Decisions, Quincy Moore [reading tree .txt] 📗

I may no longer need her to look after Kai until some work issues were resolved. Naomi was, however, very happy to step in again and I am truly blessed to have found someone like her. She is the oldest daughter of my neighbors, Maria and Bob Fairgrove, and she can always do with a little extra money babysitting whilst she is studying law at Oxbridge University. She is a very responsible eighteen year old and always prepared to help out, plus the fact that Kai loves her to bits is a bonus too.
When I reached the hospital I felt a sense of apprehension. Matron had made it very clear the night before that I was no longer welcome in the hospital, however, I was not coming here to work. I somehow still felt like a trespasser when I entered the main entrance and made my way up to the 3rd floor. As I got out of the lift I saw the Chinese workman I remembered as called Lau, arguing with his colleague. When they saw me they quickly continued working as if what I had witnessed had not happened. It wasn't an unusual scene. Most employees know that acting in a professional manner is very important and that rows or arguments in public areas can be seen as unprofessional behavior and a possible reason for suspension, especially in a private Hospital like Eastfield's, as the clients using the hospital's services were of a certain standing and were expecting a high caliber service! They would not appreciate seeing employees, whether a porter, a nurse of a doctor, having rows in corridors! It appeared to be busy: nurses were walking through the corridor and several staff members were busy around the Nursing Station. I was aware of the sound of phones and it made me curious as to how in just one night not only one but several phones were stationed on the desk in full and complete working order, or so it seemed. Some staff members looked up from what they were doing as I approached the desk and it suddenly went very quiet. Eyes hooked on me and faces did not look particularly pleased to see me. In the treatment room a few workmen were busy installing a special Pharmacy cupboard for Controlled Drugs and a couple of sealed boxes from pharmacy were positioned on the surface of one of the treatment tables. One of the nurses in the room seemed to keep a close eye on everything.
“Hi,” I said to the man dressed in a charge nurse uniform, but I did not know him, “I am here to see DCI Milton?”. “I am Elissa Lang”.
“Are you Nurse Lang from the Agency?”he questioned.
“Yes, I am. I used to work here permanently though for a long time”, I added.
“You shouldn't have come here. Matron has been very clear in her instructions that you are no longer needed in this hospital” he said to me.
“I am not here to work. I am here to see DCI Milton, he has some further questions for me”, I explained, trying to stay calm and polite.
“Yeah, about murdering old ladies perhaps”, whispered a voice behind the man in charge. I was aware that someone giggled in response.
“He is in the back office”, said 'Charge Nurse'

without giving me a second glance.
As I walked towards the back office, I heard people whisper and mutter behind my back and I was aware of a rather hostile atmosphere. I knocked on the office door and heard a firm 'Come in'

from the other side. I opened the door and noticed that the office had undergone a metamorphosis overnight, as gone were all the pieces of equipment and painting and decorating materials.
Milton must have read my mind – no surprise there, 'laser gaze'

