Night Sisters

I caught his eye now, but all he could do was shrug. He’d been lucky, and he knew it. She’d slashed and kicked him brutally as she’d struggled clear: the realization of how close death had come was there to see in the paleness of his face. The two of us had been through some sticky situations together since I’d joined the night shift; I well remembered that time he’d disarmed a bottle-wielding drunk and could still make a joke of it afterwards. I’d never seen him as subdued as he was tonight.

Death had come close. But McCain had come closer. And, like me, he must have felt her coldness, the icy insanity beneath her calm exterior. I knew that this was what had really unnerved him; knew just how he was feeling.

And she was still in here with us: somewhere in this warren of echoing corridors and shadow-filled wards. Even with the police in A&E, I didn’t quite feel safe. It’s a big department, after all, divided into half a dozen areas: trolleys, cubicles, theatres … Tonight it was empty – and the bright lights only made it all look emptier, and emphasized its silence.

I sipped some more coffee. Still warm, but what the hell.

They questioned Angela first, with me still present at her request. Not that she was about to tell them anything, either: it was all shrugs and monosyllables. From the line the policeman was taking, they obviously thought she was involved in street crime of some description: drugs or prostitution. McCain was clearly acting on behalf of some pusher or pimp – perhaps she was one herself. Angela, chalk-faced, did not deny the possibility – but I knew they’d got it all wrong. I didn’t intervene, though; nor did I mention my suspicions when I came to give my own statement. What did I know about it, after all? Nothing – except that I’d looked Carol McCain in the face, and heard the things she’d said; and knew that whatever had brought her here, it was nothing so sordidly simple as drugs or sex.

When the police had finished with me, Kessler was waiting; something like this was worth dragging even a consultant out of bed for. He saw me in his office, and sat me down, and seemed quite concerned. Too restless to sit still, I was fairly hunched forward in the chair as I gave a more or less comprehensive report of what had happened. When I’d finished, he asked me if I wanted a cigarette – which, considering his views on smoking, was quite a concession. I nodded gratefully, fumbled in my bag for my packet of Players and lit up. Drawing in the smoke, I closed my eyes, and began at last to think of relaxation. When I opened them again, he was watching me levelly.

‘You’re all right to carry on?’

I nodded again, almost urgently, and he smiled: it was the answer he’d expected. Kessler was a good bloke to work for, on the whole: he knew his stuff, and wasn’t above getting his own hands dirty once in a while. And though he could be a bastard at times, abusing the staff remained his prerogative alone: he was fiercely protective of our interests whenever they were threatened from above. Or at times like this.

‘Have they … caught her yet?’ I asked.

He shook his head. ‘Last I heard they were still looking.’

I glanced down at my fob-watch, and saw it was nearly three a.m. Kessler was removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. His hand moved up to rub his forehead, below the dark, receding hairline; he was probably a lot tireder than he looked.

I breathed out shallowly, so as not to pollute the air too much.

‘Since we’re here, Rachel,’ Kessler resumed, ‘there’s something I have been meaning to discuss with you – and tonight would seem to be as appropriate a time as any.’

I shrugged, waited.

‘You remember those syringes disappearing from the utility room?’

That had been a while back. I nodded.

‘Nothing like that’s happened since, has it?’

‘Not since they reviewed the security.’

His turn to nod. ‘As I thought. But there’s renewed concern, apparently. Someone’s been scavenging round by the waste skips: they think some of the sharps buckets have been taken.’

‘They must be desperate.’ Desperate enough to filch used needles from the very bins in which they awaited incineration: the yellow plastic tubs sealed with Biohazard stickers and the legend Danger of infection. Danger of Hep-B, danger of AIDS … I grimaced at the thought.

Kessler nodded. ‘They are. You know how bad the drug situation’s getting round here; the police were up to see me just the other day, warning about addicts on the prowl for needles and syringes. Improved security or no, I want you all to keep your eyes open; make sure things are all accounted for and locked away. And we could do with less of this department being used as a public thoroughfare, too; people just wandering round …’

‘Am I to take that as a criticism?’ I asked, my tone even.

He smiled thinly. ‘It applies to all the shifts, Rachel – perhaps yours less than most. Just keep the clientele in line is what I’m saying.’

