THE LAST CALL

Episode 2 continues on

She found Elias in the surgical conference room.

He was alone.

He was reviewing Jonathan's current charts.

"You knew."

He didn't look up.

"Good morning to you too."

"Victoria won't give me access to the file."

"I expected that."

"Why?"

"Because it's restricted."

"Why?"

Elias finally looked at her.

"You ask a lot of questions."

"And you avoid answering them."

"That makes two of us."

Amara placed the authorization form on the table.

"Tell me what happened."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you don't know enough yet."

"Then tell me enough."

Elias stood.

"Your father wasn't responsible for what happened."

Amara froze.

"What?"

He continued.

"Whatever you were told about that operation, it wasn't the whole story."

"How do you know?"

"I was there."

Her heart skipped.

"You were there?"

"Yes."

"At my father's operation?"

"I was a junior doctor at the time."

Amara stared at him.

That explained the look in his eyes.

The recognition.

The hesitation.

The fear.

"You knew my father."

"Yes."

"What was he like?"

Elias looked down.

For the first time since Amara had met him, his expression softened.

"He cared too much."

She frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"He believed every patient deserved a second chance."

"And Jonathan?"

"Especially Jonathan."

"Why?"

Elias didn't answer.

"Elias."

He walked toward the window.

"Your father was investigating something."

"What?"

"I don't know."

"That's a lie."

He turned.

"You think I'm lying?"

"I think you know more than you're saying."

"I do."

The honesty surprised her.

"Then tell me."

"I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

"Both."

Amara stepped closer.

"You told me if Jonathan died, we'd never know who killed my father."

"Yes."

"So you believe my father was murdered."

"I believe his death deserves another look."

"That's not the same thing."

"No."

He looked at her.

"But it's close."

Amara's voice dropped.

"Who would want him dead?"

Elias didn't answer.

Instead, he asked:

"Do you know what your father was working on before he died?"

"No."

"Did he ever mention a patient named Jonathan Vale?"

"No."

"Did he ever mention a pharmaceutical trial?"

Amara shook her head.

"No."

Elias looked away.

"Then start there."

"Where?"

"Find out what Jonathan Vale was involved in eight years ago."

"Why?"

"Because that's where your father's story begins."

Amara stared at him.

"And where does yours begin?"

Elias looked at her.

"Mine?"

"You were there."

A long silence followed.

Then he said:

"My story begins the night your father died.Amara spent the rest of the day working.

She tried not to think about Jonathan.

She failed.

Every patient she saw reminded her why she had chosen medicine.

Every time she entered the operating room, she remembered her father.

And every time she saw Elias, she remembered his words.

Your father's story begins there.

At 7:18 p.m., Amara sat alone in the residents' lounge.

Daniel walked in carrying two cups of coffee.

"I brought you one."

She took it.

"Thanks."

"You look terrible."

"Thank you."

"I meant tired."

"Still not helpful."

He sat opposite her.

"Any progress?"

"Maybe."

"That's not an answer."

"I found out my father was investigating something."

Daniel became interested.

"What?"

"I don't know yet."

"And Elias?"

"Still being Elias."

Daniel laughed.

"Fair."

Amara opened her laptop.

"I want to search old public records."

Daniel looked at the screen.

"Search what?"

"Jonathan Vale."

They began searching.

At first, nothing seemed unusual.

Jonathan Vale had been a senior executive at a pharmaceutical company.

He had been involved in several clinical research projects.

Eight years earlier, his company had been linked to a medical research program that had received public attention.