THE HAPPY HAT (18 page)

Chapter 30

LCDR Skagan

Both Kaplan and Skagan were in scrubs when Boomer Stiles arrived in the OR. Capt. Darmin went over with Norman. She clutched Boomer’s medical chart.

“He’s still has a positive syphilis serology Dr. Norman. I want maximal antiseptic conditions.”

“Look Cynthia, Dr. Brisbane cleared Boomer. He’s had his maximal penicillin treatment. He’s non-infectious.”

Darmin glared at Norman. “I don’t care and I want his penis wrapped in Betadine during the entire cast removal.”

Norman rolled his eyes and watched the anesthesiologist, Dr. Bailey, who had an IV pole with its bottle of Ringer’s Lactate hanging at the ready.

“Let’s get him into the OR–Room 12.”

Kaplan and Norman pushed Boomer’s gurney into the OR. Bailey looked down at Boomer’s plaster-clad head window. “Boomer, here’s how we’re going to start this deal. I have to have a reliable IV going before we go anywhere near your head. I’m going to start the IV in an ankle vein and that means we remove a section from the left knee on down first.”

A loud voice caromed around the OR. “First things first, you cover his privates with Betadine soaked gauze.” CAPT Darmin stuck her head in the OR door.

Norman looked at Kaplan. “Go for it Ike.”

“This is ridiculous.” Kaplan looked from Norman to Skagan.

“Just do it Ike. It’ll get her off our back and we can get this over with.” Norman looked at Skagan. “I see you’re poised with the plastic bags Phil.”

“When we’re working the appropriate address is still LCDR Skagan Dr. Norman.” Skagan opened a clear plastic bag as Kaplan used the hand-held circular plaster cutting saw. The noise in the small room from the small yet powerful device was like a freight train. It had a fist-sized fan at its rear where the electric cord exited. A cotton bag was located beneath the fan as its vacuum sent plaster particles to its entrapment.

Bailey washed the left ankle with a soap-alcohol solution, applied a tourniquet to Boomer’s calf and started a large bore I.V. catheter into a bulging malleolar vein and taped it in place as the IV dripped freely. “Okay. We’re ready Boomer. Now, as I told you I can’t put you to sleep until I get a tube into your windpipe. I’m giving you 5mg of Valium into the IV which will relax you. As soon as the tube is in place I’ll push the Pentothal and off to sleep you go.”

Bailey maneuvered his anesthesia machine in place. The OR table had been removed. Everything would be done on the gurney. Bailey looked at Norman. “Paul once I get the tube into his trachea I’ll have you inject 250mg of the Sodium Pentothal into the ankle I.V. I have to stay glued to his airway.” Bailey lubricated the nasal endotracheal tube with anesthetic gel and inserted it into Bailey’s right nostril. Bailey had his right ear to the connector end of the endo-tube. He could hear Boomer’s breath sounds clearly. When they were loudest he knew the tip of the endo-tube was at the vocal cords. “Boomer take a deep breath.” Bailey could visualize the vocal cords parting wide open and he advanced the tube two-inches and inflated the balloon-cuff at its tip as Boomer began coughing with its placement. “Okay. Now Paul. Inject all the Pentothal while counting to ten.”

Norman pushed the plunger on the large syringe while counting. Intravenous medications should never be slam-dunked but most could be delivered with a steady deliberate momentum. Boomer’s eyes closed and Bailey connected the endo-tube to the anesthesia machine and began breathing for him while administering the oxygen-nitrous oxide-halothane gases. He taped the tube in place and waved at Norman and Kaplan.

“Okay. Let’s get this thing off.” Norman had Kaplan hold the left leg in the air making sure its I.V. was running and the saw roared with purpose.

The leg and arm sections were quartered after being removed in clam shell fashion. The hip cast was done the same with help of two more corpsmen to move Boomer from side-to-side. After the chest pieces were done came the most delicate job–the head and neck section. If Boomer had any unstable fracture remaining in the neck vertebrae he could become paralyzed. All the recent X-rays indicated this wouldn’t happen. Bailey added lengths of tubing to the endo-tube’s connector to get out of their way.

