Sacred Trust (33 page)

“On the house,” she said, laying down a fresh spoon. “The chef apologizes for the mistake.”

He didn't reply, just waved her away and glared at the dessert. They thought they were so cute, giving him something to fill his stomach so the alcohol wouldn't affect him as quickly. How stupid did they think he was?

He finished the drink in two gulps, threw some cash down on the table, and stalked out of the restaurant.

He was going to take the rest of the day off, and if Johnson didn't like it, let him yell.

Theodore picked up a fifth at the corner liquor store on his way home.

J
arvis had a headache, but that was old news. He could barely remember a time when he didn't have one, or when the hospital staff didn't question his orders at every turn, or when he didn't have to take combined drugs—including narcotics—just to function. In fact, he could barely remember much of anything anymore. It seemed as if his short-term memory had vanished.

He sat back in his comfortable old leather chair and sighed, still irritated by Robert Simeon's attitude earlier today during the QA meeting. After Jarvis had presented his info on Bower—the loss of residency, the faxed letter from Ivy Richmond questioning Bower's ethics and the information about Dwayne Little's lawsuit and Dondi Baker's missed MI—the committee had voted to request the young, cocky doctor's termination from the hospital. The only dissenter had been Robert Simeon. It was almost as if he'd wanted to protect Bower for some reason. Good thing Mercy wasn't there. A very good thing.

Jarvis punched a button on his phone and picked up
the receiver. “Bailey, Jarvis here. We're getting the recommendation we wanted from the QA committee.”

“Excellent. Good work. I knew they'd see things your way.”

“Ivy Richmond came through with a letter,” Jarvis continued, giving Bailey all the information about this morning.

“Sounds as if we have enough to hang this guy,” Bailey said.

“Except for one thing. I'm wondering about the one nurse who was working with Bower when Dwayne came in that night. She hasn't done her AMA report yet, but if—”

“That's not going to be a problem. She's a single mother, and that's expensive these days. She doesn't want to lose her job because she really needs the income, and she may not find anything else in the area. I've discussed the matter with her. I think she's been reasonably convinced.”

Jarvis blinked in surprise, then frowned and shook his head. Sometimes, Bailey's methods chilled him. “She's a good nurse, Bailey. Estelle wouldn't let her be fired for something like—”

“Estelle won't be here to do anything about it if I have my way. She willingly hired Bower, knowing his questionable background. The hospital board won't stand for it, not when we get finished with them.”

Jarvis thought about that a moment. This was what he'd wanted, wasn't it? He wanted to get rid of Lukas Bower, and he wanted life the way it was before Estelle Pinkley complicated things with all the red tape and computer talk and documented confusion. Of course, things wouldn't change back just because Estelle was out of the picture.

“Robert Simeon protested our vote,” Jarvis said.
“The medical staff has not been informed of our decision, and he feels we should make the recommendation to them first. I told him it was not necessary protocol.”

“Good work, Doc. I knew I could count on you. Talk to you later.” Bailey disconnected.

Jarvis sat holding the phone, frowning. This was what he wanted. But was this the way to go about getting it done?

 

Tedi sat on the sofa in Mom's living room watching a video of her favorite old cartoons, eating chicken noodle soup and listening to Mom on the phone canceling her schedule for the afternoon. No school today and Tedi felt great. Her throat was kind of sore and her hand hurt where the bee had stung her, but the sofa felt so comfortable and the soup tasted so good, she couldn't help smiling. She loved Mom's voice. It sounded so safe and strong.

Mom hung up the phone and came into the living room from the kitchen. “More soup?”

Tedi held her bowl up. “Not finished with this.”

Mom leaned over and felt for Tedi's pulse, then checked the bee sting on her hand. “Feeling okay?”

Tedi shrugged. “Yeah. Not swelling. Grandma says she'll be home next Monday. Do you think she's really okay?”

Mom raised Tedi's legs, sat down on the sofa and put Tedi's legs on her lap. “I think so, honey. I think she's finally decided to take better care of herself. She's just accepted the fact that her heart is slowing her down, and she wants to be healthy for us.” She patted Tedi's legs. “Just like you want to stay healthy for your grandma, right?”

“Right.”

“No more wandering into beehives and old barns?”

Tedi took a swallow of soup and didn't answer for a
moment. “I've got to start keeping my smart mouth shut, huh, Mom?”

