Murder at the Clinic: A Midwest Cozy Mystery

by Dianne Harman

  “I’d be honored,” Kat said. “Of course I’ll need to spruce up the garden a bit, but Jose can take care of that. Naturally, I’ll need the exact date. Have you gotten a wedding dress? What do you want me to wear? Are you going to have any bridesmaids?”

  “Sounds schmaltzy, but since I’ve never been married, I wanted to be married in white. I bought a silk cream-colored wedding dress last weekend at the County Club Plaza in Kansas City. I got it at that fancy wedding shop that’s practically an institution there. Cost me an arm and a leg, but I figure, what am I saving it for? I’ve decided not to have any bridesmaids. As I said, it’s going to be a small wedding. Since each of us is an only child and our parents are deceased, our families consist of some cousins who neither one of is close with. We both have friends and some professional colleagues we’ll invite, but that’s about it.”

  Kat’s head was churning with everything that needed to be done before the wedding. She’d been thinking about getting a couple of new pieces of furniture and decided having the wedding at her home was just the push she needed to finally do it. She didn’t bother to tell Mitzi, knowing it would make her feel guilty.

  “Whoops,” Mitzi said as she looked at her watch. “I’ve got to run. I need to get back to work to oversee some interns and see patients. Would you sign the bill for me? My club number is 316. We’ll talk more tomorrow. I think your appointment’s at ten in the morning. See you then, and thanks for being such a good friend.”

  Kat motioned for the waiter to bring the check, and she wrote down their names and their club numbers. She’d just finished when Barbara walked over to the table.

  “That was Mitzi Green wasn’t it, the one everyone used to call Fat Mitzi.” Barbara said.

  “Yes, she’s lost a lot of weight, and pretty much changed her appearance. I think she’s gorgeous. What do you think?”

  “I couldn’t agree more. She’s had a social membership at the club for years, but I haven’t seen her here in a long time. She’d made a reservation under that name, but I really didn’t pay much attention to it. I thought it was strange there would be two Mitzi Greens in a town this small, but sometimes those things happen. She’s like the ugly duckling that’s turned into a beautiful swan. Kat, I’ve got an idea. You’re an author. Why don’t you write a novel about a fat woman who becomes beautiful? Bet a lot of people could identify with that, or even wish it was them.”

  “Not a bad idea, Barbara. What you don’t know is the swan is going to marry her Prince Charming, and in her case he turns out to be a doctor.”

  “See, that’s even better. Readers would love it. A really happy ever after ending to a story. Bet that one would make the best seller list, for sure.”

  “Thanks for the suggestion, Barbara. You might be onto something. Tell you what, if I do write it, I’ll credit you on the acknowledgment page for giving me the idea,” she said laughing as she stood up to leave. “See you soon.”

  During her drive back home Kat’s mind was whirling with thoughts about the wedding, but in spite of those thoughts, Barbara’s words kept coming back to her. She’d been thinking for quite awhile it might be interesting to see if she could write a book that would sell in a genre other than steamy romance, and this might be her chance. She decided when she got home she’d do some research on the Internet and see what she could find out about acupuncturists. Maybe she could write a novel loosely based on an acupuncturist who was an ugly duckling and became a beautiful swan. The more she thought about it, the better she liked the idea.

  Little did Kat know that the swan was about to become embroiled in a murder mystery, and it would be up to Kat to find the murderer in order to save both the swan and Kat.

  CHAPTER 3

  Fortunately, the university where Mitzi taught and had her acupuncture practice was only ten minutes away from the country club. She parked in the doctor’s private parking lot and hurried into the building where she oversaw her interns and treated patients.

  “There you are,” said Rochelle, the acupuncture clinic’s receptionist. “The dean’s office called, and Dr. Warren said he’d like to see you when you’re finished this afternoon. He wanted me to call and confirm the time. I looked at your schedule, and it looks like you’ll be finished at 4:30. Okay if I call him back and confirm that time? Also, your interns are waiting for you in your office.”

  Rochelle Salazar was in her third year of the acupuncture program at the university. When her children left for college, her husband decided the time had come to end the marriage, and he’d left as well. Although Rochelle had a college degree, she’d never worked, preferring to be a stay-at-home mom. She was ready for a change in her life and became a student in the acupuncture program. When it was announced there was an opening for a receptionist in the acupuncture clinic, she eagerly applied for it and was accepted. It also helped defray the cost of her tuition. She worked for Mitzi and one of the other professors, Dr. Binh Nguyen, who also treated patients and oversaw interns at the clinic.

  There was no love lost between the two doctors of acupuncture, even less now that one of them would soon be named the assistant dean of the department. Dr. Nguyen made no secret of the fact he thought American women had no place working as acupuncturists, even though the majority of the students in the acupuncture curriculum at the university were women and definitely American.

  Dr. Nguyen told whoever would listen to him that he’d been one of the top acupuncturists in Vietnam prior to coming to the United States. He told people he came from a long line of doctors of acupuncture, and also made it known he felt the education he’d received in Vietnam was far superior to what he’d received in the United States. The small university in Kansas had grandfathered in a few of the classes he’d taken in Vietnam, but even with his past experience he’d ended up spending three years taking classes in acupuncture at the university.

