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six closely spaced buildings of similar vintage and two newer structures, situated in a park like setting.
The inside of A-3 was completely modernized and furnished with a decoratorā€™s touch. Ed and Angie walked over to the receptionistā€™s desk. She was a young, blonde girl in a neat white uniform, wearing a bright smile ā€œGood morningā€ she sang.
ā€œMay I help you?ā€
ā€œWe would like to visit Al Druse.ā€
ā€œHeā€™s in 309 ā€œ Angie added.
The girl typed several symbols into a computer terminal on the desk.
ā€œIā€™m sorry but Mr. Druse is receiving special therapy today and visitation wonā€™t be allowedā€ she said in a sympathetic tone.
Ed turned toward Angie with a startled expression on his face.
ā€œArenā€™t your visiting hours ten to six on Saturdays and Sundays?ā€ he snapped at the receptionist.
ā€œThatā€™s correct, but this treatment is required on a daily basisā€ she responded.
ā€œLet me see the physician in charge here, pleaseā€ he said. She immediately picked up the phone.
ā€œPlease ask Dr. House to come to the lobby.ā€
After a few minutes, a tall, dark haired man, sporting a goatee, dressed in a white lab coat appeared. ā€œDr. House, these people have come to see Mr. Druse in 309. I told them that he would not be receiving any visitors today because of his scheduled therapyā€ repeated the receptionist.
ā€œIā€™m Dr. Ed Bennett and this is Mr. Druseā€™s wife Angie. Weā€™ve come 120 miles to see Mr. Druse. We were informed that visiting hours are ten to six on weekends and weā€™re obviously disappointed. Nothing was said about therapyā€ Ed said as he extended his hand toward House.
ā€œThis is unfortunateā€ said House.
ā€œWe always like our patients to receive as many visitors as they can. You know, its good for morale. Maybe we can let you see him since youā€™ve traveled so far but I donā€™t believe heā€™ll be consciousā€ said House as he glanced down at the clip board he was holding.
ā€œPlease wait here for a minute and Iā€™ll go see if thatā€™s possibleā€ he said while he turned and walked away.
In several minutes he appeared at the entrance of a long corridor and motioned to them. He led them towards 309.
ā€œMrs. Druse has asked me to examine her husband on a consulting basisā€ said Ed as they walked.
ā€œSheā€™s not aware as to what is exactly the problem and itā€™s causing her great anxietyā€ he added.
ā€œAs long as she agrees, weā€™re certainly willing to share with you any information we can about Mr. Druseā€™s conditionā€ replied House. Angie nodded in agreement as House looked towards her.
ā€œMay I have a copy of his records?ā€
ā€œSurelyā€ said House.
They arrived at. Alā€™s room.
It was a private, well lit place with a nice view of the mountains. Al was lying quietly, clothed in the usual white hospital pajamas. He was a large man, with dark thinning hair, a sparse mustache and a square jaw. The hollowness his cheeks made his face appear longer than it probably was. It was hard to tell his age exactly. He looked to be somewhere between forty and fifty. Ed thought back to the New Yearā€™s picture he had seen on the mantle at Alā€™s house. There, Al had a bushy head of black curly hair and heavy dark mustache. His face was full and he looked about thirty or thirty-five at the most. That was only three years ago, 1980.
Angie immediately moved towards him and hugged around his neck. He remained motionless. Ed moved a chair towards the edge of the bed for her to sit on.
ā€œHeā€™ll be out for some timeā€ said House.
ā€œThis particular treatment requires a pretty strong sedative.ā€
He hesitated for a moment.
ā€œIā€™ll leave you alone for a whileā€ he said as he began to walk out the door.
Ed followed as he left. When they got into the hallway, Ed spoke.
ā€œExcuse me, Dr. House.ā€
House stopped and turned.
ā€œWhat is your diagnosis of Mr. Druseā€™s illness?ā€ he said in a low tone.
ā€œBarbituratesā€ replied House abruptly.
ā€œYou mean drugs?ā€
ā€œThatā€™s right.ā€
ā€œMay I see the test records?ā€ asked Ed.
ā€œIā€™ll give you copies of his complete file before you leave as long as Mrs. Druse signs for themā€ responded House.
ā€œHow did Mr. Druse wind up here from St. Anneā€™s?ā€ said Ed.
ā€œItā€™s my understanding, that his employer, not wishing to generate any adverse publicity, asked him to transfer to Caramore where we can be a little more discreteā€ replied House.
ā€œYou know drugs anywhere in the sports business can cause big problems and they want to keep everything clean, if they can help it. They donā€™t want any bad PRā€ House continued.
ā€œWho authorized his transfer?ā€ asked Ed.
ā€œMr. Druse, of course. He signed himself out of St. Anneā€™s and into Caramore the same day he came hereā€
ā€œThatā€™s oddā€ thought Ed as he walked back into Alā€™s room. Angie had no idea of Alā€™s habit or that he was going to be transferred until after he was moved.
