‘We need to find her fast. She could be unconscious. How much longer are you going to search the hospital? Surely you would have found her by now if she was here?’
Greg shrugged. He was beginning to think the same thing himself. They had covered nearly every inch of the place and he’d sent most of the officers back to the station. Only a few were still out there searching, Laura Best among them, doggedly holding fast to her belief that the doctor was in the hospital somewhere. Greg let her get on with it. As long as she stayed out of his hair he didn’t care. Since his outburst earlier he was more at peace than he’d been in a long time. He didn’t care that tomorrow he’d probably have to face the superintendent, that he could be suspended. If that happened he’d go and see Joe. Spend the day with his son.
Tiredness, he knew, was making him a little too relaxed about the whole thing, but he’d gained a real satisfaction from standing up to her. A few of the officers had patted him on the back and more than one had let slip a comment. ‘Well done’, and ‘Good on you, mate’, had been said a couple of times. They said it in a tone that implied he’d done a good thing. But Greg knew they were wrong. He was not blameless. He’d had sex with a junior officer and had given no thought to the consequences. He’d behaved shabbily and should have faced up to what he did before.
‘You’re still convinced she’s the perpetrator,’ Nathan Bell said, breaking into his reverie. It was said as more of a statement than a question.
Greg answered tactically. ‘Everything points to her being guilty.’
The frustration and anxiety in the doctor’s eyes was plain to see, and Greg wanted to offer him some comfort.
‘When this is all over she’ll need people like you to support her. She’s lucky to have you, Dr Bell. There aren’t many that would stick by someone in a situation like this.’
Nathan Bell swiftly shook his head and made a sound of demurral. ‘Lucky? I’m the one who was lucky. I’ve grown up a lonely man because I had an ignorant mother. From an early age she drummed into me that vanity was a sin, and I should accept how I was born. I learned to not look at my face and be reminded of why others turned away.’
He pointed at the birthmark on his face. ‘I stayed lonely until I met Alex. She’s not a killer, Inspector. It’s unthinkable.’
Greg didn’t want to have to remind the man that he was emotionally involved and therefore not the best judge. He stayed silent instead.
‘So how much longer will you be looking for?’ the doctor again asked.
‘Probably another half hour. There are only a few places left to check. First, second and third floors have been done. They’re trying to find keys to unlock the doors to the underground of the hospital. The fire officer says it’s been out of bounds for years, but we need to rule it out.’
‘And then what? You give up? Call it a day? Her life could be in danger for all you know.’
Greg felt his chest grow heavy at the thought.
His phone vibrated again, this time against the table. It was Seb again; his voice sounded echoey, but his words were clear enough. ‘I found her. She’s in the west wing car park. She’s on the ground, Greg, and she’s not moving.’
Chapter forty-eight
Resus was standing by. Caroline Cowan, her black eye even more obvious under the harsh lights, along with another doctor and two senior nurses, was preparing to receive the patient. An air ambulance crew and Nathan Bell had gone out into the car park and would be bringing her in very soon. Caroline had no clinical information on Alex’s status, only a report of a possible overdose, and was therefore preparing for every eventuality.
She had got switchboard to fast-bleep the trauma team, including obs and gynae, and couldn’t care less if it proved to be a waste of their time. She wanted them in here waiting for Alex just in case. She was, after all, one of their own.
She had put from her mind what Alex had done and would treat her as best she could. Her job was to help the sick, and Alex was more ill than most. She’d had the feeling all day that Alex would do something stupid and had been in contact with Nathan earlier to have him page her if he heard anything. When he called to say the police thought she’d taken an overdose, she instantly dismissed any thought of sleep or staying at home. She had driven all the way to the hospital over the speed limit and had been flashed twice by speed cameras.
They had found Alex ten minutes ago, soon after Caroline arrived at work, and she was glad for Nathan’s sake that she had made the decision to come in.
She guessed Nathan was involved with her, and as good a doctor as he was, he couldn’t be allowed to lead this care. And if Alex was in a critical condition she wanted him out of resus fast. She had been burned once already with a doctor not being able to cope. She didn’t wish to repeat the mistake.
The outer double doors in the corridor suddenly banged open and the two nurses quickly moved over to the resus doors and opened them for the oncoming trolley.
She was collared and was lying on a spinal board. Her eyes were open and she was awake. An oxygen mask was attached to her face and she was clearly in an agitated state.
She was pulling at the collar around her neck, twisting her shoulders, thrashing her legs, desperately trying to get off the trolley, and she was spitting and shouting at the two men: Nathan Bell and Seb Morrisey. ‘Get away from me, you fuckers. I’ll kill you! You come near me, I’ll take your fucking head off.’
Caroline silenced the beeping monitors to lessen the noise, and on her count of three she and the two men transferred Alex to the resus trolley. Alex suddenly swiped her hand out and dug her nails into Caroline’s wrist and Seb Morrisey had to unbend her fingers to release the grip on the consultant. ‘Easy does it, Doc. You’re in safe hands,’ he said kindly.
Her teeth bared, her intention to sink them into any part of him she could bite was clear. It was only the head blocks and straps pinning her head to the trolley that saved Seb from injury.
‘Draw up some lorazepam, we need to get her calm.’ Caroline instructed the nearest nurse.
Nathan Bell put a hand up to stop the nurse hurrying away. Beneath the trolley they’d just transferred Alex from he retrieved a black handbag. ‘We need to check what she’s already taken.’ His face was pale and his eyes filled with anguish. ‘She’s got diazepam and ketamine in her bag. Syringes and needles as well.’ He pressed the bag against his chest and his breathing came fast with his delayed reaction. ‘This is my fault. I knew she was taking something. I should have stopped her. I should have told you,’ he said to Caroline.
The consultant quickly came to his side. ‘None of this is your fault, Nathan. None of it. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. Now I want you to leave here – let us help Alex.’
The distraught doctor shook his head. ‘I need to help.’