of preliminary check.
âThanks.â Mimi climbed on to the bed. Looting was considered the lowest of the low, but this was a patient and he wasnât much more than a boy at that.
âHi, Iâm Mimi. Iâm with the ambulance service.â
No answer. The ladâs eyes were resolutely closed, although he seemed to be conscious.
âWhatâs his name?â She turned quickly towards the boy in the corner, who had his face in his hands and seemed to be crying.
âHis name.â The policeman standing over him bent towards the boy. âCome on. You need to help your mate.â
âTerence Arthur Wolfe.â It seemed that now the boy had decided to talk, he was going to tell all. âWe call him Wolfie.â
âOkay. Wolfie...?â
âNot now, baby. Iâm not in the mood.â
She heard the firefighter who had come with her chuckle quietly and shot him a grin. âJust as well. Neither am I.â
She tapped the side of Wolfieâs face with her finger and he opened his eyes. âAmbulance service, Wolfie. Iâm here to help you.â
She started the basic checks, calling over her shoulder to the boy in the corner. âWhat happened to him?â
âIt wasnât my idea...â The boy started to sob.
âWhat happened, lad?â Another prompt from the policeman.
âHe... He went downstairs, said there was stuff down there. I didnât go. All the furniture was floating about. He got hit by a wardrobe and it squashed him against the wall...â
âDid his head go under the water?â Mimi felt Wolfieâs hair and it was dry.
âNo.â
âWas he unconscious at any time?â
âI pulled him out and got him up here.â
âHas he been unconscious?â Mimi tried the question again.
âI donât think so.â
It looked as if Wolfie might have a cracked rib and two of his fingers were broken. But his breathing was okay, and if there was any bleeding it was internal. She turned to the firefighter. âWeâll need a carry cot. You have one on board?â
âYep, weâve got one.â
âGreat.â She felt in her pocket for her phone and dialled Rafeâs number. âThe boat can go back and fetch it?â
* * *
Rafe was holding his phone in his hand, and answered on the first ring. As he did so, he saw the boat, pushing away from the house and moving back towards them.
âMimi?â
âIâve got a young male, crushed by a floating wardrobe, of all things. Weâll need to evacuate him by stretcher. Iâll call an ambulance.â
âOkay, got it. Iâm coming across with the boat. Anything you need?â
âNo, Iâm good. Thanks.â
By the time the boat arrived back, a carry cot had been taken from the fire truck and they were ready to go. The dinghy was manoeuvred carefully across the dark water, bumping against the wall of the house, and Rafe waited for the go-ahead before he climbed up on to the balcony.
On his way through to the bedroom, a policeman led a young boy past him, ready to ferry him back to dry land and take him into custody. It seemed, from what Mimi had said, the other hadnât been so lucky.
Sheâd enlisted the help of one of the firefighters to hold a breathing mask to the boyâs face and was kneeling on the bed next to him. A new-found respect for her bloomed in his heart. In this vital fifteen minutes sheâd worked alone and by torchlight, improvising and taking the help she needed from whoever was there at the time. His responsibilities were different, heading a team of doctors and nurses in the hospital.
Heâd been so close to making the wrong decision. Rafe had told himself that it was concern for Mimiâs safety, but maybe he just hadnât respected her enough. Heâd allowed himself to fall back into his old way of thinkingâhe was the man and he had to protect her. He did, but