The Problems with Murder Part Three

Mark and Amanda hurried to ER and Steve said he would go to visit Jake while he was waiting. When they arrived the nurses were rushing about getting rooms ready and all the supplies the Doctors would need.

"What've we got?" Amanda asked Jesse as she and Mark arrived in ER.

"25 year old male with serious skin irritation." Jesse replied before running off to get more saline.

"OK. I'm Doctor Bentley. What's your name?" Mark heard Amanda say to the patient before she wheeled him off to a room. Mark hurried over to the front desk and paged Alex. He waited for a few minutes until Alex came running up to the desk.

"You paged me?" Alex said out of breath.

"Yes we could use some help up here. Can you help Amanda in Trauma 3?" Mark said but suddenly another wave of ambulances arrived bringing in more casualties. "On second thoughts can you cope with some of these patients on your own?"

"Of course"

"Lets get to it" replied Mark and they split up

It wasn't until three hours later when Amanda, Jesse, Mark and Alex had the situation under control and had cleared the backlog of patients and they returned to the Doctor's lounge and met Steve who was sitting watching Day Time Television and looked extremely bored. He looked up and smiled as the four walked in and switched off the TV.

"Alex! You've missed your classes." Mark said sitting down and looking at his watch.

"I know but I can catch up." Alex said seriously. "I think that those poor people up in ER are more important at the moment!"

"I'm glad to hear you say that Alex. Dedication is what you need!" Mark said and then looked at Alex seriously. "But we're worried about you! You haven't been yourself lately. You're working extra long hours when you don't have to. You should work the hours you're given, study in your spare time and go out and have fun."

"I need to talk to you all actually. I want to apologise for being so rude to all of you in the last week!" Alex said looking soulfully at the others.

"It's ok but we would like to know what's up so that we can help you." Amanda said

"I must have miscalculated my funds and I've got into a lot of debt. I don't know how because I've been really careful since my Dad died. But that's not the point! I had to sell my apartment and I've been sleeping here at the hospital and working as many hours as I can get here to earn extra money. I also am working at the Minimart around the corner at night! I'm so sorry I didn't tell you but I was embarrassed!"

"Alex you've got nothing to be embarrassed about!" Amanda said getting up from her seat and sitting down next to him and putting her arm round his shoulders. "You should have told us! We would have helped you out."

"Yes Alex! I know how hard it is to put yourself through medical school. You should have come to us. You can stay with us. Right Steve?" Mark said looking at his son who was getting up and stretching.

"Yeah sure! No problem! I'd best get back to the precinct before someone misses me!" He laughed and pulled on his jacket.

"Ok see you later son!" Mark said to his sons back but Steve turned and waved and at the same time walked straight into a nurse.

Steve looked apologetically down at the nurse and discovered that she was very attractive with light brown hair and golden highlights. Her grey eyes twinkled up at him as she smiled and bent down to pick her the files she had dropped.

"Sorry about that!" Steve said bending down to help her.

Jesse looked out of the lounge window. "It looks like Steve's met Nikki the new nurse!" Jesse said laughing and they other three laughed and came over to watch.

"No its fine!" Nikki said straightening up. "I'm Nikki by the way." She held out her hand to him.

"Oh hi. I'm Steve Sloan!"

"Ah of course you are you are very much like your father!" She replied. "Anyway I had best be off nice to meet you!"

"Yes you too!" Steve replied and then left with a broad smile on his face.

Back in the Doctors lounge Mark laughed and sat down again. "My son is terrible!"

"No he's not I would love it if women went all soppy over me like that!" Jesse said going over to the refrigerator and taking out some chocolate bars and throwing them to his friends.

"No Jesse you just wish you were Steve's height!" Amanda said fighting back her instincts to laugh.

"Ha ha ha!" Jesse replied sarcastically!

Then suddenly a call went up for Mark and he disappeared off to the front desk. It wasn't long before he returned and turned to the others. "There's been another shooting similar circumstances and I hope that we don't find what I think we're going to find on that body!"