CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The nurse stared with wide, open eyes at the patient; it seemed incredible that it could have happened so quick. She shouted out for her colleague who was doing the rounds down the hall.
“Nurse Nosworthy, come quick!”
A second pretty nurse hurried into the room to see what all the fuss was about. She couldn’t take it in either.
The patient was busy moving her eyes to take in her unfamiliar surroundings; the ward nurse became overjoyed by Becky’s fight to come out of her coma. It was only three months since she had escaped death and, even with all the hope in the world, they had felt they were fighting a losing battle with so many wounds inflicted upon her.
“I can’t believe it! How wonderful, where are the officers?”
Nurse Nosworthy shot her a disapproving look, “They’re both outside having a cigarette, they should know better!”
“Quite right, idiots, well you’d better go and fetch them in case she talks and they miss it.”
Nurse Nosworthy went in search of the officers while a larger than life cleaner buzzed around making sure this particular ward was far cleaner than any of the others.
The light was flickering low between the trees as the sun made its descent but still managed to cast a warm glow over the 72 par course. Jack was strolling along pulling his trolley at the 16th and trying to end the day on a high having scored 61 so far. He would have finished it a little earlier had he not received an urgent call from Dr Hancox.
He thought he’d heard the last of his helper for a while and he was just getting over the news about Becky’s twitching, but Dr Hancox had sounded quite disturbed about Harry’s second blood test.
Jack quickly told him not to worry, what did it prove? Harry had been caught with her bloodied body right next to him. It was an open and shut case, nothing to worry about, just an inquisitive doctor with nothing better to do with her time.
An even greater drama was happening closer to home as another nurse had shockingly come across the result of Arnold’s heavy hands and had screamed for help. There was great panic amongst the duty staff as orderlies raced in to pull Harry’s battered body onto a stretcher and into the treatment room.
Dr Clarke was cursing herself for allowing Arnold back out to roam freely amongst the patients. It quickly dawned on her that her current experiments may well be all in vain. She decided to console herself in her friend Nurse Sullivan.
“He has to go, I’m all for trying to treat patients to the last but he’s taken a step too far now. He’ll have to be transferred to a high security ward!”
Nurse Sullivan was equally angry at the sheer viciousness of the attack. “It was definitely him; we found blood about his hands and his gown. He’s busy sobbing in his room at the scalding he received after we found Harry.”
“Poor Harry, he has been through the wars hasn’t he.” She gave a mournful look at the nurse and shook her head.
“Emily, you shouldn’t make it so personal. I know you care but you still have to remember what Harry did to that poor girl!”
Dr Clarke nodded her head in agreement, it probably did seem bizarre, this sudden obsession with his background.
“I know, but there is something that just doesn’t add up and I can’t quite put my finger on it.” She let out a big sigh, “Anyhow, enough said. Let’s have a look at Harry, he’ll be confined to the sick ward for at least a week, let’s hope this is not the end for him.”
Harry was laid out on the examination table with a crowd of nurses and orderlies standing by, bewildered at the sheer force of the attack. Harry’s face was swollen with black and purple bruises and splits to his lips and nose. They could almost make out Arnold’s knuckle marks where he had laid in with all his strength.
Dr Clarke dispersed the crowd. “I’ll take it from here, Nurse Sullivan, I need your help so stay please. We’ll perform an X-Ray on his head to assess the damage and see if there are any fractures to worry about.”
Harry was still unconscious but the cake of blood that had formed on his face had been wiped away revealing the horror of his swelling.
The machine performed its duty and Dr Clarke pinned the pictures to the Light Box.
“Well, the right side of his head doesn’t show any fractures, that’s encouraging. I’m amazed with the amount of violence he’s been subject to that he …”
Whilst looking over the left side of Harry’s head scan, shed simply stopped dead in her tracks; it was quite unusual, it didn’t look like a head plate, it resembled more the shape of a hearing aid, curved, thin with what looked like a small wire connecting to a smaller square shaped object.
“Nurse, what the hell is that?”
