Man Detox: A Novel Page 14

  The doctor thought about how many times she had seen this same scene play out before. She could never understand why women try to protect their abusers. It was some kind of derangement. In her informed view from the front lines of emergency medicine, it was worse than Stockholm’s Syndrome.

  “I understand. Do you mind if I do a physical exam?”

  Irene knew where the question was leading. She wanted to preempt the doctor’s probing questions.

  “I swear. It’s not what you think. It was a minor thing. Nothing happened to me.”

  Denial. Denial. Denial. “Could you lie down please?” The doctor asked.

  Only now Irene realized how much trouble this might bring. If she resisted, it will increase the doctor’s suspicion and could easily induce her to report the incident. There has to be a reason for the injuries. If it wasn’t abuse, then it had to be something else. There was always a cause to injury. That was the deal with the human body.

  So, what was going to be her explanation? Some kind of fight she won’t be willing to discuss about. The solution, it occurred to her as Irene tried to keep track of all the places that hurt badly, was, instead of forcibly making her case, she let the doctor do the exam. The doctor was her ally in the situation.

  “Sure, thank you for taking care of us,” Irene said.

  The doctor went about meticulously scanning through Irene’s body for an accounting of damages and injuries. It was indeed the case that most of the wounds were superficial, localized to the arms and legs, and to a lesser extent on the face. There were no signs of wound between her legs. So far no indications of forced oral, anal, or vaginal penetration. There were no genital or extragenital injuries, nor were there any signs of severe psychological symptoms.

  If anything, the woman presented herself to be mostly composed and genial. No signs of fear, anger, embarrassment, guilt, or shame. No tenseness, crying, or trembling in shock. But, the doctor noted trying to put together the conundrum, the patient is much too talkative and smiling. Eager to deflect attention from her condition. These were the typical avoidance reactions and coping mechanism.

  Just to be sure, the doctor went back to her genital examination and decided to collect forensic evidence for neither the woman nor the man was willing to tell her exactly what happened. She couldn’t, unfortunately, inform the police without the patient’s consent. She was comforted that there will at least be data from the vaginal swabs.

  Her job was to document everything and do what she can to make sure appropriate evidence was gathered and documented. If her past experience was any indication, these kinds of cases tend to resurface at a future date. If the victim is always in denial, chances are there will be a repeat occurrence.

  “Do you have a place to stay at in town? I noticed you have a Denver address listed on the form.”

  Irene didn’t quite know how to respond. The answer in principle was a yes in that she will likely be staying with Ethan. What would that mean? Here she was with someone she barely knew much about. Was she about to turn her life upside down? What did Ethan have in mind?

  “Yes. I’ll be staying with a friend.”

  “As you know, there are resources available for you. Counseling and additional tests. I have to fill out this form describing the extent of injury and the results of tests we completed here. Everything will be kept confidential unless you decide to change your mind. My experience is it usually takes time for victims to come to terms with and process what happened. I want you to know you shouldn’t blame yourself…”

  Irene was tempted to laugh. The doctor must think she was in denial about something. This was the catch-22. The more she tried to deny the doctor’s perception, the more her actions will be construed as proving the doctor’s point.

  On the question of blame, wasn’t she the one to blame for all this mess anyway? She was the one that was late to her flight. She was the one that agreed to accept a generous offer without understanding the ramifications. She was the one that insisted on Ethan meeting her at the resort. But she couldn’t tell any of that to the doctor, and all she would do now was play nice and act as if nothing happened.

  “I understand,” Irene said, simply and cordially. If she were in the doctor’s position, she knew she would have done exactly the same thing.

  The doctor left the room after concluding her remark telling Irene to wait. The last thing to be done was completing a preliminary screening of evidence gathered.

  ∫---∫

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Out in the waiting area, Ethan paced around the room anxiously. Given how long the examination was taking, he wondered if it was a mistake to come to the hospital. In a rush to make sure proper medical attention was received, he didn’t think through the dangers of exposure and publicity that could easily compromise the plan to keep his weekend adventure a secret.

  The problem for Ethan, being young and healthy, was that he never set foot in a hospital before. The idea of being sick or needing discrete medical attention had never crossed his mind. Now, the invincibility of his body and the world he had built for himself were cracking. His life was in more danger than he appreciated. If he had known about this, he wouldn’t have scoffed at the idea of retaining a private doctor just like he has a law firm on retainer to fight his legal battles. The rude awakening was here, and he was going to have to figure out a way to handle it.

  The urgent task at hand was for now establishing Irene’s wellbeing. He was prepared for the worst. The plan of action had been set in motion. He would let her stay here for as long as she wants. The business of running his companies can’t be neglected for much too long. Hence, the need to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

  “How’s she doing?” Ethan asked as soon as he saw the doctor approaching the area where he was standing.

