Sins Unforgiven

By J. G. Umbac

Terrie Lopez is a nurse supervisor in a major downtown hospital known for outstanding patient care. When Jeff Landrom, an attractive young man involved in a near-fatal car crash arrives in her ward as a comatose patient, she is drawn to him and becomes very protective of him.

When she finds out that the car crash that caused his injuries may not have been an accident, she becomes even more protective of her patient and conspires with Detective Mira, the police detective investigating the case, to determine who is responsible for the crime.

Meanwhile, Jeffs parents, Charles and Helen, and his wife, Judy, deal with their grief at what happened to Jeff while consoling one another.

The story deals with the relationships between these characters while Jeff strives to unravel the mystery behind his out-of-body experiences while in a coma. This all leads up to an explosive and totally mind-blowing twist in the end, making this book a must-read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524625993

J. G. Umbac

J. G. Umbac writes fiction mixed with real-life experiences that immerse the reader in a world designed solely to entertain. He draws from his experiences as a former news writer and newscaster as well as his service in the military, having served during Desert Storm and in other parts of the world. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife. He has two children, who have each given him adorable grandsons. J. G. Umbac derives deep satisfaction from creating worlds where readers can enjoy and let loose their own imagination.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The alley was long and empty except for a few dumpsters lining either side of it. He could see graffiti on the building to his left, as elaborately done as if it were in an artist’s studio. He could not discern what it said—just that it had a star in it. The rain channel in the center of the alley had occasional puddles of water along its length like after a downpour or after someone washes a car. He could see the sweltering heat rippling across his vision, relieved only by the shadow of the building. He was following someone who was hastily walking toward the end of the alley. He could see the faded blue jeans and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to just below the elbows. He could see the wrinkles in the shirt, looking like a sheet of paper opened up after it had been balled up but somehow still managed to look fashionable. He’d seen that fabric before, somewhere. He caught a blurry glimpse of the side of the face and realized it was a woman. She kept looking around, though not quite as much as to show more than just the side of her face. She was a tall, slender, good-looking woman, at least from the back, he thought. She looked around so much but he could not get a clear view of her face. He knew he was going at a pretty fast pace but all it did was keep the woman in front of him. She was in such a hurry to get to the end of the alley and he was determined to follow her if only to see her face. She didn’t seem to notice that someone was behind her. An ambulance drove past the end of the alley with its sirens wailing and it seemed to have turned around the corner then the sirens stopped. He thought this might have been the alley behind a hospital and turned his gaze to the building to look for some confirmation of this. But what was he doing there chasing after this woman? When he looked back toward the woman, she was gone. He scanned the entire alley but there was no sign of her. He reached the end of the alley and decided to go to the left, the direction the ambulance went. He could see a busy street ahead and the end of the building where painted was a big red cross and the words Christian Care Medical Center. His hunch was right; it was a hospital. He went toward the street ahead, toward the front of the hospital.

This whole experience was becoming more and more puzzling to him because as it seemed to be actually happening, it lacked physical sensations and had an air of vagueness to it. The cars in the parking lot were glistening in the sun. It was a hot day, or so it seemed to him. He could see people wearing sunglasses. Then it dawned on him that he was not feeling the sun’s warmth nor was he squinting in the bright sunlight. He felt like he was watching some movie and being in the movie at the same time. Something was very strange here and he was determined to find out what it was.

He could see the hospital’s front door. It was nestled in a small portico. There were two benches on either side of the door and a couple of elderly women were seated there, perhaps released patients waiting to be picked up by their families. As he was walking past the two women, he caught a glimpse of something lately familiar. It was the woman in the alley and she was so close he could almost see her face. She was walking toward the front parking lot. He followed her and this time he kept his eyes glued to her. Her car key was dangling from her clinched fist. The front parking lot had one hundred sixty stalls arranged in rows of twenty. Her car was parked in an end stall beside some bushes and a palm tree. She stopped short of opening the driver door and looked toward the other parked cars as if expecting someone to come out one of them. After a few seconds a short, burly man walked up to her, looking from left to right, like he was watching out for something or someone. They started talking.

He was straining to take a glimpse of the woman’s face but somehow it seemed like it was some scripted play where it is written that he not see her face. The woman seemed to be pointing her right index finger at the man’s face and the man held his hands up, shrugging his shoulders. He was desperately trying to make his way closer to the two to hear what they were talking about. He tried to pretend he was waiting for someone while all the while inching his way closer. He found it strange that they did not seem to notice him. He must have gone close enough because he could finally hear them.

