9. CONAN
Chapter nine
T he next morning, I’d barely clocked in for my shift when my phone started vibrating in my pocket. It was a text from Atticus: Break room. Now. That tone, even in a text, meant trouble, so I hustled down the hallway.
Bursting into the break room, I found Atticus planted in the corner of the room, gritting his teeth, crossing his arms, and staring up at the TV. The room was empty except for us. The screen showed the reporter—Niles Johnson, from Channel 5—once again camped outside our emergency department. He had that familiar smug look plastered across his face as he spoke into the microphone. His overly slick appearance and pompous demeanor grated on my nerves.
I joined Atticus in front of the TV, fixing my eyes on the screen. “What’s he saying now? ”
“They’re running a ‘Do you know this woman?’ segment,” Atticus muttered disgustedly. “Look at this. They’re using the photos of her from the scene of the wreck as they extricated her from the car and from when she was brought in.”
On the screen, images flashed of Jane Doe, bloodied and unconscious, her face barely recognizable.
“—and if anyone recognizes this woman or has any information about her actions leading up to the accident, please contact local authorities or us here at KING Channel 5 News.”
“They’re using her accident photos? That’s low,” I huffed out.
“Listen to this,” Atticus said, his voice tight.
Niles started recapping how she’d broken into the Volkov estate, stolen a car, and led police on a wild chase that had ended at the base of a tree.
“The individual did not appear to know whose home she was breaking into,” Niles was saying. “Authorities have found no links to the man who led the notorious Volkovi Notchi crime syndicate. At this point, all our findings indicate she stumbled upon the property by accident.”
“And they just blast her face all over the news, no regard for her privacy,” I spat out, rubbing my fingers across the stubble on my chin. Niles continued his narrative by detailing her pending charges.
“They know nothing about her situation. She could’ve been desperate, scared…” I sighed, thinking of her lying there in the ICU, unaware of the circus her life had become.
“Yeah, but since when did the media care about the why? It’s all about the spectacle,” Atticus said, shaking his head.
“And now, that asshole has turned her into a target by asking viewers to play detective,” I said .
Niles continued, “As far as we know, she has not regained consciousness, and no one has come forward recognizing her. Remember, if you have any information about this woman, please contact local authorities at the hotline number below.”
More images of the crash site and Jane Doe being wheeled into the hospital appeared on the screen, a blatant invasion of her privacy.
“This is bullshit,” I growled. “He’s got no right. Those were taken once she was in our care, during her treatment. That’s confidential.”
“Yeah, and there’s no respect for her condition or the circumstances. It’s like they’ve already tried and convicted her,” Atticus scoffed, then jabbed the remote to turn off the TV. “She’s being treated like a criminal before she even wakes up.”
“Has anyone called legal about this?” I asked, already pulling out my phone, ready to make the call myself.
Atticus nodded. “I called them the moment I saw what was going on. They’re on it, but you know how these things go. Freedom of the press gives these vultures a lot to hide behind, and public interest validates what they’re doing.”
I pocketed my phone, clenching my fists at my sides. “It’s not right. She’s not even awake to defend herself, and they’re painting her as some criminal mastermind.”
“We’ve done all we can for the moment,” Atticus said, motioning toward the door. “Let’s get back to work. Patients need us more than we need to watch this garbage.”
Nodding, I followed him out of the break room. The images we’d seen of Jane Doe were burned into my mind. With every step I took toward the ED, I became more and more pissed off. This media storm was going to be a battle, and I was ready to fuck up one Niles Johnson.