The Infirmary (DCI Ryan Mysteries prequel)(73)

Ryan thought back to the events of the past week.

“We need to go back to the hospital,” he said. “It’s imperative we fill in the gaps on that rota, now we know Draycott is out of the running.”





CHAPTER 31


The time was edging closer to three o’clock when Ryan and Phillips stepped inside the A&E department once more. Ryan didn’t concern himself with the arbitrary deadline handed down by DCS Gregson and concentrated on doing what he did best.

There was a different atmosphere in the Emergency Medicine Department now that Draycott had been arrested; a sense of unrest and disorder, and they reminded themselves that his staff knew nothing about Stephanie Bernard’s murder, nor of Draycott’s likely innocence.

“Hello, Chief Inspector.”

Keir Edwards spotted them entering the main waiting area and headed them off.

“Doctor Edwards. How is everyone faring?”

The other man pulled an expressive face.

“Oh, you know, there were a few grumbles here and there about the search and about having to give a DNA sample but, for the most part, everyone was happy to help. Understandably, it’s been a shock to find out the truth about Sebastien.”

Ryan gave him a bland smile.

“What truth is that, Doctor Edwards?”

The other man gave a funny little laugh.

“Well, he’s been arrested—we assume for the murders of those poor women. Is that not the case?”

“We can’t discuss an active investigation,” Phillips said, then jerked his head towards the treatment area. “We were hoping to speak to Joan about a staffing matter, if she’s around?”

“I’m afraid Joan doesn’t start until four today,” Edwards replied. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

Ryan smiled, noting that Edwards was seamlessly transitioning into the role of Acting Head of Department.

“Perhaps you can,” he said. “Shall we use Mr Draycott’s office?”

“Certainly.”

Edwards seated himself at Draycott’s desk and spread his hands.

“How can I be of help?”

Ryan took out his dog-eared copy of the staff rota for the last week and laid it out on the table so that Edwards could see.

“This is the original rota that was drawn up two weeks ago by Mr Draycott, and Mrs Stephenson on the nursing side,” Ryan explained. “It’s since come to our attention that changes were made in the interim owing to sickness, overtime and staff swapping shifts. We were hoping you could help us to fill in the gaps.”

Edwards made an expressive face.

“Well, I’ll do my best. Let me see, now.”

He made thoughtful noises.

“Ah, yes. I can see my own shift pattern hasn’t been updated on here,” he said, and began making notes with a pencil in the margin. “Likewise, I know that Doctor Chowdhury had to swap on Tuesday…mm hmm…”

He spent some time making notes and then sat back and pushed the piece of paper back across the desk.

“That’s all I know of,” he said. “Joan should be able to fill in the blanks on the nursing side and she’s due back here in half an hour.”

“Thank you, this is very helpful,” Ryan said, skimming his eyes over the notes.

“I suppose you’ll need to take some more statements,” Edwards added. “Would you like me to arrange a meeting room, so you can talk to the staff in private?”

Ryan inclined his head.

“It’s good of you, but no. That won’t be necessary just yet.”

“It’s a terrible tragedy, what happened to that woman. Such an enormous loss to the world.”

Ryan thought of Nicola Cassidy’s wish to be a paediatric consultant and nodded his agreement.

“Every victim of crime is a loss, Doctor.”

“We feel the same, here, with every patient we lose,” Edwards said. “But it isn’t every day that you get somebody like that, is it? It must be quite a task for you.”

Ryan’s forehead crinkled as he studied the rota, only half listening to the small-talk.

“Yes, I suppose so.”

They stood up, preparing to leave.

“Thanks again for this,” Ryan said, tucking the paper into his breast pocket. “We’ll be in touch.”

“Ah, Chief Inspector? Sergeant?” Edwards’ voice lowered to a stage whisper. “About Mr Draycott. Some of the patients and staff have been asking where he is. What should I tell them?”

“You should tell them the truth, Doctor. It’s always preferable.”

*

Ryan had barely gone fifty yards when the truth hit him and, when it did, it fell like a thunderbolt.

He stopped dead, just outside the automatic doors of A&E, oblivious to the people coming in and out, oblivious to the rain that had begun to fall.

“Frank.”

Phillips had continued walking and was startled to find Ryan had not kept up. He trundled back to where his SIO stood, looking as if he’d seen Caesar’s ghost.

“What’s the matter?”

“He wasn’t talking about Nicola Cassidy. When Edwards said it was an enormous loss to the world losing somebody like that, he wasn’t talking about her. He was talking about Stephanie Bernard. The bastard was talking about his latest victim.”