The Italian Doctor

by Jennifer Taylor

  She could see the sense in that, even though it was painful to be reminded that his stay in England would come to an end soon. It felt as though she was simply marking off the days until he returned to Boston.

  ‘Anyway, we shall just have to wait and see what happens. Whether that mix-up over the IC bed will help Morgan’s case is hard to say. Which reminds me, I spoke to Inspector Michaels this afternoon and he’s extremely concerned about this latest sighting of that youth.’

  ‘I can understand why. It’s so creepy, isn’t it?’ Maggie shuddered. ‘If only we knew what he wanted with Lisa. What have her parents said, by the way? I believe they’ve finally come back from holiday.’

  ‘Yesterday. They were still in a state of shock when I spoke to them so I don’t know if they’ve been able to help the police at all.’

  He looked round as the lift arrived just then and a middle-aged couple hurried out. ‘Looks like our motorcyclist’s family has arrived. I’ll have a word with them. Can I use your office, Maggie?’

  ‘Of course.’ She left him to explain about the boy’s injuries and went back into the ward. Everyone was fast asleep when she did her rounds, apart from Alice Bradshaw. Maggie paused by the bed when she saw that the old lady was awake.

  ‘Are you in pain?’ she asked softly, not wanting to disturb the patients in the neighbouring beds.

  ‘No, I’m fine, dear. Hip hurts a bit but that’s to be expected, isn’t it? I can’t sleep because I’ve such a lot on my mind.’

  ‘Want to talk about it?’ Maggie asked, quietly drawing up a chair.

  ‘If you have time to listen.’ Alice looked relieved when she nodded. ‘My Barbara came to visit me tonight, brought her hubby and her children with her as well. She’s asked me if I’d like to go and live with her when I leave here.’

  ‘I see. And how do you feel about the idea?’ Maggie asked, carefully testing the waters.

  ‘I’m not sure. Oh, it’s not that I don’t want to live with Barbara, it’s just that I don’t want to be any trouble.’

  ‘You won’t be,’ Maggie said firmly. ‘Once you’re up and about again, you’ll be able to help her around the house, maybe look after the children if she has to go out. I’d say you’d be more of a help than a hindrance.’

  ‘Do you think so? Really?’ Alice’s lined face lit up. ‘Barbara works, you see, and I know how hard she finds it to keep on top of all the housework. I’d be able to give her a hand, wouldn’t I? Maybe do the ironing and make the tea so that she doesn’t have to do it when she gets home from work.’

  ‘That would be a real help to her,’ Maggie declared, squeezing the old lady’s hand.

  ‘You think so? Then I’m going to tell Barbara tomorrow that the answer is yes. She’ll be so pleased because I know she really wants me with her. Why, she even told me that the children have cleared the spare bedroom ready for me, and that Dave—that’s her hubby—has bought some paint to freshen it up.’

  ‘Obviously, they’re all looking forward to having you living with them. I wouldn’t worry any more, Alice. You’d be mad not to accept!’

  She gave the old lady’s hand one last squeeze then got up. She was just about to leave when Alice suddenly said, ‘Did that young lad find whoever he was looking for, dear?’

  Maggie’s blood ran cold at the question. It was an effort to keep her voice level as she went back to the old lady’s bed. ‘Which boy was that?’

  ‘The young man with the plaster cast on his arm. He walked past my bed while you were busy with that new patient.’ Alice frowned as she peered down the darkened ward. ‘He couldn’t have left because I would have seen him. I wonder where he went.’

  Where indeed? Maggie thought, her heart thumping as she scoured the ward. The lights were switched to their night-time setting and gave off only the dimmest glow. However, she was sure that she would have seen the youth if he’d still been around.

  Her gaze moved on to a door at the far end of the ward and she frowned. This section of the hospital was part of the original Victorian building and there were all sorts of odd little nooks and crannies whose purpose had been forgotten over the years. From what she could recall, the door gave access to a twisting iron staircase which led to the ground floor. It had been closed off many years previously and nobody used it nowadays. However, the niggling suspicion that it might hold the key to the youth’s disappearance couldn’t be dismissed.

