Page 54 of Raymond's Forever

“Yes, Dr. Ervin reached out to me via e-mail stating that I owed the clinic money for my incompetence and making the clinic look bad for hiring me in the first place.”

“Was Dr. Ervin in on the hiring process when you came aboard?” He walked to the table, took the paper Ilsa handed him, and walked over to the other table, the judge, and jury, handing out a copy of the e-mail. “Dr. Johnson, was Dr. Ervin on the hiring committee when you started at the clinic in question?”

“Oh, sorry, no. I had worked there for twelve years before he arrived.”

“To the best of your knowledge, what did Dr. Ervin do at the clinic?”

“Push papers.”

“OBJECTION!”

The judge gave Dr. Ervin a look, and he quickly sat down.

“Can you clarify your previous statement?”

“There’s nothing to clarify. He never saw patients, and if he did have someone on his schedule, he cancelled the appointment at the last minute, or asked me to see them. Not once in the two years he worked there did I see him interact with a patient in a doctor/patient capacity. Sure, he talked to them in the hallway, but he never stepped into a room with them, let alone treat them. Before Dr. Perkins arrived, I was seeing twice as many patients I did before Dr. Ervin arrived.”

“What happened after Dr. Perkins arrived?”

“Let’s just say that I was glad I was leaving.”

“Can you please clarify that statement.”

“It was bad at the clinic when Dr. Ervin arrived, because he pushed his patents off onto me. When Dr. Perkins arrived, I was told before he even started, that he was my replacement, and that because I was a woman playing at working in a man’s field, then I was to do whatever Dr. Perkins told me to, because he was more important than I was.” She shook her head and sipped thewater provided. “Dr. Perkins arrived two weeks before I left the clinic to branch out on my own. His first day there, he started bringing in all his files, and personal stuff and stored them in my office. He told me that it was my duty to get out of my office and put all of his things away.”

“Did you?”

“No, it wasn’t my job to make his life easier. Then he and Dr. Ervin demanded that I bill their clients. I refused.”

“Why?”

“Because Dr. Ervin never saw any clients, so there wasn’t anything to bill. Then Dr. Perkins gave me billing codes for non-existent patients. I refused to bill anyone, because I didn’t physically see, with my own eyes, what they did with these patients, real or imaginary. I went about my work and counted down the days.”

“What was the atmosphere in the clinic before you left?”

“Tense, the only good thing was that both Dr. Perkins and Dr. Ervin wouldn’t arrive until eleven in the morning, and would be gone by three in the afternoon. Oh, and Dr. Perkins never ever worked on a Monday and he was scheduled. Another thing I tried to do, was I tried to brief both of them about my patients, and Dr. Perkins literally patted me on the head and said, “Stop playing at doctor, and acting like you know what you’re talking about. I have a system, and I will implement it once you’re gone. Trust me, your patients will never even know you existed when I take over here.”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing. I was so incensed that my entire body shook with my anger. I clamped my jaw shut, and walked away. That was at the end of his first week. I worked my last week and totally ignored them. When they tried to demand I do their administrative work, like make their chart notes, I refused because as I just said, I had no clue what was said in theirappointments, if they even had appointments. I wasn’t going to risk my own license making up lies. It would be classified as insurance fraud, medical malpractice, let alone unsafe practices. No one is worth that risk to my own livelihood.”

“Thank you, no further questions.”

“No questions at this time.”

“You may step down.”

“I have no further witnesses, your Honor,” Raymond said.

“Counselor, do you have witnesses?”

“Not at this time.”

“Then I’ll call for recess today. If neither side has any questions, or witnesses, I’ll call for closing statements at nine tomorrow morning.”

CHAPTER 21

Ilsa and Ameliawalked into their hotel room, and the first thing Amelia did was unlock the connecting door, opened it, and rushed into Raymond’s arms. With her wrapped in his arms, she could breathe easier.