LITMIR.BIZ

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she now?’ Donald’s expression was definitely in the leer category now and his obvious interest in Maggie was suddenly irritating. Hugo cleared his throat.

      ‘Charlie Barker,’ he reminded Donald somewhat curtly.

      ‘Ah…yes. I saw him today, didn’t I? Nice chap.’

      ‘Seventy-two-year-old,’ Hugo nodded. ‘Triple vessel disease. First infarct three years ago.’ He opened the file. ‘I think you did his cardiac catheter investigation and the angioplasty yourself.’

      Donald glanced at the report, a map of the major arteries of the heart with shaded segments showing the abnormalities discovered and treated. ‘Yep. The LAD and circumflex were quite markedly narrowed, although the infarct was relatively minor.’ He turned a page. ‘Three stents altogether. I ballooned this segment on the right coronary as well. He did very well. Almost normal cardiac output and he was pain-free on follow-up for…let’s see…’ Pages fluttered as Donald looked for the outpatient clinic notes.

      ‘He was free of angina for eighteen months,’ Hugo agreed. Charlie had, in fact, had a great year after recovering from the scare the heart attack had given him. One of Hugo’s first patients after starting work in the area, the semi-retired builder had quickly become a favourite. When Hugo had bought his property, Charlie had insisted on helping him plan and then carry out his conversion of the old shearers’ quarters. He had come to know Charlie, and his wife Betty, very well over the course of that year and he was very fond of them both. After nearly fifty years together, the couple were still virtually inseparable and the Barkers confirmed Hugo’s faith that marriage could be a wonderful institution if you were lucky enough to find the right person.

      ‘His blood pressure’s under good control. The lipid profile still looks good and the rhythm’s stable.’

      ‘His angina isn’t. He’s getting pain more often with less provocation and the GTN is less effective.’

      ‘He’s on the waiting list for bypass surgery.’

      ‘He’s been on the list for nearly two years now. His condition’s deteriorating.’

      ‘I know.’ Donald sighed wearily. ‘And I’m sorry but there’s not much I can do about that. The waiting list keeps growing. Every time we get another acute patient it cuts the numbers we can take from the list. It’s an ongoing battle. We’re doing our best to increase funding so we can put more cases through. Can he afford to go private?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘I’ll put his score up and see if we can move him up the list. I can’t promise anything, though, Hugo. You know that.’

      Hugo nodded. Both men were silent for a moment and Donald’s gaze travelled back to the window. The ambulance was moving back into the garage now but Hugo knew the cardiologist’s attention had returned to one of its crew. He closed Charlie’s file.

      ‘Have you got time for a coffee before your flight back to Dunedin?’

      Donald checked his watch. ‘No. I’d better head back across the road to the airport.’

      ‘I’ll walk over with you.’ Hugo stood up as well. ‘I could do with some fresh air.’

      An opportunity to put in another plug on Charlie Barker’s behalf would also be welcome but Hugo was distracted by the route Donald chose. Had it been intentional to pass so close to the ambulance station garage? The glance he gave Hugo as their path coincided with that of Maggie and Jason confirmed that the opportunity had definitely been on Donald’s agenda. Hugo found himself forced to oblige by providing introductions.

      ‘Maggie? This is Donald Hamilton, one of our visiting specialists. He’s a cardiologist from Dunedin. Donald, meet Maggie Johnston, our new paramedic.’

      ‘Hi.’ Maggie’s smile was genuinely friendly and she didn’t hesitate in holding her hand out to be shaken. Hugo’s eyes narrowed slightly. Had it been Donald’s idea to extend the handshake quite that long? And did he have to look at Maggie with such blatant admiration? He took a look at Dr Hamilton from an entirely new perspective. The cardiologist was probably in his early forties. Far too old for Maggie.

      ‘Nice to see a new face around here,’ Donald was saying warmly. ‘How are you enjoying Central?’

      ‘I’ve only been here for a few days,’ Maggie responded. ‘This was my first day at work, in fact, but I love it so far. How often do you get here?’

      ‘Once a month, officially.’ Donald’s tone suggested it was not nearly often enough. ‘I try and get down for a long weekend occasionally as well and luckily Queenstown is a popular venue for conferences and suchlike.’

      ‘I’m not surprised. There’s so much to do here. It’s going to take me years to try everything that’s on offer.’

      Donald was smiling. ‘You sound adventurous, Maggie.’

      ‘You only live once,’ Maggie responded with a quick grin. ‘Life’s supposed to be fun, isn’t it?’

      ‘Oh, indeed it is.’ Donald’s own smile broadened noticeably. He looked set to continue the conversation but Maggie’s attention was already elsewhere.

      ‘I’d better go. I’ve got a mountain of paperwork before I can go home. What time will you be leaving, Hugh?’

      ‘Any time you’re ready.’ Hugo was quite aware of the speculative glance Donald shot in his direction. He almost enjoyed the assumption the cardiologist was clearly making. ‘I just want to check on Nancy and make sure she’s still doing well and then I’ll be finished.’

      It was no surprise that Donald waited only until they had moved on a few paces before seeking clarification.

      ‘I thought you and Joan Pringle were…?’

      ‘Yes.’ Hugo didn’t expand on his confirmation. He might have a professional relationship with Donald but they were hardly more than acquaintances. ‘We are.’

      ‘But you’re taking Maggie home?’ Donald’s eyebrows rose. ‘Lucky man.’

      The innuendo was unexpectedly grating. Hugo disliked what it suggested about Maggie as much as any slur on his own morality. ‘Maggie’s staying with me at the moment because she’s an old family friend. I’ve known her since she was two years old.’

      ‘Really? How old is she now?’

      ‘Thirty.’

      ‘And she’s not married, is she? She’s not wearing a ring, anyway.’

      ‘She’s not married.’

      ‘Attached?’

      ‘Not that I know of.’ They hadn’t discussed their love lives at all. Maggie had clearly known about Joan’s existence before she’d arrived and Hugo hadn’t tried asking Maggie any such personal questions. There had been quite enough to discuss just catching up with their professional lives over the last decade. Maggie’s nursing background, as well as their common interest in emergency medicine, had provided a wealth of conversational material. So had Hugo’s quick guided tour of Maggie’s new location over the weekend. So far, by tacit agreement, they had not delved too deeply into their shared past. It had to come, of course, but right now Hugo was happy to renew their friendship and simply enjoy Maggie’s company.

      He was less happy with Donald Hamilton’s company right now but he’d be able to leave him at the airport terminal in less than a minute.

      ‘How long will she be staying with you?’

      ‘As long as it takes her to find a place of her own, I guess.’ Hugo pitched his tone to suggest it was none of Donald’s business. He had been a little more forthcoming in fielding a similar question from Joan earlier that day, but it had been annoying nonetheless.

      ‘That won’t be easy at this time of year.’ Donald stopped just short of triggering the automatic

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