Mom looked at her for a long time without saying anything. She looked as if she might cry. Then she picked up the remote and turned off the VCR, took the bowl of soup from Tedi and sat it on the coffee table and pulled Tedi up on her lap and cuddled her the way she used to do. She held her like that for a long time.

“It's my fault,” Mom said at last.

Tedi, who had her ear against Mom's chest, felt the vibration of her voice. “It's not your fault I sass Dad.”

“Yes, it is. You've heard me do it, so you do it.”

“But I'll stop doing it.”

“Good. I'll try, too.”

“Mom?”

“Mmm-hmm?”

“You won't tell Dad what I said, will you?”

“No. At this point, I can't afford to make him mad.”

“What if he marries Julie?”

Mom swallowed and took a deep breath. “How would you feel about that?”

“Yuck.”

“Why?”

“She makes him drink. That was why he drank last night—because she brought wine over. It's really stupid, too, because I heard her fighting with him about his drinking too much.”

“How does she treat you?”

Tedi thought about it, then shrugged. “I don't know. I get the feeling she wishes I weren't there.”

Mom squeezed. “I can't imagine anybody not wanting you around.”

“I think she wants Dad to herself.”

“How do you feel about that?”

Tedi made a face. “You sound like that counselor.”

“Oops. I'm a doctor, guess I can't help it.”

Tedi continued. “I'm thinking maybe if Dad and Julie got married, they might not want me around, and he wouldn't fight you if you wanted me to come and live with you.”

Tedi felt her mother smile. She felt her warm breath against her face.

“You're pretty smart,” Mom said.

“Grandma says I take after you.”

“Good for her.” There was a long silence, then, “Tedi, I'm going to try to get you back.”

Tedi stiffened, and her eyes widened in fear. “Mom, you said you wouldn't tell Dad—”

“I'm not planning to tell him anything. I'm going to talk to a good attorney, and I'm going to ask for custody. Your father can't hurt me now, and I'm not going to let him hurt you.” She squeezed Tedi tighter. “You'll have to trust me, honey. I can't let him do what he's been doing to you. I know a court battle will be hard on us, but not as hard as living with your father has been on you.” She kissed Tedi's forehead. “Please trust me.”

Tedi sighed and hugged her mother hard.

The phone rang.

Mom didn't move. She just sat there, holding Tedi. “Let the recorder get it.”

They listened to it pick up, heard Mom's recorded message, then heard Dad's voice.

“Mercy? This is Theodore. I want you to bring Tedi home. Now.” The machine beeped, clicked and rewound.

Mom took a deep breath.

Tedi looked up at her. “I have to do it, Mom.”

Mom nodded. “I know. I don't want you to go.”

“I'll keep my mouth shut and be good, and if he gets drunk and I get scared, I'll call you to come and get me.”

Tears filled Mom's eyes and dripped down her face. She didn't move. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

 

Lukas was just preparing to lock the front door of his house when the phone rang. For a moment, he listened to it ring and considered ignoring it.

He picked up on the fifth ring. “Bower here.”

“Yes.” It was Jarvis. There was a long pause. “I just thought you'd want to know the results of our QA meeting this morning, Bower.”

Lukas waited.

“We plan to recommend to the hospital board next Thursday that you be released from your contract with us and terminated from this facility.”

Lukas's first reaction was to observe that Jarvis didn't sound like he was gloating. He sounded almost hesitant. Then the news hit deeper, and Lukas closed his eyes. “And why are you calling to tell me this?”

There was a long silence, then a sigh. “If you fight us, Bower, you'll drag Pinkley down with you, and possibly even this hospital.”

“Is Bailey Little going ahead with the suit?”

“That's right.”

“You and Bailey Little are after my job, and you won't be satisfied until I'm gone.”

“We want what is best for the hospital.”

Lukas allowed his temper to carry him for a moment. “That's an outright lie! Obviously you don't care who gets hurt as long as you get what you want. You sounded almost happy that Dondi Baker had that MI, because it
meant more ammo against me. You don't even care if the poor woman dies! Bailey Little doesn't mind getting rid of an excellent hospital administrator, or even ruining the whole hospital along with hundreds of jobs, as long as his drug-seeking son is vindicated. He'll fake a claim of wrongdoing to COBRA. What happens to Estelle Pinkley, and to the lawsuits and to the hospital if I give him a letter of resignation?” Lukas was shocked by his own words.

