DR CHRISTOPHER HALLIWELL

‘Sarah Jane are you still up for this?’ I asked, jumping around the staff changing rooms to get my scrubs on.

            The NHS really knew the definition of inconvenient timing, didn’t they?

            ‘Yes don’t worry I’ve already been to the jeweller and he said it can be ready in two days.’ Sarah Jane laughed. ‘What are you doing up so late anyway?’

            ‘I got called in, the interns were panicking apparently and the resident – it doesn’t matter but I just wanted to check everything was okay.’ I told her.

            ‘Of course it’s okay, I’ll get the locket sorted before the wedding, I promise.’

            ‘Right…’ I trailed off, checking yet another wedding thing off my list.

            ‘What’s wrong?’ She asked in that motherly tone of hers.

            ‘Nothing.’ I quipped. ‘Just gotta run, I’ll chat later.’

            I hung up the phone before she had a chance to say anything else, heading out to the eerily quiet ward, which I hadn’t expected since I’d been called in for an emergency. It was only when I saw Dominic at the nurses station that my brows furrowed.

            ‘Did they call you in too?’ I asked, leaning on the desk.

            ‘Call me?’ He asked. ‘You’re meant to be off today.’

            ‘I was but I got a page, well more a text.’ I shrugged. ‘Said it was an emergency.’

            ‘The only emergency round here is Mrs Lyon’s in bed eight running out of Murry Mints.’ Dominic laughed, pulling up a chair for me. ‘You’re sure you were called in?’

            ‘I wouldn’t of driven all the way here if I wasn’t.’ I grumbled, grabbing my phone and checking the text again. ‘So no one’s dying?’

            ‘Nope.’ Dom shook his head. ‘But now you’re here I can ask you about your plans for the stag-do, now hear me out, I need to co-ordinate with the Maid of honour so I need-’

            ‘I told you I don’t want a stag-do.’ I told him pointedly. ‘No strippers, no nothing.’

            ‘Yes you did but I’ve got plans so you’re getting one whether you like it or not.’ Dom told me.

            I laughed, logging onto the hospital computers, double checking my schedule but it confirmed what the text said. Had HR made a mix-up? Did they mean to page the other Chris that worked in Paediatrics?

            ‘So…do you have the maid of honour’s number?’ Dom pried and I rolled my eyes.

            ‘Yes but I want to know what this elaborate plan of yours is before I do.’

            ‘I am not elaborate.’

            ‘No you’re dramatic and over the top so I could be signing up to jumping out a plane into Magaluf and then drinking till I drop and then being underneath some stripper at a show.’ I said.

            ‘Oh please, I am too classy to book a holiday to STD city.’ Dom shook his head. ‘So, number and name please.’

            He held out his phone and after at least a good five minute stare down, I took his phone typing in Toshiko’s number.

            ‘Her names Toshiko Sato but Erin got called in tonight so things might be a bit chaotic, leave the calls and plans till tomorrow morning at least.’ I said.

            ‘I promise.’ Dom said giddily.  

            BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

            ‘What the hell?’ Dom asked, shooting off from the desk, with me close in tow towards the blaring alarm of a heart monitor.

            We pounded down the corridor flinging open the door to the room and finding the man flatlining, the breathing tube torn from his mouth.

            ‘Get the bed down!’ Dom yelled to the nurses who ran in after us. ‘How did the tube get out?’

            ‘I don’t know.’ A nurse shrieked as I started CPR. ‘I put in that tube myself, the lock was on it.’

            ‘I saw her do it, it was secure.’

            ‘Well obviously it wasn’t.’ I stated, slamming my hand on the panic button.

            However the surname on the board nearly made me stop compressions; Costello. Wasn’t that the surname of the woman who shot Erin? Wasn’t she the reason she had to rush into work? The woman who came back from the dead and now the man who I could only presume was her father mysteriously had the breathing tube ripped from his throat?

            ‘Someone get Erin on the phone.’ I ordered one of the student nurses. ‘Get my phone out of my pocket and get her on the phone.’

            ‘Right now Chris?’ Dom asked, like the idea was ludicrous. ‘She’s-’

            ‘This man is connected to a case she’s working and if he dies and she – she could be in trouble someone get my phone.’

            One of the student grabbed my phone from my pocket, putting it to my ear but as soon as it started ringing, it stopped, the dial tone ringing.

            ‘Shit.’ I muttered.

            ‘What?’ Dom asked.

            ‘It’s disconnected.’ I said, my eyes flickering to the different nurses rushing about the room, too busy with their own tasks to hear what I said to Dom. ‘Shit, keep trying it until she picks up.’

            Had Suzie hurt her again? I wondered. Was she alive? Had I lost her and not even known it?

            ‘What about Toshiko she works with her, right?’ Dom asked, grabbing the crash cart.

            ‘Go for it!’ I told him. ‘Oh but you still speak Japanese yeah?’

            ‘I think my mum would smack me if I didn’t.’ Dom muttered.

            ‘I’m sorry can we chat about our CV’s when someone’s not crashing?’ Essie the head nurse said pointedly, walking into the room. ‘I’m not here to hold phones.’

            ‘Sorry.’ Dom said, pressing the phone in between his ears, ringing Toshiko.

            Even though the man on the bed’s heart wasn’t racing mine was – what if Erin was dead? What if Suzie had shot her in the heart? What if she was all alone?