The Italian Doctor

by Jennifer Taylor

  Maggie stopped as Doreen hurried away. Not that she had much hope now of convincing her friend that she and Luke weren’t an item. She groaned. Doreen had many wonderful qualities but discretion wasn’t one of them. The story would be all round the hospital before the day was over!

  An IC bed was finally arranged for Lisa shortly before Maggie went off duty. A qualified IC nurse had been hired via one of the agencies so the girl was to remain in Dalverston General. Maggie accompanied her to the IC unit, relieved that the teenager had been spared another journey.

  Luke was waiting for her when she got back to the ward. He had another man with him, who turned out to be the officer in charge of the hit-and-run investigation. His name was Detective Inspector Michaels and he was extremely thorough as he questioned her about what had happened that morning. Tracy had already told him everything she knew and it was obvious that he believed that the young man who had spoken to her was the same person who’d approached Maggie that morning.

  ‘That’s been very helpful,’ DI Michaels said, closing his notebook. ‘I’ve got some men interviewing Lisa’s friends at the moment. I’ll make sure they get a copy of this description you’ve given me. Maybe one of her friends will know who this chap is.’

  ‘He claimed that he wasn’t a friend of Lisa’s which is why I find it odd that he should be so interested in her,’ she said worriedly as she saw the inspector to the lifts. Luke went with them and he sighed.

  ‘Odd and worrying. Until we know what he wants, we need to be on our guard. I’ve alerted the IC staff and they are on the lookout in case he turns up there.’

  ‘How did he know that Lisa had come back to Dalverston General, though?’ Maggie queried as the lift arrived. It was the inspector who answered and her heart sank even further.

  ‘My guess is that he followed the ambulance to the Royal. Maybe he even followed the girl up to the IC unit and heard that she was being sent back here. It proves that his interest in her is more than just a casual one, which is why I’m taking this so seriously.’

  Maggie sighed as the inspector left. ‘It’s horrible, isn’t it? To think that some crank has latched onto poor Lisa like that. Frankly, I find it rather scary.’

  She gave a little shiver and Luke put his arm around her shoulders. ‘Don’t worry, Maggie. Lisa will be fine, I promise you.’

  She looked up at him with a smile. ‘Thanks. I’m so glad I told you, Luke. I was afraid that I might have been reading too much into what had happened which is why I thought I’d ask your advice.’

  ‘I’m glad you did. You know what they say about a problem shared—’

  ‘Is a problem halved,’ she finished for him, laughing. ‘I’ve always thought there was a definite drawback to that. OK so I’ve halved my problem but I’ve offloaded the other half onto you!’

  ‘Oh, my shoulders are broad enough to support it,’ he retorted, waggling his eyebrows comically at her.

  She punched him lightly on the arm. ‘Idiot!’ She spotted a movement out of the corner of her eye and blushed when she saw Doreen coming out of the staffroom. It was obvious from the smugly satisfied expression on the older woman’s face that she’d witnessed their exchange and had put her own spin on it!

  Maggie shook her head in exasperation as Doreen bade them both a cheery goodnight as she passed. ‘Honestly, I could scream at times! You’d think nobody in this place had anything better to do except gossip.’

  ‘Gossip about what precisely?’ Luke asked easily, following her into the staffroom. Maggie avoided looking at him as she opened her locker. She knew it was time that he was made aware of what was being said about them but suddenly she felt ridiculously shy about mentioning the rumours.

  ‘You and me,’ she muttered, bending down to retrieve her bag.

  ‘Really? So what’s being said about us, then? Come on, Maggie, you can’t leave it at that. I’m dying to know!’

  It was obvious that he was amused but she failed to find anything remotely funny about the situation. She straightened abruptly, her cheeks glowing pink with indignation.

  ‘I’m glad you find it so amusing because I don’t! People are talking about you and me going out together. We know that it’s not what they think but it’s impossible to tell them the truth, isn’t it?’

  ‘I imagine there would be a few raised eyebrows if we explained what we’re doing,’ he agreed dryly. ‘Why does it upset you so much, though? Is it because you’re ashamed to have your name linked to mine?’