Apparently, so was Jarvis, because he didn't answer for a moment. “I just want you gone. I have no intention of destroying the hospital.” His voice sounded weaker, yet forced, as if he was struggling to keep up his strength. “Do what you want, Bower. By next Thursday, it won't matter, anyway.”

 

Frankie Verris straightened from his weeding and put his hand over his chest. It didn't hurt, exactly, just felt like a gentle tug. He took a deep breath and wondered about putting one of those little pills under his tongue, but that stuff was used in explosives, for goodness' sake. The one time he'd used one the chest pain had gone away, but his head felt as though it might explode for a few moments.

He ambled over to an old tree trunk and sat down on it. The heart problem didn't bother him as much as it had at first. He even welcomed this reminder that he wasn't going to be stuck on this old earth much longer. He'd be seeing his sweet wife, Doris, soon, and since this sudden friendship he'd developed with Jesus Christ, he was eager to see heaven. A little pain was nothing in comparison.

Shelly would grieve, he knew. He'd talked to her about it—even had to fight her so he could fill out one of those DNR sheets so they wouldn't restart his heart if it stopped. She'd cried and he had cried. She'd said she
didn't know what the kids would do without him. He loved those kids, and so had Doris. Shelly had been like a daughter to them for years.

After he and Shelly had finished their cry, he'd done something he never could have done before. He'd told her about his relationship with God. And she had listened. She hadn't listened to Doris, for some crazy reason, but when he told her what had happened to him, she'd admitted there was something missing in her life, too.

“Thank You, God,” he whispered. “Thank You for giving me a life with Doris. Thank You for Shelly, who loves me and takes care of me, and thank You for Dr. Bower, who helped point me in the right direction that day in the hospital.”

His chest had stopped cramping, but he knew it would come again.

Children's voices reached him from the side of Shelly's house. Her two oldest children, Jason and Jamie, came running toward him, trampling good dirt and young sprigs of corn in his garden. He smiled and held his arms out to them.

M
onday morning Tedi got up and made her own breakfast before Dad was even awake. He hadn't said much to her since Mom had brought her home Thursday night, probably because he had a hangover. He'd tried to call Julie a couple of times, but she hadn't answered. Saturday and Sunday he had worked, and Tedi had called and talked to Mom on the phone three times on Saturday and twice on Sunday. Mom wanted her to call as often as possible, at least every day when Dad wasn't around, and Mom was going to call the school every day to make sure Tedi was there. She'd promised not to say anything to Dad about the bruises, but she'd made Tedi promise to call her any time Dad drank or even acted angry for any reason.

Dad's snores reached Tedi in the upstairs bathroom, where she brushed her teeth. If she got lucky, like she did Friday morning, she might slip out of the house before he woke up. She would pack her own lunch so she wouldn't have to ask him for lunch money.

Just as she stepped into the kitchen, the phone rang once. She jumped and nearly dropped her backpack, but
the answering machine picked up and there weren't any more rings. She tiptoed into the den to listen.

It wasn't Mom. Some grouchy-voiced man demanded that Dad call back as soon as possible. He didn't even leave a name. How rude.

Tedi didn't wake Dad. She quickly packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a banana, stuffed it in her pack and rushed out the door.

 

Theodore didn't awaken until the sounds of morning rush hour traffic—five cars from the neighborhood—echoed against the bedroom window. He checked his alarm clock and found that he hadn't set it. He stumbled downstairs to see about Tedi and caught sight of a neatly printed note stuck to the fridge with a magnet. Tedi had left early so she could walk to school, just as she had done Friday. He sighed, glancing at the rinsed breakfast cereal bowl and juice glass in the sink. He combed his fingers through his hair and stood at the sink, staring out the window at the old swing set. How long had it been since she'd played on that? Had he lost his little girl?

She'd been so distant lately, almost as if she were afraid to look at him. Did she think he was a monster?

What had she told her mother?

Obviously not much, or Mercy would have been camping on his doorstep with the National Guard, along with Ivy.

He walked into the den and listened to the recorder. Johnson was mad again.

