The Police Doctor's Discovery

‘I know I do.’ Georgie sighed, growing serious again. ‘But maybe, just maybe, this will be the one...’

They were silent again, each reflecting on their past and the men they had loved, then suddenly Rachel spoke again, changing the subject. ‘Did you say your father wasn’t too well?’

‘Yes.’ Georgie nodded. ‘I’m not sure what’s wrong—he went for some tests a couple of months ago and there didn’t seem to be anything too wrong then, but he really isn’t right now.’

‘He’s on Steve’s list, isn’t he?’ said Rachel.

‘Yes, he is.’

‘Would you like me to call round and see him?’

‘Oh, Rachel, yes. Yes, please, I was hoping you would say that.’ Georgie looked relieved. ‘It’s so hard to get him to go to the centre but if you were to just call in for a chat and a cup of tea I’m sure he would be delighted—he’s very fond of you.’

‘And I of him,’ Rachel smiled. ‘So that’s settled, then.’

‘If only everything were as simple.’ Georgie sighed. ‘Tell me, what are you going to do about Nick?’

‘What can I do?’ Rachel shrugged. ‘I’ve resigned myself that I’ll have to see him and work with him from time to time.’

‘What will you do if he wants to take it further?’

‘What do you mean, take it further?’ Rachel frowned.

‘Well, if he asks you out—for a drink or something, you know, for old times’ sake, that sort of thing.’

‘Actually,’ she said, ‘as it happens...’

‘You’re not going to tell me that’s already happened!’ Georgie sat up straight, clutching a cushion which she hugged against her body.

‘Yes.’ Rachel nodded, a little shamefaced.

‘Wow! Well, I must say, the pair of you didn’t waste any time getting it together again.’

‘It wasn’t like that!’ protested Rachel.

‘So what was it like?’ Georgie demanded. ‘Go on, tell me.’

‘I was called out to see a patient in police custody. Nick was in charge of the case...’

‘Was that the first time you’d seen him since you came back?’

‘No,’ Rachel explained, ‘I’d seen him earlier when I went to police headquarters to familiarise myself with the place.’

‘So it wasn’t as much of a shock as it might have been.’ Georgie paused and peered at Rachel. ‘But was it a shock that first time?’

‘Yes,’ Rachel admitted ruefully, ‘it was. A real shock. I had no idea he was back in Westhampstead.’

‘So, go on. What happened this next time?’ Georgie was agog now.

‘He asked me to go for a drink with him after I’d seen the patient—that’s all. We went to the Red Lion...and, well, we sort of caught up on what each of us has been doing for the last however many years it is since we last saw each other.’

‘You were mad about him, Rach,’

‘Yes,’ Rachel agreed, ‘I know I was.’

‘And he was about you as well...’

‘So much so that he married someone else,’ said Rachel bitterly.

‘Not immediately he didn’t,’ Georgie protested.

‘Maybe not.’ Rachel shrugged.

‘So what did happen between you?’ asked Georgie curiously. ‘What ended it? I never really knew. You just told me it was over and that you didn’t want to talk about it.’

‘He just stopped writing to me—that’s all.’

‘No explanation or anything?’

‘No, nothing.’

‘Didn’t you ask him why?’ asked Georgie almost in disbelief.

‘I was going to,’ she said, ‘and then I heard, well, I heard he was going out with someone else so in the end I didn’t do anything.’

‘This someone else, was it Marilyn Rooney—the one he married?’

‘I don’t know.’ Rachel shook her head. ‘I don’t think so...I’m not sure.’

‘How did you feel at the time?’

‘I was heartbroken,’ Rachel admitted. ‘Devastated really. I didn’t come back to Westhampstead for a long time after that.’

‘So how did you feel this time, when you saw him again?’

‘All right, I suppose.’ Rachel wrinkled her nose.

‘Rach, this is me you’re talking to,’ said Georgie. ‘Now, tell me how you really felt.’

‘Honestly?’

‘Yes, honestly.’

‘Cross my heart and hope to die honestly?’

‘Yes, cross your heart and hope to die honestly.’

‘I...I...well, I suppose really, if I’m really honest...it’s knocked me for six,’ she admitted at last, ‘and truthfully, Georgie, I don’t really know what I’m going to do about it.’