The Imposter (5 page)

Alex
and Jack sat quietly and watched the conflicting emotions trail across
Monique's usually well-controlled face.   After several very long moments,
Monique finally reached for Alex's hand and squeezed it.

"I'm
sorry and you're right, Alex.   I'm overwhelmed and incredibly tired and I am
being a total bitch.   Angie shouldn't be fighting for her life and her husband
shouldn’t be wondering if their young daughter will ever have the mother that
she knows again.   The whole thing just stinks and I hate that it's happened.  
And even though I've got concerns about Lester and the contract management
group that is handling CCMCs psychiatric services, they came well recommended
and are leaders in Behavioral Health Services.   Perhaps I am
over-exaggerating, but it seems to me our administration and the contract
management service is much more concerned with money than with patient and
staff safety.  I'm afraid that with our growing, acutely ill, psych population
we could be in for more trouble, particularly with health reform coming on
board.   The delivery system they've implemented is simply not safe for our
patient population.   We are the only inpatient facility in the state that
houses such dangerous psychotics and the criminally insane.   It is truly a
dangerous place."

Alex
nodded and said, "I couldn't agree more and I couldn't be more concerned. 
Let's meet soon and talk about it.  I've been concerned about the Pavilion for
several months.   Plan on my office at 10 o'clock tomorrow, okay?"

"You've
got it, Alex.   If things settle down, I'll be there.  Do you want to invite
Favre?  For what it's worth, I'm sure it will be a waste of our time, but a lot
of the safety issues obviously concern the nursing staff."

Alex
shook her head negatively and shrugged her shoulders.   "When has she ever
helped the nursing staff?  Why would we even want to include her?  Let's get
Dr.  Ashby."  Alex stared at Monique strangely.   "I am surprised you
asked, Monique.   Do you really want her at the meeting?"

"Hell,
no!  I don't want her," Monique retorted.   "She's been a pain in my
butt for years.   I have loathed her from the first day I met her, but we
should have her there.   If we can get her on our side ...."

Jack
grinned at Monique and said sheepishly, "Come on, Monique.  Don't hold
back.   Tell us how you really feel!"  Jack and Monique started to laugh
and Alex joined them in their laughter.

"You're
right, everything you say is correct, Monique.   I guess we should invite her
because it's politically correct and her role should concern the safety of all staff." 
Alex hesitated for a moment and continued, "We’ll have to include her,
it's the best thing to do.  She'll be mad as a hornet if we don't and we
will
hear about it."  Alex’s tone of voice was almost apologetic as she looked
at Monique, who was once again seething with anger at the very thought of Betty
Favre.

"Invite
the obstructionist bitch, I don't give a damn.   I'm going over to the
Pavilion.   Call me if there's any change in Angie’s condition."   Monique
grabbed her lunch tray and slammed it on the tray rack as she headed towards
the door.

Alex
and Jack looked at each other in amazement as Monique exited the cafeteria.  
Jack spoke first, "Man, I've never seen Monique so blown away.   This just
isn't like her at all.   I sure hope she gets it together."

"She
will," Alex assured him.   "This is Monique's worst nightmare.  She
has been waiting for something like this to happen for months and now it has
and she feels responsible.   Trust me, that's exactly what's going on here
because that's the way she is.  Jack, by any chance, did you check out that
guy, Lester, who is managing the psych services?  I've never seen him or met
him but I hear he's pretty weird.   If you haven't, maybe you should question
him."

"Not
to worry, Alex.  I'm questioning everyone and he is for sure on my list."

"Good,"
Alex said looking thoughtful and continued, "Let's see what the psych team
puts together.  There may be inpatients who have a history of rape or assault. 
We should know more about them later and we also need to do a historical chart
review of former psychiatric patients who have been on the unit.  What do you
think?"

Françoise
was slow to respond.   He stared at his coffee and looked longingly at the
plate that held his jelly donut.   Alex could tell by the look in his eye that
he really, really wanted it.   "Well, I don't quite know what to make of
this crime yet …. This guy is a pervert who crosses the categories of defined
rapist.   If you’ve got a few minutes later on today, a representative from our
sexual crimes division will be coming over to the Pavilion, sometime around
lunch time.  We're going to meet in the executive conference room.   Why don't
you join us if you can."

Alex
glanced down at her watch.  "It's almost noon now.   Would you be willing
to meet in my office, since I don't have a secretary or administrative
assistant today?  I really need to get back to see what's going on."

Jack
looked hesitant for several moments.  Knowing Jack as she did, Alex added,
"I'll have lunch sent into my conference room.  Does that help you make up
your mind,” Alex asked, smiling.

"It
absolutely does.  You win.  You know I'll never turn down a free CCMC lunch,
particularly if Don Montgomery is footing the bill and won't be attending.  I
am gonna make tracks over to the Pavilion and pick up Nadine.  She's our
sexpert  -- you know, our expert on sex crimes,"  Jack added hastily,
noting the frown on Alex's face.

