Chapter 6

"The girl's parents are waiting in the lounge, Doctor," the nurse said, poking her head into the room.

"Okay," Doc Mayfield replied, putting his stethoscope back into his pocket and looking an the machines around young Nicole Carter. She had been stable for a couple of hours, but took a bad turn twenty minutes ago.

Doc shook his head and pushed the door roughly open. He paused in front of the lounge and took a deep breath. He hated this part of the job.

"Is something wrong, Doctor?" the haggard mother asked nervously.

"I'm afraid Nicole has taken a serious turn for the worse. I don't think she's going to recover," Doc Mayfield said sadly, placing his hand reassuringly on the woman's shoulder.

"I thought you said she was stable, Doc," the man said angrily.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Carter. We don't know much about how to treat people with Nirvana poisoning."

"Nirvana?" the mother asked.

"A new drug, Martha," her husband replied quickly.

"Nicole wouldn't use drugs," Martha Carter said, bristling a bit at the silent accusation.

"She didn't know what happened after she got here, Mrs. Carter. I'm sure someone else gave it to her without her realizing it."

Jason Carter paled a bit.

The door burst open. Nurse Riley said quickly, "She's crashing, Doctor."

Doc Mayfield and Nicole's parents raced to her room. Mayfield tried to revive and stabilize the girl, but his efforts were in vain.

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Carter, there is nothing more I can do." Mrs. Carter held her daughter's hand, tears streaming down her suddenly aged cheeks. Jason Carter nodded solemnly and turned to comfort his wife as Doc Mayfield ushered the nurses out of the room.

After a while, Jason Carter emerged from his daughter's room. Spying Doctor Mayfield consulting with the nurses at the desk, he walked purposefully over to him.

"Doctor Mayfield," Mr. Carter said nervously. "Is there someone I can talk to about this Nirvana stuff?"

"What do you want to know?"

"No," Carter said, shaking his head. "I meant someone in authority. Police, FBI, you know?"

"Oh, certainly," Dr. Mayfield replied and turned back to Nurse Riley. "Joanne, would you page Lt. Jamieson for Mr. Carter."

Mandy had escaped Marco's notice, but Ramon recognized her instantly. "Puta!" he hissed under his breath as Mandy walked past him toward the door.

Marco and Jesus looked at Ramon questioningly.

"That's the bitch!" Ramon hissed nodding toward Mandy.

"Are you sure?" Jesus asked.

"I will never forget those eyes!" Ramon snarled and followed Mandy toward the door.

Marco and Jesus looked at one another and then both shrugged and followed Ramon.

Mandy slipped into her rented black convertible unaware that she had been spotted. Ramon, Maro and Jesus piled into Jesus' gray BMW and pulled out to follow her.

Mandy drove straight to the hospital and lost the three men in the parking complex when a security guard stopped Jesus and demanded to know who he was at the hospital to see.

Doc Mayfield whistled softly as Mandy stepped into the Emergency room. Several others echoed his compliment. Doc almost tore off his coat. He handed it to Joanne Riley and said, "Try not to find a reason to page me tonight."

Joanne smiled and said she'd try her best.

Mandy and Doc Mayfield slipped past Jesus, Ramon and Marco whe were still arguing with the security guard.

At the restaurant, Mandy and Doc made small talk over a cocktail and had just oredered when Doc's pager went off. Doc looked around for a phone. Mandy reached into her purse and handed him hers.

Doc looked a little confused, but dialed the number on his pager. A small look of annoyance filled his face.

"Tommy? What do you want?" Doc said a bit surprised. "Okay."

"It's Tommy Jamieson, for you," Doc said, handing Mandy the phone.

"Hi Tommy," Mandy said sweetly into the receiver. "Your timing sucks."

It was Mayfield's turn to look quizzical when Mandy laughed and said, "I'll think of something."

Her tone turned businesslike and she said, "So what's up?"

She listened for a bit, nodding every so often. Her dark eyes focused beyond Doc Mayfield's shoulder.

"Okay. I can do that, Tommy," she said finally. "But you owe me big time!"

Her eyes lit up a bit and she added, "Him too," and then after a short pause, "probably."

"Okay, I'll let you know when I'm done," she said as she hung up the phone.

"Sorry, Bill," Mandy said softly. "There's something I need to do for Tommy. Can you get back to the hospital by yourself?"

Doc nodded and Mandy stood up and kissed his cheek. "I'll call you later."

Doc nodded and watched disappointed as she breezed out of the restaurant.