Devil Wind (Sammy Greene Mysteries) Read Online Free PDF

traffic.”
    Reed understood. If his chief was getting out of bed in the middle of the night, it must be for someone important. With the hospital surrounded by mansions of Hollywood players, he’d seen his share of celebrities and was used to the occasional change in protocol. “VIP?” Reed ventured and picked up his pace.
    The triage nurse whispered, “Heard his wife drove him here in a fancy Mercedes.”
    Reed rushed past the nurse and sped to the cardiac unit at the end of the hall. If this was a full-blown heart attack, every second was critical. The moment he pushed through the electronic doors he sensed trouble. It was written all over Michelle Hunt, the ER resident’s face. The distinguished-looking gentleman had already been wired to a bevy of beeping monitors, nasal oxygen, and an IV.
    “Fifty-eight-year-old white male had a sudden onset of severe chest pain while driving. Apparent brief LOC,” Michelle reported, using the medical acronym for loss of consciousness. “Just gave him his second nitro and his ASA,” she added, stepping aside. “Heart rate’s down to one twenty. BP’s holding at one ten over seventy-five. Pulse ox is up to ninety-two.”
    A quick glance at the S-T elevations on the EKG confirmed a heart attack. Reed didn’t need to wait for the serum troponin or CPK-MB levels or any other labs to know that this patient probably had complete blockage of at least one of his coronary arteries.
    “Thrombolytics on standby,” Reed ordered. “Is Eisenberg in house?” he whispered to a nurse at his side. “I’d like to do an angio and I want some backup if he crashes.”
    “Wrapping up in the OR,” she responded. “Shall I page him?”
    Reed nodded. The cardiothoracic surgeon would never turn down a chance to crack a chest if a problem cropped up during the cardiologist’s procedure.
    Giving Michelle’s shoulder a reassuring pat, Reed stepped up to the bed and glanced at the patient’s name on his wristband. “Mr. Prescott, I’m Dr. Wyndham, the cardiology fellow here. Dr. Bishop asked me to take good care of you.”
    Prescott, groggy from the morphine he’d received in his IV, barely nodded.
    Another nurse handed Reed a hospital chart. “Congressman Prescott was here for knee replacement last June,” she summarized. “Dr. Bishop did a full pre-op cardiac evaluation. Normal EKG. No meds. No allergies. Recovery from surgery was unremarkable. His wife didn’t know about any health problems.”
    The nurse leaned into Reed’s ear again. “They were just a couple of blocks away. She took over the wheel and drove him right in. Probably saved his life.”
    Lucky his wife was with him, Reed thought. So Prescott was a congressman. No wonder he rated special treatment. Reed hadn’t been in town long enough to recognize the man, but if he was Dr. Bishop’s patient, that was all that mattered. After spending years climbing up the medical career ladder, Reed had grown along with his professional experience. He knew a good word from the chief was the key to the next rung after his fellowship—an academic appointment at a university hospital, perhaps even out here, in the land of eternal sunshine. He hated to think where a misstep might lead.
    “Sir, it looks as though you’ve got some blockage in your heart. If we can do a procedure to open it up right now, we can make you feel much better. Okay?”
    Prescott produced a weak nod.
    “Good.” Reed turned to the nurses, “Take him next door and prep him for emergency cath. I’m going to speak to his wife and give Dr. Bishop a heads-up.”
    Reed already had his back to Prescott, so he didn’t see the congressman’s attempt to shake his head or hear his whispered “no.”
     
    Ana found the Mercedes still idling at the ER entrance. She opened the door and sat down in the driver’s seat. Still shaking, she turned off the engine and leaned back, easing her head against the soft headrest. How had she gotten in this mess?
    Kaye. She’d