Kip looked up at Hunt. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“I sort of mentioned it earlier: Louisiana is very specific about physicians,” Kyle said.
Hunt held up his hands. “Don’t get me started. Louisiana requires one physician to be responsible for eight PAs. I can cover the senior PAs for our health center. I have no idea about the quality of the current department heads in the hospital. We have a group of MDs I pulled from other Louisiana assets at the hotel ready to go. They will get us open. We have another group at the hotel who are new hires. We are waiting on their Louisiana licenses to come through. Kieran called the governor—that’s one of the reasons we’re going to Baton Rouge. The other reason is we need the certificate of occupancy to open Chase Care. I’ve got calls out to all Louisiana primary care and urgent care facilities. Unofficially, I’ve put an offer out to all Louisiana hospitals for ER docs. The one positive: I have privileges at all New Orleans hospitals. So do Logan and Casey, but—"
“You’re telling me we have eight PAs and you running the health center? And no department heads of our choice for the hospital and the nursing home?” Kip blew out a breath.
“Yes and no,” Kyle said.
“Our urgent care and most of the clinics have adequate staffing with the docs we borrowed from our facility. Now the women’s health center and Sommerstone Manor are a different story. Rene Sommerstone is Chief Medical Officer of the three facilities. The best we can see is the Manor is run by nursing personnel. Physicians are provided by an on-call staffing company also owned by the Sommerstone corporation,” Hunt explained. “I’ve got a call into Brock Carpenter from legal. I need to know if we own that piece of the corporation on closing.
“There are two hundred seventy-five patients in that facility and no physicians. When you say nursing, tell me there are NPs.” Kip’s chest rose and fell rapidly.
“I could tell you, but I’d be lying,” Hunt said.
“Kyle, do me a favor: call Kieran. See if he can put more pressure on the governor. We need our MDs to be licensed. I’ll have O’Mara get me what we can on this on-call agency. Hunt, do you have any good news for me?”
Hunt sighed. “Not what you don’t already know.”
Chapter 9
Josh returned after escorting the fourth potential executive secretary candidate out. “No fireworks and confetti, huh?”
“No, they don’t understand mission tempo,” Kip said. “Jule warned me, but what is with the inappropriate clothing? Did you see her? I could have done a GYN exam. Number two was like she fell in a vat of bad French perfume. And forget mission tempo—I’d settle for tempo.”
Josh cocked his head. “Boss, everyone can’t have an operator sensibility.”
Kip shrugged. “Who’s next? Maybe fifth time’s the charm?”
“I thought it was third time’s the charm?” Josh’s eyebrow rose. “Um, I will bring her in from the lobby.”
Kip opened the file. “Elin Blackburn, US Navy Retired, Petty Officer, SEAL Team 2.” As Kip read the file, he realized Elin was transgender. He couldn’t care less; her life experience screamed understanding mission tempo. Kyle’s team had verified her references. If the interview worked out as well as her résumé, background check, and references, he had his executive secretary. He wondered one thing: why was she applying as an executive secretary instead of as an operator?
Josh walked into the office. “Kip Brennan, this is Elin Blackburn.”
“Nice to meet you.” Kip extended his hand to the six-foot-plus tall woman. Her hair was in a neat bun, and she was dressed in a navy blue skirt and white blouse.Professional appearance, check.Firm handshake, check; eye contact, check; no choking perfume or body odor, check.“Please sit. Can I offer you something to drink? It’s hot as hades outside.”
“I’m good, thank you,” Elin said.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting. I’ve been off schedule all day. Without the benefit of a secretary, I hit a…” Kip chuckled.
“SNAFU, sir?” Elin asked.
Kip nodded. “Tell me what you think this position is about and how you’re right for it.”
“Mr. Brennan, I’m going to be straight with you. I think this job would be a perfect fit for me. I grew up in Wyoming in a very small town. Not much room for a someone who felt like I didn’t belong in my skin. To get out, I joined the Navy. I turned all my angst into being a damn good breacher. Because of that, I see things in three hundred sixty degrees. I view myself as the last stop before your threshold. I’ll put a slug in anyone who tries to hurt you. Nobody gets inside the wire who doesn’t belong,” Elin continued.
“I’ve never heard it put that way as far as an office is concerned.” Kip smiled. “Keep going.”
“Thanks to small town America and my high school, I can read people well, and I type one hundred twenty words per minute. Thanks to the Service, I’ve gotten a better idea about people. I can see other points of view. I can organize meetings, use multiple media platforms for secure calling, plan events, develop a long-term schedule, and manage and screen your calls. Taking notes at meetings is easy. Writing in mud with a stick conquered that skill. And, hell, if I can fix a rifle in a sandy hole in the desert, I can maintain office systems. I believe you prefer to fly first class, so I don’t have to get you on a C-130 on the run, but I will do so. I can make travel arrangements. And finally, I can attend to staff, clients, and visitors in two ways: the easy way with a smile and a princess wave—or the hard way.” Elin exhaled and gave a perfect princess wave.
Kip laughed and sighed. “And your anxiety?” He opened his palms.
“You don’t miss much, do you? Least of which is I’m transgender. Your company is paramilitary. I haven’t gotten the best reception from some of my former teammates. Sir, I don’t want this to turn into something it’s not. I’m not here to prove a point. I’m here to perform a job. A job I understand and want to do. I can only give you everything I have, but I can’t and will not change who I am.” Elin looked from Josh to Kip.
“I don’t expect that,” Kip confirmed. “And if anyone here expects otherwise, what do you think, Stone, that person can have an accident with a flying shoe?”
Josh and Elin laughed.
