PADS #34

After an exhaustive episode of questioning and cross examination worthy of any silk, Wyse announced that until evidence pointed otherwise Karen was correct, the victim’s friend who he had talked to earlier in the day was now also dead.

The breath had quite literally been stolen away from him. Only hours ago he had faced humiliation and been ridiculed for declaring a murder where none existed. One death he would admit may have been unfortunate, but two in the space of twelve hours was the proof foul deeds had been committed.

The opportunity to stop the murderer from committing this second murder had disappeared and if the murderer had vanished he knew who the magician was to perform such a tragic trick, Officer Rogers It was Rogers who hadn’t support him and undermined his position with the police officers, it was a grim satisfaction interrupted by the sudden appearance of a rushed and slightly breathless Elms.

‘Here they are!’ Elms exclaimed.

Wyse hadn't even noticed Elms departure as the last few minutes had turned an amazing day into a quite extraordinary one. The pieces of paper Elms waved in the air were snatched from his hand by Rowlands.

‘These are patient report forms of the two victims how did you get them? They were in the tamper proof storage boxes?’ quizzed Rowlands.

‘Tamper proof yes, but locked no, they never are.’ replied Elms.

‘Impossible,’ spluttered Rowlands, ‘they contain confidential information of the patients as well as the treatment they received, our managers would never allow such a thing, isn't that so Mr. Wyse?’

‘I'm afraid Elms is right Rowlands, our managers have become very slipshod of late,’ especially one of them he mused, ‘however, that does not excuse you Elms and they must be returned at once.’

Rowlands threw the paperwork at Elms who simply allowed the paperwork to bounce off his chest and land on the ping pong table. A gasp of outrage from Rowlands was immediately followed by the two protagonists arguing about the rights and wrongs of taking the forms.

During his time as an officer Wyse knew there would never have been the opportunity for such incidents to occur, there were strict protocols to follow when it came to such sensitive information and any infringement would be severally dealt with. He would have to report Elms for such a serious violation with a heavy heart as it would cost Elms dearly, perhaps even his career. 

He knew Elms’ immediate defence would be at least one of the forms was their own  paperwork they had filled out earlier in the day and as such remained part of their records. An argument which unfortunately held no water, once paperwork passed into the locked or at least tamper proof boxes it was inviolate and allowed no amendments to sensitive medical records by staff.  Even to see their own paperwork necessitated a complicated roll of red tape to be unravelled through the proper channels, this ensured the laws of privacy and confidentiality were maintained.