"Well?" Bingham demanded impatiently.
Understanding that it was as important to control her anger as her tears, Laurie calmly explained why she had gone to the hospital and what she had learned about the MRSA deaths that were occurring at Angels Healthcare hospitals despite commendable infection-control efforts. She told Bingham that she hadn't arrived unannounced but had been invited by the chairperson of the infection-control committee, who had been hospitable and happy to give Laurie a tour.
Bingham harrumphed into a partially closed fist. He studied Laurie with his rheumy eyes. He was, Laurie thought, partially mollified by hearing the other side of the story.
"How many times have I or Dr. Washington told you that it is OCME policy that the PAs do the footwork and that you, as a medical examiner, stay here and do the cases?"
"Several times," Laurie admitted.
"Ha!" Bingham barked. "Without exaggeration, it has to be more like a half a dozen times. We have world-class forensic investigators. You are to utilize them! Let them slog through city hospitals and crime scenes. We need you here. If you are not busy enough, I can rectify that."
"I'm busy enough," Laurie averred, thinking about all the cases she had outstanding, waiting for additional information to come in.
"Then get back to work and get more cases signed out!" Bingham said, with a ring of finality. "And stay away from Angels Healthcare hospitals." With the matter taken care of, he reached into his in box and pulled out a handful of letters that needed his signature.
Laurie stayed in her seat. Bingham ignored her as he began to read the first letter.
"Sir," Laurie began. "May I ask you a few questions?"
Bingham looked up. His face registered surprise that Laurie was still seated in front of him. "Make it fast!"
"I couldn't help but be surprised you weren't more taken by the number of these MRSA cases that I mentioned and the fact that the how and the why have not been determined. Frankly, I am mystified and concerned."
"They are obviously therapeutic complications," Bingham said. "The how I have no idea, although I know several epidemiologists are working on it. And the number: Well, I knew there were quite a few, but I was not aware it had reached the twenties."
"How did you hear about them?"
"From two sources, first from Dr. Dawson, several months ago. She wanted me to know that she'd contacted the Department of Health and had the city epidemiologist on the case. Then from a surgeon friend of mine. He's one of the investors in the company as well as on the Angels Orthopedic staff. In fact, he had been doing most of his affluent-patient cases there before this MRSA problem started. He's been keeping me abreast of the situation because a year or so ago he'd talked me and Calvin into picking up some of the founders' stock."
"What?" Laurie demanded. "You are an investor in Angels Healthcare?"
"Certainly not a heavy investor," Bingham said. "When my friend Jason recommended it because he had learned it was going to go public, I had my broker check it out. He thought it looked promising. He actually took a larger stake than I."
Laurie's jaw slowly dropped open. She stared at Bingham with astonishment.
"What's got into you?" Bingham questioned. "Why are you acting so surprised? Specialty hospitals are serving a need."
"I'm shocked," Laurie admitted. "Do you know this Dr. Angela Dawson?"
"I can't say I know her. I'd spoken with her, as I just mentioned, and even met her at a mayoral function. She's very impressive. Why do you ask?"
"Is she an M.D. or Ph.D.?"
"She's an M.D. She has her boards in internal medicine." Laurie was even more taken aback.
"You have a strange expression, Laurie. What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking it is a little weird for you to be essentially ordering me to stay away from Angels Healthcare hospitals when you are an investor and there is a problem going on."
The web of capillaries on Bingham's nose dilated. "I resent the implication," he boomed out.
"I don't mean to sound insubordinate," Laurie added quickly. "I'm actually thinking of your best interests. It might be best for you to recuse yourself."
"You better be careful, young lady," Bingham snapped patronizingly while pointing one of his thick fingers at Laurie. "Let's get this straight. I'm not in any form or fashion restricting your investigation of your case, especially not for my investment. I'm just telling you not to go to those hospitals yourself, angering politically connected people, and putting me in a difficult situation. All I'm saying is to use the forensic investigators to do your legwork, as I've been telling you for years. Are we clear on this?"
"Quite clear," Laurie said. "But I'd like you to know that my intuition is telling me there is something decidedly odd going on."
"Maybe so," Bingham reluctantly agreed. He was clearly more irritated now than when Laurie had first arrived. "Now get out of here and get back to work so that I can get back to mine."
Laurie did as she was told, but before she could open the door, Bingham called out, "Actually, it's my recollection your intuition has always been right, so keep me informed and, for God's sake, stay away from the press."
"I'll do that," Laurie promised. There had been a few times in the past when she had unknowingly leaked confidential information to the media.
In the elevator on the way up to the fifth floor, Laurie couldn't decide if she was pleased with herself for holding back her tears or disgusted with herself for provoking Bingham. She was leaning in the direction of the latter. It had served no purpose whatsoever to accuse him of impropriety; she didn't believe it herself. Her response had been from shock that her own chief was supporting an organization whose ethics seemed questionable at best.
With both her emotional and her rational brain in turmoil, Laurie bypassed her office for Jack's. She needed a little reassurance from having been abused by Bingham and the powerful and politically connected Angela Dawson. But Jack's desk chair was disappointingly empty.
"Where's Jack?" Laurie asked Chet, whose eyes were glued to his microscope. He hadn't heard her come in.
"He's out on one of his field trips," Chet said, looking up from his work.
"Meaning?"
"You know Jack: The more controversy, the better! He posted a case where the three involved stakeholders are at each other's throats over the manner of death. It was a construction worker at a high-rise site who fell ten stories onto concrete."
"I know the case," Laurie said. "What's he up to?" As irritated as Laurie had made Bingham, she hoped Jack would be discreet, a virtue he often ignored.
"How should I know. He said something about re-enacting the crime, but short of his jumping off the building himself, I have no idea what he meant."
"When he comes back, tell him I was looking for him."
"Will do," Chet said agreeably.
Laurie was about to leave when she remembered to ask Chet about his MRSA case.
"Right," Chet responded. "Jack had mentioned you were interested in it, so I got it out." He pulled himself along his desk with his chair's casters squeaking shrilly enough to make Laurie wince. He grabbed a case file from the top of his file cabinet and handed it to her. "The name was Julia Francova."
"Terrific," Laurie exclaimed. "I'm glad you still had it." She slid out the contents to make certain it was another Angels Healthcare case.
"What's the big interest?"
"I had a similar case this morning," Laurie explained. "There have been quite a few over the last three months or so: twenty-four, to be exact. It hadn't appeared on anyone's radar screen, since the cases have been widely distributed among the staff, including cases in Queens and Brooklyn."