“So has our legal department.”
Owen stared at him.
“Then why—”
“Why didn’t we come after you?”
Voss almost smiled.
“Because it didn’t matter who was on call, Dr. Pratt.”
“What mattered was why Dr. Cole had been here thirty-one hours.”
“We ran two general surgeons short for eleven months.”
“The board voted not to replace them.”
“To save money.”
“If the Harmons had ever sued, their lawyer would have found that.”
“And a jury would have eaten this hospital alive.”
He looked at Nate.
“But an exhausted surgeon who says it was his judgment?”
“His call?”
“His mistake?”
“Over and over?”
“On the record?”
“That’s a tragedy.”
“Not a lawsuit.”
Nate had gone completely white.
“You used me,” he whispered.
“You let us,” Voss said.
“You walked into that hearing ready to carry the whole thing.”
“We simply let you carry it.”
“You were very good at it.”
“You always are.”