  ‘I’ll just go and see what’s happened to him,’ she told the old lady, not wanting to alarm her by admitting that their nocturnal visitor had no business to be wandering about. She quickly made her way to the door and tried the handle then hesitated when she discovered that it was unlocked, wondering if she should call Security and have them check it out. However, the thought of the ward being invaded by a bunch of burly security guards, and the commotion that would cause, quickly made up her mind.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ‘WHAT are you doing?’

  Maggie nearly jumped out of her skin. She swung round and glared at Luke. ‘You frightened the life out of me!’ she whispered, so as not to wake the sleeping patients.

  ‘Sorry.’ He stepped past her and peered down the staircase. ‘Where does this lead to?’

  ‘The ground floor, I think.’ She went over to him, shivering as a blast of chilly air flowed up from below. ‘I’ve never actually been down it but I remember someone mentioning that it was built as a fire escape originally. It’s been closed off for years because it’s considered unsafe.’

  ‘So why the sudden interest?’ he asked curiously.

  She quickly recounted what Alice had told her and could tell that he’d followed her train of thought. ‘So you think that boy might have been using it to get in and out of the hospital? It would explain how he seems to appear out of the blue.’

  ‘It would.’ She frowned. ‘I don’t know where he found the keys for the doors, though. The one leading into the ward is normally locked, and if there’s an exit at the bottom of those stairs, that should have been locked as well.’

  ‘I’ll check it out,’ Luke announced immediately. He shook his head when he saw that she was about to follow him. ‘No, you stay here. I don’t want you getting involved in any unpleasantness if he happens to come back.’

  ‘You will be careful?’ Maggie said worriedly, peering into the darkness.

  ‘I will.’ Luke gave her a quick grin. ‘If I meet up with any bogeymen, I promise I’ll shout for you!’

  She chuckled at that. ‘Now you’ve spoiled all my illusions, Dr Fabrizzi. I had you down as a genuine, bona fide macho male!’

  ‘You must be confusing me with someone else,’ he retorted. ‘I know my limitations!’

  Maggie laughed as he swiftly disappeared down the stairs. She could hear his footsteps on the metal treads, even though she soon lost sight of him in the dark. He was gone for some time and she was just beginning to worry what had happened to him when he suddenly reappeared.

  They went back into the ward, waiting until they were in the office before Luke told her what he’d found. ‘The door at the bottom is unlocked. It has one of those push-bar mechanisms that should only open from the inside, but someone has jammed the lock with paper.’

  ‘So it looks as though he’s been using it to come and go by,’ she exclaimed.

  ‘He’s been doing more than that. There’s an alcove a couple of floors down with a sleeping bag and a pile of tinned food hidden in it. My guess is that our young friend has been camping out there.’

  ‘Really?’ She couldn’t hide her astonishment.

  ‘I’d say so. I’d better let the police know what we’ve found. With a bit of luck they’ll be able to catch this guy when he comes back to base.’

  ‘Oh, I hope so!’ she said fervently. The phone rang at that point and she automatically answered it. It was a call for Luke, to warn him that there was another emergency case being sent to Theatre.

  He sighed as he put the receiver back on its rest. ‘I’
ll have to go. Can I leave you to contact the police?’

  ‘Of course. I’ll phone them right away. The sooner they catch him the better.’ She gave an involuntary shiver and he quickly put his arm around her.

  ‘Hey, it will be fine. You’ll see,’ he said, smiling down at her at the same moment as she looked up. Their eyes met and held for one second, then two…

  ‘I’d better go.’ He abruptly let her go and left the office. Maggie took a deep breath but it did little to ease the constriction in her lungs and nothing whatsoever to calm her racing heart.

  She closed her eyes and let herself picture the expression that had been on Luke’s face just now. Maybe she was reading too much into it but there had been a moment when he’d looked at her as though he really cared…

  ‘Maggie? Are you OK?’

  She blinked as she was summarily brought back to earth. Angela was standing in the doorway, watching her in concern.

  ‘I’m fine. Just a bit of a headache,’ she fibbed.

  ‘Oh, poor you. I’ll make you a cup of tea,’ the younger woman offered immediately.

