Boning Family
Back at his rented apartment, Henry changed into Tinkerer's outfit, grabbed his house call bag, and went to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Ms. Hepburn had stayed for almost a month.
Nearly a year has passed, and the medical center hasn't changed much. However, the area where the Tinkerer was invited was one he hadn't visited before.
It's cleaner here, and it doesn't have the disinfectant smell often found in hospitals. Instead, other scents have masked it, but without any strong, pungent odor.
It's clear that a lot of extra effort has been put into maintaining the environment here. In particular, the artworks decorating the corridors almost make it feel like an art gallery.
Led by a red-haired nurse with a model-like figure and looks, the Tinkerer walked around the hospital grounds like a country bumpkin.
This isn't a place anyone can just walk into. The envelope I got at the Continental Hotel contained the invitation to enter. Without that tattered piece of paper, the Tinkerer would have been turned away right at the door and wouldn't have been allowed to get in.
Entering this kind of place, I realized even more how terrifying the power of old United States Old Money is. Even an international superstar like Audrey Hepburn couldn't get close to these people.
Looking back, if Ms. Hepburn hadn't spent the entire month of October seeking medical help and constantly running into walls, perhaps she would still have had a chance.
But that extra month of delay drained her energy, preventing her from recovering properly after the surgery, and she passed away.
Indeed, you can't compare people.
Putting aside his pointless sighs, the Tinkerer entered a hospital room that resembled a presidential suite in a hotel.
It was quite noisy inside; you could hear a young man wailing and screaming, and a group of people shouting things like "It doesn't hurt anymore."
It seemed that those who chimed in were more enthusiastic than the one crying out in pain. For a moment, it was impossible to tell who was in more pain.
As they approached the group of people gathered around, the unfamiliar face of the Tinkerer naturally attracted everyone's attention.
An old woman wearing a wig pushed through the crowd and stepped out. The wig was obvious because her hair was askew, revealing her wig underneath. Her makeup was even half-smudged by tear stains, making her look quite ridiculous.
However, it was clear that this woman was genuinely anxious; her love for her son was undeniable.
The old woman grabbed the Tinkerer's hand and said excitedly, "Please, doctor, you must save my child. He has such a bright future ahead of him; he shouldn't have to suffer like this."
Compared to the other party's attitude, the Tinkerer vaguely remembered what the old woman looked like. Not from face to face, but from print or television media. After seeing the patient's appearance, the Tinkerer remembered the family's background.
They are the Boning Family, a prominent white political family in Los Angeles. Since their rise to power in 1890, the family has held at least one seat on the city council and has numerous allies.
This elderly woman is Susie Ambow Bonning, the current head of the Boning Family, known for her sharp political insights. However, her only son is more famous recently.
It was Thomas Boning, the man lying in his hospital bed crying out in pain, a notorious spendthrift. Drug use, promiscuity, assault, and he crashed a car almost every year while drunk.
Given his numerous misdeeds and the power of his family, it's easy to imagine how much dirt has been hidden and how shameful it must be.
Such people are like icebergs; only one-tenth of the whole is visible above the water, never the entirety.
Secondly, the fact that their family could give out a Gold Coin through Continental Hotel tells you they're no good either. At least one member of the family is involved in the underworld, or perhaps the entire family is connected to them.
When faced with a patient like this... of course, one should treat them. Doctors have no prejudice, especially since this is Gold Coin commission from Continental Hotel.
Besides, the Tinkerer has been saving mostly murderers and serial killers lately, or at the very least, violent criminals. He's already saved so many wicked people, what's one more scumbag?
The Tinkerer wasn't some kind of idiot; after all, no one would let an idiot treat them. So his daily attitude was always very arrogant and confident, and no authority could sway him.
Even today, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a top-tier hospital worldwide, the Tinkerer still maintains his aloof attitude, looking down at people with his chin held high.
He stretched out his hand and said, "Medical record?" Naturally, a nurse brought over the patient's medical record.
Despite the presence of numerous medical personnel, including a renowned thoracic and abdominal surgeon who had previously consulted with Dr. Hepburn during her treatment.
But in such places, medical authorities are not as powerful as those who wield political authority. So even if the Boning Family brought in an unlicensed doctor, no matter how much they despised him, they treated him with caution and wouldn't put on airs in front of him.
The Tinkerer flipped through the medical records, which contained numerous and detailed examination results, but this only confirmed his suspicion that it was just a very common case of appendicitis.
Antibiotic treatment has already been administered, but with limited effectiveness. Now, this seemingly ordinary appendicitis shows signs of developing into peritonitis. Without surgery, not only could it lead to several complications, but it could also cause excruciating pain that kills the person.
After putting down the medical records, the Tinkerer asked the doctors present, "Is there an operating room?"
Although not very happy, the attending physician who was originally in charge calmly and professionally stated, "Yes, it's available anytime."
Seeing a strange man arrive without asking him anything and immediately wanting to operate, Thomas Boning, who was crying out in pain on his hospital bed, had no choice but to speak up and say, "Hey, you scarred guy, I'm warning you over here."
"I'm already in so much pain. If you can't let me have surgery without feeling any pain, I'll make you pay for all the suffering I've endured. Do you understand?"
Ignoring the young man who was barely conscious of his own words and was trying to spout nonsense, the Tinkerer turned to the city councilor's mother, who was in charge of making decisions, and said, "Ms. Boning, since you've brought me here, you must know me to some extent."
"But I must first state that my medical practices do not conform to what is generally understood as medical ethics, and could even be described as illegal. Even so, do you still want me to perform the surgery for your son?"
"Yes, I'm absolutely sure," the mother said with unwavering conviction.
But the son didn't share the same resolve. As if venting his own pain, he yelled from the side, "Hey, are you even hearing me? If you hurt me, you're fucking dead, you know that?"