The nurse looked over to where Emily pointed. She shook her head and carried on peering at the distinct shape in front of her.
“Beats me Doctor, looks like a hearing aid but on the inside?”
The Doctor nodded her approval. “That’s exactly what it looks like but I've never heard of anything in existence like that.”
“Do you think we should operate and see what it is?” she asked the doctor; Nurse Sullivan was as excited to find out about the object as much as she was.
With a shake of her head she turned back to the nurse, “I’m afraid not, he is no condition for surgery yet. There doesn’t seem to be any swelling apart from his face so he should get some rest. He’ll come round soon.”
“I’ll have him moved to sick ward. We’ll keep a close eye on his condition in case it worsens.”
The doctor squeezed her loyal friends arm, “Thank you Sully, I need to go back and look at his notes again. I must have missed it, it should be written down there somewhere.”
Emily was pouring over Harry’s file for a nugget of information on whatever the hell the device was. She scolded herself for missing it the first time, it was very unprofessional.
She pored over the information, page after page, several times over but came to the realisation that there was no mention of the object anywhere.
“Strange, Harry had been a patient of Dr Hancox for a long time. He would have mentioned it and it would have surely been on his medical notes. This was surgery, it doesn’t just fall off the radar!”
She was muttering to herself now, there was no way to avoid it, she would have to phone Dr Hancox’s practice again. She would probably have to leave another message. It could be days before he replied and he would probably shout at her again but what the hell, she needed to know.
A friendly voice answered. “Hello Dr Clarke, Dr Hancox said that when you called again you were to contact him directly. He would be most pleased to speak to you.”
Most pleased? Contact him directly? Was this the same practice?, she thought.
She was given a very long number to key in, he did sound far away the last time.
An overly tanned figure stepped out of a pool in the morning sunshine to pick up his mobile, he recognised the voice instantly.
“Ah, Dr Clarke, so nice to speak to you again, I am sorry for our little têteà-tête earlier, forgive me. How is Harry?”
Emily was taken aback by his demeanour. It seemed hard for her to reprimand him for his omission so she took a different tack.
“Hello Dr Hancox, thank you for answering so promptly.”
“Not at all, how is Harry?” he asked again.
“Harry’s had an unfortunate accident. He was attacked by another patient today, head injuries for sure but we’re monitoring his condition.”
For a moment it sounded like Dr Hancox was sniggering but he could have company.
“Where are you Dr Hancox?, it was a very long number”
“Barbados” came back the reply, how some people lived.
“Epping Forest” she replied a little bit too sarcastically.
Dr Hancox lowered his sunglasses and took a slurp of his fruit juice whilst appreciatively watching the sun rise over the Carribean Sea.
“Why did you phone me Dr Clarke, for a plane ticket?”
“Harry’s mystery object? Do you know what it is?”
A shot of pineapple juice hit the floor as a shocked Dr Hancox choked at the news, how had it come to this? First the blood test and now the device?. He tried desperately to remain calm despite himself.
“Mystery object? I don’t know what you mean? Something lodged in his stomach? His throat?”
A frustrated Dr Clarke’s patience was now wearing thin at his sudden amnesia.
She snapped, “Dr Hancox, you must know? Harry was your patient for a long while and you never knew about it? What the bloody hell is it Doctor?”
There was nothing else for it, Dr Hancox had run out of options, he couldn’t hide away from it even if he tried. 'Don’t worry’ he could hear Jack say, it was ringing in his ears.
He cleared his throat, “Dr Clarke, I am sorry to sound so vague, I’m as curious to know what this object is as much as you are. Harry was a great personal friend to me as well as my patient.”
She wondered how he had managed to pull himself away from visiting Harry during his incarceration if he was so fond of him?
He continued, “I should have visited him sooner I admit but other things simply cropped up. Anyway, I’ll be flying back to London tomorrow, as planned. This sunshine gets a little boring. Would it be possible to attend the surgery and find out for myself, schedule it for the day after?”
Dr Clarke was beginning to dislike the man immensely but she was also curious to meet him, such an arrogant sod as he was. Why the hell not?
