Jack had an unpleasant history of association with the company, as it had bought the hospital where he’d had his original practice of ophthalmology, precipitating his decision to change from clinical medicine to forensic pathology to avoid the reality of American medicine being taken over by business interests and the profit motive. It was during his training in Chicago for his second medical career as a medical examiner that his entire family, including his wife and two young daughters, had died in a small plane crash after visiting him. Although he had eventually recovered enough to start a second family, he’d never forgiven AmeriCare.
Using his cable bike lock, Jack secured his bike and helmet to a no parking sign near the hospital’s front entrance. When he was done, he again gazed up at the building. He had even had negative dealings with AmeriCare and the MMH as a medical examiner back before the hospital had changed its name from Manhattan General Hospital to Manhattan Memorial Hospital when it had bought and merged with another smaller NYC hospital. About ten years earlier, on another site visit, he had exposed a hospital employee who was purposely infecting inpatients with serious diseases and causing multiple diagnostically confusing deaths. That experience of playing detective had resulted in the chipped front tooth and hairline scar of his that Lou had made reference to when they’d had their tête-à-tête in the locker room.
Jack had to laugh at the irony that instead of being hailed as a hero at the time for saving lives, which he most surely had, he’d been reprimanded by the then — OCME chief, Dr. Harold Bingham, for going out into the field; branded a persona non grata by the then — MGH president Charles Kelley; and garnered the lasting enmity of the hospital’s Microbiology Department head, Dr. Martin Cheveau.
“Such is life,” Jack murmured as he got out Kevin Strauss’s MLI report and read it over quickly to decide exactly where to start. His first thought was to go directly to administration to put everything on the up-and-up and open doors since the hospital had a new president named Marsha Schechter, hired after the murder of Charles Kelley. But he hesitated, concerned about what kind of person this new president would be. The AmeriCare board had hired Kelley, who Jack had thought was the opposite of what a hospital chief executive should have been, as Kelley had been totally consumed by the business side to the detriment of the patient-care side. In Jack’s mind, there was little hope the new president would be any different and instead of being helpful might very well end up complaining to Laurie about Jack’s presence. After all, the death of a staff member in the hospital’s parking garage was bad publicity and the faster the whole affair was forgotten, the better.
Instead of going to administration and announcing himself, he decided to visit security directly. He wanted to find out what he could about the exact site and circumstance of Sue’s death above and beyond what Kevin had put in his investigative report. After that he would go to the Emergency Department and find out what he could about the resuscitation attempt.
Repositioning the required Covid-19 mask he’d taken from a dispenser just inside the front door, he used the stairs rather than the elevator to head up to the Security Department’s office on the second floor. As he climbed, he hoped he wouldn’t run into Martin Cheveau, since all the hospital’s laboratories, including the microbiology lab, were also on the second floor. The man was unhinged enough to possibly cause a scene, which might up the chance Laurie would be notified he was defying orders.
The security office wasn’t as physically impressive as the other parts of the renovated hospital. Instead, it was a large single room with six institutional metal desks. The two things that made the space unique were large floor-to-ceiling interior windows that looked out onto the marbled two-story hospital lobby and an entire wall of flat-screen monitors alternately displaying various locations inside and outside the hospital. Most of the people in the room were watching the monitors, although a few were busy typing behind computer screens. All were dressed in nondescript dark suits with ties. No one was wearing a pandemic mask.
Approaching the nearest desk, Jack asked for the Security Department’s head and was directed to Mr. David Andrews, whose desk was the farthest away from the entry door. Deciding on the spot to be forthright and businesslike, Jack got out his medical examiner badge and flashed it as he introduced himself. He rarely used his badge but had always been impressed with its effect on most people, since it looked very official and rather like a policeman’s badge. David Andrews wasn’t all that impressed, even though he asked to look at it more closely. From a framed selfie photo of the man in blue uniform on his desk, Jack got the sense that David Andrews had been a high-ranking policeman before being hired as head of security for the hospital.
“What can I do for you, Doc?” he asked nonchalantly.
“I needed to do some follow-up on the death of Dr. Susan Passero,” Jack said. “First I’d like to express my condolences, as I know she was a well-liked and well-respected member of the MMH community.”
“She was, indeed,” David said.
“Have there been security problems in the hospital’s garage?”
“A mild amount. We had two relatively recent muggings, one about two months ago and another five months ago, both occurring during shift changes and both on the first floor. We’ve beefed up the security presence at the appropriate times and believe it has solved the problem. Why do you ask? I was told Dr. Passero died of a heart attack.”
“Her death is under review. I’m just doing some routine follow-up on the investigation by the medical legal investigator.” Jack cringed knowing he was offering a little white lie.
“I have to say, the investigator seemed knowledgeable and professional.”
“Our MLIs are the best in the business,” Jack said. “My being here in no way faults the work he did. Tell me, were you here when this unfortunate event occurred?”
“I was called when the situation was in progress, and I came in immediately. I had left for the day.”
“My understanding from the MLI’s report is that Dr. Passero was discovered by a nurse named Ronald Cavanaugh, who happened to see the doctor slumped over her steering wheel.”
“That’s what we were told,” David said. “Ronald Cavanaugh is one of our nursing supervisors. He and another nurse named Barbara Collins were coming on shift and started CPR and alerted the ED. As quickly as possible, the doctor was transported to the ED for a full resuscitation attempt.”
“Did you or any of your security people look at the car?”
“Of course. I did myself and gathered Dr. Passero’s personal belongings.”
“Was there anything amiss with the car?”
“Amiss. What the hell kind of word is that?”
“Sorry!” With some difficulty Jack held himself in check. “What I meant to ask is if you noticed anything at all unusual about the vehicle. Anything at all? Was it messy inside? Anything unexpected in it? Did it smell strange?”
“No, not at all. Nothing. It seemed entirely like a normal BMW owned by someone who appreciated it. As far as odor is concerned, it smelled like leather.”
“Where is the car now?”
“It’s still in the same spot where it was,” David said. “At least as far as I know.” Then he made Jack jump when he suddenly and without warning yelled out to one of his colleagues, asking if Dr. Passero’s car was still in the garage. “There you go,” he said to Jack after getting confirmation the vehicle had yet to be moved.
Mildly surprised by this turn of events, Jack asked if he could view it.
“I don’t see why not,” David said. “But what on earth for?”