ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第53章

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itchen　when　the　pain　struck　her。　It　came　suddenly；　without　warning；　like　a　blazing；　searing　fire　and　worse；　much　worse；　than　the　day　before　in　the　hospital　cafeteria。　Drawing　in　her　breath；　biting　her　lip；　trying　not　to　scream　aloud；　Elizabeth　sank　into　a　chair　behind　her。　Briefly　the　pain　went　away；　then　it　returned；　even…it　seemed…more　intensely。　It　was　as　if　it　were　a　cycle。　Then　the　significance　dawned　upon　her。　Involuntarily　she　said；　〃Oh　no！　No！〃
　Dimly；　through　the　enveloping　anguish；　Elizabeth　knew　she　had　to　act　quickly。　The　hospital　number　was　on　a　pad　by　the　telephone。　Suddenly　the　instrument　on　the　other　side　of　the　room　became　an　objective。　Biding　her　time　between　each　onset　of　pain；　grasping　the　table　for　support；　Elizabeth　eased　out　of　the　chair　and　moved　across。　When　she　had　dialed　and　a　voice　answered；　she　said；　gasping；　〃Dr。　Dornberger　。　。　。　it's　urgent。〃
　There　was　a　pause　and　he　came　on　the　line。　〃It's　。　。　。　Mrs。　Alexander；〃　Elizabeth　said。　〃I've　started　。　。　。　to　have　。　。　。　my　baby。〃
　
　David　Coleman　knocked　once　on　the　door　of　Dr。　Pearson's　office；　then　went　in。　He　found　the　senior　pathologist　seated　behind　the　desk；　Carl　Bannister　standing　alongside。　The　lab　technician's　face　had　a　taut　expression；　after　a　first　glance　he　studiously　avoided　looking　Coleman's　way。
　〃You　wanted　to　see　me；　I　believe。〃　Coleman　had　been　returning　from　doing　a　frozen　section　on　the　surgical　floor　when　his　name　had　been　called　on　the　public…address　system。
　〃Yes；　I　did。〃　Pearson's　manner　was　cool　and　formal。　〃Dr。　Coleman；　I　have　received　a　plaint　concerning　you　from　a　member　of　the　staff。　Carl　Bannister　here。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Coleman　raised　his　eyebrows。　Bannister　was　still　looking　straight　ahead。
　Pearson　went　on；　〃I　understand　you　two　had　a　little　brush　this　morning。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　call　it　exactly　that。〃　Coleman　kept　his　voice　casual　and　unperturbed。
　〃What　would　you　call　it　then？〃　There　was　no　mistaking　the　acidity　in　the　old　man's　tone。
　Coleman　said　levelly；　〃Frankly；　I　hadn't　planned　to　bring　the　matter　to　your　attention。　But；　since　Mr。　Bannister　has　chosen　to；　I　think　you　had　better　hear　the　whole　story。〃
　〃If　you're　sure　it's　not　too　much　trouble。〃
　Ignoring　the　sarcasm；　Coleman　said；　〃Yesterday　afternoon　I　told　both　serology　technicians　that　I　planned　to　make　occasional　spot　checks　of　laboratory　work。　Early　this　morning　I　did　make　one　such　check。〃　Coleman　glanced　at　Bannister。　〃I　intercepted　a　patient's　specimen　before　delivery　to　the　serology　lab　and　divided　the　specimen　into　two。　I　then　added　the　extra　sample　to　the　listing　on　the　requisition　sheet；　showing　it　as　an　extra　test。　Later；　when　I　checked；　I　found　that　Mr。　Bannister　had　recorded　two　different　test　results　when；　of　course；　they　should　have　been　identical。〃　He　added；　〃If　you　wish；　we　can　get　the　details　from　the　lab　record　now。〃
　Pearson　shook　his　head。　He　had　risen　from　his　chair　and　was　half　turned　away；　he　appeared　to　be　thinking。　Coleman　wondered　curiously　what　would　happen　next。　He　knew　that　he　himself　was　on　perfectly　secure　ground。　The　procedure　he　had　followed　was　standard　in　most　well…run　hospital　labs。　It　provided　a　protection　for　patients　and　was　a　safeguard　against　carelessness。　Conscientious　technicians　accepted　lab　checks　without　resentment　and　as　a　part　of　their　job。　Moreover；　Coleman　had　followed　protocol　in　telling　both　Bannister　and　John　Alexander　yesterday　that　the　checks　would　be　made。
　Abruptly　Pearson　wheeled　on　Bannister。　〃All　right；　what　have　you　got　to　say？〃
　〃I　don't　like　being　spied　on。〃　The　answer　was　resentful　and　aggressive。　〃I've　never　had　to　work　that　way　before　and　I　don't　figure　I　should　start　now。〃
　〃And　I　tell　you　you're　a　fool！〃　Pearson　shouted　the　words。　〃You're　a　fool　for　making　a　damn　silly　mistake；　and　you're　an　even　bigger　fool　for　ing　to　me　when　you　get　caught　out。〃　He　paused；　his　lips　tight；　his　breathing　heavy。　Coleman　sensed　that　part　of　the　old　man's　anger　stemmed　from　his　frustration　at　having　no　choice　but　to　support　what　the　younger　pathologist　had　done；　much　as　he　might　dislike　it。　Now；　standing　directly　in　front　of　Bannister；　he　snarled；　〃What　did　you　expect　me　to　do…pat　you　on　the　back　and　give　you　a　medal？〃
