CHAPTER
2
"Are
you sure?" Frank asked Zoe. Zoe nodded, unable to take her eyes off
the man in front of her. Dan closed the curtain around his patient to
try and calm him down. "Step back," Frank said to Zoe. She didn't
move.
"Call
the police," she said again.
"I
will, but I need you to come with me," Frank said gently. Zoe
slowly took a step backwards.
"Gabrielle,"
Frank said. "Can you please take Zoe to the quiet room? I need to
make a very important phone call." Gabrielle knew immediately that
something was very wrong.
"Ricki,
call security," she said. Erica nodded and made the call.
"Come
on," Gabrielle said gently to Zoe, leading her into the quiet room.
Frank went to the staff base and made the call.
"Hello,
this is Frank Campion, Director of Emergency at All Saints Western
General Hospital. I need police assistance here as soon as possible…
yes it's regarding the hit and run which killed one of our doctors
here, Sean Everleigh. We are currently treating one of the men
involved…. Thankyou." He hung up. He turned to see Erica standing
there shocked. "Did you call security?" Erica nodded.
"They're
on their way," she replied. Frank went to leave. "Wait!" Erica
said. "Who is it?"
"Don't
worry about it," Frank replied.
"Come
on, Frank. I was there when Sean died," Erica said. "I'm going
to find out anyway." Frank sighed.
"The
patient that the ambos bought in. he's in resus."
"Dan's
patient?" Erica asked.
"Stay
away," Frank warned. "I mean it."
"Of
course," Erica replied.
"Do
you want to tell me what that was all about?" Dan asked
Jackson.
"What?"
Jackson asked. "Jesus Christ, can't you give me something for the
pain?"
"Not
until your head CT comes back," Charlotte said.
"No
way. I'm out of here," Jackson said. He turned and stood quickly
but was overcome by pain and sat back down again. Dan helped him back
into bed.
"Well
can you get on with it?"
"We're
about to take you for the scan," Charlotte replied. "Just calm
down."
"Do
you know Doctor Gallagher?" Dan asked.
"Dan,"
Charlotte warned him.
"Never
seen her before," Jackson said, looking up at the ceiling.
"Right,"
Dan said, not believing him.
"Are
you going to be right to take him?" Charlotte asked Dan. It was
more of a warning than a question. Dan nodded as orderlies arrived to
escort Jackson.
"What
was all that about?" Charlotte asked Gabrielle as she approached
the staff base where Gabrielle was updating a patient's file on the
computer.
"Zoe's
certain that he was one of the guys involved in Sean's hit and
run."
"Shit!"
Charlotte said. "Well that explains why he wants to get out of
here. Has someone called the cops?" Gabrielle nodded. "They'll
be here any minute." Gabrielle smiled as she saw a familiar face
sneak up behind Charlotte.
"What?"
Charlotte asked, turning around. "Vinnie!" she exclaimed happily.
Charlotte grinned as Vincent pulled her in a bear hug. "What are
you doing here?" she asked. "Are you back?" Vincent smiled at
her.
"Not
for good," he said. "I'm only here for a couple of days… my
grandfather's funeral."
"Oh
I'm sorry," Charlotte said. "You should have told me. Are you
okay?" Vincent nodded.
"It
wasn't unexpected. It's just really good to be home. What's new
here?"
"Oh
gosh, where do I start?" Charlotte asked.
"Oh
about bloody time," Frank said as two detectives made their way
through the ED.
"Good
to see you as always, Frank," he first detective said. "Where's
the suspect."
"He's
on his way back from x ray," Charlotte said as she looked over
Jackson's blood results.
"What
the hell are you doing here?" Frank asked, noticing Vincent looking
over Charlotte's shoulder.
"Some
things never change," Vincent said with a smile.
"Well
we'll need to speak with the suspect as soon as possible," the
second detective said to Charlotte.
"Not
until I've seen the results of his CT scan. His health comes
first," Charlotte replied.
