by Anne Fraser
Mac walked close to the cliff then dropped to his stomach to peer over the edge. ‘I think I can see him,’ he called. ‘Is he wearing a red jacket?’
Luke’s father rushed forward. Mac jumped to his feet and barred his way.
‘You have to stay back,’ Mac warned. ‘The edge here is already unstable. If you come any closer you could slip or a bit of the cliff could crumble and fall on your son.
‘I’m going to climb down there and see how he is, okay?’ Mac added quietly.
‘Shouldn’t we wait for the rescue services?’ Abby said. ‘The operator said they shouldn’t be more than ten minutes. If you go down there, you could fall, too.’
Mac dug in his pocket and pulled out his car keys. He tossed them to Dave. ‘Dave, go back to the car park. My car is the Jeep. In the boot you’ll find a red medical case, a rope and a yellow jacket. Could you fetch them? ‘
Dave hesitated and Mac gave him a gentle push. ‘Go! It’s the best way to help Luke. Be as quick as you can.’
As soon as Dave had set off at a run, Mac turned back to Abby. ‘We don’t have time to wait for help.’ While he was talking he had removed his jacket. ‘I’m going to go down. When Dave returns I might need you to lower my medical bag on the end of the rope. Okay?’ He moved towards the cliff.
‘Shouldn’t you at least wait for the rope?’ If Mac fell they would have two victims to rescue. Even in her anxiety, the irony wasn’t completely lost on her. She had just found Emma’s father. If he fell now, Emma might never get to know him.
Mac turned around and grinned. ‘Hey, I was brought up near cliffs. Never met one yet I couldn’t beat. I’ll be okay. As soon as you hear the rescue ‘copter, let off a flare. Keep Dave occupied by telling him to search for a good place for the helicopter to land.’
Before she could protest further, he disappeared over the edge.
Abby’s heart banged against her ribs. What was Mac thinking? Although if it had been Emma down there, she would have gone herself. Fear of heights or not.
She tiptoed over to the edge, following Mac’s earlier example, and lay flat on her stomach and peered over. Although Mac was picking his way carefully down the cliff he was moving faster than she would have thought was safe. From this vantage point she could see that although the cliff was steep, it didn’t fall away as sharply as she’d thought. Relief swept through her. Perhaps Luke had a chance.
As Dave returned with the bag, rope and Mac’s fluorescent jacket she became aware of a whooping sound in the distance. Shielding her eyes against the sinking sun, she could just about make out the large yellow shape of a Sea King helicopter. Thank God! They would have proper equipment and hopefully a way to get both Mac and Luke up.
‘Come on.’ She jumped up and shouted across to Dave. ‘We need to find a decent landing place to direct the pilot to land.’
‘How is my son? Could you see him? Is he okay?’
Abby moved towards open ground and yelled back over her shoulder. ‘Mac will be with him in a few minutes. He’s a doctor. He’ll do everything he can to help Luke.’
Without waiting to see whether Dave was following or not, she raced over to the flat piece of ground. It was just about big enough for the helicopter to land and thankfully the previous days’ rain had run away, leaving it solid underfoot.
Abby waved Mac’s jacket and immediately the helicopter headed in their direction. Dave was standing behind her, looking lost and terrified. She summoned up a smile. ‘I promise you, your son is in good hands.’ And she believed it. ‘Stay back until they land, then tell them everything. Okay? I’m going to lower the medical bag down to Mac.’
She ran back to the cliff edge and dropped on to her front again. Mac was at the bottom now and kneeling next to the prone figure of the boy. At least he had made it down in one piece. But Mac couldn’t risk moving the child on his own. If Luke had survived the fall, there was every chance he had serious neck and head injuries and any movement could mean the difference between a full recovery and life in a wheelchair.
Mac glanced up and gave her a thumbs-up. Luke must still be alive. She tied the medical bag to the rope and lowered it down but it snagged on the jagged rock face. The incline may have helped Mac reach the boy, but it was hampering her efforts to get the bag down to him. Almost crying with frustration, she was only vaguely aware of a hand touching her shoulder. She looked up into calm green eyes of a crew member from the helicopter.
‘Miss, you have to stand away from the edge.’ Before she could protest, the man took her arm and raised her to her feet. ‘We’ll take it from here.’
