Jack called, and he sounded worried. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with me? Since that night at Buddha Bar, Suzanne might still hate my guts. What if she won’t even speak to me?”
Steve assured Jack that he would do fine. Ali had told him that of the three friends, Suzanne was the quickest to forgive. Still wary, Jack headed over to NYU’s Langone Medical Center to question her.
The physician in charge of the case took Jack aside to speak with him. Dr. Seth Rubenstein looked to be in his mid to late thirties. He sported a neatly trimmed thick-mustache, and he was even taller than Jack himself. The doctor reminded him of a young Tom Selleck, and Jack figured he was probably banging every hot-looking nurse in the hospital with his medical degree and good looks. The doctor gave Jack a polite smile, showing deep dimples on his face.
The smile seemed to vanish as quickly as it came. “Miss Turner is in a lot of pain. She’s weak and on medication, so I can only allow you a few minutes with her.” The look he gave Jack would have frozen hell over. “I don’t believe my patient is up to any questioning yet, but it seems that our esteemed mayor does.”
“Get a grip, doc. I swear I’m not going to upset your patient. I’m a nice guy when you get to know me,” he told the physician, trying to get on his right side.
“Thanks, but I’ll reserve judgment until I see for myself that my patient is not put under undue stress by you,” he answered curtly.
Jack wished that he had a cigarette, but he’d quit smoking over a decade ago. Suzanne’s doctor was glaring at him as if he had grown horns and a forked tail, and his surly attitude were beginning to grate on Jack’s nerves.
“Suzanne Turner is under my care now. If I had my way, you would leave her alone until she’s regained more of her strength back.” Doctor Rubenstein took a step closer to Jack. “I’ll be keeping my eye on you, detective. If my patient gets upset in any way, there will be hell to pay.” The doctor then walked away in a black mood, cursing under his breath.
Whoa! Jack hadn’t expected that kind of attack. The anger was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Doctor Seth Rubenstein’s outburst was more than just the typical doctor-patient concern, making Jack wonder what was really going on.
A nurse was standing next to the hospital bed, checking Suzanne’s vital signs. When she had finished writing the details on her chart, she told Jack that he could come in. He walked over to the bed as quietly as possible so as not to disturb Suzanne. She looked like the hospital version of Sleeping Beauty as she lay there all pale and helpless in the hospital’s metal bed. She was beautiful with her high cheekbones and exotically shaped almond eyes, but ugly bruising covered almost one entire side of her face and then ran down her neck. Jack gingerly pulled over a chair, trying not to make any noise, but Suzanne’s eyes opened slightly, and she looked straight at him accusingly.
“Jack Ginsberg. Of all the people in the world, who do I get as my first visitor—you! I guess I’m still on that lucky streak that landed me here.” Suzanne’s voice was weak, but the animosity came through loud and clear.
“Suzanne, how do you feel?” Jack asked.
The Dream Lover Series 