sees everything I thought– as he said: “Yes, it is quite a difference from last night, isn't it? And I guess you must have noticed the phones too?”
“Yes”, I said with a sigh and took the seat that he pointed out to me.
“Are you alright?” he asked, scrutinizing me with his piercing eyes.
“Not really, knowing that it feels as if the whole hospital knows what has happened and seems to blame me for whatever it is they seem to want to blame me for. So much for trying to save someones life!”, I responded.
“Mm, yes, I have heard that Ms Coulton has suspended you. I told her that, given the circumstances, that was quite severe of her to do”.
I looked at Milton in surprise. Why on earth should he have to defend my case or was this part of playing Detective 101, I thought.
“Yes, I have been suspended and apparently, according to the guy in Charge at the Nursing Station, I am not even to show up here. Not sure if he means the department or the hospital itself though”, I said.
There was a pause before Milton said: “Things have changed. The lady you tried to safe last night unfortunately died in the early hours of the morning, very likely as a result of the condition she was left in for so long before you found her and therefore my team and I are now treating this as a possible murder investigation”.
“Oh my God!”
“Things are even worse!”, Milton looked me directly in the eyes as he spoke without blinking as if not to miss any hidden response or sign I might unwillingly send out.
“Worse?” I replied.
“Yes”, he sighed and then added: “Someone has leaked the story to the press. Papers and news channels are all over it and I don't like it. Neither does your Matron by the way!”.
I felt the color drain from my face and my stomach tightened. I looked at Milton and asked: “You think I have done this?”
“Have you?” he questioned, very calmly.
“No of course not!” I yelled as I got up and paced around feeling a little light headed – I had completely forgotten to eat something that morning. “Why would I want to do that! All I did was to try and safe someones life. Yes, my means were possibly a little bit unconventional but I was not deliberately trying to breach any rules, policies and, or override the hierarchy of the hospital! I have now lost my opportunity to work here and possibly to work anywhere, so why should I inform the press? For what reason? And what good would that be: I have a little boy to look after, his Dad and I are divorced, so why should I jeopardize my future and that of my son's?”
“You have a son?” Milton asked.
“Yes, I have. He is four years old and he is all I have here. I need my work to provide for both of us as the money my former husband pays me for maintenance is not enough to live from”, I paused before continuing: “Well, it does explain the warm reception I had earlier”, I remarked sarcastically.
“Right”, said Milton as he stared into space for a few moments before writing more in his notebook.
“I think that will be all for now Mrs Lang”.
“Elissa”, I said, reminding him again.
“OK, Elissa! I will contact you if I need you again and perhaps it may be better for you to meet me outside the hospital grounds given the circumstances. I also think it may be wise for you to consider a lawyer”.
“Why do I need a lawyer? Am I accused of something? Am I a suspect?” I responded.
“May I advise you that you do not always need a lawyer because you are a suspect Elissa. With the press knowing about what has happened, things could potentially become nasty. The hospital's reputation is, as your Matron made very clear last night, at stake. A story like this can have serious repercussions on that reputation, so your Matron is right about that. I would have liked to have worked on this case behind the scenes and assisted Matron by keeping things inside the hospital doors so to speak, unless I found anything that would have forced me to do otherwise, but unfortunately that is now no longer possible. Things are out in the open and this is big news! Institutions will fight for what they have established over the years and when this is threatened they may want to find a scapegoat. You have no permanent bonds with the hospital anymore, despite you having been a very loyal and hardworking member of staff with an impeccable record, so I have discovered. You are an Agency Nurse now, so you can be dismissed and replaced and, he stopped for a second, prosecuted!”
I looked at Milton in horror, not ever having considered this was possible. Who on earth had leaked the story to the press, I wondered. How was it possible that a decision to help and safe someone's life could end up in me having to seek legal advise as I could now possibly be prosecuted for tarnishing the hospital's reputation? I sat myself back on the chair again, feeling empty and defeated. How was this possible? All I had done was my job and my duty as a nurse to respect and protect a life!
I put my face in my hands and rocked forwards in my chair. Tears were welling up but I tried to swallow them back. I really did not want to cry in front of this man.
“Elissa, Elissa!” I heard a voice calling from a distance. I looked up at Milton's face close to mine. “Here, drink some water!” Milton pressed a glass to my lips as I slowly became more aware again of my surroundings and I gulped a few mouthfuls.
“Did I faint?” I questioned.
“Not really, but you are likely a little bit shocked”, Milton replied.
“Is there anything else, Sir?” another voice said.
“No thank you Steve, that will be all”, Milton replied.
“Oh, Elissa, you have not met Steve yet, have you?” I shook my head whilst looking at the young, rake thin man with a crew cut and the frame-less spectacles resting on his thin nose. He wore a suit that looked far too big for him and pretty crumpled as if he had slept in it, which he probably had this particular night. I had not heard him coming into the room.
“Elissa, this is Steve Grayson, my Sargent”.
Steve shook my hand and then excused himself informing his DCI that he would continue with his work.
“Meet me at the station later Steve, once you have finished here”, Milton said.
“Oh and by the way, did you managed to speak to the security guy for the release of the CCTV footage?”
“Double Yes, Sir!” Steve responded. Quick and to the point I thought, doesn't waste any words.
“Oh and Sir, it's mayhem out there now!”, Steve's head pointed towards the window. Milton got up, adjusted the window blinds and looked outside. Three stories below him the media was in full frenzy: reporters were everywhere he looked with huge cameras and microphones. TV channel vans with transmitting equipment on their roofs lined the road leading up towards the hospital. A cordon of police officers with visibility gear were trying to keep apart those who were visiting the hospital for legitimate reasons and those who were trying to get in under false pretenses in order to get a story. Despite having sealed off certain areas with restrictive tape, this was a difficult task given the fact that everything needed to be checked out before someone was given permission to get into the hospital. Milton knew that is was only a matter of