Checkmate (Caitlin Calloway Mystery Book 2) (50 page)

“I’m in the same spot I was in a decade ago. I’ve connected the dots, I know in my heart that it’s him, and just like the last time I went after this bastard, I can’t make a case. I doubt I can get him to cough out a confession a second time. I know my career is on the line.”

“I’m not worried about your career. Right now, you and Mulligan are working a suspicious drug overdose. Palmucci is investigating an assault and battery case. McManus is looking at a suspicious drowning. The Feds are working a fugitive case. On paper, none of these cases are connected. If you happen to chat with one another and find connections, we can just chalk it up to interagency cooperation.”

“If you’re backing me on this, what has you worried so much that you’re blowing through a pack of smokes in record time?”

“I’m not worried about you making the department look bad. I’m afraid you’re going to get yourself killed.”

CC couldn’t respond. It was a very real possibility. Rousseau fired up another cigarette while CC contemplated her fate.

“I’m glad Mulligan has your back,” he said in a quiet tone. “I’m moving her over this week.”

“So soon?”

“Andy’s gone.”

“I heard about his little mishap.”

“Mishap? That’s being polite. I spent the morning with him and his union rep. Both of us bent over backwards trying to get him to take the retirement package. The stubborn jackass wants to fight it. I’ve got Crowley waiting in my office. I’m not looking forward to having my ass chewed out.”

“Crowley.” CC gave a sneer and groaned before she thought better of it. “Sorry, I know he was the number-one badge in this town forever. I also know that even though he’s retired now, he still carries a lot of weight.”

“Not as much as he thinks he does.”

“I just can’t get past his lack of understanding that this is the twenty-first century. I heard what he said after I was shot. ‘The stupid slit licker got what she deserved.’ He thinks that the only use the department has for women is as file clerks and meter maids.”

“I know. He’s a dinosaur who thinks the only good cop is an Irishman. Hate to say it, but there are still cops who agree with him. But not as many as you think. The bastard is stewing in my office, convinced that he’ll order me to take Andy back and I’ll just do it.”

“What are you going to do with Andy?”

“He’s screwed up more times than I can count. He’s suspended without pay pending a hearing.”

“Damn.”

“Compared to worrying about you walking around with a target on your back, Andy’s bitching and moaning is nothing. Calloway, promise me you will be careful. I mean it. Fisher’s had a hard-on for you from the get-go. The guy is locked up and had his father whacked on a golf course. Promise me, no heroics.”

“I promise.”

*   *  *

After dealing with her unusual day, Jamie had a late meeting with her staff. She hated being in charge. She knew she didn’t possess one tenth of Jack’s poise. He could handle the suits, the insurance companies, whining doctors, clueless interns, and arrogant residents with ease. Jamie, on the other hand, often resorted to threatening to set someone on fire. Even she had to admit it wasn’t a very diplomatic approach.

“Okay.” She felt very uneasy. The people who surrounded her were her peers. Very few of them would be eager to follow her lead. “I think we can all agree that this week has been an exercise in insanity.” The wry comment seemed to put the others at ease. “If you haven’t heard, during the interim, I’ll be running the ER while still maintaining my position.”

“And you sleep when?” Dr. Butler asked with concern.

“Rarely,” Jamie honestly answered. “Look, I don’t want to be sitting in Jack’s chair. Not now, or in the future. Hopefully, the suits will name his replacement soon. In the meantime, we have to keep going. Our biggest problem at the moment is scheduling shifts. I’ve been reviewing the intern and resident hours and things just don’t jive. We have some kids that are busting their butts. Alvarez has worked back-to-back doubles for a week straight. I put her on a schedule that would allow her to work around her home situation. I know everyone has life that, for some of these kids, includes another job. So why is it I see that Jessica Huggings has failed to work a single night or weekend, and quite often, she’s out the door by mid- afternoon?”

“She’s my problem child,” Schumacher said. “Her work is adequate at best, mostly because she’s convinced she knows more than everyone else. I told her to work her assigned shifts. The little darling went behind my back and traded shifts. She keeps trading until she’s free and clear for the weekend.”