  ‘Ashamed? Of course not! It’s just…just that…’ She tailed off, finding it difficult to explain that it was the thought of having to pick up her life after he left that was becoming so hard to deal with. Was it just the thought of having to cope with all the curious questions that bothered her, though? Or had it more to do with the fact that her life was going to seem so empty once he was no longer part of it?

  ‘Just what, Maggie? Come on, you can tell me, your old halve-a-problem buddy.’

  The teasing note was just what she needed. ‘I hate the thought of everyone tiptoeing around me after you’ve left.’

  ‘Trying to console you, you mean? Mmm, I can see that might be awkward.’ He smiled but there was the strangest light in his blue eyes that defied her comprehension. ‘I don’t honestly think it will be too bad. Once everyone sees how well you’re bearing up, they’ll soon realise that you aren’t suffering from a broken heart.’

  ‘I expect you’re right,’ she agreed, wishing she knew what he was really thinking. His tone had been light enough but there was something about his expression that seemed to belie that.

  She brushed aside the thought as Angela came into the staffroom. Luke excused himself, leaving her and Angela to make their way down in the lift. They lived in the same part of town so they caught the bus together and Maggie was glad that the younger girl kept up a lively conversation on the journey.

  It kept her mind off Luke and what he’d been thinking. Who knew what anyone really thought? Oh, some couples seemed to reach that state in their relationships—understood what the other was thinking without having to be told—but she doubted whether she and Luke would achieve that. Six months wasn’t long enough to get to know someone inside out. It was a strangely depressing thought.

  Maggie was off duty the following day so she spent the time catching up on housework. However, by late afternoon she was starting to suffer from a bad dose of cabin fever. Although it was almost four o’clock, the sun was shining and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. It seemed a shame not to get out and enjoy what was left of the day.

  She showered then slipped on a pair of comfortable denim shorts and a sleeveless top. Old trainers that had seen more good days pass by than she cared to count provided the perfect footwear. She didn’t bother with make-up and simply scooped her hair into a ponytail and secured it with a length of red ribbon. Frankly, she wasn’t concerned how she looked. The sun was shining, she had finished her chores and a five-minute walk away from her flat lay the river!

  There were quite a few other people on the riverbank that day so she walked downstream a little way, stopping when she came to a sheltered hollow. She sat down on the grass and opened the paper she’d brought with her. The front page was devoted to an account of the hit-and-run accident so she settled down to read it. However, she was only halfway down the first column when a shadow fell over her and she gasped when she looked up and saw Luke.

  ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘Playing hooky.’ He grinned as he sat down beside her. ‘I saw you when I was driving past and couldn’t resist following you. Promise you won’t tell?’

  ‘Cross my heart and hope to die,’ she replied solemnly, putting down the paper so that she could make a cross above her heart.

  He chuckled. ‘I don’t expect you to go to those lengths! Anyway, I doubt Morgan would object if he found out that I was snatching an hour to myself. I’m on call tonight so in theory I’m entitled to a break, although in practice it rar
ely happens!’

  Maggie laughed at the wryly accurate comment. ‘Well, I certainly can’t disagree with you there! Finding gold in that river is probably easier than getting the breaks we’re entitled to, especially at this time of the year when there are so many staff on holiday.’

  ‘So I’ve discovered.’ Although his tone was rueful, his smile told her that he didn’t really object to the demands the job made on him.

  ‘Where have you been?’ she asked curiously, plucking a blade of grass.

  ‘To the Royal, to speak to the bed manager there. Morgan asked me to find out what had happened about that IC bed. I decided that it would be best if I spoke to the guy in charge in person, which is why I drove over there this afternoon.’

  ‘And did you find out what went wrong?’

  ‘I did.’ He sighed, looking unusually grim. ‘It appears that the bed manager spoke to Norman Jefferson when he phoned to confirm Lisa’s time of arrival. It was Jefferson who told him that we no longer needed the bed because she’d been moved to a ward.’

  ‘No! Why on earth didn’t he check with you or Morgan first?’ she exclaimed in dismay.

