Diagnosis Death pft-3 Read online

  Elena scrambled to roll the ventilator close enough for the tubing to reach Glenna's endotracheal tube. She flipped the switch, adjusted the dial, and relaxed as the rhythmic "chuff, chuff" filled Glenna's lungs.

  Elena sat back on her heels for a moment. Then she rose and reached across the bed to ring the call button.

  "Yes?"

  "This is Dr. Gardner. Please get hospital security up here stat. Then put in a call to the police. We're going to need them."

  21

  Elena stretched and yawned. She decided the police station in Dainger was nicer, both outside and in, than the sheriff' s office. On the other hand, the personnel were definitely less inclined to be friendly. Elena and Will sat in chairs apparently chosen with an eye toward cost rather than comfort. All things considered, she would have preferred bright lights and a rubber hose to four hours in these chairs.

  Officer Hernandez, whom she now knew was actually Sergeant Hernandez, consulted his notes. "Doctor, you took a big chance trying to catch the perpetrator yourself. If you'd simply shared your suspicions with us, we could have investigated Mrs. Dunn and saved everyone some excitement."

  Will leaned forward. "We've been through this twice now. My client appreciates the civics lesson, but we both know she's innocent. If Mrs. Dunn's actions didn't indicate her guilt, her voluntary confession afterward certainly buttons things up. What more do you want?"

  "I want Dr. Gardner to go over her story one more time."

  "Why?"

  Hernandez rose in response to a tap on the door. He returned accompanied by a middle-aged woman dressed in a navy business suit. Her red hair was perfectly styled, her makeup was understated but flawless, and her manner said, "I'm in charge, and don't you forget it."

  Hernandez pulled out a chair for the newcomer. Elena noticed it was padded, in contrast to the ones on which she and Will sat. "Mr. Kennedy, I believe you know Mrs. McMurray?"

  Will and the woman shook hands, not necessarily like old friends but at least long-time acquaintances. "Diane, what brings you out at this hour?"

  "Two reasons, Will-getting the story firsthand before taking on this case, and the fact that I'm up for reelection next year."

  "Score one point for honesty." Will turned to Elena. "Dr. Elena Gardner, Diane McMurray, Summers County District Attorney."

  Mrs. McMurray nodded once. "Doctor, I'm glad you came out of this unharmed."

  Elena started to respond to the "unharmed" description, but decided it wasn't worth it. "Are you going to charge Glenna with murder in the death of Charlie Lambert?"

  "Honestly, I'm not sure. Manslaughter might be more appropriate. Then again, a grand jury might be sympathetic to a woman whose husband was in a permanent coma."

  Like mine was, but I didn't try to kill him. On the other hand, I was willing to withdraw life support and let him die. She'd leave the moral distinction to lawyers and theologians. Diane McMurray would do what she had to do. It was out of Elena's hands now.

  McMurray crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. "Would you please go over your story once more?"

  Elena wanted to scream. "If I have to."

  Hernandez punched the key on a battered tape recorder in the center of the table. He recited the day and hour, named those present, and said, "Doctor, you make this statement voluntarily?"

  Elena nodded. Will nudged her and she realized her mistake. "Yes."

  She gave a brief account of the deaths of her husband and Chester Pulliam, explained what she'd since learned through hypnotic regression by Josh Samuels and from her phone conversation with Karri Lawson. "That led me to the conclusion that the death of Charlie Lambert was unrelated to the events that took place in Dallas. But I wasn't sure who was behind it, or what their motive was."

  "Tell us about that," McMurray said. Elena noticed that she hadn't taken any notes. Either the tape would be sufficient, or McMurray had a phenomenal memory.

  "Realize that Charlie Lambert had suffered a severe stroke," Elena said. "The likelihood that he'd recover was slim. So whoever ended his life might have thought they were doing a favor for him and his wife. But several people had other reasons as well."

  "Go on."

  Elena went through her list of suspects and the reason each of them might have wanted to kill a patient and put the blame on her.

