Andrews said, “It’s a private facility and not cheap.”
White said, “You can say that again. This place has a restaurant and aspa.” She pointed to the electronic marquee in the lobby.
They approached the reception area, where a young woman in a sleek blue pantsuit and white blouse greeted them from behind a console outfitted with black granite and zebrawood. Decker felt like he was in a five-star resort, instead of a place for sick and injured people.
“May I help you?” the woman asked.
Andrews flashed his badge. “We’re here to see Alice Lancer. She was just admitted.”
“Yes, of course. Let me check on that.”
She sat down in front of her computer and hit some keys. She looked at the screen and said, “She arrived here and has been processed, but apparently they haven’t put her room number in the system yet. If you’ll have a seat, I’ll let you know as soon as they do.”
Decker stared at the woman for a long moment before walking over and sitting down in one of the waiting area chairs. White and Andrews joined him there.
“I’m sure it won’t be too long,” said Andrews.
“It’s already been too long,” Decker pointed out. “And getting longer by the second.”
White studied him as he kept glancing at the front desk looking agitated. “What’s on your mind, Decker?”
“One word.”
“Which is?” said White.
“‘Apparently.’”
Decker rose and went over to the front desk. The woman glanced up at him. “Yes? I haven’t heard anything yet.”
“Why did you say they ‘apparently’ hadn’t assigned her a room number yet?”
“Excuse me?”
“You used the word ‘apparently.’ That suggests some confusion or uncertainty.”
The woman looked embarrassed. “Oh, well, it’s just that we have quite a few empty rooms, and once you’re processed, a room is assigned.”
“Would the process rule out her being given a room? Like triage? Maybe they just let her leave.”
“No, the record on the system didn’t indicate that.”
White and Andrews joined Decker, who asked the woman, “What does the record indicate?”
“That she was processed and admitted, but no room was assigned.”
“Has that ever happened before?” asked White.
“Um, no, I mean, not very often.”
“And when itdidhappen, what was the reason?” asked Decker.
“That the person refused the admission for some reason. In other words, that they left AMA, against medical advice.”
Decker said, “Where is the admitting done? We need to go there right now.”
“But you can’t, it’s only for—”
White, who was obviously as out of patience as Decker, held up her badge and barked, “This says that you take us therenowor you will be arrested for obstruction of justice.”