  Every time Mitzi saw Dr. Nguyen she was reminded of a conversation she’d had with a woman over dinner at the local professional organization for acupuncturists. Even though it had happened over a year ago, Mitzi remembered it as if it had happened yesterday. When Dr. Nguyen had entered the room, the woman had said under her breath to Mitzi, “He likes to think he’s such a big shot. I’m half tempted to tell everyone he couldn’t even pass the licensing exam the first time around. He had to take it a second time. You sure don’t see him bragging about that.”

  “Yes, Rochelle, please call Dr. Warren and tell him 4:30 will be fine. Anything else I need to know before I get started?”

  Rochelle looked around and lowered her voice. “Dr. Green, there’s something I think you need to know.”

  “What is it, Rochelle? Better hurry, because I’m running a little late as it is.”

  “You know how you and Dr. Nguyen share an office and each of you has your own desk in it?”

  “Yes,” Mitzi said impatiently glancing at her watch.

  “Well, I usually eat my lunch in the cafeteria, but today, I needed to study some more before tomorrow’s test. I brought a sandwich back from the cafeteria and saw Dr. Nguyen sitting at your desk, looking through the drawers. I didn’t want him to know I’d seen him, so I quietly left and then made a big deal about noisily opening the door to the reception area. I stayed near the door for a minute or so, and when I got to my desk I looked in your office, and he was sitting at his own desk. He greeted me and said he hadn’t realized how late it was, and he needed to leave because he was meeting a colleague for lunch. He was gone in a couple of minutes.”

  “Dr. Nguyen was going through my desk drawers? Why would he do that?” Mitzi asked in a confused voice.

  “I have no idea, but my first reaction is that he’d love to get some information on you that wasn’t favorable, so he’d be named as the assistant dean and not you. I never have trusted him.”

  “Since I don’t think there’s any information about me that’s unfavorable, he may have to look for a long time. Thanks, Rochelle. I usually don’t lock my desk, but
I guess I better start. I really don’t like someone going through it.” She walked across the hall to her office and greeted the waiting interns.

  Mitzi spent the afternoon walking from one treatment room to another making sure that the level one and two interns were carefully observing her as she inserted the acupuncture needles at the acupuncture points on the appropriate meridian lines for the ailment that was being treated. In return for free treatment the patients had to sign a release stating they had been told that while they would be treated by a licensed acupuncturist, the acupuncturist would be teaching interns during their treatment. Later in the semester, the interns would treat the patients, and Mitzi would be the one observing. Dr. Nguyen adhered to the same procedure on the days when he was working with his interns. Each of them had four interns per three-week period during the semester. The hands-on experience was a critically important part of their education.

  At 4:30, after the last patient had left, and she’d said good-bye to her interns, Mitzi left for Dr. Warren’s office, totally unprepared for what he was going to tell her.

  CHAPTER 4

  Mitzi walked next door to the building where Dr. Warren, the Dean of the Acupuncture Department, had his office, opened his office door, and warmly greeted his receptionist, Hannah. “It’s good to see you again, Hannah, how are your classes coming along?”

  “Absolutely great. As you know, I’m almost finished with the program, and the best news is I already have a job. Of course I have to pass the state board exam, but I think I will. My dad recently played golf with a doctor who has a medical practice in the Westport area of Kansas City. He’s an orthopedist, and when he’s finished with the surgery portion of his patient’s treatment he likes to refer them to other members of his staff, for example, a physical therapist or a chiropractor. He’s been looking for an acupuncturist for quite a while. He likes to offer a holistic approach to the patient’s problems in addition to the more traditional types of treatment involving surgery.”

  “Congratulations. That’s great. There’s nothing better than being able to go into an established practice and get referrals. Consider yourself lucky.”

  “Believe me, I do. I’ll tell Dr. Warren you’re here.”

  A few moments later the door to Dr. Warren’s office opened and he said, “Mitzi, please come in.” He shut the door behind her and indicated she should sit in the chair across from him. “Thanks for coming. An issue has come up that I need to discuss with you.”

  “You sound so serious. What is it?”

  “First of all, let me say that I’ve always thought your work was excellent.”

  Good grief, is he going to tell me he’s naming Dr. Nguyen as his assistant dean? Is this the beginning of a “you lose” speech?

  “Thank you, Dr. Warren. I believe in acupuncture, and I take my choice of a profession very seriously.”

  “I thought you did, too, Mitzi, and that’s why I’m so troubled by what I’m about to say.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m not following you.”

  “I don’t blame you. I think I’m making a real mess of this, so let me just say it straight out. I’ve received information that several of your patients have told people they felt your treatment harmed them, rather than helped them.” He sat back in his chair and folded his hands, waiting for her response.

  Mitzi started to stand up, then sat back down. Her face became pale and try as she might, she couldn’t stop the small tear that slipped from her right eye and lazily made its way down her cheek. After a few moments she said, “I’d like to know who told you that.”

  “I’m sorry, Mitzi, I can’t say. I’m sure you understand that information of this type is confidential.”

