Chilling Out

Chilling Out Page 5

by Andrew Puckett

  'Why couldn't East Dorset slot into Tamar's area?'

  'Because East Dorset centre is larger, has better facilities and better communications.'

  'Surely a matter of opinion…'

  'A matter of fact.'

  'Were those the only reasons?'

  He shrugged. 'Of course.'

  'I suggest that there may be another.' Goring became suddenly alert, his eyes narrowed as he watched her.

  'A research directorship is being created at East Dorset, and your son-in-law, Dr Mike Derby, who is a consultant in Poole, is the heir apparent.'

  Goring froze, they all did, but he turned white under his make-up. 'How did you –? How dare you make such –?'

  'I think perhaps – ' Suzee began.

  'How did I know? I only found out last week, by chance. It's certainly been kept under wraps, hasn't it? And it certainly explains – '

  'That is the most outrageous, infamous suggestion – '

  'I think perhaps – ' Suzee tried again.

  'But true,' Jessie said.

  Goring's face was less turnip, more giant plum now.

  'I came here in good faith to discuss the future of the Transfusion Service and I find I've been set up for this slander, these lies – '

  'I think we'll leave it there,' Suzee almost shouted. 'Thank you both so much for a… such a lively and stimulating debate.'

  'I want her fired.'

  'You've already told her she's being made redundant. Isn't that enough?'

  'She has to be fired, George,' Goring said a little more calmly. 'You simply cannot allow staff to make that sort of allegation in public.'

  Medlar drew in a breath. 'But won't it make you look rather vindictive, Adam? Not to say… vulnerable. To the accusation she made.'

  'And after she's fired, I shall sue her for slander.'

  It was two hours later and they were in Medlar's office.

  'Adam, I'm sorry, but I have to ask you this – was there any truth in what she said?'

  It was Goring's turn to draw breath. 'It's true that there's a research post being created at East Dorset. It's also true that Mike has his eye on it, but he only told me that after the decision had been made to close Tamar.'

  'WAS it your decision as to which centres shut?'

  'It was a collective decision, you know how we work. And it was obvious that Tamar close rather than East Dorset, for all the obvious reasons.'

  'Because it's bigger and has better… connections.'

  Goring's eyes flicked up sharply. 'Was that intended to be a double entendre, George?'

  'Good heavens, no.'

  'Then don't you agree that the choice was obvious?'

  Medlar sighed. 'I suppose so.'

  'And didn't that come over in the interview?' Goring pressed.

  'It was a masterly performance, Adam, if a little skewed now and again.'

  'No more than the rubbish she was coming out with. And those two were obviously in cahoots.'

  Medlar continued mildly, 'It was so masterly, Adam, that you might almost have known what she was going to say, not to mention the business of the so-called strike meeting.'

  'Now you are being ridiculous,' Goring said, but wouldn't meet Medlar's eyes.

  'The fact is, Adam, that I can't sack her for what she said on the telly.'

  'Then find another reason,' Goring snapped.

  'I don't think there is one to find.'

  'No? Let me tell you something, George – this centre's a maggots' nest of corruption.'

  'So you do have a spy here,' Medlar said lightly. He took out his pipe and began filling it, knowing that Goring found it irritating.

  'Let's just say that one of your staff's a little more public-spirited than the rest.'

  'Then get him, or her, to do your dirty work for you.' He applied his lighter to the bowl.

  'Oh, I shall. But wouldn't you like to know some of the things this public-spirited soul has been telling me?'

  'I can't think of anything I'd like less.' Medlar blew smoke.

  'Nevertheless, George,' Goring said, staring at him intently, 'I think that you should know…'

  'He knew Dommo, he knew what I was going to say.'

  'That's ridiculous,' Dominic said impatiently. He looked preoccupied and obviously had troubles of his own. 'How could he have known?'

  'Somebody told him, that's how.'

  'Aren't you being just a little paranoid, Jessie?'

