Chapter 69
[ 499 words ]
Chapter 69:
She reached for the wall-mounted phone next to the patient’s chart. Her fingers trembled slightly as she punched in the four-digit extension for the hospital pharmacy. The line clicked, then rang once.
“Pharmacy, this is David,” a bored voice answered.
“This is Caroline Thompson, ICU,” she said, her voice tight and professional. “I had an accident with the IV push for Room 3. The vial for the 2:15 cardiac drip is broken. I need a replacement sent up, stat.”
There was an audible sigh on the other end of the line. “You know the protocol, Thompson. You have to file a waste report before we can re-dispense a controlled substance.”
“The patient is critical,” Caroline bit out, her patience snapping. “I don’t have time to fill out paperwork.”
“Rules are rules,” the voice said flatly. “I’ll email you the form.”
The line went dead. A hot, violent rage surged through Caroline. The bureaucratic delay was a new kind of weapon, one she hadn’t anticipated.
She slammed the phone back into its cradle. Her mind raced. The patient’s next dose was due in less than ten minutes. By the time she filled out the form and waited for a new vial, it would be too late. The patient’s heart rhythm would destabilize.
𝗥e𝗮𝘥 𝘵h𝗲 𝗹a𝗍е𝘀t 𝘁𝗋𝘦ոds 𝗈𝘯 𝗴𝘢𝘭n𝗈𝗏e𝗹𝗌.с𝘰m
She felt a cold sweat break out across the back of her neck. This was Melanie’s real trap. Not just murder, but murder by systemic failure, with Caroline taking the fall for negligence.
She leaned over the bed. Her left hand pinched the yellow rubber port on the patient’s IV line, a useless, preparatory gesture. Her right hand was empty.
Three inches.
Two inches.
The heavy wooden door of the ICU exploded open.
The massive bang of wood hitting the wall sent a violent shockwave through the room. Caroline’s head snapped up, her body tensing for a fight.
Dr. Julian Croft burst into the room.
He didn’t look like the polished, elegant surgeon. His white lab coat was completely unbuttoned, flapping around his legs. His chest was heaving violently. A sheen of sweat coated his forehead, and his eyes behind his wire-rimmed glasses were wide with raw, unfiltered panic.
Caroline stared at him, completely stunned by the chaotic intrusion.
Julian didn’t give her a single second to process.
He crossed the room in three massive strides. He grabbed her right hand, his fingers clamping down around her empty wrist with a bruising, desperate force.
“Code Blue in Ward Two,” Julian shouted. His voice was a harsh, commanding bark that left absolutely no room for debate. “Patient is in V-fib. I need a cardiac push, now! I saw you with the cart, give me what you’ve got!”
Caroline frowned. Her muscles instantly tensed, trying to pull her wrist out of his crushing grip.
“Dr. Croft, I have orders for this patient,” Caroline argued, her voice tight. “And I just had an accident. I don’t have the medication.”
Julian didn’t argue. His eyes darted to the overturned cart, then back to her. He invoked the ultimate hospital authority. “Medical emergency override, Thompson. Come with me. Now.”
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