by Barbara Ebel
Dustin pulled his iPhone out of his front pocket. Now he hoped she wouldn’t ignore his call. After all, he thought, he had disregarded hers for days.
CHAPTER 26
Wednesday morning, Annabel dropped Oliver off at Bob’s apartment after walking and feeding him. Bob was not home yet from his night on call, so she made sure the dog had water and that his fluffy bed was nearby. Because of the dog’s transfer, she had her own car, and first texted Bob before starting the ignition.
“Oliver’s all set, already bunked down in his bed. How’d your night on call go?”
“Wild, but I survived. Will only need a short nap this afternoon. How about some study time together tonight (if you’re not seeing Dustin).”
She gaped at the message, the part about Dustin. No worries there, she thought. She would surely not be seeing him.
“Sure. Let’s make it a serious study binge.”
“How about my place, which is bigger than yours, and Oliver is already there.”
“Okay. Why don’t I bring in some take-out food?”
“Don’t go through any trouble. Just something on the way. Anything is fine with me.”
“Later, then …”
-----
Both smiling faces and tearful, sick children watched Annabel as she walked through the waiting room of Drs. Gillespie and Clark. Becky pulled her into the front desk area immediately.
“Dr. Gillespie has a meeting this morning at the pediatric department,” she said. “He wants you to shadow Dr. Clark.”
Annabel tried to keep her enthusiasm about the news low-key. She found Heather and Stuart in the hallway and slipped on her student jacket. “Sorry for the intrusion. I’m supposed to tag along with you two this morning.”
“No problem,” Heather said. “Two students are better than one. We’re getting started because we may need to see a few of Dr. Gillespie’s patients as well.”
Heather took down the chart in the rack, read for a moment, and they all piled into the room. A woman with her nine-year-old daughter were inside. After introductions, the girl spoke up after a prompt from her mother.
“I am sick of being the littlest kid in my class. It makes them all make fun of me.”
“Do you mean the shortest?” Heather asked.
The girl nodded.
The girl’s mother spoke next. “I agreed to bring Wendy in because her father and I are a bit concerned as well. He and I are fairly tall, so it doesn’t make sense that Wendy is the shortest kid in her class.”
Heather narrowed her eyes. “Any weight loss, abdominal pain, vomiting, poor appetite?”
Wendy and her mom both shook no.
“Any other problems you can think of? Her records are here, so I can check some statistics.”
“No,” Wendy answered. She wore summer clothing and Heather listened to her heart and lungs through her T-shirt, checked her abdomen with her shorts unbuttoned, and reviewed her head, neck, and limbs.
Dr. Clark sat at the desk and swiveled the chair around to talk to them all.
“I totally understand the concern you both have for Wendy’s short stature.” She opened up the chart and reevaluated the girl’s growth chart, especially for the last few years. “Here’s my concern. Although Wendy was in the lower growth tier of this chart for the last several years … around the thirtieth percentile … now she has slacked off to less than the tenth percentile. Fortunately, her weight has remained appropriate.”
Heather thoughtfully showed everyone in the room the chart in her hands.
“Let’s snap some radiographs, which will tell us if Wendy’s bone age is delayed.”
“So there is something wrong,” Wendy’s mom said, and put her hands to her mouth.
“My suspicion is a growth hormone deficiency. I will order some screening tests and we’ll get to the bottom of this.” She glanced at the students. “For instance, we’ll run a CBC analysis, which will tell us if Wendy is anemic; and electrolytes, chemistries, thyroid function tests, and a urinalysis. And especially for a growth hormone deficiency, an IGF-1.”
Dr. Clark turned to the family. “Our lab here in the office will start the ball rolling. We’ll have more answers when all these tests come back.”
“What if she does have the deficiency?” Wendy’s mom asked.
“A pediatric endocrinologist can take over. I will make the referral.”
Heather gave Wendy a wide smile. “You are going to be fine. In any case, be proud of whatever height God has given you, even if you have some catching up to do.”
With a scurry out the door, they all left. Wendy went to give blood and Heather kept the students for a moment. “We’re in a time crunch, but any questions?”
Annabel pulled out a memo pad and wrote down “growth hormone deficiency.” “Not from me, Dr. Clark. I’ll look up cases tonight, but I really appreciate working with you today, or at least this morning.”
As they went into the next room, Annabel realized that even she was being filmed in Dr. Gillespie’s secret tapings. She tried to shrug it off because working with Dr. Clark gave her a sense of normalcy about the way a pediatrician should behave.
-----
Annabel handed a brown bag with dinner food over to Bob in the doorway and shuffled back to her car for her books. Oliver wagged his tail, happy to be free, and trotted behind her.
“Did you end up getting any sleep?” Annabel asked after stepping into Bob’s apartment.
Bob nodded as he unpacked the containers. “A two-hour nap and then a long walk with Oliver. Thanks for bringing the food. I’ll split the bill with you.”
“Absolutely not. Next time.”
They unwrapped beef brisket sandwiches and salad and sat across from each other at the kitchen counter.