"He
killed Sean," Zoe said, approaching them. They hadn't seen her
come over. "Don't stop them giving him what he deserves," she
said to Charlotte.
"I'm
not," Charlotte said. "I'm just doing my job. If he has a head
injury and they interview him now, nothing he says will stand up in
court."
"Charlotte's
right," Frank said to Zoe.
"Frank,"
Charlotte said quietly, pointing over his shoulder. "Get her out of
here." Frank turned around and saw the orderlies bringing Jackson
back into the ED.
"Yikes,
that was a close call," Dan said as he handed Jackson's CT scans
to Charlotte who looked at them immediately. Frank had managed to
avoid Zoe laying eyes on Jackson.
"All
clear," Charlotte said as she studied the scans.
"Good
to see you again, mate!'" Dan said to Vincent as they shook
hands.
"You
too," Vincent replied. "I'm gonna go up to the surgeon's
lounge for a bit."
"See
if they've fallen apart without you?" Charlotte said
jokingly.
"Something
like that," Vincent replied, laughing.
"You
okay?" Charlotte asked Dan after Vincent left.
"Yeah,
why wouldn't I be?" Dan asked. Charlotte noticed that Erica was
walking past as he said this.
"Really?"
Charlotte asked skeptically after Erica was out of earshot. "You're
very pale."
"I'm
a bit dizzy," Dan admitted.
"Are
you keeping up with your meds?" Charlotte asked.
"Yeah
of course," Dan said.
"Any
abdominal pain?" Dan shook his head. "You should probably get
checked out properly," Charlotte said. Dan rolled his eyes. "It's
all part of living with a chronic illness, Dan," she said.
"Please,
don't lecture me," Dan said. "I know."
"Oh
shit," Vincent said quietly to himself as he spotted Mike at the
end of the corridor talking to another surgeon. He started to turn
around.
"Too
late, Vincent," Vincent heard Mike say. Vincent turned around to
see Mike smirking at him. "What a warm greeting! It's great to
see you too."
"Hi,"
Vincent said, red faced as Mike walked towards him.
"Checking
to see that we're coping alright after your departure?" Mike
asked. "I must say it was touch and go for awhile but we have made
it through. Fingers crossed."
"Have
you been hanging out with Frank?" Vincent said, noticing his
sarcasm. Mike stopped talking immediately. Vincent laughed to
himself. "So how've you been?"
"Good…
clean if that's what you were implying."
"It
wasn't even…" Vincent started. He had forgotten how much Mike
enjoyed getting to him. "You infuriate me every time!" Mike
smiled a little. His pager went off.
"Seems
I'm needed in Emergency," he said, starting to leave.
"Good.
Give Sean's killer a kick up the arse for me while you're there,"
Vincent said walking away.
"Hey
Dan, can you do a drugs check with me?" Erica asked as she swung
the key chain to the drugs cabinet around her fingers.
"Yep,"
Dan said, putting his pen down at the staff base and following Erica
into the drugs room.
"So,"
Erica started, as she closed the door behind Dan. "Spill on your
patient."
"Ricki!"
Dan said. "You know that's against the rules."
"I
don't want to know his medical stuff," Erica said. She looked
around. "Did he do it?" she asked quietly.
"I
haven't asked him." Dan said.
"Well
why not?" Erica asked.
"I'm his nurse, Ricki. How am I
supposed to subtly slip that into the conversation?"
"But
he killed, Sean!" Erica protested. "Don't you remember that
night?"
"Of
course I do!" Dan retorted. "I'll never forget it. And how do
you know that's even true. It's only an allegation at the moment.
The police haven't even spoken to him."
"I
don't know how you can nurse him," Erica said. "He's a
murderer."
"Well
I nursed your brother didn't I?" Dan asked. "It's my job. And
I didn't exactly see you protesting then." Erica stood back and
glared at Dan. He knew that he had crossed the line with that remark.
"Ricki, I'm-" Erica opened the door and stormed out leaving Dan
standing alone in the drugs room.
