The Secret Doctor

by Joanna Neil

  ‘That’s great news.’ He smiled. ‘I’m glad. And as to the phone, I’ll be sure to leave it switched on now, in case you call…although you can always reach me by my landline. I’ll give you the number.’

  She didn’t know whether to be reassured or not. The whole incident had disturbed her, much as she tried to tell herself it was probably a figment of her imagination.

  ‘We should eat,’ she said, sitting down at the table. ‘Help yourselves.’

  They all tucked in. The fish platter was truly wonderful, with oysters, clams, shrimp and conch fritters, served alongside rice and vegetables. Jane had created the perfect meal.

  ‘So how are you feeling?’ Jake asked, giving Rob a thoughtful glance. ‘You’ve been through the mill a bit lately, haven’t you?’

  ‘I’m fine.’ Rob was clearly uncomfortable discussing his health with another man. ‘I just want to get back to work.’

  ‘That’s good.’ Jake speared shrimp with his fork. ‘I don’t know whether you’d be interested in this, but my brother put forward an idea for a TV or film documentary about exploration of the wrecks in the area. Some of our salvage operations would make good viewing, and a lot of people are interested in recovered treasure and the way the recovery is carried out. We thought about commissioning a series of programmes that we could market to various media companies. Is that the sort of thing that you would be interested in?’

  Rob was clearly taken with the idea. He was suddenly alert, wanting to know the ins and outs of the proposal. ‘Are you suggesting that I should do the filming?’

  Jake nodded. ‘It’s what you do best, isn’t it? I’ve seen some of your documentaries, and you’re beginning to make a name for yourself in the industry. You seem to have an eye for what will capture people’s attention and keep them wanting more. What do you think—would you be prepared to do the filming?’

  ‘I’d certainly be interested.’ Rob’s eyes were shining with enthusiasm. ‘Perhaps we should get together some time and sift through a few ideas?’

  Jake nodded. ‘Tomorrow, perhaps at my place? My brother will be coming over in the morning, so we could decide together what we want.’

  ‘That’ll be great.’ Rob was thoughtful as he ate his salad. He was clearly working out a plan of action.

  Jake turned his attention to Lacey. ‘So when does your sister arrive?’

  ‘Some time tonight. It’ll be fairly late, so I expect the children will be tired…still, I’ve made everything ready for them. I’ve dug out a couple of trendy duvets—pretty princess for Cassie, and space rockets for Tom, so they should make a good first impression. And I managed to pick up a few toys and books from a stall in town, so that should help things along, too.’

  ‘It sounds as though you’re looking forward to seeing them. How old are they?’

  ‘Cassie’s six, and Tom is four. Cassie’s very much the big sister, and Tom is every bit a boy…out to make his mark on the world. He’s very inquisitive and wants to explore everything. It’s been a few months since we last met up, and I’ve really missed seeing them.’

  Jake’s brows drew together. ‘Obviously, you like having family around you. I do, too, but I’m not so sure about children… My only experience has been with kids at the hospital…those in the waiting room can be a nightmare sometimes, running riot when their parents are distracted. And they always ask such awkward questions like, “Is he going to die?” “Why did you just drop that metal thing?” “Have you had your dinner in the hospital café? ’Cos my mum did, and she just threw up.”’

  Lacey chuckled. ‘Children are very observant, I grant you that, and their minds are always ticking over, trying to work things out.’ She studied him thoughtfully. ‘I guess you’re not planning on having a family of your own any time soon. It doesn’t sound as though you’re the settling-down type.’

  His mouth twisted. ‘Well, I have to say, children aren’t very high on my list of priorities.’ He returned her gaze. ‘What about you? Has your experience with your ex put you off relationships for the foreseeable future?’

  She thought about that. ‘The truth is, I’m not altogether sure. The last two years have been difficult for me, one way and another, and I’m just not clear about what I want these days. I’ve always wanted to have children…I don’t think I can contemplate life without them, but the way things are that isn’t likely to happen any time soon.’