Norman and Kaplan were sweating both from the physical stress and mental stress as they worked the saw from the neck to the ears and around the dome of Boomer’s head and around the other side. The bivalve parts were removed slowly. Bailey checked Boomer’s head and neck.

“Everything seems stable. I’ll add a stiff collar just to play it safe. You guys go ahead and clean Boomer up.”

They scrubbed Boomers body which hadn’t seen the light of day or soap-and-water for over four months. After drying him off they began slowly flexing and extending his ankles, knees, hips, wrists, arms and shoulders. Every joint was stiff and every muscle was tight. They hadn’t moved since his mummified confinement. After an hour of this physical therapy under anesthesia they began applying his new cast which would only be from the belly-button to above the knees to allow further healing for the pelvis fracture. The pelvis fracture also looked healed on X-ray but physical therapy might be too stressful without the cast.

Skagan and two OR corpsman had the job of labeling and keeping track of the cast parts as they sequestered and sealed them in the plastic bags. Skagan additionally wrote everything down on her ever present clip board. Sweat dripped under her arms as she carefully packed each bag in the large wheeled laundry tub.

Every so often CAPT Cynthia Darmin would stick her masked head in to check on the progress. “It’s been almost three hours. I’m going to have to keep some of my people here overtime to clean up your mess.”

No one responded. They just kept working. When they were done Norman looked at Bailey. “He looks different without his plaster head piece. I never would have recognized him as Boomer.”

“I’ll wake him up in the recovery room. Paul you’ll have to do a neurological exam on Boomer when he’s conscious. He may have considerable pain from the physical therapy.”

“Yes. I reserved an ICU space for him for overnight.”

‡

Boomer moaned as he woke up and he began to shiver.

“Don’t worry about his shakes. The anesthetic and the cold OR room lowered his body temperature. He’s moving upper and lower extremities equally so that’s good.” Dr. Bailey completed his recovery notes in the ICU isolation room.

Boomer’s neurological assessment was normal. Norman wrote some post-cast-change orders. “Let me know when you discharge him Dr. Bailey. I want to get him settled in ICU.”

“I’m going with LCDR Skagan down to G-1 to secure Boomer’s Nam plaster.” Kaplan waved to Norman and went to look for her.

“I want everyone to take a shower before they leave the OR. I don’t want any residual live or dead pseudomonas or syphilis bugs spreading outside of this floor, understand. My people will make sure you follow my orders.” Darmin pointed a witchlike finger at Kaplan.

As soon as Kaplan went into the male locker room an OR corpsman took his doffed scrubs. He showered and put on his work uniform. He found Skagan waiting with a G-1 Corpsman with Boomer’s plastic-bagged plaster parts in its laundry cart.

“Well the shower was actually welcomed. I didn’t realize the amount of sweat involved in getting Boomer’s cast off and doing the passive motion exercises on his joints.” Kaplan looked at Skagan who also appeared refreshed with her now stringy wet hear under her nurse’s cap.

“Let’s go and get this stuff locked up and registered. We still have to talk about what to do about Perkins.” Skagan kept her eyes on the laundry bag.

Skagan, Kaplan and another G-1 corpsman moved onto the elevator.

‡

Perkins removed a weathered knee-ankle cast from one of his G-3 patients. He left it in two bivalved long pieces. The new cast looked white and pure as the driven snow.

“I hope this is my last cast Perkins.”

“According to your doctor it is. After this comes off you’ll be in PT for a while but no more cast.” He dismissed the patient back to his bed space.

Once I see what Boomer’s cast pieces look like I can carve up this stuff and dirty it to match perfectly
.

Chapter 31

Abraham Linsky

Linsky felt refreshed and that life was good even though his was a little risky. After a sumptuous patio breakfast at a shore side restaurant his Sunday contact arrived precisely at 11AM with a briefcase identical to his.

“Hello again Manuelo.” Linsky smiled, stood up and shook the slightly overweight man’s hand.

“Olla, Senior Linsky.” Manuelo had tan slacks, a short-sleeved open collar white shirt, dark sunglasses and slick swept back curly black hair. He moved his briefcase next to Linsky’s with his tan loafers. “Before I sit down I have to visit the rest room.”

