CHAPTER FOUR

Bryce glanced at his watch and then pushed away from his desk. It was crowded with the usual assortment of case files, statements, pens and pencils and two large, black, leather-bound volumes of legislation that made up the New South Wales Crimes Act. His younger colleagues chided him for being so old fashioned.

With the legislation easily accessible online, most officers searched with their keyboard, but he preferred the smell of the wafer-thin paper and the feel of it beneath his fingers. Besides, he had so many sticky notes stuck on various pages of the Act, with notations scrawled upon them, he couldn’t bear the thought of tossing it all away.

With a brief knock on his superior’s half-open door, he poked his head through the gap.

“Ah, boss, do you mind if I duck away for a little bit? My grandmother has a doctor’s appointment downtown. I told her I’d transport her to and from.”

Detective Superintendent Holt Denman glanced up from his computer screen and nodded. “Sure, Bryce. No problem. So far, so good with the emergency callouts. Nothing more than the usual. How long will you be gone?”

“An hour or two at the most. It won’t take me long to get home. Provided the doctor’s on time, everything should be sweet.”

“We both know there’s no guarantee the doctor won’t keep you waiting, but take as long as you need. We have everything covered here.”

“Thanks, boss. I appreciate it. I’ll work through my breaks to make it up.”

Holt waved him away and returned his attention to the screen. Bryce turned and headed toward the exit.

* * *

“Grandma, I’m not convinced you need to take two novels to pass the time. It’s a fifteen-minute appointment.” Bryce tried to keep the exasperation from his voice and grinned in an effort to soften his words. His grandmother merely snorted.

“Ha, for your information, smarty pants, I’m on the last chapter of this book and then I won’t have anything to read. Doctor Baker likes to take his time with his patients and some of them take advantage. He’s not like the doctors in that medical center on the corner.”

Bryce helped her into the car and closed the door behind her. A moment later, he slid behind the wheel. His grandmother continued where she’d left off.

“Those doctors are lucky to give you three minutes of their precious time and all the while they make you feel like they’re doing you a favor by seeing you. Doctor Baker might run late, but at least he listens to what you have to say. Besides, he’s kind of cute, too.”

She winked at Bryce and he groaned. Checking his mirrors, he pulled out into the traffic and headed toward the city, where Doctor Baker’s private rooms were located. He was fortunate the home he shared with his grandmother wasn’t far away.

Situated in one of the older parts of Paddington, his grandmother’s house was close to his work as well as to the distractions offered by the city. With the movie theaters, numerous bars, night clubs and live stage performances all within a short distance of each other, it was a perfect place to live.

Not that he had much time to indulge, but every now and then, he’d enjoy a new release at the movies with his grandmother or spend an hour or two relaxing after work with a colleague in one of the city’s many bars. The temperate climate and relaxed lifestyle of Sydney suited him to a tee. Then there was Angela, of course. He’d never leave while she was still here.

Twenty minutes later, the pale brick building that housed Doctor Baker’s rooms came into sight. Bryce scoured the lot for a parking spot. One of the disadvantages to the rapidly expanding city was the lack of parking. Occasionally he got lucky, but today wasn’t one of those times.

“I’m not going to be able to find a parking spot around here, Grandma. How about I drop you off at the front door and come back and collect you when you’re finished?”

“That would be fine, Bryce. But what will you do in the meantime?”

He waved off her question. “Don’t worry about me. I have my iPad and a heap of files on the back seat. I have plenty to keep me occupied. Are you sure you don’t want me to come in with you?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m a big girl, Grandson. When have I ever wanted you to come in with me?”

Bryce shook his head. “Okay, okay. I just thought I’d ask. I’m happy to, you know.”

“Of course I know. You’re the sweetest boy an old woman could ever hope for, but I’m fine. It’s nothing important. I’m going to get him to take a look at my foot again. I’ve been applying that cream for more than a week now. I thought the ulcer was getting better, but it doesn’t seem to be healing. With my diabetes complicating matters, I just want to stay on top of it, you know?”

