After Angela hung up she turned to David. “They’ve never been particularly supportive,” she said. “So I suppose I shouldn’t have expected them to change now.”
6
MONDAY, MAY 24
Traynor arrived at the hospital with time to spare for his afternoon meeting. Instead of going directly to Helen Beaton’s office, he went to the patient area on the second floor and walked down to room 209. After taking a breath to fortify himself, he pushed the door open. Being chairman of the board of directors of the hospital had not changed Traynor’s aversion to medical situations, particularly bad medical situations.
Conscious of breathing shallowly in the presence of the seriously ill, Traynor moved across the darkened room and approached the large orthopedic bed. Bending over and scrupulously avoiding touching anything, he peered at his client, Tom Baringer. Tom didn’t look good, and Traynor didn’t want to get too close lest he catch some awful illness. Tom’s face was gray and his breathing was labored. A plastic tube snaked from behind his head, feeding oxygen into his nose. His eyes were closed with tape, and ointment oozed out between his eyelids.
“Tom,” Traynor called softly. When there was no response, he called louder. But Tom did not move.
“He’s beyond responding.”
Traynor jumped and the blood drained from his own face. Except for Tom, he’d thought he was alone.
“His pneumonia is not responding to treatment,” the stranger said angrily. He’d been sitting in a corner of the room. He was cloaked in shadows; Traynor could not see his face.
“He’s dying like the others,” the man said.
“Who are you?” Traynor asked. He wiped his forehead where perspiration had instantly appeared.
The man got to his feet. Only then could Traynor see that he was dressed in surgical scrubs, covered with a white jacket.
“I’m Mr. Baringer’s doctor, Randy Portland.” He advanced to the opposite side of the bed and gazed down at his comatose patient. “The operation was a success but the patient is about to die. I suppose you’ve heard a variation of that quip before.”
“I suppose I have,” Traynor said nervously. Shock at Dr. Portland’s presence was changing to anxious concern. There was something decidedly strange about the man’s manner. Traynor wasn’t sure what he would do next.
“The hip has been repaired,” Dr. Portland said. He lifted the edge of the sheet so Traynor could see the tightly sutured wound. “No problem whatsoever. But unfortunately it’s been a fatal cure. There’s no way Mr. Baringer will walk out of here.” Portland dropped the sheet and defiantly raised his eyes to Traynor’s. “There’s something wrong with this hospital,” he said. “I’m not going to take all the blame.”
“Dr. Portland,” Traynor said hesitantly. “You don’t look well to me. Maybe you should see a doctor yourself.”
Dr. Portland threw back his head and laughed. But it was a hollow, mirthless laugh which ended as suddenly as it had begun. “Maybe you’re right,” he said. “Maybe I’ll do that.” He then turned and left the room.
Traynor felt stunned. He looked down at Tom as if he expected him to wake up and explain Dr. Portland’s behavior. Traynor could understand how doctors might become emotionally involved in their patients’ conditions, but Portland seemed unhinged.
Traynor tried one last time to communicate with Tom. Recognizing the futility, he backed away from the bed and slipped out of the room. Warily he looked for Dr. Portland. When he didn’t see him, Traynor quickly walked to Beaton’s office. Caldwell and Kelley were already there.
“Do you all know Dr. Portland?” Traynor asked as he took a chair.
Everyone nodded. Kelley spoke: “He’s one of ours. He’s an orthopedic surgeon.”
“I just had a very peculiar and unnerving encounter with him,” Traynor said. “On my way here I popped in to see my client, Tom Baringer, who’s very sick. Dr. Portland was sitting in the corner of Tom’s darkened room. I didn’t even see him when I first went in. When he spoke, he acted strangely, even belligerently. I imagine he’s distraught over Tom’s condition, but he said something about not taking all the blame and that there was something wrong with the hospital.”