Our Last Chance (Heart of Hope 1)

Dick’s jaw tightened and he rolled his shoulders. “I’m only trying to protect the hospital.”

In some sense, he had a point. If Nick was part of the problem people were having, Nick’s being gone would likely reduce some of the animosity. But it was wrong to toss Nick out without any proof he’d done anything wrong.

“Let me go talk to them,” I said, straightening my shoulders and readying myself to face the crowd.

“Thank you, Ms. Parker.”

I made my way through the waiting area with the security guard. Outside, the group of people was larger today than had been over the last few days. I wondered what had changed. Was there something in the newspaper?

“Stay close to me,” the guard said. “I don’t think they want to hurt anyone, but groups can get unruly, and people can get hurt.”

I nodded as I opened the door, and then held my hands up as a rush of people and questions came my way.

“Why isn’t the hospital telling us what happened with Ms. Mason!”

“Is Dr. Foster in there? Why is he still working?”

There was a reporter pushing her way forward. “Is the hospital trying to cover up a mistake?”

“Please, quiet down and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.”

“Yeah right. You’re the hospital lawyer, Mia. You’re not going to tell us shit.”

I looked to who said those last words. It was Lyle Mason, Ms. Mason’s son. “I’m not your lawyer Lyle, but your being here and causing a ruckus won’t be good for your lawsuit against the hospital.”

“I don’t give a shit about the lawsuit—”

“Then why are you suing?”

“I want the truth about what happened. And for that quack doctor Foster out. She’s not the first person he’s killed.”

My heart stalled in my chest as I noted the words he used to describe Nick. Quack. That was what Eli called him. Granted, it was a word often used to describe bogus doctors, but Eli was the only one I was hearing using it now. Until Lyle. Was Eli stirring up trouble?

“As long as there is a lawsuit, we are bound by law not to give some details. However, the hospital is looking into Ms. Mason’s case, and if there’s—”

“If?” Another person called out. “She’s dead. How can there be an if?”

The answer was that people die, but that would sound insensitive. “If you want answers, we’ll get them to you when we have them and can share them. Standing out here isn’t going to make that happen faster and, in fact, you may be harming people who need to have access to medical help.”

“Right, put it on us.”

“If someone has an emergency that doesn’t get help because you’re blocking their entrance, yes. I know most of you. Do you want their family standing outside your place of work demanding why you prevented their loved one from getting medical help? If they sue too, you can bet you’ll be included.” That was a cheap comment that told me I needed to rein in my annoyance.

“So now you’re threatening us?” Lyle said.

“No. I’m pointing out that you’re angry and upset at losing Ms. Mason, your mother. I get that. I lost my mother too. But preventing other people from getting help and harassing the medical staff doesn’t help and in fact, could cause others to go through the grief you’re going through.”

Lyle pushed forward, and the security guard stepped to block him. “You don’t care about any of us. You’re just a talking head trying to cover up the shoddy work of this hospital.”

I scanned the crowd. “Some of you have relatives that work here, are you all saying they do shoddy work?” I really needed to let this go and let the sheriff’s deputies handle it. Where were they anyway?

“Just Nick Foster,” another person yelled out, as the crowd pushed a little closer. All of a sudden, I began to feel claustrophobic.

I held my hands up again working to get back to professional civility. “I understand your concerns—"

“Bullshit. You’re one of them.”

“Why is he still there?”