Major Surgery

by Lola Keeley

  At least she will get to make eye contact with Veronica at it. Maybe even pick the seat next to her and find out just how distracting she is. Jean would never forgive them, though, for disrupting her meeting.

  By eight she’s ready to get off the ward and into theatre, but a familiar face peeking around the side door stops her in her tracks.

  Daniel Mallick.

  “Tell me your mothers know where you are,” is how she greets him, grabbing him lightly by the elbow and walking him back out into the corridor. “Or do you have another wounded friend for me?” She doesn’t want to scare him off after all.

  “I need a form signed. I was waiting for Mum. She’s talking to some nurses about stuff, so I thought I’d come say hi. Mum says I owe you an apology next time I see you. So, you know, sorry.”

  He doesn’t appear to be treating her any differently, but Cassie is almost sure the change in her relationship with Veronica is written all over her face.

  “Apology accepted. But Daniel, it’s a big and scary world out there. I’m not going to patronise you about that. If you ever find yourself in trouble, tell your mum. But if you absolutely can’t, I will always help you out. Okay?”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  “I mean it, kiddo. I’ll even take the heat from your mums if I have to, but I’d rather that than you or your mates not getting treatment when you most need it. Not that you will need it, but…you know what I mean.”

  “My mum hasn’t given you this back yet,” Daniel says, pulling her discharge book from his pocket. “She said she meant to, but I found it and I thought it was pretty cool. ’Cause I’ll get one like this in the RAF, won’t I? Then I kinda thought about it, and maybe you, like, needed it.”

  “Yes. Well I had been looking for it, but I didn’t think to ask when I came around on Saturday.” Cassie hopes she isn’t blushing.

  “You came round?” Daniel frowns at her. “Mum never said anything.”

  “Right, well, I’m really glad to have this back, Daniel.” Cassie takes the book from him. “Thank you. It’s quite important to me.”

  “Maybe next time you’re coming to Mum’s I’ll be there?” he asks, and there’s a complete lack of guile. “I know you didn’t fly planes or nothing, but I figure a lot of stuff is similar. Mum thinks it’s some kid thing, but I swear to God I’m serious.”

  “Well, that’s a good start.” Cassie pats him on the shoulder. “Veronica has my number, if you want to chat about it any time. Or, like you said, next time I come over.”

  “Cool.” Daniel turns, ready to head down the corridor. “I mean, it won’t be long before you’re round, will it? ’Cause you’re dating my mum?”

  Cassie looks down at the floor. Despite the long crack in the linoleum, the ground refuses to open up and swallow her. She has no read on the situation, no indication if Veronica has told him or the kid just pays attention.

  “Daniel, I—”

  “It’s okay. I’m not one of those whiny little kids that wants to get his parents back together. My mums are happily divorced, so it’s all good.”

  “Right, well—”

  He cuts her off again. “Only, Mum might seem really tough. Like nothing bothers her, and that whatever you do, she already planned for it. That’s what she does with me, like, all the time, yeah? She’ll kill me for telling you this, but she gets hurt too. I’ve seen her cry about some mad stuff. Just don’t be one of the things that makes her cry, okay?”

  Cassie nods. “I won’t do that, Daniel. I can’t… I need to talk to your mum more about all this, but whatever she says to you, that’s how it’s going to be.”

  “Cool. Anyway, I gotta go get my form signed. Or I can’t go swimming.”

  “Good luck with that,” Cassie calls after him.

  Well. That happened.

  “Ms Taylor?” One of the scrub nurses comes out of the ward past her. “We just wanted to check if you still wanted that liver op, or if we should call in one of the locums?”

  “I’m coming.” Cassie picks up her pace. “Can I get a refresh on the patient details?”

  Cassie slides into the surgical meeting right as Jean calls it to order. The seat next to Veronica is already taken by Davidson from Cardio, so Cassie fixes him with a glare while he isn’t looking. She doesn’t much care for the way he leans in to talk to Veronica, but it’s clear from her indifference that he’s making no headway with his Monday morning banter.