“Yes, Grandma. You’re doing the right thing. It’s much better to get him to check it out and see what he thinks than wait until you have a real problem. Now, how about you text me when you’re finished and I’ll come and collect you?”

“That sounds like a great plan.”

“You have your phone?”

“Yes, Bryce.”

“Is it charged?”

“Yes, Bryce.”

“Good.”

He smiled and waved good-bye. “I’ll see you soon.”

Pulling away from the curb, he headed in the direction of a nearby park, thinking he’d spend the time going over some of his open cases. There were always phone calls to make, witnesses to contact, lab results to chase. He wouldn’t find it hard to fill the time.

A car reversed out of a parking spot right in front of him and a surge of satisfaction rushed through him. Every now and then, his luck turned around—even if it was only a parking spot. Pulling the unmarked squad car into the vacant space, he reached over and collected the files that lay on the back seat. Locking the door, he strode across the wide expanse of freshly mowed green grass and breathed deeply.

Summer in Sydney was his favorite time of the year. The trees towering above him were bursting with new life; the carefully tended garden beds could snatch his breath with their heavy perfume and vibrant colors. The air was hot, but not uncomfortably so and when he found an unoccupied park bench beneath the shade of a huge Moreton Bay fig tree, he sighed with contentment.

Apart from the noise of the traffic from the busy streets that bordered the park, it was easy to believe he was far away from the rush and stress of his daily life. Not that he’d change anything about that—well, not on the career front, anyway.

From the time he knew what a policeman was, he wanted to be one. It wasn’t just the smart blue uniform and the shiny black boots. Police officers had an unmistakable air of authority about them. They were “take charge” kind of people and got to help others along the way.

Over the years, it hadn’t been all smiles and happy days, but he’d learned to take the good with the bad. No career was without its challenges and he saw those difficulties as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than setbacks. At thirty, he had enough experience behind him to be eligible to apply for more senior positions and he couldn’t wait for the day he was the commander of his own station. Yes, his professional life fulfilled him on every level. Too bad he couldn’t say the same thing about his personal life.

Angela.

At the thought of his wife and all they could have had, his heart filled with sadness. They’d had such hopes and dreams. Together, they were going to conquer the world. And then there was the accident and their lives had come crashing to a halt and broken into so many pieces, he’d never be able to put them together again.

Instead of hopes and dreams, he lived in limbo—a half life that was neither living nor dead. If it weren’t for his job, he didn’t know where he’d be. His job kept him sane. Not many officers lay claim to that, but that was the way it was. His job and his work colleagues were the constants in his life. All the other things were shadows. Even his beloved grandmother, who’d been the center of his life for so long, had become less dependable. She was getting older. Slower. Forgetful. Once so vital, now her health was beginning to fail. He couldn’t bear the thought of the woman he loved above all others not being there one day.

Thinking that way was selfish and some would say immature. Everyone died eventually. It was just the way it was. But he didn’t want it to happen to his grandmother. Not her. Why couldn’t she be spared? Set apart? Protected from the indignity of aging and certain death?

Perhaps, if he had more than his grandmother’s love in his life, or even some other female companionship, the thought of her inevitable demise wouldn’t have him so panicked. But the truth was, there was no one except Angela and as much as it pained him to accept it, she no longer counted.

Swallowing a sigh, he flipped open the file on the attempted armed robbery that had taken place a week ago. Richard Wales had recovered from his surgery and had been refused bail until his next court appearance. With the man caught red-handed on CCTV, Bryce assumed the germ had nothing more to look forward to than receiving a reduced sentence in return for an early guilty plea—but stranger things had happened.

Against his better judgement, Bryce’s thoughts wandered to Chanel Munro and he allowed himself a few moments of fancy before grimacing with annoyance. It was stupid to waste time on foolish daydreams. She was a doctor and he was married. He didn’t need a reminder of how cruel life could be.

The depressing thought seeped into Bryce’s veins and settled heavily in his gut. With a shake of his head, he snorted with irritation. He normally managed to stay positive, despite the setbacks in his life. He wasn’t one to wallow in self-pity. He was a “glass half-full” kind of guy. Always had been. He didn’t know what had caused this sudden bout of negativity, although he suspected it might have something to do with his worries about the elderly lady who was even now being attended to by her physician.

