The Surgeon's Blade (26 page)

Chapter 34

The next day was very typical of an English summer. Libby drew back her curtains to a grey sky, swollen with dark and heavy-looking clouds. Vehicles were moving along her road with full headlights on. The noise which had wakened her was car tyres as they swished over the soaking tarmac. She groaned and once more asked herself why hadn’t she sold up and moved abroad to live? Most hospitals in the world were crying out for experienced nurses, and sometimes she wished desperately to get away from weeks and weeks of awful weather. It wasn’t that she loathed the odd wet day. It was just that very often one wet day let to another and another.

With this depressing consideration in her mind she turned her thoughts to Nigel. He had insisted on coming round to see her later that day despite all her efforts to put him off. She knew she was being bamboozled into seeing him, but he had sounded kind and loving over the telephone. She had agreed meekly because she had yet to tell him it was all over.

Now, she needed to get through the day at work, drive home and await his arrival. What a bugger, she thought as she dashed into her bathroom to take a shower. She only hoped he would understand they were not suited after all, and they could carry on as just good friends. Somehow though, she had a niggle of a suspicion that things would
not
go her way at all. After towelling her hair dry, she gave a shiver as she put on clean clothes. Today was so unlike summer. Cold, wet and dreary – maybe she would look into working abroad after all. Perhaps if she met Robert’s cousin, Diana, she would ask her about Cyprus. 300 days of sunshine a year? Now
that
was worth it!

~~~~~

The morning flew by with a full quota of theatre cases. Both Lisa and Libby were working the afternoon shift together, and as the afternoon drew to a close, Lisa finally asked Libby why she was acting like a cat on a hot tin roof.

“I’ve never seen you like this before. Is everything all right?” Lisa asked when there was a lull in the frantic activity.

“Actually, yes and no. I’ve finally made up my mind. Nigel’s not the man of my dreams, and I’m going to tell him tonight. So I’m a bit hot and bothered about it all. You know what he’s like. He’s quite capable of throwing all his surgeon’s instruments out of the pram!”

She looked at Lisa whose face broke into a broad grin. “Are you? Uh-ho! I don’t envy you, my girl.” She gave her a quick hug. “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll see reason once you’ve talked things over. He’s intelligent, and he’s hardly likely to murder you! Ring me when he’s gone, if you want to talk.”

“I might just do that, depending on how he reacts and what time he leaves.” She gave a sheepish grin. “This time tomorrow, I’ll be a free woman again. All I need to do is work out what I want from life. Do I want to be married and settled down or live on my own, as it seems I’m destined to do? I might even go and work abroad for a stint.”

Lisa peered into her friend’s face. “Don’t be like that. You
will
meet someone. You can hardly fail not too with your looks. Look at your pilot friend. He was smitten when he first met you, and don’t tell me you weren’t interested. Once this is all over, you can always decide whether to have a relationship with him. Do ring me tonight once Nigel’s gone. I won't sleep until I know it’s all settled.”

“Okay, as long as it’s not too late. Pregnant ladies need their rest,” she said, giving her a gentle poke in the stomach. “Have you felt it move yet?”

Lisa laughed. “No, it’s far too early! By the way, have you told Jem about Nigel yet?”

“Yes. He knows everything and was quite un-PC about it.”

Lisa giggled. “Good. Jem knows what is best for you, even if you don’t. Oh look, there’s Nigel now.” She moved away from Libby towards the surgeon who had just walked up to the nurses’ station. “Good afternoon.”

“Afternoon, Lisa. Libby – just to tell you that unless anything important crops up, I’ll be over about eight tonight.”

Chapter 35

Peter glanced nervously around him before looking Jem properly in the eye, as if making sure there was no one else to overhear their conversation.

“Relax, Peter. There’s no one near us. The pub’s pretty empty at the moment. Most people have gone home for the night. Would you prefer to sit further away from the door? The table in the corner near the inglenook fireplace is empty.”

Peter looked relieved and nodded as Jem stood up indicating they should move. “Come on then. Let’s get settled. Fancy a pint? I’ll get these.”

Jem wandered over to the bar, making a comment to someone he knew on his way. He leaned on the bar while the barmaid pulled a couple of pints and then weaved his way back through the low tables to where Peter sat waiting. Although Jem knew Peter well, there were times when Peter was reluctant to talk about anything, let alone something as sensitive as Jem thought he had to impart. So far, all Jem knew was that Peter had something on his mind, and he presumed it concerned Libby.

“I need to tell you Libby’s friend Robert is joining us, Peter. He should be here soon. Now, although you don’t know him, Libby does, and she trusts him. We want to ask you a couple of questions, if that’s all right.”