  Rob poured wine into her glass. ‘You won’t always feel this way. Life is something that happens to us, and we just make the best of it. Sooner or later things will drop into place and you’ll look at them with a different eye. You just need to find the right man.’ He glanced at Jake and there was a look that passed between them, a very male glance that spoke of rivalry and contention, as though a challenge had been thrown out.

  ‘Maybe. In the meantime, I’ll make do with a second-hand family, and enjoy the get-together when my sister and her offspring arrive.’

  She turned her attention to the food. It was better not to think about Jake’s aversion to settling down. She was drawn to him, there was no doubt about that, but nothing would ever come of it. They were miles apart in their outlook on life.

  She cut a slice of the fruit pie and added cream. It was a joy to eat, with fresh, succulent pears and peaches, topped with lush strawberries, and the pastry melted in the mouth. ‘You must thank Jane for me once again,’ she told Jake. ‘I can’t help but think you’re luckier than most, having her all to yourself. Maybe one day I’ll meet with her and thank her in person.’

  He smiled. ‘I’m sure we can arrange that.’

  They finished the meal, chatting lightly about this and that, and Lacey began to clear away the dishes, stacking them in the dishwasher. Jake offered to lend a hand, whilst Rob was busy drawing up plans for his next project.

  Jake’s phone rang as they were preparing to go outside onto the deck. While he answered the call, Lacey looked out over the grounds, her gaze going to the farthest extent her land, much of it hidden from view by the orange grove and distant rocky outcrops. Beyond those were the mangroves that grew along the channel that bordered her property.

  She had checked the fences a few hours ago, and found several parts where an intruder could have slipped through. Some of the natural vegetation had been broken down and trampled, and that worried her because it meant that someone or something had been there. A frisson of cold ran through her body. It was disturbing how the fears of the night kept coming back to haunt her.

  A note of tension in Jake’s voice alerted her all at once, and she turned towards him.

  ‘What’s his condition?’ Jake was saying. ‘Is he having any trouble with his breathing? Any dizziness?’ He frowned. ‘Okay, then, tell them to lay him down on his back and give him oxygen. If it looks as though he’s going to be sick they need to turn him over onto his side and make sure his airway is clear. If he stops breathing they should start CPR. I’ll be with them in about ten minutes.’

  Jake cut the call and said, ‘I have to go. The emergency service has been in touch to say that a diver is in difficulties out in the bay. I’m probably nearest, so I’ll be able to get to him first.’

  ‘Is it bad?’ Rob asked. ‘What’s happened?’

  ‘I think he’s probably suffering from the bends. He may have been in the water too long, or perhaps he surfaced too quickly. Either way, he’s in trouble.’

  He was already on the move, heading for the door, and Lacey followed him. ‘Do you work for the rescue services?’ she asked. She was puzzled. ‘I thought you had given up medicine.’

  ‘I only go out if it’s local, or if there’s a major disaster like a hurricane…which is a rare occurrence, thankfully. It helps that I have the boats. It gives me better access when there’s a problem out at sea.’

  ‘Could I come with you? I’d like to help.’

  ‘Yes, of course.’

  ‘Good luck,’ Rob said. ‘I hope things go well.’

  They left him
to go on with his work plans, while they hurried out to the dock.

  Jake had the boat running within a minute. He was very quiet, and Lacey wondered if he was concerned for the diver, or whether he had other things on his mind.

  As they sped out across the bay, though, she asked him, ‘What happens when someone has the bends? I’ve never come across it before.’

  He checked the co-ordinates he had been given and turned the boat in the direction of a nearby reef. ‘It’s to do with the way the body tissues absorb nitrogen from the breathing gas in proportion to the surrounding pressure. If the pressure is reduced too quickly, the nitrogen comes out of solution and forms bubbles in the body tissues. This causes the classic pain in the joints, but if the air bubbles enter the circulation as well, they might enter the lungs and cause congestive symptoms and even circulatory shock through an arterial gas embolism.’

  ‘So that’s why we need to get to him fast, to try to prevent that from happening?’

