The Surgeon's Blade (32 page)

“I think he’s right. Originally, we talked vaguely about Peter being the attacker up in London and down here. I personally believe Peter did witness the attacker here, and the clue is in the make-up and disguise. The attacker must have realised Peter saw him on that night and tracked him down. I believe Peter was an innocent victim and the attacker is someone else and yes, the two hospitals are connected.”

“That leads us back to my theory about Nigel.”

“It does, but I did some research earlier on. Did you know Nigel was almost prosecuted for an alleged misconduct at his London clinic? He was accused by an irate husband of sexually interfering with his wife while under sedation.”

“Libby!”

“What about Libby?”

“She said she woke up on Nigel’s boat feeling very odd and couldn't remember what had happened. She also said she couldn’t remember a lot of things where he was concerned.”

“How tall is this Nigel?”

“Hmm, a bit taller than me I think, thinner though. Maybe it isn’t him after all.”

“The attacker is said to be of medium height and slight build. Mmm, make-up and wig. Do you know what I’m thinking? I’m not sure you’ll believe me.”

Robert shook his head.

“I believe our attacker isn’t Nigel at all.”

“No?”

“No. I think we’re looking for a woman.”

“A woman? Who the devil—”

“Peter said there was something odd about the hospital attacker, which he couldn’t put his finger on, didn’t he?”

“According to Jem.”

“So, unless we have a whole mishmash of unconnected events and someone not connected with any of this, I believe the murderer to be a woman. As Peter said, the make-up wasn’t quite right. What if it was a woman dressed up as a man?”

“So which woman?”

“We’re looking for someone who knows hospital procedures, dress code, layouts of the grounds etcetera; who regularly travels between Southampton and London and probably needs somewhere to stay in both areas where they can lie low for a while. Nigel is involved somehow, but I’m not sure how, except maybe by his earlier misdemeanour. There’s only one person who completely fits the bill.”

Diana looked at Robert with an alarmed look on her face.

“His wife!” they chorused.

“I don’t like this one bit. I think I’d better get over there at once. See if she’s there. You know, she might have a faulty telephone line, and Lisa said she had her mobile turned off.”

“How long will it take you?”

“Twenty minutes, if I’m lucky. Ring the police, and let them know what we suspect,” he yelled as he ran towards the door, car keys in hand.

“Good luck, and be careful. Don’t forget; whoever it is,
is
dangerous.”

“So am I, where Libby is concerned,” he retorted, throwing open the door.

When he had gone, the telephone rang, and Diana went to answer it. As she picked up the receiver, she had a premonition it would be the police on the other end.

“You’ve just missed him. I was about to call you. No, he’s gone into Southampton to see…yes, that’s right, Libby Hunter. No, she lives in Southampton. He might have her current address written down in his address book. Hang on while I get it.”

As Diana thumbed through the pages she couldn’t help a tremor of dread go through her. She hoped and prayed she was right about this, but above all, she desperately hoped Robert would get there in time.

Chapter 46

Robert drove like a maniac through the back streets of Southampton, avoiding the traffic, speed cameras, and waiting policemen. He wanted to get to Libby’s as soon as possible. Deep down, he knew Diana was right. She had this uncanny knack of looking at something from a distance and putting her finger exactly on the spot.

Please let me be in time! He begged silently while sounding his horn at an itinerant jaywalker. He picked up his mobile and dialled her home again. No answer – just as he expected and put his foot down harder on the accelerator.

Chapter 47

“Libby, it won’t be long now. The time is right. You’ll be snug and comfortable in your shroud.”

I have to keep her talking, Libby thought. The phone had rung again, and somehow she knew it was Robert trying to get through to her. Please let him come, she begged silently as tears rolled down her cheeks. Would he sense the danger and terror she was in and come to her rescue? My hero once, would he succeed again? She sobbed uncontrollably as panic took over.

Stella paused as she stroked Libby’s throat. “Too bad you were the prettiest. But no matter, now I can have Nigel all to myself once again.”

