"Wilson, F Paul - adversary 3 - The Touch" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilson F. Paul)

abdomen. The bowel sounds were slightly hyperactive, indicating intestinal
irritability. He checked the lungs, heart, the glands in the neck, as a matter
of routine.
"How'd he eat tonight?"
"As usualЧlike a little horse."
Sylvia was standing close beside him. Alan put away his stethoscope and looked
up at her.
"And what?"
"His favorites: a hamburger, macaroni and cheese, celery stalks, milk, ice
cream."
Relieved that he now had eliminated anything serious, Alan began rearranging
Jeffy's pajamas. "Nothing to worry about that I can see. Either he's in the
early stages of a virus or it's something he ate. Or how he ate. If he's
swallowing air with his food, he'll develop some wicked bellyaches."
"It's not his appendix?"
"Not as far as I can tell. It's always a possibility, but I seriously doubt it.
Usually, the first thing to go in appendicitis is the appetite."
"Well, his appetite's alive and kickin', I assure you." She put her hand on his
shoulder. "Thanks, Alan."
Alan felt a warmth begin to spread from her long fingers through the fabric
layers of his windbreaker and shirt. God, that felt goodЕ
But sitting here in the almost-dark with her touching him could lead nowhere he
felt he should go, so he stood up and her hand fell away.
"If there's any change during the night, yell, otherwise bring him by the office
in the morning. I want another look at him."
"On Wednesday?"
"Right. I'll be out of town on Thursday so I'm having hours tomorrow. But bring
him in early. I'm scheduled to be on a southbound plane by late afternoon."
"Vacation?"
"Heading for D.C. I'm supposed to testify before Senator McCready's subcommittee
on the Medical Guidelines bill."
"Sounds exciting. But a long way to go to talk to some politicians. Is it that
important to you?"
"I'm tempted to say something about the last in public confidence wanting to
regulate the first in public confidence, but I don't see a soapbox nearby so
I'll refrain."
"Go ahead. Orate away."
"NoЕ it's just that my professional lifeЧmy whole style of medicineЧis on the
line down there."
"I haven't heard about the bill."
"Most people haven't, but it's an idiotic piece of legislation that will affect
every single person in the country by forcing doctors to practice cookbook
medicine. And if that happens, I'll quit. I'd rather paint boat bottoms than
practice that way."
"Going to take your ball and go home?"
Alan stared at her, stung. "You don't mince words, do you?"
"Not usually. But that's not an answer."
"It's not so much running off and sulking. It'sЕ" He hesitated, unsure of what
to say, but anxious to clarify himself to her. "It's more like shrugging and
walking away from an impossible situation. My style of practice can't coexist