Come Home by Novis Fuller

Author:Novis Fuller [Fuller, Novis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-04T16:00:00+00:00

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Nix kept a blazer in a garment bag in their trunk. Their style of dress was flexible from day to day – a definite benefit of being their own boss – but they had found that the rare bit of costuming was helpful, and the right blazer made one look professional enough to be ignored in a lot of situations. Two more accessories – a clipboard holding a worn stack of legalese-riddled papers and a lanyard to hold an unreadable paper badge within a deliberately damaged plastic holder – rounded out the look. Nix didn’t know if they would really need any of this, but they weren’t sure where “Patient Services” might be located.

They entered the hospital and bypassed a multi-windowed reception desk in favor of looking at a large directory on the wall. After reading it carefully for a few minutes, they were disheartened to see no references to “Patient Services.” They put on a pleasantly professional face and selected a window at reception.

“Hi,” they said brightly. “I’m looking for the Patient Services department.”

“Patient Services of which department?” the receptionist asked neutrally.

Nix’s eyes widened. “Patient Services is not its own department?” they asked.

“A lot of departments have Patient Services,” the receptionist explained impassively. “We’re part of Patient Services for the Administrative division. Are you talking food, surgery, oncology, pediatrics…?”

Nix glanced at their clipboard as a stalling technique. “Well, specifically, I’m supposed to be meeting with Cameron McKean, but he only told me that he works in Patient Services. I didn’t think to check for more details. That’s my fault,” they said, shaking their head slightly.

“Spell it?” she asked.

Nix did, acting as if they were reading it from the clipboard.

The receptionist typed. A moment later, she said, “Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.” She pulled a laminated map of the hospital grounds from under her narrow desk and put it on the counter between them, tapping at it with a blunt fingernail and explaining very quickly the steps to get from here to there. Nix followed along and thanked her, setting off for the appropriate department.

In the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation section, there were three employees at their own smaller version of the receptionist’s desk. Nix immediately recognized Cameron from his pictures.

They approached the desk with a smile, and Cameron looked up with mild curiosity. “Can I help you?” he asked.

“Hi,” they said, showing their P.I. license. “My name is Nix Grennan and I’ve had a very hard time reaching you.”

He looked at them without a trace of comprehension on his face.

“I think you may have blocked my number today,” they continued, and he shook his head with an expression somewhere between confusion and amusement.

“I haven’t blocked anyone’s number today,” he said. “Are you sure you’ve got the right person?”

Nix read off the phone number they had pestered earlier, and Cameron’s expression changed. “Yeah, that’s not my number,” he said. “It’s close, but a couple of the digits have been transposed.”

Oh, Nix thought. I was annoying a random person for no reason.

“You also didn’t reply to messages I sent you online.

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