“Very well Doctor, you will be as astounded as I was to see it. I’ve never come across anything like it in my entire medical career. I would welcome a second opinion.”
She smiled at her little twist at the end.
“See you at 1pm pronto Doctor, bring back some rum cake.”
“Ok, Looking forward to it,” an ironic voice replied and then cut off.
“So am I,” she thought.
Harry had woken suddenly, struggling to breathe properly. His nose was purple and bulbous and he had also taken a good beating on his chest. He felt so weak and couldn’t believe it had happened so quickly. Was this all he had to look forward to from now on?
It hurt like hell; it hadn’t been six months since the first attack which was still so fresh in his mind. He knew then what pain felt like and he never thought for one minute that he would be experiencing it again.
Through his half closed eye he could make out the familiar shape of the doctor making her way towards his bed.
“Hello Doctor,” he managed to say before wincing at the gash on his lip.
“Don’t talk too much Harry, just listen, it’s better for you. You’re confined to the sick ward for a week at least, Arnold’s made a horrible mess of your face.”
“No film scripts come in yet?” He asked, at least his humour was still alive.
She gave a weak laugh back and started to examine his injuries.
“Arnold is being transferred the moment we can find a centre that will take him. There isn’t much more I can do for him, I’ve tried my best.” Dr Clarke let out a sigh, awful business, she hated violence.
Harry nodded his acknowledgement. At least Arnold wouldn’t be around but he wondered who would replace him eventually.
Emily appeared to be lost in thought before finally turning back to Harry. She definitely had a lot of questions to ask him about her discovery.
“Harry, I only want yes or no answers, you’re in no fit state for conversation. Have you ever had any surgery you didn’t mention to Dr Hancox whilst his patient?”
Harry was puzzled by this but he answered anyway, “No.”
“Do you suffer from any hearing defects?”
“No.” What was she trying to get at he wondered?
“And your voices started after the accident?”
“Yes.”
“Finally, did Doctor Hancox perform the surgery to your left ear?”
“Yes.”
She stood up and nodded back to Harry. “That will be all for now. I am so sorry for what happened to you, I really am. You are the brightest spark we’ve ever had in this centre and it nearly went out, get some rest Harry.”
He watched as she walked back out of the ward looking like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders.
The night had drawn in and Harry’s former home was lit up on the outside with pretty lights Suzy had arranged to be installed. She wanted to set the mood for the cozy nest she had created for her lover. The inside was beautifully set out with soft candlelight and she was busy preparing a romantic meal for two over a glass of wine or two as her man was carefully choosing the music to compliment the occasion.
“Darling, it’s a celebration for our elevated status but you understand it would not be proper to be out and about in London enjoying the spoils with so many eyes about?”
Jack understood too well. It was too early to be parading. The story was tired but he was a high profile figure, tongues were sure to wag. The gallery visit was a mere company invitation for the Bank’s prolonged benevolence.
“Suzy, you’ve done wonders with the place, it looks superb. Not a trace of Harry to be seen anywhere.” He was feeling quite smug with himself; cuckoos had a habit of hijacking other birds nests with little effort to build their own in the first place.
“Of course not; I wouldn’t want him to spoil the mood,” she said matter of factly. “You should see what I’ve done to the bedroom.”
He gave a wicked smile, he would see it soon enough, they probably wouldn’t even make it to dessert.
“Oh for Christ’s sake, what now?” He exclaimed as his phone began to ring. “Never a moment’s peace.”
He left it to ring, he had other priorities.
Suzy hated missed calls, “Aren’t you going to answer it dear?”
“I’ll be quick then,” and he flipped it open to see it was Dr Hancox, he sure was a worrywart, whatever now?
An aggravated Jack spoke first, “Nick, I hope this is good, Suzy has plans for me.”
“Jack, oh Jack, I’m at the airport getting a flight back to the UK.”
“Whatever for you crazy fool? The sun doesn’t come out until August?”
A breathless doctor couldn’t quite get the words out, he sounded in a complete state. “The device, Harry’s device, they performed an X-Ray and found it!”
