Alex was furious. After her final patient left on Friday morning, she turned her attention to the report she had compiled about Penny, complete with patient testimonies, and added the final piece to it before printing out several copies, one for each of the doctors, one for Lisa and one for herself. Just in case. She no longer trusted the computer system, not now she and Lisa suspected someone had been able to manipulate records on at least one occasion.
Today she had received another report from a tearful patient about Penny’s disrespect and poor care. She was still shocked and seething with fury about the elderly woman who had been left naked in a bath for over an hour—cold, frightened and unable to move on her own. Penny had dumped her in the bath, had gone off to run some personal errand or other, and had been despicably rough and rude to the distressed woman when she had finally returned.
It was past time she presented her report to the doctors in charge of the practice. She knew that, had made the decision, but she still felt nervous. If she reported Penny officially or unofficially to Robert or Elizabeth, it would appear as if she was going behind Kyle’s back. But if she went to Kyle about the problem, what would he do? He cared about his patients, she knew that, but she was uncertain what place Penny had in his life. While she hated to doubt him, would he put his feelings for the other woman first and protect her?
In truth, she wasn’t sure how to read him. Not after this last week. She tried so hard not to think about the way he had left on Sunday after their stupendous night together, tried not to cry again over what had been lost, the way he appeared to have tossed it all back in her face as if it was just a casual one-night stand. And Penny’s accusations still haunted her, fuelling her own doubts. Had Kyle only given her any attention because she reminded him of his ex-wife? Had he really just used her for his own ends? Would he ever be ready to move on?
They had done their best to ignore each other at the surgery this week, but every time she caught a glimpse of him or heard his voice it was like another death knell to her shattered heart. He had not given the slightest sign that he wished to speak to her, to discuss what had happened, to remember what had passed between them, so she had done her best to hide her emotions and remain professional at work. But it cost her. Big time. She couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, and she felt as if she was dying inside. But she played by the rules he set, kept her distance from him and tried to remain cool on the occasions they were forced to work together, because she didn’t want to make even more of a fool of herself or embarrass anyone or, heaven forbid, break down and beg him for answers. It made for a difficult working relationship and a strained atmosphere around the surgery.
She had stewed over the problem of Penny for some time, unable to find a way out but unable to ignore it. Now things with Kyle had deteriorated to such a degree, she no longer cared about her own position, unsure if she could even go on working in Rigtownbrae, having to see him, work with him and never be able to touch him again. Most importantly of all, she had to do right by the patients who depended on her, who were too scared to speak up for themselves without her help. If she acted as advocate for the patients and lost her job in the process, so be it. Somehow she would manage. If there were no practice or district nurse vacancies at Lochanrig or Glentown-on-Firth, she would try other surgeries, or take a position at the hospital if she had to. It wasn’t what she wanted but she needed the work to keep her home. She wasn’t going to allow Kyle, Penny or anyone else to take that away from her.
‘Are you free?’ Lisa asked, coming into the nurses’ room.
‘Yes, I’ve finished my appointments for the morning, and all the paperwork is up to date.’
Lisa sat down, concern on her face. ‘You’re looking tired, Alex, and pale. What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing,’ she lied, fighting back an unwanted sting of tears. ‘I’m fine. Any news on the missed appointments?’
‘Yes, that’s what I came to talk with you about.’
Alex listened in shock as Lisa outlined what she had discovered. ‘But I never phoned any of them!’ she protested, her stomach churning.
‘I know.’ The older woman reached out and patted her arm. ‘I have every faith in you, Alex, and I have my suspicions about who is doing this. I’ve said as much to Kyle, but he wants to talk with you.’
‘Oh, no!’ She couldn’t face him, especially if he had doubts about her. The realisation made her even more heartsick. ‘He doesn’t think I did this, does he?’
Lisa’s momentary hesitation was telling, and pain seared through her. ‘I’m sure he doesn’t, not in his heart of hearts. And we’re going to sort this out, Alex, I promise you. Try and be patient with him, lovey, he’s been through so much—I think you know that—and it takes him a while to trust again. I think you two are perfect for each other. I can see you are hurting, but if you care about Kyle, hang in there.’
