Page 96 of Shadows of Recovery

With Matt's discreet assistance, they managed to get Sophie back into bed. Tristan stayed beside her, his hand gently holding hers. Matt’s presence in the house was a silent reminder of the support system they had, ready to intervene if necessary.

As Sophie drifted into a troubled sleep, Tristan remained vigilant. He knew tonight had been a turning point. They had confronted her deepest fear.

Thirty-Six

Aweek later, Tristan sat at his desk in his office at the hospital, going through the previous week’s charts. The monotony of his task was suddenly shattered when he came across a familiar name: Trace Whitlock. He choked on his coffee, anger and disbelief surging through him.

He quickly opened the hospital census and searched for Trace’s name, his heart pounding. There it was. Trace Whitlock was in the ICU in kidney and liver failure. But what made Tristan’s blood run cold was the name listed as Trace’s personal physician: Kay Birdham.

Tristan picked up his phone and dialed Brad Killian, his hand shaking with anger. "Brad, you're not going to believe this. Trace Whitlock is a patient in the hospital."

"Are you sure?" Brad's voice crackled through the phone, filled with surprise.

"Yes, I'm looking at the admission right now," Tristan tried to keep his voice steady. "He's in the ICU, and his physician of record is… Kay Birdham. I fired her for committing medical malpractice involving Sophie’s care.” He exhaled loudly. “Damn it. She shouldn’t be practicing. But the state hasn’t dealt with the malpractice complaint yet."

There was a pause on the other end before Brad responded, "That's concerning. Kay Birdham being involved complicates things. We need to understand why she’s his physician and what’s going on with his treatment. And, most importantly, if Damon or any others from the Eldon Sect are visiting. Tristan, the hospital grounds are fair game. We can take them in for questioning.”

Tristan growled, "I’m going to the ICU. I need to see this for myself."

"Keep me updated," Brad said. "I'll move some things on my end."

Tristan made his way to the ICU. When he arrived, he spotted Kay Birdham talking to a nurse outside Trace’s room. He took a deep breath and approached her.

"Kay," he said, his voice tight with controlled anger.

Kay turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "Tristan."

"Why is Trace Whitlock under your care?" he demanded, his eyes narrowing.

Kay met his gaze without flinching. "He’s my patient. The Whitlock family hired me. I’m taking care of the population of Eldon Falls.”

Tristan clenched his fists, struggling to keep his composure. "Eldon Falls’ physician? When was the last time you treated a patient medically? You admitted him for rule out kidney and liver failure some time ago. What’s his diagnosis?”

She glared at him.

The hospitalist walked over. “Tristan.” She shook his hand. “Dr. Birdham, I wish you had told us Mr. Whitlock’s cat had been sleeping with him. His wife said, about a week before he developed a fever, he’d been scratching something fierce. We ran some more tests. Mr. Whitlock has contracted a Yersinia pestis infection, likely from flea bites. I’ve ordered a different set of antibiotics and a sonogram of his liver. I suspect an abscess.”

Tristan glanced through the window into Trace’s room. The sight of the patriarch, frail and vulnerable, only fueled his anger. "Did you report it to the health department? Plague is on the list.” He turned his ire to Kay. “We always ask about animals. Flea-carried disease is common in the western part of the US.”

He turned his body so the hospitalist didn’t hear him. “This is more than just a medical issue, Kay. There are serious ethical concerns here."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you questioning my integrity, Tristan?"

"I’m questioning your involvement, given the circumstances," he shot back. "This isn’t just about Trace’s health. This is about the safety and well-being of everyone around him."

The hospitalist was called away. Before leaving, she said, “Tristan, tell Sophie I miss her.”

Tristan smiled at her and turned his frown on Kay.

“Unfucking real,” Kay spat. “My priority is my patients’ health. And I have to put food on my table.”

Tristan took a step closer, lowering his voice. "This isn’t just about Trace’s health, Kay. He’s dangerous. His family is dangerous. And the fact that he’s here at this hospital, a facility his son almost destroyed, raises a lot of questions. We need to ensure his treatment is transparent and above board."

Kay glared. "I’ll make sure everything is documented and open for review. But, Tristan, you are not my boss anymore."

“I’m an administrator in this hospital. I’m sending a copy of the letter Chris Skylar sent to the state review board to this hospital’s board. If the state is slow in removing your license, at least the hospital won’t let you practice. Your days treating patients here are numbered.”

Two women, one in her seventies and one about thirty, walked out of Trace’s room. “Dr. Kay, who is this?” the older woman asked.

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