Disclaimer: I do not own CSI
A/N: This chapter is a flashback that gives some closure on Dr. Vincent Lurie's actions chronicled in Secrets and Ghosts. In case you haven't read that one, there is a synopsis at the start of chapter one. Or, you may just wan to skip it; after this chapter, you won't need to be familiar with S & G to follow this story. Chapter four picks back up with the current storyline, and I promise some surprises are coming!
6 weeks earlier…
Marion Davies' report containing detailed accounts of Vincent Lurie's obsessive behavior surrounding Sara Sidle arrived at the executive committee level of Desert Palms Hospital. It was first submitted to the ethics committee, but they felt it was too hot to handle. The ethics committee kicked it up to the top governing entity of the hospital, the executive committee. Lurie already had two complaints filed against him for sexual harassment of female employees. As it was the third such report on him; his privileges were suspended immediately pending an investigation. Notice was forwarded to the Nevada licensing board as well. A subcommittee was formed, which was rather favorable for Lurie. However, in the meantime, the workaholic physician stalked around his house. Rage building daily toward the man he already hated. Gil Grissom couldn't put him in jail literally, but this was the next closest thing he reasoned. He was kept away from his livelihood and his reputation was in jeopardy to say the least, not to mention his medical license. Waiting for the resolution of the matter was torture, and the wheels of justice in the hospital turned slowly.
The report finally arrived at the desk of Dr. Randall Gardner, the appointed chairman of the subcommittee. The good doctor was a venerable member of the Desert Palms Hospital staff. He had served the hospital in innumerable capacities over the years, and took great pride in the accomplishments and reputation of the hospital. To say he was saddened by the report was an understatement; a high profile member of an esteemed medical staff cast in this kind of light. He planned to make it go away anyway he could.
He held out his hand and greeted the other members of the subcommittee as they filed in and took their seats. Dr. Price was the most objective of the three. He was inclined to integrate past offences with the present findings, and weed out a problem physician; hospital reputation be damned. Dr. James Bryan, the third member of the subcommittee was somewhere in between; certainly not wanting to come down on a colleague, but at least willing to look into things.
"Has everyone reviewed the report?" Dr. Gardner began; with the nods he received he went forward. "Looks like Vince got this social worker a bit riled." He chuckled a bit, as he thumbed the pages of the report.
"On the contrary," Price interjected, "I met with the social worker who filed the report. She has no animosity towards Vincent Lurie. She was merely looking into a possible domestic abuse situation in one of his patients, when she was told of all this by people observing him. She felt compelled to report it, and I'd say she's done so quite objectively."
Bryan spoke up to bridge the gap between these polar opposites, "Well, our task at hand is to see if there's really something to this, so let's go about it." He opened his folder and began, "Basically, it looks like there are two separate issues here; an odd obsession with his female patient, and a vendetta of sorts against her boyfriend."
"Let's not waste anymore time here, I'd like to get Vince's side of this," Gardner bellowed out. When no one objected, he buzzed the receptionist to see Dr. Lurie in. He had been outside waiting for this reason, to give his explanation of the behavior described in the report. At the moment he was on suspension pending an inquiry, but he had yet to hear the details of the complaint, or who filed it, for that matter. The letter informing him of his suspension was somewhat vague. It only mentions his conduct regarding his care of Sara Sidle; that it was described as inappropriate on multiple levels. Lurie had incorrectly assumed Grissom had complained about how Sara's social service consult had been handled.
After the greetings and handshakes were done, everyone took their seats; Gardner behind his desk, and the other three in chairs arranged in an arc in front of it. "Vince, we have a few questions for you regarding a complaint forwarded to us regarding your handling of a patient, Sara Sidle."
"Yes, I was informed that was why I was suspended, but I'm at a loss to know what in the world I'm supposed to have done to provoke such action."
"You were observed by everyone who saw you with this patient, to be, well, fixated on her," Gardner cut to the chase.
"In what way?"
"Staring at her, to the point of ignoring everyone else in the room."
"She reminded me of someone I once knew. The resemblance was remarkable," Lurie replied reverently.
This time it was James Bryant who spoke up, "It was Debbie Marlin, wasn't it?"
"Yes," Lurie replied softly, "it was amazing, really, like she had come back to life." He smiled as he continued, "Haven't you studied someone when they look familiar; you look longer than you should, it's true."
"But, Vince," Price shot back, "You freaked everybody out with it. It was more than just a lingering look."
"Is that what this is all about? How I looked at her?"
"That's part of it. So many people remarked on it; it was hard to ignore," Bryan offered by way of an explanation.
"OK, well, it is what it is. I looked at her intently; she was so much like Debbie I couldn't believe my eyes." Lurie continued, now a bit agitated, "I never even touched her! For Christ sake, James, I didn't even examine her; Braily, my resident, did every exam."
"Calm down there, Vince," Gardner cautioned.
"The third floor nurses stated that you made a few trips to that unit by yourself the night that patient was admitted. What was that about?" Price questioned.
"I was checking on other patients there."
"Come on, Vince, you've got a legion of people you could send to do that for you."
