Alison Roberts - Emergency - Christmas

“Stay where you are!” Aaron’s yell cut intothe chaos like a knife. “Nobody move!”

Fragments of what was happening continued to tumble through Penelope’s brain. People had escaped. But the window of opportunity had lasted less than a minute. Everybody left in the E.R. was now under the control of the gunman. It was a lottery that one of them might not survive the next few seconds.

“Do exactly as he says.” Mark was watching Aaron as he spoke, and Penelope cringed. How could he draw attention to himself like that? He was inviting Aaron Jacobs to use him as a target and he was the closest person to the deranged patient other than herself.

The closest person who was alive, that was.

Dear Reader,

Perhaps you are driving home one evening when you spot a rotating flashing light or hear a siren. Instantly, your pulse quickens—it’s human nature. You can’t help responding to these signals that there is an emergency somewhere close by.

Heartbeat, romances being published in North America for the first time, bring you the fast-paced kinds of stories that trigger responses to life-and-death situations. The heroes and heroines whose lives you will share in this exciting series of books devote themselves to helping others, to saving lives, to caring. And while they are devotedly doing what they do best, they manage to fall in love!

Since these books are largely set in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, and mainly written by authors who reside in those countries, the medical terms originally used may be unfamiliar to North American readers. Because we wanted to ensure that you enjoyed these stories as thoroughly as possible, we’ve taken a few special measures. Within the stories themselves, we have substituted American terms for British ones we felt would be very unfamiliar to you. And we’ve also included in these books a short glossary of terms that we’ve left in the stories, so as not to disturb their authenticity, but that you might wonder about.

So prepare to feel your heart beat a little faster! You’re about to experience love when life is on the line!

Yours sincerely,

Marsha Zinberg,

Executive Editor, Harlequin Books

Alison Robertslives in Christchurch, New Zealand. She began her working career as a primary school teacher but now splits her available working hours between writing and active duty as an ambulance officer. Throwing in a large dose of parenting, housework, gardening and pet minding keeps life busy, and teenage daughter Becky is responsible for an increasing number of days spent on equestrian pursuits. Finding time for everything can be a challenge but the rewards make the effort more than worthwhile.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

YES!

Penelope Baker was confident that her personal elation would be easily absorbed by the general buzz of anticipation building around her. She reached for the wall phone and punched in the required number to reach the operator.

‘Could you page the anaesthetics registrar, please?’ Please! Penelope added silently. Let Jeremy be on duty. Please, please, please !

She glanced over her shoulder as she waited, inner tension kicking in at the minor crisis erupting beside her. A student nurse, Chrissy, had been invited to join the trauma team for the incoming case and the poor girl was terrified. Having been directed to assist the circulation nurse, Chrissy was presently struggling to untangle the giving set she was attempting to prime. She had forgotten to close the line, and fluid was dribbling steadily from the end of the tubing. Droplets splashed Penelope as Chrissy shook the tubing to try and unravel the knot.

Behind Chrissy, the other team members appeared focused. Drugs were being removed from a secure cupboard, drawn up, checked and labelled. Over-head lighting was being positioned and switched on. A suction unit was being tested. Radiographers were donning lead jackets and doctors were tying on disposable gowns and pulling on gloves. Advanced airway care equipment was being assembled and checked.

Belinda Scott, the nurse responsible for the airway equipment, deflated the balloon on the endotracheal tube she had just checked, glancing up to catch Penelope’s eye just as the phone was finally answered.

‘Jeremy Lane.’

‘Hi, Jeremy.’ Penelope ignored Belinda’s meaningfully raised eyebrow. She also ignored the fact that Chrissy’s elbow had just dislodged a box of sixteen-gauge cannulae and sent them scattering over the floor at her feet. She even managed to ignore the familiar tingle the sound of Jeremy’s voice engendered. Her tone was entirely professional. ‘Penelope Baker speaking, Jeremy. Trauma Room.’

‘Penny! My day is improving.’ Jeremy’s tone was far from professional. Warm. Distinctly inviting. Penelope had to take a somewhat deeper breath.

‘We’ve got a nineteen-year-old multi-system trauma patient coming in. A paragliding accident. Apparently he has neck and head injuries and attempts to intubate in the field were unsuccessful—’

‘I’m on my way.’ There was no need for Penelope to elaborate. As she summoned his expertise to deal with a potentially life-threatening situation, any hint of flirtation evaporated instantly. Senior anaesthetics registrar Jeremy Lane was now as focused as every member of the emergency resuscitation team. Including Penelope Baker.

‘Estimated time of arrival, four minutes,’ someone called.

The bustle was subsiding as Penelope turned away from the phone. Chrissy’s latest disaster had been rectified and the young nurse now stood out of harm’s way in the corner, her cheeks still flushed scarlet. The preparations in the trauma room were now complete. Both the inner swing doors and the outside doors leading to the ambulance loading bay stood open. The trauma team stood, gowned and gloved, awaiting the arrival of their patient.

Penelope breathed in deeply, soaking in the atmosphere of calm control with the undercurrent that only high levels of adrenaline could produce. This was the part of her job she loved the most. There was no room now for any unprofessional personal reflection. She was simply a member of a highly trained medical team waiting for a chance to do what gave them all the highest level of satisfaction.

Waiting to save a life.

* * *

The ambulance backed swiftly and smoothly up to the loading bay of Wellington’s St Margaret’s Hospital. The doors opened immediately and the stretcher was lifted from the vehicle, raised and wheeled directly to the trauma room. The patient was strapped to a backboard which made the transfer to the bed a swift procedure.

‘On the count of three. One...two...three.’

Belinda unhooked the oxygen tubing from the portable cylinder and reattached it to the overhead supply outlet. Penelope lifted the bag of intravenous fluid out of the way of the approaching shears as clothing was cut away from the patient. She hung the bag on a hook near the oxygen outlet and opened the flow enough to keep the line patent then stepped to one side to make room for the staff members who were attaching the electrodes needed for a 12-lead electrocardiogram and wrapping an automatic blood-pressure cuff around their patient’s upper arm.