Indefensible (DI Sara Ramsey Book 12), M Comley [world of reading TXT] 📗

a place Sara had ever visited since moving to the area and she had no personal plans to visit it in the future either. “Here we go. Let’s get gelled up.”

Entering the ward, they made a beeline for the nurses’ station halfway up. Sara showed her warrant card. “Hi, I’ve been told that a Casey Nugent works on this ward.”

“That’s right. She’s not here today. She’s due in later though. Can I help you with anything?”

“We’re hoping you’ll give us her address, or that of her next of kin, if you have it on record?”

The Ward Sister frowned. “Oh my, why on earth would you need her next of kin? Has something happened to her? Please, she’s part of our team, if there’s something wrong, I’d like to know.”

Sara didn’t feel inclined to hold back. It was important the emergency services were open and honest with each other. She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “Sadly, Casey lost her life last night in a brutal attack.”

The Sister clamped a hand over her mouth and dropped into the chair behind her. Carla raced around the desk to make sure she was okay. The woman waved her away.

“I’m fine. I think. How could someone do this to her? She was such a wonderful young woman with such a bright future ahead of her. A star pupil in many people’s eyes. This is so unfair.”

Another nurse appeared and asked, “Is something wrong?”

“It’s Casey, she’s dead.”

The other nurse gasped and slapped a hand to her cheek. “No, no, no! How can she be dead?”

“Please, I must ask you to keep this information between yourselves for the time being. At least, until the family have been informed. As I said, that’s why we’re here, to try and get her next of kin details. Can you help?”

The Ward Sister nodded and left her chair. She gripped hold of the desk and Carla helped to steady her. “Take it slowly, you’ve had a shock.”

“Thanks, I’ll be fine. I’m eager to get the information for you. This is too terrible for words. I’m appalled this should happen to one of our own.” She opened a filing cabinet at the back of the area and pulled out a file. “I insisted on us having our own copies of family details, just in case anything happened while any of our nurses were on shift. Not every ward has them, you understand.”

“I’m glad you do,” Sara replied.

The woman returned to the reception desk and placed the folder on the counter. Carla jotted down the details of Casey’s parents’ address and returned to the other side of the counter to stand next to Sara.

“Thank you. We’ll shoot over there now and bring them up to date.”

“Wait. You have to tell us how she died.”

Sara noticed the photos on the wall of the nurses who worked on this particular ward, each of them smiling, looking proud to be wearing their uniform. “She was stabbed and left for dead. We’re dealing with a few similar cases in the area. Looks like she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, I’m sorry.”

“As long as she wasn’t raped. Can’t bear the thought of her going through that ordeal before she took her final breath. Not that being stabbed isn’t bad enough. Oh bugger, I’m getting myself all mixed up. I didn’t mean it to come out that way.”

“No need to apologise.” Sara didn’t have the heart to confide in the woman about the rape. Instead, she thanked her and left the ward.

They were in the lift when some form of alarm went off. “Shit, is that a fire alarm? Crap, and we’re stuck in a lift. Not frigging ideal.”

Carla gripped her forearm. “Calm down. We’re almost there now.”

The doors opened, and they sprinted out towards the main entrance. People were in panic mode. Nervously glancing around them and dithering about which way to run for the best.

Sara stopped at the reception desk. “What’s going on? Is there a fire?”

“No. There’s been an incident in A&E. Someone got in there with a knife.”

Sara faced Carla and they both bolted at the same time. They reached A&E within a few moments. Nurses and porters were darting around, trying to allay everyone’s fears. Sara grabbed a porter as he passed and showed her ID. “What’s the problem?”

“A man strolled in off the street, wielding a knife. He ran through the area, pulling at the curtains, obviously trying to find someone.”

“Shit! Did he find who he was looking for?”

“No. I don’t think so. As soon as the alarm went off, he panicked and ran for the exit.”

“Did anyone go after him?”

“Are you kidding me? No, why would we put our lives in danger like that?” the porter replied, his voice high-pitched with anxiety.

“Okay. I only asked. I’m trying to do my job quickly and efficiently. I haven’t got time to argue with you when a madman is on the loose.” She hesitated for a moment to ponder whether she should check on the patient, but her need to catch the criminal won her inner battle.

“Sorry. Please, you need to get after him and stop arguing with me.”

Sara and Carla started running. “How long ago?” Sara called over her shoulder.

“As soon as the alarm kicked off.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

They sped back through the corridor and out of the main entrance. En route, Sara called the station for backup. Once they were outside, she and Carla took off in different directions. “He could still be lying in wait out here. Ring me if you see him and for God’s sake, stay vigilant and be careful.”

“Ditto, if you lay eyes on him first.” Carla shot off and weaved through the two cars closest to her.

Sara scoured the area around the car park. She asked the attendant if he’d seen anything whilst sitting in his little hut. He said he saw a man run out of the hospital and get in a car, but it was too far for him to work