  Just as Cassie is smiling at her look of boredom, Veronica looks up. As their eyes meet, Veronica has a radiant smile of her own.

  Subtlety, thy name is woman.

  There’s a brief interlude when Cassie gets into an argument with the Head of Neurosurgery over correct immobilisation of spinal injuries. He claims recent admissions from Trauma haven’t been up to his standards. Cassie puts him in place by pointing out they were suitable for transporting a patient on a helicopter under fire, so they’d likely survive a long corridor and three floors in a lift.

  It’s worth it for Veronica’s smirk.

  All too soon they’re funnelling out of the meeting, bumping elbows amongst the crowd.

  “Saw Daniel earlier.” Cassie keeps her voice low.

  “Ah yes. Seems the little Columbo has been putting some pieces together. Or he’s a lucky guesser.”

  “I think I handled it okay.”

  Veronica waves to Jean, who’s being swarmed by the oncologists. “Really? He said you forgot how to speak at one point.”

  Cassie groans. She’s just never going to get to play it cool.

  “Did you get your meeting with Travers?”

  “Right after lunch,” Cassie replies. “Which I’ll be having at my desk, since I blew off paperwork this morning to slice up a liver.”

  “What have I told you about having dessert first?” Veronica says. “I have a thing, but call me when you get done with your meeting? I can be around.”

  Cassie reaches for her hand and squeezes, since no one can see while they’re still in a throng of surgeons.

  “I’ll let you know.”

  They part ways at the junction for their respective departments, and Cassie tries to tamp down the fizz of nerves that’s settling in her stomach. It used to feel like this, getting in the car to visit outposts, to move from base to base. She’s gotten good at hiding it, at using the adrenaline to fuel her during long days.

  She’s going to confront Wesley Travers and find out what the little shit is up to, once and for all.

  He’s languishing behind his desk when she enters; the “Come in” sounding almost distracted.

  Cassie appraises him again, looking for something she might have missed before, some extraordinary quality that marks him out as a worthy villain of the piece. Yet again she’s presented with a middle-aged man in combover denial, pasty of complexion and in a badly fitting suit. The shirt looks expensive, and that’s some kind of school tie. Someone else might recognise it at a glance, but Cassie has never gone in for that boys’ club bullshit. There’s only one type of uniform she finds worthy of that kind of display.

  “Ms Taylor. What’s the good word from Trauma today? Please, take a seat.”

  In her scrubs and trainers, Cassie rarely feels underdressed. His wood-panelled office is out of step with the rest of the hospital, decorated to intimidate subordinates and impress donors. She hates it. It reminds her of faculty offices, the sorts she only got invited to when topping her classes.

  “I had just a few questions about my budget, Mr Travers.”

  “Now, I thought between us we had that resolved. It is submitted, after all.”

  He leans back in his chair. Either he’s got an airtight plan, or he’s completely underestimating her. Which is a bit bloody insulting, if it’s the case. All the same, Cassie has spent her life being underestimated. Maybe it’s time she ensures Travers i
s the last person to make that mistake.

  “Yes, but in the interests of thoroughness—”

  “I’m sure someone from the Finance department could run through any particulars. I can put in a word with one of them for you, if it’s a tutorial you need for next year’s?”

  “When did you decide to send the email as me?” Cassie can’t handle the pretence anymore; it’s been making her feel almost queasy. “I never worked in counterintelligence directly, but that strikes me as an avoidable risk.”

  He sits forward at that, almost springing out of his ludicrously oversized leather chair.

  “Well, well.” He steeples his fingers, as though taking instructions from a low-budget Bond rip-off. His fingers are trembling. “Not as oblivious as you look. Well, if you’ve noticed it too then I suppose it confirms my working theory.”

  “I’m sorry, what?” Cassie hates having the brakes slammed on a train of thought. The last thing she expected was Travers agreeing with her.

