Blindsight by Robin Cook Read Free Book Online

He's a marvelous ophthalmologist, known all over the world. Your father's told me. And best of all he was recently divorced from a dreadful woman." "I'm not interested in a blind date," Laurie said with irritation. She couldn't believe that not only was her mother oblivious to her mental state, but she wanted to fix her up with some divorced eyeball doctor. "It's about time you met someone appropriate," Dorothy said. "I never understood what you saw in that Sean Mackenzie. That boy is a shiftless hoodlum and a bad influence on you. I'm glad you finally broke up with him for good."
Laurie rolled her eyes. Her mother was in rare form today. Even if there was a certain truth in what she was saying, she didn't feel like hearing it just then. Laurie had been dating Sean on and off since college. From the start, their relationship was a rocky one. And though he wasn't exactly a hoodlum, he did hold a sort of outlaw's appeal for her between his motorcycle and bad attitude. There was a time when his "artistic" personality excited Laurie. Back then she'd even been rebellious enough to try drugs with him on several occasions. But she hoped this last breakup would be their last. "Be here at seven-thirty," Dorothy said. "And I want you to wear something attractive, like that wool suit I gave you for your birthday in October. And your hair: wear it up. I'd love to talk longer, but I've got so much to do. See you tomorrow, dear. 'Bye." Laurie took the phone from her ear and looked at it in the darkened room with disbelief. Her mother had hung up on her. She didn't know whether to swear, laugh, or cry. She replaced the receiver on its cradle. Finally she laughed. Her mother was certainly a character. As she played the conversation back in her mind, she couldn't believe it had taken place. It was as if she and her mother talked on different

wavelengths.
Walking around her apartment, Laurie turned on the lights, then closed the curtains. Shielded from the world, she took her hair down and stepped out of her clothes. For some reason, she felt better. The crazy conversation with her mother had shocked her out of her depressive thoughts. Climbing into the shower, Laurie admitted to herself that she tended to be more emotional in business situations than she would like. The realization irritated her. She didn't mind dressing femininely, but she didn't want to lend credence to the stereotype of a fragile, fickle female. In the future, she would try to be more professional. She also realized what a mistake she had made in confiding in Bob. She would have to be sure to keep her opinions to herself, particularly where the press was concerned. She was lucky Bingham hadn't fired her.
Standing under the jet of water, Laurie thought about making herself a salad and then doing some studying for her forensic boards. Then she thought about dinner the following night at her parents'. Although her initial reaction had been overwhelmingly negative, she began to have second thoughts. Maybe it would be an interesting break in her routine. Then she wondered how insufferable the newly divorced ophthalmologist would be. She also wondered how old he'd be. 2
9:40 p.m., Monday
Queens, New York City
"I gotta do something," Tony Ruggerio said. He was antsy and he shifted in the passenger side of the front seat of Angelo Facciolo's black Lincoln Town Car. "We've been sitting here in front of D'Agostino's grocery store for four nights. I can't stand this doing nothing, you know what I mean? I've got to have action, something, anything." His eyes nervously darted around the rain-glossed street scene in front of him. The car was parked next to a hydrant on Roosevelt Avenue. Angelo's head swung slowly around. His lidded eyes regarded this youthful-appearing twenty-four-year-old "kid" who'd been foisted on him. Tony's nervousness and impulsiveness were enough to try the patience of Angelo. He thought the "kid," whose nickname was "the animal," was a liability in