  'No, I am not – he knew about the meeting we had yesterday, and he knew what I was going to say ...' She told him how she'd left her file on her desk…

  Earlier, after a cooler than cool adieu from Suzee, Jessie had gone home to lick her wounds. She'd wept for a while as reaction set in, then told herself to stop being a vapouring female and driven back to the centre. She'd thought about phoning her union, then called Dominic instead.

  'Not like you to leave things lying around,' he said now.

  'Put it down to stress,' she said. 'But someone could have easily photocopied them in that time.'

  'D'you have anyone in mind?'

  'Oh, Paul or Adrian, I suppose.'

  'Isn't it possible that Goring had thought everything out and was ready for you?'

  'Were you watching?'

  He nodded. 'I've never seen the rest room so crowded.'

  Jessie winced. 'Didn't it seem to you as though he knew exactly what was coming?'

  'Well, he certainly wasn't ready for your pièce de résistance, was he? Is it true? About his son-in-law?'

  She nodded.

  'How d'you know?'

  She hesitated. 'Someone at East Dorset told me – I can't tell you who.'

  He smiled wryly at some thought of his own as she continued: 'Goring should have declared an interest and not been on the committee that decided which centres were to close.'

  Dominic said softly, 'They'd almost certainly have come to the same decision.'

  'Maybe, maybe not – it still makes him look bad.'

  'Yes, it does, and he's not going to forgive you for that.'

  'He wasn't going to forgive me anyway.'

  You still made a mistake, his eyes told her.

  The phone rang and she picked it up.

  'The boss wants to see me,' she said, putting it down.

  'Best of luck,' he said quietly.

  Chapter Seven

  Five o’clock and the centre was nearly deserted. Not long since, it would have been hustling with life and purpose as the returning blood was sorted and centrifuged, and the plasma separated for Factor VIII extraction, but the spectre of CJD and the imminent closure had squashed all that like a thumb on a fly. Most of the staff left at four on Friday now.

  In his office, George Medlar stood up, took his coat from his peg and switched out the lights. At the door, something made him stop and look back at the windows. He put the coat down on the armchair and went over to them, pulling up the Venetian blinds.

  Tamar lay beneath him in the dark: the threaded beads of the main roads, the high-rise office blocks like starship computers, even the odd anachronistic glowing church tower, and the whole coalesced into a shimmering golden haze above the city that faded into the velvet night.

  God, I'm a coward, he thought.

  Jessie's body language as she'd come in earlier had been of defeat, and yet somehow defiant at the same time.

  'Whatever possessed you, Jessie?' he'd asked quietly.

  'Desperation, I suppose,' she'd said at last. 'I had nothing to lose. He knew about the meeting I'd held, he knew everything I was going to say and had an answer ready.'

  'You were doing better than you think.' He paused. 'Is it true, what you said about his son-in-law?'

  She didn't reply. 'You know you can trust me,' he said.

  She did, even more than she trusted Dominic, so she told him.

  'Yes,' he said when she'd finished, 'that does sound like Adam. But you could never prove it, and going back to what you said just now, I'm afraid you do ha
ve something to lose…' He told her that she'd been formally suspended and she nodded. Obviously, she'd been expecting it.

  'I'm afraid that's not all. He wants your blood, Jessie.'

  'Well, he won't get anyone else's, not here in Tamar,' she said with a wry smile, and after a moment he unwillingly smiled back.

  'Probably not.' His face became serious again. 'He wants you fired. Not just made redundant, but sacked, which would mean no settlement, and no money. And after that, he says he's going to sue you, for slander.'

  Her face went still as she absorbed it all. 'Can I be sacked, for what I said?' she asked.

  'I don't know. You'd better check with your union. But he's determined to find some way of doing it – he even told me to find a way…' He tailed off, then continued slowly, 'I may as well tell you, he did indicate he has some kind of informant here.'

  Jessie stared at him. 'Did he say who?'

  ‘No.’ He told her exactly what Goring had said. 'The thing is, Jessie, if he does have someone like that here, they'd be in the best position to give you away. Is there anything, any skeleton hidden away…?'

  'I… don't think so.'