“I’ll swap with you,” Jamie said. “I’ll take Huggings, and you get Murphy. He was supposed to go to Nolan but…”

“Yeah, what happened?” someone asked.

“Dr. Nolan has been a very bad boy. Dr. Bradford has suspended him indefinitely, which means we need to not only work out the students’ schedules, but our schedules. Nolan is going to leave a gap.”

“Not much of one,” one of the doctors said. There was a collective snickering around the table. “I swear the caliber of students dipped after he became chair of the selection committee.”

“Okay.” Jamie bit her tongue before she could agree. “Let’s get through this.”

“What about you, Jamie?” Schumacher asked. “You can’t keep doing twenty-four seven. As much as we appreciate you busting your butt, you need some downtime. Chances are you’re going to end up on days.”

“I’m not taking Jack’s job. I’m certain the board already has several qualified candidates in mind.”

“So, if one of us put our name in, you wouldn’t be offended?” Dr. Marcia Jacobs asked. “I think most of us didn’t because…”

“We assumed it would be you,” Dr. Carver finished for her.

“If any of you are interested, feel free. But I’d do it soon. The suits want to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.”

“I heard Nolan put his name in before Jack’s body was cold.”

“Basically, and just so we are perfectly clear, I have already declined the position.”

“You told God no thanks?”

“Pretty much, now let’s finalize the schedules.”

Jamie managed to get through everything and clear the conference room in quick fashion. She glanced at her watch, wondering if she had time to swing by the house. She didn’t.

“I think you’re making a mistake,” Marcia noted when she caught up to Jamie who was giving Grace the new schedules and a list of instructions. “If you don’t take the job, God knows who we’ll get stuck with. They might even bring in some pencil pusher from the outside.”

“That’s how I got here.”

“You were a well-sought-after ER doctor. Jack scored with the brass when he got you to sign on.”

“And now I have a home and a family here. No way I’m going to allow this place to swallow me whole. Put your name in, Marcia. Quite frankly, I’ll just be happy going back to working my normal hours and teaching my kids.”

Marcia offered her thanks and dashed off. Jamie looked at her watch. She could grab lunch or dive into whatever drama had been brewing while she was in meetings. She was afraid that if she went home, she’d be tempted not to return.

“Why don’t you just take a break?” Stella’s face was filled with concern. “Catch your breath. The madness will still be here when you get back.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Jamie thought she just needed to clear her head. “As sage as your advice is, with everything that’s going on, I need to stay.”

“Since you won’t listen to me, I can’t be held responsible for when you snap,” Stella said lightheartedly.

*   *  *

Jamie sat in her office and tried to dig her way out of the mounds of paperwork that had magically appeared overnight. She looked up when Dr. Bradford entered without bothering to knock.

“This can’t be good,” she grumbled as she offered him a seat.

“It’s not as bad as it could be,” he said with a halfhearted smile.

“The hospital is settling with the Beauchamp family. The standard lump sum and a nondisclosure agreement.”

“Good. I’m sorry about that. I should have been more hands-on with that kid. I feel like I’m letting my students down. I’m not there to keep them from screwing up. Some of them have shined, but the rest aren’t getting the education they signed on for.”

“There’s a simple solution. Step into Jack’s shoes permanently.”

“Give up teaching and practicing medicine?” Jamie groaned. “I’m sorry, sir. But as I told you the other day, I’m not savvy enough to deal with the politics. You seem to forget my little habit of threatening people. I love teaching. I love emergency medicine. I’m not cut out to be a pencil pusher.”

“You could do both. Fiscally, the board would be thrilled.”

“I’d be doing half the job on both fronts. These kids know enough to pass the boards, but they don’t know how to be doctors. Despite being a hard-ass, I’m very proud of my students at the end of their rotation. I’d like to think they are prepared to be doctors.”

“It’s why we hired you. There’s no way I can talk you into accepting the job? Jamie, you’ve earned it.”

