taking chances with her."
Katie shook her head, "I don't agree. Highley's specialty is difficult
pregnancies. That's the point. He tries to save the babies other
doctors lose." She thought of his phone call to her. "I can vouch
for the fact that he's a very concerned doctor."
Scott frowned. "How long have you known him?"
"Not long. My sister, Molly, has a friend who raves about Dr.
Highley, so I went to see him last month." She remembered his
words. "You're quite right to have come," he'd said. "I think of the
womb as a cradle that must always be kept in good repair." The
one thing that had surprised her was that he did not have a nurse
in attendance during the examination, unlike other gynecologists.
"All right," Scott said. "Talk to Highley. And the shrink too.
Find out whether or not they think she was capable of suicide.
See if she talked about her husband. Charley and Phil are checking
on Chris Lewis now. Talk to the nurses too."
"Not the nurses." Katie smiled. "The receptionist, Edna. She
knows everybody's business. I wasn't in the waiting room two
minutes before I found myself giving her my life history."
Katie went into her office for her files, then rushed to her appointment
with a defense attorney about an indicted defendant.
From there she hurried to a second-floor courtroom to hear the
sentencing of a youth she had prosecuted for armed robbery.
When she returned, she had two messages to call Dr. Carroll.
She tried to reach him, but he was out on a case.
She phoned Dr. Highley's office fully expecting to hear the
nasal warmth of Edna's voice. But whoever answered was a
stranger. "Doctors' offices."
Katie decided to ask for Edna. "Is Miss Burns there?"
"She called in sick today. I'm Mrs. Fitzgerald."
Katie realized then how much she had counted on talking to
Edna. Briefly she explained that Dr. Highley expected her to
call for an appointment and that she'd also like to see Dr. Fukhito.
Mrs. Fitzgerald put her on hold a few minutes, and then said, "Dr.
Fukhito is free at a quarter to four. Dr. Highley would prefer three
o'clock if it is convenient."
Katie confirmed the appointments, then turned to the work on
her desk. At lunchtime Maureen Crowley, one of the office secre
taries, popped her head in and offered to bring Katie a sandwich.
Deep in preparation for Friday's trial, Katie nodded.
"Ham on rye with mustard and lettuce," Maureen said.
Katie looked up, surprised. "Am I that predictable?"
The girl was about nineteen, with a mane of red-gold hair,
emerald-green eyes and a lovely pale complexion. "Katie, about
food you're in a rut." The door closed behind her.
You're on a deathwatch. You're in a rut. Katie was astonished
to realize she was close to tears. I must be sick if I'm getting this
thin-skinned, she thought.
When the lunch arrived she ate it, only vaguely aware of what
she was having. Vangie Lewis' face was constantly before her.
But why had she seen it in a nightmare?
CHAPTER SIX
RICHARD Carroll was in his office just after nine. Twice he tried
phoning Katie, hoping to catch her between court sessions. He
wanted to hear the sound of her voice. For some reason he'd felt
edgy about leaving her alone in that big house last night. Why
did he have a hunch that something was troubling her?
He went out on a case. When he returned to his office at four
thirty, he was absurdly pleased to see that Katie had returned
his calls. Quickly he phoned her, but the switchboard operator
said that she had left for the day.
That meant he wouldn't get to talk to her today. He was having
dinner in New York with Clovis Simmons, a TV actress. Clovis
was fun, but the signs were that she was getting serious.
Richard made a resolve. This was the last time he'd take Clovis
out. It wasn't fair to her. Refusing to consider the reason for
Katie shook her head, "I don't agree. Highley's specialty is difficult
pregnancies. That's the point. He tries to save the babies other
doctors lose." She thought of his phone call to her. "I can vouch
for the fact that he's a very concerned doctor."
Scott frowned. "How long have you known him?"
"Not long. My sister, Molly, has a friend who raves about Dr.
Highley, so I went to see him last month." She remembered his
words. "You're quite right to have come," he'd said. "I think of the
womb as a cradle that must always be kept in good repair." The
one thing that had surprised her was that he did not have a nurse
in attendance during the examination, unlike other gynecologists.
"All right," Scott said. "Talk to Highley. And the shrink too.
Find out whether or not they think she was capable of suicide.
See if she talked about her husband. Charley and Phil are checking
on Chris Lewis now. Talk to the nurses too."
"Not the nurses." Katie smiled. "The receptionist, Edna. She
knows everybody's business. I wasn't in the waiting room two
minutes before I found myself giving her my life history."
Katie went into her office for her files, then rushed to her appointment
with a defense attorney about an indicted defendant.
From there she hurried to a second-floor courtroom to hear the
sentencing of a youth she had prosecuted for armed robbery.
When she returned, she had two messages to call Dr. Carroll.
She tried to reach him, but he was out on a case.
She phoned Dr. Highley's office fully expecting to hear the
nasal warmth of Edna's voice. But whoever answered was a
stranger. "Doctors' offices."
Katie decided to ask for Edna. "Is Miss Burns there?"
"She called in sick today. I'm Mrs. Fitzgerald."
Katie realized then how much she had counted on talking to
Edna. Briefly she explained that Dr. Highley expected her to
call for an appointment and that she'd also like to see Dr. Fukhito.
Mrs. Fitzgerald put her on hold a few minutes, and then said, "Dr.
Fukhito is free at a quarter to four. Dr. Highley would prefer three
o'clock if it is convenient."
Katie confirmed the appointments, then turned to the work on
her desk. At lunchtime Maureen Crowley, one of the office secre
taries, popped her head in and offered to bring Katie a sandwich.
Deep in preparation for Friday's trial, Katie nodded.
"Ham on rye with mustard and lettuce," Maureen said.
Katie looked up, surprised. "Am I that predictable?"
The girl was about nineteen, with a mane of red-gold hair,
emerald-green eyes and a lovely pale complexion. "Katie, about
food you're in a rut." The door closed behind her.
You're on a deathwatch. You're in a rut. Katie was astonished
to realize she was close to tears. I must be sick if I'm getting this
thin-skinned, she thought.
When the lunch arrived she ate it, only vaguely aware of what
she was having. Vangie Lewis' face was constantly before her.
But why had she seen it in a nightmare?
CHAPTER SIX
RICHARD Carroll was in his office just after nine. Twice he tried
phoning Katie, hoping to catch her between court sessions. He
wanted to hear the sound of her voice. For some reason he'd felt
edgy about leaving her alone in that big house last night. Why
did he have a hunch that something was troubling her?
He went out on a case. When he returned to his office at four
thirty, he was absurdly pleased to see that Katie had returned
his calls. Quickly he phoned her, but the switchboard operator
said that she had left for the day.
That meant he wouldn't get to talk to her today. He was having
dinner in New York with Clovis Simmons, a TV actress. Clovis
was fun, but the signs were that she was getting serious.
Richard made a resolve. This was the last time he'd take Clovis
out. It wasn't fair to her. Refusing to consider the reason for
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