This is your fault… you don’t listen very well. The woman said angrily, though in a whispery voice, almost inaudible.

How could I have possibly known? I couldn’t have survived that myself. The man answered rather sheepishly.

All of a sudden, like a television turned off, it was just a dark nothing.

The nurse’s station of the Intensive Care Unit is busy this morning. There have been a few admissions and doctors and nurses were darting to and fro, attending to their duties. It is March, and they were undergoing an annual state inspection. Christian Care Medical Center is a trauma hospital and is one of the best, if not the best, in the city. The hospital is known for the excellent care it provides patients, owing to its caring doctors and nurses. People often ask why, if doctors and nurses are all the same, are the ones at Christian Care Medical Center nicer? It’s hard to explain but it could be that it has become tradition and there is something the management there is doing right by their employees and they have not changed it. Why fix something that’s not broken, as the saying goes. They always pass this inspection.

Hi, my name is Terrie Lopez and I’m the nurse supervisor. I understand you are here to see Jeff Landrom? You are his father, I presume? Terrie Lopez approached the visitor after the unit secretary informed her of his arrival on her Spectra Link.

Yes, I am. I’m Charles. My wife Helen is here, too. She just had to go to the store downstairs to buy some flowers. We just arrived from France. We were on vacation… we wanted to be here right after it happened but there were no more flights when we got the message. Charles said, looking in the hallway expecting to see Helen any second.

I understand, Mr. Landrom. You may see him now. I’ll take you to his room. I’ll make sure to show Mrs. Landrom to the room once she’s on the floor.

Terrie led Charles Landrom through the corridor. This hospital was clean with wet-looking tile floors. It did not feel like a hospital and gave one a sense of calm if not for the medical carts and equipment parked here and there. Mr. Landrom was not paying attention to his surroundings at the moment but looked full of anticipation and anxiety. He did not know what he would see although Terrie had already briefed him about Jeff’s condition. She had told him that Jeff suffered from severe head trauma, a broken leg, and two broken ribs. Still, he was lucky to have survived the car accident, she told him. She said that his doctor is confident he would come out of the coma although he could not say when. There have been cases where patients with his injuries came out of their coma in a few days but it could take longer.

As they were talking, Helen arrived, escorted by another nurse. She was holding a small vase of flowers.

Hi, honey. This is Terrie Lopez, the nurse supervisor. Charles said, taking Helen’s arm in his hand.

Terrie, if I may ask. Has his wife been here? We came straight to the hospital. We have not spoken with her yet. Helen asked as she set the vase on the small side table.

Yes, Mrs. Landrom. She was just here this morning but left. I would guess she’ll be back around four, maybe, like yesterday.

Thank you. May we have a moment alone with Jeff?

Sure ma’am. I’ll be at the station in case you need anything. Just press the call button here. Terrie pointed to a red button on a square box on the wall beside Jeff’s bed. Terrie exited the room to go back to the nurse’s station, but not before she flipped the day calendar in the room to the twenty fifth. Jeff was admitted five days ago on March 20.

Mrs. Landrom approached Jeff and leaned over him and kissed him on the forehead. She couldn’t hold her tears back anymore but tried to muffle her sobs. She thought that if Jeff could hear, she did not want him to hear her crying. Charles put his right hand on her back and rubbed it gently to comfort her silently. He was trying his best not to cry as it would make his wife even sadder. He had to be strong and contain the emotions he had although in his mind visions of Jeff as a little kid were flashing. This was the last thing he ever wanted to see in his life—his only son, his only child, Jeff lying helplessly with nothing but uncertainty ahead of him.

Jeff, if you can hear me, honey… I love you… we all love you! I’m sorry we couldn’t come right away. We wanted to but there were no flights anymore the day we heard. Your dad is here with me. Helen and Charles had agreed that Jeff could probably hear them and understand them just speaking normally.