  “She’s doing well. There are no wounds apart from the visible ones on the extremities and her face. It appears, this is solely based on evidence from visual examination, there is nothing to worry about for now. I do, however, caution jumping to conclusion for we have outstanding tests, which we should get results for later today. While we are waiting, the patient is welcome to leave the hospital premises. I’m informed she will be staying with you, is that right?”

  “Yes, of course!” Ethan answered eagerly. “So, no issues then?”

  “I do recommend consultation with law enforcement to identify appropriate measures. For now, there is no reason to wait here at the hospital.”

  “Thank you, doctor. I really appreciate your help on this!”

  “You’re welcome. Doing my job. Are you…” The doctor wondered if she had seen him before. “Your face looks quite familiar.”

  “I guess I have one of those recognizable faces, you know…” Ethan laughed off the inquiry.

  “Right,” the doctor said before exchanging greetings and heading to the service desk to attend to the next case.

  Ten minutes later, Irene was released from the emergency department. Ethan was there to receive and lead her to a black SUV waiting outside.

  “How are you feeling?” He asked her. She was holding his hand, happy to be free at last and worrying how this rendezvous might end. It was Sunday, and she was due to report back to work for a night shift the next day.

  “I’m actually feeling much better. Sleepy and a little tired.”

  “You will get to sleep as soon as we get home.”

  “Your home?”

  “Yes, hope you don’t mind. Figured it is better for security and privacy to lay low for at least a few days until I sort out what happened and take necessary precautionary measures.”

  “Okay. I need to get back soon. I have work tomorrow.”

  “Yes, of course. Can we not worry about tomorrow for at least the rest of the day? I think we have earned a little quiet and stress-free time, don’t you think?”

  “I totally agree. I still feel like it was all one long nightmare. You know, when you see these things in the movies, it k
ind of feels adventurous. The real thing is the most terrifying experience of my entire life.”

  “Including birth?”

  “Well, I don’t know about that. Maybe that was terrifying too, but at least I have no recollection of it.”

  “Precisely,” Ethan said, leaning into the thought process he had settled on as part of his coping mechanism.

  The experience will be bothersome only if he lets it. He is all about looking forward. Nothing to be gained by dwelling in or regurgitating the past. “The point is in not living in the past.”

  “Can you simply forget what happened? We could have died there? I was totally preparing myself for it.” She said.

  “It is a challenge, but one worth facing. One can’t change the past. Only how one chooses to view it...”

  To Irene, this was coming across more as red flag than a sign of resilience. She had seen far too many cold-blooded surgeons who were undeterred by any sign of trauma. In some ways, she also had to be insensitive to it for her job. But the struggle had always been about maintaining her humanity. She would surely like that the man she would eventually be together with to be more sentimental than that.

  “Where do you live?”

  “We are actually getting closer. Pacific Heights is the name of the neighborhood. Have you been here before?”

  “No. First time here.”

  “We will do a tour if you like,” Ethan said as the car pulled over to a house on Broadway.

  For Irene, what was most striking in the drive from the airport to the hospital and now to Ethan’s three-story house in the most expensive neighborhood of the city was how hilly most of the roads were. She was amazed by the panoramic view of the city.

  “Let’s start your introduction to the city,” Ethan began soon as they entered the house and climbed up two flights of stairs. From the second floor of the house, there was an unobstructed view more impressive than what Irene had seen from the street.

  “That is the famous Golden Gate Bridge and Presidio on this side, there is the San Francisco Bay, far in the distance you can see Alcatraz…”

  “I’m shocked by how hilly the city is.”

  “The city sits on about forty-nine square mile of space, and there are seven major hills and close to forty humps, all of which are a result of geology. The city lies along the San Andreas fault line, which contributes to the topography.”

  “The view is incredible.”

  “Please make yourself at home. If you don’t mind, I have a couple of things to take care of...”

  Irene was soon left in the expansive room, with an open floor plan. From the outside, the building of the house had looked old to her. Inside, though, it was decorated with sleek new furniture. The first thought to cross her mind was how plentiful the space was for a yoga practice. She could see how the view could complement the serenity of the space. There was no noise coming from anywhere. The only noise that singularly occupied her attention was the questions of what this new arrangement meant for her life.

  In her hand was the phone with a broken screen, which now informed her she had a few text messages from Lauren and missed calls from parents. She decided to wait to respond. She needed to first figure out her situation in Ethan’s world. As she was processing this thought, Ethan came back into the room.

  “I’m sorry. Completely forgot. Let me show you your room. I’m afraid I’ll be quite busy. If you need anything, let me know.”

  Irene shook her head and followed him up another two flights of stairs to a third-floor bedroom. She could see a few doors on either side of the corridor with a large entrance at the opposite end of the walkway. She imagined that might be the master bedroom.

  “If you don’t mind…” She started talking.

  Irene wanted to tell him to slow down. Any self-respecting woman wouldn’t let herself be walked into a master bedroom on the first night. Plus the misadventure in the Mexican jungle and the subsequent hospital visit have introduced a level of awkwardness between them that needed to be tackled first. She didn’t know how, and she was willing to wait for the right moment.

