He shifted his gaze to a parking area off to one side of the helipad, where there were four-wheel drive emergency vehicles, huge command centre trucks and even rescue service motorbikes parked.
‘You’re well equipped to respond by road. And did I read that you take charge of any major incidents?’
Don nodded. ‘We get dispatched to work with police and the fire service as command for any multiple casualty incidents or disasters. We also have single-crewed vehicles available at all times for first response if the local ambulance service is overloaded or they need advanced paramedic assistance for patient care. Those staff members are in addition to the helicopter crews. That’s where we’re starting you off for orientation.’
Cooper’s eyebrows rose even though he tilted his head to acknowledge the challenge. But Don smiled.
‘Don’t worry. We’re not throwing you in the deep end by yourself just yet. You’ll be double-crewed until you are comfortable with protocols and destinations, etcetera. In fact...’ Don checked his watch. ‘Let’s head downstairs. Shift changeover will be happening and there’ll be a good crowd to introduce you to, including the guy who’s going to be crewed with you for the moment. I expect they’ll all be having breakfast right now.’
‘Sounds great.’ Cooper took one more look at the stunning view of Wellington harbour in front of him with the skyline of the city visible to one side, past the cranes and ships of a busy port and rugged, forest-covered hills in the distance to the other side. ‘I still can’t get over this view,’ he said as he followed his new manager. ‘You must have one of the best offices in the world.’
‘Can’t complain,’ Don agreed. ‘But this location was chosen for more than the view it gives us upstairs. It provides the fastest access to pretty much everywhere we need to go. We’ve got a straight run into the central city, or over to the west coast, we’ve got the coastguard base two minutes away when they need a medic, and if we’re heading to the mountains or further north, the choppers just head straight for those hills, which is well away from the flight paths for the airport. That’s where the name came from. Aratika means a direct, or straight, path in Maori.’
‘Great name.’ Cooper let the door swing shut on the view behind him.
There was an enticing smell of frying bacon coming from the kitchen area of the staffroom on the second floor of this big, modern building and, due to the change of a night shift to a day shift, there was a large enough group of people to present a challenge in remembering all the names coming at Cooper. Paramedics, pilots, ground crew, which included mechanics and people that serviced and restocked gear—even an older woman who seemed to have the role of a housekeeper—Shirley. It was Shirley who was cooking the bacon at the moment.
‘Welcome to Aratika,’ she said to Cooper, with a warm smile. ‘Can I interest you in a bacon sandwich?’
‘Thanks...maybe later.’ Cooper wasn’t ready to relax enough to eat yet but everybody here seemed just as welcoming as Shirley, so far. It was disconcerting, a moment after thinking that, to find someone staring at him, their jaw dropping.
‘No way...’ He looked back at the newspaper spread on the table in front of him, flipping back to the front page.
‘That’s Joe,’ Don told him. ‘He’s the one you’ll be double-crewing with until you’re comfortable with how things work around here. Joe? This is Cooper Sinclair.’
‘And unless he’s got an identical twin brother...’ Joe looked up again as he got to his feet. ‘I’ve been looking at a picture of what you were getting up to yesterday afternoon. You just couldn’t wait to get to work, huh?’
‘Oh?’ Cooper’s smile froze halfway. It was a just a throwaway comment on behalf of his new colleague. There was no was Joe could know that he’d touched a deep nerve.
That Cooper had had an identical twin brother...
Joe gestured at the newspaper. ‘You’re a hero already.’
Cooper hadn’t seen any newspapers yet today. Or any television last night, for that matter. By the time he’d got through the traffic jam the accident had created and located the central city hotel that would be home until he found something more permanent, he’d been too wrecked to do anything but sort out his wet clothing, find something to eat and then crash for the night. At least he’d been able to contact Don and apologise for missing his orientation meeting at the base and it had been a relief to find that his new manager hadn’t been fazed.
‘Tomorrow’s another day,’ he’d said. ‘Can’t fault you for getting involved in an accident scene. Would have been disappointed if you hadn’t.’
Joe was looking just as laid back as he held out his hand. ‘Good to meet you, Cooper. Look forward to working with you.’
Cooper shook his hand. ‘Likewise.’
Don was reaching for the paper. ‘Front page? Oh... Nice photo...’
Someone had taken it from the top of the cliff with a good zoom lens. There he was, with that crying toddler in his arms, facing back towards the shore. Just a little out of focus in the background behind him, he could see Fizz heading back to where the car was teetering on the rocks, a splash of foam catching the sunlight dramatically in mid-air like a halo around both the vehicle and the woman.
‘Looks like you were enjoying yourself, mate.’ One of the pilots had stepped closer to look over Don’s shoulder.
‘I wouldn’t say that, exactly,’ Cooper murmured, but he had to admit there was a hint of something other than professional concern in his expression and he knew why as well.
That had been the moment when he’d been processing the way Fizz had dismissed his bid of taking charge of the situation. When she’d turned back to go and get the baby. When she’d cracked a version of what had become an old joke—Trust me... I’m a doctor... He’d been gobsmacked but undeniably impressed. Maybe that was the reason for that hint of a lopsided smile on his face and yes...it did look as if it could be interpreted as him getting an enormous amount of satisfaction out of what he was doing. It was just as well, he thought, that the picture hadn’t been taken a bit later, when they’d been holding hands as they’d hopped rocks to get back to shore—their wet clothes plastered against their skin.
He’d been right about that particular image coming back to haunt him. It had happened when he’d stood for a long time under the spray of that very welcome hot shower. It had come back with even more punch when he’d slid, naked, between the crisp sheets of his bed. If she ever got tired of being some kind of action woman, Fizz could probably easily get a job as a model. Tall and slim but with curves in all the right places. That long dark hair, dark eyes and olive skin that made him think she could have Mediterranean ancestry. Greek or Italian, maybe?
‘I heard about that job. I was in the ED when it came in.’
Cooper turned towards the speaker, relieved to have his runaway thoughts reined in so abruptly. It was a petite woman with blonde hair who was about his own age. What was her name again? Oh, yeah... Maggie.
‘Do you know if the patient was still stable on arrival? I think her name was Sonya. And if the kids were okay?’
‘Yep.’ Maggie nodded. ‘I was around for a while. I’d gone in with a kid from up north who was in status asthmaticus and I wanted to hang around until he was stable. I’m pretty sure the kids were fine. They got checked out