‘Mac—Dr MacNeil—is down there with the boy. Mac’s a doctor with the air ambulance. He needs his bag.’
‘Mac, as in Daredevil Mac? ‘ A broad smile spread across the man’s craggy face. ‘Well I’ll be bug—blown. We know him well, and if he’s onto it, everything will be A-okay. Don’t worry, I’ll get the bag down to him.’
Pulling the case back up, the man, whose name badge said Roberts, took it and ran back to the helicopter. Seconds later the Sea King took off again.
Abby joined Dave, knowing that for the time being there was little she or the anxious father could do. She hooked her arm in his as they watched the helicopter hover over the cliff. A couple of tense minutes passed before a figure, clutching a stretcher and the medical bag, was lowered from the side of the helicopter. Abby’s heart thudded painfully. In many ways she would have preferred to be down there helping. This waiting was worse than anything.
Minutes crawled like hours. Then suddenly the crewman came back into view. He was holding onto the stretcher, which now contained a figure. Immediately after the winchman and the stretcher were pulled on board, the helicopter lowered the rope again and after a few moments Mac appeared above the top of the cliff. He, too, was pulled into the waiting Sea King.
Instead of flying off, the helicopter landed again. Abby grabbed Dave’s hand and ran towards it. Roberts had barely pulled her and Dave in before the helicopter banked away. Roberts passed her a helmet with a radio attached.
With a brief word to Dave to stay where he was, Abby hurried over to Mac, who was bent over the stretcher.
‘He has a compound fracture of the femur. I can’t rule out internal injuries and of course we have to suspect head and spinal injuries. I’ve given him IV morphine for the pain.’
Mac attached his patient to the pulse oximeter while Abby checked Luke’s vital signs.
Although Luke’s blood pressure was low and his pulse elevated, and he wasn’t out of the woods yet, he was a very lucky boy. His leg would take time to heal and would have hurt like crazy before the morphine took effect, but as long as he didn’t have internal injuries he’d probably be able to leave hospital in a week or two. Abby shuddered when she thought what might have happened if she and Mac hadn’t come across Dave when they had. She was even more confused about Mac than ever. He had risked his life for Luke, he had been thoughtful with Tim, yet he had made it clear that he didn’t believe in getting involved with patients. Which one was the real Mac?
Luke tried to sit up, but Abby pushed him gently back down.
‘Dad?’ he asked. ‘Where’s my dad?’
Abby beckoned to Dave to come forward. Anything to help the child stay calm was good.
‘He’s right here,’ Abby said gently. She moved away slightly so Luke could see his father. Both father and son started to cry. ‘Dave, you need to move away again so we can work on your son, okay? Try not to worry, I’m sure he’s going to be okay.’
When they touched down at St Piran’s the staff from A & E were waiting for them.
‘Status update?’ the A & E consultant, bearing the name badge Dr Josh O’Hara, asked. Abby had only the briefest impression of dark hair and deep blue eyes before Luke was rushed inside.
Abby, her part in the drama over, went in search of Dave. He would be desperate for news of his injured child. She found him sitting outside Resus, his head in his hands.
<
br /> She tapped him gently on his shoulder. ‘Dave.’
He looked at her with red-rimmed eyes. He tried to speak, but couldn’t. He shook his head, almost as if he were too scared to ask after his son.
‘How is he?’ he managed after clearing his throat.
Abby sat next to him and took his hand in hers.
‘I think he’ll be fine, Dave. It was good we found him when we did, and that we were able to start giving him medical treatment straight away. All that will make a big difference to his recovery.’
They sat in silence for a moment. ‘Is there anyone I can call for you? Luke’s mother? She’ll need to know he’s in hospital.’
Dave took a deep shuddering breath. ‘She’s dead.’ He buried his face in his hands. ‘She died from breast cancer six months ago.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Abby said.
Dave’s eyes were bleak. ‘She’d never forgive me if I let something happen to our child. I promised her I’d look after him and I fell asleep. What kind of father am I?’
‘You’re human. It can be difficult, bringing up a child on your own. You can’t watch them all the time.’
