Next Big Book Thing: Hidden by Derick Parsons @1

Kate’s fleeting irritation had passed and now she smiled and said, ‘Well, you didn’t have to be so rude to him. Or are you so secure here that you can afford to insult government Ministers?’

He grinned imperturbably, ‘Well, yes, I am, actually! And I don’t like or trust politicians, you know that. I never did. Especially handsome, would-be miracle workers. Remember old Archie’s lecture on the “Pursuit of Power”?’

Kate smiled at the recollection and said, ‘Of course I remember! How could I forget?’ Her voice deepened to a pompous bass, ‘The desire for power should disqualify from power.’ She laughed and continued in her normal; voice, ‘Poor old Professor Archibald, mad as a hatter and twice as paranoid! And he was supposed to be a psychiatrist! Talk about the blind leading the blind.’

Trevor smiled back and said, ‘Sure the reason he gave up private practice in the first place was that he was more disturbed than most of his patients, and never cured any of them! So what did they do? Made him a lecturer, of course!’ He seated himself behind his huge, leather topped desk and waved her toward a chair, shaking his head in amusement as he said, ‘Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.’

He recollected Kate’s current position and coughed to cover his embarrassment before saying hurriedly, ‘Er, I wasn’t including you in that…’

Dimples appeared on Kate’s face, taking years off her age, as she smiled to herself in secret amusement; in spite of the passage of years he was still the same awkward, often annoying, yet strangely endearing Trevor. She made a dismissive gesture and said, ‘Obviously you weren’t including me in that bracket, or you wouldn’t have invited me out here today, would you?’

‘Er, no, I suppose not. Sit down, please. Would you like some coffee?’

Kate shook her head as she sat down, ‘Not right now, thanks.’ She smiled again, with growing warmth, ‘You’re still the bossiest, most irritating man in the world, Trev, and I’m so glad to see you again.’

He smiled, ‘The same words could be applied to you, my dear. Well, not the man part, obviously but definitely the irr…’ Before he could continue a faint sound caught both their attention and he froze. Muffled and distant though it was, the sound was undoubtedly that of a woman screaming.

‘Excuse me a minute,’ said Trevor expressionlessly, picking up his phone. He spoke briefly into the receiver before getting to his feet and heading for the door, his face inscrutable, ‘I won’t be long, I just have to attend to something.’ He opened the door but then paused to say, ‘It’s your new, or should I say, prospective patient. She seems to be having an…episode.’

And with that he was gone, but through the open door Kate could more clearly than ever hear the desperate, terror-filled cries of Grainne Riordan.