“I run security for all our businesses, so I have a large staff of men I trust completely. You met some of them already.” I remind her. “I sent a few of them to Columbus to do some digging. They ran surveillance and did a few other, maybe not so legal, things. And they discovered that the shit those cops pulled on you, was only the tip of the iceberg. All the information we found was turned over to Internal Affairs and the press. Those cops are being charged for all the crimes they’ve committed.” My smile is toothy. “I have a feeling they’ll be going away for a very long time.”
Her eyes are shining, tears pooling but not falling. “Keep going. Tell me about the letter.”
“When we had all the information, and the cops had been charged, I had a care package delivered to your former hospital. And it detailed everything Brent had done since Holly escaped him, including his pleading guilty to attempted murder. I also included clippings of news stories reporting on the dirty cops. The same cops that had investigated your supposed crime. Then I made a call.”
“Keep going.” Her voice is tight.
“There’s not much more to it. I talked to the head of HR there, the one who made that fucking bargain with you and set her straight. By the end of the conversation, they knew the whole truth, and that you were completely innocent of any wrongdoing. Then I asked her to write a letter to Elizabeth.” My lips firm. “It better have been a great fucking letter after everything they did.”
“You haven’t seen it?” I shake my head no, and she lifts her hand, giving me the letter in it. “Go ahead, read it.”
To: Elizabeth Jones, HR Manager
Chicago General
Dear Ms. Jones,
This letter is in support of Evie Collins, RN. I worked with Evie for many years and in that time found her to be one of the most exceptional nurses I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Through absolutely no fault of her own, Evie left our employ two years ago. And I can tell you that in the two years since she’s left, our hospital and our NICU have not been the same. Her skill, dedication, and care for all our patients, as well as for the doctors and nurses in her department, made everyone around her shine.
Our hospital is worse off for having lost her. You would be wise to snap up this bright young woman and let her shine. If you don’t, I intend to let her know she will be welcome back here anytime, with a significant raise.
Sincerely, Margaret Johnson
“That’s a pretty good letter,” I mutter.
“Yeah, it is.”
“You have another job offer here,” I say, flicking the letter. “You could go back to Columbus tomorrow and get your old job back.” She nods, eyes wide.
She could walk out of here, out of my life. And I’m supposed to stand here and pretend like I won’t be gutted when she walks away from us.
“What are you going to do, Evie?”
9
EVIE
What am I going to do?
The last hour was a whirlwind. When I sat down with Ms. Jones, I was prepared to apologize for the highhanded way Colton had handled this, and to bow out of the job. Getting a job handed to me just felt wrong somehow. Then she spoke.
“Evie, thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me today. I know you have a lot of options moving into this next phase of your career, but I assure you we can provide you with a very competitive salary and benefits package. Not to mention the onsite daycare, subsidized and guaranteed, for all staff members.”
My mouth was hanging open, for sure, but I didn’t want to admit to this put-together woman that I had no other job prospects. Instead, I asked, “A lot of options…?”
“Yes, it’s clear from your reference letter that you’re wanted back in Columbus, but we really have so much to offer you in Chicago.”
I asked for the letter, and I almost shit a brick when I read it.
The last time I spoke to Margaret, she told me she never wanted to see me again, and that I was a disgrace to my profession. I honestly have no clue what the fuck is happening. But talking to someone who seemed to believe in me and truly wanted me to work for them was a balm to all the parts of me that have been fractured over the last two years. After more conversation, I realized something.
“It’s clear that you’d like me to work here and that is absolutely flattering, but am I correct in assuming that you would create a position for me in the NICU?”
Elizabeth stalled but admitted that yes, that was correct. But nurses with my experience were so valuable to a hospital system that they were happy to do it and had done it in the past.
It’s bullshit.
No way would a hospital create a position in a fully staffed department for me. At least, I don’t think they would. As much as Colt thinks his money’s not influencing this, I’m sure it is.
