Ralph was grateful that Sister Lamb had protected him from the journalist duo so that he could focus on the emergency case, although he knew that they wouldn’t be totally put off, so he told her to tell them that he would call if he was able to divulge anything later.
Diagnostically, Ralph had little doubt about Catriona’s state of inebriation and her visual trouble.
‘It’s just misty smoke and bright flashes and sparks that I see,’ Catriona had said, panic in her still slurring voice as he took her history. ‘I … I can’t breathe properly either.’
‘I’m going to put up a drip soon and that’ll help the breathing, Catriona. But first I need to know more. How much of this peatreek did you drink?’
‘A lot, but not as much as Vicky, and nowhere near as much as Jamie.’ She began trembling again and tears ran down her cheeks. She sniffed and panted. ‘C-Can you get my sight back, Doctor? Ha-Have you told my folks yet?’
‘The police have spoken to them and I understand that they are both on their way. I’ll need to speak to them as soon as they get here.’ He nodded to Lizzie who passed him an ophthalmoscope. ‘Now, let me examine your eyes a bit closer. When I asked you how many fingers I was holding up you said you couldn’t see anything, so I need to look inside your eyes. Sister Lamb is going to switch off the light and I’m going to shine this instrument into your eyes. It’s like a torch. You won’t feel anything.’
Sister Lamb doused the light and Ralph switched on the ophthalmoscope and leaned close to look through the series of lenses inside the instrument to assess the state of retina in each of Catriona’s eyes.
A few moments later after the lights were switched on again, Ralph told her: ‘We’ll need to take some blood for tests, Catriona. Now, answer me honestly, did you take anything else? Any drugs of any sort? I need to know.’
‘Just the whisky. Jamie brought it. We were … celebrating finishing our exams for the Highers.’
She began to sob and Ralph put a hand on her wrist.
‘OK, Catriona. I’m going to go and talk with the eye specialist and the kidney specialist at Stornoway and once I have I’m going to start treating you. We’re going to do our utmost to help you.’
Catriona sat back in alarm. ‘K-Kidney specialist. There’s nothing wrong with my kidneys is there, Doctor McLelland?’
This time Sister Lamb bent down and put a comforting arm about the youngster’s shoulders. ‘We’re going to look after you, petal. Don’t you worry.’
‘That’s right, Catriona,’ Ralph said. ‘The whisky you had must have been tainted with methanol, that’s —’
‘— methyl alcohol, I know that from chemistry,’ Catriona said. ‘But Jamie said it was good stuff and totally safe.’
‘Aye, well, clearly it wasn’t. I think it must have been illicit whisky. We’ll need to transfer you to Stornoway where they can dialyse you to get the poison out of your system. It can damage your kidneys and we need to make them safe.’
He left her in Sister Lamb’s care while he went to his office to phone the Western Isles Hospital on Stornoway. Before he reached the end of the corridor he picked up Torquil’s call.
‘Ah, Torquil, the very man. I’m waiting for Charlie and Bridget McDonald to show up. I’m going to need their permission to treat Catriona.’
‘That’s partly why I’m ringing. Ewan has just talked to them separately. He said you should know that there is friction between them.’
‘Aye, they are divorced. They’re both patients of mine, so I’m aware that there are — issues.’
‘And I’m afraid I’ll need you up here pronto to certify young Jamie. We’re stymied until you do and the Scene Examiner gets here.’
Ralph was used to pressure. ‘As soon as I can afford to leave my live patient, I’ll be there, Torquil.’
‘So what is your verdict with Catriona?’
‘Well, I’m virtually one hundred per cent sure its methanol poisoning. We’re taking blood for testing, but I can’t wait for the results. I’ll need to treat her as soon as possible before permanent damage sets in. I’m just about to check in with the specialists on Stornoway, but I’m pretty sure I know what I’ll need to do.’
‘Can you get her sight back?’
‘It’ll be touch and go. She’s lost her pupillary reaction and her optic discs inside her eyes are all congested. She has what we call optic neuritis.’
Calum and Cora were just about to get on the scooter to return to the office when Charlie McDonald’s Mercedes careered into the car park. A moment later the local councillor and his ex-wife Bridget McDonald got out and flounced towards the main door.
‘Ah, Charlie, could I have a word?’ Calum ventured.
‘No comment, Calum!’ came the curt reply from the councillor.
‘Come on, Charlie,’ snapped Bridget, giving Calum and Cora a disdainful look as she walked quickly past them. ‘Have you not dithered enough, you bloody idiot.’
Calum was about to follow until Cora put a hand on his arm. ‘I think we ought to wait for Doctor McLelland’s call this time, Calum. It sounds as if things are fraught enough right now.’
Calum tisked and absently reached into his anorak pocket for the bag containing his half-eaten mutton pie. He unwrapped it. ‘You see, the journalist’s life is never easy, Cora. We of the fourth estate are the most misunderstood of all the professions. People consider us pariahs, busybodies, when all we aim to do is keep people up to date and informed. Then when they need us —’ He gave a short laugh and took a munch on his pie.
Cora smiled and linked her arm through his. ‘You’re no pariah, Calum Steele. I think you’re the bee’s knees. Come on, it’s been a long night.’ She covered her mouth and gave an exaggerated yawn and then winked. ‘I could just do with a nap on the office couch while we wait for the news from Ralph.’
Calum beamed and took her hand. ‘It’s back to the office for us then. We must cater to the needs of the Press and of the journalists.’
CHAPTER SIX
Ralph had a rather brisk consultation with Charlie McDonald and his ex-wife Bridget. Charlie had gone in on the offensive, backed up immediately by Bridget.
‘What the hell is happening here, Dr McLelland? How come Catriona’s been admitted?’
‘Why did PC McPhee say it was an emergency, Doctor?’ Bridget enquired.
Her ex-husband jabbed the air in front of him. ‘I need answers and I’m warning you, if I’m not satisfied, I’ll be straight on the phone to my solicitor.’
Ralph adroitly deflected their questions and tried to assuage their anxiety as best he could, at the same time leaving them in no doubt that the situation was urgent.
‘Who was she up there with?’ Charlie McDonald asked forcefully.
‘I don’t have the information and I’m not at liberty to say anyway. That is for the police to tell you.’
‘Look here, if my daughter —!’
Bridget McDonald put a restraining hand on her ex-husband’s arm. ‘Charlie, be quiet, can you not understand what Dr McLelland is telling you, you big lummox? He needs to start treatment right away to save her sight.’ Shaking her head in exasperation, she held out her hands for the consent form attached to a clipboard. ‘Let me sign and let’s get on with it.’ As she did so the tears started to trickle down her cheeks. ‘Please, Ralph, do whatever you have to do.’