Richard Mabry - Diagnosis Death

"So the more nonpaying patients he can move out of here, the better his chances of keeping his job. Right?"

David touched his nose. "Bingo. You got it."

Elena finally told David goodnight, promising to call him tomorrow. She was driving out of the parking lot when her cell phone rang. Without taking time to see who was calling, she answered.

"Elena, this is Marcus. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

She wheeled into an empty parking space and killed the engine. "Not at all. Just tired. Are you through with your case?"

"Uh-huh. Perforated peptic ulcer. Did it laparoscopically. Isn't modern technology wonderful?"

"I don't think laparoscopic surgery would have worked for what we did. David did a stat C-section for a placental abruption."

"Yeah, that's one reason I called. I wanted to thank you for stepping in. That's something the doctors here at Summers County General have to do-help out in a pinch."

Elena pushed the lever to lean back in her seat. "Glad I could do it." She unfastened her seat belt. "You said one reason. Was there another?"

"Um, yes. I didn't bring this up when we spoke earlier. It didn't seem like the right time. Would you like to have dinner with me some night this week?"

"Marcus-"

He hurried on. "As a friend. Remember, I know you're widowed, and as a widower I've been down that road. I just want to offer a listening ear. About anything."

Now Elena knew what it felt like to be caught between the proverbial rock and hard place. Maybe it would be good to have someone else besides David to talk with about the struggles she'd had since Mark's death. On the other hand, Marcus might be called on soon to deal with a request to suspend some of her clinical privileges. Would a social relationship between them jeopardize their professional one?

"I've had a really hard day, and it's hard for me to think," she said. "Can we talk about this later?"

"Sure. Would you like me to call you, or shall I wait for you to call?"

Elena yawned. "Call me tomorrow night. Is that okay?"

She reached across to the passenger seat and dropped the phone into her purse. Oh, please let me make it home and into bed without any more interruptions. She navigated flawlessly through the dark streets, proud of how familiar she'd become with Dainger. Oh, don't mind the name. It's just named for some early settler. That might be true, she decided, but there was plenty of danger here as well. The threat to her career had followed her here. Someone was stalking her. And apparently her midnight caller hadn't given up after Elena relocated.

She'd forgotten about her midnight caller. And this was Tuesday. She looked at the clock on the car's display. Two minutes to midnight.

Elena saw a strip shopping center ahead. It was deserted at this hour, but the parking lot was well lit. It would be a good place to pull in. She wanted to focus her full attention on her caller tonight.

She turned off the engine, checked to make sure her doors were locked, and reached into her purse. First she removed her cell phone and placed in on the dash in front of her. Then she rummaged until she found the slip of paper Will had given her. She unfolded it carefully, as though the information written on it might escape if mishandled. The light under which she was parked was bright. The words were clear, but the first time she read them Elena couldn't really process them. Surely not. There was no way.

The phone rang. She looked once more at the name on the paper. Then she pushed the button to answer the call. Elena struggled to make her voice steady, her words neutral. "Hello, Karri. Why do you keep calling me?"

There was a sharp gasp, then a click and silence.

Elena leaned across the table to be heard over the din of the hospital cafeteria. "I'm glad we could get together for lunch."

David took a sip of iced tea. "Sorry we had to eat here, but I have a lady in labor upstairs, so I need to be in the hospital."

"How's Maria?"

"Still in ICU. Showing a few signs of waking up. Breathing on her own now, so I've unhooked the respirator. Maria's still got a ways to go, but I think she's going to make it."

Elena swallowed another bite of her BLT sandwich. "And the baby?"

David beamed. "Beautiful baby girl. Everyone in the nursery's crazy about her."

"Doctor Gardner. Who's your friend?"

Elena's sandwich turned into a lump of lead in her stomach. "Hello, Eric."

David stood and extended his hand. "David Merritt. I'm a new OB in town."

"Eric Burson." Elena noticed Eric's hesitation before he returned the handshake. "I'm an EMT."

"Nice to meet you. I look forward to seeing you around. Just not professionally."

Eric scowled. "What's that supposed to mean? That you don't want me taking care of any of your patients?"

David made a patting motion with his open palms. "Maybe I didn't say that well. I hope none of my patients have an emergency. But I do look forward to seeing you around the hospital. It's nice to meet you."

The last words were said to Burson's retreating back.

"Don't mind him," Elena said. "That's the way he's behaved since the first time I saw him." She went on to relate what she'd been told about Burson's wife and the effect her death had had on his view of doctors.

"Whew. I wonder why he became an EMT. I'd think that being around doctors all the time would only keep him stirred up."

"I guess we all wonder that. But everyone agrees he's good at what he does, so they put up with his attitude."

"You don't suppose…"

"What?" Elena asked.

"If Burson's got something against doctors… Well, there's an old saying. 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' You don't suppose he wants to be around doctors to look for a chance to get some sort of revenge, do you?"

It sounded crazy when I first thought of it. Now I don't know. Elena looked at her watch. "I've got to get up to the ICU and see a patient."

"I'll go with you," David said. He shoved the remaining potato chip remnants on his plate into his mouth, chewed and swallowed, and said, "Let's go."

In the ICU, they split up. Elena took Mr. Lambert's chart from the rack and went into his room. The patient was still breathing on his own, and his vital signs remained stable. She called his name. No response. She pressed her knuckle into his sternum, and he seemed to pull away from her. Maybe his level of coma was lighter. Or maybe that was wishful thinking.

"Do you think he'll ever wake up?" Mrs. Lambert asked. "What's going to happen?"

Elena was totally conflicted in how she wished this scenario would play out. She settled for, "No one knows. We have to be patient."

"I guess I'll just keep on praying."

"You do that. And we'll keep taking the best possible care of your husband."

Elena stopped at the nurse's station and made a couple of adjustments in Lambert's IV fluid orders. She wondered if Shelmire had considered a feeding tube or a gastrostomy. It was apparent that the man was likely to survive the bleeding into his brain, but Elena was afraid that Charlie Lambert might remain in a vegetative state for a long time. Maybe years.

Elena paused at the door of Maria Gomez's room. David was standing silently at the bedside, his eyes closed. She wasn't sure how long he stood there-maybe a minute, maybe five. She waited in uncomfortable silence until David turned toward her.

"Oh, Elena. I was praying."

"I wish I thought it did any good." She covered her mouth as though she could stop the words. "I'm sorry, David. I know you have deep faith. But I'm not sure I do anymore."

David motioned her outside, and they found a quiet spot in the back hall. "I know you prayed after Mark's stroke. Did the fact that God didn't restore him to health mean that God didn't hear your prayers?"