"Don't start with me!" Doc yelled as Robert followed him into the ward where everyone waited for word of Festus condition.
"But, Doc! You're really not fit to operate!" Robert said looking to Newly for help. "He can't do a surgery that's going to take several hours! He just got on his feet!"
Doc was livid. "And what about you?" He said looking the younger physician up and down. "Don't think, I hadn't noticed your hobbling around here. That ankle's probably broken and that gash on your head is going to require eight, maybe ten stitches! And if I were to make an educated guess Doctor, I'd bet money that your not only lightheaded but dizzy! Which are all symptoms of a concussion. So who's unfit for surgery now!"
Newly smirked as he looked at Robert. "Sorry, I'm with Doc on this one."
"Thanks," Robert said taking a seat as Doc patted his shoulder.
"Let Newly fix you up and when you're feeling up to it, you can come in and help me finish," Doc said with a nod before looking at their friends. "We think the bleed stems from the spleen. Not moving him for so many hours caused it to clot and saved Festus from bleeding to death but something's got to be done to stop it from starting again."
"I know you can do it, Galen," Julie said reassuringly as Doc took a deep and steady breath.
"It's not going to be easy," he said looking at his friends. "Robert and Abelia are both aware of the risks involved. There's a very real chance that he still won't make it but I owe it to him to at least try."
Newly carefully inserted the needle for the last stitch and then expertly tied it off before applying a salve and bandage to Robert's forehead. "Now, I'll take a look at your ankle," he said wiping his hands as Robert sat up.
"I don't think, I broke any bones, I'll be alright if you could just wrap it."
Newly nodded before going to pull what he needed from a cabinet in the clinic as Abelia walked in.
"You alright?" She asked in a gentle and subdued voice as Robert nodded. "You?"
"I don't know," she said worriedly. "I feel, numb."
"I know what you mean," he said as she came to stand beside him. "I know this is hard on you but I also know Doc. And, he isn't going to give up on Pa."
"I know," Abelia said quietly as Robert gently smiled.
"Newly and I are going to dress now and join him in surgery. As soon as we're done, I'll come get you."
Matt went to his office to write up the charges on Chet and Burt before dropping them off at the jail. Burke was still on watch when Matt walked in. "I'm glad to see you," Burke said as Matt handed him the charges. "Attempted murder," he said looking over the pages as Matt nodded.
"Let's hope, I don't have to change it to murder," Matt said as Burke nodded in agreement.
"You haven't heard anything then?"
"No, Doc's still in there," Matt replied worriedly as the door to the jail opened. The judge took a step back as two well dressed gentlemen walked in.
"Judge Dillon?" The first man asked as Matt nodded. "I'm Doctor Morris and this," he said looking at the short and portly man next to him. "Doctor Anders. We've been sent from the Boston University regarding Doctor Robert Clomley Haggen. We understand, you're representing him?"
"That's right," Matt said crossing his arms. "How can I help you, gentlemen?"
"We'd like to talk to Robert first before we open up our investigation and we wanted your permission to do so."
Matt smiled as an idea entered his mind. "You know, I think that's an excellent idea. The sooner the better! Let me walk you both to the hospital myself."
"Oh, excellent," Anders said as Morris nodded. "Doctor Ward told us about the hospital he helped build here."
"Yeah, we're pretty proud of it," Matt said with a nod toward Burke. "I'll be back later."
Leaving the jail, Matt walked with the two men to the hospital. Upon entering though the front doors, the judge saw Julie, Kitty and Abelia all seated in the foyer.
"Matt," Kitty said as she stood up along with Julie and Abelia.
"Doctor's, Anders and Morris," Matt said with a nod toward the lady's. "My wife, Kitty and Doctor Adams wife Julie and Doctor Haggen's mother Abelia Haggen."
"Lady's," Morris said as Anders nodded.
"These Doctor's are here to investigate Robert's medical malpractice," Matt said grimly. "They want to see Robert right away so I figured, now would be as good a time as any."
