Hidden Leaves (DeBeers 5)

"You did wrong," I said sharply, "and Dr. Price has remained here to tell you that as well."

Her eyes barely flickered. She didn't as much as glance at Ralston. Her attention was fixed solely on me. I thought she looked disappointed, however, and not angry.

"I was only trying to protect you. Doctor." she said after another moment. "I'm sorry you don't realize that,"

"Protect me? From what?"

"From failure," she said. "From making a mistake."

For a moment I didn't know what she meant. What did she know ?

"Your motives are admirable. Nadine." Ralston said. "We both appreciate that, but I'm afraid Dr. De Beers is right to be upset. I should have told you to report to him and not to me. I am somewhat at fault here, too, but in the future, please go through the proper channels," he concluded.

"Very well. Doctor." she said. "Is that all?"

"No." I said. Ralston's eyebrows lifted. Nadine's face turned a bit crimson, "How have you been doing with the investigation of the incident in Grace Montgomery's room?"

The teddy bear's arm?" she asked, as if it was a simple prank someone might pull on Halloween.

"Yes. I consider it quite serious."

"I am confident it has nothing to do with any other patient of ours. Doctor. I can't be sure about all the attendants, but the ones on duty that night are very reliable in my view." She glanced at Ralston. There was something that he hadn't told me. I could see the conspiratorial look.

"And?" I asked.

"And I think there is a possibility Grace Montgomery did this herself,"

"That's ridiculous." I snapped back at her.

"You remember Claudia Boston, the teenage girl we had as a patient two years ago?" she said calmly.

"She was hiding her own things and accusing everyone of stealing from her."

"That's no analogy. There are too many differences," I said, but Ralston didn't look as if he agreed.

"Nevertheless, it's a possibility, Doctor."

"Well, where did she hide the thing all this time. Nadine?" I asked with exasperation. "We've turned this clinic inside out looking for it, especially in her room."

"Maybe she found a place to hide it during one of your frequent walks with her," she threw back at me.

I know I was the one turning a bit crimson now, Willow. Ralston raised his eyebrows again and gave his "Ummm"

"All right," I said. "I don't want to keep you from your duties. Please keep what Dr. Price and I have said to you in mind."

She didn't reply. She just turned and left, but at the door she looked back at me. and Willow. I swear it was a young woman's look of pain. It was as if I had somehow betrayed her and not vice versa.

"Step back a bit, Claude," Ralston told me when he stood up to go. "Take a few deep breaths and look at the situation again. All of it." he added and then left me.

I sat back and gave what he said deep thought. Reviewing my confrontation with Nadine Gordon, however. I was ever more disturbed and concerned. The look I had seen in her eyes when she had left us troubled me. What I suspected. Willow, was that the attention I had been giving to Grace bothered Nadine far too much. It finally occurred to me that in her bizarre fashion, my head nurse was actually jealous. All sorts of thoughts passed through my mind then, and one horrifying one settled at the top.

I deliberately remained at the clinic after Nurse Gordon's shift had ended. As soon as she left the clinic. I went to our nurses' quarters. Everyone was busy attending to her duties. Each of our nurses had her own locker for her private things. I had a master key that opened everything in the clinic, including those lockers. You can't imagine how my fingers trembled when I inserted the key into that lock and opened that cabinet. Willow. At first I saw nothing unusual. Then I moved a blouse aside and there it was: Grace's teddy bear with the arm torn off. I think all the blood in my head went to my feet. I was numb with shock. I took out the stuffed animal, quickly closed the locker, and returned to my office. where I sat trying to decide how to handle this obviously vicious act. The more I looked at the torn teddy bear, the more my shock turned to rage.

I decided not to let another moment go by. I looked at the files, jotted down Nadine's address, and called for Miles.

"I have to make a stop on the way home tonight," I told him and gave him Nadine Gordon's address.

Never having been there before. I searched the directory at the front door and found she was on the first floor. I buzzed and waited. It took so long for her to respond. I didn't think she was home, but finally she asked who it was and I identified myself. The front door was buzzed open immediately, and I heard her open her apartment door down toward the end of the corridor. -Wearing a faded pink robe, she was standing in the doorway, obviously quite shocked by my arrival,