　Bannister's　face　muscles　were　working。　For　once　he　appeared　to　have　no　answer。　Surveying　him　grimly；　Pearson　seemed　about　to　go　on；　then　abruptly　he　stopped。　Turning　partly　away；　he　gestured　with　his　hand。　〃Get　out！　Get　out！〃
　Without　a　word；　his　face　set；　looking　neither　to　right　nor　left；　Bannister　went　out　of　the　room　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　Now　Pearson　turned　sharply　to　Coleman。　〃What　the　devil　do　you　mean　by　this？〃
　David　Coleman　could　see　the　burning　anger　in　the　old　man's　eyes。　He　realized　that　the　affair　with　Bannister　was　merely　a　preliminary　skirmish。　Determined　not　to　lose　his　own　temper；　he　answered　mildly；　〃What　do　I　mean　by　what；　Dr。　Pearson？〃
　〃You　know　damn　well　what　I　mean！　I　mean　by　making　lab　checks…without　my　authority。〃
　Coleman　said　coldly；　〃Do　I　really　need　your　authority？　For　something　routine　like　that？〃
　Pearson　slammed　his　fist　on　the　desk。　〃Any　time　I　want　lab　checks　I'll　order　them！〃
　〃If　it's　of　any　interest；〃　Coleman　said；　still　quietly；　〃I　happen　to　have　had　your　authority。　As　a　matter　of　courtesy　I　mentioned　to　you　yesterday　that　I　would　like　to　do　standard　lab　checks　in　Serology；　and　you　agreed。〃
　Suspiciously　Pearson　said；　〃I　don't　remember。〃
　〃I　assure　you　the　conversation　took　place。　In　any　case；　I'm　not　in　the　habit　of　making　that　kind　of　invention。〃　David　Coleman　felt　his　own　anger　rising；　it　was　hard　to　conceal　his　contempt　for　this　aged　inpetent。　He　added；　〃I　may　say　you　seemed　rather　preoccupied　at　the　time。〃
　He　appeared　to　have　checked　Pearson；　at　least　partially。　Grumblingly　the　old　man　said；　〃If　you　say　so；　I'll　believe　you。　But　it'll　be　the　last　time　you　do　something　like　that　on　your　own。　Understand？〃
　Coleman　sensed　that　this　was　a　critical　moment；　both　for　Pearson　and　himself。　Icily　he　asked；　〃Do　you　mind　telling　me　what　kind　of　responsibility　I'm　to　have　in　this　department？〃
　〃You'll　get　whatever　I　choose　to　give　you。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　find　that　at　all　satisfactory。〃
　〃You　don't；　eh？〃　Pearson　was　directly　in　front　of　the　younger　man　now；　his　head　jutted　forward。　〃Well；　there　happen　to　be　a　few　things　I　don't　find　satisfactory　either。〃
　〃For　instance？〃　David　Coleman　had　no　intention　of　being　intimidated。　And　if　the　old　man　wanted　a　showdown；　he　himself　was　quite　willing　to　have　it；　here　and　now。
　〃For　instance；　I　hear　you've　been　laying　down　the　law　in　the　autopsy　room；〃　Pearson　said。
　〃You　asked　me　to　take　charge　of　it。〃
　〃I　told　you　to　supervise　autopsies；　not　to　set　up　a　lot　of　fancy　rules。　No　smoking；　I　understand。　Is　that　supposed　to　include　me？〃
　〃I　imagine　that　will　be　up　to　you；　Dr。　Pearson。〃
　〃I'll　say　it'll　be　up　to　me！〃　The　other's　calmness　seemed　to　make　Pearson　angrier。　〃Now　you　listen　to　me；　and　listen　good。　You　may　have　some　pretty　fancy　qualifications；　mister；　but　you've　still　got　a　lot　to　learn　and　I'm　still　in　charge　of　this　department。　What's　more；　there　are　good　reasons　I'm　going　to　be　around　here　for　a　long　time　yet。　So　now's　the　time　to　decide…if　you　don't　like　the　way　I　run　things；　you　know　what　you　can　do。〃
　Before　Coleman　could　answer　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　Impatiently　Pearson　called　out；　〃Yes？〃
　A　girl　secretary　came　in；　glancing　curiously　from　one　to　the　other。　It　occurred　to　Coleman　that　Pearson's　voice；　at　least；　must　have　been　clearly　audible　in　the　corridor　outside。　The　girl　said；　〃Excuse　me；　Dr。　Pearson。　There　are　two　telegrams　for　you。　They　just　came。〃　Pearson　took　the　two　buff　envelopes　the　girl　held　out。
　When　she　had　gone　Coleman　was　about　to　reply。　But　Pearson　stopped　him　with　a　gesture。　Beginning　to　thumb　open　the　first　envelope；　he　said；　〃These　will　be　the　answers　about　the　girl…Lucy　Grainger's　patient。〃　His　tone　was　quite　different　from　that　of　a　few　moments　before。　He　added；　〃They　took　long　enough　about　it。〃
　Automatically　David　Coleman　felt　a　quickening　of　interest。　Tacitly　he　accepted　Pearson's　view　that　their　argument　could　be　postponed；　this　was　more　important。　As　Pearson　had　the　first　flap　open　the　telephone　jangled　sharpl