As if his thoughts had summoned her up, the phone in his pocket chirped to indicate a new text message. Checking the screen, he smiled at the thumbs-up and smiley face emoji his grandmother had sent. She’d embraced technology like it was a new toy and knew as much about cell phones and tablets as he did. She might have been eighty-three, but she refused to allow her age to dictate the way she led her life.

His grandmother was optimism personified. He didn’t have to look far to discover the source of his own positive outlook on life. He had much to be grateful for. More than he could fathom.

* * *

Chanel hurried along the corridor that led to Ward Three and cursed the narrowness of her knee length skirt that hindered her progress. Her high heels clattered across the polished linoleum, but she paid the sound no heed and picked up her pace. Ward rounds had already started and she dreaded giving Doctor Baker any cause to disparage her.

Four members of Doctor Baker’s team had been assigned the patients on Ward Three and she was one of them. It had been a fortnight since her confrontation with him and he’d followed through on his threat by making her life as difficult as possible. His favorite time to humiliate her was during ward rounds where, surrounded by his students and an unwitting patient, he seemed to take immense pleasure putting her on the spot.

Spying the team clustered around a bedside, Chanel did her best to slide in beside Tanya without detection. She should have known Doctor Baker would immediately notice her arrival.

“Doctor Munro, so nice of you to join us. Don’t tell me, you slept through your alarm? Or perhaps you’ve been caught in traffic? No, I’ve got it! A giant cockroach held you hostage through the night and you’ve only now managed to escape.”

Heat seared Chanel’s cheeks, but she didn’t dare respond. She’d learned the hard way there was no appeasing him. Silence was her best option. After a long moment, he shifted his hard gaze to the patient in the bed. Like a switch being thrown, Doctor Baker’s face relaxed and became wreathed in smiles.

“Mrs Evan, how are you this morning? I’m glad to see there’s a little more color in your cheeks today. We must be doing something right.”

The elderly woman in the bed smiled up at him, her double chin wobbling with the effort. Chanel nearly choked at the warmth and admiration in Mrs Evan’s eyes.

“Please, Doctor. Call me Robyn. And yes, thank you, I’m feeling a little better.”

“A long way from fit and healthy, though.” Doctor Baker turned to encompass the group of doctors behind him.

“I have a few second-year residents with me, Mrs Evan. They’re part of my medical team. I was wondering, do you mind if they look in on you every now and then?”

“No, of course not.”

“Good. I’d like to ask one of them to examine you, if you don’t mind. It’s the best way for them to learn. I hope that’s all right with you?”

“Yes, Doctor. I’m happy to help.”

Doctor Baker nodded in satisfaction. He turned to face Chanel and immediately his expression hardened once again.

“Doctor Munro, would you care to examine Mrs Evan and share with the group your diagnosis and prescribed treatment?”

“Yes, Doctor Baker.” Chanel stepped forward and smiled down at the white-haired lady in the bed.

“Good morning, Mrs Evan. I’m Doctor Munro.”

“Hello, Doctor Munro. My, don’t you have pretty hair? A halo of gold and sunshine.”

Chanel patted her hair self-consciously and avoided looking at the others. “Thank you, Mrs Evan.”

“You’re welcome, honey. I’m only stating the truth.”

“So, how long have you been feeling unwell?”

“It must be at least two weeks. It started with a cough and a sniffle and progressed from there.”

“Do you mind if I listen to your chest?”

“Of course not.”

Chanel took the stethoscope from around her neck and fitted the ear pieces. Leaning closer to the woman, she gently pressed the end of the stethoscope against the thin cotton of Mrs Evan’s nightgown. The rattle in the old lady’s chest was unmistakable.

“Do you mind leaning forward, Mrs Evan? I’d like to listen from the back.”

The woman heaved herself upright and then leaned forward enough so Chanel could put the stethoscope against her back. Moving the instrument from side to side, the result was the same.