  McMurray leaned forward as though this was the most interesting story in the world. "So how did you come up with Glenna Dunn?"

  "Glenna's husband was in an auto accident that left him in a vegetative state. She was worried about what she'd do when her insurance benefits were exhausted. Marcus said she told him she kept working so she could save others from going through what she experienced. I thought she meant she wanted to help keep patients alive. Then I realized maybe she meant using her position in the ER and ICU to put an end to the lives of patients in a vegetative state."

  "What made her think she could get away with that?"

  "With me around, who'd ever think about suspecting anyone else? It was a perfect setup for her."

  McMurray nodded. "Why did you think she'd strike last night?"

  Elena emptied the water bottle that sat in front of her. "Gossip travels like wildfire in any hospital, and this one is no exception. Glenna's position in the ER gave her a direct line to both hospital news and tidbits from law officers. She knew I was under suspicion for Charlie Lambert's death, just as she'd planned." She indicated Hernandez, who sat pokerfaced across from her. "The sergeant here fingerprinted me yesterday. The odds were that I'd be arrested soon. She had to end her husband's life while I was still in circulation so I could be blamed for it."

  "That's a pretty slim reason," McMurray said.

  "There's more. Last night, I called the hospital's business manager at home. I asked her a question, and she knew the answer immediately because she'd worked on it all day. Bill Dunn's insurance coverage runs out today."

  After leaving the police station, Elena wanted to go home and sleep for a week. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option. Cathy was out of the office until after the baby came. So Elena sucked it up and, with the help of more cups of coffee than she could count, made it through the day.

  It was almost six o'clock when Jane took the last chart from her. "Dr. Gardner, I hope you can rest this weekend. Did Dr. Brown agree to cover for you?"

  "Yes, bless his heart. He's a good man and a good doctor."

  "That he is," Jane said. "You know, when you came here I was afraid Dr. Sewell's patients might be a bit hesitant to see a doctor. .. I mean-"

  "You mean they'd be influenced by skin color," Elena said. "Emmet is almost charcoal; my complexion is sort of like cafe au lait. Cathy's so fair she'd disappear against new snow. But in the short time I've been here, I've noticed people paying less attention to the color of their doctor's skin and more to the person inside. That makes me happy."

  In her car, Elena set a course for home. Well, the Kennedys' home. She'd lived with them half a month, and already it was home to her. Next week she'd look for a place of her own-maybe that apartment near David.

  Dora Kennedy met Elena at the door and gave her a hug that threatened to crack a couple of ribs. "You come in here and sit down. I saved you some supper. There's meat loaf, mashed potatoes, sliced tomatoes, corn, peas, and biscuits. And if you're still hungry, I think there's some chocolate cake left."

  Elena tried to remember when she'd last eaten. "That sounds marvelous. Thanks so much."

  As they entered the kitchen, David rose from the kitchen table, almost knocking a cup of coffee onto the floor.

  "I took the liberty of inviting Dr. Merritt to eat with us," Dora said. "I figured a bachelor couldn't turn down some home cooking. Now you two just visit a minute, while I finish reheating everything."

  Elena covered the distance to David in three swift strides. He enfolded her, and she buried her head on his chest.

  "How could you put yourself at risk like that?" David asked.

  "I had to. It seem
ed the only way to trap Glenna."

  "You could have asked me to be there with you."

  "I… I guess I wanted to do it myself."

  David smoothed her hair and held her a bit tighter. "It's time you realized that you don't have to do things by yourself for the rest of your life."

  "I hate to interrupt you two young people," Dora said, "but my food tastes better when it's hot." Soon, the three of them were seated at the kitchen table, Elena and David with heaping plates, Dora with a cup of coffee.

  Two weeks with Matthew and Dora had conditioned Elena. She didn't pick up her fork. Instead she took her hostess's hand and bowed her head. David reached out and completed the circle.

  "You do it, dear," Dora said.