Alex didn’t know what to say. The practice manager was not only good at her job, she was very perceptive about the people she worked with, and underneath her efficient, businesslike exterior she had a heart of gold. ‘I’ll try.’ She knew what Kyle had faced, knew it was hard for him, yet he had done little this last week to make her believe they had any kind of future.
‘Good girl. Now, have you finished the report on Penny?’
‘Yes.’ Alex turned and collected the files. ‘I have the copies here.’
‘Give me one—and copies for Robert and Elizabeth. I’ll explain to them and hand them over later,’ Lisa suggested briskly. ‘That way you’ll have some back-up.’
She was grateful for Lisa’s support and wished Kyle felt the same way. ‘Thank you.’
‘Now, you take the other copy along to Kyle and have your say, don’t let all that brooding and pouting put you off. He will come round,’ she reassured.
Alex wished she had as much faith. She stood outside his consulting-room door a few moments later, her heart pounding madly, her body shaking in reaction to the thought of seeing him, scared that he wouldn’t believe in her, that he would side with Penny, that this would be the real end of any chance they had of sorting things out. She was a grown woman. It was about time she acted like one, put her own emotions aside and protected her patients. She squared her shoulders, drew in a deep breath and knocked on the door.
‘Come in.’
The sound of Kyle’s voice was enough to send a shiver rippling down her spine. She stepped into the room and her gaze clashed with his. Her breath caught when she saw how tired and unhappy he looked, but his deep blue eyes were cold and expressionless. Clutching the report to her chest as if it could protect her in some way, she stood her ground. ‘You wanted to see me?’
‘Yes.’ He looked down at a piece of paper on his desk and Alex swallowed, fighting down memories of how his wayward dark hair had felt beneath her fingers, how his mouth had tasted when he had kissed her with such wanton passion, of the touch of his hands on her, how his perfect, leanly muscled body had moved so erotically with her own. ‘It’s about the missed appointments. I’m going to see Charles and Winnie Frazer shortly, but I’ve called all the people on the list Lisa gave me and every one of them claim that they received a phone call cancelling their check-ups—from you.’
‘I see. And you believe that of me?’ she asked, bitter disappointment lancing inside her. Even though she had been prepared for this, it hurt more than she could imagine possible.
‘I didn’t say that.’ He sighed, running the fingers of one hand through his hair, dislodging a couple of locks which fell across his forehead. Alex closed her eyes. ‘I want to hear your side of things, Alexandra.’
‘I never called any of those people.’
‘Then how do you explain it?’ he demanded, voice flat, giving her no indication of his mood.
Determined to maintain control, she forced herself to meet his gaze. ‘I can only assume someone else made those calls and pretended to be me.’
‘Really.’ A frown creased his brow, his eyes watchful as
he leaned back in his chair and regarded her like some specimen under a microscope. ‘And who would do something like that?’
‘I can think of one person…but I doubt you’ll like it.’
‘Try me.’
Alex clutched the file more closely to her. ‘It isn’t any secret that Penny has been trying to undermine me ever since I arrived here. She seems to have succeeded as far as you’re concerned. She has told me to my face she will do all she can to make me leave, but what I didn’t expect was her to put patients’ lives at risk to do it.’
‘That’s a serious accusation,’ Kyle warned her but she was too angry to care.
‘So is the one you are making against me.’ She sucked in a breath, trying to control her tone, to ignore how much this was hurting her. ‘I have received a number of testimonies from patients about Penny’s lack of care, starting with the incident my first week here with Bill Campbell’s catheter and pressure sore. They have all been too scared to speak up, but have given me permission to do so on their behalf. You’ll find all the information in here,’ she continued, setting the file on his desk. ‘Lisa knows about it, she has copies for Robert and Elizabeth. Sack me if you want to, I’m not bothered about me. All that matters is the care of the patients. And I really don’t think I can work here any longer anyway.’
