Maybe it was the desperation in my voice, or maybe it was the mention of the “unlicensed nurse,” but the officer hesitated. He looked at Zara, saw her pale, blue-tinged lips, and his face changed. “Go,” he barked at Tai. “Follow us. We’ll escort you.”
The next four hours were the longest of my life. We sat in the ER—not at Riverbridge, but at the main city hospital. Zara was placed in an oxygen tent. The doctors told us it was a severe case of RSV, exacerbated by the stress and the delay in care. As she stabilized, my fear turned into a cold, hard diamond of resolve.
The next morning was the Care Loop Board of Directors meeting. Gavin Price was there, looking smug in a three-piece suit, standing next to Mara, who was dressed in a conservative floral dress, looking like a victim. The board members looked at me with pity and skepticism.
“Ms. Caldwell,” the chairman began. “Given the public scandal and the CPS investigation—”
“Stop,” I said, walking to the front of the room. I didn’t sit. I didn’t offer a polite smile. I opened my laptop and projected Mara’s forged license onto the massive screen. “Before we discuss my leadership, let’s discuss the fact that for fifteen years, this woman has been practicing medicine without a license under your roof.”
