Sleight of Hand by CJ Lyons

feelings–"
    "Don't you dare try to blame this on my nurse!" 
    "I'm not.  I just thought–"
    "That's the problem, you didn't think, Dr. Hart.  You rushed in to play hero, totally ignoring the fact that you were placing my nurse and your patient in jeopardy.  I hold you responsible for everything that happened today and don't you think for a minute that I won't report your actions to Dr. Castro and administration.  Your callous disregard–"
    "If you had a better idea, you should have said something!" Cassie snapped, her temper flaring now.  "I had less than five minutes to come up with a plan that wouldn't get anyone killed."
    "And did you ever consider the consequences if your plan hadn't worked?  We're here to serve our patients, to help them get better–whatever their illness or injury.  I took an oath in nursing school: First do no harm.  Tell me, Dr. Hart, what about your oath?"
    Cassie was silent.  Rachel had hit a nerve with that one, but what else could she have done?  Stand by and let the police handle things?  The outcome could have been bloody.
    Or everything might have been fine.  She should have trusted the police to do their job.  They were trained for these things, she wasn't.  She'd overstepped her bounds and in doing so, she had violated one of the fundamental principles of her profession.
    She started to apologize to Rachel, but the charge nurse turned her back and walked away.
     
    <><><>
     
    "Hey, Drake.  Got a case for you."
    Drake looked over as he and Jimmy moved through the front lobby of the station house.  Tony Spanos leaned against the desk, talking to a girl about ten and a younger boy who clung to her hand.  
    Behind Spanos, his partner had the thankless task of writing up a report.
    "Here you go, folks," Spanos said.  "This is Detective Drake, he specializes in your kind of case."  Spanos moved away, leaving the two children with Drake.
    He sent a glare toward the uniformed officer.  Spanos returned it with a mocking salute.  Then Drake crouched down so he was at eye level with the kids.  "Hi, guys.  What can I do for you?"
    "Will you help us?"  The girl was the spokesman for the duo.  Drake watched as she looked over her shoulder at a man who stood just behind her.  Their father, Drake guessed, nodded his encouragement, and she turned back.
    "First of all, what's your name?"
    "I'm Katie Jean and this is my little brother, Nate." 
    "Pleased to meet you, Katie Jean and Nate." Drake extended his hand and shook Katie Jean's.  When he offered it to Nate, the boy flinched away, moving so that his sister shielded him.  "And is that your dad?"
    The man moved closer and took Drake's hand.  "John Trevasian."  He looked down on his daughter.  "Go on, Katie Jean."
    She straightened and stared up at Drake with an intense expression that reminded him of Hart.  "It's my job to talk to you, 'cause Snickers is our responsibility."  She stumbled on the last word, and he realized she had rehearsed the speech.  "We need you to help us find him.  Nate drew pictures and we left them all over, but no one's seen him and he's just a puppy and what will happen if no one knows how he likes his belly rubbed or what kind of food to get him?"  The last came out in an explosion of fear.
    Drake rocked back on his heels.  He could hear Spanos' laughter from behind him but ignored it.  Katie Jean sniffed back her tears and tried to continue.  
    "Anyway, Daddy always says the police are here to help us, so I asked him to bring us here today.  So will you?  Find Snickers and bring him home?  Please?"  She looked up at him with an earnestness that was mirrored on her brother's face.
    How could he say no?  He nodded solemnly.  "I'll do my best," he assured them.  "You said you have a picture?" 
    Katie Jean turned to her brother who withdrew a sheet of paper from his pants pocket and silently offered it.  Drake unfolded the paper and smoothed it.  He glanced up at the boy in