  Elena almost panicked. She swallowed twice. "Dear Lord, thank you for so many blessings. Not just the food, not just this home that's been opened to me, but for your protection and presence-even when I didn't recognize it. Thank you for David, who's always been there for me. I promise not to take him for granted anymore. I know I haven't been in touch with you for quite a while, except when I really needed something. But now I ask you to speak to me. Now I'm listening. Amen."

  After supper, David and Elena said goodnight on the front porch. "I'll call you tomorrow," he said. "Get some rest."

  "I'll look forward to your call. Right now, I just want a hot bath and a soft bed."

  Elena went to the closet and exchanged her slacks, blouse, and low-heel dress shoes for a robe and slippers. She was headed for the bathroom for a long, hot soak when she had a brief perception of movement outside the window. Is someone out there? She opened the bathroom door, stepped inside, and turned on the water in the tub. Then, as though she'd forgotten something, she turned back into the bedroom.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move in the bushes outside her window. Once more, she'd forgotten to draw the blinds. Well, too late now. Was she certain there was a face at the window? She reran the film in her mind. Yes, someone was there.

  What now? Call the police? Even as she debated what to do, Elena sidled toward the easy chair that sat hard against the wall, out of the window's line of sight. She reached behind the chair and retrieved the object she'd placed there after the first Peeping Tom incident.

  Stop it. Call the police. No, by the time the police get here, the prowler will be gone. Then she'd be sentenced to weeks more of dodging shadows, wondering when her stalker would turn up next.

  Elena eased into the hall and hurried to the outside door. She slid through it with no sound and moved gingerly around the side of the house, keeping to shadows. He was standing in the bushes, his head a few inches from the window. Apparently, he thought the possibility that she might return and shed her robe made the wait worthwhile.

  Every step took an eternity. Don't make a noise. Her whole plan was predicated on surprise. What if it didn't work? What if the surprise she had in store for the perverted peeper didn't immobilize him? What would she do if he turned on her? Fight? Run?

  Elena crouched to stay under the prowler's line of sight and duck-walked the last six feet. She stopped an arm's length away, straightened, and shoved her weapon forward until it touched the intruder's back.

  Next came what Elena had been told was the most chilling sound in the world- chik-chuk- as she racked the slide of the shotgun she held pressed against his spinal column.

  The man's hands shot up as though jet-propelled. "Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

  "Get on the ground, hands behind your head. Now!" Elena reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out the cell phone she'd dropped in as she left the house. As she punched in 9-1-1, Dr. Nathan Godwin sank to his knees, laced his fingers together behind his head, and eased to the ground like a candle melting in the sun.

  Saturday night was always busy at RJ's, and Elena had to remind him of her relationship with Will and Cathy before the restaurant owner agreed to set up the party in a private room. These five people had helped her through some tough times, and she thought a celebratory dinner with them was fitting. Cathy and Will were seated across from her. David occupied the chair to her left, Natalie was on her right. Marcus Bell sat across the table from Natalie.

  Elena waited until the water glasses were filled, then raised hers. "I'd like to propose a toast to friendships, old and new."

  Glasses touched, murmurs of "hear, hear." Then the conversational buzz began.

  Elena leaned across the table toward Cathy. "I'm glad your OB let you come tonight."

  "I'm doing well, so he decided to turn me loose for an evening. Thank you for inviting us."

  To Will, she said, "I'm grateful for all your legal help, but more important, I appreciate your support. I can never repay you for all you've done."

  "Consider the bill paid. You've been a great addition to Cathy's practice. Well, I guess it's yours too, now."

  "Thank you for inviting me," Natalie said to Elena. "I don't have many friends in town, and even though I work in the hospital, I don't come in contact with the doctors very much."

  "Maybe Marcus can help you with that," Elena said.

  "I'll do my best," Marcus said. "I have to admit that the social worker's office isn't somewhere doctors like to hang out, but maybe I can buy you coffee in the cafeteria and introduce you around."

  Natalie turned toward her sister-in-law and mouthed, "Thanks." And was she blushing just a bit?

