The Midnight News by Jo Baker

Author:Jo Baker [Baker, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781399602273
Published: 2023-03-27T16:00:00+00:00

Breath

When she telephoned, Charlotte was told by the receptionist that while she could in principle make an appointment with Dr Travers, there was in fact nothing available for a fortnight, so Miss Richmond should probably try elsewhere. The poor man, the receptionist said, with a trace of Midland vowels, is terribly overworked. When he’s not looking after his own patients, he’s volunteering at the hospital, which is more than anyone could reasonably expect of a man of his age, who should, by rights, be having a quiet time with his pipe and slippers. But then he was an army doctor in the last war; they are a breed apart, the old soldiers, she says. Don’t you think?

‘Volunteering at the hospital?’

‘That’s right. And St Stephens are very glad to have him.’

‘An example to us all,’ Charlotte says, grateful.

She follows a pair of auxiliary nurses, in capes and caps, up the steps; one of them passes the weight of the door to her. Inside is a bustle of preparation. Behind the counter, a nurse presses her forehead, telephone receiver at her ear, Yes, yes I know you said, but we need it now, it’s five-forty already … Well, if it doesn’t get through before kick-off then … well, yes I understand but … Charlotte could wait and ask, but if she asks, she could be told no, so she just assumes a purposeful air, and strides down the corridor.

Really, Lotts?

Don’t you want to know?

She follows the clink of crockery and the sour-coffee-and-soup smell to a cold and steamy canteen. She scans the room. Nurses coming off shift, blinking over cups or somnolently eating sandwiches. A porter, blue coat unbuttoned, is sipping soup from a spoon. A cluster of orderlies move away, and from behind them a man in his sixties appears. His grey hair is tinged with ginger; he has a white coat on over a rusty tweed suit. She remembers him from the funeral, his hands clasped round Mrs Hartwell’s, their heads together. As she approaches, he looks up at her with tired eyes. An empty pipe lies cold beside an almost-empty coffee cup.

‘Dr Travers?’

He looks blank. ‘Have we met?’

‘Nearly. I know you have a long night ahead of you, but could you spare me five minutes? I need a word.’

He looks at his watch. ‘I could.’

‘Another coffee?’

‘Please.’

Charlotte returns from the serving hatch with two green institutional cups of moderately warm, moderately stewed coffee. Dr Travers swills down his cold dregs and reaches for the new cup. His hand faintly trembles.

‘Thank you. So where did we nearly meet?’

She clears her throat. ‘At Elena Hartwell’s funeral.’

‘Ah. What was this word you wanted?’

‘About her. About El.’

‘Patient confidentiality, I’m afraid.’

‘I know. It’s not a … a medical question, as such.’

He knuckles an eye, waves for her to continue.

‘I just wanted to know, if you don’t mind me asking, were you there when she died?’

‘No. I got the message as I came off shift. I went straight round.’

‘To the house?’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s where you saw her? In her room?’

‘Yes, in her room.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.