Their agendas had been laid out by Casey.
Emma headed off to begin her search for the right target.
Claire, keeping a low profile, moved about and stopped here and there to hover near clusters of people. Sipping her sparkling water, she listened, seeing if she picked up any negative energy. There was plenty to be had.
Casey noted the same thing as she chatted with the various employees. She listened to their feelings about Ronald Lexington, watching their body language as they spoke and assessing who was disingenuous and who was for real. The gist of what she heard was positive, and it was obvious that Lexington had been an affable guy whose only flaw was that he liked women just a tad too much for a happily married man. But if you played into his charm, all would be cool.
There was an entirely different vibe that came through when people talked about Jacob Casper. No matter how diplomatically people spoke, it was clear that there was no love lost between the staff and their interim hospital administrator. Listening to what wasn’t said as well as to what was, it was obvious that the hospital employees felt that Casper’s interests were totally self-centered, and that he didn’t give a damn about anything but money and power.
Casey wanted to form her own opinion. The employees were hardly unbiased at this particularly vulnerable time. There were anxious whispered conversations about the hospital merger—fears of job loss, reduced benefits, staff cuts and the resulting overwork for those who remained. The lack of job security and fear for financial survival was crushing—and naturally, those feelings were directly aimed at Jacob Casper. So Casey would have to meet him and decipher what he was for herself.
Multitasking as always, Casey glanced around, her expert gaze seeking and finding the specific individuals Madeline had named and provided physical descriptions of as being those who’d been closest—either in a professional or a personal capacity—to Ronald Lexington. She’d find a way to talk to all of them after the formalities were complete. She wanted to get a feel for who might have it in for Madeline.
Marc, for his part, was keeping a close watch on Madeline.
Periodically Casey would make sure to look around and check on the progress her team members were making. Everyone seemed to be gleaning something from their efforts. When her gaze found Emma, it took enormous restraint not to smile. Emma was busy chatting up the most stereotypical IT guy she could find in the group. He was tall, skinny and definitely dorky looking, with eyeglasses he kept shoving up on his nose and a tendency to blink furiously. Clearly he was awkward around people and, Casey suspected, far more at home hiding behind a computer monitor and a keyboard. On the other hand, he was over the moon about Emma’s interest in him, visibly entranced by her vivacious personality and her California-girl looks. As for Emma, she was standing close to him, head cocked as she hung on to his every word, asking question after question about his fascinating job. The more questions she asked, the more enthusiastic he got—and the more distracted.
Good girl, Casey thought. She’d been dead-on right to bring Emma here. If Emma ultimately accomplished her two goals, Forensic Instincts would have a clear shot at getting what they needed here.
The next step would be for Madeline to introduce Casey to Jacob Casper so that Casey could get an actual read on him. He represented the new regime, and talking to him was crucial, especially in light of how edgy the staff was around him, and how overall their dislike for him was. That could simply be the fear of losing their jobs, given that Casper was so pro-merger and would work hard to see the due diligence process succeed, or it could be more. As a necessary bonus, Casey would have Madeline introduce Emma to him—and put in a good word for her as a potential candy striper. That was going to have to happen fast to make Casey’s plan work.
Jacob Casper was a cut-to-the-chase kind of guy, solidly built and all about the bottom line. He was pleasant enough, but Casey could tell that affability didn’t come easily to him. He was trying to make people like him to ease his way, but doing that took a great effort on his part. His mind was on money, not relationship-building.
Casey let him chat with Madeline for a few minutes while she observed. Bottom line or not, he seemed genuinely saddened by Ronald Lexington’s passing and equally saddened by the effect it had had on Conrad.
“My greatest pleasure will be to see Conrad walk back through those doors and resume doing what he does best,” Casper told Madeline. “That man is a surgical genius.”
“I agree on both counts,” Madeline said.
So Casper was aware that Madeline and her ex-husband had an amicable relationship. Nice point of interest.
“Would chief of surgery still be in the cards for Conrad if he returned after the hospital merger goes through?” Casey asked.
Casper looked a little surprised that Casey was so plugged into the goings-on at the hospital. His eyes flickered from Casey to Madeline and back.
“I see that Madeline had filled you in on the offer that was on the table during the original negotiations,” he replied. “I don’t know how things will play out this time. But if I have any say, Conrad will be my first choice for the position.”
“If he’s up for it,” Madeline said softly.
“Yes, of course. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise,” Casper amended. His jaw tightened just a fraction. “I’d never put pressure on him. But I remain optimistic.”
“We all do.”
Casey noted the subtle change in Casper’s body language, and his quick response to Madeline’s qualification. It might mean nothing more than that the interim hospital administrator was stressed out by the time pressure involved in getting Conrad back before the high-level position was filled by someone else. Then again, it might mean more.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Casper,” Casey said, extending her hand.
“Please, call me Jacob.” He met Casey’s grasp, the tension easing from his body. “It was great meeting you, as well. I’ve heard and read so much about the Forensic Instincts team.” A smile. “You’re like the avengers of evil.”
Casey laughed. “I like that image. I’ll pass it on to the rest of the team.” She paused, just long enough for impact. “But today I’m here as a grateful former patient. Forensic Instincts would like to make a donation to the hospital. Can we wire it directly to the administrative office?”
Genuine gratitude flickered across Jacob Casper’s face. “That would be wonderful. We appreciate your generosity.”
“And we appreciate the health care services you provide.” Casey was ready to mingle with more of the crowd. She had no worries about leaving Madeline alone with Jacob. Casey could feel Marc’s presence nearby, and his trained gaze fixed on their client. Plus, she wanted to give Madeline time alone with Jacob so she could put in a good word for Emma as a potential—and immediate—candy striper. What better time than when FI had just pledged a nice donation to the hospital?
“I think I’ll get a cup of coffee.” Casey left the matter in Madeline’s hands. She knew what she had to do. “Madeline told me you’d be making a short speech in a few minutes. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that,” Jacob replied.
Casey headed toward the beverage station, leaving Madeline to her task and filing away the conversation