“Dr. Gillespie was absent this morning, so I saw patients with Dr. Clark and Stuart. Boy, was that refreshing.”
“Sounds like it. Anything interesting?”
“I put it on our bucket list to review tonight. A nine-year-old with a working diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency. Her case made me realize how important growth curves are even after the first and second years of life.”
“Interesting. I didn’t know that either. I guess it goes with the territory of being a pediatrician.”
Annabel drizzled dressing on the salad. “Dr. Clark is referring the girl to a pediatric endocrinologist but ordered the necessary lab workup besides films.”
Bob shook his head. “There are so many subspecialties in medicine, it’s mind boggling. I’m relieved I made up my mind about orthopedics and don’t need to worry about which field of residency to apply to.”
“But you still must decide about which programs are the best and where to apply. Geography will be important. Say, Nashville has top medical residency programs in just about everything. Why don’t you apply in my hometown?”
Bob practically choked on his sandwich because she also wanted to go back home for residency and, this year, he was constantly troubled knowing he wouldn’t see her any more after medical school.
“Cat got your tongue?” she asked. “Maybe I’ve grown on your nerves and you want to be as far away as possible from me.” She gave him a big smile, hoping that was not the case.
“Are you kidding? Being at the same University for residency would be awesome. There are still so many training years in front of us, at least we could be nearby for some of them.”
“Bob, thanks. I don’t mean to sound immature but, presently, you qualify as my very best friend.” She glanced at her iPhone at the edge of the counter. “I have an idea. Don’t get angry at me, but I could mention something to my dad about you and your desire for orthopedics. Believe me, he can’t get you into a residency program in Nashville, but he can be an added recommendation, especially since he’s met you. As you know, he is well respected and his opinion counts.”
Bob’s pulse bounded at his wrist. The residency programs there would be stellar. He was surprised at her willingness
to help out.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes. When the time comes, I would be so grateful.”
“Nothing stops me from saying something right now.” Annabel picked up her phone and placed a call, taking a gamble her father would be home already from the hospital. Danny answered the call.
“Hey, Dad, I’m glad I caught you.”
“Your sister handed me the phone because she doesn’t want to talk to you. You two better settle your differences one of these days. How is your rotation coming along?”
“There is a lot going on, Dad, not related to my education. I don’t like the attending I’m working with, mostly because his behavior seems inappropriate.”
“In what way?”
“I don’t want to burden you at the moment. Besides, I’m with Bob, we’re eating dinner, and we’re going to hit the books tonight. I called for another reason.”
“Okay, then. Shoot.”
“Bob is further ahead than me; he came to a decision about residency. He wants orthopedics.”
“Wise choice.”
“I told him, for sure, to apply to the program in Nashville.”
“One of the best.”
“Since you know him, and you know I vouch for him, can you talk to someone in the department ahead of time? As a verbal recommendation regarding his character and work? They would see his fine grades and major test scores sooner or later with his application.”
“I would be happy to. He’s a wonderful young man.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Bob patted Annabel’s hand and waved for the phone.
“Here, you talk to him,” she said.
“Dr. Tilson, thank you so much. I don’t mean to be a burden.”
“No trouble at all. Just like their neurosurgery program, the more information they receive about a candidate, the better they can make decisions. In the end, however, a lot comes down to the paper application and the residency interview. But my recommendation will be taken into account if you are high on their list.”
“Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.”
“Not to mention it. And prompt that daughter of mine to make up her mind soon as well.” Danny laughed. “So how is sharing Oliver working out for the two of you?”
“Better than we thought. We love him to death. He’s probably getting spoiled rotten going from one place to another.”
“One of these days, Sara and I must meet him.”
“I’ll tell Annabel. Thanks again.”
Annabel grasped the phone. “Dad, thanks for your help. I’ll call you and Mom by the weekend before I transition to the pediatric wards.”
“Bye, honey.”
“That was easy,” Annabel said.
“Every little bit counts. We better start studying so my grades are stellar on my residency application.”
“That goes for both of us.”
Bob opened a book to the side of his sandwich. “I’m looking up the particulars of a pediatric growth hormone deficiency.”
Annabel nodded as her phone buzzed with an incoming call. She glanced at the incoming number and bobbed her head back. Dustin was calling her back after all these days, she thought. Was he calling because of the big deal she made on the last voicemail message about a possible police matter? Or was he calling her because of their relationship? Or both?
She answered, put the phone to her ear, but realized it would be more difficult to talk privately with Bob sitting in front of her. “Hey, I was beginning to worry if something happened to you or if you weren’t receiving my messages.”
“Your voicemail was intriguing. I’m with a colleague at the moment and, as it turns out, the name of that doctor you mentioned, Gillespie, came up.”
Annabel’s heart sank. He sounded impersonal and spoke straight to the point. Perhaps there was nothing personal about his call at all. “A colleague,” she stuttered. “Then say hello to Sean.”
His silence was deafening as Bob turned a page. “Can you tell me what you were concerned about with him?” Dustin asked, ignoring her comment about Sean.
Annabel gulped. Finally, she could hand over the information and feel better about getting it off her chest.
