Guilt wracked Drew as he sat in the hospital waiting room. Vin wouldn’t be in the operating room now if Drew had been better at his job. He should never have let Vin work for him. He should have parked in a different place. He should at least have gotten the license number of the man who shot Vin. He had a Styrofoam cup of tepid coffee in front of him. It was too bitter to drink.
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The sound of hard heels clacking on the linoleum brought his head up. Miranda, dressed in a long, tight black skirt with some weird pleat thing in back and a red vest with nothing under it bore down on him. Her expression was thunderous.
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“Where is he?” Her voice accused him of hiding Vin.
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“They are operating on him” he said stiffly, resenting her tone.
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“What’s wrong with him? Is he going to be all right? All I got was a message on my blackberry from Suzie.”
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“Is she coming?” Drew’s interest was purely personal. Vin wouldn’t know they were hovering in the waiting room, but Drew could hardly be anywhere else. If he had to be here, he’d like to have Suzie with him. Too bad he got Miranda instead.
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“Would you answer my questions before peppering me with your own?” She crossed her arms and looked mulish, which stung after the way she’d greeted him.
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“I’d like to tell you both at the same time, if I could, rather than have to repeat myself.”
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“She’ll be right up. She stopped off at the gift shop. Just tell me, he’s going to be all right, isn’t he?”
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Drew didn’t say anything. He didn’t know what to say. Could he comfort her when he needed comforting himself? For all he knew Vin might already have died under the knife.
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Miranda sucked in her lower lip and bit it hard enough he thought she might draw blood. Her breath shuddered. He was afraid she’d burst into tears then and there. She looked away, hiding her face. Luckily, before the storm could break Suzie arrived.
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She had a thermos in her hand and an expression of quite compassion that soothed him immediately. Miranda seemed to get comfort from her presence as well. She took a deep breath, and smiled in a wobbly fashion.
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“Ok. Tell us.”
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Both women looked at him expectantly, though Suzie had the kindness to fill his cup with some rich smelling coffee. Guilt immediately flooded him. He should never have allowed Vin to drive the taxi. He should have found him sooner, stopped the shooter. Now he had to confess his part. Only it wasn’t entirely his to tell.
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“You know Vin was working with me on a case. I can’t give you any details, but it involves him acting as a target for a particular group of criminals. Although I don’t have confirmation yet, it appears a member of this group forced him off the road and shot him. I wasn’t there when it happened. However, I saw a man with a gun in his hand leave the scene of the crime. He was only shot once, through the chest at close range. On last report he was in critical condition, but still alive.” He took a sip of coffee. It was perfect, which made him feel much better.
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Miranda stared at him as if he’d grown another head. “How can you be so cold about it? Don’t you care that he might die?”
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“Of course he cares,” Suzie said before Drew could gather a response from his blasted wits. She gave him a small smile. “I guess once an officer always an officer.”
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He didn’t see how his profession mattered, but had no energy left to argue. It was all taken in self-castigation.
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“Are you all with Marvin Sutter?” A doctor stood in the hall looking into the little waiting room.
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“Yes.” Drew stood slowly, afraid of what he would hear.
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“Family?”
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“As close as he has.”
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A crease of concern went to the doctor’s brow.
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“I’m his fiancé!” Miranda said hastily.
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She didn’t need to lie, nor did it help. The doctor’s expression didn’t smooth in the least. But it didn’t matter. He had already been talking to Drew about Vin’s condition for some time.
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“They are both with me,” Drew assured the man.
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“His condition is still critical, but he is out of surgery. Would you like to see him?”
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“Yes!” All three spoke as one.
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The doctor gave them each a few minutes with Vin. First Drew, then Suzie, then Miranda went in. Vin lay under the sheet unconscious the entire time. He looked pale and drawn. Thick bandages wrapped around his chest.
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“He was lucky,” The doctor. They stood in the hall as they looked through the door at Miranda, who sat by the bed holding Vin’s hand. “The bullet went straight through, chipped off a piece of his sternum, missed all major arteries, and he only lost partial use of one lung. We expect complete recuperation.”
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The relief was so palpable, Drew felt like Jell-O. He managed to not slump, but must have given some indication because Suzie squeezed his hand. He wished the touch were a little less fleeting.
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A nurse came and tapped the doctor on the shoulder. He excused himself and hurried away. Then Suzie excused herself, saying she’d left something in the gift shop.
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“Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”
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Her receding form had barely disappeared around the corner when Miranda came out of Vin’s room. She looked as devastated as he felt.
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“He’s in a bad way, isn’t he. He looks so different, like a wax dummy. A bad wax dummy of himself.” Her lower lip quivered. “When I first saw him I thought he was dead. He could still die.”
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She was working herself up and Drew was helpless to stop her.
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“I’m holding his hand and he doesn’t even blink. It’s like he doesn’t know I’m there. I want to crack a joke or something, but he can’t hear. And what if he never comes around again? What if he still dies?”
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She was making Drew feel worse with every word.
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“I don’t know what I’ll do if he dies. I don’t know what I’ll do.” She was sobbing openly now. To Drew’s horror she flung herself against him.
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Unable to find a decent way to respond, he simply put his arms around her and held her while she sobbed hysterically.
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It wasn’t long before the sobs eased into little moans and the hug went from purely sympathetic to something a bit more aggressive. Drew tried to gently extricate himself, but Miranda had other ideas. He managed to get one arm loose, then the other. She still had him by the neck when she planted a wet one right on his lips.
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Stunned, he froze for a count of five. When he finally managed to tear his lips away from hers, his gaze went immediately down the hall, as if searching for someone to rescue him.
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Suzie stood at the end of the hall, a small gift shop bag dangling from her fingers. She stared at them with eyes wide. Her jaw hung loose in an expression of surprised sorrow. Drew pushed Miranda roughly away, but the damage was already done. Suzie spun on her heel and dashed off leaving Drew with the wrong woman.
The previous was Suzie’s House 13: Of Duty and Honor
This is Suzie’s House 14: Mouth to Mouth
Next is Suzie’s House 15: Resusitation
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