Crisis at Katoomba Hospital Page 11

  ‘Anyway, it was great catching up for coffee,’ Stephanie said as she swallowed the rest of her drink and stood. ‘I’d better get back to the hospital and see what Admin wants.’

  ‘OK. Want to meet next week again?’

  ‘Sure. Oh, I almost forgot.’ She withdrew a large envelope from her briefcase and handed it over. ‘Stephen asked me to give this to you. He was going to drop it off at the hospital but I told him I’d be seeing you first so you can just call me courier girl.’

  Nicolette took the envelope, her palms instantly perspiring. ‘Er…thank you, courier girl.’ She turned it over, not sure she wanted to open it. ‘What is it?’

  ‘It’s not a ticking time bomb which is obviously what you think from the look on your face. It’s your employment contract.’

  ‘Oh.’ So he was willing to go through with it.

  Stephanie wound her scarf around her neck and pulled on her gloves. ‘Can I give you some advice?’

  ‘Uh…sure.’ Nicolette frowned, wondering what her friend was going to say as she’d gone all serious.

  ‘Don’t let your past dictate your future.’

  ‘Pardon?’

  ‘When you first came to the Blue Mountains, you told me about your failed relationships, remember?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘You said none of those guys really understood you, and you were probably right—they didn’t. I know you’ve worked in a war zone and Stephen mentioned you’d had discussions about it so you’ve obviously opened up to each other. You understand what he’s been through. Getting my head shaved is nothing compared to what both of you must have faced. I have no idea what life was like there and I don’t want to know. The sleepless nights I had, the pain I felt when Stephen got shot—’

  ‘He got shot?’ Nicolette was surprised he hadn’t mentioned that. Then again, it wasn’t that easy to talk about, but surely he’d have realised when they’d been swapping stories that she, of all people, would have understood. Then again, perhaps he didn’t know that.

  ‘It was a flesh wound but, boy, did it hurt. I think I got most of the pain. I could barely move my arm for days. Anyway, I can only empathise with what he’s been through but you’ve seen it all at first-hand and that gives you two a bond. A strong bond. I’ve seen the way you are with each other and the fact that you’re attracted to each other is quite clear.’

  ‘It is?’

  ‘To me,’ Stephanie clarified quickly. ‘When you two are together, Stephen…he—’

  ‘You feel him,’ Nicolette interjected.

  ‘Yes, but it’s like nothing I’ve felt before. It’s quite strange really.’ Her pager beeped again and she shook her head. ‘I’m coming,’ she told the inanimate object. ‘I’d better give them a call so they know I’m on my way.’ She checked her cellphone. ‘No signal. No wonder they’re paging me. Sorry. I really have to go, but all I’m saying is, don’t let your past dictate your future. If you think there’s something real between you and Stephen then go for it.’

  ‘But what if I get hurt?’

  Stephanie shrugged. ‘Then you pick up the pieces of your life and move on with the help of your friends.’

  ‘What about you? You’re my friend and his sister. I don’t want you to be in the middle.’

  Stephanie smiled as she picked up her briefcase. ‘Too late for that. I’ll call you.’

  Nicolette closed her eyes, thinking over Stephanie’s words. Could she do it? Did she want to do it? She’d vowed that working with Stephen meant no romantic involvement, but what if it was inevitable? What if they were destined to be together?

  She opened her eyes and focused on the envelope. Business. Concentrate on business for a start. She took the papers out and read them. Everything was set out properly and she reached for her pen, signing on the dotted line. She put the papers back in the envelope and shrugged into her coat, deciding to deliver the papers straight back to Stephen so he wasn’t left waiting.

  Nicolette walked out and climbed into her expensively fixed car, glad to have it back in working order again. She drove to Stephen’s house, parked outside and decided to try the clinic first rather than his house. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before she knocked firmly on the door. No answer. She tried the handle and the door opened so she went inside.

  ‘Hello?’ she called. ‘Stephen?’