“Thank you, Mrs Evan. You may get comfortable. I’m finished.”

Doctor Baker’s gaze narrowed on her. “So, Doctor Munro, what do you think?”

Chanel lifted her head and held his gaze. “She has bilateral pneumonia, Doctor Baker. She needs IV antibiotics. Stat. If all goes well, she should be fine in three or four days. At least, well enough to go home.”

The hardness didn’t leave Doctor Baker’s eyes, but he offered a reluctant nod and turned back to the patient.

“There you go, Robyn. A few days and you’ll be feeling a whole lot better than you are right now.”

The elderly woman looked up at him with gratitude. “Thank you, Doctor. It can’t come soon enough.” A hacking cough took hold of her and didn’t seem to ease. Chanel stepped forward and patted her on the back.

“It’s okay, Mrs Evan. Coughing’s going to help. It’s your body’s way of trying to get rid of the buildup of fluid inside your lungs. I know it’s uncomfortable, but just try and remember it’s helping you to heal. If we give you something to suppress the cough, it will only slow things down.”

“We don’t want to do that.” The old lady gasped and even attempted a smile.

Chanel smiled back at her and squeezed her soft, wrinkled hand.

“You’re going to make a fine doctor,” Mrs Evan said. “I can see how much you care. You can have all the smarts in the world, but if you don’t care about your patients, what good does it do?”

“You’re very sweet, Mrs Evan, and thank you for saying so.”

“I used to have hair that color,” the woman murmured and reflexively touched the wisps of white that covered her head. “A long, long time ago.”

“You were beautiful,” Chanel said. “You’re still beautiful.”

A sad smile turned up the corners of the woman’s mottled lips. “Now who’s being kind?”

“Not kind at all,” Chanel smiled. “Just stating the truth.”

“Doctor Munro, are you finished here?”

The stern interruption came from her superior. He glowered at Chanel.

“Yes, Doctor Baker. I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”

“We have other patients to see.”

“Yes, of course.” She turned back to Mrs Evan. “It was lovely to meet you and I’m sure you’ll be feeling better soon.”

“Thank you, honey. I hope to see you again.”

“Oh, you will. I’ll make sure of it,” Chanel promised and followed Doctor Baker and his students out of the room. She’d barely cleared the room when Tanya pulled her to one side.

“I see Doctor Baker’s still using you for his punching bag. Where were you this morning, anyway? You were gone before I got up. I assumed you’d left for work early.”

“No, I went for a jog. It was such a beautiful morning. I jogged over the Harbour Bridge and back. I was nearly home when I heard the sound of a kitten. It was caught in a drain.”

Tanya rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you were late for work because you were rescuing a kitten?”

“I couldn’t just leave it there! It was cold and wet and looked like it had been there all night. What would you expect me to do?”

“I don’t know, leave it for someone else to find. Why do you have to be the Good Samaritan?”

Chanel sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s just in me. It’s the reason I became a doctor. I can’t stand back and let things suffer when I can help.”

“It was a kitten, Chanel and probably a stray one at that. What did you do with it?”

Chanel dropped her gaze and tried hard to will away the guilty blush that spread across her cheeks.

Tanya’s eyes narrowed. “Chanel Munro, what did you do with that kitten?”

“I-I brought it home with me. That’s why I was late. I had to run to the corner shop and buy some milk and cat food.”

“You brought it home? To live with us? What if I’m allergic?”

Chanel looked up at her. “Are you?”

“No, but that’s not the point. You can’t bring stray animals home and not tell me. I’m paying half the rent, remember? I get equal say. It’s only fair.”

Chanel’s shoulders slumped and she looked away. “Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry. I should have asked you about it first. It was just that, I was there and it was cold and hungry and…” She looked up at Tanya and silently pleaded for her to understand.

Tanya sighed and shook head. “Chanel Munro, what am I going to do with you?”

“You don’t have to do anything with—”

“Is it cute?”

A tiny smile lifted the corners of Chanel’s lips. “Yes, it’s very cute.”

