‘He hasn’t…’ Mary said.
Judy looked up and nodded.
‘Quite unexpected,’ said Dr Patterson. ‘I’d never have thought…’
‘At 11?’ asked Mary.
‘No,’ said Judy.
‘No?’
Judy checked her IPad. ‘Time of death: 10.55.’
Mary had lunch with her colleague Alysha in the canteen. She was upset and needed company. She told Alysha the story of Mr Hanley.
‘Isn’t that the weirdest thing you ever heard?’ she asked.
Alysha nodded. ‘Uncanny.’
‘His heart was getting stronger, Dr Patterson was sure.’
‘Self-induced,’ said Alysha. ‘Auto-suggestion. He believed it so much that he made it happen.’
‘But why?’
‘Who knows? He was carrying some baggage, wasn’t he? Divorced, didn’t get on with his children. No one came to see him.’
‘There was someone who tried—Rog. No, Rod.’
Alysha sipped her coffee.
Mary continued: ‘And his business. He wasn’t happy about that, either. I suppose we’ll never know the truth.’
Friday
Mary walked along the ward, checking on the patients. Mrs Luce was in the room that Mr Hanley had occupied: a big, friendly woman with an Italian accent. Liver cancer. Five days, maybe ten. Her son was there and her two grandchildren were coming soon. Judy came along with a message: there was someone to see her at reception.
Mary found a tall man was waiting for her. Long strands of grey hair in a ponytail, bright blue eyes that looked straight at her, tanned skin. Big hands, strong shoulders, muscular arms. In his late 60s, maybe early 70s, guessed Mary. Still in good shape. Must do some sort of manual work.
‘Mary Cove?’ he asked as she approached. ‘I came to see Frank Hanley, but…’
He introduced himself: Rod. Mary took him to a meeting room. She had a feeling that a strange story was going to get stranger.
‘I suppose I was his only friend—or the nearest thing he had to a friend. He could be a right bastard, you know.’
‘I could see that.’
‘We go way back. School friends, believe it or not. Lost contact now and again, over the years, but he’d always be back, like a bad penny.’
‘It’s a shame you didn’t come a couple of days ago. You only just missed him.’
‘But I offered! I told him I’d come on Wednesday. He said to come today, he even said to ask for you.’