Theo sank down into his comfortable office chair and buried his face in his hands. He'd shown six houses this weekend, and not one had sold. He'd called three banks Friday for a loan, and no go. Gordon was losing control
and wanted out of the deal. Sure he did. He'd known it was a risk when he bought in, but now he wasn't as willing to gamble.

Julie wouldn't even answer her phone when he'd tried to call on Sunday. Why not? Just last week she'd been ready for marriage. Was she backing out now just because of a little fight?

Theo thought about the fifth of Jack Daniel's he'd bought last week. He hadn't opened it again since that day. He didn't even know why he'd bought it, really, because he was trying to stay off the stuff when Tedi was home. But it was there. He thought about it often.

He picked up the phone and speed-dialed Julie's number.

No one answered. She'd probably already left for work.

He paced back into the kitchen and opened the top cupboard above the refrigerator. The bottle was still there in its plain paper bag, just as he had placed it. He wanted a drink. He could almost taste it, feel it warm his throat and coat his stomach.

But he wasn't going to drink it. He was not an alcoholic. He could control this. To prove it he closed the cupboard door and went upstairs to shower.

 

The cry of a needle-shot child followed Mercy down the hallway as Josie followed her orders in the pediatric exam room. The pain wouldn't last too long; Josie was the best in the business. She had the skill of a neurosurgeon when it came to giving shots to children. She was a wonderful asset to the practice. The only complaint most parents had with her was that she refused to give candy to children who were good. She handed out crayons or colored pens or even toothbrushes, but never anything she perceived as unhealthy. Mercy supported her.

A pink message note on Mercy's desk requested she call Dr. Simeon as soon as possible about the QA committee meeting they'd had last Thursday. She checked her schedule and found, to her surprise, that she had a few minutes. She punched Robert's number.

When she reached him, she apologized for missing the meeting.

“No need to feel bad,” he said. “In a way, I'm glad you weren't there, but at the time I really wished you were.”

“Why? What happened? Is Jarvis throwing his weight around again?”

Robert didn't answer for a moment. The child in the other room had stopped crying, and Josie's soothing voice echoed down the hall.

“The QA committee voted four to one to recommend Dr. Bower's termination to the hospital board at its next meeting this Thursday,” Robert said abruptly.

Mercy caught her breath. “What?” She nearly shouted the word. “That's crazy! Why?”

“You already guessed it. Jarvis George.”

“Don't tell me he used that ancient story about Dr. Bower's dismissal at Cunningham.”

Robert was quiet for a moment. “Yes.”

“He took them to court and cleared his name of all charges, even the paternity question. He's a good doctor, Robert, and a caring person. Kansas City was all politics.” She frowned. “You said the vote was four to one. Were you the one?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn't you stop it? You're the chairman.”

“How was I supposed to do that, shoot everybody? They outvoted me, Mercy. Jarvis has clout and I couldn't stop them. And there's more than just the Kansas City
fiasco. It seems there have been some patient complaints about Dr. Bower. One incident took place Thursday morning, when he allegedly missed an MI. We were given no particulars. Dr. George just expected us to take his word for it. I, for one, have not had a single complaint by any of my patients, and I won't take Jarvis's word for anything.”

“More politics.” Mercy leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. “I think Jarvis is losing his mind. I've never seen him behave so perversely.”

“He's always been perverse.”

“I'm thinking mental dysfunction, Robert.”

“You'd do everyone a big favor if you'd prove it and get him out of this hospital. Unfortunately, there's more, and you're really not going to like this.”

Mercy opened her eyes and sat forward.

“Your mother,” Robert said.

Mercy stiffened instinctively. “Mom? You've heard from her? Has she had another—”

“She faxed a letter here last Thursday.”

Mercy sat back with relief.

“It concerns Richmond funds,” he said.

“Oh, no.”

“She's threatening to withhold a considerable amount of financial support from Knolls Community Hospital if Dr. Lukas Bower isn't completely investigated, then terminated if the results warrant it.”

“She's blackmailing the hospital?” Had she lost her mind? Why hadn't she mentioned this over the phone? Probably because she wanted to live.

“I wouldn't put it quite so harshly. She means well.”

“Then she'd better butt out of things she knows nothing about,” Mercy snapped.

“I think that's your department. Can you talk to her?”

“I most certainly will. She's flying in today.”

“Perhaps you should cool off a little before you speak with her.”

“Thank you for the vote of confidence. What about the Dwayne Little fiasco?”

