“When a patient was given three times the dosage of pain medication needed for his broken hand, she refused to cover for him and started looking into it herself. She convinced the nurses to come with her to voice their concerns and complaints, brought it the administrators and finally the review board.” He stared at the men, a look they knew all too well.
“What? What aren’t you telling us?” asked Gator.
“There’s an entire record of things he said to her but there was no doubt he threatened her life. The overdosed victim turned out to be a drug dealer and buyer that knew him. Intimately.”
“Fucking great,” frowned Mitch.
“He was confined to New York City with an ankle monitor, which he somehow removed. When they searched for the signal, they found it on an airplane headed to Hong Kong. We know that’s bullshit because he’s here. I did mention to the NYPD that he showed up at our doorstep. They’ve involved the NOPD, hoping they’ll search for him as well.
“I found him on camera heading toward Gulf Shores. We know that he met with his mother at Captain Jack’s Beachside Bar and Grill. So, technically he’s still in the area.” Hiro started to walk away, then turned. “One more thing. Two members of his mother’s country club have overdosed in the last month. Both survived but it was kept under wraps that they were addicted to painkillers and diet pills. I think this guy is the supplier to the rich and willing and his mother is his mule.”
“What a wonderful mom,” frowned Mitch. He turned to look at the others. “When do we got to Gulf Shores?”
“You aren’t going anywhere for a few days. Enjoy your honeymoon and time with Marnie. We’ll do some research to see if he’s still in that area. Don’t do anything fucking stupid,” said Cowboy.
“When have I ever done anything stupid?” he grinned. “Excuse me, I’m going to dance with my wife again.”
He left the table of men and found Marnie still dancing with Noa. The big man had her spinning around, laughing, and truly enjoying herself. Mitch tapped his shoulder and grinned.
“Don’t you have your own wife, big man?”
“I do, but she’s got her feet up right now. I was borrowing yours but I guess I can give her back now.” He gave her hand to Mitch and smiled. “I’m here if you need me, Marnie. I’ll beat the shit out of him he hurts you.”
“Thank you, Noa.”
“Are you having fun?” asked Mitch.
“I’m having more fun than should be allowed. Thank you, Mitch. Thank you for loving me, for embracing me into your family, and most of all for protecting me. I love you.”
“Aw babe, loving you is easy. You’re the most lovable woman I’ve ever known. What do you say we take a break and have another slice of cake?”
“I say, yes.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Alden thought he knew what it felt like to crave the drug but he had no idea what a bunch of rich old women could be like when they weren’t getting what they wanted. He had one hope. Find a clinic or hospital that desperately needed help and steal what he needed, at least for the time being.
He got lucky when he found the small rural hospital in southern Alabama. With only twenty patient rooms and an emergency room that desperately needed love and a good paint job, he stepped in as a hero.
A multi-car accident was causing chaos, just as he was walking through the doors.
“I’m sorry, sir, you’re going to have to wait,” said the nurse running like her hair was on fire.
“No problem, but I’m an emergency room doctor. Can I help?” She turned with a quick stare and wanted to say yes.
“You see that patient on the gurney over there?” she asked. He looked at the older man she was pointing to and nodded. “He’s my head of emergency medicine and he’s about to die. I have no one else right now. Show me your license.”
He nodded, pulling his license from his wallet and his paperwork that he’d carefully forged. She quickly glanced at it, in no way able to verify it that quickly, and nodded.
“Great. You take the doctor and the kid over there. We’ll triage the rest.”
“On it,” he said confidently.
The sad truth was this is what he missed. The urgency. The rush of adrenaline as an urgent medical need came through your emergency room. The chance to play superman and savior all in one.
“Doctor, just relax,” he said staring at the old man. He had to be in his seventies, but based on his breathing, pulse, color, and the massive bruising on his chest, he’d hit the steering wheel hard. “I’m Dr. Johns. I just happened to be passing through. Were you wearing your seatbelt?”
“N-no,” he gasped.