  ‘Back here,’ came his call, and she headed in that direction. The clinic looked very different from the previous time she’d been here. The walls were finished, the carpet was new and there was a reception desk and waiting-room chairs in place. There were even a few little tables here and there with magazines and children’s books. In one corner was a pot plant and in the other a toy box. Easy-to-look-at prints were hung on the walls and over the receptionist’s desk was a cartoon-character clock. She smiled—no doubt a present from Stephanie.

  Nicolette scanned the room as she walked through it, marvelling at the work Stephen had done.

  ‘Hello?’ His voice was getting closer and in the next instant he walked into the waiting room. ‘Nicolette. I thought it was you.’

  ‘You’ve done an amazing job, Stephen.’ Her eyes were bright with excitement as she smiled. ‘I can’t believe it’s the same place that was covered with ladders and painting paraphernalia the last time I was here.’

  He shrugged, more interested in looking at her than the room around him. It had been only a few weeks since they’d last seen each other but it felt like a year. She was dressed in another one of her power trouser suits but this one was a deep burgundy colour which made her appear warm and inviting as well as incredibly sexy. Her hair was pulled back in its usual chignon and her winter coat was hanging open at her sides. Looking at her, it was as though he’d found his oasis after crawling through the scorching desert, and that thought bothered him. ‘What can I do for you?’

  Nicolette was a little surprised at his gruff tone but shrugged and held the envelope out to him. ‘The contract. Signed, sealed and delivered.’

  ‘Thank you.’ He took them from her and placed them on the reception desk. They both stood there for a moment, staring at each other, drinking their fill as though it had been far too long—which it had.

  He was dressed in his old painting clothes again and she realised, belatedly, she should apologise for interrupting him. ‘I’ll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing.’

  He shrugged. ‘Now you’re here, come and take a look. You can give me your honest opinion.’

  She nodded and followed him down the corridor to where he pointed out the filing room, where shelves had been built to house hard copies of patient files. The kitchen was next, equipped with a table, comfortable chairs, fridge-freezer, large urn and a microwave. ‘Cup of tea or coffee?’ he offered.

  ‘No, thanks.’ She smiled at him. ‘I’ve just had one with your sister.’

  ‘Of course. Down here are the consulting rooms and then the third door at the end is a treatment room for any emergencies that come in.’ He took her around the entire place and when they were in the second consulting room he added, ‘Feel free to bring in any pictures or things you want. You’ll have a computer on your desk—they arrive tomorrow.’

  ‘Great. As I said before, Stephen, it’s amazing what you’ve done.’

  ‘I’ve discussed the hand-over of patients with Dr River, and it’s all set to go ahead at the beginning of next week so I have six more days to finish everything else off and then we’re ready for business.’

  ‘Ready for business,’ Nicolette repeated with a little smile. ‘That’s good.’ And it was.

  ‘How was clinic today?’ he asked, searching for something to say.

  ‘Busy.’ She shrugged. ‘Dr River can hardly wait to hand over the reins.’

  ‘Looking forward to retirement already?’

  ‘Yes. He was out playing a round of golf today. I don’t know how as it was so cold.’

  ‘You’ve never talked to him much about the practic
e as such, have you,’ Stephen stated.

  ‘No. I’m just a doctor who comes in and works for him, and that’s the way it’s always been.’ Nicolette shrugged. ‘Each to their own.’

  She seemed so sad and forlorn that a powerful need to protect her surged through him. He had no idea what he was supposed to be protecting her from—except himself, of course. He cleared his throat and said briskly, ‘That’s not the way this practice will work. You do realise that, don’t you?’

  ‘I read the contract, Stephen, and I understand we’ll be running the practice together, even though you own it.’

  ‘Total disclosure.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘We’re a team, Nicolette.’

  ‘You can count on me.’

  Stephen watched her closely, then nodded. ‘Yes. You’ve had first-hand experience at how important good communication is.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  He nodded and smiled. Nicolette instantly wished he hadn’t as she was once more lost in the emotions he evoked with his gorgeous smiles.

