Chapter 4
The people in the room stared at Kevin, in shock, and it was Erin that raised her stump, and everyone froze as she pulled out her phone and dialed.
“Hey, Naomi, can you come to Raymond’s cabin over at New Double?
If Clark’s with you, bring him. We have a situation.
” She hung up and looked at the others. With a grin, she held her coffee cup to Reid, and he refilled it.
“Remember what the doctor said, you should cut back to decaf.” He nodded at her baby bump.
“I know, and I will, Julie’s been combining decaf and regular at the house.”
“Really, I can’t tell any difference.”
Erin shrugged, sipped, and looked at the others.
“I had a theory, but I need Naomi here. Remember that part in the video where Dr. Ervin said something about taking money to lie to a patient?” She looked around and she stared directly at Reid as she continued, “Don’t quote me, and don’t tell me why I’m saying this, but my gut is screaming that the patient in question was Naomi.
I called them over here so she can view the video to confirm or deny if the doctor is the one that told her she was paralyzed.
If my theory is correct, then this case will tie into the case Jason and Ilsa are doing to go after Benson and The Big Pig.
” She looked at Raymond and sighed with a shake of her head.
“It’s complicated, and I don’t want to get into it.
Talk to Jason. Next, if this is connected, then Kevin, to answer your question, I think both Naomi and Clark should go with Shay to that doctor appointment. ”
“Why?”
“I’ll explain after we can confirm if Dr. Ervin is the one that told Naomi she would be in the wheelchair the rest of her life.”
“Naomi Alcott, the owner of New Double?” Raymond asked in shock. “But she’s up and walking.”
“Yes, she is now, but she was in a chair for six years. I’d like to know how long ago Ervin worked in Vegas. I don’t know the timeline of when Naomi’s accident happened.” They all paused at the knocking on the door, and stepped aside as it was opened, and Naomi walked in with Clark close behind.
“What’s up?” Naomi asked, and looked at the two women, with bruised faces, sitting at the table.
“We have a situation,” Reid said, and did what he used to do while in the military. He gave the report with precise details, then stepped back.
“Why do you need us?” Clark asked.
“We have a video we would like Naomi to see. Some things were said on it that made me think of her accident. Naomi, before you view it, when was your accident? Who was the doctor that told you that you would never walk again?”
“Eight years ago. It was Dr. Earl Alexander. I’ll never forget his face or the sound of his voice. He was so cold and detached when he told me there was no surgery that would help me.” She watched as everyone in the room stared at each other, then looked at Raymond. “What?”
“Watch this,” Raymond said as he pointed to the computer.
“We’ll explain afterward, Clark,” Erin said, and 3pointed to the computer.
They walked over and looked down as Raymond pressed the play button. “Fucker,” Naomi said immediately as Dr. Ervin slapped Betty. When it played in its entirety, she looked up and shook her head.
“I don’t know what name he’s going by now, but that man that slapped you and threatened your job is Dr. Earl Alexander.
He told me at the hospital in Las Vegas that I would never walk again.
I later found out that my father had paid him off to tell me that.
It was thought at the time that Benson did what he did thinking I would be put in a home or something, and he could control the Double A. ”
“What’s that?” Raymond asked.
“My ranch out in Wyoming. That’s where all these horses came from. Erin and Clark own the property we’re standing on, along with the buildings, but the horses and equipment are mine. I inherited it from my grandfather. When we moved everything to Colorado, we renamed it New Double.”
“Jason Black knows about this?”
“Yes.”
Erin turned to Clark and looked him dead in the eye. “Kevin asked who will go with Shay to visit with this new doctor. I think it should be you and Naomi.”
“Why? I’m not saying we won’t go, but I want to see where your mind is heading.”
“We want to catch this guy in his lies. I’m thinking the two of you can accompany Shay because you’re the property owner, and Naomi is the ranch owner. You’re worried about insurance increasing or some such shit like that.” The room chuckled. “Play it up and see what the doctor says.”
“Do you have insurance on your employees? Health insurance?” Raymond asked.
“Yes, you get it on your second month here. I figure if you can last thirty days working on a ranch, then you’ll stick around. I have your information over in my office at Erin’s Way.”
“Oh, okay, I didn’t expect that, but I’m going to need your insurance policy for this case.”
