The trigger for Dean’s violence had originated here. He’d become privy to information that had rocked his world to the very core, Emily had no doubt about that. She was scared. That email Jake had received had been the catalyst for all of this, and she’d said nothing about it at the time. She still hadn’t told him what the email had implied. She should have. Jake was bound to think, as she now was, that they might have nipped all this in the bud. From the letters other people were receiving, it was becoming obvious that she and Jake were being targeted as part of a malicious plot of some sort. Didn’t that suggest that she shouldn’t be reading too much into the email? On the other hand, the information about Zoe’s abortion was real. Natashawason the pill, Microgynon 30, Emily had checked. Didn’t that make the implication about Jake’s infidelity true too? And what about the weird texts she herself had received? Might they in some way be connected?
‘This all looks very official.’ Tom, who’d initially been annoyed at being called away from one of his meetings, interrupted her thoughts. Looking wary, he nodded towards Jake, who looked across to them, hesitated, and then detoured towards the water cooler. He looked more in need of a strong brandy. His hands were shaking as he tipped the cup to his mouth, his complexion ashen. Emily felt a turmoil of conflicting emotion. She should hate him, yet still she loved him. Her heart felt as if it was tearing apart inside her at the thought of him cheating on her with Sally.
‘Any idea what this is all about?’ Sally asked. She was sitting opposite Emily, who had ignored her since hearing her intimate exchange with Jake in his office and busied herself trying desperately to catch up with the arrangements for Edward Simpson’s party, firming up the booking of the village hall and returning the call regarding the bar.
‘Zoe Miller.’ Fran, who was standing, rather than sitting – probably so she could be first out of the door with the gossip – filled Sally in. ‘Pushed over her balcony by her husband,’ she said with a dramatic sigh.
‘Shit.’ Sally’s shocked gaze twanged in Emily’s direction. ‘You’re joking.’
‘I wish I was.’ Folding her arms, Fran shook her head dourly. ‘He denies it, of course. Poor girl fell three flights, cracked her head open on the paving slabs below. Blood everywhere, awful sight it was. She looked like a little broken rag doll according to Mrs Wilkinson who works at the chemist. She was coming back from walking her dog. Said she’d never had such a shock in her life. Heard her landing, apparently. There was a dull thud and then—’
‘Fran!’ Noticing Nicky wiping quietly at the tears streaming down her cheeks, Emily pulled Fran up sharply. Could the woman not just exercise a little restraint, for goodness’ sake?
‘But couldn’t she have just fallen?’ Sally whispered.
‘Not according to the neighbours,’ Fran whispered back, her eyes flicking to Emily as she did. ‘They had a violent argument, so I heard. He was in a terrible state when he was here, I gather. Bordering on violence, then, according to …’
God.Emily gritted her teeth as they whispered on. The village drums had obviously gone into overdrive. Refraining from saying anything further, for fear she might tell Fran exactly what she thought of her, and also possibly Sally, she smiled tentatively at Jake as he approached. ‘Would you like a coffee or tea?’ she asked him, having noticed that he’d swilled back two cups of water and had another in his hand.
‘No.’ Jake smiled shortly. ‘Thanks.’ Loosening his tie, he turned to address everyone gathered. The shadows under his eyes were darker, Emily noticed. He looked bone-weary with exhaustion.
‘I gather you all know about Zoe Miller?’ he asked, surveying them each individually.
‘We do. Fran’s furnished us with details, should any of us have been wondering,’ Tom answered, a despairing edge to his voice. Fran glanced down, looking flustered and upset, which was surprising. Emily had always considered she must have a very thick skin, since she generally didn’t appear to care what people thought of her gossip-mongering.
‘You can hardly blame people for talking,’ she muttered tetchily at length. ‘Everyone’s wondering what on earth’s going on, where the information is coming from. Fern Jessop is worried to death about her old mum learning about her muscular sclerosis diagnosis. Says it will be enough to give her a heart attack.’
‘People are cancelling appointments,’ Nicky chipped in, her voice a frightened whisper as she glanced worriedly at Jake.
Jake tugged in a breath. ‘Right.’ He nodded tersely. ‘In case any of you weren’t aware, Dean Miller was here earlier. Distraught I think understates the mood he was in.’
‘Fit to murder someone, he was,’ Fran interjected, addressing no one in particular. ‘From what I heard, his language was—’
‘I’m not sure that’s helpful, Fran.’ Shooting her a warning glance this time, Tom cut her short. Emily noted Fran’s cheeks flushing and the peeved look she gave him, at which Tom looked away uncomfortably.
‘From his conversation with me,’ Jake went on, clearly working to control his emotions, ‘it was obvious that he’d learned certain upsetting information.’
Uneasy glances were exchanged as he paused again, allowing people to digest this.
‘Personal medical information regarding his wife that was given to me in strictest confidence, as is all patient information,’ he went on, with another agitated intake of breath. ‘I spoke with Zoe Miller shortly before the tragedy and established that she hadn’t divulged that information to anyone else. It seems clear, therefore, that it could only have come from here.’ Stopping, he glanced again at everyone in turn, causing people to shift awkwardly.
‘I won’t say who it concerns, but it’s also pretty damn clear that other patients’ details have been accessed too.’
He was talking about Natasha. Emily felt her cheeks flush.
‘Whether these details have been leaked inadvertently or deliberately, in what I can only assume is some kind of spiteful act of revenge, obviously has to be ascertained,’ he continued. ‘The police have informed me they will need to talk to me. I imagine they will want to talk to each of you individually too. It goes without saying that if anyone here is responsible for what is basically a flagrant disregard for data protection, for whatever reason, then it might be a good idea to come and see me … or Tom,’ he added, almost as an afterthought, ‘before that happens.’
Nicky gasped openly at that, her eyes pivoting towards Emily, her expression a combination of bewildered and horribly guilty.
‘You’re placing yourself above blame, then?’ Fran asked in the ensuing silence. She was possibly the only person who would dare to challenge Jake on this, since she didn’t have access to files or systems. Which didn’t actually mean she hadn’t had access to patient information. Emily had caught her peering at the computer screens on many an occasion as she fussed about, cleaning, which was one of the reasons she was so despairing of Nicky’s lackadaisical attitude. God only knew what information Fran had become privy to, poking around in the various offices – especially Tom’s, which she spent a disproportionate amount of time in.
‘Fran …’ Tom sighed, his tone now one of utter despair.
‘I’m just saying,’ Fran retorted. ‘Just because you’re both doctors doesn’t mean you’re beyond reproach, does it?’
Eyeing the ceiling, Tom sighed again and shook his head.
‘No, Fran, it doesn’t,’ Jake answered for him. ‘To be frank, though, as a doctors’ surgery, where patient confidentiality should be our absolute priority, I think we all have a certain amount of responsibility to bear. Certainly in making sure this sort of thingneverhappens again.’