  ‘Would you like to have dinner tonight?’ she blurted out, regretting it the instant the words were out her mouth.

  Stephen looked momentarily stunned, his grin disappearing. She shouldn’t have said that. Why had she said that? Nicolette silently berated herself but it was too late to take it back.

  ‘You mean…’ Stephen said slowly, and she saw the teasing twinkle in his eyes. ‘As in a date?’

  Nicolette laughed and the tension was immediately broken. ‘Well…’ She shrugged nonchalantly. ‘You can call it a date if you like but don’t get upset if we start discussing business.’

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ‘WE COULD have taken my car,’ Nicolette protested as Stephen turned onto the main street of Blackheath. ‘It is fixed now.’ She leaned over and put her bag on the back seat, getting it out of the way.

  ‘I know, but I like my car.’ Stephen had quickly gone next door to his house and changed into a pair of trousers and comfortable jumper, again making it almost impossible for Nicolette not to want to kiss him senseless. He looked so good and she was happy they were going to spend some time together.

  ‘Are you implying I don’t like my car?’

  ‘Do you?’ He stopped at the traffic lights, waiting to turn left. They were going to a restaurant in Katoomba which Nicolette had heard was good. She couldn’t believe how happy she felt, being with Stephen like this, bickering about nothing. It was…uplifting, especially after the past two weeks which had seemed like crawling across the Nullarbor Plain—dry, parched land with not a tree in sight.

  ‘I like it when it’s working,’ she replied.

  ‘My point exactly. I like my car more, which means we go in my car.’

  Nicolette laughed. ‘Are you going to be this impossible at our business meetings?’

  He pretended to consider her question thoughtfully before saying simply, ‘Yes.’

  ‘Typical male.’

  ‘I hardly think I deserved that comment.’

  It was her turn to pretend to give his words consideration. ‘Possibly. Prove to me otherwise. I suppose you think of your car as female, too.’

  ‘All cars are female,’ he stated matter-of-factly.

  ‘Typical male,’ she said again, trying to bite back the giggle bubbling up.

  Stephen glared at her with mock indignation and opened his mouth to say something but the light changed.

  ‘It’s green. You can go,’ she pointed out.

  ‘Saved by the light…for now. Speaking of green, what do you think of my sister’s hair?’

  Nicolette laughed again, realising just how much she’d missed him. ‘Only Stephanie could pull it off so successfully. I think she looks fantastic.’

  ‘I’ll admit I was speechless when I picked her up from the hairdresser’s. I know I shouldn’t have left her unsupervised but she’d dragged me to every clothes shop in the Sydney CBD. I just needed time out and thought she’d be safe at the hairdresser’s.’

  ‘You didn’t even wonder why she would go to the hairdresser’s, especially when her hair was already that short?’

  ‘A fleeting thought passed through my mind when she announced that she’d made an appointment but I confess I was too exhausted to question her. All I could see was an opportunity for me to return to the car with her packages and sit down in peace and quiet.’

  ‘You old man you.’

  Stephen glanced across, a smile on his face. He returned his attention to the road and frowned. ‘What the…?’ They were coming into Medlow Bath, just before the overpass where the road went over the electric train tracks.

  Nicolette looked out the front windscreen, her eyes widening in horror. ‘The coal truck! It’s…’ She couldn’t get the words out properly. ‘The tourist bus!’ She reached out a hand as though she could stop the accident from happening, but both of them watched helplessly.

  A loud, echoing crack was heard as the coal truck collided with the tourist bus, forcing it off the road. Stephen braked, keeping their distance as best he could. The coal truck was still moving, grinding down the side of the bus. As though in slow motion, they watched as the front of the bus crashed through the guardrail of the railway overpass. For a second the bus teetered before going over completely.

  Nicolette felt her mouth go dry and her heart stop for a split second as she witnessed the horror and devastation. In the next instant everything kicked into gear. Stephen pulled to the side of the road and they both flew out of the car, the reverberations of the sound of the bus landing on the train tracks below assailing their ears. A continuous shriek of metal on metal pierced the air before another loud crack was heard.