  He pursed his lips. 'Then there's a chance it may blow over. He's going to America on Sunday, which'll give him a chance to cool off. They'll still make you redundant, though, whatever happens.'

  'So it's really over?' she said in a small voice.

  'I'm afraid so.'

  'You know, George, I really thought we had a chance. I thought that if we built up enough public pressure…'

  'You gave it your best, but I'm afraid their minds weren't for changing.'

  She pressed her lips together. 'You did warn me.'

  'Jessie,' he said, 'there is something I'd like to tell you, if you'll promise to keep it to yourself.'

  'You know that.'

  'You know that in our trade nothing ever gets said directly - it's all hints, innuendo, nothing on the record – but if you don't pick up those hints, then God help you…' His voice trembled with anger.

  'I don't know how much longer Sarah has to live,' he continued quietly, 'but while she's alive, I want to give her the best. That costs money.' He gave a short laugh. 'You probably think that as a medical director, I have plenty, but you'd be surprised how quickly it goes.'

  'I don't think I would.'

  'Anyway, in six months, I'll be out of a job as well and whatever handshake I get is very much up to the gnomes of Blood Division. D'you see what I'm saying?'

  'If you'd rocked the boat, campaigned with me, they'd have slashed your settlement.'

  'Those are your words, but… yes. A couple of years ago, it wouldn't have mattered so much, but now…'

  'Bastards,' she said without expression.

  'That's why I've played the poltroon, cheering you from the wings, but not doing much. I really did think you might have a chance at first.'

  'Thanks for telling me, George, I appreciate it.'

  'What d'you think you'll do? You know I'll help you any way I can.'

  They'd talked for a while longer, then she'd thanked him again and got up to go ...

  Now, something made him turn from the window to see a figure silhouetted in the doorway.

  'Maria?'

  'Can I come in?'

  'Please.'

  She came over and stood about a yard away from him. 'You're working late,' he said.

  'I'm on call this weekend.'

  After a pause, he said, 'I'm going to miss this.' He nodded at the city lights below.

  'It makes Tamar seem more important than it really is,' she said.

  'Yes.'

  'You can hardly see any stars.'

  'No. Light pollution, I suppose. But think about it ...'

  He glanced at her. 'It would only take one person in a power station somewhere to pull a switch and the whole lot would go out. You'd see the stars then. Have you ever seen the stars free of light?' Why am I gabbling like this?

  'Yes, in Africa.'

  'Ah, Africa…'

  'In Africa, the stars can actually light your way, even when there's no moon.'

  'Twinkle twinkle little star. Maybe that's how it should be.'

  'Yes.'

  After a short silence, she said, 'Was it bad today?'

  'About as bad as it could be.' He turned to her. 'Did you see the interview?'

  'Yes.'

  'Adam wants her blood.' He smiled as he thought of Jessie's comment, then told her what had happened.

  'Where is he now?' she asked when he'd finished.

  'Back in his hotel, I expect.'

  'So it's all up with Jessie?' she said after a pause.

  'I'm afraid so, one way or another. Her priority now is to somehow avoid being actually fired.'

  'She's already been in touch with the union.' She told him about the meeting.

  'I hate to say this,' he said when she'd finished, 'but Paul's right. Those who do take industrial action will be cutting their own throats. It won't change any minds and it'll be remembered when it comes to handing out new jobs. Adam isn't the only vindictive bastard at HQ.'

  'It's all so bloody unfair,' she said. 'Especially on Jessie. I felt like a rat not supporting her, siding with people like Paul…'

  Her eyes were as bright as the stars with tears. Without thinking, he put his arm around her. She buried her face in his chest, gripped him fiercely, and when she looked up, he kissed her eyes, her cheeks, her mouth… Their tongues met as they desperately tried to off-load the charge swirling around them…

  'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' she said, breaking off. 'I didn't plan it, I just had to find out…'

  'It's all right,' he soothed, stroking the soft cloud of her hair. 'It was going to happen again sooner or later…' He kissed her again and she responded, slowly, deliberately, purposefully.

