Chapters (67)
- Cover
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
‘That’s what you’re going to find out. I’ve no reason to suppose he’s got a criminal record but start there and if he has you can stop there, but otherwise whatever you can get.’
‘Will do. How urgent is this?’
‘You can get your coffee and doughnut, if that’s what you mean.’
‘Ah, there you are.’ His secretary looked relieved.
‘Sorry, Maggie, I should have let you know.’
‘You should.’
‘What’s happened – something has, you’ve got that look.’
‘A call for you from Lafferton Vets a few minutes ago.’
‘It’s my sister they want.’
‘They can’t get hold of her and it’s urgent apparently. I said to try your mobile.’
‘Oh God. Right, I’ll –’ His phone rang. ‘Serrailler.’
‘Michael Farmer, at Lafferton Vets. I’ve been trying to get hold of your sister but it’s always voicemail. I’m sorry to disturb you but I need permission to operate on her Yorkshire terrier again.’
‘Can I give that?’
‘She has you down as next to contact.’
Simon sighed. ‘Right. What’s up?’
He listened to a long description of Wookie’s state, which had worsened.
‘If I don’t do this now he won’t survive, the infection from the rat bites has got a grip and I need to cut out some tissue. He’s on intravenous antibiotics but it’s not enough.’
‘Operate, it’s what my sister would say, she loves that little mutt – everyone does. Even me.’
‘Thanks. If you get to speak to her first would you tell her and I’ll call her with an update later? Do you know when she might be available?’
‘Not a clue but I’ll keep trying her as well.’
He stood up. His back had been painful all day. He lay on the floor and drew up his knees, rolled carefully to one side, paused, then the other, following up with the other exercises he had been taught years ago. He should do them daily but when he was out of pain he skipped them, and cursed when he paid the price. He had been warned by the physios when his arm was amputated that once the first week or ten days was over he should not let himself depend on painkillers, but take them very occasionally if he was having a particularly tough day, and he had been religious about following the advice. It was the same with his back pain, though to get him through some long and exhausting days he kept a small supply of co-codamol about him. He was nowhere near that point now.