T Wave by Steven F. Freeman Read Free Book Online Page B

“These guys—they’re tough. I don’t wanna keep them waiting too long.”
    Scrubs was uneasy with the prospect of meeting Leroy again. Then he considered the overdue mortgage. He didn’t know anyone else who would buy his stuff. It wasn’t like he could ask around at the hospital, and he had already consumed the two pills he had swiped from the patient’s room the previous day.
    “Okay,” said Scrubs, “Like you said, only if I get to choose the location. And you won’t know where until it’s time to meet. I’ll call you with the locale.”
    “And how soon—”
    “I don’t know, man,” cut in Scrubs. “I know you need the stuff. I need the money, too, but Jeanette can only get it when she has the chance. If she gets busted, your supply is cut off for good.”
    They ended the call, and Scrubs pondered the financial advantages of somehow stabilizing the supply of patients’ narcotics.

FRIDAY, JULY 13

CHAPTER 13
    Before work the next day, Nancy Goins sipped coffee and read the digital version of The Washington Times on her tablet computer. She caught herself scanning the words without the slightest comprehension of what she had just read. Acknowledging to herself that her mind was elsewhere, she decided to abandon the news scroll and devote full attention to her inner dialog.
    Dennis…Without realizing she had been on a precipice, Nancy now felt herself falling into a delicious and dangerous abyss of love with no hope of escaping. She didn’t want to escape. She wanted to fall straight into his arms and stay there forever. Last night had been a breakthrough. Now that they had both admitted their mutual desire for a deeper relationship, the constraints Nancy had unconsciously erected to protect herself were swept away, and she admitted her true feelings without reservation. She knew she had to be with Dennis—always.
    Despite Nancy’s high spirits, a part of her felt saddened by the dismal state of her marriage. She shook her head as she wondered how it had disintegrated to its current condition. As she traced the course of her marriage, she realized how much her husband had changed. No—not changed. The real change was in her understanding of his true nature, which he had only revealed over time. Before their wedding nearly five years ago, Nancy had been captivated by Ken’s refined manner and gallantry, especially towards her. Within half a year after the ceremony, however, she had begun to understand the fickle nature of his charm: it wasn’t genuine, nor was it reserved for her. Ken used it as a tool to facilitate his goals. If Nancy didn’t possess something he wanted, he saw no need to exert himself and seldom did, becoming cold and indifferent to her.
    Eventually, Ken’s indifference had deteriorated into psychological abuse. He began employing a dominating, demeaning manner to keep her in line. As a result of Ken’s neglect and callousness, the bloom of Nancy’s affection had slowly withered away until it was a dried husk, an insubstantial reminder of the love that had once existed. Only anger and resentment remained.
    Ken was style without substance, while Dennis stood in marked contrast in almost all respects. Although charming, Dennis lacked Ken’s suave, “sweep-you-off-your-feet” nature. Instead, Dennis was sweet and practical, just as ready to put gas in the car as offer romantic words or flowers. He had a quiet, thoughtful nature, more interested on focusing his attention on others rather than insisting they focus on him. Last week, he had offered to stop by the grocery store and dry cleaners for her on the way to their meeting at Uncle Carl’s Steakhouse. Ken would never stoop to that.
    And yet, Ken wouldn’t divorce her. Nancy was absolutely certain of that fact without having to ask him. Ever the control freak and perfectionist, Ken viewed Nancy as an acquisition to be flaunted and manipulated, then returned to the shelf when not needed. He wouldn’t permit a split