The Police Doctor's Discovery

‘Rachel! Oh this is wonderful. I heard today that you were back in town. I didn’t believe it at first, I said, no, that couldn’t be right, that you were up in Southport or Stockport or somewhere—but they said you were right here in Westhampstead.’

‘But what are you doing here?’ Rachel demanded, ‘the last time I heard about you, you were backpacking in Peru, or on a banana boat up the Limpopo or somewhere equally obscure.’

‘Oh, I was. I was,’ cried Georgie, ‘but I’m home for a while. Poor old pops is not too well and I’m keeping an eye on him. But what about you—where are you living? Are you at Ashton House?’

‘Lord, no,’ Rachel replied. ‘I’m renting an enchanting little house in Cathedral Close. Listen, why don’t you come over?’

‘When?’

‘What about tonight? I could cook us something and we could have a girly night in—just like we used to.’

‘Sounds wonderful—I’ll bring some wine.’

Five minutes later Rachel had finished signing her repeat prescriptions and had almost cleared her in-tray. She and Georgina Reynolds had started school on the same day and had been friends ever since. There was very little they didn’t know about each other and as far as Rachel was concerned the idea of an evening of catching up and girly gossip with Georgie was the best thing that could happen in her present rather fragile state of mind.

She took the last envelope from the in-tray and saw that it had been hand-delivered and was addressed to Dr Rachel Beresford and marked ‘Personal’, which presumably was why it hadn’t been opened and dealt with by the staff. Quickly she slit open the envelope, imagining it to be a request for medication or something similar, but when she drew out the single piece of paper and unfolded it she found it was neither. Written in pencil in childish print it simply said: I love you Rachel.

She stared at it, unable for a moment to believe quite what she was seeing, and then she remembered Tommy Page and what he had said to his mother when he had left the surgery a few days previously. In that moment she guessed that it must have been Tommy who had written this note. With a little smile she folded the sheet of paper and slipped it into the drawer of her desk then, with a last look around her consulting room, she switched off the light and went out.

* * *

‘Actually, Rachel, there’s something I think you should know.’ Georgina peered at her from beneath her cloud of frizzy dark hair.

‘Oh?’ Rachel set her wine glass down on the coffee table and raised one eyebrow, suspecting that she knew exactly what her friend was about to tell her.

‘I don’t know quite how to tell you really...’ Georgie went on.

‘Is it about Nick Kowalski and the fact that he’s back in town?’ Rachel leaned back and rested her head against the sofa cushions.

‘Well, yes.’ Georgie stared at her in surprise. ‘But how did you know that was what I was going to say?’

‘Probably because you are the only person who knew exactly how I felt about him—that’s why,’ Rachel replied calmly. ‘And likewise,’ she went on, ‘you are the only one who would know how his presence in Westhampstead would affect me.’

‘And has it?’ asked Georgie curiously. ‘Affected you, I mean?’

‘Is there any point denying it?’ Rachel pulled a face.

‘Not with me there isn’t.’ Georgie grinned but it was a sympathetic grin. ‘But surely you won’t need to see him,’ she went on after a moment. ‘I know Westhampstead isn’t that big, but—’

‘I’ve taken over Steve O’Malley’s police duties,’ Rachel said flatly.

‘And Nick Kowalski is...? Oh, no, you’re not going to tell me he’s stationed at the headquarters here.’

‘You’ve got it in one.’ Rachel nodded ruefully.

‘Oh, Rach.’ Georgie stared at her again then, leaning forward, she picked up the bottle of wine and topped up both glasses. ‘So, have you seen him yet?’

‘Oh, yes.’ Rachel nodded. ‘A couple of times, actually.’

‘And...?’

‘And what?’ Rachel stared into her glass.

‘Well, how did you feel?’ Georgie demanded.

‘How do you think I felt?’

‘Don’t know really.’ Georgie shrugged. ‘I know you were besotted with the guy once but, let’s face it, Rach, that was a long time ago and, well...I guess everyone’s moved on a bit since then.’

‘Yes, I suppose.’ Rachel sighed and briefly closed her eyes.

Georgie frowned. ‘Well, for a start, he’s married, isn’t he?’

‘Divorced.’ She opened her eyes again.

‘Oh, really? I didn’t know that. I guess I’m out of touch as well.’ Georgie paused, sipping her wine thoughtfully. Then, drawing up her legs and tucking them beneath her on the sofa, she said, ‘But you have Jeremy now.’

‘Do I?’ Rachel stared into her glass again.

‘Well, don’t you?’ Georgie demanded, when Rachel failed to add anything.

‘I don’t know really.’ She looked up at last and shrugged. ‘Jeremy and I have been going through a rough patch recently,’ she said. ‘We both agreed that this time apart might help us to sort ourselves out.’

‘Oh, Rachel, I’m so sorry, I had no idea.’ Georgie reached out and touched her arm, and to her dismay Rachel felt the tears prickle at the back of her eyes.

‘It wasn’t going anywhere, Georgie,’ she said after a moment. ‘Jeremy doesn’t want to settle down and have a family.’

‘And you do?’

‘Yes, I do. And I don’t want to leave it until it’s too late—I’ve seen too much of that in my surgery. Women of our age group who pour everything into their careers and put marriage and children on hold, then when finally they get around to it their bodies rebel and say no way.’

‘Maybe this will bring Jeremy to his senses,’ said Georgie.

‘Yes, maybe.’ Rachel shrugged again. ‘Trouble is, I’m not even sure about that any more. Jeremy, I mean...’

They were silent for a while then Rachel looked up again. ‘How about you?’ she said.

‘How about me?’ Georgie wrinkled her nose.

‘Well, is there anyone in your life at the moment? Wasn’t it Scott someone?’

‘Scott was a ski instructor,’ Georgie replied, ‘and that was months ago. It’s Robbie now,’ she added with a wicked little grin.

‘Robbie?’

‘Yes, I met him in Peru and he’s gorgeous.’

‘You say that about them all.’ Rachel smiled weakly.