“Stella,” she said, trying to control the quiver in her voice. “Please think. This is not going to do you or Nigel any good. My friends know all about this. I’m sure they’ve told the police by now. They’ll put all the facts together and guess what’s happened.”

“It won’t work, Libby. You’re too late. You should have thought of the consequences before you stole Nigel” Stella murmured.

I have to get through to her. She’s an intelligent woman – a psychiatrist! “Stella, how will Nigel feel once he finds out? Will he want you then?”

“Don’t try the psychology with me. Remember who
I
am! Nigel will do as he’s told, as he’s done for years. You won’t know this, but he’s actually
enjoyed
our little games. I know this is the last, and that’s okay because we can get back to where we were before,” she said in a dismissive tone.

Stella began to play with the bag. Very slowly, she drew up the zipper until it covered half of Libby’s face.

“Stella, you need help. You won’t get away with this. What will Nigel do then, if you’re locked away?” Libby pleaded.

“But I want to do this, Libby. You are the final one in my mission. Lie still, and be a good girl. The time is now.”

Stella took hold of the bag, and in one single movement, pulled it the rest of the way over Libby’s head. She took hold of the zipper and velcroed ends and sealed the bag’s opening. After a long last look at Libby's shrouded body, she stood up. “It will only take about ten minutes, Libby. Sleep in peace.”

Chapter 48

As soon as Libby heard Stella walking away, she began to struggle. She knew the air wouldn’t last long in the bag. If she could only keep her head and not panic, short and shallow breaths would mean the oxygen would last longer. Within minutes, she began to feel lightheaded.

All her nursing training screamed at her to keep cool, while her lungs screamed for air! As she fought to keep in control, her chest began to hurt, and she realised she might pass out. She was finding it hard to breathe, and her mind was playing weird tricks.

Robert would come. He
had
to! Surely he wouldn’t let her down. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die, especially now I’ve met Robert. The words were screaming through her head as she struggled to survive.

She could feel the rigid cold surface of the kitchen floor beneath her body through the plastic bag. With as much concentration as she could muster, she kicked hard against the bag and thought she felt one foot protrude through the plastic hitting the door beyond. The floor felt hard against her body, with small bumps here and there beneath her back.

Somewhere, a thought wormed its way uppermost in her brain, something to do with the door and glass. The glass of the kitchen door was double-glazed and almost impossible to break – but wait! Libby recalled the broken wine glass she had dropped when she had tried to open the kitchen door. Gasping for breath and with the plastic bag sticking to her face and throat, Libby wriggled her body over the lumps beneath her. In desperation she ground her body down upon the bumps, blackness enveloping her.

She frantically moved her body back and forth. A sudden, sharp pain hit her as the slivers of glass sliced through the plastic, through her clothing and into her skin. Dimly, she could feel blood seeping from her wounds as the plastic began to give way. Sobbing for air, she kept moving, the pain from the glass keeping her mind alive. As the blood gushed from her wounds, she thought she felt a hint of fresh air.

Twenty minutes later, Robert kicked in the front door and found her lying in a pool of blood. Libby! With trembling hands he tore off the plastic bag and felt for her heart beat. She was alive!

Chapter 49

Libby opened her eyes and studied the figure sitting beside her bed. She stiffened, instantly reminded of another such incident, one which seemed so long ago. So much had happened since then. She felt sore and bruised along her back and legs, and as she felt beneath the bed covers, she couldn’t quite stifle a groan.

“Libby. How are you feeling?”

“Sore. Groggy.”

“I’m not surprised you’ve a huge swelling on your head and about twenty stitches in your back.” He moved nearer to look at her face in the dimmed light. She looked exhausted, with deep dark shadows circling her eyes.

“Do I look as bad as I feel?” she whispered.

“You look beautiful,” he said, curling his fingers around hers.

“Did you catch her?” She attempted to sit up as she suddenly remembered her last moments of terror.

“Sssh. It’s all over. Yes, we did. Diana filled the police in with our suspicions, well Di's suspicions really, and they arrested both Stella and Nigel.”

“Nigel too?” she enquired softly.