My colleagues collapsed into their seats, faces drained of color.
"It's over. It's all over."
One of the newer residents broke down crying.
"Why wasn't Dr. Delgado on call last night? If he'd been here, he would've known what to do..."
"We're done for..."
Chad lifted his head. The instant he saw me, his eyes lit up.
"Him!"
He jabbed a finger in my direction.
"I called him all night! Every single call went unanswered! The one who killed this patient isn't us. It's him. The man who could've saved a life but deliberately turned off his phone!"
Every head in the hallway snapped toward me.
"Dr. Delgado!"
"Dr. Delgado, did you really turn off your phone on purpose?"
"Of course he did!"
Chad scrambled to his feet and held up his call log for everyone to see. Ninety-nine outgoing calls, all to my number.
His eyes were bloodshot as he stalked toward me, step by step.
"Dr. Delgado, we're talking about a human life here. What kind of doctor doesn't keep their phone on twenty-four hours a day?"
"You knew there was an open-chest surgery scheduled last night, and you're the most capable surgeon in the cardiac department."
"Shutting off your phone at a time like this — Thomas, what the hell were you thinking?"