Cherringham--Final Cut by Neil Richards Read Free Book Online

blood and other tests …?”
    “Yes. It had to be done immediately. If there was a present danger to Zoë from something ingested.”
    Sarah had her eyes on the actress. The words now … as shocking to Zoë as to Jack and her.
    “It can reveal things well in advance of the tests.”
    Jack walked closer to the bed. He looked down at Zoë as if trying to reassure her during his next question.
    Then back up to the doctor …
    “And I’m assuming that in this case, it did .”
    The doctor nodded.
    “Yes. I told Zoë. Asked her about her history. But the gastric suction showed toxic levels of Toradol, later confirmed by the blood work. The scientific name is ‘Ketorolac Tromethamine’.”
    Jack cleared his throat. “That’s an opiod, right? Powerful pain killer?”
    “Very. For short term use, if at all. Even a regular dose can cause difficulties; the amount Zoë had inside her could easily have caused gastrointestinal bleeding, heart failure, and renal failure.”
    The doctor patted Zoë’s shoulder. “If we had not performed that procedure, she could have had another — and more severe — attack … that could have been fatal.”
    Then Zoë spoke … “Thank you.”
    The doctor smiled. “Part of the job, Zoë. And,” keeping her eyes on the patient — “is it okay I share with them, what we discussed?”
    A nod. Then: “Absolutely.”
    “Right. Well, Zoë is a very healthy girl. But she has used some mood stabilizers in the past, anxiety medications.”
    “Off and on,” Zoë said. “Sometimes …” a small smile … “I get a little wired.”
    “Yes, and I got a copy of her records from her London physician. Nothing dramatic there. And …”
    Another pause.
    “No history of using anything like Toradol.”
    “Never,” Zoë said quietly. “I haven’t even heard of it.”
    “And even her other medications … taken on an as-needed basis only …”
    “And I haven’t needed them lately. Least — not yet.”
    The poor girl, Sarah thought.
    Everyone thinking about how rich and glamorous her life must be.
    But when she’s alone …
    Dealing with issues like so many of us .
    Sarah was glad she and Jack could be there for her.
    “I asked her whether she had any idea how the drug could have got into her system.”
    “It seemed impossible,” Zoë said. “I didn’t eat anything at all. I didn’t even take my vitamins this morning … I don’t understand …”
    The actress seemed close to tears. Funny, how she could probably produce tears on demand, a skill well-honed at drama school.
    But real tears, real confusion?
    Hard to fake that.
    Sarah guessed that Jack now felt that his fears were vindicated.
    Another ‘accident’. Near deadly this time.
    And suddenly they were involved in another case.
    “I hope …” the doctor said slowly, “that maybe you can help Zoë? Figure out what happened?”
    A look of worry in the doctor’s eyes.
    When Sarah heard a big, blustery voice outside, a thick accent.
    All eyes in the room turned to the closed door which did little to keep the noise out.
    “I must — I tell you — I must see my star ! Do you know who I am? Do you? Now let me—”
    The doorknob turned and, with a nurse on one side and an attendant in a white outfit and white trainers on the other — a man entered. Burly, long overcoat, black fedora, with busy eyebrows that bobbed above what looked like wild eyes, he struggled as the hospital employees held him.
    Who is this guy? Sarah thought
    And she and Jack were about to find out …

9. Enter Ludo
    Jack watched as Zoë quickly turned to the doctor.
    “That’s — um, it’s all right, Doctor …”
    A nod from Dr. Manjeep, and the attendant and nurse backed away.
    And Jack watched as the man in the overcoat brushed it as if shaking off dust, and then marched straight over to the bed, ignoring everyone else.
    “My dear Zoë, I could not believe it, when I heard the news.” The man took Zoë’s left hand and made it into a sandwich