BY: TIM DESMOND
California doctor Henry “Hank” Houston thought the ugly past was behind him, but he and his wife Jennifer are soon pulled right back into turmoil and danger. He becomes focused as never before after Jennifer is abducted by agents of what the media refers to as the “deep state.” Shifting through layers of federal security forces and secret biochemical plants searching for Jennifer, Hank worries about what she is going through. He knows exactly what the federal contractors and workers in hidden agencies are capable of—with his memories of illegal detainment and chemical torture. With people disappearing every day, including agency workers like his once old friend Doctor Terry Graff, Hank’s deepest concern is that what he has learned is all too true…
TAYLOR JONES SAYS: In Delete Doc by Tim Desmond, Dr. Hank Houston is back in trouble with the government again. But this time, it’s his wife who gets kidnapped. Dirty operatives and secret government agencies are at it again, abusing the constitution and the rights of US citizens. As Hank searches desperately for his wife, he uncovers a secret operation that will destroy the shadow government if its existence becomes public knowledge. And the government agents in the know don’t seem to care who they have to kill to protect their evil secrets.
Like the first book, the plot is complicated and twisted, with one surprise after another. It will definitely keep you on your toes. A good read.
REGAN MURPHY SAYS: Delete Doc by Tim Desmond is the story of Dr. Hank Houston and his wife Jennifer, who have barely survived one run-in with secret government agencies already, as well as the loss of several dear friends, who were killed by agents of the government. Back home in California, Hank and Jennifer are notified that one of the murders, their turncoat friend Dr. Terry Graf, has been killed in prison. Hank and Jennifer know that there is something fishy about Terry’s death, so they head for the East Coast to see what they can find out. But the agents discover that Hank is poking into things again, only this time they don’t go after him, they go after Jennifer. She’s kidnapped, and Hank is left trying to find and rescue her with no idea where they have taken her. But he has his Civil War reenactor friends to help him, so what could possibly go wrong?
I found the book both intense and thought-provoking, as well as an exciting page-turner. With likeable and believable characters, a strong plot with plenty of surprises, and lots of fast-paced action, it’s not easy to put down.
Chapter 1
The Yard, Kinsalran Prison, Queens County, California:
Inmates talked, worked out, and walked around. One jogged short distances. Yelling broke out as two inmates scuffled. A circle of inmates formed around the two. One inmate punched the other while attempting to have his arms released from being restrained by his opponent. Then a third inmate, and fourth, joined in. One inmate fell dazed to the ground and rolled over. He got on all fours and crawled, patting the ground, as if looking for his glasses. Two inmates kept punching one of the other inmates.
The man on the ground stood. A cut over his eye bled, and he wiped it with his forearm. Red smeared his forehead and right cheek. The human ring seemed to compress on the fighters as two others punched the blond one who rocked back from a fist to his face. He lost his footing and bumped into an inmate watching from the human ring who shoved him to the ground. A roar rose in a crescendo. The blond inmate rolled over on his side. The inmate with the bloody head stepped to the blond on the ground and kicked the back of his skull. The man’s arm came up to cover his face when Bloody Head kicked him again, this time catching the ear on one side. He remained down while Bloody Head stomped on him again. The man rolled then collapsed, his face bloody also.
Corrections officers arrived from a door as the yelling increased. The COs had a difficult time getting through the human ring. When they did, they broke the inmates apart. The three who remained standing were lead away by the officers. An CO kneeled and leaned over the face of the blond inmate who appeared unconscious.
***
Infirmary, Kinsalran Prison, California:
The infirmary doctor held the convulsing body down on the exam table. A prison medical aide held the legs of the patient, trying to keep him on the table.
The doctor looked up at another aide standing nearby. “We could use a little help.”
The standing aide jumped in and held the patient’s shaking shoulders. “Aren’t you going to give him anything to calm this down?” he asked the doctor.
The doctor shook his head. “This is status epilepticus. It won’t last long.”
“What?”
“The seizure,” the aide holding the legs answered. “You’re a dumb shit, Spencer.”
The doctor looked at Menkes then back at Spencer. “He’ll go lethargic in a minute. Then we can start a line.”
In a few seconds, the convulsions ceased. The patient calmed but remained unconscious.
The doctor went to the crash cart, retrieved the sixteen-gauge angio-cath IV needle set, and placed it on a tray. Then he picked up a bag of D5W, normal saline with five percent dextrose. He hung the bag on the stainless steel loop on a corner bar.
The inmate’s eyes opened as he became conscious.
The doctor listened to his heart with a stethoscope. “What happened to this man?” he asked the others there.
“He was jumped in the yard,” one aide said.
“He wasn’t stabbed,” the doctor noted. He moved the stethoscope to a different position.
“He fought back,” the aide said.
The doctor shook his head. “He’s still pretty beat up.”
“The attacker is in lock up,” the aide assured him.
The doctor held still, listened, his palm almost resting on the patient’s chest as he held the stethoscope. “Jesus.”
“What?” Menkes asked.
“His heart just stopped,” the doctor answered.
“Who is he?” Spencer asked.
The doctor didn’t answer. He began doing chest compressions. “Jesus.”
The inmate medical aides watched.
The doctor looked up. “One of you take over with this. I need to start a line.” I should have done this first.
“Sure, Doc.” Menkes began compressions.
The doc told the other aide, “Bag him.”
Spencer looked confused. “What?”
“It’s right here.” The doc tossed a plastic bag with a facemask and compression bag attached. “Tear it open, put it on the guy’s face, and push air into him.” He then popped the angio-cath into a vein in the inmate’s hand, cleared and attached the thin plastic tubing, and opened it full. “Let me listen a second.”
The aide stopped doing compressions as the doc listened to the guy’s heart. The doc rose up. “Keep doing compressions.” He turned to get the monitor leads, attached them, and turned on the cardiac monitor. There was a hint of a rhythm on the screen.
Menkes looked up. “It looks like he has a beat.”
“That’s just you,” the doc said.
“Huh?”
“Stop doing compressions. Look at the monitor.”
The aide stopped doing compressions and looked at the monitor. “It’s a straight line.”
The doctor pointed. “Now do a compression and watch the screen.”
The line on the screen showed a single beat of a QRS complex that went to a straight line.
“Wow,” the aide said.
“Keep up the compressions,” the doc ordered as he turned to the crash cart to retrieve a syringe of the first cardiac drug to inject. He injected that into the line.
The aide kept doing compressions.
The doctor put up his hand. “Hold up.”
The aide stopped and looked at the monitor. It showed a straight line with no cardiac rhythm.
“Menkes,” the doctor said. “Let Spencer do it a while.”
Spencer took over and did the compressions.
After ten minutes, the doctor stopped Spencer. He pushed him aside and listened to the man’s chest, left of the sternum. “That’s it.”
He walked to the door to begin the paperwork. The two medical aides, Menkes and Spencer, left also. Unlike in the movies, they left the dead inmate on the table and did not bother to cover the head with a sheet. There was no sheet, just the body in prison dungarees and the bloody and bruised head staring with open eyes.
© 2016 by Tim Desmond