“Still going strong. I would be surprised if Jarvis and Bailey weren't working together.”

“Me, too. Wish me luck.”

“You'll need it,” Robert said. “Remember who won the last argument you had with your mother.”

“She lost in the end, Robert. They had to carry her off the trail and rush her to the hospital. It was her heart.”

“How bad?”

“As I said, she's flying home today. It wasn't an MI.”

“She should never have gone.”

“And she should never have written that letter.”

 

Monday's noon rush started early and ended early. By the time Lukas felt hunger pains, he was free to eat, much to his surprise. He left instructions for the secretary to page him if he was needed and hurried toward the cafeteria. This past weekend had been great. He'd had a long walk and a long heart-to-heart talk with Dad. They'd prayed together, read Scriptures together, and then prayed some more. By the time Lukas drove back yesterday, he was at peace again. He knew himself and his own willful heart well enough to know this probably wouldn't last for long, but he also knew that even when he wasn't faithful, God was. The decision he'd made this weekend reflected the trust he knew he could place in Christ.

“There you are,” came a familiar female voice from behind him.

He turned to find Mercy rushing to catch up with him, and he felt the warmth of a welcoming smile on his face.

She held out a large, flat box. “Want some healthy lowfat pizza?”

He eyed the box skeptically. “Healthy?”

“It even tastes good.” She pushed a door open beside them in the corridor. “Come on, we need to talk.”

They entered a minuscule conference room with a small refrigerator. Mercy took two cans of Diet Sprite out of the fridge and opened them. She set them down on the table. “Say your prayers. You're going to need them.”

Lukas pulled a chair out and sat down when Mercy did. “You've heard the rumors.”

She held his gaze for a moment. “Tell me which rumors, and I'll tell you if I've heard them.”

Lukas bowed his head and said a quick, silent prayer. He'd prayed a lot this weekend, and he felt as much at peace as he could humanly feel.

When he raised his head, Mercy opened the box and took out two paper plates and plastic forks. “Dig in. This is guaranteed not to give you heartburn.”

The melted cheese looked real. “How can this be low fat?” he asked.

“Fat-free cheese mixed with reduced fat. The rest is veggies and superthin crust. They put lots of garlic on it, so your patients and staff will avoid you this afternoon.”

“I love garlic.”

“Then enjoy.” She picked up a slice. “Quit stalling. What have you heard?” She bit into the slice without benefit of plate or fork.

He picked up his own slice. “I'm going to be sued,
possibly by two different patients, and if I don't quit the hospital, I could be fired.”

Mercy stopped chewing, and her gaze shot to his face. She swallowed. “Hefty rumors. Who told you?”

“Dr. George.” He took a bite of the pizza. It reeked of garlic and onion and herbs and yeast. It was wonderful. But it could definitely cause heartburn.

“Since when did you start listening to Jarvis?” Mercy asked.

“Since he threatened to dump Mrs. Pinkley for protecting me.”

Mercy put down her slice. “When did he tell you that?”

“Thursday.” He took another bite. “This is really good. Where'd you get it?”

“That jerk! Did he tell you about my mother's letter?”

“He told me the works, I suppose. Mmm…low fat, too. I can't believe it.”

Mercy glared at him. “So what are you going to do?”

“Quit.” He took another bite.

She shot forward in her chair. “No!”

He kept chewing.

“Lukas, I don't believe this! You've fought this kind of thing before. You've got to do it again.”

He swallowed, took a deep breath and returned her gaze. “I can't in good conscience jeopardize other jobs to save my own.” He was touched by her expression of outrage on his behalf. “I've done nothing but pray about it and think about it and talk about it with my family all weekend. It was not an easy decision, but I am offering the resignation to Mrs. Pinkley. What she decides to do with it is up to her. This at least gives her some leverage if she needs it.”

“Let me have a talk with Mom.”

“Eat your pizza.”

“Lukas, at least allow me that. My mother is not a vindictive woman, and she's usually not stupid, just mistaken. She'll see reason when she understands the whole thing. Right now she just doesn't know.”

He shook his head. “I'm sorry, Mercy. Your mother's letter isn't the only ammunition that's being used against me.”

“I know about the missed MI, but Jarvis isn't sharing all the facts on that. If Mom's fighting for you instead of against you, people will listen.”