  ‘Yes. If decompression sickness isn’t treated quickly, the diver could end up suffering from brain damage, or he may not even survive.’

  ‘But you told them to give him oxygen. Won’t that help? Won’t that stop any of those symptoms developing?’

  ‘Not necessarily. It will help, but people can seemingly recover and then collapse later. He needs decompression treatment if he’s to be safe, but the nearest hyperbaric chamber is at Key Largo.’

  ‘Will you be taking him there?’

  ‘No. The rescue services will scramble a launch to take him there, but it will take a while to reach him. That’s why we need to make sure that his condition is stabilised before he starts the journey.’

  When they reached the mooring buoy some five minutes later, it was clear that their patient was in a bad way. Jake and Lacey clambered aboard the diver’s boat.

  ‘He’s not been making much sense at all,’ a man told them. ‘I know he’s in pain,’ he added in a low voice, ‘and that’s worrying, because Martin’s not one to complain. He’s finding it hard to get his breath as well. That means it’s bad, doesn’t it?’

  ‘At least he’s still conscious,’ Jake murmured, kneeling down beside the patient, who was lying on the deck.

  ‘Martin,’ he said, ‘I’m Jake Randall… I’m a doctor…Can you hear me?’

  Martin mumbled a reply, but it was indistinct, and Jake tried again. ‘You’ve been in a diving accident,’ he said. ‘You’re suffering from decompression sickness…Do you understand what I’m saying?’

  Martin’s whole body was suddenly racked with tremors. He tried to answer, but clearly he was confused, and then he started to cough, an unhealthy sound, as though his lungs were filling up with fluid.

  Jake turned to Lacey, who had come to kneel beside him. ‘Will you go on giving him oxygen while I set up an intravenous line?’ he asked. ‘I’m going to give him isotonic fluids without dextrose to correct any dehydration and maintain blood pressure. I think we’re going to have to put a urinary catheter in place as well.’

  He glanced around at the people who were waiting anxiously on deck. ‘Do you want to go into the cabin and give Martin some privacy while we do that? It would be helpful if you would call the Divers Alert Network—their number’s on my phone.’ He handed his mobile to the man who had been helping Martin. ‘Tell them he definitely needs treatment in a hyperbaric chamber. They’ll start making the necessary arrangements.’

  ‘Okay, leave it with me.’

  ‘Good…and keep the line open so they can get back in touch.’

  ‘Will do.’

  Lacey and Jake continued to work on their patient until they were satisfied they had done all they could for him, but just as they were beginning to feel it might be safe to sit back and wait for the rescue launch, Martin slipped into unconsciousness.

  Jake examined him once more and then looked up at Lacey, his face grim. ‘He’s not breathing, and I can’t find a pulse,’ he said, his voice taut. ‘We need to start CPR. Will you do chest compressions while I intubate him?’

  Lacey nodded, and positioned herself so that she could press down on Martin’s chest. Jake put a tube down his throat to help with his breathing, and as soon as that was in place he brought out the defibrillator.

  Jake quickly fixed the pads in place on Martin’s chest and switched on the machine. The man’s heart had slipped into a dangerous rhythm.

  ‘Charging,’ Jake said, and then, ‘Stand clear.’ The defibrillator delivered an electric shock that was meant to restore Martin’s heart rhythm to normal, but it failed. The heart monitor showed that he was still in a hazardous condition.

  ‘I’ll try again,’ Jake said. His expression was bleak. His face was pale, his features grimly etched, and Lacey realised that she had never seen him this way before.

  A second shock, but there was still nothing…no change.

  Jake was doing everything he could for this man, but if this dangerous rhythm continued any longer, Martin could go into cardiac arrest. If he flat-lined, that would be the end. Jake knew it and Lacey knew it. She wished there was something she could do that would change the course of events, but she was helpless.

  ‘Stand clear.’ Another shock, and this time the heart trace began to show a sinus rhythm and Lacey breathed a sigh of relief. Martin was out of danger for the moment, at least.