  “You’ve worked out what she’s up to as well.” Travers gives her only a dismissive glance. “Let me guess, she rushed to your side, offered nothing but support once you realised someone was tampering with your emails? I don’t have to tell you, she has friends and allies everywhere. Bending IT to her will would be no problem.”

  “Now, hold on a moment. What are you talking about?”

  “I pay attention to what goes on in my hospital,” Travers continues. “Word is Veronica Mallick is intent on making you a friend. Didn’t you find that curious? Considering how differently you approach your jobs? Not to mention that it all coincided with emails supposed to be from you, that you never sent.”

  “What are you trying to say?” Cassie doesn’t like this conversation one bit. It’s like he’s been expecting her. Like he knew exactly what she would say before she ever set foot in the room.

  “I’m saying that with me out of the way, the popular choice for Deputy CEO is Veronica Mallick. Which is convenient, since that’s the next step on her particular ambitious to-do list.”

  “What does that have to do with anything?” Cassie fires back. “Veronica’s well aware that you’ve been cooking the books.”

  “Oh, Veronica, is it? But you’ve got it backwards, Ms Taylor. She’s using you as a pawn to unseat me.” He looks so wounded. “She’s so very clever, you know. Clever enough to direct you to me, when in fact she’s the one hatching plots in this hospital.”

  “So you’re saying that you’re not out to get me? Or at least to frame me?” Cassie says back to him, trying to process his counter accusation. “And that, what? Veronica Mallick is?”

  Travers stands brushing off the front of his tweed trousers. “Draw your own conclusions, Ms Taylor. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have another meeting off-site. Good luck if you do decide to take on Ms Mallick. Rather you than me.”

  He strolls out of the office completely unruffled, leaving Cassie sitting there in the visitor’s chair. Can he really be right? Has Veronica been stringing her along in some elaborate plot? It has to be nonsense, after what they’ve shared in recent days. Right?

  Cassie checks her phone and sees the In my office all afternoon text from Veronica.

  It’s just another complication if Travers is going to point the finger from Cassie to Veronica and drag their brand-new relationship into it to boot.

  Whatever happens next, it’s time for a long talk with Veronica.

  Chapter 29

  Veronica is getting more than a little impatient by the time Cassie finally darkens her doorstep. The lunchtime shift changes are all complete before she makes her appearance.

  “Well, you don’t look particularly happy,” Veronica says.

  Cassie gives a vague nod to say that she’s heard, coming into the room and carefully closing the door behind her. In a couple of strides, she’s folding herself into the visitor’s chair, raising one knee and hugging the leg close to her. “So I went to see Travers.”

  Veronica bites back an impatient remark. “Yes, I gathered.”

  “You know, he didn’t even attempt to deny it? Just sort of looked at me like I was a pain in the arse for daring to figure it out. No movie villain speech about his motives, no justification. He’s just…doing this. I thought he’d at least deny it to my face. He’s just too slippery. I don’t know how to fight someone who simply refuses to play fair.”

  Cassie takes an envelope from the pocket of her scrubs and unfolds it, smoothing it out against her raised leg.

  “Did you get anything useful from him?

  “Useful?” Cassie shakes her head. “Interesting, sure. His actual response, in fact, was to point the finger at you.”

  That’s enough to startle Veronica up and out of her chair. What the hell? “He did what?”

  Cassie leans back a little, as Veronica starts to pace.

  Does she really think I’m guilty? The thought of Cassie, who’s she’s spent all this time trying to impress, would believe the worst of Veronica, is making her feel almost queasy. Her limbs seem cumbersome and unnecessary, and each time she reaches the wall she seems to have the turning circle of an ocean liner.

  “He pointed out a few things. That if he’s fired, you’re the likely first choice for a big promotion into his job.” Cassie stands, approaching Veronica cautiously. “That even though we didn’t get along, as soon as I started talking about budgets and my suspicions, you got closer to me. I don’t know if he knows we’ve slept together, but I think it was implied.”