"So now I get a knock for being conscientious?"
"No, it was your inquiries to the nursing staff about the presence of visitors with your patient, Ms. Sidle, while you were up there. What was that about?" Price asked pointedly.
"I was concerned for her. I didn't think she should be by herself after being left for dead, all alone, in the desert."
"And if she hadn't had someone with her; what were you going to do?" now James Bryan was curious. Silence permeated the room.
Lurie looked at each face in the room; they were all trained on him, waiting for some kind of explanation. "Nothing," he stated nonchalantly, "I was just so relieved to know someone was with her, after all."
Price rolled his eyes, the committee members exchanged glances, acknowledging it was time to move on. He had covered his tracks. Gardner shifted gears, "The patient had a clinical situation which required a social services consult to rule out domestic abuse."
"That's correct."
"No one is questioning that, but, Vince, it looks like you went out of your way to cast a shadow of doubt on the current boyfriend."
"Rightfully so!" Lurie replied, "He struck me as a controlling jerk; totally capable of inflicting that kind of abuse."
Bryan took a deep breath, "Vince, wasn't this the guy who investigated Debbie and Michael's murder?"
"Yes, it was."
"And this had nothing to do with your opinion of him?" Gardner asked, serving up his answer on a silver platter.
"No, of course not."
James Bryan cocked his head, "C'mon Vince. I mean we were all subjected to hair inspections and foot and finger prints, but you were questioned more than anyone."
"That was only because I'd had a relationship with her; that always makes them suspicious," he smiled as he spoke the last phrase.
Price took over, "So, you're saying you didn't have any animosity about that."
"Of course not, they were doing a job. I wanted them to find the killer."
"Why did you seek out the social worker in person instead of having the consult go through the usual channels?"
"It was just as I told her; the patient's boyfriend, who had medical power of attorney," he said with an inflection of emphasis, "asked me to transfer her off my service." He shifted in his seat, "How would any of you like me to transfer a case to you with this hanging over it, unresolved, how would that look? I had to expedite things."
They all shook their heads, as Dr. Gardner produced one more document, "Vince, we have one more problem." He looked pensive, hoping for another smooth answer, as he continued, "The social worker who worked the case feels like you misrepresented that conversation with the boyfriend to her."
"Well, I didn't paint her a picture if that's what you mean." Another shift in the chair, "During the conversation; true, the investigation came up; I stated that I thought we should be professionals, he did his job, now let me do mine. But, he would have none of that. Despite the excellent clinical course of this patient, he demanded a transfer. That's what I communicated to the social worker. No clinical details; just that he demanded the transfer."
"Did the conversation get personal?" Price inquired.
"Yes, regretfully it did, but it was as much on him as it was me, and I didn't share that with Ms. Davies, I just told her he had grilled me." After a pause, "In fact, the conversation wouldn't have happened at all if it wasn't for him, he instigated it. My team can verify that fact."
"That's documented here," Gardner quickly added.
"You also got personal, even confrontational with some other visitors of hers," Price added, referring to his exchange with Catherine and Greg.
"Again, that exchange was initiated by them," Lurie calmly replied, "and I left the room just after it started."
Price shook his head, "You left because they demanded you leave."
"They did, but I was leaving either way. I had done what I was compelled to do; at that point it was completely up to the social worker."
Looking around the room, Gardner asked openly, "Anything else?"
The other committee members shook their heads, and Lurie stood to leave. "Thank you for providing that clarification," Gardner added as Lurie exited.
Once the door closed, "There's nothing here!" Gardner bellowed.
"Well, considering his past complaints of harassment; this is quite consistent with that pattern." Phillip Price stated in a most serious tone, "I think he was stalking his patient, and if she wasn't watched so closely, it would have certainly escalated."
"But, since he didn't really act on it; it's all speculation now, isn't it," James Bryan countered. "As far as his prior harassment complaints, they were all hospital employees, never patients. He straightened up his act in that department as far as I can tell."
"How many times have you gone to check on patients, on your own, after hours; without first trying the phone, or your residents? Come on, don't be fooled, he was stalking her then. Had she not had a visitor; tell me you think he wasn't going to her room?!"
"He never did go to her room alone, and he never even touched her. You can't ruin a man's career over what you think he was thinking about doing!" Gardner shot back.
"And, I suppose you routinely walk consults down to social services in person?"
"The aversion to the boyfriend is logical given his concern for his patient, and evidently the boyfriend's confrontational attitude towards him." Randall Gardner added. "The social services involvement was a legal mandate." He now shrugged his shoulders, as if to say 'what else should he have done?'
Phillip Price rolled his eyes, shook his head; the good old boys were going to find an out for their guy. They debated back and forth for the better part of the next hour. He was outvoted two to one. He knew the report, he had talked to people, but the slick spin Lurie had on it, coupled with his reputation as a surgeon, Price knew it was going away no matter what he said. The subcommittee report to the hospital executive committee would exonerate Vincent Lurie. They would have no choice but to reinstate his privileges. The Nevada medical examiners would likely follow the hospital's lead. He would be in the clear.
TBC….
