Chapter Eleven - Girl Talk
New York Hospital Emergency Room - Sixty Four Hours Missing
"You look like hell."
Angie looked up from her paperwork to see Liz coming toward her with a large, satisfied smile on her face. Angie just shook her head and pulled the hair that was falling in her face behind her ear. "Thanks."
"Seriously, you look like hell." Liz repeated, grinning like a chesire cat. "No make-up, bags under the eyes, pasty skin. Rough night?"
"Don't start with me." Angie warned. "I was a little hung over this morning and you know it."
"Is that why you are avoiding me, woman? Because I missed you up in my office this morning for the consult on Gracie Markum." Liz sidled up next to her friend and leaned on the counter around the nurse's station. "And now I've spent the last half an hour tracking you through the hospital. The pediatric girls on your floor said you went up to X-ray, and then the X-ray techs said you had gone to see Dr. Andrews about a surgical consult. Dr. Andrews secretary said she hadn't seen you, but an orderly heard you tell someone that you were headed down here to emergency. Are we having trouble staying in one place today?"
"I've been busy." Angie answered, looking back down at her paperwork and continued talking. "I missed our consult because I had an emergency come in and needed to see the X-rays before consulting with Dr. Andrews. Why is it that surgeons want to cut everyone open before discussing other medical options?"
Liz shrugged and looked over Angie's shoulder at her notes. "That's how they get their kicks." When Angie finished writing, Liz continued, "I've got Gracie's test results right here. Want to go over them now?"
Angie handed the paperwork to the admitting nurse at the desk and smiled. Turning to Liz, she said, "All my notes are up in my office. Can we talk there?"
"Sure," Liz answered. "But can we stop at the cafeteria first for some lunch? I'm starving and I hear they're serving Chicken Divine today."
"Sounds good." Angie agreed, turning away from the desk and falling into step with Liz. "I'm a little famished myself."
"And on the way, you can tell me all about your evening with F.B.I. boy." Liz grinned. "I noticed you were a little late for work this morning."
"I had to drop him off. We drove my car home last night remember?"
"So he stayed the night?" Liz asked, a mischievous little smile on her face. "Did he have as much rhythm in the bedroom as he did on the dance floor?"
Angie laughed. "I don't know. We never made it off the couch."
"Hot!" Liz exclaimed, hitting the button for the elevator. "You know what they say about those sexy, latin lovers!"
Angie shook her head. "Don't get too excited. Nothing happened. Nothing sexual, anyway. Just a little kissing." Angie paused and grinned. "A little fabulous kissing."
Before either woman could say any more, commotion broke out down the hall as the outside doors to the ER flew open. Paramedics and police came rushing in with a gurney and the quiet emergency room flew into action.
"What's going on?" Liz asked an orderly who was rushing past.
"Gunshot wound to the stomach. Word is it's a mob hit." He shouted, continuing down the hall to get in on the action.
"How do you know that?" Angie asked.
A nurse, who was busy collecting supplies from a nearby supply closet, said, "Haven't you heard? It came over the radio wire...the victim is Theresa Caruso. You know, wife of mafia hitman Eddie Caruso. Sounds like she's been iced."
Angie felt her heart drop into her stomach. "Oh God," she said quietly, "she didn't follow the rules."