  ‘Because Jefferson doesn’t believe that he should have to consult anyone before he makes a decision,’ Luke replied angrily. ‘He seems to think that he’s above all that.’

  Maggie could understand why he was so angry. It was unforgivable for an experienced doctor to make such a grave error simply because he refused to consult with his colleagues.

  ‘Have you told Morgan yet?’ she asked worriedly.

  ‘I phoned him straight away. He was livid and said that he intends to have it out with Jefferson. Obviously, the board will have to be told because it appears that there’s going to be an investigation.’

  ‘Good,’ Maggie declared. ‘People can’t go on ignoring the situation. What happens if Dr Jefferson makes a mistake while he’s operating?’

  ‘Like the one he made the other day, you mean? I’ve told Morgan about that, too. I felt I had to after this latest incident. He’s decided that it’s time to get everything sorted out once and for all.’

  ‘Well, I hope he does. Oh, I know it’s sad that a wonderful career may come to an end but it’s people’s lives at risk here. Dr Jefferson has to accept that he is no longer capable of doing the job.’

  ‘I don’t think it’s going to be easy to make him admit that. His pride is at stake and he isn’t going to go without a fight.’ Luke shrugged when she looked at him. ‘We’ve had a couple of differences of opinion since I arrived, so I don’t imagine he’ll be pleased when he learns that my report has helped bring things to a head.’

  ‘It could be unpleasant, couldn’t it?’ she said in concern.

  ‘I’ll survive.’ He glossed over the problem and grinned at her. ‘So, while I’ve been working my fingers to the bone what have you been doing? Lazing about by the river…’

  ‘I’ll have you know that I’ve cleaned my flat from top to bottom!’ she cut in indignantly. ‘Plus I’ve done a ton of washing. We don’t all live in hotels and have maids to run round after us!’

  ‘Oh, poor little Cinderella! My heart bleeds for you,’ he retorted unsympathetically, lying back on the grass and crossing his arms behind his head. ‘As for leading a charmed life, I’d swop my hotel room for your flat any day of the week, although I must say that the thought of doing chores on a glorious day like this might make me pause for thought. Maybe there are some advantages to living out of a suitcase, after all.’

  ‘Too right there are, matey! Count your blessings while you can—that’s my advice. Once you find a place to live you’ll have all the cooking and cleaning and washing and ironing to do like the rest of us poor souls!’

  ‘I can always hire myself a cleaner, I suppose. Maybe she would do the washing and ironing as well, so that only leaves the cooking.’ He propped himself up on his elbows and looked at her, a teasing smile lighting his handsome face. ‘Any offers gratefully received—not that I’m hinting, of course.’

  ‘Oh, of course not,’ Maggie replied dutifully, although she was finding it difficult to concentrate all of a sudden. He was so close now that she could smell the sun-warmed scent of his skin, and the aroma seemed to be affecting her ability to think. Sensible thoughts had fled before a barrage of far more dangerous ones, like how little effort it would take to close the gap so that their mouths could meet…

  A shudder ran through her and she straightened abruptly. Picking up the newspaper, she showed him the front page, forcing herself to focus on anything rather than such foolish ideas. ‘Have you seen this? I haven’t read it all but it appears that the police now know what make of car was involved in the accident.’

  Luke took the paper off her and skimmed through the report. ‘At least they’ve got a lead now. I spoke to Inspector Michaels this morning when he rang to say that they’ve managed to find Lisa’s parents. They should be back in Dalverston some time this evening with a bit of luck.’

  ‘That’s a relief. Did the inspector say anything else, like if he’d found out who that boy was?’

  ‘No. None of Lisa’s friends were able to identify him so it’s still a bit of a mystery.’ He sighed as he put the paper down on the grass. ‘Let’s hope the police make some headway now they have this new information to follow.’

  He suddenly checked his watch then rose to his feet. ‘Time I was on my way, I suppose.’ He glanced towards the river and sighed. ‘Not that I feel like going back to work. This is a wonderful spot, Maggie. It must be a great place for a picnic.’

  ‘It is. I often come here through the summer. I wish I’d thought about it earlier, in fact. Instead of slaving away over a hot duster and a can of polish, I could have spent the day here by the river.’

