Chapter 25

First thing next morning Louisa called the hospital, giving them the name of the insurance company and the insurance policy number. As Dr. Fellows had suspected, Dr. Ellingham was very well covered, so the best treatment shouldn't be any problem. The hospital would get in touch with the insurance company to get things sorted out.

Louisa also enquired about the police officer in charge. She was given the name and the contact number. Louisa tried to reach him before school, but without luck. She left a note on the mailbox. A bit hesitantly she switched her mobile off for giving the lessons and went on with her daily work.

It was a particularly busy day. After all, she had neglected her duties for a couple of weeks, so work was piled on her desk, besides the teaching she had to do.

So it wasn't before 4 pm before she switched her mobile on again. There had been three missed calls.

One number she recognised – it was the hospital. The other two were unknown to her.

So she first called the hospital back, afraid that Martin's condition might have worsened. She was connected with the secretary of Dr. Fellows. Martin had asked to let her know that he'd prefer if she wouldn't call in today. After his first session of physio, he was far too exhausted for any visitors. Besides, he was afraid that she would make the long drive just for him to doze off. Louisa enquired if it would be at least OK to call him, around 6:30, maybe, when the meal was finished. The secretary ensured her she would ask Dr. Ellingham about it. If he felt fit, she would be called.

Louisa hated to admit to it, but she wasn't completely unhappy that she wouldn't have to make the trip to Plymouth today. She had quite some work piled up at her desk at home. This evening she had a chance to catch up with some of it. However, she really hoped she could talk to Martin later. She didn't want to be without any news for a whole day.

Then she returned the first unknown call. It was the police. She talked to a young inspector, who gave the impression of being very efficient. Nevertheless, the facts they could have established up to now were scarce, to put it mildly. Without Martin's memory, they were pretty much stuck. The whole incident must have started at Lundy Bay, where several tides had taken good care of any traces there might have been. It was an educated guess that the further chapters and the finale of this little drama had most probably taken place on a boat, so they wouldn't find any clues unless they could find the boat.

With the masses of small and bigger boats, yachts and ships that busied themselves around the Cornish Coast in summer, it would be a challenge to track down the right one. Especially if you had no clue about the kind of person you were looking for.

Louisa addressed her worries about Martin's personal papers and the mobile. The officer agreed with her, and assured that they would check if anyone had misused his accounts so far. They would make sure that no one could actually profit from them, but preferred it if they seemed to be valid for a while, in case someone would try to use them. That might shed some light.

The officer suggested to contact some support group for victims of abduction, and that he would be happy to give contact details, also for counsellors with experience in that field. Louisa took the contact data, just in case, but was pretty sure that Martin would never – not in a million years – use them.

Louisa was questioned about Martin's enemies, but she honestly could think of none. Sure, he had managed to annoy almost everyone in Portwenn, but you didn't kidnap and hurt someone badly just because the practising doctor lacked compassion.

The maybe inevitable next question made Louisa laugh out loud – no, Martin being involved in a love triangle and a plot thick with jealousy was simply unimaginable. She would be glad if Martin would manage love in any way, but him playing that game twice at the same time would stretch his skills considerably.

They agreed, that Ellingham would be informed about his credit card company and his telephone provider, so that a replacement for the lost accounts could be arranged. Otherwise there was nothing more to gain, and with the mutual assurance that either side would inform the other party in case of new developments, they rang off.

Before returning the last call, Louisa decided that she would inform Joan that she wouldn't go to Plymouth today and that today, she would cook supper for both of them, to make up for the last few nights when Joan had taken care of her food.

Joan accepted the invitation gladly and could see that a visit every night really might be too exhausting – for both parties. Nevertheless, they could update each other about the progress they had made with their own special project, to get Martin back on track.

Louisa sighed. There was one more call to make. When she returned the call, an eager male voice immediately asked her.

"Miss Glasson, I've heard you've taken care of Mart's affairs? How is he?"

"First, who is talking?"

"Oh, sorry – completely forgot. Chris, Chris Parsons, head of the PCT and in a way Mart's boss, even when he hates to see it that way. I was informed by the hospital that he turned up there. I applied for insight in his case, and you know how that works – you studied with someone who knows someone, who married the sister of someone who goes fishing with the guy in charge, and in the end, you get the information you need. Mart never understood how these ways worked. But then, he didn't have to – he is bloody brilliant. Or do I have to say was bloody brilliant?"

"Oh, sure Mr. Parsons. We met at Martin's interview."

"When you gave him a hard time. Can't say that I'm sorry to hear you're fighting on his side now. But how is he?"

"I'm really sorry, but Martin's always regarded patient's confidentiality very highly, and it doesn't seem right to breach it when he's the patient."

"Very noble. I see that Mart's high morals have rubbed off on you. However, right now they are a bit in the way. See, I have to find out if I have to post the job as GP in Portwenn, or if there is even the tiniest chance to get Mart back, sooner or later. If I'm honest with you – I'd prefer the latter. Even with all the complaints I get about him, I'm glad to have him in my district. By far the best diagnostician I've ever met. And I'd rather have healthy but unhappy patients, than ones over the moon about their Doc but happily rotting away."

"I see. You put me in a difficult position. I'm the only one at the moment Martin is trusting in. I think I'm not giving too much away in saying that his mental state is quite fragile. I don't want to imagine what might happen to him if he feels that I cheated him."

"I quite understand. You see, I'm not only his boss, I also studied with him. He's difficult to get to, at the best of times, but with time you find out he's worth the effort. But you also find out that he never trusts you and just waits to be deceived. Does it help when I tell you that I've read his record and know that it says amnesia in there? Of course I'm worried that this could mean that I have to replace him. But then again, I don't want to be too hasty. Mart would take that very hard."

"I'm very grateful that you obviously want to help. I appreciate that. I really do. But I hope you'll understand that I won't do anything without talking with Martin first. I hope I'll have him on the phone later, so I will tell him, I promise. Then he can think about it until tomorrow. I hope that's OK for you?"

"Sure. Who could be sore at someone who cares so deeply about an old mate? But please inform me as soon as you can."

"Uhm, just in case – would it be possible that you could come down to Plymouth at some point, so that you can talk it over with him personally, and get your own impression?"

"I might have some time on Friday. Do you think he'd be up to it?"

"It's worth a try. Besides, it'll give him the feeling of taking up responsibility for his life."

"I'll see what I can do. Have to sort it out with my lovely lass at home. Do I hear from you tomorrow?"

"Might be rather late, though."

"Any time. Hope we'll get him back where he belongs – Portwenn surgery."

If only, Louisa thought after they had rung off. But at least she now had two allies on her side.

To be continued…