Alex's
voice was frosty as she said, "Jack please don't use that word.   Let's
just refer to her as an expert on sexual crimes.    In some way it sounds
demeaning, the word "sexpert".   To me, it sounds demeaning to both
Nadine and Angie."

Jack
looked forlorn.  He hated it when Alex corrected him or seem
disappointed." Okay, okay, okay, you got it.   I didn't mean to sound
disrespectful," Jack said quietly as he rose to leave.

Alex
smiled at him and teased, "It's okay, Jack.  I'll forgive you this one
time, but only this one time.   Now get your butt moving over to the Pavilion
and then get it back over here for lunch."

Jack
stood and said, "Will do.  See you shortly."  He saluted her on the
way out.

After
placing her tray on the rack, Alex headed towards her office but decided to
stop in hospital administration on the way.   Latetia, Don Montgomery's
secretary, was working quietly at her desk.   She looked up at Alex sadly and
said, "Ms.  Alex, how are Bridgett and Angie?  I just heard a little while
ago and it's just awful.   Do you think Angie will be okay?   I just know
Bridgett must be terribly upset.  Is there anything that I can do?" 
Latetia's liquid brown eyes were kind and reflected deep concern for her
friends.

"Latetia,
Angie's in surgery and you're right, Bridgett is beyond herself with grief.  I
wish there was something that we could do to help her and her family, but right
now I think it's just a game of waiting and watching and praying." Alex
watched Latetia's eyes overflow with tears as she moved from behind her desk to
give her a hug.

"Sure,
sure.  I know you're right.  We are planning to send food to Bridgett's mom's
house for the next week or so.   Check the Meals to Go in your email so you can
participate.  I'm sure that Bridgett and Angie's mom will be keeping the
baby.   I would imagine that Bridgett, her husband, and Angie's husband will
want to be at the hospital."

"The
food is a great idea and I'm happy to participate.  Love the idea of the Meals
to Go.   By the way, do you think you can find me a temp while Bridgett is
out?  I would anticipate she will be out for several weeks."

"Sure.  
Want me to try for Mona again?"

Alex
nodded in approval and said, "Yeah.   That would be great.   She was
pretty good during those several weeks last month when Bridgett and her family
were vacationing on the Gulf Coast.  And she knows me.   That's half the battle
right there."

"I'll
do my best, Ms.  Alex," Latetia said, reaching for her temporary staff
file. 

"Thanks.  
By the way, what's Don doing?  Does he have anyone in his office?” Alex added,
as she inclined her head towards the executive's office.

Latetia
glanced at her phone.  "He was on the phone, but now he seems to have hung
up.   By the way, you may want to think twice about going in there.   He's in a
pretty foul mood, so you might want to be careful.  The July revenue
projections came in and they were low, much  lower than we expected." 
Checking out the look on Alex's face, Latetia added, "Are you sure you
want to go in?  I wouldn't if I didn't have to.   I'm actually thinking about
taking the afternoon off to get away from him," she smiled, rolling her
eyes.   "I know you.   You're always up for making him mad,” she teased.

"Yeah,
I'm going in.   He doesn't scare me anymore.   It'll only take a minute and
will make his day much worse," Alex added as she moved towards the door
and knocked.

"Oh,
that's just great.   Thanks a bunch, Alex," Latetia groaned, as Alex
knocked on the CEOs door.

"Enter." 
Don Montgomery was seated behind his massive, walnut desk, his head buried in
computer printouts.   He looked surprised and irritated at Alex's interruption.

"Alex,
do we have a meeting?" He quickly scanned his Outlook calendar on his
computer.  "Nope, we don't.   I didn't think so."  He looked smugly
at his legal counsel, always happy to be right and one up on the lovely
attorney.   "What do you want?  I'm pretty busy."  Don glanced at
Alex briefly and returned to his papers, a blatant act of dismissal.   When
Alex didn't comply by leaving, Don looked at her again and said angrily,
"Really, Ms.  Destephano!   I am very busy, and I don't have time for you
to stand there and gawk at me."

Alex
felt anger creep up her spine and said, "No, Don.   We don't have a formal
meeting scheduled, but we do have a situation we must discuss.  "

"Let
it wait.  I'm preparing for the next trustees’ meeting."

Alex's
impatience could be heard in her voice.   "That meeting is two weeks
away.   There's lots of time to work on that.   I want to talk to you about
Angela Richelieu, now.

Don
looked up, irritated.   "What? Who?"

"Angela
Richelieu, the nurse who was attacked, beaten, and raped last night between the
Psychiatric Pavilion and the parking deck."