Hello, Jeff. It’s me, dad. We’ll be here son… anything you need… just say it. He paused to pick himself up, avoiding letting his grief carry in his voice. I’ve worked on my motorcycle so I can go riding with you. I know you’ve been asking me to fix it but I just finally did it before we left for France. I could have just gotten another one but I like that Road King. Anyway, as soon as you’re out of here, we’ll ride. I’ve got a couple good destinations lined up, too. I just need you out of here, son… Charles stepped away from the bed as he began to cry, tears streaming down his face, something he has not done in many years. Twenty-five years, to be exact, when his wife, Jeff’s biological mother, died. He felt guilty for not giving Jeff his full attention in all those times that he should have, especially after he married Helen. That was twenty-five years ago and Helen has proved to be a faithful wife and a good mom to Jeff. Charles and Helen met at a business seminar. He was one of the speakers and Helen was there as an attendee. Right from the start, Charles was captivated by what he called Helen’s conservatively liberal attitude in life. He summed it up as a balanced attitude. He was especially intrigued to learn that although she had this exotic Latin look, she was white. Helen was only twenty-seven years old then, seventeen years his junior. In the years that followed, they have been happy and he seemed to have had luck on their side, with Charles succeeding in business ventures considered by his colleagues to be too risky. He had gained such confidence in his luck that his friends nicknamed him Kamikaze Chuck. To them he was just fearless and his business ventures were what others would consider suicidal. He believes that if one does not take risks, one will never gain. But he wasn’t fearless when he was once diagnosed with prostate cancer. Through his surgery and then recovery, it was Helen who was fearless, braving through a lot of unknowns and nursing her husband back to health.

Although Charles has always been known to be a humble man, his wealth may have given him the unshakeable notion that people’s problems stem mostly from financial difficulties. He believes that people who have money, or who are close to money, would have only simple, superficial problems. People, he once told Helen, would generally be nice if there was no money in the world, if people each did what they did best for the benefit of the other and not rely on being paid so their earthly status could achieve some measure. However, the world being what it is, he will continue to spend money to make money and maintain his place on the measuring stick of wealth. To him, business is his work and livelihood. It is no different from any other job that provides a livelihood. People will protect their jobs and avoid situations that could make them lose their jobs. It is no different with Charles. He will do anything to protect his business, his livelihood.

Chapter 2

It was almost four o’clock in the afternoon. Helen and Charles were in the hospital cafeteria. They didn’t have much of an appetite and decided to just have coffee. They were in the room with Jeff since eleven o’clock this morning and still feeling jet lagged. Before they came down to the cafeteria they had asked Terrie to let them know when Jeff’s wife Judy arrived. Jeff met Judy five years earlier when he was riding with his buddies. They had stopped at Hell’s Kitchen on route 74. Judy was with her family and some friends, one of whom worked with his dad. He introduced them. Judy is a beautiful woman and Jeff was captivated from that first moment. He does not like to waste time and most certainly does not like losing something he likes. Without delay he struck up a conversation with Judy and the rest is history.

Even before they were married, Jeff had visions in his mind of what their family would look like in the years that would follow. He saw children, at least two, and it didn’t matter to him yet what gender they were, at least not at that time. He just loved the idea of having children. Sometimes, he would visualize them driving to some vacation destination with the two children in the back, playing in their seats, just totally happy and safe. Everything seemed like a happy dream after the wedding and their plans seemed to be afoot. They were married in a private ceremony as that was what Judy wanted, claiming that it made the whole thing more solemn to her, closer to her soul, and that way the whole act would stay just as it is in her mind forever. Jeff would have done anything in the world to fulfill her wishes. Two years later, today, that dream is still to come true.

Mrs. Landrom, Terrie sent me… your daughter-in-law just arrived. She’s in Mr. Landrom’s room now. An orderly politely said.

Oh, thank you. We’ll be coming right up. Helen replied.

The orderly left and Helen and Charles started up. Jeff’s room was three floors up and the elevator seemed to take forever to get down to the cafeteria level. Helen and Charles had not seen Judy in three months and were looking forward to the occasion, especially now that Jeff was the way he was. If Charles gave it some serious thought, it would seem to him that Judy never really freely warmed up to them. She always seemed to appreciate the times that she couldn’t see them as to the times that she did. Charles thought that maybe it just seemed like that to him and dared not tell Helen about how he felt. The elevator bell dinged then the doors slid open. The maintenance sheet above the buttons said the last inspection was performed just a month ago and yet, the elevator seemed to struggle against both his and Helen’s weight, he thought. They need to overhaul this thing. He muttered.

Third floor, the elevator spoke right along with the ding then the doors opened to the third floor. Jeff’s room was three doors down on the left and two doors up from the nurse’s station. As they walked toward the room they could see Judy standing in the doorway, arms crossed, looking into the room. She looked sad, as someone having to bear sorrow enough to last a lifetime. At that moment, that’s probably how it seemed to her. Thoughts of having to care for Jeff, carrying on one-way conversations, holding back her sadness, and having to reassure herself that someday their dream may still come true.

Mom, dad, Judy called out to them as she saw them walking toward the room. I’m so glad you’re here. Judy rushed to embrace Helen, plopped her head on her shoulder and started to cry. Charles reached out and held Judy’s hands resting on Helen’s back.