‘And if the clientele comes wading in with a knife? What are we supposed to do then?’ My temper was on a shorter fuse than I’d thought; I swallowed and glanced away for a moment, then looked back at him. ‘Sorry. But are we any nearer getting a second porter on nights; or a panic-button system?’

Kessler met my gaze. ‘You know I’m still pushing night security,’ he said quietly. ‘After tonight, I’ll be pushing all the harder. Admin’s pleading financial constraints; but I think we’re getting there.’

‘Well it won’t be too soon,’ I muttered. Oh, it was starting to get to me now, all right, as it had to Mike already: the realization that I could have died tonight. Could have died.

Kessler shrugged. ‘I couldn’t agree more. Anyway … that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.’ He paused for a moment, watching me finish my cigarette. ‘You coped admirably tonight, Rachel. It won’t be forgotten.’

I thanked him and left. Mike was hanging around by the duty room, ready to go now, but not before he’d said goodbye. I really felt like hugging him and just holding on: what we’d been through tonight had left the both of us shaken up. I think it was only the fact that I’d had Angela to worry about that had kept the real shock from setting in much earlier.

‘How is she?’ I asked, looking past him into the empty room.

‘They’ve taken her back to the ward; the WPC’s going to sit with her. Poor kid wanted to wait for you, but upstairs were anxious to have her back and under obs.’

‘I’ll look in on her before I go off,’ I said, feeling rather warm and pleased inside to know my efforts had been so appreciated: not just by Kessler but by the girl whose life I’d saved. I noticed one of the policemen then, still lingering at the far end of the corridor, and that put something of a dampener on things. ‘Oh, don’t tell me they haven’t caught her.’

‘Afraid not. Though they reckon she must have done a runner, got well away. This is just precautions.’

‘Well I hope they’re right.’ Because the place was a honeycomb of places to hide – from cleaners’ cupboards and service corridors, to the empty wards up in the north wing. And whoever the woman McCain really was, I knew she’d try for Angela again. And possibly for me.

‘Anyway …’ Mike said, interrupting my thoughts. ‘I’ll see you, Raitch.’

‘Yeah,’ I said, snapping out of it; smiling. ‘See you, Mike. God bless.’

Eight (#ulink_0486fc01-59b8-560b-955b-3a2b5a89fe9a)

I promised I’d just be a minute, and the Staff Nurse showed me into the side-room where Angela lay. Despite the fatigue apparent on her pale, drawn face she was still awake – struggling to raise herself as the door opened. She relaxed visibly when she recognized me, though still unable to manage a smile, and lay wearily back once more.

‘Hi,’ the policewoman in the bedside chair said. ‘You just off?’

I nodded. The night-light was still on, but the sky outside had already faded to a pre-dawn grey. I was still in uniform, apart from my cap, and wearing my long black nurse’s cloak – just the thing to encourage that unkind rumour that Night Sisters have to be back in their coffins before sun-up or they’ll crumble to dust. I approached the bed.

‘Hello again. How are you feeling?’

She made a noncommittal sound. Something told me she wasn’t going to say much at all with the policewoman there; maybe she did have criminal connections at that. I glanced at the WPC – a pretty, cheerful-looking girl with short blonde hair and a freckled nose. ‘You’ve been keeping her company, then?’

She nodded. ‘We haven’t exactly talked the night away’ – she smiled across at her charge – ‘but it’s best not to be alone on a night like this. I keep telling her to get some sleep, but she won’t listen – will you, Angela? Won’t consider a sedative or anything.’

Angela confirmed this with a silent shake of her head.

‘She’s right,’ I told her, ‘you’ll feel so much better for it.’ And as she miserably returned my gaze, I recalled what she’d said to me the last time.

I’ll never sleep again. Not safe to sleep.

‘Actually …’ the WPC said, getting to her feet and stretching, ‘if you don’t mind staying with her for a minute, I’ll just go for a wee.’

I waited till she was out of the door, then sat down on the end of Angela’s bed. ‘So how are you? Really?’

She just stared at me for a moment; then moistened her lips. ‘They didn’t catch her, did they.’ It was more a statement than a question.

‘Not yet, no. But I think they will soon. And anyway, there’ll always be someone here to look after you.’

Tiredly, she shook her head. ‘Forget it. If she wants me, you won’t be able to stop her.’