  He kissed her neck, her throat, fumbled with buttons and catches, then he was kissing her small, dark breasts as she arched her head back and pulled him into her…

  'Sweet Christ I want you,' he muttered and she looked back at him, not saying anything, her face glowing in the light from the city. He went quickly over to the door, shut and locked it.

  Adam Goring was at his hotel, talking to his wife on the phone.

  'It's taking longer than I thought,' he said. 'I might not make it back tomorrow.'

  'Oh, Adam, you promised you'd come back before going to America… what's keeping you?'

  'Damage limitation,' he said. 'I've been working out a statement with HQ to refute the things Ms Pengellis said.'

  'Couldn't you do that from here?'

  'I think there may be some evidence down here I can use. I'm going out shortly to have a look. It really is important, I don't want Mike's chances compromised.'

  'No,' she agreed. 'It would break Fiona's heart. Do whatever you have to, Adam…'

  Dominic Tudor was squirming on his seat in the dining-room.

  'Food not to your liking?' his father-in-law enquired silkily.

  'I'm just not particularly hungry,' he said neutrally. Dominic detested Jane's father beyond expression. He turned to her mother: 'I was taken out to lunch today by a rep who's interested in the research I'm doing. Not something I could really turn down at the moment…'

  'Of course not, dear. Do stop nagging, Bill.'

  'Just don't like to see good food wasted, that's all.'

  Dominic sat waiting while the rest of them ate their puddings, wondering whether it was all worth it, then at a little after seven, excused himself.

  'Off out then?' Bill wanted to know.

  'Yes – why?'

  'Just wondered what was taking you from your loved ones ...?’

  ‘I'm going to see a man about a job. See you later, love.' He kissed Jane's cheek and left.

  He was, in fact, due to meet Ashley at eight, something they'd arranged earlier.

  Paul Bannister was also at home, and also squirming, but in his case it was due to the quarrelling and screaming of his four
children. And to guilt.

  He looked at his watch. 'I'm off, then,' he said, getting up from the table.

  'D'you have to go now?' his wife said tiredly. 'I could do with a hand with these kids…'

  'I'm sorry, but I told Adrian seven thirty and I don't like keeping people waiting.'

  'All right,' she said resignedly.

  Adrian Hodges was at the door before his mother said, 'Going out, Adrian?'

  'Just to the centre for something I forgot. Won't be long.'

  'Thought you'd have seen enough of that place,' his father said.

  'George, where have you been?' Sarah wailed from her chair.

  'I did say I might be late.' He gingerly pecked her cheek, hoping that none of Maria lingered for her to smell.

  'But it's nearly half-past eight…'

  'I've been on the phone to HQ,' he temporised, 'trying to clear up some of the debris from this morning. Did you see the interview?'

  'Naturally I did.'

  'Adam wasn't best pleased and wants Jessie's head on a spike.'

  'And doubtless he wants you to help him put it there.' She sighed. 'Still, it was rather silly of her, wasn't it?'

  'Yes.'

  After a pause, she said, 'Now you're here, George, would you mind, please…?' Her eyes told him what she wanted.

  Strange how she still can't say it out loud, he thought, a lump forming in his throat. He opened a drawer and took out tobacco and hashish…

  Jessie had gone home at four to be enveloped by the low growl of the TV as she opened the front door.

  'Hello,' she called. Echo answers, she thought.

  She stuck her head through the living-room door. 'I said, Hello.'

  'Oh, hello.' Craig's head didn't move.

  She continued along the passage to the kitchen. A mug squatted on the table, ringed with a puddle of cold tea. She found a cloth and wiped up the mess. Filled the kettle, switched it on, then picked up a used tea-bag from the work surface and threw it into the bin. The stain it left there resisted her attempts to remove it.

  'If you're making more tea,' his voice called from the living-room, 'I could do with a refill.'

  'Oh you could, could you?' she muttered through clenched teeth. Tomorrow, Jessie, leave it till tomorrow…

  The kettle boiled, she made tea for them both, sat down with her own and lit a cigarette. A minute later, Craig appeared in the doorway.

 

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