Jack was frozen to the spot. He looked at Suzy who instinctively knew it wasn’t good.
“Then what? Did you tell them it was old surgery?”
“No. I was on the spot Jack, she’s going to operate the day after tomorrow, in the afternoon. I managed to get an invite to the treatment.”
Jack was enraged by this point, his blood was boiling over.
“You bloody incompetent fool, you’ve been in your profession for years. You could have made something up, my God Nick, this doesn’t look good.”
Suzy dropped what she was doing and ran over to Jack and held on to him whilst she craned to listen to the conversation.
A rather feeble man was lost for words, “What shall you do Jack?”
“Only one thing I can do, call Vic! See me before you visit the centre, it’s important, we will fix this. We should have done this a lot earlier.”
Jack hung up and gave Suzy a hug. She could feel his tension, there would be no time for romance tonight. He had to formulate a final plan and quick, then call in the dogs.
A pitiful looking girl lay in her hospital bed staring at the smiling faces that surrounded her. The policeman had asked her questions but she was so weak she barely had enough energy to focus her eyes.
She couldn’t quite make out the giant stranger in her peripheral vision however, covered in green and pushing a stick like object.
A lively party a million miles away was in full swing in the heart of London’s West End. Scantily clad girls were dancing provocatively around a large silver pole to thumping bass lines. A couple of dozen wealthy men were intoxicated on alcohol and the treats on full display. At regular intervals some would be pulled away into a quieter room for a private showing.
AJ was dressed to the nines, keeping court and making sure his punters were happy with what they saw. Vic had put his faith in the stray and it was paying good dividends for him; he hadn’t seen the club so busy since the day he’d opened it for business.
He came out of his office to pat AJ on the back for his good work.
“Bloomin’ impressive AJ. The night’s still young and there’ll be plenty more coming through the doors later on. Good takings too, I’ll probably be opening a new one soon.”
“Thanks Vic, I love this place. The girls’ recruitment 'test’ is always a blinder!”
Vic laughed, he knew what AJ meant, it seemed that he had inherited a wide boy but he liked the fact he wasn’t overly arrogant with it too.
Vic knew he didn’t need to run the place fulltime now he had a steady income from Jack, payments for his hard work and to keep his mouth shut but he also knew he would be bored playing golf all day.
A dancer in black thigh length boots and pink panties bent down from the pole to wink at AJ as she spun around whipping the drunks into a frenzy, she was definitely his favourite, called herself Candy Hoare which sounded quite comical but he couldn’t be bothered to find out her real name, he just liked tasting the goods
A tall leery man was busy trying to get her attention as he pulled out a wad of notes and waved them in the air to try and tempt her, he smacked her behind as she bent over a little too close for her own comfort.
“She sure can Drag Race my engine anytime!” shouted the man, it was obvious to everyone he was American.
AJ came walking over to settle things and found an arm drape itself over his shoulder.
“Boy these girls are something aint they?, the names Wilson C. Pampass, what’s yours fella?”
A deadpan AJ replied, “The manager, take your mits off my expensive suit then go for a long walk outside.”
The Yank became enraged at the rudeness and stepped back to swing a punch at him but AJ was too quick and got one in to his midriff . He keeled over coughing and AJ calmly nodded to the doorman to drag him away and out onto the cold street.
A well dressed figure sidestepped a punter as he came flying out the door, he unruffled his long coat and then walked in through the door, he was tall with greased back hair. He seemed to be in a hurry as he avoided the girls and headed straight over to Vic.
Vic noticed the city type instantly. “Now AJ, a well run club will always attract a higher paying clientele, like this gentleman here.”
The slimy figure offered his hand. “Hello Vic.”
AJ was curious at the engagement. “Never picked you as a dirty old sod Jack? Not getting enough at home from your missus?” AJ’s mentor laughed.
Jack was in no mood for banter. “Can we talk Vic, somewhere discreet? It’s important.”
“Discreet! You won’t get more discreet than this place Mister but ok, follow me into my office.”
AJ watched as they stepped through the velour curtain, Vic must have some right connections in the city he thought.
