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‘Not possible. He needs urgent medical assistance.’
‘Which you wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t arrived.’
‘And we’re very grateful,’ he said, stepping out of the way so the patient could be moved.
She couldn’t argue. The earlier delay had been beyond her control, but she would do nothing to prevent the man getting medical care now, no matter how much she wanted to ask more questions.
‘Damn it,’ she said. She was surprised to see that Nathan’s thumb was still hitting against his middle finger even though she’d stopped talking to him.
The trolley disappeared from view and she sighed heavily.
Now that Nathan was no longer his problem, Doctor Samuel allowed the relief to show on his face. Any mortality statistics wouldn’t be added to his department.
‘Give them half an hour to get him started and then maybe they’ll let you see him.’
She nodded her thanks and headed back to the entrance, where Bryant was just coming in. Even more people were waiting to be seen, as they appeared to have shifted from middle of the night mode to early morning.
‘What took you?’ she asked, sitting down.
‘Bloody hell, guv, it’s only been thirty minutes since you called.’
It felt a whole lot longer.
‘So, what’s the story?’
Kim caught him up with events, ending with the fact they now knew it was all linked to the victims’ time at Welton.
‘Do you think he’s got any chance?’
Kim shrugged. If only hoping made it so.
She stood. ‘Come on, Bryant, for once the coffees are on me.’
SIXTY-THREE
‘You got everything?’ Kim asked when Bryant finished his call. The coffee she’d bought from the hospital cafeteria was now cold, and her attention was still fixed firmly on her watch.
‘Yep, the names and addresses of both paramedics, who finished their shifts two hours ago and are probably tucked up in bed with the sandman.’
Without photographs, they’d need to interview the first responders to understand exactly where and how Nathan Yates had been found. And in the absence of any more conversations with the victim, she didn’t care who they were in bed with, they were still going to get a knock on the door.
‘You let Keats know?’
She nodded. ‘Yeah, he’s going to stay in the morgue and wait for the call.’
‘I should hope so,’ Bryant said, widening his eyes. ‘Who wants the pathologist walking round the wards. It’s a bit Grim Reaperish.’ He sipped his drink and then pushed it away. ‘He’s not hopeful for a recovery then?’
‘After seeing the first two victims, he’s probably tapping his fingers on his gurney right now.’
‘And that’s not a macabre thought at all,’ he said.
She looked at her watch. ‘Three more minutes.’
‘Just about long enough for me to tell you I called Laura when I got home from work. I apologised for not showing the correct amount of enthusiasm, and I assured her that Josh was a welcome addition to our family.’
‘Hallelujah. About bloody time. Did she roast you for throwing your teddy out the pram?’
He coloured slightly. ‘She said she hadn’t noticed anything but appreciated the call.’
