Silent Treatment

not in youremploy could get at one of those buffers?'

'Absolutely none.'

That look again. Harry met the man's gaze in away he had never faced up to Bumpy Giannetti, held it, and even managed a weaksmile. Had Mel Wetstone shared with him the next part of his strategy, hissmile would have been much broader. Wetstone stood, walked to the door, openedit, and stepped back. A curious silence held for several seconds, then wasshattered by a machinery hum. A tall blond man dressed in a tan MMC maintenancejumpsuit entered the room. He wore a standard hospital photo identificationbadge and was polishing the tile surrounding the plus Oriental rug with an industrialbuffer. PROPERTY OF MMC was stenciled in red on the side.

'What in the hell?' Willard McDevittexclaimed.

Wetstone nodded toward the buffer man andthe machine was shut off.

'Mr. McDevitt, do you know this man?'

'I do not.'

'Mr. Crawford, where did you get thatcontraption?'

'From the room marked Floor Maintenancein the subbasement.'

'And was it difficult for you to get?'

The blond man grinned.

'Piece of cake,' he said. 'I'll return itnow if that's okay.'

He spun the machine round and wheeled itout. Instantly, it seemed as if everyone was talking and gesturing at once.Harry noticed that several members of the medical staff were laughing. WillardMcDevitt looked as if he was going to charge Mel Wetstone. Instead, he listenedto some whispered words from the hospital attorney, shoved his chair back, andstalked out. For his part, Wetstone carefully avoided appearing smug, or evenpleased. He sat placidly, allowing his theatrics to hold sway. For the firsttime, Harry felt that the emotion in the room might be turning in his favor. IfRennick and his witness could be so wrong about the floor buffer, people had tobe thinking, maybe they could be wrong about other things as well.

'Now just a minute. Just one damn minute!'

Caspar Sidonis had clearly taken as muchas he could. He stood and strode to the head of the table. Owen Erdman, thehospital president, moved his chair aside for him.

'This man is a huckster,' Sidonis said,motioning toward Wetstone. 'A snake oil salesman. He's using misdirection andtricks to keep you from focusing on the important points in this case. And Sam,I'm afraid all you've done is make it that much easier for him. This isn't acourtroom, it's a hospital. We're not here to debate fine points of law. We'rehere to see to it that our thousands and thousands of patients — patients whocould take their business to any number of facilities — have the confidence inthe Manhattan Medical Center to continue coming here. We're meeting here todayto prevent our hospital from becoming the laughingstock of the city. We're hereto ensure that the medical school graduates, with every hospital in the countryto choose from, think enough of this place to apply for residency here.'

The man was good, damn good, Harryacknowledged. This was revenge for Evie and payback for the humiliation of theamphitheater all rolled into one. And most important, his force andeffectiveness sprang from his hatred of Harry and his consuming belief inHarry's guilt. Harry took another silent poll of the room. Already thingsdidn't look as promising as they had. Mel Wetstone seemed on the point ofrising to object to Sidonis's tirade, but he thought better of it and sank backin his chair. Trying to stop the powerful chief of cardiac surgery fromexpressing his opinion could only hurt them.

'I am not embarrassed to say that EvieDellaRosa and I were in love,' Sidonis went on. 'For years, she and HarryCorbett had had a marriage in name only. The night before she entered thishospital, the night before she was murdered, she told him about us. I know thatfor a fact. That gives him a motive. A two-hundred-and-fifty- thousand-dollarinsurance policy gives him another. The nurses have already testified to hisopportunity. And certainly the method chosen was one only a physician wouldknow. Now, it's remotely possible that Dr. Corbett is as innocent as he claims.It's remotely possible that every crazy alternative explanation he has come upwith actually happened. But even his innocence does not change the fact thattwo of our patients with strong connections to him are dead. The newspapers arehaving a field day at our hospital's expense. The public confidence we haveworked so hard to build is plummeting.

