| |
––––––––
News of the tragic events soon spread through the company, it was impossible to keep something like that under wraps. When news filtered back through to the senior team that the staff were discussing it and the potential ramifications, Brett was asked to send a stern message round to people. In it, he reminded them that they must not speak of it outside the company and must not answer any questions from reporters. The company would issue a statement should it need to in due course. Anyone found to be disobeying this instruction would be issued with a disciplinary warning. Naturally, this managed to shut down all further discussion and the workforce was subdued. All staff just wanted to get to the end of the week and enjoy some time away at the weekend.
However one person at BioQex had decided that he had something to do before he left, time was running out and he needed to seize the opportunity. So during his lunch break, Shane, Kevin’s assistant went round to the front of the building and spoke to the receptionist Jenny.
‘How can I help you?’ asked Jenny, wondering why Shane had ventured round to the front of the building independently from Kevin.
‘I need to speak to someone, someone senior, it’s about something which is going on here and they need to know about it,’ said Shane stumbling slightly over his words as he wasn’t used to being in formal situations like this.
‘Can you give me an indication of what it concerns sir?’ she asked.
‘Well it’s a bit sensitive, it concerns one of your employees, he’s been doing something he shouldn’t.’
‘Oh, I see, well let me make a call, then I can see who is free. Please take a seat, and help yourself to water if you would like,’ and she pointed over to the sofas and water machine.
‘Oh, well thanks,’ said Shane and he waited, checking his phone for messages, feeling increasingly nervous. He hoped it wouldn’t take too long otherwise Kevin would start moaning on to him, but then he realised that Kevin might have other things to worry about soon. The receptionist had made one call and was then presumably waiting for someone to call back. After a few minutes, her desk phone rang and she listened for a few seconds then replaced the receiver.
‘Mr, er, sorry I forgot your name?’
‘Shane, er Mr Perks,’ he replied, being rather unused to referring to himself as Mr Perks.
‘My colleague Amanda is coming down to collect you and Dr Chandler will see you soon,’ she told him, smiling encouragingly towards Shane who was looking rather nervous.
‘Thank you,’ replied Shane. Well, there was no turning back now he thought, he needed to keep calm and stick to the facts. It would be a shock to them but he could keep quiet no longer.
**
Bob sat in a cell in the police station awaiting the duty solicitor. He’d been given some sweet tea which made him gag and a sandwich which remained uneaten. He’d wrapped his arms around himself and was rocking backwards and forwards. He’d managed to stop crying for the moment but he felt he was close to tears and could break down again at any moment. He went through the events of the morning again. It was one of those situations when a split second error of judgement had disastrous consequences from which it was impossible to turn back the clock. Whatever happened even if he escaped gaol he would have to resign from BioQex, how could he possibly look people in the eye again? He would resign before he got sacked. Somehow he had to tell his children what he’d done, how he was going to face that he just didn’t know.
The door to the cell was unlocked he was ushered out to an interview room to meet his solicitor. He would explain how grief-stricken he’d been recently and that this had clouded his thinking which caused him to make the mistake on the dose prediction. Perhaps there would be some allowance for that, but at the same time, he felt guilty for effectively using Joan’s death to mitigate the charge he was facing. His mind was in turmoil, he regretted his actions with every part of his being. He was praying that the accident victims would make a recovery, that was at the forefront of his mind. Nothing else mattered, his life was effectively over as he viewed it. He just prayed that their lives wouldn’t be finished as well.