  “So you’re saying—”

  “Travers suggested that I’d been played by someone altogether too smart and competent. Someone who knows the hospital and its politics intimately. I mean, who does that describe, if not you?”

  Veronica raises a hand to her chest, as though the futile gesture will protect her heart. To be accused by that ginger worm from the executive suites is one thing, but for Cassie to buy his deflection hook, line, and sinker is quite another. Then again, if she’s turned against Veronica, why is Cassie here and telling her everything? Is there still a glimmer of hope, especially considering Veronica hasn’t done any of the shady deeds she’s being accused of.

  They’re less than a foot apart now. Cassie holds out the envelope.

  “What’s this?”

  “My resignation,” Cassie says. “I’ve laid out the facts as I understand them in there. It’s the only way I can be sure to trigger an investigation. I’ve also said I’ll go to the papers if they try to hush it up.”

  “Cassie, wait—”

  “Yes?”

  “So you really do believe him?” Veronica asks it as a ragged whisper. The hope she had is flickering out by the second. Still, she has to know. The masochist in her needs to know if it’s going to start hurting now, and how much.

  “What do you think?” Cassie tilts her head, ever so slightly. “Of course not!”

  “Oh, thank God!” Veronica doesn’t care that anyone could walk past and see, she grabs Cassie by the shoulders and yanks her into a full-body hug. “You had me terrified, you idiot!”

  “Well, it didn’t hurt to make doubly sure.” Cassie’s hands slip lower, a cheeky squeeze of Veronica’s bum. “I’ve gotten to know you, Veronica. In a choice between you and him for the villain of this piece, there’s no doubt who it has to be. Shouldn’t we be careful of, uh…?”

  “Sod it.” Veronica reaches without looking for the blind cord, dropping it on the window in the door. The very second they have privacy, she’s kissing Cassie. Once, twice, losing count as kiss blends into kiss and they hold each other close.

  After a moment, Veronica asks, “Not to spoil the party, but what does this mean now, for your job?”

  “That his best hope is thinking we’ll turn on each other. He probably thinks women always do. Or at least that I’ll be too scared to say anything when I can’t prove who’s
behind it all.”

  “Doesn’t sound great.” Veronica wishes she had one of her instant solutions for it all, if only so they could get back to the kissing and the touching without all the gloom hanging over them. Even then, her “instant” solutions are usually the product of weeks or months of hard work and planning.

  Something she clearly doesn’t have time for, judging from the knock on her office door.

  “Yes?” She only opens it far enough to be seen. Sure enough, hospital security are there, two of them flanking Jean.

  “Ms Mallick, I’m afraid I need an urgent word,” Jean says. “There’s been a serious complaint made.”

  “Has there, now?” Veronica wouldn’t have given the weasel that much credit, but he’s clearly sounded the alarm already.

  “Veronica, it’s okay.” Cassie pulls the door the rest of the way open. “Hello, Jean. I’ll assume Wesley sent you. Veronica has done nothing wrong, and I’m more than willing to answer to any accusations against me while we’re at it. There’s something rotten in the management of this hospital, but the problem isn’t with your department heads.”

  “Ms Taylor—”

  “It’s actually still Major Taylor, though that couldn’t matter less. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve actually got an appointment with our esteemed CEO, Mr Pedersen. My union rep is meeting me there.”

  “You do?” Veronica asks before anyone else can.

  “Yes, and I’d really better get moving.” Cassie pushes past Veronica, pausing when one of the security guards thinks that’s his cue to still come after Veronica and manhandle her out of there. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just do that, Harry. Nobody lays a finger on Ms Mallick until I’m done with Pedersen, are we clear?”

  “Why don’t I just come back later?” Jean asks. “Seems like someone’s chickens are coming home to roost if Ms Taylor’s on the warpath. I think we can stay out of it until the dust settles, don’t you? We’ve more than enough to be getting on with.”

  Veronica shrugs at her, nodding at Cassie who strides off down the corridor. “Yes. Sounds like a CEO problem to me. Will that be all?”