‘Alexandra—’
She cut off his shocked exclamation, needing to get the words out while she still could. ‘I trusted you in the most ultimate way possible—with my body, in my bed. But it’s not enough for you, is it? I’m not her…your ex-wife. And I’m not Penny. I’ve tried not to listen to all the things she’s told me these last weeks, but her phone call on Sunday was the final straw and really just confirmed all the doubts I already had that you’re not over the past.’ Her voice cracked and she bit her lip, willing herself not to cry.
‘What are you talking about?’ He rose to his feet, and she backed away as he rounded the desk towards her. ‘What has Penny said?’
‘Ask her yourself. I can’t do this any more, Kyle, I just can’t.’
‘Lexie…’
Tears spilled down her cheeks at his hoarse plea. ‘Leave me alone. Please.’
She pushed past him and ran from the room. It was finished, over. She’d given him the truth about Penny. What he did with it was up to him. Despite Lisa’s reassurances, she felt there was really no way back from here. She’d lost Kyle. He didn’t believe in her. All she could do was find another job and move on.
What the hell was going on? By the time Kyle had gathered his scattered wits, Alexandra had left the building. He cursed with frustration. Had it really been Penny on the phone on Sunday morning? Although he had sensed moments when Alexandra had been distancing herself, that call was the moment when things had changed irrevocably between them but he had been too shocked, too hurt, to question her at the time. What had Penny told her? Whatever it was had increased Alexandra’s doubts and made her back off.
He dragged his fingers through his hair in agitation. Rather than withdrawing into himself for protection, he should have trusted Alexandra, should have known she was different, should have demanded to know what was wrong. Instead of fighting for them and what they had, he’d let her down, let himself down. Not any more. He had a lot to do if he hoped to get Alexandra back. Filled with determination, his thoughts as dark as his expression, he went in search of Lisa to put things in motion.
First stop was the Frazers.
‘I wanted to come round myself to say how very sorry we are about what happened. It is being investigated now, and I promise you we will get to the bottom of it,’ Kyle assured them as he sat in the cosy living room and addressed Charles and Winnie Frazer.
‘We appreciate that, Dr Sinclair,’ Charles allowed, reaching out for his wife’s frail hand. ‘It fair shook Win up, I can tell you.’
‘It must have been a horrible experience for both of you. Can you tell me exactly what happened when you received the phone call?’
Winnie nodded. ‘I was home on my own. Charles had gone to the shops before taking me to the surgery. But the phone rang and the woman said she was Nurse Alex Patterson, and there had been a revision of my file and I didn’t have to come in so regularly for checks,’ she explained, her pale face a study of concentration as she recalled the event.
‘We were very surprised, given how unstable Win’s asthma has been,’ Charles added.
‘I understand.’ Kyle smiled, nerves twisting inside him as he asked the next question. ‘And it was definitely Nurse Patterson?’
‘Yes,’ Winnie admitted, and his heart sank.
‘That’s certainly what the caller said. Win wanted me to hear the news so she left the answer-machine recording on,’ Charles explained.
Kyle’s gut tightened. ‘Have you wiped the tape? Might the message still be on it?’
‘I’m sure it is,’ Charles responded, rising to his feet. ‘Would you like to listen to it?’
‘If I may. Thank you.’
Kyle waited with edgy impatience as Charles fiddled with the machine and trawled through a couple of irrelevant messages until he found the right one. Then the voice came across loud and clear, and he felt sick to his stomach because there was now no doubt at all. He knew who had been phoning patients and cancelling appointments. And he had proof.
‘That’s it.’ Charles switched off the machine.
‘Would it be all right if I borrowed the tape? I can make sure it is returned to you, but I’d like it as evidence so we can clear this matter up at the surgery once and for all.’
Winnie smiled, seemingly delighted to be caught up in some excitement. ‘It all sounds very cloak and dagger, doesn’t it, Charles?’
