She said, 'Enough whining. No one's forcing me. What I wouldn't mind is some time off.'
'Why don't you take some?'
'Got a mortgage.
Several mothers waved at her and she returned the greetings. We passed through the door to the medical suite and headed for her office.
A nurse said, 'Morning, Dr. Eves. Your dance card is full.'
Stephanie smiled gamely. Another nurse came up and handed her a stack of charts.
She said, 'Merry Christmas to you, too, Joyce,' and the nurse laughed and hurried off 'See you,' I said.
'Sure. Thanks. Oh, by the way, I learned something else about Vicki.
A nurse I used to work with on Four told me she thought Vicki had a bad family situation. Alcoholic husband who roughed her up quite a bit.
So maybe she's just a bit frayed-down on men. She still bugging you?'
'No. Actually we had a confrontation of our own and reached a truce of sorts.'
'Good.'
'She may be down on men,' I said. 'But not on Chip.'
'Chip's no man. He's the boss's son.'
'Ibuche,' I said. An abusive husband might explain why I put her teeth on edge. She could have turned to a therapist for help, gotten nowhere, developed a resentment.... Of course, major family stress could also lead her to act out in other ways-become a hero at work in order to raise her self-esteem. How'd she handle the seizure?'
'Competently. I wouldn't call it heroic. She calmed Cindy down, made sure Cassie was okay, then called me. Cool under fire, everything by the book.'
'Textbook nurse, textbook case.'
'But like you said before, how could she be involved, when all the other crises started at home?'
'But this one didn't. No, in all fairness, I can't say I really suspect her of anything. It just twangs my antennae that her home life's troubled and she comes over here and shines.......m probably just focusing on her because she's been such a pain.
'Fun referral, huh?'
'High intrigue, just like you said.'
'I always keep my promises.' Another glance at her watch. 'Got to get through my morning exams, then drive out to Century City to pick up Torgeson. Got to make sure his car doesn't get caught up in the parking mess. Where'd they stick you?'
Across the street, like everyone else.'
'Sorry.'
'Hey,' I said, feigning insult, 'some of us are international hotshots and some of us park across the street.'
'Guy sounds like a cold fish over the phone,' she said, 'but he is hot stuff-served on the Nobel Committee.'
'Hoo-hah.'
'Hoo-hah in spades. let's see if we can frustrate him too.'
I called Milo from a pay phone and left him another one-beep message: 'Vicki Bottomley has a husband who drinks and may beat her up. It probably doesn't mean anything, but could you please check if there are any
