Chapter 3

3

Hearing me ask for a Refusal of Care notice, Lawson visibly relaxed.

It was just a piece of paper. As long as it got rid of me quickly, they didn’t care.

“See? You should have cooperated from the start instead of making a scene.”

Lawson waved his hand dismissively toward Brenda.

“Brenda, write him the transfer refusal slip so he can get out of here and stop wasting our time.”

Brenda smirked and pulled a form from the drawer.

She wasn’t going to let me off that easily.

Without hesitation, she checked the box marked “Unverified Legal Guardian Status.”

That wasn’t enough for her.

In the notes section, she scribbled:

“Subject displays violent tendencies and refuses identity verification. Strongly recommend immediate police intervention.”

She shoved the paper through the counter slot, her face twisted with mockery.

“Take your bastard kid and get out. Let’s see if any hospital in this entire state dares to take you in!”

I picked up the paper, my fingertips icy.

They thought this was the ultimate humiliation, completely unaware it was their own death warrant.

They hadn’t just insulted a father.

They had trampled on federal and state healthcare laws.

The law clearly states that hospitals must provide emergency stabilizing treatment to patients and cannot refuse care.

They hadn’t just refused treatment; they had handed me signed, written proof of their gross negligence.

From this second on, the nature of this situation had irrevocably changed.

“Dr. Lawson.”

I looked at him and pointed to the blank signature line at the bottom right.

“By policy, a refusal of care requires the department head’s signature, doesn’t it?”

Desperate to get rid of me, Lawson snatched the pen and scrawled his name across the line.

“Now take it and get the hell out of my ER!”

I folded the signed document and slipped it securely into my inside jacket pocket.

Then, I turned to the resident who had tried to stand up for me.

“Thank you, Dr. Walker. Please make sure my daughter’s original admission logs are preserved.”

After all, that was crucial evidence.

Brett blinked in surprise, then gave me a firm, resolute nod.

Behind me, Brenda’s spiteful laughter echoed through the hall.

“Does he really think another hospital will admit her?”

“With that slip, he’ll be lucky if the cops don’t cuff him on the spot!”

“Dressing like a decent guy when he’s just a spineless loser.”

I immediately dialed a trusted medical school classmate who worked at St. Jude’s Memorial across town.

When my daughter was wheeled out of the trauma bay, she had already passed out from the pain, her tiny face pale as snow.

My heart shattered into pieces.

“Hang on, baby. Daddy’s getting you help right now.”

Twenty minutes later, my friend texted me confirming Lily had safely entered their operating room.

Only then did the crushing weight on my chest lift.

Now, it was time to settle the score with those scumbags.

I pulled out my phone and logged into the secure network.

Authentication approved.

A line of green text flashed across the screen:

【Welcome, Captain Luke Mercer, State Police Internal Affairs & Oversight Division.】