Dave raked a hand through his hair. ‘But I fell asleep! I’ve been working overtime so I could afford to take Luke away on holiday. So he and I could spend more time together. He needs something to cheer him up. The loss of his mum was a terrible blow. To both of us.’ Abby was only dimly aware of Mac coming to stand next to them. ‘And I could have lost him, too.’
‘You’ve not lost him,’ Mac said quietly. ‘He’s got to go to Theatre to get his leg pinned where it was broken, but he’s going to be fine.’
‘He’s going to be okay? ‘ Dave said almost as if he didn’t dare allow himself to believe what Mac was telling him. The relief in Dave’s eyes brought a lump to Abby’s throat.
‘Yes, he is. I promise you,’ Mac said firmly. ‘You can see him for a few moments before he goes to Theatre, if you like.’
Dave sprang to his feet. He clasped Mac’s hands in his. ‘How can I ever thank you? I know you put your own life in danger and I’ll never forget you for that. Either of you.’ Without giving them a chance to reply, he rushed away to see his son.
‘Another satisfied customer,’ Mac said wryly. ‘Perhaps he’ll take better care of his son after this.’ He rubbed a hand across his chin. ‘What the hell was he thinking? Having a nap while his eight-year-old played near a dangerous cliff. Some people just shouldn’t have children.’
Abby rounded on him. ‘He’s doing the best he can. Do you know he only fell asleep because he’s been working all hours to give his son a holiday? Luke’s mother died recently and Dave has been doing the best he can to care for him. Being a single parent isn’t easy. We all make mistakes. It’s just by the grace of God, most of the time, things turn out all right.’ What the hell did Mac know about being a parent, the demands, the worry?
Mac held up his hands as if to ward off her words. He looked stunned and contrite. ‘Hey, I had no idea.’
‘You shouldn’t be so quick to judge, Mac. As the saying goes, you don’t know what a person’s life is like until you’ve walked in their shoes.’
Mac narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable. ‘I have no intention of ever walking in his shoes, as you put it.’ The clouds cleared from his face. ‘But I didn’t know his circumstances,’ he said. ‘If I had, I wouldn’t have been so quick to make assumptions.’ He smiled ruefully. ‘I stand corrected.’
Their eyes locked and Abby’s heart somersaulted. She had the strangest feeling that he knew every thought that was rattling around her confused brain. Dismayed, she pulled her eyes away from his searching gaze and glanced at her watch. She had to get back for Emma, but her car was still miles away where she had left it when she and Mac had set out on their walk.
Mac caught her look of alarm. ‘What is it?’
‘I need to get home,’ she said. ‘Like now. But my car’s on the other side of Penhally, still in the car park.’
‘Mine, too,’ Mac glanced up as Josh emerged from Resus.
‘Know where I could borrow a car, mate?’ Mac asked.
Josh dug in his pocket and fished out a set of keys. He tossed them at Mac, who caught them.
‘Take mine,’ Josh said. ‘Just make sure you bring it back in one piece.’
‘Hey.’ Mac pretended to look offended. ‘Don’t I always?’
Josh raised an eyebrow. ‘You know it’s only a matter of time if you continue to drive like the devil.’
‘I only drive fast when I’m on my own. And when the road allows. Your car will be perfectly safe.’ Mac turned to Abby. ‘I’ll drop you off at your house then collect your car.’
Abby wasn’t at all sure she wanted to be in a car with Mac after hearing Josh’s comments, but she did have to get home. Emma was too young to be left on her own, even for a short while. ‘What about yours? ‘ Abby protested.
‘Don’t worry about mine. It’s not a problem. I can get it any time.’
Inside Josh’s car, Abby glanced at her watch again. She should make it before Emma. With a bit of luck.
‘You did a brave thing back there,’ she said as they drove down the narrow lanes in the direction of Penhally Bay.
Mac grinned at her and her pulse scrambled. He was having the strangest effect on her. As if she didn’t have enough to contend with. Leftover adrenaline, she told herself.
‘As I said before, it was a piece of cake. Where is your house? ‘
Abby gave him the address and he nodded. ‘I think I know where you are.’
‘But don’t you think you were a little reckless?’ Abby persisted. ‘You could have been killed, or fallen and then we would have had two bodies to rescue.’ And Emma wouldn’t have a father, suitable or unsuitable.