  Jake, though, was rigid with tension. He appeared to be completely drained of energy, his face shadowed, his clamped lips making it seem as though he was under great stress. It was clear that he was badly disturbed by everything that had gone on.

  Lacey looked at him in concern. ‘Jake, are you all right?’

  ‘I’m okay,’ he said.

  She frowned. He wasn’t okay at all. That was plain to see. Something was definitely wrong, and he was in denial. She desperately wanted to find out what was causing his tension so that she could find a way of helping him.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ‘YOU saved Martin’s life, and yet you look as though you’ve gone into shock.’ Lacey watched Jake as he eased himself away from the patient and checked the man’s vital signs. ‘I know something’s wrong. Can you tell me about it? What’s troubling you, Jake?’

  ‘Nothing. And we can’t waste time talking about it now.’ He kept his voice low. ‘We have to get Martin off this boat and on his way to Key Largo.’ He looked at his watch. Every movement he made was stiff, as though it took a great effort. ‘The launch should have been here by now…every second counts. The sooner he goes into decompression, the better his chances.’

  ‘It’s only been a few minutes,’ Lacey said in a soothing tone. ‘He’s stable for the moment, and he’ll be at the hospital within the hour. That’s all anyone can ask. Don’t beat yourself up about it.’

  ‘I’m not.’ He made a ragged sigh. ‘I just can’t get used to the way life can be snatched away from people in a sudden accident or by a freak of nature. It’s unfair. There’s no coming to terms with it.’ He gazed at her. ‘But you already know that. You’ve been through it.’

  ‘Yes, but you do come to terms with it in the end. You look back on the way people lived their lives and you celebrate the good times that live on in your memory.’

  She watched his expression, but his features were still frozen into a taut mask. ‘Are you feeling this way because of what happened to your parents? You said they had passed on…is that what troubles you?’

  He shook his head. ‘No. Obviously, yes, in part, it’s unbearably sad, but they each had illnesses that gave them time to say their goodbyes. They loved one another to the end and shared a good life together. There were no regrets, no things left undone or words not said… In a way, they made it easier for my brother and me.’

  ‘Then what—?’ Lacey broke off as the engine of a motor launch sounded in the distance. It was coming nearer at speed.

  Jake straightened up and checked his patient once more. ‘His vital signs are holding steady,’ he said.

  ‘That’s som
ething, at least.’ Lacey stood up. Much as she wanted to talk to Jake, she realised that he was right, and this was not the time to pursue things any further. Their priority had to be the patient, and so she went to talk to the anxious group of divers who were waiting to hear what was happening.

  ‘He’ll be given hyperbaric oxygen therapy,’ she told them. ‘That means oxygen will get to any damaged tissue and help with the healing process. Any bubbles of gas will be eliminated from his system, and he should slowly begin to recover.’

  ‘How long will he be in there?’

  ‘I don’t know the answer to that, I’m afraid. You’ll have to ask the doctor doing the hyperbaric treatment for his opinion…but usually treatment takes between several hours and a few days.’ She sent the man a reassuring glance. ‘He’ll be all right in the hyperbaric chamber. Patients can talk to their therapist while they’re in there, and in some instances they can even watch TV. So you needn’t be concerned from that point of view.’

  ‘No. You’re probably right. Thanks.’

  Lacey went to help supervise Martin’s transfer to the launch. There was a doctor on board who was familiar with diving illnesses, and she felt confident that they were leaving him in good hands.

  ‘I’ll let you know how he gets on,’ the doctor said as the launch started to move away.

  Jake nodded. ‘Thanks.’

  Their job was done, and after a few minutes more they said goodbye to the people left behind on the boat. ‘Make sure your equipment is up to date,’ Jake advised them. ‘You can buy gadgets that warn you if you’re spending too long under water, or if you’re coming up to the surface too fast. It’s well worth spending the money on them if it saves a life.’

  ‘We’ll look into it.’ The divers were subdued. Their friend had been in mortal danger and now a pall hung over the whole expedition.