'Harry Corbett owes this hospital therespect and consideration to remove himself from the staff until this wholematter is resolved one way or the other. Since he has refused to honor thatresponsibility, this group must take action. I promise you here and now, I willnot continue to practice at an institution without the gumption to stand up foritself and do what is right for its staff and patients. Thank you.'

Drained, or apparently so, Sidonis usedthe backs of chairs to help him return to his seat. Mel Wetstone inhaleddeeply, then let out a sigh. Harry felt flushed and self-conscious. Sidonis hadthreatened the hospital and the board of trustees with a massive blow to theirtwo most vulnerable areas: reputation and pocketbook. World Famous HeartSurgeon Quits Hospital Over Handling of Doctor Doom. Harry could just seethe headlines in the Daily News. He leaned over to his lawyer.

There was a commotion outside the room.The doors burst open and Owen Erdman's staid secretary rushed in.

'I'm sorry, Dr. Erdman,' she saidbreathlessly. 'I tried to explain to them, but they wouldn't listen. Sandy'scalled security. They're on their way.'

She stepped aside as a small mob marchedinto the room. Leading the way was Mary Tobin, and close behind her was MarvLorello. Next came all the other members of the family medicine department,along with a number of Harry's patients, some with their children in tow. Twodozen people in all, Harry guessed. No, closer to three. Among themhe recognized Clayton Miller, the man whose severe pulmonary edema he andSteven Josephson had reversed by removing almost a unit of blood. The groupcrowded into one end of the conference room. Then several people moved asideand Harry's patient Mabel Espinoza stepped forward. Two of her grandchildrenclung to her skirt.

'My name is Ms. Mabel Espinoza,' she said.Her Latino accent was dense, but no one ever had trouble understanding her. Shefaced the hearing with the stout dignity that had always made her one ofHarry's favorites. 'I am eighty-one years old. Dr. Corbett has cared for me andmy family for twenty years. I am alive today because he is such a wonderfuldoctor. Many others could say the same thing. When I am too sick, he comes tosee me at my home. When someone cannot pay, he is patient. I have signed thepetition. In less than one day, more than two hundred have signed. Thank you.'

'This was your Mary's idea,' Wetstonewhispered to Harry. 'I never thought she could do anything like this, though.'

Another woman stepped forward andintroduced herself as Doris Cummings, an elementary-school teacher in a Harlemschool. She read the petition, signed by 203 of Harry's patients, enumeratingthe reasons Harry was essential to their well-being and that of their families.

'. . If Dr. Corbett is removed from thestaff of the Manhattan Medical Center without absolute just cause,' thepetition concluded, 'we the undersigned intend to take our health care toanother hospital. If leaving the Manhattan Health HMO is necessary andpossible, we intend to do that as well. This man has been an important part ofour lives. We do not want to lose him.'

Marv Lorello whispered in Cummings's earand motioned toward Owen Erdman. Cummings circled the table and set thepetition in front of the hospital president. Across from Harry, a distinguishedwoman named Holden, who was a past president of the board of trustees, brushedaside a tear. Standing to her right Mary Tobin was beaming like a mother at herchild's graduation.

Next, Marv Lorello spoke on behalf of thedepartment of family medicine, describing Harry as an invaluable friend andpowerful example to those in the department, especially those newly inpractice. He read a statement signed by every member of the department, ineffect threatening to move their services to another facility if Harry shouldbe removed from the hospital staff without absolute, legally binding proof ofhis misconduct. He set the document on top of the petition in front of OwenErdman. Then the group trooped out of the hearing.

There was no further discussion. The votewas a formality, although two of the twelve submitting ballots did endorseHarry's removal from the staff. Caspar Sidonis left the room as soon as theresult was read.

'Dr. Corbett,' Erdman said coolly, 'thatwas an impressive show of regard for you. It would be tragic to learn that suchloyalty is not deserved. Have you anything further to say?'