Karen did not go over Gleason’s head, at least not entirely. She got the first lady to back her decision before bringing Cam to the MDC in an armored black SUV. It was a little after one o’clock in the afternoon when they arrived. What Karen had told Ellen mirrored what Lee had told her: he should have a CT scan, and it would be best if Cam were already at the hospital should he require emergency surgery. She did not cite Gleason’s attitude as a factor in all of this, but the first lady was exceedingly bright. She must have figured it out on her own, because she asked Karen only to notify Gleason, not consult him on the decision. Karen waited until they were almost at the hospital to make that call.
Two armored SUVs, one ferrying Cam, arrived at the rear entrance of the MDC at the suggestion of Brian Seneca, Lee’s colleague there. Duffy and Lapham had gone on ahead and conducted a thorough security assessment that included a sweep for explosives to make sure Cam’s private suite on the northwest wing met all standards.
Duffy was happy to be summoned back into work, because he qualified for Law Enforcement Availability Pay, essentially a type of overtime. “Don’t get me wrong, K-Ray, I’m psyched for the OT, but I’d prefer you get me a promotion,” he said.
There was always some money complaint with him, but lately Duffy’s gripes about pay were becoming an obsession. Karen understood his frustration. Agents were stretched too thin, working too many hours for too little pay. The solution to every staff shortage was not better organizational planning, but rather more overtime, one of her dad’s major complaints. Karen frequently shared her staffing concerns with Ellen. Having the first lady in her corner gave her a shield behind which she could toss barbs in the hopes of bringing about meaningful changes.
Lapham and Duffy locked Cam’s hospital room down. Only approved people would be granted access to the floor, including the doctors and nurses who tended to this VIP patient. All of Cam’s caregivers would receive expedited background checks. Visitors would have to leave their names and be subjected to a search before they could enter the floor.
Cam seemed better to Karen on the drive to the MDC. Though still a bit peaked, he was not nearly as sweaty as before, and his breathing had returned to normal.
That’s when the doubt set in. If this trip to the MDC proved unwarranted, Gleason would use it as ammo to attack her. Angering the president’s doctor was not a wise career move under any condition.
Karen was helping Cam out of the back of the SUV when Gleason finally returned her call.
“What in hell’s name do you think you are doing? How dare you make this decision without consulting me!”
Karen felt the heat of Gleason’s rage radiate through the phone.
“I checked on Cam. He didn’t seem right to me, so I called Lee.”
“No, Karen. You call me, the doctor assigned to the president and his family. I’m going to be there as soon as I can. The president is coming, too, so do your job and make sure security is in place. And from this point forward, nobody is to call Lee Blackwood for any reason, and that goes for the doctors and nurses at the MDC. Is that understood?”
“Fine. As you wish.”
Karen had no problem tossing him a bone. If the first lady or the president wanted Lee’s consult, they would override Gleason in a heartbeat.
“What you’ve done here is beyond all authority,” Gleason said, his tone still irate. “I’m the one who makes decisions on Cam’s health, not you. Last time I checked, you were hired as his supernanny. I swear I’ll have you fired for this.”
“You didn’t see what I saw, Fred,” Karen said assertively. “If you had, I’m pretty sure you’d be thanking, not threatening me.”