Peter sat and stared at Jem with a puzzled expression on his face. “Why?” he eventually asked.

“Well, Libby thought she saw you at her place the other night. If it was you, she wondered what you were doing there and why.”

Peter’s eyes darted around the pub, and he swallowed before replying. “I was going to talk to her, but I lost my nerve.” He picked up a beer mat and began fiddling with it.

Jem spoke with a gentle voice as he once again addressed a clearly anxious Peter. “Why was that? Libby’s nice and friendly. She wouldn't do anything to spite you.”

“I wanted to warn her about that man.” He kept his face averted, turning the mat over and over in his hand.

Jem eyes narrowed. “Which man is that? Do you mean Robert or someone else? Tell me.”

“That night that little nurse was attacked. She looked like a lot like Libby, and I got confused. He might have a thing about blonde nurses.”

Jem was patient as he waited for Peter to explain more. When he didn’t, he spoke in a soft, low voice. “Peter, what exactly did you see? Was it the attacker? Did you see him attack the nurse that night?

“Not exactly.” Peter paused and frowned as if remembering what had happened. Eventually he looked up and tossed the beer mat back onto the table. “I wasn’t meant to be there, but I came back that night to fetch a magazine from my locker. That’s when I saw him – as I took a shortcut past the teaching block. I know all the doctors here. I’ve got a good memory for faces, and I know he wasn’t one of the regular ones.” Peter rocked his chair back and forth, alternating between the front and back legs.

Jem nodded. “Indeed you have – one of the best memories I’ve ever known. Go on.”

“Well, I wondered why he was there, you see. When we have locums they generally work during the day. There was no reason why he should have been in that part of the hospital either, as there’s nothing there at night. But that’s not what concerned me.”

“No? So what was it then?”

“He was wearing a wig and stage make-up. Not a mask as some people seem to think.”

Jem stared at him. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. I know all the colours actors wear on their faces. I’m very good at making up at my drama group, and everyone asks me to do them when there’s a production on. I’ve used Ben Nye make-up for years because it is proper theatrical make-up. Their kits contain expert components that produce professional results on the stage. I won’t work with anything else. You see, Nye’s formulas go on velvety smooth, and they stay on for hours. This man was wearing a blended crème based foundation with crème eye shadow and lip colour. He’s not as good as me in applying it, as his eyebrows didn’t look quite right. I thought they were a bit too thin.”

“What about the wig?”

“It looked like a standard issue from any department store. Dark hair, quite short and he’d used a medium to tan foundation on his skin.”

“How can you be sure he was wearing all this?”

Peter shrugged. “I just know. People say I have an eye for detail and this was definitely someone wearing stage make-up.”

“Not a mask then? That’s what the police think.”

“No. I’m almost 100 per cent sure this was simply stage make-up.” Peter tilted his chair back and stole a look at the nearby window.

Jem nodded as he listened. He believed Peter. He may have been considered as an odd fellow to get to know, but he had always been honest with Jem. He was about to ask Peter another question, when he let his chair drop back to stand on all four legs and suddenly stood up. Jem sat back in surprise.

“What’s the matter?”

“I…ah. I just remembered I’m supposed to be somewhere else. I…I’m sorry, but I can’t stay to meet Libby’s friend. Just tell her I am sorry I surprised her like that. I never meant to. I was going to tell her to be careful, but it doesn’t matter now as you can.”

Jem was left sitting with his mouth slightly open at Peter’s rapid departure. It was the oddest thing. Was it possible Peter didn’t want to meet Robert and if so, why not?

Chapter 36

Nigel arrived home from the hospital early in the evening. His theatre list that afternoon had been cut down for once, and with no afternoon clinic, he had found time to dictate his notes for his secretary so he could leave late that afternoon. Traffic was light as he sped down the dual carriageway in his Porsche, and he contemplated his forthcoming date with Libby. It seemed ages since they had enjoyed an evening in each other’s company, and he was looking forward to it. He would take a quick shower, change into some comfortable clothes, and pass an hour or so with Stella before leaving his apartment.

The only problem he could foresee was when he eventually explained to Stella that he was going out – alone – and visiting Libby. Having Stella stay with him had its own good moments. Despite any rancour during their early married years, Nigel considered time a great healer, and these days they got on much better. They had actually rekindled past mutual interests, and as he had thought many times during the past week or so, Stella now often took the lead during their sexual activity.