  He laughed. ‘You must be very strong-minded. I doubt I would have traded the delights of a day at the river for the joys of housework!’

  ‘Some of us know where our duty lies,’ she declared loftily, earning herself a soulful look.

  ‘If that’s a hint that I should be doing mine then I’m going, I’m going! And I shall be doing my duty until eight o’clock this evening.’ He gave a mournful sigh. ‘The day will be over by the time I’m free.’

  ‘Oh, poor you! Still, maybe it will be some consolation to know that I’m enjoying myself while you’re hard at work,’ she teased, lying back on the grass and making herself comfortable.

  ‘Thank you very much for that! I’m sure it will be a big comfort to me.’ He shook his head when she laughed. ‘You’re a wicked woman, Maggie Carr. You’ll get your just deserts one day, you’ll see!’

  ‘Really? Well, in the meantime I think I shall just lie here and enjoy the sun.’

  He chuckled deeply. ‘Oh, you know how to turn the knife, don’t you? I never imagined that you were like this. I thought you were such a nice girl.’

  She pulled a face. ‘Nice? Is that the best you can come up with?’

  ‘Oh, I could think of a few more adjectives if I set my mind to it,’ Luke replied in a tone that made her feel suddenly hot all over. It was a relief when he suddenly checked his watch once more and groaned. ‘I really will have to go. I’ll see you, Maggie.’

  He strode along the path, pausing briefly to wave before he rounded the bend. Maggie settled back in the grass and closed her eyes, feeling the sun warm on her face. She didn’t allow herself to think about what Luke had said or wonder what other words he might have used to describe her. Both of those belonged in the category marked ‘too hot to handle’!

  The evening seemed to drag after she returned from the river. She prowled the flat, feeling increasingly restless as she failed to find anything to distract her. At eight o’clock she found herself checking the clock, wondering if Luke had managed to get away from work on time. She was due to work nights when she went back on duty and it struck her that she probably wouldn’t see very much of him then. The senior surgical staff didn’t work the night shift, although one of them was always on ca
ll in case of emergencies. It might be two weeks before they bumped into one another and she found that idea a little depressing. She had grown used to seeing Luke on a daily basis and would miss him.

  She got up and turned on the television when she realised where her thoughts were wandering. There was a sitcom on and she forced herself to watch it right through to the end. The credits were just rolling up the screen when there was a ring on her doorbell.

  Maggie frowned as she turned off the television. It was ten o’clock and she couldn’t imagine who could be calling at that hour. She hurried downstairs and got the surprise of her life when she found Luke on the step.

  ‘I know it’s late but I’m hoping that you’ll take pity on me,’ he said before she could utter a word. He held aloft a bulging carrier bag and smiled at her. ‘I’ve a picnic all ready and waiting. Now all I need is someone to share it with!’

  CHAPTER NINE

  ‘THAT was delicious.’ Maggie groaned as she put down the paper plate. ‘Too delicious in fact. I’ve eaten so much that I think I’m going to burst!’

  ‘Not too full for another glass of wine, I hope.’ Luke reached for the length of string that he’d attached to the neck of the wine bottle and hauled it out of the river, where it had been keeping cool. He refilled their glasses then raised his aloft.

  ‘A toast. To a perfect picnic!’

  ‘I’ll drink to that.’ Maggie chinked her plastic wineglass against his then took an appreciative sip of the wine. She sighed contentedly as she stared across the night-darkened river. ‘I have to hand it to you, Luke. Picnicking at night does have a lot going for it!’

  ‘Stick with me, kid, and I’ll show you a good time.’ He leered so suggestively that she laughed.

  ‘Idiot!’ She took another sip of wine then lay back on the grass and thought back over what had happened. They had come to the river again, to the same sheltered spot she’d come that afternoon. Luke had sat her down then unloaded the carrier bag, grinning at her astonishment as he’d produced one delicacy after another. He had thought of everything, from wafer-thin slices of smoked salmon to a delicate strawberry mousse that had simply melted in the mouth, and she had to admit that she’d been impressed. Now she turned to him questioningly.