  ‘Thanks.’ She picked up the phone as Angela hurried away, and telephoned the police. Once that was done, she forced herself to concentrate on work for the rest of the night. Maybe Luke did care about her but it was a big leap from caring to loving. You had to really want to make that leap, and the plain truth was that he didn’t.

  The week came to an end at last and Maggie had two days off. She spent the first thinking about Luke and the second with her family fielding questions about him. Frankly, it was a relief to go back to work the following Monday, even though she was due for another stint of night duty.

  There had been several changes in the ward over the weekend, with people being discharged and others admitted. Lisa Duckworth had been transferred from the IC unit and Maggie went to speak to her after she’d sorted out the jobs that needed doing.

  ‘Hello, Lisa, I’m Maggie Carr, the staff nurse on duty tonight. How are you feeling?’

  The teenager managed a grin. ‘A bit better than I look.’

  Maggie chuckled at that. ‘I’m glad to hear it! You really have been in the wars, haven’t you, love? Still, it’s amazing how quickly bones heal at your age.’

  ‘I hope so.’ Lisa cast a disparaging look at her bandages. ‘Not what I’d choose as the latest fashion accessories!’

  ‘Are you interested in fashion, then?’ she asked, then grimaced. ‘Bit of a daft question, wasn’t it? What teenager isn’t interested in the latest clothes? I think my age is showing!’

  Lisa laughed. ‘You don’t look that old to me…’ She broke off and smiled. ‘Oh, hi, there, Dr Fabrizzi. I didn’t think you’d still be here. I was just telling Maggie that she doesn’t look old. Don’t you agree?’

  Maggie blushed as Luke came and stood right beside her so that he could peer at her face. ‘Well, I can’t see very many lines—although the light in here isn’t all that good.’

  He held up his hands and grinned when she gasped. ‘Only fooling, Maggie—honest! Frankly, you look barely old enough to be out on your own, let alone doing a job like this.’

  She rolled her eyes at the lavish compliment. ‘Let’s not go for overkill here, Dr Fabrizzi. You could be digging yourself into an even deeper hole if you aren’t careful!’

  ‘Uh-oh! Then I’d better stop while I can.’ He winked at Lisa, who was giggling away. ‘I know when I’m beat!’

  Luke took the girl’s chart from Maggie and skimmed through it, nodding in satisfaction. ‘That looks fine. You’re doing great, Lisa. Keep on like this and you’ll be my star patient.’

  ‘I thought I was that,’ a voice piped up from the neighbouring bed. They all looked at Alice Bradshaw, who was obviously listening to what was being said. ‘You told me that I was your star patient, Dr Fabrizzi, so does this mean that I’ve been demoted?’ she asked, her eyes twinkling.

  ‘What was that you said about me digging myself a very deep hole?’ he replied ruefully, glancing at Maggie, who laughed. He turned to Alice and smiled. ‘Is it OK if I have two star patients, do you think?’

  ‘I suppose so. What do you say, dear?’ Alice asked, looking at Lisa.

  ‘I suppose it will be all right,’ she agreed, giggling like crazy at such nonsense.

  ‘Right, now that’s straightened out I think I’ll make a hasty exit while I’m winning. I’ll see you all tomorrow. Goodnight.’

  He sketched them a wave then made his way unhurriedly down the ward. Maggie watched him leaving, unaware that her heart was in her eyes.

  ‘He’s a lovely young man, dear,’ Alice observed quietly. ‘You could do a lot worse than set your cap at our Dr Fabrizzi.’

  Maggie dredged up a smile. ‘It would be a waste of time, I’m afraid. Dr Fabrizzi is dedicated to his work and hasn’t time for anything else.’

  ‘Really?’ Alice frowned. ‘That wasn’t the impression I got just now.’

  Maggie ached to ask the old lady to explain but Angela came to tell her that she was wanted in the office just then. By the time she had sorted out the query the moment had passed and it didn’t seem worth asking Alice to explain her rather cryptic comment. Anyway, why did it need explaining? She knew what Luke wanted out of life and it certainly wasn’t to fall in love!

  Lisa’s parents popped in just before ten to check on her. Normally Maggie would have been wary of letting visitors into the ward at that time of the night but these were exceptional circumstances. The couple didn’t stay long and stopped at the office on their way out to thank her.

