The Infirmary (DCI Ryan Mysteries prequel)(75)

Edwards smirked.

“I would have thought his, ah, superior surgical skill would have ruled him out of those murders. If the press is to be believed, the killer was little more than a hacker, was he not?”

Careful, Ryan thought. Softly, softly.

“You know how the press like to sensationalise these things,” Ryan said. “But we understand that the person who killed those women was unmatched in his field. Draycott naturally fits the bill.”

Edwards said nothing but stepped slightly further away, closer to the girl who still lay recovering on a hospital bed. They could hear her mother murmuring to her, telling her she would be better soon.

“I must be getting back to my patient,” Edwards said. “If you’d like to discuss anything, I’m sure I can make myself available later in my shift.”

Ryan’s eyes caught a small movement over Edwards’ shoulder and the other man caught it too, turning to see Phillips hurrying down the corridor. When his sergeant spotted them, he came to an awkward stop and, in doing so, gave himself away.

When Edwards looked back at Ryan, the monster had been unleashed.

“Like I said, I must check my patient,” he snarled. “It’s amazing how quickly they can deteriorate, if left for too long. Children are so fragile.”

To Ryan’s horror, he stepped back into the recovery area.

“How are we doing, here?” he purred.

“Oh, fine, Doctor. Daisy’s doing just fine,” her mother said. It was nauseating, just to hear the gratitude in her voice, to see it etched into the worried lines of her face.

“Let’s just have another check, shall we? I hope you don’t mind if these two gentlemen observe? They’re visiting consultants, from one of our sister hospitals,” he lied.

“Oh, no, no. Not at all. Doctor Edwards has been marvellous,” she told them. “Really marvellous.”

“Long may it continue,” Ryan said, holding the man’s eyes across the table. He watched as Edwards reached into a locked cupboard and retrieved a fresh syringe, which he held in his hand like a weapon. “You’re due a little holiday, aren’t you, Edwards? You’ve been a busy man, lately.”

“Exceptionally busy,” Edwards agreed, flicking the little girl’s nose as they watched in disgust. “But then, I’ve always kept myself busy.”

Ryan’s jaw hardened as he interpreted the message and knew that his suspicions had just been confirmed. The man had been operating quietly for years.

“You’ve really outdone yourself recently, it has to be said.”

“Oh, you must be exhausted,” the woman said. “Honestly, I don’t know how you do it.”

“If I had a penny for all the times I’ve heard that,” Edwards said, and grinned at his own joke. “I consider my work to be…a kind of vocation.”

“We need more doctors like you,” she said.

Edwards looked across at Ryan and Phillips, and they could see the mania in his eyes as they heard the gentle tear of the syringe packet.

“Well, I think we’ve seen all we need to,” Ryan said, feeling his blood race as he watched Edwards lift the girl’s hand and check the IV link, every movement a greater threat than the last. “What do you say we move on, Edwards?”

“Oh, but I haven’t finished checking little Daisy,” he said. “I’m concerned about her breathing and I wonder if she might need a little more help.”

Her mother’s face instantly fell as she looked at her daughter, then at the man she thought had saved her.

“Your shift is ending soon,” Ryan said, firmly. “We can take over here.”

“That’s very good of you,” Edwards said, tapping the syringe as if giving the matter thought. “Unfortunately, I left my car at home this morning. I wonder if any of our mutual friends will be along to give me a lift?”

Phillips bunched his fists, thinking of the response teams that were on their way.

“Aye, they’ll be along soon.”

“Well, in that case, I might just take your advice.”

A second later, Edwards disappeared behind the screen and they heard his running footsteps retreating down the corridor, leaving the woman and her daughter looking on in shock.

“Main entrance!” Ryan shouted to Phillips, and raced after him.





CHAPTER 33


The red telephone began to shrill again as Ryan sprinted down the corridor after Keir Edwards. He saw the upturned trolleys and shocked faces of the doctors and nurses Edwards left in his wake and almost barrelled into them as they milled in the corridors to witness the uproar.

“Move!” Ryan shouted, only narrowly avoiding a collision with Joan Stephenson as she threw herself back against the wall.

He heard shouts behind him as the ward fell into pandemonium, heard his shoes scraping against the linoleum floor as his legs pumped faster to keep up with his quarry.

He almost fell over a wheelchair user as he rounded the corner into the waiting area and stumbled past, ignoring the calls from the receptionist who demanded to know what was happening.

“What’s happening? What’s going on?”

They’d find out, soon enough.

He caught a flash of Edwards’ scrubs as he shoved people aside and hurtled through the main entrance. Ryan burst out of the doors soon after and almost fell into the path of the blue-light ambulance pulling up nearby, stopping himself just in time.