Grumpy Doctor

But a man following him, and a lost patient—there was something about it, right there, but eluding me.

I sighed with frustration, but set about doing his damn laundry, because I really did want to watch him work again.

And because now I felt like there was something I needed to know.

6

Piers

“You know they’ve got someone following me, don’t you?” I stood in the doorway to Gina’s office. She was on the phone and seemed annoyed that I’d barged in.

Well, fair enough. Her secretary had told me to wait in the hall, but I didn’t bother listening.

“Sorry, Alan, something just came up. I’ll call you later, okay?” She hung up then folded her hands neatly in front of her. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I threw my hands up. “Come on. You really don’t know?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I paced back and forth in front of her desk. Her office smelled like fresh paper and book glue. Framed diplomas hung on the wall, and the bookshelf behind her held more than a few awards—probably for being some kind of outstanding bureaucrat.

“I’m being followed, and no, I’m not paranoid. I’ve seen him a few times now. He’s not subtle.”

“You’re sure you’re not paranoid?”

“Gina.”

She sighed and glanced up at the ceiling like she wanted to call upon some higher power. “If you’re being followed, I don’t know what you think I can do about it.”

“The hospital needs to know.”

“So what?”

I stopped pacing and leaned over the back of a chair, staring straight into her face. I tried to keep my voice level, but anger simmered down below.

“I understand you think I might deserve this because I’m an asshole, but look at the bigger picture. You think it’s good for the hospital if some rich shithead thinks he can harass a doctor every time they fuck up? We’re going to live in a world where doctors are constantly afraid to make one wrong move, and when that happens, a lot more people are going to die. You know this isn’t about me.”

She arched an eyebrow. “I have trouble believing that you’re so idealistic, Piers. Frankly, I have trouble believing you care about anyone but yourself.”

I clutched the back of the chair tighter. “Think for one second. If the hospital set the precedent that a private investigator can stalk one of their doctors, that’s going to have rippling effects all over the industry.”

“You might be right, but I can’t do a thing about this.”

“Take it to your boss and your boss’s boss. Go to the board directly if you have to. Do something other than sit there and ignore the problem because you have an issue with me personally.”

“I don’t have an issue with you, Piers. I only wish you weren’t such a self-centered prick all the time.”

I paused at the door and looked back at her. I wanted to make her understand that this wasn’t about me, that it was about her as much as it was about any doctor—but I knew my words would fall on deaf ears. I’d never gotten along with Gina, mostly because I really was a self-centered prick, and truly hated taking direction from anyone but myself. Even still, personality flaws aside, I wasn’t wrong about this.

I left, and as I walked down the quiet hospital hallway, a new plan began to form. It was probably stupid and reckless, but I couldn’t sit back and let that PI stalk me all over the city. I had to do something, and if Gina and the hospital wasn’t going to help, then I’d do it all myself.

Lori stood talking with a group of other young surgery residents. I pulled her aside, practically tugging her by the wrist.

“What are you doing?” she asked, stopping and glaring at me.

“There’s something we need to do.”

She rolled her eyes. “Come on, Piers. You can’t just yank me around the hospital like a dog.”

I hesitated. Maybe I was being a little much. “Fine, fair enough. We’re going to go confront my stalker.” I walked on then, heading toward the elevators.

She caught up. “Your stalker?”

“The private investigator that’s been following me around. Have you seen him yet today?”

“Down in the lobby. Wait, hold on, you’re going to confront him?”

I nodded and jammed the call button. We rode the elevator down in silence, surrounded by a gaggle of nurses on their lunch break.

He wasn’t sitting in the waiting room, or in any of the chairs in the atrium. Lori kept up and tried pushing for more information, but I was too set on this plan to listen or stop. I stepped out the front door, through a wafting cloud of smoke from a pair of janitorial staff, and hesitated. The streets were full, and I wondered if I’d be able to spot the guy. I squinted, scanning for a familiar face, but the mass of people heading to and from their jobs felt like a blur.