Don
was clearly annoyed.  "Oh yeah, her.   What a pain.  Bette Favre told me
about it.  Too bad.  Tawdry affair.  Deal with it, you're the hospital’s
lawyer."  Don shook his head, dismissing the incident quickly and
returning to his printouts.

Alex
was furious at the nonchalance in Don's voice.   She glared at him, her anger
reflected in her face.   Montgomery was a pompous man, a real horse’s ass, a
weak, self-serving leader and completely useless in times of stress.  Alex had
hoped he would leave Crescent City Medical Center after a conspiracy against
the hospital earlier in the year had nearly put the medical center out of
business.  Unfortunately, Don had siphoned bits and pieces of the catastrophe
and used it to his advantage.   He'd given several interviews to the press and
had emerged in the news as a media hero -- a man intent on saving his hospital,
preserving quality, and keeping it private and solvent in the changing health
care environment.   Don was a proverbial cat, always landing on his feet.

Alex
's voice was calm, but forceful, as she addressed him.  "Don, this
situation is precarious.  Angela Richelieu has been an employee at CCMC for
years and is an excellent nurse.   She's in the O.R. right now, fighting for
her life.   The hospital could be at fault here for not providing her safe
access to her car …."

The
CEO interrupted her rudely, "That's bullshit, Alex.   Favre told me that
all the nurses had been instructed to call for a security escort after hours.  
She did not.   It's her fault if she was raped.  It certainly is not the fault
of the hospital."

Alex
wanted to jump over his desk and rip out his carotid arteries.   "You're
wrong, Don.   Totally wrong.   How appalling you are."   Alex's voice was
clipped.  "Her fault?  How could it possibly be her fault?  That's
ludicrous."

Montgomery
dismissed her, "Really, Alex, I am pretty busy.   Can you make an
appointment with Latetia," he said, picking up his phone to make a call.

Alex's
fury mounted.   "Really, Don.   Are you this dumb?  How do you think a
jury would view this?  We've got a nurse who stayed overtime for three hours
and didn't get paid for it because the hospital no longer pays nurses, or
anyone, for overtime.   She stayed late because of patient violence on the
unit.   Then she's raped and beaten on the way to her car....   Really, Don. 
For God's sake, what is wrong with you?  Think about it.   It's not a pretty
picture." 

Don
was quiet for a moment, obviously thinking.   Alex continued, "We've had
numerous meetings about the safety of staff, patients, and visitors traveling
between the Psych Pavilion and the main hospital.   We've had tons of
complaints from physicians, nurses and visitors that are on record.   We've got
to make some changes.   I'd like a meeting this afternoon with Dr.  Desmonde
and the administrator that manages behavioral health under the contract
agreement.   Elizabeth needs to be there as well, as does Dr. Ashley.   We have
to hand this appropriately with the media." 

Don
interrupted her, "No way, Alex.   Not going to happen today.   I'm too
busy.   What is it that you don't understand?  I am busy!  I am running this
hospital and I don't have time to stop for a stupid, 'called' meeting.   Forget
it."

"No,
I'm not.   It's a huge image concern and we all know how you worry about
...,"  Alex said, her voice trailing off momentarily, “the hospital's
image.”  With these words, Alex hit her boss where it hurt him the most.  Don
lived and breathed, breathed and lived, CCMC’s image.   It was his lifeblood
because, after all, it was his hospital and no one else had anything to do with
the place.

Don
straightened up and looked alert.   "Huh, an image thing.   How's
that?"  Don was thinking.   Nothing got his attention more quickly than an
incident that could affect the world class image of CCMC.

Alex
seized the opportunity.   "Heavens yes, yes, definitely an image
concern.   And, mull this over, Don, there is a distinct possibility that the
attacker could be either a patient or, even worse,
a hospital employee
.”

 "What,
what kind of bullshit is that, Alex?  All of our staff have criminal checks
done on them.   It couldn't be an employee," Don retorted angrily, a self
righteous smirk on his face.   "Sometimes I cannot understand why we pay
you the big bucks.   You'll get your meeting at 3:00.   Here in my office.  
Now get out of here," Don said disparagingly, pointing towards the door.  

Alex
knew she had been dismissed, but continued to stare at the CEO, noting his
impeccable hair and custom tailored suit.   She reminded herself again that the
man didn't give a flip about anything except how much money the place made.  
He'd told her earlier that he considered patients and staff "widgets"
and his job was to make the widgets work as cheaply as possible and, at all
costs, make the widgets productive.   Alex closed the door tightly as she
left.  

Latetia
shook her head as Alex reemerged from the Lion's Den.   "That went well,
right? From what I could hear, it was pretty loud in there."

"Yep.  
I ruined his day," she proudly told Latetia.

 Latetia
smiled, gave her a thumbs up and told her that Mona would be in after lunch.  
Alex thanked her and walked slowly to her office, deep in thought about the
difficulties surrounding the hospital and medical center.