Elizabeth glared at the detective. "Carol, I need you to take a few deep breaths for me, okay?"
"Dr. Reed, my chest hurts." Carol became pale and sweaty.
Detective Young took the cue. "Get some rest, Mrs. Whelan. I promise I will keep you updated. I will check on you tomorrow."
Elizabeth listened to her rapid heartbeat. “I'll order something for the discomfort. Slow breaths. I'm so sorry about Karl." Reverend Brookfield crossed her path as she escorted the detective out of the room.
"Thank you for sharing every horrific detail,” Elizabeth snipped at him the second they were out of earshot.
"Who is assigned to Mrs. Whelan? She requires nitroglycerin, morphine, a stat ECG and another set of enzymes," Elizabeth said to the approaching nurse and training doctor.
Young ignored Elizabeth's comment. "Where's Austin Bailey? I want to extend my prayers to the family."
"Sergeant Bailey is in room three. Do you need anything else?" She frowned.
"Yeah, where were you between eleven last night and six this morning?"
"Eleven to five-thirty, home. I walked into my office around 6:00."
"What size gloves do you wear?"
She almost answered before it occurred to her. "You can't possibly think I had something to do with Karl Whelan's death?" Young shrugged and headed to Austin's room. "Talk to my lawyer!"
Elizabeth had no more time to think about Young's latest accusation. Mr. Fitzgerald began to throw up bright red blood. She barked orders as she approached the bedside with the pack of residents. "I'm Dr. Reed. We’re going to fix this." The basin filled fast.
His wife screamed, "Save him!”
Elizabeth stood back to watch her residents work. As panic ensued with the patient failing, Elizabeth took over. "I need that blood, and page endoscopy again, STAT.”
Nurse May Palmer ran in with the endoscope and two units of blood. "Endoscopy said they will be here in fifteen minutes.”
In fifteen minutes, her patient would bleed out. She also knew a July resident couldn't do this. Elizabeth displayed a calm exterior as her residents, interns, and students crowded the room. "If you’re not participating, put a butt against the wall and take the volume down, please.”
Elizabeth blocked out the noise. The door to the room opened. Patrick Hedges gloved and gowned at the sight of the profuse bleeding before starting to give orders. “One of the nurses told me you were teaching a class.”
Elizabeth pressed her tongue to the top of her mouth to steady herself. The technique she learned in med school never failed her. "Here we go." As Patrick gave directions to the staff assisting her, she tied off eleven leaking vessels until the bleeding turned to an ooze.
Her heart still pounding, she hoped she maintained a steady appearance as she removed the scope with care and reinserted a nasogastric tube.
"Continuous sedation. I want that bloodwork STAT," Patrick said.
The secretary took Mrs. Fitzgerald into the conference room after Elizabeth explained what happened and what would happen short term and long term if her husband survived and didn't stop drinking.
Patrick went with Elizabeth into the lounge. "Job well done, Beth. You didn't appear surprised to do that without the endo team."
"We serve a huge area. This corporation tries to maintain a bottom line. Truth, I thanked my lucky stars when you walked in." She worked to slow her breathing.
Patrick laughed. "Look, my PAs are on top of Austin. I don't expect to encounter any complications until around noon. Until then, can I help? I do have privileges, and I won't break the bank, since I'm not being paid by the hospital."
Elizabeth nodded. "I'll never refuse an offer like that. When did you round last?"
"Two days ago. I’m the medical director of Chase Medical's Denver Center. They require I remain active as a trauma surgeon at LifeCare Medical Center on the outskirts of Denver. It’s a level 1 trauma receiving hospital."
"Chase Group is some organization. Want one?" She poured a cup of coffee.
"Thanks, black. Chase Medical is a remarkable place to work.” He described some of their projects and plans for expansion.
"Primary care is a huge investment with a negative return." Elizabeth did the mental math.