  ‘What was that?’ Nicolette asked, her heart thudding wildly against her ribs. Stephen tossed her his car keys.

  ‘Call it in,’ he yelled over the noise. ‘Get my medical bag. I’ll take a look.’

  ‘Be careful. The overhead train cables may still be live.’

  ‘Good point.’

  Nicolette pulled her phone from her pocket and dialled the emergency number, giving as much detail as she could, which wasn’t much at this stage. She unlocked the boot of Stephen’s car and retrieved his medical bag. She finished speaking and disconnected the call.

  The next job was to make sure the traffic didn’t come any closer. The cars on the road behind had slowed and almost stopped. She rushed over to the first one and the driver wound down his window.

  ‘What’s going on?’ he asked.

  ‘I need your help,’ she said, motioning for them to get out. ‘My colleague and I are doctors and we need your help.’

  ‘B-but I don’t know anything,’ the man stuttered. She guessed him to be in his early twenties, and even as he took in the scene around them, she could see him going pale. She turned to the woman, who looked about the same age, as she got out of the passenger seat.

  ‘I need you to control the traffic for a start. Get some other people to help you if necessary. Can you do that? We need to keep people clear if they’re not injured, and we also need to be able to get emergency vehicles through.’

  ‘We can do that,’ the woman said. ‘Have you called the police?’

  ‘Yes. Emergency crews have been notified.’

  ‘What do we do if people are feeling sick?’ the man asked, still as white as a sheet.

  ‘Get them to sit down. Write down their names and what’s wrong with them.’ The smell of dust, petrol and another lurid smell she couldn’t identify were beginning to fill the air. She needed to get to Stephen. To help him. ‘We need people to remain calm and out of the way.’

  ‘I can do that,’ the woman said again. ‘Come here, Daryl,’ she muttered as she grabbed her boyfriend’s hand and took him over to the side of the road. ‘Sit down and put your head between your knees.’

  Nicolette turned away and looked for Stephen. She couldn’t see him so headed in the direction he’d gone. As she was walking, she called the hospital to
let them know where she and Stephen were but they desperately needed backup.

  ‘I’ll call with more info as I get it,’ she told Stephanie. At that moment, she saw Stephen. ‘Just a second, Steph.’

  ‘A train was just coming into the station,’ he said when he was closer. ‘That loud crack was the train hitting the coach. It’s pushed it along the tracks into the station.’

  ‘God help us,’ she whispered in shock. She relayed the information to Stephanie before ending the call. ‘Where do we start?’

  ‘You check the driver of the coal truck and I’ll head down to the train station. Keep your phone on you so we can communicate.’

  ‘Right.’ She handed him the medical kit. ‘You take this. The truck driver should have some sort of first-aid kit.’

  ‘Let’s hope he does.’ Stephen nodded and headed off. Nicolette went over to the truck. The back wheel was right on the edge of the overpass where the bus had crashed through, the front cab up hard against the rail. She walked around to the passenger side, sniffing carefully in case there was a fuel spill.

  ‘Hello?’ she called, but received no response. Cars coming from the other direction had stopped and someone was taking care of keeping people away. ‘Hello?’ she called again, and climbed up the passenger side of the truck. The door was stuck but she could see the driver through the window. He was slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious. She pulled harder on the doorhandle.

  ‘I don’t think you should do that, little lady.’ A big, burly man had come across. Nicolette looked down at him.

  ‘I’m a doctor. Can you get this door open for me?’ She climbed down and he quickly went up and after a few tries managed to force the door open. ‘Thanks.’ She headed back up and clambered over the seat, pressing two fingers to the driver’s carotid pulse. Nothing. She checked to see if he was breathing. Nothing. She moved around so she could see his eyes—they were fixed and dilated.

  ‘Is he all right, Doc?’ the man asked.