“Is it soft and fluffy?”

“Now that she’s dry… Yes, she’s very soft and fluffy.”

“She?”

Chanel’s smile widened to a grin. “I checked.”

“Does she have a name?”

“Not yet. Why don’t you think of one?”

Tanya’s eyes sparkled in delight. “Really?”

Chanel nodded. “Really.”

Tanya squealed and gave her a quick hug. “Well, now that I know the reason you were late, I’m well and truly satisfied with your excuse for your tardiness.”

“Too bad Doctor Baker didn’t see it that way.”

Tanya’s brow creased into a frown. “I still don’t get why he’s so hard on you. It’s like he takes particular delight in seeing you stumble. None of us get any joy out of it, let me tell you. It’s embarrassing as hell to watch him tear into you like that.”

“You think it’s embarrassing for you? How do you think I feel?”

Tanya shook her head in sympathy. “He seemed to like you at the start. I wonder what happened to make him turn on you?”

Chanel compressed her lips, determined not to share her humiliation with her friend. Even if Tanya believed her, what could either of them do about it? When Chanel had shared a few sparse details of the encounter with her sister, Josie had urged Chanel to report him to the medical board, but Chanel wasn’t convinced it would be worth the effort.

Why would the board believe her? Doctor Baker was lauded by the medical profession from one end of the state to another. He saved countless lives and was humble, to boot. Who would believe her—a nobody second-year resident doctor? Forcing a smile, she hurried to clear the concern from her friend’s eyes.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine. H-he’s like that with everyone. I can’t remember the last time he actually praised one of us for our efforts. It’s like he enjoys setting us up to fail.”

“I think that’s probably a little melodramatic,” Tanya laughed. “He’s a brilliant doctor with a healthy ego. He didn’t get to be where he is without a lot of hard work. Okay, he’s a harsh taskmaster, but he probably wants to make sure we work at succeeding as hard as he did. Some people are like that. They don’t want anyone to take the easy road. It just isn’t in them to allow it.”

“Mm, maybe,” Chanel replied with an effort, unable to help thinking once again about his unethical proposition. He was more than happy for them to take the easy way if it suited him. In an attempt to steer the conversation in another direction, she said, “So, whose turn is it to cook dinner?”

“Doctor Munro, if you can bear to drag yourself away from Doctor Singh, who is no doubt catching you up on the latest gossip, I’d like a word.”

The harshness of Doctor Baker’s tone and the steely-eyed glare he threw their way served to bring an abrupt end to their conversation. Nerves surged through Chanel, but she steadfastly forced them aside. She’d had enough of being intimidated, most especially by her boss. With courage she was far from feeling, she moved closer toward him and bravely held his gaze.

“You wanted to speak with me, Doctor?”

He stared down at her, his expression one of uncompromising granite.

“Yes, as it happens, I took a call from staffing a few moments ago. It seems they’re down on doctors in the clinic this morning. Three staff members have called in sick and they have a bunch of police officers booked in for their routine physical exams today. Nothing too demanding, but the clinic needs some help. I’ve offered to let them have the use of your skills for the day.”

Chanel started in surprise. It was the last thing she’d expected. While it wasn’t an invitation to carry out brain surgery, it was a definite nod to his confidence in her as a doctor. Up until then, she’d only ever dispensed diagnoses and treatment decisions under supervision. The thrill of being allowed to deal with patients independently was beyond exciting. Perhaps he’d reconsidered his threat to make her life difficult?

“Thank you. I’d love to do it,” she said and offered him a sincere smile of gratitude.

“You might not thank me after you’ve had to deal with a dozen or more irritable police officers. None of them like being told they might not be in the best of health. They all think they’re invincible. A bit like us, right?” He grinned and it seemed so genuine, she couldn’t help but respond.

“Right.”

“The clinic opens in twenty minutes. You’ll find it on Level Two. Ask for Janet. She’s the nurse in charge.”

“Level Two. Janet. Right, no problem. I’ll leave right away.”

“Don’t let me down,” he warned.

“I won’t. I promise.”