said. “But you’ll be alright once they replace it at the hospital.”
The ambulance screeched to a halt at the emergency room entrance. The gurney was rushed into the hospital as doctors and nurses barked information to each other. Nate tried to speak and he waived his hands to get their attention. The gurney rested in a bright, cold room as the medical staff prepared him for surgery. A balding man with intense green eyes spoke directly to Nate. “Det. Leeman, my name is Dr. Paulson. You have suffered a major injury to your heart and it needs to be replaced. But don’t worry; we’ll take good care of you.”
Nate shook his head again and managed to push the oxygen mask away from his face. “No!” he groaned. “No artificial parts!” he said, before a nurse put the mask back in place. Dr. Paulson immediately stopped and told everyone to be quiet. He lifted the mask and asked Nate to repeat what he said. Nate told him not to replace his heart.
“Detective, do you realize what you are requesting?” asked Dr. Paulson. Nate nodded. “If we don’t replace your heart, you will die. Do you understand that?” asked the doctor. Nate nodded again. Dr. Paulson turned toward Penny and Forrest, who stood at the edge of the room. “If he refuses treatment, we cannot force it upon him,” he told them. Penny turned and dropped her head onto Forrest’s right shoulder. The captain told the doctor that he understood.
The medical staff worked to repair Nate’s heart without using a replacement, but the damage was too extensive. The detective fought valiantly and he survived for 16 hours. Penny and Forrest remained at his side until the very end. Nate slipped in and out of consciousness, and during a lucid moment, Penny told him that they had captured the killer. A slight smile inched across Nate’s face as he heard the news. Then his lips moved slowly as if he were saying a prayer.
About the author:
Steven Donahue was a copywriter for TV Guide magazine for 14 years. His first novel, Amanda Rio, was published in 2004. It has received critical acclaim from reviewers for Amazon.com and thebestreviews.com.
Steven currently resides in Bucks County, PA with his wife, Dawn. He has two new novels coming out in 2013: The Manila Strangler (Rainstorm Press) and Amy the Astronaut and the Flight for Freedom (Hydra Publications).
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