If it wasn’t so serious, Kyle might have shared their amusement. But he felt betrayed, cheated. He’d been lied to. And now he had to see his partners and arrange for them to take the most serious action possible. Anger and confusion raged inside him as he made his way back to Glenside and made the necessary preparations.
He was feeling tense when Penny entered the meeting room. She looked sleek, polished and supremely confident, the pale blue eyes reflecting a cool, cunning gleam, making him wonder why he had never noticed her sly side before. She had been supportive through his divorce and he had considered her a friend, of sorts, certainly a respected colleague. But again he had been proved wrong, had given his trust unwisely. He hadn’t wanted to believe the evidence in the file Alexandra had provided, but the information had checked out in every respect. He felt duped, furiously angry at what their patients had suffered in silence, filled with disgust that any nurse could abuse and disrespect someone in their care. Robert and Elizabeth were in full agreement about what had to be done.
‘What is this all about, Kyle? I have plans for the evening.’ She tossed her thick red braid over her shoulder and fixed her gaze on him, her smile obvious. ‘Of course, I could cancel them for you…if you’re ready. Now you’ve scratched the itch with dull, homely Alex and she doesn’t want you, that is.’
‘This isn’t about Alexandra, Penny. And it isn’t about me. It’s about you and a file full of evidence of your abuse of patients,’ he stated, unable to keep the harshness and disgust from his voice.
Shards of ice appeared in the blue eyes. ‘Oh, please. Has little Miss Goody-Two-Shoes been telling tales out of turn again? She has you wrapped round her little finger, doesn’t she, Kyle?’
‘I told you, this is about you. Why, Penny?’ he demanded. ‘Why the lack of care for patients?’
‘I have a busy schedule, I don’t have time for the whingers and those who cling and demand too much. Many of them could help themselves if they put their mind to it, many are ill because of their own actions. No one can be there all the time or give them everything.’
Kyle shook his head in disbelief. He didn’t know this callous woman at all. ‘Why on earth would you choose to be a nurse with an attitude like that? All our patients deserve respect and dignity and the best care we
can give. Clearly you can’t provide any of that.’
Folding her arms, expression blank, Penny refused to answer.
‘Why did you try to set Alexandra up for a fall, tampering with patient lists and cancelling appointments? Don’t try to deny it,’ he warned as she made to interrupt. ‘We have you on tape impersonating Alexandra when you called patients. Do you want to hear it?’
‘Clearly there’s no point in denying it,’ she stated with an air of defiance that grated on his nerves and raised his temper to new levels.
‘So why? What has Alexandra ever done to you?’
Penny’s smile was pitying. ‘She’s pulling the wool over your eyes, Kyle, making a fool of you.’
‘No, Penny, it is you who have been making a fool of everyone. It stops now. You’re finished here.’
‘You can’t do this to me,’ she shouted, pretence stripped away. ‘Why do you think I’ve been hanging round this dump for two years?’
Kyle sighed, suddenly tired of the whole charade. ‘I’ve no idea.’
‘Waiting for you.’
‘What?’
‘I’ve been solving your problems, making them go away, waiting for you to stop wallowing and start living again. I want you, I deserve you, I’ve worked for you. Do you think I was going to stand by and let some other woman waltz in here and take you away from me?’
‘What are you talking about?’ Shocked, angry, he stared at her in bemusement. ‘What do you mean, you deserve me, made my problems go away?’
‘God, you are so stupid. I made your timid, frigid little wife go away for you, didn’t I? Made sure you were free of her. She wasn’t right for you. Neither is Alex. Now it’s time for us. We’ll be good together. We can go away from here, start a new life.’
‘You’re insane. There has never been anything between us and there never will be.’ He felt sick, disgust welling inside him. ‘You have no idea about me, or my life or my feelings. None of which include you. In any capacity. Not then, not now, not ever.’
‘Well, don’t think Alex will want you. Not now. I’ve seen to that,’ she taunted.
His Very Special Nurse Page 15
