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Miles sat across from me, and next to him sat a young woman who I knew as Dr. Eva Wilson, the chief psychiatry resident this year at Valleycrest.
“I hope you don’t mind, Melanie. I’ve asked Eva to join us.”
“Normally I wouldn’t, Miles, but I don’t even know why you’ve summoned me here. Until I know the reason for this meeting, I’m not very comfortable having anyone else attending.”
“Dr. Carmichael—” Eva began.
“It’s all right, Eva,” Miles said. “Melanie, everything in this meeting will be held within the strictest confidence. Eva can be trusted.”
I nodded. “Fine.” I didn’t have the energy to protest anymore.
“Erica Cates’s husband, Rodney Cates, came to me yesterday. He was a mess. Said he had just been with you. It was nearly six o’clock, and I was getting ready to leave the hospital, but he insisted upon seeing me.”
I nodded. What could I say?
“He wants to see your file on his daughter, Melanie.”
“The file is in storage,” I said.
“I understand that.”
“And you probably also understand that my psychotherapy notes are protected under HIPAA.”
“I do. But it might serve your interests best to release the file.”
I widened my eyes into circles. “Did I hear you right? You want me to disregard the law that protects my patients?”
“Melanie, the patient in question is dead.”
“You know the law as well as I do. If he wants to see the file, he needs to go to court, be appointed as the personal representative of his daughter’s estate, and then he can demand access to the file. Not before.”
“Yes, I know that. But why not show him? Right now, I need to think of my patient, and her husband is driving her slowly crazy.”
“I sympathize with you, Miles,” I said, “but I have to think of my patient and her rights too.”
“May I remind you again, Melanie, that your patient is dead?”
“No, you don’t need to remind me of that.” I stood, anger getting the best of me. “Don’t you know that I think of that girl every day of my life? That I question myself? That I wonder what there was that I didn’t see? She haunts me every night, Miles. I did what I thought was best at the time, and I had an attorney and Shelley Barrett, who you yourself have said is one of the best therapists in business today, review my file after Gina’s suicide. They both con
cluded there was nothing in the notes to indicate Gina was suicidal. I believe we’re done here.”
“Sit down, Melanie.”
“I will not. I have nothing more to say on this matter.”
“You may not, but I have more to say. Now please, sit.”
“I think I’ll remain standing. Have your say, Miles.”
“This man is wreaking havoc in the hospital,” Miles said. “Please understand my position. As a friend and colleague, I’m asking for your cooperation.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“Then I have no choice but to ask you to take a leave of absence from your practice.”
I whipped my neck around. “A leave of absence? On what basis?”
“Pending investigation of the medical review board. Rodney Cates filed a complaint against you early this morning.”
