“Okay,” David said. But he was still anxious about this latest turn of events.
Before writing the new orders on Sandra, David went over to talk with Nikki. She was far less concerned about the ICU than David was. David was relieved to see her taking it so well.
Returning his attention to Sandra Hascher, David sat down at the ICU desk and began writing her orders. He was nearly through when the unit clerk tapped his arm.
“There’s a Mr. Kelley out in the patient lounge to see you,” he said.
David felt his stomach tighten. He knew why Kelley was there, but he wasn’t eager to see him and didn’t go immediately. He finished writing the orders first and gave them to the head nurse. Only then did he go out to meet Kelley.
“I’m disappointed,” Kelley said as David approached. “The utilization coordinator called me a few minutes ago . . .”
“Just a minute!” David snapped, cutting off Kelley. “I’ve got a sick patient in the ICU and I don’t have time to waste with you. So for now stay out of my way. I’ll talk to you later. Understand?”
For a second David glared up into Kelley’s face. Then he spun around and started out of the room.
“Just a minute, Dr. Wilson,” Kelley called. “Not so fast.”
David whirled around and stormed back. Without warning he reached out and grabbed Kelley by the tie and the front of his shirt and roughly pushed him back. Kelley collapsed into the club chair behind him. David shook a clenched fist in Kelley’s face.
“I want you to get the hell out of here,” David snarled. “If you don’t, I don’t take responsibility for the consequences. It’s as simple as that.”
Kelley swallowed, but he didn’t move.
David spun on his heels and marched out of the lounge. Just as he was about out the door, Kelley called out to him, “I’ll be talking with my superiors.”
David turned back. “You do that,” he said. Then he continued into the ICU. Returning to the desk, he paused. His heart was pounding. He wondered what he really would have done if Kelley had stood up to him.
“Dr. Wilson,” the unit clerk called out. “I have Dr. Mieslich on the phone. He’s returning your call.”
“My husband teaches at the college,” Madeline Gannon explained. “He gives courses in drama and literature.”
Calhoun had been eyeing the many shelves of books that lined the Gannons’ library walls.
“I’d like to meet him sometime,” Calhoun said. “I read a lot of plays. It’s been my hobby since retiring. Especially Shakespeare.”
“What is it you wanted to talk to me about?” Madeline asked, diplomatically changing the subject. From Calhoun’s appearance she doubted if Bernard would be terribly interested.
“I’m investigating Dr. Dennis Hodges’ murder,” Calhoun said. “As you know his body was recently found.”
“That was distressing,” Madeline said.
“I understand you worked for him for some time,” Calhoun said.
“Over thirty years,” Madeline said.
“Pleasant work?” Calhoun asked.
“It had its ups and downs,” Madeline admitted. “He was a headstrong man who could be stubborn and cranky one minute and understanding and generous the next. I loved him and disliked him at the same time. But I was devastated by the news when they found his body. I’d secretly hoped he’d just had enough of everybody, and had gone to Florida. He used to talk about going to Florida every winter, particularly the last few.”
“Do you know who killed him?” Calhoun asked. He glanced around for an ashtray but didn’t see one.
“I haven’t the slightest idea,” Madeline said. “But with Dr. Hodges, there sure are a lot of candidates.”
“Like who?” Calhoun asked.
“Well, let me take that back,” Madeline said. “To be perfectly honest, I don’t think that a single one of the people Dr. Hodges regularly infuriated would have actually done the man harm. In the same way Dr. Hodges would never had carried out any of the threats he voiced so frequently.”
“Who did he threaten?” Calhoun asked.
Madeline laughed. “Just about everybody associated with the new administration at the hospital,” she said. “Also the police chief, the head of the local bank, the Mobil station owner. The list goes on and on.”