  “No, as a matter of fact, I don’t,” she said as her voice rose in anger. “My reputation is on the line here, as well as my application to become your assistant dean. I think you owe me the courtesy of telling me where these untruths came from, and believe me, they are untruths. I’ve never had one complaint given to me in person or lodged against me since I started practicing acupuncture, and now out of the blue, you’re telling me that several people think I’ve harmed them?” she asked incredulously. “And just how do you expect me to defend myself against accusations which are nothing more than a rumor if you won’t tell me how you discovered this vicious allegation?”

  “Mitzi, put yourself in my place. I would very much like to have you as my assistant, but when someone in my position receives information like this, I have no choice but to determine if there’s any truth to it.”

  “I can understand that. Were you given the names of the people who supposedly made those claims?”

  “No,” he answered as he avoided looking her in the eye.

  She stood up and began pacing back and forth. “And just how do you intend to find out whether or not it’s the truth if you don’t even know who said my treatment may have harmed them?”

  “I don’t have a plan in mind. When I was given this information, I hoped you might know of a disgruntled patient, and we could go from there.”

  “Wait, Doctor. You weren’t told this? Is that what you’re saying? That it came to you anonymously? And might I ask just how did you get the information?” she asked angrily.

  He looked down at his hands and then towards the far side of the room, as if he couldn’t look at her directly while he answered. “I returned from an early lunch meeting today, and there was a note on my desk with the information in question on it. I don’t know who put it there. I asked Hannah if she knew anything about it, but she said she’d gone to the cafeteria for lunch and wasn’t here during lunchtime. Several of the acupuncture teachers were having lunch in the lounge, so she didn’t feel she needed to lock the door.

  Mitzi sat back down in her chair. “Doctor, I want you to know how much I respect you, but I have to say it must have occurred to you when two people are being considered for the same position, and you just happen to receive negative information regarding one of them, that maybe, just maybe, the other person had something to do with it. Did that thought occur to you?”

  “Of course it did. I know Dr. Nguyen can come off as brilliant and arrogant at times, but I’ve never known him to do something like this. Have you?”

  “No, but I sure wouldn’t put it past him. He’s made no bones to a number of people that American women belong in front of the kitchen stove or washing machine, rather than an acupuncture treatment table. I really have nothing further to say, Doctor. I believe my professional record speaks for itself, but if you choose to believe gossip by unnamed persons, I’m not sure I’d want to work for you anyway.” She stormed out of his office and slammed the door behind her.

  “Dr. Green, is anything…”

  Hannah never finished her sentence, because Mitzi was on her way to the parking lot, thinking very uncharitable thoughts about one Dr. Binh Nguyen. All she wanted to do was talk to Rex and have him make it all go away.

  CHAPTER 5

  Mitzi got into her bright red Jaguar, a gift from Mitzi to herself, and began driving to Rex’s home on the other side of town. When she was halfway there, she remembered he’d told her when they talked earlier in the day that he had a late consultation with a new patient who was flying in on her private plane from western Kansas. He’d laughed and said that if she had enough money to have a private plane and a pilot, he probably better be available for her. He told Mitzi to start thinking about where she wanted to go on their honeymoon, because this patient might very well provide the medical fees they needed to be able to pay for it.

  Realizing Rex wouldn’t be home, she turned around and drove to her house. Like everything else in Mitzi’s life, it, too, had been affected when she’d gone through her mid-life crisis, or as she preferred to call it, change. The two story red brick house now had a bright red door, courtesy of a seminar she’d taken on feng shui. It was supposed to bring good luck, and based on Rex and everything else that had happened to her, she felt it had, at least until tod
ay.

  Brightly painted white shutters flanked the French windows. Vibrant spring bedding plants lined the curved brick walkway leading to the house providing a multitude of colors which were repeated in the plants spilling out of large oak barrels on either side of the front door. Green grass accentuated the focal point of the front yard, a large graceful cottonwood tree, the state tree of Kansas.

  She opened the garage door and drove in. Her cleaning lady had been there earlier in the day, and when Mitzi entered the house it gleamed with freshly oiled furniture and highly polished hardwood floors. She took a deep breath and felt better for the first time since she’d left her office at 4:30 to meet with Dr. Warren.

  I will not go to the store and get a quart of ice cream and eat it, because it will make me sick, she repeated to herself several times. What I will get is a glass of the chardonnay Rex brought over last night for dinner, and we didn’t finish. One glass of that is probably a whole lot better for me than a quart of ice cream.

  After she poured herself a glass of wine, she went upstairs and walked down the hall to her large bedroom. When she began her mid-life change she decided she deserved to have a large bedroom with an adjoining sitting room. She had the wall separating the master bedroom from the small bedroom next to it taken out, and then she converted the smaller bedroom into a sitting room that had a couch and a flat screen television in it. Bookcases filled to full capacity lined the walls

  Mitzi had opted for bright warm colors to get away from her past drabness, so the bedroom and the sitting room had been professionally decorated in shades of yellow and burnt orange accentuated with decorative items in white and turquoise. She’d come to think of it as her haven, her refuge from the world, and given the last hour, all she wanted to do was sit quietly in her refuge and figure out what she should do next.