Chapter 5

“How long was I out?” I asked Dr. Russell, who leaned over me to listen to my chest with a stethoscope. He ignored my question.

After a moment, he tugged the ear buds out and looped the instrument around his neck.

“You’ve been in a coma for five days,” he replied as he checked both my incisions, “so let me be the first to congratulate you on what has been an amazing recovery. You’re a real fighter, Nick. There’s no doubt about that.”

I grimaced slightly and spoke in a hoarse whisper. “Thank you.”

“Any trouble catching your breath?” he asked.

“No.”

“Chest pain? Pain in your calves?”

“My thigh’s pretty sore.”

He turned to the nurse. “Get him some Hydromorphone. Two milligrams. Slow IV push.” He held a finger up in front of my face. “Now I want you to follow my finger with your eyes. Any double vision?”

“No.”

“Good. Now look at my nose.” He shone a penlight in both my eyes. “Very good.”

He kept performing different test on me. While he checked my reflexes, I asked, “What happened to me ... exactly?”

It was a pretty broad enquiry, considering all the questions I had about the past five days. He peered at me curiously over the rims of his spectacles.

“Nick, do you remember anything about what happened?”

Feeling tired all of a sudden, I closed my eyes. “I know I was wounded while pursuing a suspect. I got two shots, in the stomach and the leg.”

“That’s correct,” the doctor said. “Do you know where you are? What city?”

“I passed away before they brought me here. I’m not in Middletown, that’s for sure. This looks like a very big hospital, so I’d say Portland,” I took a few seconds to draw in a breath. “Is my partner okay? What about the woman in the van? Do you know anything about that?”

“I’m afraid not,” Dr. Russell said. “Your mother and father had been here constantly. Tonight was the first night none of them stayed, only because the nurses badgered them to go home and get some rest.”

Dr. Russell circled around the bed and checked something on one of the monitors. While he was doing that, the nurse returned and administered what I assumed to be pain medication. I immediately relaxed as it flowed through my system.

“Can I ask you something?” I said to the doctor, turning my head on the pillow.

“Sure.” He seemed distracted by what he was writing in my chart.

“Did my heart stop while I was in the operating room?”

That caused him to look up. He inclined his head slightly.

“Why would you ask that?”

I wasn’t sure how to explain because I didn’t want to come off as a nutcase, but I needed to know what happened.

“I think I had a...” I paused and spoke in a whisper. “I’m not sure what to call it. It was some kind of experience, I guess.”