"They're still upstairs," Kitty said meeting Matt's eyes with a confused look as he nodded.
"I'll take them," Matt said turning to the two men beside him. "Follow me please, gentlemen."
Kitty, Abelia and Julie watched them leave before they all three looked at each other. "What's he doing?" Kitty wondered aloud.
Abelia shook her head as she spoke. "I don't know," she said fretfully. "I just hope it doesn't distract them from helping Festus."
Matt brought the two visitors into the room that Doc and Robert used to change and ready themselves for surgeries. Finding two extra gowns, he handed one to each doctor. "I believe you'll need to put these on. Robert and Doctor Adams whom you've come to investigate are currently in surgery together and I don't think they'd let me get away with letting you two in unprepared."
"But," Anders said looking from Matt's bemused look to Doctor Morris beside him. "We were told Doctor Adams was near death!"
"And that Robert caused it, right?" Matt asked in exasperation as the two men nodded. "Go ahead, see for yourself that what you've been told is wrong!" After both doctors dressed, Matt showed them to the surgical ward and stood outside as they quietly stepped into the operating room.
"I almost have the spleen," Doc said looking at Robert over the rim of his glasses. "How's he doing, Newly?"
"Respiration and heart rate are both down, Doc," Newly said from Festus head. "Better hurry!"
Doc nodded as he looked down into Festus chest cavity. "I'm making the final cut now, Robert. Be ready because this is going to be a heavy bleeder and Festus can't take much more blood loss."
"I'm ready," Robert said as he positioned himself to take over.
"There it is," Doc said removing the organ while Robert worked to quickly control the bleeding.
"Those slip knots you showed me have sure come in handy, Doc," Robert said as the older physician helped with the suturing.
"It does make it faster to close up but I'm still worried about the amount of blood lost," Doc said shaking his head. "I think we should try your salt water injections on him."
"I was thinking about that myself," Robert replied with a nod. "I'll make some up if you can finish closing?" He said looking at Doc with added concern. "I want you to rest afterward, you look done in."
"I'm alright," Doc said absently. "I'm just a little tired that's all."
"I know but I'm not taking any chances," Robert said sternly. "You're going to rest."
"I will," Doc said with a wiry grin. "I'm not as young as I used to be."
Robert gave him a gentle smile before he turned around. It was then that he noticed the two visitors standing just inside the door. "Doctor Anders, Doctor Morris," Robert said stunned as Doc looked up equally stunned. "What are you doing here?"
"Hello, Robert," Morris said stepping further into the room. "We've come to observe your work."
"You mean to condemn me, don't you?" Robert said curtly brushing past them to gather what he needed.
"Now, you know better than that," Anders replied. "You were one of the best and brightest pupils I had."
"Well, thank you," Robert said sheepishly. "But that didn't stop the school from investing me, did it?"
"That was a mistake, yes," Morris said evenly as he watched Doc work. "Doctor Adams, you've made quite a recovery."
"Rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated by the newspaper," Doc said in a huff.
"I can see that now," Morris said looking no at Anders. "I see no reason to further this, do you?"
"No," Anders replied before meeting Robert's eyes. "We'll talk some more after you've finished here."
"Alright," Robert said with a quick nod toward the door. "If you'll see yourselves out, one of my friends will show you to the hotel."
After the two men left, Doc looked at Robert. "You were awfully short with them, son."
"And," Robert said angrily. "I don't recall asking for their permission to do what I think is necessary in my own practice, Doc! What right have they got to judge me?"
"Unfortunately, that diploma you've got gives them the right to a certain degree but I agree with them," Doc said with a nod. "The investigation was a mistake."
Robert nodded before he looked at Newly. "I'm starting the salt water injections now, let me know if there's any improvement."
"I will," Newly said watching as Robert inserted the needle in the large vein at the crock of his father's arm. After the first few full syringes, he smiled broadly as Doc stepped away from the table. "Heart rate just went up," he said as Robert sighed deeply.
"I knew it would work," Robert said looking at Doc. "It just had to!"