“What about Joe?” Judith interrupted.
“. . . return to the job in a few days.” Dr. Garnett
looked at Renie. “I didn’t want you to think you’d
caused any real harm to our chief of staff.”
“Thanks,” Renie said in a bleak voice. “But what
about Joe?”
“No change,” Dr. Garnett said with a shake of his
head before looking again at Judith. “You’ll make sure
you discourage all visitors to your husband, won’t you,
Mrs. Flynn?”
“Of course,” Judith said, trying to overcome her distress. “I doubt that anyone would try to come out to see
him in this weather.”
“We’ve already had at least one inquiry,” Dr. Garnett
said with a frown. “Most insistent, I understand. It’s
very important that Mr. Flynn is kept absolutely quiet.”
“Yes,” Judith agreed, trying to concentrate on the
matter at hand. “Who wanted to see him?”
“I don’t know,” Dr. Garnett responded. “I believe
someone at the main switchboard took the call. Whoever this person was, I understand that he or she was
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Mary Daheim
difficult to put off. You’d think people would know better. That’s what happens when these incidents get on
the news.”
“Joe’s stabbing was on the news?” Judith gaped at
the surgeon. “Oh, dear! I didn’t see that. I turned off
the news when dinner arrived.”
“Perhaps that was just as well,” Dr. Garnett said, his
expression sympathetic. “You shouldn’t become
overly upset so soon after surgery.”
“Upset?” Judith felt as if her eyes were bugging out.
“How can I not be upset when my husband is hovering
between life and death?”
“I meant,” Dr. Garnett said carefully, “that sometimes learning bad news through the media can be far
more disturbing than hearing about it from a friend or
relative.”
Judith glanced at Renie. “I still passed out,” Judith
said.
“Yes, so you did.” Dr. Garnett put a cold, dry hand
on Judith’s. “But you seem to be doing much better
now. I’ll see to it that the night nurse brings you some
more Valium so you can sleep.” He withdrew his hand
and headed for the door. “Please don’t distress yourself, Mrs. Flynn. You’ll hear immediately when we
have any news about your husband.”
“Wow,” Renie said in a dejected voice, “I’m racking
up some big scores around here when it comes to upsetting people, you included.”
“That’s not your fault,” Judith countered. “Somebody
had to tell me about Joe. I’d much rather it was you.”
The male night nurse, whose name was Avery, arrived with the Valium. Judith eyed the small yellow