“Don’t get me wrong. This doctor has not overtly done anything outright physically or sexually intimidating with his pediatric patients that I’m aware of, but in my opinion, he goes overboard with his private examinations and comments to them. You and Sean may not be the resource I need to talk to, but if I comment to the department chairman or the medical board of licensing as a student, I may be out of line. Dustin, I just don’t know who to tell.” Her head raised and she looked at Bob.
“Annabel, I had no idea this situation was so bad,” Bob interjected.
“I am trying to keep quiet and not spread possible false accusations in the department.”
She redirected the conversation back to Dustin. “Sorry, I was just filling Bob in. We’re studying together.”
Dustin and Kendrick still stood outside the funeral home. Dustin shook his head. Studying wasn’t the only thing they did together. His disapproval ramped up and he clenched his free hand.
“Do you have any concrete information on this Gillespie at all?”
“I hope so. He works with a female doctor named Heather Clark and he planted a video camera in one of her examination rooms. He’s taping everything that goes on … Dr. Clark, her patients, and physical exams. I learned that Heather has no knowledge of the camera or that she’s being taped. Isn’t that unlawful?”
Dustin opened his mouth in surprise. “What’d she say?” Kendrick asked.
“I’ll tell you, Kendrick. Hold on.”
“Anything else you can tell us?”
“Maybe it doesn’t seem like much, however, he absolutely gives me the creeps. My gut instinct tells me he’s as dangerous as a venomous snake waiting in the underbrush for the next prey to walk by.”
“A dangerous doctor. Tell me what you really think!”
“I’ll gladly tell you more. I think he’s a pedophile! The last people he should be dealing with in his profession are babies and children. Dustin, I tell you, he manipulates their feelings so they trust him. I shudder to think of how far he would go to use a child.”
Bob ignored the book and stared at her. No way did he want to work with Gillespie either.
“All right,” Dustin said. “Keep your cool and do what you must for your rotation. Your information is important and we’re going to act on it sooner than later. I must go, however.”
Annabel felt a pang of sorrow. He had nothing to say about their relationship or why he hadn’t been answering her calls.
“Oh, and by the way. You are correct. Dr. Gillespie’s video recording without letting people know in the office is going to land him in trouble. Dr. Clark, her patients, and anyone else in those exam rooms should unequivocally expect a high level of privacy.”
CHAPTER 27
Annabel closed the call and locked eyes with Bob.
“A pedophile?!” Bob exclaimed. “You think he’s that wretched?”
Annabel nodded. “I did my duty and told someone who is in a position to do something about it.”
“By ‘someone,’ you mean your boyfriend.” Bob cocked his head. “I don’t mean to pry, but has your dating with him slowed down?”
“Maybe. I don’t know what’s going on with him.”
“After Oliver won last Saturday, I noticed he took off from the fair kind of abruptly.”
“Hmm. You thought the same thing.” She grimaced at her phone. “Just now, he didn’t say hello to his partner Sean for me either, yet he didn’t correct me that he wasn’t there. Dustin was with some officer named Kendrick.” Her mouth turned down and her chest heaved from a big breath.
“A police officer’s job must be rough, Annabel. Lots of responsibility, like what we’re going to face in the future. Perhaps he’s going through a period when pulling back from his relationship is important.”
&nbs
p; “Guys always say that women are hard to figure out because they don’t say what’s on their mind. As if men are supposed to know what they’re thinking. In my relationship now, the opposite is true.”
“I’m sorry.” From the side, Oliver planted his head on Bob’s leg and looked up with his soulful eyes. “Oliver, go nuzzle Annabel instead. She could use your luvin’.” Bob waved at the dog. “Go ahead.”
Oliver pranced backwards. He rounded the corner and pressed his muzzle on her lap. “You just want my food.” But Oliver licked her hand. “Oh, all right. You really are trying to lift my spirits.”
“Dogs are windows to our hearts and souls. Even though it’s my night with him, why don’t you take him home when we finish studying and you leave? I had Oliver all day anyway.”
“You’re so sweet.” A smile replaced her downtrodden expression. “I’ll take that favor, if you don’t pay me back for half of dinner.”
“We’ve struck a deal. Now let’s put the George Gillespie discussion to the side and dive into pediatric medical topics.”
-----
The police station was buzzing for a Thursday morning, as if on the brink of a Friday night with jammed downtown bars and backroom hustles. A cop walked in, clasping the arm of an armed robber of a fast food restaurant, and two other officers pushed two teenagers into chairs. They’d been feeding their van from the back door of a box store with wide screen TVs. “What were you thinking?” one of the officers asked. “Major retailers tape customers with video cameras.”
“Not only big box stores,” Dustin said to Kendrick, who leaned against his desk, “but certain doctors’ offices too.”
“We’ll see about that. Come on. The captain gave us both the green light. Let’s go down to the courthouse and get a search warrant on Gillespie.”
“For which? His home or his office?”
“Both.” Kendrick rose his arm and tossed a paper coffee cup across the aisle. He nailed the wastebasket.
Dustin followed Officer Kendrick outside. “Whose car?” Dustin asked.
