Page 12 (2/2)

"Just get Benson up to seven as fast as you can," Ellis said "Then call Ross I'll be up as soon as possible" He checked his watch "It'll probably take forty minutes to resew Ethel, if she behaves herself"

"Good luck with her," Morris said, and smiled

Ellis looked sour and walked away

After he had gone, the eency ward nurse came back

"What's the matter with him?" she asked

"Just edgy," Morris said

"He sure is," the nurse said She paused and looked out the , lingering

Morris watched her with a kind of beh years in the hospital to recognize the subtle signs of status He had begun as an intern, with no status at all Most of the nurses knew more medicine than he did, and if they were tired they didn't bother to conceal it ("I don't think you want to do that, Doctor") As the years went by, he becaical resident, and the nurses became more deferential When he was a senior resident, he was sufficiently assured in his work that a few of the nurses called him by his first name And finally, when he transferred to the Neuropsychiatric Research Unit as a junior staff member, the formality returned as a new mark of status

But this was so near him, because he had a special aura of ioing to happen

Staring out the , the nurse said, "Here he coot up and looked out A blue police van drove up toward the e into the aht," he said "Notify the seventh floor, and tell them we're on our way"

"Yes, Doctor"

The nurse went off Two ambulance orderlies opened the hospital doors They knew nothing about Benson One of the this one?"

"Yes"

"EW case?"

"No, a direct admission"

The orderlies nodded, and watched as the police officer driving the van came around and unlocked the rear door Two officers seated in the back eht Then Benson came out

As always, Morris was struck by his appearance Benson was a y, thirty-four-yearold man, with a sort of permanently bewildered air about him He stood by the van, with his wrists handcuffed in front of him, and looked around When he saw Morris, he said, "Hello," and then looked away, embarrassed

One of the cops said, "You in charge here?"

"Yes I'm Dr Morris"

The cop gestured toward the interior of the hospital

"Lead the way, Doctor"

Morris said, "Would youoff his handcuffs?"

Benson's eyes flicked up at Morris, then back down

"We don't have any orders about that" The cops exchanged glances "I guess it's okay"

While they took the cuffs off, the driver brought Morris a form on a clipboard: "Transfer of Suspect to Institutional Care (Medical)" He signed it

"And again here," the driver said

As Morris signed again, he looked at Benson Benson stood quietly, rubbing his wrists, staring straight ahead The inatures, e froe

"Okay," the driver said "Thanks, Doc"

Morris led the other two policemen and Benson into the hospital The orderlies shut the doors A nurse came up with a wheelchair and Benson sat down in it The cops looked confused

"It's hospital policy," Morris said

They all went to the elevators

The elevator stopped at the lobby A half-dozen relatives aiting to go up to the higher floors, but they hesitated when they saw Morris, Benson in the wheelchair, and the two cops "Please take the next car," Morris said smoothly The doors closed They continued up

"Where is Dr Ellis?" Benson asked "I thought he was going to be here"

"He's in surgery He'll be up shortly"

"And Dr Ross?"

"You'll see her at the presentation"

"Oh, yes" Benson smiled "The presentation"

The cops exchanged suspicious looks, but said nothing The elevator arrived at the seventh floor, and they all got out

Seven was the Special Surgical floor, where difficult and complex cases were treated It was essentially a research floor The most severe cardiac, kidney, and metabolic patients recuperated here They went down to the nurses' station, a glass-walled area strategically located at the center of the X-shaped floor

The nurse on duty at the station looked up She was surprised to see the cops, but she said nothing Morris said,

"This is Mr Benson Have we got seven-ten ready?"

"All set for hiave Benson a cheery slanced from the nurse to the co station

"You have a ti station up here?"

"Yes," Morris said

"Where's the main computer?"

"In the basement"

"Of this building?"

"Yes It draws a lot of power, and the power lines co"

Benson nodded Morris was not surprised at the questions Benson was trying to distract hiery, and he was, after all, a computer expert

The nurse handed Morris the chart on Benson It had the usual blue plastic cover with the seal of University Hospital But there was also a red tag, which , which , which Morris had al meant security precautions

"Is that my record?" Benson asked as Morris wheeled hi behind

"Uh-huh"

"I alondered as in it"

"Lot of unreadable notes, mostly" Actually, Benson's chart was thick and very readable, with all the computer print-outs of different tests

They came to 710 Before they entered the room, one of the cops went in and closed the door behind him The second cop remained outside the door "Just a precaution," he said

Benson glanced up at Morris "They're very careful about "

The first cop came out "It's okay," he said

Morris wheeled Benson into the rooe room, on the south side of the hospital, so that it was sunny in the afternoon Benson looked around and nodded approvingly Morris said, "This is one of the best rooms in the hospital"

"Can I get up now?"

"Of course"

Benson got out of the wheelchair and sat on the bed He bounced on the mattress He pressed the buttons that made the bed move up and down, then bent over to look at the motorized mechanism beneath the bed Morris went to theand drew the blinds, reducing the direct light "Simple," Benson said