Read Online In Jeopardy by Lynette McClenaghan - Free Book Online Page A

days from work to go to Perth.
    ‘Christine?’
    She snaps back to the present. ‘Did you say something?’
    ‘Are you okay?’
    ‘I must have drifted off.’
    ‘You haven’t opened your mail.’
    ‘I’m tired – I’d rather not.’
    ‘Expecting bad news? Open your mail. I’m here to protect you from the big bad wolf of bills.’
    ‘Since when have you become so interested in my welfare? You’re just burning with curiosity aren’t you?’
    The first letter has the travel agency’s logo stamped in bold red print. Christine hasn’t mentioned her travel arrangements to Tim. It’s probably this letter that caught his attention. He stops packing and watches Christine open the letter.
    ‘Bad news? Tragedy? Disaster?’
    ‘A ticket to Perth.’
    ‘That would make me dance on stars. What a charmed life you must lead! You only just returned from Sydney and now you’re off to Perth.’
    ‘I’m meeting up with family and I’ll only be away for a few days.’
    ‘You make it sound painful, like a chore.’
    ‘Travel is painful, packing your life into and out of suitcases; isn’t that what you’re doing now?’
    ‘You’re funny – in an unfunny way – but I get your point.’
    She rips open each letter, followed by Tim’s question, ‘Bad news?’
    She responds, ‘Boring, another bill or landfill,’ and they both laugh until she picks up the letter from Ben Thornton’s legal firm. She had half forgotten about legal proceedings. Thornton requests she contact him by phone. He explains he has received correspondence from Richard’s lawyer, and includes some available times for Christine to arrange an appointment with him.
    ‘Did you run a red light – get caught speeding – driving and talking on your phone?’
    ‘I wish it was that simple.’
    ‘Is it that bad?’
    ‘Worse. You don’t know – do you?’
    ‘Know what?’
    ‘This is a hospital, news travels faster than any grapevine.’
    ‘You don’t have some dreaded disease – nothing terminal I hope?’
    ‘My husband threw me out of his life when we were in Sydney. The whole ugly affair exploded in our hotel room. He thinks he’s in love with this woman – at least a girl I swear is half his age. I didn’t exactly want to hang around and I returned alone.’
    ‘Wow – that’s amazing – I’m sorry – I really feel for you – that’s bad. I mean, he’s some bad person.’
    ‘I’d call him a son of a bitch.’
    ‘I’d call him that and more. You’ve shown remarkable self-control. I never would have guessed this is the reason you are living in residents’ quarters.’
    ‘I didn’t want to air my personal life in public. I don’t want people to think I’m some fragile creature you have to tip-toe around. No one needs to make allowances for me, half expecting that I will fall apart – that’s not going to happen.’
This is a hospital and medical workers must be made of tough stuff. This job is self-selecting – a hospital’s no place for sooks.
‘You can’t fall to pieces at any little crisis when you work in a place like this.’
    Christine calls Ben Thornton’s office and arranges an appointment before she leaves for Perth.
    Thornton doesn’t waste time on small talk. ‘I trust you’ve read my letter.’
    ‘Your letter makes the situation sound serious. Do I have any reason to panic?’
    ‘Your estranged husband has responded and has since engaged a legal representative. She acknowledges our orders that your husband is not to contact you.’
    ‘I guess that explains why email contact from him has stopped.’
    ‘Mr Banks contacted me personally when he received my letter and ahead of his solicitor. He made it clear he was angry with you, and me for that matter. Your estranged husband accused me of filling your head with rubbish. He told me I was unethical, shouting down the phone at me.’
    ‘That’s so like Richard.’
    ‘I gave Mr Banks enough rope to hang himself. I have his measure.’
    He doesn’t