Go ahead, sweetie, let it out. We’re here now. You’re not alone anymore. Helen said in a reassuring tone. Judy’s crying was now down to short little sobs, accented by the occasional clearing of the throat.

After a moment in the doorway, Judy stopped crying and led Helen inside the room while wiping her eyes with the back of her hands, then wiping them dry on the sides of her dress. Judy sat in the chair beside the bed, resting her left hand on her chest, while holding Helen’s hand. Her eyes were fixed on Jeff, looking as if all the sadness in the world were hers to bear at that moment. Helen pulled her hand away and instead took Judy’s head and gently pulled it toward her side. Again Judy found herself welling up and feeling the strain of holding back her sobs in her throat. She decided there was enough crying at the moment because she was afraid that Jeff may be hearing all of it and become alarmed. What she wanted Jeff to feel and hear are the sounds and vibes of hope.

Charles remained in the doorway, leaning on the door jamb. He was in deep thought and it seemed that he didn’t have to even try to think of the shortcomings in his relationship with Jeff. They just played in his mind like a movie. He could not forgive himself if Jeff died. He wanted Jeff to make it if only to be able to redeem himself. He wanted to show Jeff he loved him. He wanted to apologize for everything wrong he had done.

Terrie came by to check on Jeff and to make sure that he was comfortable. Is everything fine? She asked them in the room. Helen replied, Yes. Everything’s fine. Thank you. Terrie left, heading back to the nurse’s station.

Charles, Helen, and Judy all fell quiet, each removed in their own thoughts of the tragedy that befell the family.

Early the next day, the doorbell rang. It was only 8:30 in the morning. Judy staggered to the door, still half awake.

Who is it? She asked while straining her eye on the peephole.

It’s me, Mrs. Landrom, Detective Mira… we met briefly at the hospital after the accident? I’m sorry for coming so early.

Judy opened the door, Oh, come in Detective Mira. That’s okay; I was just getting up anyway. Can I offer you some coffee? It’ll just take a moment.

That’ll be nice. Thank you. Mira said as he was trying to sit at the nook table in front of the bay window right before the room turns into a kitchen. Mira met Judy at the hospital the day after the accident. He told Judy then that they were investigating the accident because of the injuries involved. They said it was routine, just to eliminate doubts it was an accident. Jeff was driving his Ford F-250 on his way to San Diego to meet up with some friends. Their investigation and some witness accounts led them to believe that Jeff was driving slightly above the speed limit, as was the flow on the freeway that day. All of a sudden he had lost control of the truck, swerving to the side rail at an angle, causing the truck to bounce back onto the freeway and in the path of a big rig. The big rig plowed into the left side of the pick-up, Jeff’s left side. His truck rolled over four times before resting upside down on the shoulder of the southbound I-5. What he did not tell Judy then was that the California Highway Patrol initially suspected at the scene that he might have been shot, based on the big rig driver’s statement that the truck simply swerved all of a sudden as if the driver suddenly lost consciousness. Freeway shootings are not uncommon in California after all, albeit something that does not happen often. However, there were no gunshot wounds. Jeff was airlifted from the scene. The EMT’s did not expect him to survive. When it was learned later at the hospital that Jeff did not suffer from any medical condition nor was he under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident, his F-250 was towed to a police garage for forensic examination.

Detective Mira is visiting Judy today to update her on the latest information and also to gather more information about Jeff that may help him find a lead on the case.

Would regular coffee be okay? Judy asked from the kitchen.

Yes, that’ll be fine, thank you.

A moment later Judy walked back with a cup of coffee and Mira took it from her and had his first sip right away, like he was waiting to get to her house for his first cup of coffee that morning. He complimented Judy on the coffee and thanked her again and set the cup down on the table.

Mrs. Landrom, it is important that what I tell you today stays with you at least for now. By the way I went by the hospital and I’m glad that your husband is as well as he could be, considering. I hope he gets well soon. He took another sip of his coffee.

The investigation is going okay and we’ve had good progress. I’d like to ask you Mrs. Landrom, do you know of any person that may have been at odds with Jeff? By that I mean someone he disagreed with to a degree that maybe they felt they hated him for it?

Why do you ask, detective? Did someone try to kill Jeff? Judy asked, alarmed, clasping her hands tightly, nervously.

"Well, Mrs. Landrom, the forensic investigation on your husband’s pick-up truck revealed that a brake line and the steering mechanism were tampered with. Someone