“I’m an ER doc with a surly reputation. That I’ve earned. You need someone who can not only save a dying man, but schmooze the suits. Trust me. I’d be out on my ass in a week.”

“You are blunt. Well, I’ve got a stack of applicants to sift through. One less since Nolan got himself locked up. Heard the wife left him the moment the IRS put a lien on everything. I have to say, I am not sorry to see him go. Speaking of which, Murphy dodged a bullet this time. Just so we are clear, the kid is hanging by a thread. He committed a cardinal sin. He cost the hospital money. Is he back on your team?”

“No, I traded him for another problem child. I’ll give his supervisor a heads-up.”

“Just out of curiosity, do you have any suggestions as to whom you’d like to see become your new boss?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

Chapter 40

Ricky and Val were in awe as they drove up the long driveway bordered by a sprawling landscape.

“How do you get this much green in the middle of San Diego?” Ricky said as they parked the rental car in front of the stately home known as Greystone. The less than humble manor had housed members of the Grayson and Fisher clan for longer than California had been a state.

“I know the kid came from money, but this is ridiculous.” Val shook her head in awe.

“I’ll bet you a twenty a butler answers the door.”

“It will be the maid.”

Ricky’s mood turned sour when they announced themselves to the maid. They were escorted to the sitting room and waited for the lady of the house. Unable to sit still, Val paced around the room. She inspected every knickknack, hoping to find a clue that would explain how a life so well provided for could go so horribly wrong.

“Good morning,” a frail-looking woman said. Cynthia Fisher’s voice was tired, befitting her vacant grey eyes. Val noticed the lady of the house seemed far more interested in looking at the hardwood floor instead of drawing her attention towards her guests. Val was curious. Was the lady simply rude or was there something fascinating about the floor? The only thing Val noticed were a series of divots dug into the fine wood, which seemed out of place with the rest of the pristine home.

“An eyesore,” Mrs. Fisher said to Val. “It took me months to pick out the perfect wood for this room, Brazilian cherry. Malcolm strode in wearing his golf shoes. Day in and day out, he’d stroll in and ruin the floor. I’d replace it, but what sense would that make? He’ll only do it again. For the life of me, I’ll never understand why he loves that game. Chasing a little ball around all day long. Seems somewhat futile when you think about it.”

“Men can be infuriating,” Val said in an attempt to placate her.

“We hate to disturb you during this difficult time.”

“You are here about my son. Why can’t you people leave us alone?”

“We have a few questions regarding your husband’s passing.” Val began not certain Mrs. Fisher was aware that her husband had died.

“He went to play golf and didn’t come home.”

The finality in her voice disturbed Val. “Yes, so tragic.”

The woman seemed completely bewildered.

“It’s a shame your son wasn’t allowed to attend the services.”

“You people are responsible for that.”

“When your husband passed away, what was his relationship with Simon?” Ricky carefully posed the question.

“Simon blamed his father for turning his back on him. Now they will never have a chance to make peace. Something else I blame you people for. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like you to leave my home.”

“Understandable, to say the least,” Val said as gently as she could muster. “Just one last question. When your husband passed away, did Simon take control of his inheritance?”

“Other than his legal fees, what would he spend his money on?” She gave a dismissive wave. “If you have any further questions, talk to his attorney. Don’t bother me again.”

*   *  *

“You’re really getting the hang of that phone.” Val yawned, exhausted from the constant traveling and sifting through files. The only thing she learned from their visit with Simon’s mother was that the woman was broken. Down the road it might help them. At that moment, all it provided was proof of how much damage one person could inflict. She and Calloway were videoconferencing. Val was hoping for some insight regarding Simon Fisher.

“Yes,” CC said. “Tired?”

“Exhausted. We haven’t learned anything that we didn’t already know. I’ve been going through Dr. Richards’s notes and the profile she did on Fisher. There was a shrink back in his prep school days. He refused to talk to us, although he did say that he wasn’t surprised when Dr. Richards informed him of Simon’s fate. Any hints on how I should handle him?”