She was still seated next to the bed holding Alā€™s large hand in both of her hands. He didnā€™t stir. Ed reached over and felt his pulse. It felt slow and heavy. His arms displayed several bruise like marks where tests and injections must have been administered. It was surprising that in such a high class institution, the nurses werenā€™t more careful. Those kinds of marks were generally the results of poor technique. There were several similar marks on the backs of the arms and forearms. They looked like bruises that occur in old people when an overzealous helping hand grasps them too hard by the upper arm.
Not much was said during the next hour. Al continued to remain almost motionless and Angie stayed there by his side hoping for a sign of awakening. House had brought the copies that he had promised and Ed sat perusing them. They indicated routine test procedures, those that would be expected for an individual complaining of nausea and fatigue. No unusual results appeared, except of course, the positive tests for barbiturate levels. All the records pertained to tests done at Caramore. Ed had asked for all test records including those conducted at St. Anneā€™s. House said he had requested copies from Dr. Alpert but Alpert had told him of the break in and that he no longer had the records. When Ed asked why copies werenā€™t obtained directly from the hospital, House told him that the hospital said they werenā€™t available. They gave no specific reason as to why, they just werenā€™t.
Without those tests how did anyone know that Al was addicted unless, of course, a referring physician from St. Anneā€™s had made such diagnosis. If that was the case who was the physician? His name should be on the admission form along with his diagnosis. It wasnā€™t. Alpert said that he didnā€™t even get a chance to look at the test results before they were stolen. Certainly, he couldnā€™t have been the referring doctor. When Ed confronted House with that question, he merely said that the cause for treatment was indicated on the admission form. How it was arrived at, or by whom, he didnā€™t know. He told Ed and if he wanted more information he would have to call the admitting physician and with that House turned and walked away.
Ed looked up from the papers. It appeared that Angie realized her vigil was in vain. Reluctantly, she put his hand by his side and rose from the chair. Together she and Ed walked towards the parking lot in silence. It was a long ride home, long and quiet. The air of optimism that had existed on the way up was gone. In its place there was the knowledge that something was seriously wrong. They had ridden for at least a half hour before either spoke more than a few words.
Ed finally broke the heavy silence.
ā€œAngie, did Al take medicine regularly for anything?ā€ he asked the question warily.
He wanted to be sure not to evoke a reflexive denial so he didnā€™t mention drugs point blank.
ā€œNo.ā€ she replied.
ā€œAl, he never even took aspirin. He always said the drug companies were a conspiracy to poison the country. You know, get everybody hooked so they could sell even more. To Al, heroin and vitamin pills were the same thing, drugs. We were constantly fighting about him taking the pills for his ulcer. Itā€™s a strange way of thinking, but thatā€™s Al. I bet they have to hold him down now to give him his medicine at the hospital.ā€
ā€œWas he acting any different lately. I mean mentally?ā€ asked Ed.
ā€œWell, only tired outā€ answered Angie.
ā€œHow about groggy, like he was drunk?ā€
ā€œSometimes heā€™d drink a little too much wine, like at my cousinā€™s wedding last month, but thatā€™s all, just once in a whileā€ she replied.
ā€œNo, I mean did he ever act groggy when he wasnā€™t drinking?ā€
ā€œNo, only when he drank wine.ā€
Ed dropped Angie off and drove towards home.
ā€œSome day off!ā€ he thought.
He was tired from the drive, frustrated at not being able to talk to Al and more confused than ever about what was happening. Maybe he had gotten involved in something that was none of his business and he should butt out. What had started as a simple gesture of friendship to help out Charlieā€™s friend, had become an enigmatic whirlpool. It was sucking him deeper and deeper into circumstances he somehow felt would be better left unexplored, but an inner force kept pushing him towards the eye of the turbulence. His curiosity was no longer under his own control. The whole thing had grown into an overwhelming preoccupation which dominated most of his thinking. He really couldnā€™t extricate himself now, even if he wanted to.
When he arrived at home, he called to check out the dayā€™s happenings at the clinic.
ā€œThis is Dr. Ed Bennett, no one is in the office nowā€ the voice began. It was the answering machine He hung up immediately.
ā€œShe must have left earlyā€ he thought. He looked at his watch, 6:30 already.
ā€œI guess it isnā€™t early after all.ā€
He redialed to get the messages left on the recorder.
ā€œHi Ed. I left about 5:30 today. We had the usual good time today.ā€
With that greeting, Rita went on to enumerate the events of the day in a chronology of patients with minor medical problems and interspersed phone messages. It was all strictly routine kind of stuff. Heā€™d see all the details tomorrow.
ā€œCharlie Rhode called you. He said he wanted to talk to you personally. Left no message except that he would call backā€ said the recording.
ā€œCharlieā€™s on the road this week. I wonder why he called from Dallas. It must be importantā€ thought Ed.
It couldnā€™t be a social call. When Charlie plays a game he gets so pumped that he doesnā€™t think about anything but football, certainly not trivial bull shit.
Ed put down the phone after the last message had been delivered. He went over and sat on the bed next to his briefcase and withdrew the photocopies that had been given to him by House. He started to read the test results for the third time. Again everything appeared as it did before. Nothing seemed usual.
Ed recalled his conversation with House about the missing test results from St. Anneā€™s and the apparent inconsistency of admitting Al as
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