  Elena decided to ask the question she knew was on everyone's mind. "Will, what do you think will happen to Dr. Godwin?"

  Will put down the roll he was buttering. "I heard through the grapevine that he left the police station, went home, emailed his resignation to the members of the hospital board, and started packing."

  Cathy looked puzzled. "Won't he have to be here for a trial?"

  "He'll be charged with a misdemeanor. I'm pretty sure his lawyer will plead it out and ask for probation. In the meantime, Nathan will probably move on to another town and most likely repeat the pattern."

  "I guess repeating the pattern is pretty typical in cases like that," Elena said.

  "In his case, very typical." Will replied. "One of my sources in the police department tells me this isn't the first time Nathan has done this. Marcus, is there anything you can do to spread the word about him? Ethically, of course."

  Marcus nodded. "I expect the hospital board to ask me to resume the duties they gave to Nathan, so I'd be the one responding to any requests for references. I'll have to be careful what I say, but I think I can get the message across."

  "Elena, I still can't believe you confronted Nathan instead of calling the police," Cathy said.

  "I'd forgotten that shotgun was still at my folks' house," Will said. "But there was no ammunition for it."

  "Nathan didn't know that," Elena said. "And I'll have to admit, that sound even scared me, and I was the one holding the gun."

  Elena let her gaze sweep around the table. She felt blessed by the presence of these people in her life. Coming to Dainger had indeed involved danger. But the process had left her better equipped to move on with her life.

  Natalie was chatting with Marcus. Cathy and Will had their heads together, whispering as only a married couple could do. Beside her, David pretended to study his menu, but she saw the glances he directed toward her.

  Elena knew she had to face her feelings for David soon. Marcus had become a friend, but she was convinced that was all he'd be in her life. Frank Perrin-well, Frank was a "bad boy" who might provide a thrill, like seeing how close to a flame you could get your hand without getting burned. But she was certain the threat of a burn would always be there.

  Mark's death had taken away a part of her life that could never be replaced. His infidelity, even if he had planned to end the affair, left her with a sense of distrust, but it was unfair to let that carry over to David. More and more, she felt certain that he was the best candidate to help her rebuild her life, if she'd just give him the chance.

  As thou
gh he'd been tuned in to her thoughts, David leaned in toward her and whispered, "Would you like to go to church with me in the morning?"

  "I'd like that."

  "And sometime next week, I want to take you out for dinner and a movie."

  "You mean like we used to do back in Dallas. As a friend?" Elena struggled to hide the grin she felt coming.

  "Absolutely not. Like a real date."

  "Sounds fine." She let the smile break through. "I think we have a lot to talk about."

  Epilogue

  S ummer moved to fall, and winter followed. But at last spring came to Dainger. White clouds of blossoms filled Bradford pear trees. Delicate red flowers decorated the redbuds. Along the highway, bluebonnets sprang up in random profusion. The earth was green with the promise of new beginnings.

  As was the case every year at Easter, the sanctuary of the First Community Church overflowed. Faithful and occasional worshipers shared pew space as they came to celebrate this holiest of days. Pastor Matthew Kennedy had no need to follow the familiar words in his hymnal, so he let his eyes roam over the congregation as he sang.

  Will and Cathy sat in their usual place, halfway forward and on the aisle. Next to them, Dora, the proud grandmother, gently rocked young David Matthew Kennedy in her arms.

  Seated in the back of the sanctuary, Marcus Bell and Natalie Cook shared a hymnbook. He'd seen them a few times around town, but this was the first time they'd appeared together in church. He hoped things went well between them. They'd both been dealt disappointment and deserved a new chance for happiness.

  At first he almost missed them, but at last he spotted Elena and David. He'd never get used to calling them Dr. Gardner and Dr. Merritt, so it was a good thing they'd granted him first-name license. At first Elena's attendance was spotty, but recently she had been right there beside David for every service. That boded well for the forthcoming marriage that the ring on her finger signified.