Page 32 of Doctor Frost

“Amelia White?”

“Yes,” I said, swallowing hard, certain I probably looked as if I were going to be sick.

“I’m Constance Granger. I’m here to aid you through this hearing. Why don’t you have a seat?” she said, standing up and pouring me a glass of water from the pitcher on the desk.

I slipped into the chair and placed my purse at my feet, thankful to sit down as it helped the room to stop spinning.

“So, why don’t you start by telling me about your relationship with Dalton?”

What did she want to know? Panic filled me now that I realized I probably should have read the complaint. Since I did not know what it even said, I did not know how to answer her question.

“What about my relationship?” I questioned.

“Oh, I guess I should be a little clearer. About your working relationship. How long have you been working with him?”

I nodded. “I’ve been working for him for a year.”

“And how would you describe him as a boss?”

“I enjoy working for him.”

She wrote my answer, then looked up at me. “Some of the staff around the hospital say he can be difficult to get along with. Would you say that is true?”

I shrugged. “Maybe at first, but once you get to know him and what he expects, it gets easier.”

“Amelia, you have worked for many doctors in this hospital. Wouldn’t you say that every doctor expects the same standard of work?”

“Of course.”

“Do you not provide the same work ethic to them all?”

“Yes.”

“Then what is it you mean by once you learn what he expects.”

Alarm filled me. I’d clearly chosen the wrong words.

“In the report, it was mentioned that you often complained about Dalton to others. Then suddenly you stopped. It was shortly after he requested you specifically to come to the emergency department one day. After that, you helped with him and his daughter in the cafeteria. You were also seen holding hands and kissing in public places, not to mention being caught in the act. So exactly what does this man expect?”

I frowned. That was the day his daughter had the meltdown over her hair. That was the day I’d helped fix it for her in the change room.

I smiled, trying to hide my nerves. “Yes, the cafeteria. His daughter had somewhat of a hair catastrophe and was having a meltdown. I helped fix her hair for her.”

“I see, and you were spotted with her shortly after that in the pharmacy on West Road,” she said, looking back at the complaint.

I frowned. Had Connie been following me? “Well, yes, she was having a female emergency.”

Constance looked up at me and stopped writing.

“I was simply helping her get some female hygiene products. Since her mother died, she felt better speaking with another woman. I’d told her it was fine to call me.”

“Dalton is an OB/GYN, do you not think he could take care of that for his own daughter?” she questioned, looking me straight in the eye.

“Well, yes, but—”

“But what? What it looks like to me is that perhaps Dalton called you because he wanted to get closer to you, and the only way he could do that was to get you out of the office and perhaps into his own private space. Or maybe you were looking for a promotion that Connie wouldn’t give you?”

“That is ridiculous.”

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