  “Here’s your room,” Ethan said, he didn’t hear her hesitant pleading. All his focus was on getting back into his office to make a few calls as soon as possible.

  Irene interpreted his non-response as an intentional act. He must think I didn’t respect him enough to make the right decision, she thought. For now, she needs to find a way to settled down, catch up on sleep, and figure out what to do with Ethan before getting back to Denver.

  “Thank you. This is lovely,” she said as she walked around the room to inspect the view. From here, the Golden Gate and the expanse of the Pacific Ocean were framed in the smaller windows. It was a cozy and comfortable room furnished with a full-size bed, dresser, and a desk.

  “I’ll be in my office. Call out for me if you need anything. Food and drinks in the fridge. What else? Make yourself at home.”

  “Thank you,” Irene repeated herself.

  She wished she could unwind the clock to the moment when they danced together. Now, any kind of sentimental gesture seemed too contrived to think about. “Don’t worry. I’ll be okay. You have gone above and beyond what can be expected of anyone…”

  “That’s a topic of discussion for later. How about dinner? Does 7 PM work?”

  What was this supposed to mean? She wondered. Of course, it does work for her, Irene thought before appreciating the courtesy.

  “Yes, that would be great,” she said.

  As Ethan left the room, Irene looked at her watch. It was only 2 PM. What was she going to occupy her time with? Did the dinner appointment mean she won’t see him until then?

  Feeling frustrated for not asking him those questions, she settled down on the bed. Restless, she got up and walked around to check the bathroom. It had a good sized tub in the middle of the room, which she decided to test right away.

  ∫---∫

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “Look, Rob. I understand all your concern. What I want now more than anything is a post-mortem on how I walked into this fucking disaster. I can’t afford to be thinking about this when I have tons of work to do.”

  Ethan’s first call was to Rob to express concern about the not too subtle display of security at his house. He didn’t want to alarm neighbors. How likely was it anyway that whatever happened in Mexico could spill over to his residence so far away.

  Rob listened to his client with attention, trying to decipher his psychological state. Was there an opportunity to exploit his fear or lack thereof to a better outcome? He was holding off before he would bring up one big idea he had come up with.

  “I am so glad you bring that up,” Rob started. “Now, you know my job is to worry about your safety and security at all times. In this regard, nothing is sacred, and we can’t leave any stones unturned. Do you agree?”

  “Of course,” Ethan said impatiently.

  “I have been doing some digging into what happened. How many hours were you on the ground for before the crisis hit?”

  “Six or seven hours.”

  “Exactly. Is that long enough time for someone to see you and react to mobilize such a large contingent of force? For the kind of organized effort, I can’t imagine that there wasn’t something that was cooking before you set foot on the compound. With that in mind, I had my guy look into the passengers on the flight there.”

  “Where are you going with this, Rob?”

  “Hear me out. Everyone on your flight checked out. Nothing to worry about there. Guess who happened to sit next to Irene on the inbound flight to Cancun?”

  “I don’t know…”

  “Roger. The same Roger who happened to be commanding the operation on the ground.”

  “I don’t believe it!”

  “You gotta believe. Look, I am not the one to think there was some kind of prior arrangement. But, it is not outside of the realm of possibilities that the two struck up a conversation. At the very least, Irene mig
ht have given up information. Worst case scenario, there might have been a collusion there.”

  “This is madness, Rob. This can’t be. She is in my house for God’s sake. I talked to her. Can’t imagine she would do something like this.”

  “I know. Totally understand where you are coming from. But it is my job to worry. But can’t rule anything out at this point. Also talked to my guy, Max. Remember him? I had him describe the condition he found you two in. You must have already noticed this. What I hear is you were in much worse condition than she was. We can’t draw too much conclusion from this, obviously. But here is one dead giveaway. What was the emergency doc’s assessment?”

  “Well, she said there was nothing wrong with Irene other than superficial wounds…” Ethan said. A creeping sense of dread was starting to take over his body.

  “Now, is it possible that a woman of her caliber would show up in the jungle in the middle of uncivilized men and would come out unscathed?”

  There was silence on Ethan’s end.

  “Look, I see how difficult this must be. But you must agree none of this can be ruled out for now. The resort tells me there were calls made from her room to a local number too… Let me stop here.” Rob said feeling satisfied by his successful attempt at implanting suspicion.

  That was all he needed for now to contain the impending fallout. His conversations with his Mexican counterparts had gone well. They were plenty terrified he would turn against them and that a major blunder was about to cost them a significant amount of business.

  If there was one enduring lesson to come from Rob’s time in the military, it was about the importance of diversifying risk. There needs to be a backup to a plan and a backup for the backup plan. Many layers of fortification to reduce risk, minimize snafus, or simply cover his ass. He couldn’t be happier that the big idea was taking root.

  “I agree. Something isn’t adding up here…” Ethan said. “What do you recommend then?”