Pouring a glass of bourbon from his collection, Vic then walked round and sat behind his mahogany desk to hear what Jack had to say.
“Vic, I am sorry for the other week, it won’t happen again,” he offered.
Vic gleamed back, “Bloody right it won’t, sloppy business, very unprofessional. Now, what can I do for you?” he knew he had a captive audience.
Jack looked at the man who now resembled a leach more than he did a helper. His stomach turned at the fact he had to continue his dealings with him but he had no one else to turn to in such a short space of time.
“Harry’s electronic device, the doctor at the centre scanned his head and discovered it but doesn’t know what it is.”
Vic sipped his drink and shrugged his shoulders, “So?”
Jack could see Vic hadn’t gotten over the reception he received when he visited him the other day.
“Look Vic, I need your help. You need to send someone to end this whole mess.”
Vic couldn’t believe his luck. A high profile banking chairman begging in a lap dancing club for his help; this was going to cost him big time.
“It’s a sorry situation, it really is Jack. I have my money, quite a lot of it, why should I bother to help you anymore? You had me come over to your gaff to demand payment and you also had the bloody cheek to complain about it!”
Jack was beginning to grovel now, his eyes gave away a desperate look; it would really cost him this time.
“A misunderstanding Vic, it won’t happen again!”
Vic stood up and walked over to refill his glass. He turned around to look at the pitiful sight that greeted him/ He hated people who pleaded for help or mercy, those that did ended up going for a swim in the Thames.
Vic sat down; he had played the game long enough. “You’re bloody right it won’t happen again. A million will do, then we can call it a day. I don’t want to see your sniveling face around here ever again after the job’s done, do you hear me?”
A million pounds, how ridiculous Jack thought. It made no difference if it was ten million or fifty, Vic would be long gone before he had the chance to fix his greedy eyes on his offshore account.
“You’re a fair man Vic, it’s a deal, I knew I could count on you. When all this is over we can play a round or two at our favourite course and laugh about the situation.”
Vic couldn’t think of anything worse. “Fill me in with the location and time and I’ll get it sorted. You’ll be glad to know that one of my men is at the hospital taking care of business as we speak.
Jack smiled and shook Vic’s hand. He felt relieved. Services or invoices, it was all the same to him.
AJ was at it again in the main arena throwing a drunken punter out for touching one of his girls without paying. He was busy manhandling the protesting pervert when Jack glided past him and out through the entrance.
“Thanks Vic, much appreciated,” he shouted back as he jumped into his limousine.
Vic smiled as wide as a Cheshire cat. “AJ, when you’re done throwing that loser out, I have something I need you to do. Change of outfit but you’ll be up for it.
Harry was sitting uncomfortably in his bed trying to eat some liquefied food through a straw. It wasn’t going well; bits of banana would dribble out from the corner of his painful mouth onto the towel they had carefully laid out for him.
Two friendly looking faces were sitting by his bed, thankful he was still alive.
“Coulé,” shouted his demented friend, who stood up to demonstrate a counter move with his imaginary sword.
Chris just stared at him and rolled his eyes. “We’re glad your still here Harry. I don’t think I could live with Mike as my only friend.
Harry struggled to talk. His wounds had started to scab over making it hard to move his mouth without feeling pain. “He, he’s harmless Chris, a good fellow.”
“I am? This is what I would have done to Arnold. Nasty man!” and leaped forward thrusting his imaginary blade into the big lump.
Chris placed a friendly hand on Harry’s shoulder making him jerk a little from the pain it gave him but he appreciated the fact they had come to see him.
Mike pranced off to practice more feints and counter attacks, it was better seeing him this way than sedated.
“Get well Harry, see you soon for more gaming.”
Harry smiled, these friends were genuine enough. It was all he had in his world right now and he felt comforted by their visit. If he ever got out he would never feel the same way about the mentally ill again, they certainly were colourful characters. There was definitely more madness outside.
A light blue Aston Martin rolled up and came to a halt at the gates. The ever suspicious guard eyed the two occupants up and down as they announced the purpose of their visit.
