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Angel knew froet out He hoped to hell it was later “Okay I’ll be a good boy, I’ll change o to wait?”
“You’re not going anywhere, Mr DeMarco You’re far too sick to leave the hospital I’ll set up a —after we’ve run all thetests She’ll fill you in on the rest of the details”
“Oh, no,” he said “No women doctors”
Allenford laughed at him “You’re not famous in here, Mr DeMarco I pick the players for your team”
“Teaet their heart cut out, is it, Doc? Just little ole me on life support”
Dr Allenford closed the chart and set it aside “No, Mr DeMarco, we’re not going to face the knife… or the extensive recovery” He leaned forward “But ill be the ones that find the heart, re it here, and place it inside you I, in particular, am the one ields the knife” A smile slowly crossed his face “So I’d think about an attitude adjustment if I were you”
They stared long and hard at each other, and Angel knew that neither one of the Finally he said,
“Consider it adjusted”
Allenford grinned “Good I’ll let the social worker fill you in on all the details I’ll speak with Dr Hillyard tomorrow, and check on the results of your tests After that, we’ll make all the necessary decisions”
Angel got a queasy feeling in the pit of his stonore it, couldn’t He was in Seattle, scene of the old crime, and Madelaine’s old man had alanted her to be a doctor “Dr Hillyard?”
“Madelaine Hillyard is the best cardiologist on the team—and she doesn’t mind difficult patients”
His ragged heart skipped a beat, maybe even stopped It was the first tiht a sudden tide of es, reled and dripping wet, her knees drawn up to her chest, her fingers plowing through the sand for hidden treasures, laughing, always laughing; the starlit night they’d huddled beneath a huge, old oak tree, burying bits and pieces of carnival glass ael … always
Madelaine, his first love, had becoist
Bitterness drew a thin smile from his lips Just what her daddy wanted
He stared at Dr Allenford as standing up, getting ready to leave Angel wanted to say so would come At the doorway Allenford nodded, then left the roo the door behind him