  ‘We just wanted to make sure she was all right, you see,’ Kathleen Duckworth explained. ‘I feel so guilty that we weren’t here when she needed us most.’

  ‘You mustn’t blame yourselves,’ Maggie said quickly, although she guessed that her advice would fall on deaf ears. ‘If anyone is to blame it’s the driver of the car that ran Lisa down.’

  ‘But if we hadn’t been away we’d have known she hadn’t come home and done something about it,’ Kathleen countered with a weary smile that told Maggie it was something the poor woman must have tortured herself with many times. ‘Isn’t that right, Ken?’

  ‘Aye, it is. If I could get my hands on the lout who did this to her…’ Ken Duckworth made an obvious effort to control himself. ‘Let’s hope the police find him soon.’

  Maggie nodded sympathetically. ‘Let’s hope so. By the way, have there been any more sightings of that youth who’s been asking after Lisa?’

  ‘No. The police have had a man watching the side door in case he tried to get back into the hospital but there’s been no sign of him. They seem to think that he might have spotted them and been scared off,’ Ken explained. ‘Let’s hope they’re right. Lisa has enough to contend with, without some crank stalking her.’

  The couple left after that and Maggie settled down to the nightly routine. It was less hectic at night but there were still jobs that needed to be done. Most of their patients needed regular observations taken so a lot of time was spent on that, then there were a few who found it difficult to sleep because they were in pain or simply uncomfortable.

  Alan Cole was one of the latter. He’d been moved back to the main section of the ward and Maggie noticed that he seemed very restless. She went to check on him, hoping that it wasn’t a repeat of his previous trouble that was causing the problem this time.

  ‘It’s this dratted cage thing,’ Alan explained with a touch of asperity, glaring at the external fixator that was clamped to his leg. ‘I can’t sleep in any position except flat on my back, and it’s driving me crazy!’

  ‘It must be uncomfortable. Would it help if you sat up for a while?’ she suggested. ‘I could fetch a wheelchair and move you into the day-room so that you can watch television. There’s nothing worse than lying there awake when everyone else is fast asleep.’

  ‘Would you mind? Thanks! I’m sorry to be such a nuisance,’ he apologised ruefully. ‘I know how busy you are, without m
e giving you more work to do.’

  ‘Don’t worry about that. I’ll fetch a chair. I won’t be long,’ she assured him. Tracy was checking a drip for a patient in a neighbouring bed so Maggie told her that she was going to the storeroom.

  She collected the storeroom key from the office then hurried along the corridor. However, when she slid the key into the lock she discovered to her surprise that the door wasn’t locked. She switched on the lights and looked round but there didn’t seem to be anything missing. None of the night staff had needed anything from the storeroom, so she could only assume that someone on the day shift had left the door unlocked.

  She made a note to mention it then went to fetch one of the wheelchairs from the corner, and got the shock of her life when she discovered that there was someone hiding there.

  ‘What on earth…?’ she exclaimed, but didn’t get a chance to finish as the youth leapt to his feet and clamped his hand over her mouth.

  ‘Shut up!’ he ordered, shooting a hunted look at the open door. Keeping his hand over her mouth, he dragged her across the room and slammed it shut. Only then did he let her go, although he took care to position himself between her and the door.

  ‘If you know what’s good for you then you’ll keep quiet,’ he snarled.

  Maggie’s heart was hammering with fear. ‘Who are you and what do you want?’ She stopped as she caught sight of the plaster cast sticking out from the sleeve of his sweatshirt. ‘You’re the boy who keeps asking about Lisa Duckworth!’

  ‘So what if I am? There’s no law against it, is there?’ he replied belligerently.

  ‘No, but there are laws about detaining people against their will. I don’t know what you want, but it won’t do you any good to keep me here. Do you understand?’ she said as firmly as she could.

  ‘No, it’s you who needs to understand something. I’ll let you go when I choose to. Get it?’ He glared at her, but Maggie could see the fear in his eyes. Whether that made him more or less dangerous was open to question but she decided it would be better not to take any chances. She had to stay calm, and keep him calm as well. The last thing she must do was to panic because she didn’t know how he might react.