The Hesitant Hero Read Free Page A

at least not for any significant time. Caroline would see to that. One word from her father would be all it would take. Tyler was disgusted as he realized he was depending on a man who despised him. Denton Autry, Caroline’s father, had little use for artists of any kind—especially for those who ran around getting drunk with his only daughter.
    “Well, what happened to you?”
    Tyler opened his eyes and saw a man standing in front of him wearing a white coat with a stethoscope over his shoulder. “I got hit in the head with a chair by another drunk.”
    “I’m Dr. Lawrence. Let me see that head.” Lawrence looked more like a defensive tackle than a physician. He wasn’t as gentle as the medical student was as he inspected Tyler’s cut. “That’s a pretty good cut you’ve got there, but you’ll live,” he said cheerfully. He turned and said, “I think I’ll let you do this one while I go check on another patient, Jolie. Can you take care of it?”
    “Yes, Doctor.”
    “I’ll be back to check after the stitches are in.” He grinned down cheerfully at Tyler. “I hope you had a good time. How much have you had to drink?”
    “Too much.”
    “Good thing you came here. Dr. Vernay’s got great hands. She’ll take good care of you.”
    Tyler glared at the doctor, and as he left, he turned his head to the young woman, wincing with pain. “He’s pretty cheerful about how much I hurt, isn’t he?”
    “Oh, that’s just his way. He’s really a fine doctor.”
    “What kind of an accent do you have?” he asked, more to take his mind off his problems than anything.
    “French. Now, this will be a little painful while I numb your scalp.”
    Tyler tried to lie motionless as he watched the young woman work quietly and efficiently. “I thought you weren’t a doctor yet.”
    “I’m in my last year of medical school.”
    “Then you’ll be a doctor.”
    “Then I’ll be a doctor, but I’ll still have to do my internship.” She stood up straight for a moment to stretch her back. “How did this happen?”
    Tyler caught his breath as she hit a spot that wasn’tcompletely numb, but he was determined to show that he had a little manhood left.
    “My girlfriend and I were in a nightclub. A fellow there got fresh with her, and we got into it.”
    “Was he arrested too?”
    “I don’t think so. He’s a big shot here in New York.”
    “You shouldn’t hit big shots.”
    Tyler glanced up and saw that she was frowning at him. “Or anybody else, I imagine,” he said.
    When the woman was nearly finished, Officer Murphy returned, a cup of coffee in his hand. He watched with interest and said, “Say, Doc, you’re real good at that.”
    “Thank you, Officer.”
    “The next time I get shot I’ll be sure to come by and have you take care of me.” He flirted with the young woman as she tied the final knot and bandaged the wound. “There, Officer, all done.” Turning to Tyler, she said calmly, “You need to get those stitches out on Thursday. Come by and I’ll take care of it.”
    Murphy shook his head. “You make house calls?”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “Well, you won’t be takin’ these stitches out. Winslow here is headed for the slammer.” He grinned and said, “I called the station. Lawyer Blalock is mad as hops. He’s pullin’ strings to get you at least six months in jail. Come on.” Unlocking the handcuffs, he said, “Thanks a lot, Doc. Send the bill to the City of New York.”
    Tyler felt miserable, weak, and shaken as Murphy led him outside and put him into the squad car, where Murphy’s partner was waiting behind the wheel.
    When Murphy got in he said to Dan, “Good-lookin’ broad in there. If I get shot, take me to her.”
    “Yeah, I’ll do my best to remember that.”
    Tyler put his head back and reached up to feel the bandage. Although it was numb at the moment, he knew when the feeling came back it would be sore.
    Won’t I ever learn? he moaned inwardly. You think a man would