“Of course.” Linsky watched as Manuelo left his briefcase while reaching for the other one.

Manuelo then picked up Linsky’s twin case to take and examine in the men’s room. It was a routine used by the PR drug connection to test the quality of his heroin. Linsky picked up Manuelo’s case and opened it slightly to verify the money presence. He had informed the PR contact how much heroin his business transaction would entail.

Manuelo was about Linsky’s thirty-something age and came back looking friendly and satisfied. “I shall take coffee with you Senior Linsky. It looks like a comfortable morning.”

It was the cue for Linsky to check the dollar amount in Manuelo’s briefcase which would now become his briefcase.

The transaction was observed by Jaeko, the Puerto Rican contact and “cab driver” for the New York cartel at a telephone station within the restaurant. “I have him in sight and he has received the money. I know the man and the gang he fronts for in the drug business here in San Juan.”

“Very good. Follow Linsky unobserved and call me when he’s in his hotel room. We’ll pay him a visit.” Bizetes looked across at the condo building where his confrontation with Linsky would take place.

‡

Linsky went back to his condo and again opened his cash briefcase. The three hundred thousand dollars in hundreds would go into the PR bank where it would be laundered and placed into his account for a 10% fee. He took the money from the case and placed it in the condo closet safe. Tomorrow he would bring the cash to the bank in the briefcase minus twelve-thousand for himself. He’d use some of the dollars for a three-day vacation which included a fishing trip after his bank deposit. That would leave less than ten-thousand to bring back to the US which he wouldn’t have to pay any duty on.

The knock on his door brought Linsky sitting upright from his bed as he read the sport-fishing brochure.
Who could this be?
Linsky looked through the door peephole.

“Yes?”

“Mr. Abraham Linsky? I am the president of the condo association. I have some forms you must sign to continue maintaining your membership while you are away from your residence please.”

“I thought I did that last year?”

“The renewal is annual as you remember Senior Linsky. It will take but a few seconds.” Jaeko looked sideways at Bizetes against the wall next to him.

Linsky opened the door. Jaeko immediately stepped forward and pushed Linsky back into the room causing Linsky to shift from foot-to-foot to keep from falling. Bizetes came right behind, closed and bolted the door shut.

“What the fuck?” Linsky steadied his stance. His pulse shot up as he focused on Bizetes. “What are you doing here?”

Bizetes removed his sunglasses. “The question is what are you doing here?”

“I’m on vacation. What do you want? We don’t have any processing until next weekend.” Linsky moved into the living room prompted by Bizetes.

“Sit down on the sofa and yes let’s discuss processing.” Jaeko stood behind the now seated Linsky with Bizetes in the opposite parlor chair.

“What do you mean?”

“I would like to go over the result of your urine tests and some other security assays.”

Linsky knew his results should be clean. “You came here from New York to go over this? I’ve never had any dirty urine.”

“It depends on what you call ‘dirty’ Abe. True you came up free of heroin in your piss test. But you did show evidence of plaster.”

“For Christ’s sake Mr. Bizetes, we work with plaster remember? And plaster in my urine?”

“No Abe. Plaster in your apartment–all over your apartment.”

Linsky froze. He began to sweat. “What are you implying?”

“I’m implying that you have your own side operation with Perkins.” Bizetes crossed his legs. “No. Let me change my words. Not implying, I’m stating fact. We have you and Perkins cold on this. And…” Bizetes pulled a photo from his inside sport coat pocket. “…we have this picture of you with this man–Manuelo I believe his name is.” Bizetes motioned to Jaeko.

Jaeko went around the sofa and handed Bizetes an envelope. Bizetes opened it, removed the letter and handed it to Linsky.

“This is your bank balance here in Puerto Rico–almost three-million dollars.” Bizetes pointed to the paper now in Linsky’s hands.

Linsky bent forward with his face in his hands. “What do you want me to do?”

“We want what is ours. If you want to live we want our money back.” Bizetes sat back. “You can start by giving me what you got today. Tomorrow you’ll transfer your bank account to an account we’ll open here. It’ll be easy–just a transfer.”

“What happens to me after we do this?” Linsky’s hair was drenched with sweat in the air-conditioned room.

