

  It had all started when he heard of that dirty little secret where other doctors were overbilling Medicare with phantom charges. That first small step away from basic medical ethics had brought in huge profits, with no outlay of capital. He never once had to chase down Uncle Sam to pay its bills. The government coughed up the money like a super-efficient ATM.

  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 lounge 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.”r />
  * * *

  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.” Mulzini 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.”