“Let Julie know what you need, and she should get it to you.”
“Thank you,” Raymond said as he wrote on the pad of paper and looked around, then at Amelia. “When do you think they’ll call Shay in?”
“Probably not until I leave. My last day is Friday, a week from yesterday, and I’m almost all packed up to move here on Saturday.
I only live up in Colorado Springs, which is roughly an hour away.
I should be here by early afternoon. I was going to wait until I came here to talk to Erin about this, but I got paranoid, and didn’t want the files I copied to be found.
I put them in my storage locker last night, but Betty and I picked them up on our way here this morning. ”
“Where are they now?”
“In the trunk of my car. There are seven boxes.”
“What type of files?”
“Medical records of orthopedic patients at the clinic. Their written, or typed, appointments with the doctor, lab results, MRIs, CAT scans, x-rays.”
“I have my x-rays from when Caleb took them before I saw you that first time,” Shay spoke then.
“Good, we’re going to want them, and then I think it would be good for us to have a new set of them before you are called in for a visit.
We can compare, and try as much as you can, try to get a copy of what Perkins or Ervin will give you.
” She looked around, then sighed. “I don’t care if you have to snap a photo of them on your phone, we’re going to need those films. See if you can’t find a name on them, it will be in the upper left-hand corner of the films.”
“Evidence.”
“Correct.
“I have a suggestion,” Duane said then.
“What’s that?”
“We’ll do our deep dive check on Perkins and the cities he mentioned, but what about reading Brotherhood Protectors in for Dr. Earl Alexander?
I’m thinking if he really is Dr. Earl Alexander,” he said as he looked at Naomi.
“Sorry, I’m not doubting you, but if you knew him by a different name, then how many other names has he had.
” He looked at Amelia and Betty then. “Do not do anything to get caught, but can you get us something with his DNA on it? I’m thinking maybe a disposable coffee cup or something he drank out of.
” He looked around the room again, then between Erin and Clark.
“If Jake can’t help us, he can call in Carter from the Yellowstone office.
That’s closer to Vegas than we are. Maybe someone from that office can start poking around.
” He shrugged. “Just another set of eyes and ears on the case.”
“Yes,” Betty said without hesitation. “Pardon my language, but that man is a fucking slob. He treats us nurses like we’re his personal maids.
My day to clean his office is on Thursdays.
I throw at least half a dozen or more cups of half-drunk coffee out during my shift.
If he’s in surgery, it’s not as bad.” She giggled then, and looked at Amelia.
“Remember when the hospital administrator threatened to revoke his surgery privileges if he walked into the OR with another coffee cup.”
“Oh, shit, yeah.” Amelia looked at the others with a grin. “He’s been written up several times because he thinks he’s a God, and the rules don’t apply to him.”
“Oh, and he’s also forever leaving his half-full or empty coffee cups in patient rooms, at the nurses’ station, he gets pissed when we toss them and wipe down the areas. I would hate to see what his home looks like.” She shuddered.
“Perfect, make sure no one catches you, and if you could, could you get them to Amelia before Friday? I’m sure you have plastic bags you could put them in.”
“I can do that. Would you like his sweaty gloves too?” She wiggled her fingers. “He’s tossing them all over his desk and floor of his office too.”
“Perfect,” Duane turned to the others and nodded when they grinned.
“We can send them out to get prints to verify if the asshat that hit Betty is Earl Alexander or Alexander Ervin.” He whipped his gaze back to Betty.
“Do not, I can’t stress this enough, but do not get caught, or make it obvious what you’re doing. ”
“I won’t, I know how to work in the shadows. I’m a nurse, doctors never listen to us, or see us, only when their orders aren’t carried out or we question them do they realize we exist.” She turned to look at Amelia. “I don’t think that about you, none of the nurses do, you’re one of the good ones.”
“Thank you.” Amelia didn’t know what to say.
They sat there for a couple of silent moments, then Shay spoke.
“If and when I get called into visit with this Perkins, do I walk in like this?” He stood and walked toward the living room and back, everyone saw there was no brace, and no limp.
He sat back down. “Or do I wear the brace Dr. Johnson gave me when I first went in to see her. The one that goes from mid-calf to mid-thigh?”