“I think you’ll agree to go back to the status quo. I don’t think you’ll make any more maverick gestures. Do you? You’ve seen what can happen to cartel saboteurs.”

“No. No. I swear Mr. Bizetes. I’ll just do my job.”

“I know you’ll do what’s right for the good of the organization.” Bizetes grinned.

Linsky opened the safe and extracted the money. Jaeko made sure the safe was empty.

“Jaeko here will stay with you tonight and tomorrow we’ll all go to the bank. It may take an hour-or-two for our bank business and then we’ll discuss going home and what to do with this condominium.”

‡

Linsky spent a sleepiness night and was still sweaty after his morning shower. The bank business went smoothly as the bank really did not lose any money and actually gained a bigger account.

“Where are we going now?” Linsky sat in the back seat of Jaeko’s taxi next to Bizetes.

“To someplace you shouldn’t know about. So, for your own safety and ours, I insist on a blindfold.” Bizetes placed an airline sleeper blindfold on Linsky and then a black cloth bag over that.

The drive seemed short to Linsky. They led him into a soft plush carpet-floored building with a spice-like atmosphere which transitioned into a tile-floored antiseptic smelling room.

“Have a seat Mr. Linsky.” A third man with cold hands and a deep voice assisted Linsky into a hard-framed chair.

“Why are you taping my arms to the chair? When can I see where I am?” Linsky felt something tight around his right biceps and them a sharp sting in his right forearm. The sensation was felt again in his left arm. “What’s happening?”

“Remove the blindfold please.” Bizetes motioned to the third man. “Abe you’re now going to be on camera and our local director will narrate.”

Linsky strained at his arms which were immobilized with duct tape to the chair as were his legs. “I.V. bottles? What is going on?”

“Narration please.” Bizetes commanded.

A deep Boris Karloff voice spoke. “Here at our somber establishment we drain blood from one major vessel in a thusly manner.” A pair of strong arms disconnected the right I.V. to allow the tubing going from Linsky’s right forearm to drip blood freely into a large clear glass gallon jug. The voice continued. “While one volume of fluid is leaving the body, we replace it with another.” Karloff switched the left IV bottle with another larger one.

“The fluid going into this body is replacing the blood leaving this unfortunate soul. It is standard procedure at our institution and indeed at every funeral parlor.” The monotone bass voice was suddenly interrupted.

“Funeral Parlor. I’m not dead.” Linsky began to have strange feelings.

The horror show voice continued. “From our experience the first sensation from the formaldehyde solution is one of a creeping sting and burning as it slowly goes up the arm and into the larger chest vessels.”

“My arm and shoulder are on fire. No. No.” A white and red-lined lividity or quilt-like pattern appeared as the formalin began pickling the tissues in its path.

“Entrance into the chambers of the heart results in referred pain as the heart itself has no pain sensing fibers. The pain will be experienced as one of crushing sensation in the chest and a dull ache going to the left shoulder and left arm.”

“Both shoulders are burning. Oh God. No.”

“As the blood vessels to the heart itself receive the formalin its muscle pumping ability begins to falter. The fluid part of the blood backs up and leaks into the lungs.”

“My lungs are exploding. I can’t breathe.” Linsky’s voice now sounded a bit gurgley and his rib muscles began to twitch.

“It is now necessary to forcibly pump the formaldehyde into the rest of the circulation.”

Linsky could no longer speak. His entire body felt like it was aflame and now his vision was distorted. At first shapes appeared to melt and then everything turned bright orange then gray and finally black. Although he could no longer see, his hearing changed from the ever-fading Karloff voice to the sound of a pounding bass drum beating in his head. His head felt like it was going to explode. A mix of multi-colored paint seemed to be awash and finally after a loud buzzing noise all was blackness and then there was nothingness.

Bizetes looked at the gray and red-lined mottled corpse that was once Abraham Linsky and then back at the funeral director. “I want the pickled head sent to this New York address. Will the contorted-agonized expression remain on the severed head?”

“Yes. Mr. Linsky’s death mask will convey the horror and suffering of his last earthly minutes–just as in the video and still photographs.” Karloff signaled the video cameraman to end the sequence. “It will be sent to this address as you wish sir.”