Mac slid her a glance. ‘Where’s the fun in life if you can’t take risks? ‘ he said. ‘You might as well be dead if you don’t. And, anyway, I knew I could climb down to him. Believe me, it wasn’t nearly as dangerous as it looked. At least, not for me. Free climbing is one of my hobbies.’
Abby frowned. She didn’t like the sound of this free climbing, whatever it was.
‘Which means what exactly?’
‘It’s a form of climbing where you don’t use ropes. Great fun.’
Oh, dear Lord. Emma’s father was an adrenaline junkie who didn’t seem to care whether he lived or died. Could it get any worse?
‘Oh, and by the way,’ Mac said, following her pointed finger, as he pulled up in front of the small two-up, two-down where she and Emma lived. ‘You owe me a date. And one thing you should know about me is that I always collect my debts.’ His diamond-coloured eyes locked onto hers and once again Abby had the strangest feeling he could see into her soul.
The blood rushed to her cheeks. It was as if someone had lit a fire just below her skin and it was smouldering away. Any minute now she’d go up in a puff of smoke. She was out of the car almost before it had come to a complete stop. So far none of this was going the way she’d planned.
Shortly after Mac left, Emma came running into the cottage and flung herself down on the sofa. She beamed happily at Abby.
‘Hey. I gather you had a good time?’ Abby asked.
‘It was great. A few of the other girls came over and we had the coolest time trying on each other’s clothes and make-up. Not one of them asked me anything about my dad. I don’t think they care at all.’
‘Those girls in your other school were the exception, Emma. They just had to make themselves feel good by putting you down.’ She ruffled her daughter’s hair. Whatever happened with Mac, they had made the right decision coming here. In the last few weeks Emma had changed back from the subdued, under-confident girl she had become in London to the lively fun-loving kid she had always been before that.
Emma jumped up from the sofa and hugged Abby fiercely. ‘You’re the best mum in the world,’ she said.
Abby’s heart twisted. All she had ever wanted was to give Em
ma the security and love she and Sara had never experienced. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for Emma. Not even risk losing her to her father. If that father could make her happy. What she was not prepared to do now that Emma was just getting back to her bright usual self was risk her daughter being rejected. Abby knew only too well how that felt.
‘Sara loved you as much as I do. You’ll never forget that, will you?’
‘I know. You tell me that almost every day.’ Emma looked sad for a moment. ‘I really wish I could have known her.’ But in the way kids did, her face brightened almost immediately. ‘At least I have you to tell me all the stories about her. I love hearing the ones about how you both kept getting into trouble. They make me laugh.’
‘Yes, but, remember, I only tell you some of these stories as a warning about how easily you can get into trouble.’ Abby was stricken. What if Emma tried to copy some of the pranks she and Sara had got up to? It didn’t bear thinking about.
Emma grinned. ‘You are so easy to tease, Mum. I get you every time.’
‘Why don’t you have your shower while I get supper ready?’ Abby suggested. ‘Then afterwards there’s a movie on TV we can watch together.’ Mac would be back any minute with her car, and she wasn’t ready for child and father to meet.
And that wasn’t the only thing she wasn’t prepared for, Abby admitted to herself as she set about preparing supper. She hadn’t expected to find herself reacting to him the way she did. The way her heart kept misbehaving every time he was around wasn’t just down to her anxiety about Emma and was an unwelcome complication in a situation that was already complicated enough. Damn it, why did he have to be so infuriatingly gorgeous?
As she’d hoped. Emma was still in the shower when Mac arrived with her car. In her haste to have him gone before Emma came downstairs, she practically grabbed her car keys from his hand. All this emotional turmoil was exhausting. She knew she couldn’t keep father and daughter apart for ever. Sooner or later, she would have to tell them the truth.
CHAPTER FOUR
BACK at work, Mac didn’t mention another date. Abby wasn’t sure if she was relieved or offended. For her second shift, she worked with Lucy, attending a car accident as well as a child with breathing difficulties. Although she enjoyed working with Lucy, she had to admit she was disappointed that she wouldn’t always be working with Mac. She told herself it was simply because she was trying to figure him out and nothing to do with the fact she felt alert, more alive somehow, when he was around.
