Free The Imposter by Judith Townsend Rocchiccioli Page A

politically correct.   Alex, Robert, and Monique Desmond had
all attended, the latter two having been his friends since childhood.  He
figured that if he had to suffer, his closest friends should suffer with him.
    As
Jack slowed his Caddy to stop for a red light, he allowed himself to think of
what reason Dr.  Jeanfreau could have to call him downtown for the second time
in one day.   He prayed it wasn't about what he feared it was.   He had been
ignoring the possibility since he had left earlier this morning, but the phone
call from Maddy had almost confirmed his fears.   If what he thought was true
was correct, he wanted to bleep himself into oblivion for a few months or at
least visit an obscure planet he had never heard of.
     As
he wheeled his Caddy into a legal parking space, his spirits lifted.   Two
legal spots in one day.   That must be a record for him.   Things couldn't
be too bad, right, he convinced himself.   After all, I am parking
legally for the first time in months.   That has to be a good omen.   But
then again, it was probably his old Catholic upbringing coming back to trick
him.

Chapter 11
     
    Maddy
was washing up in the autopsy room.  She looked like she had aged 5 years since
this morning.  It must be a very bad day in the morgue.  She saw him,
brightened a bit, smiled, and pointed with a soapy hand back towards her
office.
    "I'll
be back there in a few minutes.  Got to finish getting cleaned up.  Enjoy the
Hershey Kisses in my candy bowl ... as if you needed an invitation," she
admonished.
    Jack
gave her a half smile and said, “I might just do that," remembering that
he had turned down lunch and a second jelly donut.  Besides, he deserved it. 
It was a shitty day.
    He
made himself at home and sat at the little round table in Maddy's office near
the candy bowl.  He looked around.  Maddy had pictures of her husband, who was
a noted urologist in town, and her twin daughters, who looked just like 10 year
old Maddy miniatures.  He picked up a picture of them taken at their weekend
home in Pass Christian over on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.  The four looked
just great, tanned, fishing poles sticking out of the grounds, sitting under an
umbrella on the beach with the Mississippi Sound  in the background.  Maddy
looked fantastic and carefree.  Something she certainly didn’t look like
today.  Jack was reading her numerous diplomas, degrees, and commendations when
the petite M.E. joined him in her office.   She saw Jack holding her family
picture.
    She
shook her head.  "I'd love to be over in the Pass now.  Anywhere but here
in this depressing morgue cutting open dead people all day."
    Jack
nodded, "Yeah, I bet.  Me, too.  I still want to take you up on that
fishing trip offer when it cools off."
    "You
bet.  Right after the lunch you offered this morning."  Maddy grinned at
him and asked, "What's up at CCME?"
    Jack
shook his head.  "Not good.  An attack on one of the nurses who worked in
the Pavilion last night.  She was raped and beaten up pretty bad.  Laid in the
bushes for hours until someone noticed her early this morning."
    Maddy
shook her head.  "Oh my, I'm not surprised.  The Pavilion is a festering,
snake-pit, time-bomb.  I've autopsied two patients who have gotten killed over
there in the last couple of years.  We're lucky it hasn't been worse.  Monique
Desmonde deserves multiple gold medals for staying in that hell hole."
    "Oh,
do you know Monique?  I didn't know that.  "
    "Of
course, I know Monique.  I love her.  We female docs have to stick together,
particularly in this God-forsaken, old boy network town.  I don't see her as
much as I'd like, but we do get together fairly often."
    "Good
to know.  I'm afraid the perp could be one of her patients."
    "Boy,
Commander, I feel real sorry for you.  Monique will protect her patients like
they are her children.  She is a marvelous physician and psychiatrist.  If you
ever need an advocate,