December 2019
‘So, you’re finally back.’
‘Only for a stopover. Did you miss me?’ asked Philippa.
‘Of course,’ the man said opening his arms for an embrace. He seemed genuinely pleased.
‘I’m sorry I never had the chance to say goodbye in person.’ She patted his back lightly.
The pair walked abreast down a picturesque road towards a boutique café. The sun was glowing and the gusts of wind although strong, were cool and reinvigorating. The air smelt like blossoming trees. This was a relatively unvisited corner in central London which had yet to be overcome by pollution.
‘Shall we sit here?’ he suggested, pointing to a table by the large panes of glass.
‘Sounds great.’
‘You still a coffee connoisseur?’
‘Some things never change.’
‘Well the coffee in this café might surprise you.’
A young waitress sporting a cap wandered over to take their orders.
‘I’ll have a latte please… Lily,’ said Charles Spence-Jones.
‘I’ll have the Liberian please, black.’
Ever since that traumatic shift, she had not digressed from Liberian, but she never disclosed to anybody why.
Charles dabbed a handkerchief on his hairline which was encompassed by tiny beads of sweat. He was a tall authoritative man who made his presence felt even when sitting down. He stared at Philippa with penetrating blue eyes and a dark blond comb-over.
‘How was it?’
‘Travelling? It was brilliant. Julia was right all along. I pushed work out of my mind and just focused on enjoying myself, meeting people and seeing the true wonders of this world. Humans built things like Machu Picchu, ancient Mayan temples and the Great Wall. In comparison, the NHS is like a derelict convenience store in the middle of nowhere. I fully understand now why so many of our colleagues left.’
‘You do?’
‘I met people who appreciated me for who I was, just for visiting their villages. I felt more appreciated by these strangers than by the people I used to break my back for.’
‘I’m glad you had a nice time. Where are you planning to go next?’
‘After the new year – Asia.’
Charles pulled a face.
‘Not keen?’
‘Did you ever come across Dr Cotter at the Princess Royal?’
‘The microbiologist?’
‘That’s correct.’
‘Briefly – at the induction. Why?’
‘His friend is a microbiologist in China. Apparently, there have been several cases of a new respiratory virus.’
Philippa placed her mug down on the saucer and interlocked her fingers. ‘Like SARS?’
‘A type of coronavirus, yes… exactly.’
Philippa thought about Dr Steer and wondered if she was okay. ‘Do you know whereabouts in China, exactly?’
‘Some city called Wuhan.’
Philippa managed to compose herself and avoid covering her brother-in-law with coffee. ‘Wh-what’s new about it?’
‘No one knows exactly where it came from. People postulate it came from the wet markets where animals of all kinds, dead and alive get bundled together in cages and sold as food and medicine.’
‘And it’s now spreading to humans…’
Charles shrugged his shoulders. ‘Dr Cotter thinks it started from bats. A lot of these viruses seem to.’
‘Is it serious?’
‘Potentially… for one it seems to spread like wild-fire. It seems to hit the lungs hard and cause respiratory failure very rapidly. Not a nice thing to be unleashed on the world.’
Unleashed…
‘Why don’t you be the martyr then?’ she had asked Tim that night.
‘I can’t Philippa; I have other plans to enact – greater things to unleash…’
Her eyes glanced away as flashbacks of her first affair with the Princess Royal Hospital pirouetted before her.
‘All it would take is for a new virus to emerge, spread across the world demolish populations and once it reached here, well God save the NHS…’
‘Interesting… do you think we’re prepared for it?’
Charles shook his head. ‘I don’t think anyone in the world is… so, who knows, your services may be called upon urgently in the not-too-distant future.’
Philippa laughed off the threat nervously. ‘We’ll see… but I think you should consider trying it out yourself.’
‘Travelling?’
Philippa nodded.
‘Maybe when I retire… one day,’ he said. ‘Have you thought about coming back at all, on a serious note? I mean, to the NHS?’
‘Here you go,’ the waitress said shyly. Philippa had not even noticed her creeping up to their table. She placed the mugs by the respective customers. ‘Can I get you both anything else?’
‘No thanks,’ Charles replied.
She nodded cutely and hurried away.
‘Not sure to be honest. I’m kind of liking the freedom. It’s all too soon and nothing’s changed so it doesn’t exactly appeal to me. How is consultant life?’
‘It’s better than being a medical registrar,’ he admitted.
‘Here’s to us,’ Philippa said as their mugs clinked together.
‘It’ll take someone very powerful with the right mind-set to change the NHS for the better. It’s not just about money; it’s about sorting out the people at the top and having the right leaders.’
Someone powerful with the right mind-set… ‘You sound like you fancy having a crack at it, Charles.’
‘Maybe if I didn’t have my lab work,’ he said, taking off his pinstripe suit jacket though it did not seem quite hot enough to do so.
‘How is your research going?’ Philippa took a sip of her coffee. Rob’s machine made it better. ‘You weren’t wrong Charles; this is very good… though I’d argue I’ve had far superior Liberian.’
He did not respond to her comment. Instead, Charles Spence-Jones looked around worriedly. ‘To answer your question; the lab is good thanks. I think I’m onto something big – potentially society-changing big,’ he said putting his hands out in front of him as though there was an invisible box between them.
‘I’m intrigued but it doesn’t surprise me. You were always an academic – you’ll be a professor soon!’
He laughed disbelievingly then glanced around again as though he was worried someone would hear them talk.
‘Are you okay?’
‘Yeah… yeah I think so.’
Philippa narrowed her eyes. ‘Why did you want to meet up so suddenly, Charles?’
Her ex-colleague looked both ways again.
‘Don’t be nervous, I don’t think anyone in this café is good enough to steal your work.’
‘It’s not that.’
‘Then what is it?’
Charles leaned in and spoke under his breath, ‘There have been some pretty strange things going on around here.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘The other day, I got home and found this in my pocket.’ He fished out a small piece of paper from his trousers and handed it to her.
Philippa grasped it tightly to prevent the wind from carrying it away. It read: Be careful, your life is in danger. I don’t know how I know or why that is but you just have to trust this is true. As she read, she noticed her hand trembling.
‘What do you think?’ he asked.
‘After that night shift Charles, I’d be foolish to say it’s just a hoax.’
‘I don’t know why but I found myself reluctant to simply brush this off too. Sometimes I get the feeling I’m being watched.’
‘But who do you think is trying to warn you?’ Philippa asked, ‘and more importantly of what?’
He shrugged. ‘That’s the thing Pips; I have no idea what anyone would want from me, except for my work I suppose.’
‘When did you find it?’
‘A few weeks ago,’ he replied. ‘The problem is I don’t actually check this pocket all the time so it could have been hiding there for weeks before…’
‘Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I’d have come right back. You’re the closest family I have – well, after Mum strictly speaking.’
‘I didn’t want to worry you and ruin your trip. Perhaps it’s just a case of mistaken identity?’
Perhaps it’s the same person who tipped off Shinji Nyarko… thought Philippa with a shudder.
Across the road, a slim kitted Mercedes with windows as hollow as caves pulled up, drawing her immediate attention.
Philippa took another sip of coffee.
Steam formed a temporary opaque mist on the nearby glass exterior.
When it evaporated, she spotted a slender man with slick black hair and sharp-edged sunglasses close the car door behind him.
Two other men stepped out and marched over to his side.
He straightened his brazen suit and looked up at the sun as if predicting how much longer it would continue to shine for. Then his gaze fell in their direction.
Behind his sunglasses, Philippa Haven could not tell whether their eyes had met. His mouth curved like a scythe and then he began walking towards them.
To be continued…
Every few days... 