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“Then let’s make it count.”
Jason pointed to a sign that read CAFETERIA in blocky letters. They followed the arrow into a large room bustling with activity. Visitors could grab sandwiches and salads on one side and sit at small, round tables on the other. A couple of nurses sat with co-workers or friends, sharing a cup of coffee and a snack.
Someone waved to Jason as soon as they crossed the threshold. He returned the gesture and made a beeline for her table. The only thing Cassie knew was that her name was Stacey, and her brother used to go to school with Jason. The woman jumped up when they got within range, dropped her sandwich onto her tray, and wrapped her arms around Jason.
“It’s been so long.” She pulled back. Everything about her was pale, from her ivory skin to her white-blonde hair. Even her eyes, which were ice blue. She wore periwinkle scrubs, which only made her look more delicate. “Ricky says hi.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Good. He and his girlfriend just broke up, so he’s crashing at my place for a while. He’ll be fine, though.” Her eyes shifted to Cassie. “Hi. My name’s Stacey.”
“Cassie.” She shook the other woman’s hand. “Thanks for meeting with us.”
“No problem.” She plopped herself back into her chair and took another bite of her sandwich. “Don’t mind me while I stuff my face. I’ve only got about ten minutes before I have to get back.”
They sat across from her. Jason let Stacey take another bite before he began the interrogation. “I know you already talked to Kiki and Janelle, but I was wondering what you could tell me about what happened that day? With Jasmine?”
Stacey put her sandwich down and wiped her mouth. She had trouble meeting Jason’s eyes. “I’m so sorry, by the way. About Jasmine. I still can’t believe she’s gone. I know we weren’t friends or anything, but it still feels weird.”
“I know.” Jason leaned forward and waited for her to look at him. “No one blames you, Stacey. Seriously. I know you were there. I know you tried to help. From what the doctor told us, there was nothing they could do.”
Tears pooled at the bottom of her eyes. “Doesn’t stop you from thinking you could’ve done more, though. But it was over so fast.”
“Is that normal?” Cassie asked. “For a patient to just crash like that?”
“Sometimes.” Stacey looked down at her sandwich, but she pushed it away. “It depends. The strange part with Jasmine was that she made it through surgery okay. She was strong. Dr. Madasani said it was one of the easier surgeries he’d done, despite all the work she’d endured. We set her up in a room, she was solid for a day, and then her heart failed.”
“Is there any reason that would happen so long after surgery?”
“A million.” Stacey shrugged. “But like I said, all signs pointed to her making a good recovery. To see her health plummet like that was strange.”
“Could there be any other reasons that would happen?” Cassie couldn’t help but think of the Ghost Doctor from her dream. “Any outside factors that could affect her like that?”
“Administration of the wrong medication. Administration of the right medication in the wrong amount.”
“Is there any chance that could’ve been a factor?”
Stacey hesitated. “It’s always a factor.”
The table was silent for a moment. Jason leaned forward again. “Do you know something?”
“No.” Her voice was firm, her body stiff. Then she let go of the tension. “I’m not sure.”
“We just want answers. We won’t name names. I promise.”
The conviction in Jason’s voice must’ve been enough for Stacey to believe him because she lowered her voice and whispered, “Did you hear about Mark Galanis? He died about a month ago.”
Jason shook his head. “What happened?”
?
??We don’t know.” Stacey checked her watch. “He just stopped breathing.”
“Do you have any theories?” Cassie didn’t want to press the woman, but they weren’t getting anywhere, and their window was closing. “Any reason people would be fine one minute and not the next?”
“Unfortunately, it happens all the time. It can be natural. If you’re asking me if I’ve seen something, the answer is no.” She looked disappointed. “But there are a lot of drugs in a hospital like this. They’re not always as well-regulated as you’d think. Too much of a good thing can be just as dangerous.”
“If someone got the wrong medication, or too high a dosage of the right medication, would the doctors know?”
