#11a
Good Hope Hospital, Thursday ,late afternoon
It was an old hospital. The premises were as clean as possible, but the staff couldn’t do much about mud stains running up the walls under a peeling plaster, or regarding broken tiles on the floor that held dirt, no matter how frantically you use the floorcloth. Not that Hitchgins cared much about that sort of things, of course. He slalomed between busy nurses and physicians, reached the stairs and went up the third floor. Heavily breathing, he reeled in an austere corridor until he found the little nurses’ room.
A young woman in a white blouse was filling trays on an iron cart. A neat make-up vainly struggled to hide her tiredness. Hitchgins stepped in and offered his most engaging smile.
“’Xcuse me sweet ma’m. Ya’r’bout to serve sum kind of five o’clock, ar’n’t ya?”
If she was surprised to see a big sloppy cop appearing like an imp, she didn’t show it. Her everyday work life was already so stuffed with weird events that she wouldn’t have objected a little green man visit either.
“Indeed.”
“W’d ya do me a favour?”
She frowned, cautiously staring at him up to bottom and back. Then, with a hint of suspicion:
“Depends on the favour, Sir.”
Hitchgins chuckled.
“I was hopin’ you’d accept to deliver sum coffee to the young man in room 316…”
She was about to object, but Hitchgins pursued:
“I’d o’course prepare it myself. I see ya got much on ya’r hands already.”
She had an ironic smile.
“That’s all kind of you good sir. But for one: the patient you’re speaking about has been crystal-clear regarding the fact that he didn’t drink coffee. And for two: there’s no way I would let someone stranger to the service meddle with what I serve.”
Hitchgins' smile faded away ; all his face literally melted like hot wax to form a mask of desperate sadness. It had something comical but still conveyed a strong feeling of hopelessness. The nurse's green eyes widened in surprise, but they soon started to sparkle as she was touched against her will. She finally shrugged:
“Stop that, I'll do it...”
She opened the little closet where ingredients were stored. Hichgins interrupted her though:
“Err... Ma'am... I didno mean da average coffee. See, I've brought sumthin' else. Could ya prepare tis'one?”
He held her a small black and gold paper bag. He winked and added:
“Prepare three cups while ya're at it. Would enjoy some meself and I bet ya'd too. Premium quality! I've ruined meself to get it.”
She took the bag, cautiously smelled and smiled.
“I must admit that will change from the ordinary. You certainly like this guy, don't you?”
“Yep. He may not always be da brightest, but I like him. And I've a little sumthin' to be forgiv'n for.”
She filled a pot with water and put it on the little gas stove sitting in a corner. Hitchgins cast an interested glance at the bottles in an open metallic closet while the nurse proceeded with the filling of her cart. He took a small brown flask with a white label reading “codein”.
“Shouldn't dat closet be locked?”
She looked at him.
“Put that back on the shelf immediately! I will lock it, but I need some drugs for the patients.”
Hitchgins obeyed.
“Hey, I won't go away wid'it. I'm a cop 'fter all.”
“So what?”
The sergeant did not answer the affront. He watched her finish her preparations and thought that she could certainly be regarded as cute. They were very similar in that they both showed dedication to the community for ridiculous wages in return. Finally, she took a key in her pocket, locked the closet and nodded at Hitchgins.
“Okay. We'll begin with you friend. I don't want to get stuck with you for all my round.”
“Suits me well.”
They went through poorly lit corridors, passing by grey doors until they reached the one where a silver label bore number 316. Hitchgins nodded at the nurse, showing the door:
“Please, go first.”
She shrugged, opened the door, took the appropriate plateau and stepped in. Matt was reading the journal. He put it aside and smiled at the nurse:
“Wow! that's a classy hospital where nice nurses bring tea time lunches I would never take time to eat outside.”
She chuckled politely and put the plateau on Matt's knees.
“Enjoy it then. I've been told you would be out tonight, or perhaps tomorrow in the morning.”
“Yeah, looks like I'm too resistant.”
He noticed the coffee cup and frowned. He did not want to to say anything unpleasant though and said nothing. Then his nostrils faintly widened.
“Well this robusta is not the kind of socket's juice we have in police stations. And certainly not in hospitals either. Where did you get that?”
“One of your colleagues brought it.”
“Sergeant Hitchgins!”
The fat man stepped inside.
“Yep, Dat's me. How art'ya?”
“Sergeant, I can't believe that you're trying to butter me up with that...”
The nurse cut through their conversation:
“Sorry gentlemen, but I have much to do...”
She went. Hitchgins winked at Matt:
“Nice gal, eh?”
“Handsome. I suppose that if you had twenty years less...”
Hitchgins rummaged in his burnt grey moustache.
“No, no. I was no good at dat sorta things even back then. What 'bout da coffee? Like it?”
“I won't ask you how you knew that I liked it.”
“Oh, dat's simple enough you...”
“I said I won't ask. Pinelvy told me you had a frantic conversation.”
“Yeah? Bah, he's always makin' all a fuss for nuthin'”
“What about me?”
“Err, o'course... How's yar leg?”
“Nothing serious. I might slightly limp for a few days.”
“Great.”
“No, it is not great. It was your fault if I went through two burnt floors all the way down to the toilets.”
“Lucky ya: da corpse's cushioned yar fall.”
“It's not funny!”
“I ain't laughin'”
Matt angrily watched his superior and sighed.
“The fireman had warned us, but you did not paid attention.”
“Waita minute. Ya've heard him too.”
“You are the boss, remember?”
Hitchgins had a triumphant smile:
“Ah? So why didn't ya obey me orders then, eh?”
“What?”
“Didn't I tell ya to stay in me steps and not wander 'round, didn't I?”
Matt was uneasy.
“Well, you did...”
Hitchgins bent over him with a conspirator's attitude and muttered:
“Never mind, if ya'r not too rude wid me in yar r'port, I won't mention yar insubordination in mine... Deal?”
Matt returned him an incredulous gaze. The sergeant winked. Matt's feelings hovered a second, then he burst in laughter.