“I’m ever so sorry, I know it was only supposed to be one guest but at the last minute I invited a colleague to accompany me, Dr Clarke won’t mind one bit.”
The guard didn’t like this. One was one, not two, it said so on his roster.
“Well, you’ll have to sign in Sir. Write your name here and I’ll issue you a pass. You’ll have to sign out too when you leave, its procedure.”
He gave the uninvited guest a stern look and handed him his pen.
The guard poured over the scribble he got back, “Dr Daniel Oome, MD.”
The doctor pressed the guard into action. “That’s right, can we go now? The operation can’t be delayed.”
They cruised past the gate and into the staff car park. AJ was sniggering to his counterpart who didn’t see the joke. “Dr D. Oome? Dr Doom, funny!”
“This isn’t a laughing matter AJ; if we screw this up we’re all doomed.” He gave a long sigh and wished he was back in the Caribbean.
Dr Clarke was busy getting the operating table ready while the nurse was sterilising the equipment. She was really intrigued by what she would find when Harry went under the knife, but she also wanted to see the look on Dr Hancox’s face when he realised how incompetent he had been for not spotting it earlier, the smug sod.
There was a knock at the door followed by an orderly leading two gentleman in to greet her.
Emily turned to see a fabulously tanned man with a row of pearly white teeth staring back at her.
“Dr Clarke, pleased to make your acquaintance at last. This is Dr Daniel Oome, I hope you don’t mind but he’s a doctor at my practice. I had to bring him along to marvel at your find.”
She hadn’t expected two visitors, especially as she hadn’t been notified beforehand.
“Dr Hancox, I only invited you. You should not have taken it upon yourself to invite the whole world to witness the operation!”
Nick was a bit too slick for her to protest too much at the intrusion. “My dear, I am so sorry, it was such short notice. If I had been given more time I would have requested it. He will just observe, that’s all.”
AJ grinned at her, “Don’t worry about me, I’m used to living in his shadow, I won’t get in your way.”
Nurse Sullivan eyed the sharp looking man. He didn’t look like a doctor but the medical profession took all sorts so she quickly waved the thought away.
Dr Clarke didn’t like the look of either of them and thought the quicker it was over the quicker they could all leave.
She gave a sigh. “Well, it’s done now, we can begin. Come over to the light box and look at the X-Rays. Dr Hancox, can you shed any light on the object that sits just below Harry’s ear canal?”
Dr Hancox started murmuring to himself and nodding to his understudy who nodded back in dull agreement.
“My, it does look strange doesn’t it, have you asked Harry what he knows about it?”
“Dr Hancox, I’m surprised you didn’t know what it was. Harry seems just as clueless as you,” she remarked, wondering how he had managed to build up such a successful practice.
Nurse Sullivan had completed her duties and coughed to attract the attention of her superior. “Doctor, can I go now, I would love to stay but it’s my half day you see?”
“No, that’s fine, thanks Nurse. Can you check on Harry before you go, make sure he is fine?”
The Nurse nodded and gave a look of disapproval at AJ, there was something not quite right with the man. He had a permanent smile on his face and seemed a little creepy.
“Well Doctor, I am going to give Harry a local anesthesia, it shouldn’t take long to perform.”
Dr Clarke was busy pouring over the X-Rays as Dr Hancox gestured to AJ to use the item he has prepared prior to his visit.
“I am going to make an incision here and draw back the skin just below the object and ...”
AJ was as quick as lightening and came up behind the distracted doctor, plunging a syringe deep into her neck. Emily gave a shriek of pain through his cupped hand but he held it tight against her mouth until he could feel her legs buckle from under her.
Dr Hancox was frantic. “Bloody hell, that was close AJ, too close. I thought that nurse would never leave!”
A casual sounding AJ looked back at the frightened doctor. “I think she was a bit wary of me for some reason, probably sexual tension, she was a bit tasty.”
Dr Hancox ran over to the patient records to look for the location of Harry’s room whilst Emily lay motionless on the floor. It was doubtful she would