CHAPTER ONE

      Bzzz…bzzz…

      The noise jerked Jess out of the delicious tranquil state that had been enveloping her.

      Her eyes blinked at the bright light outside, the fuzziness of her brain trying to adjust and make sense of it all.

      Her pager usually woke her in the dark of the night—just like it had three times last night. Having it wake her in the middle of the day was an entirely new experience.

      A baby with RSV had kept her awake most of the night in Paediatric ITU, and when the ward had finally quietened down around an hour ago, she’d brought her coffee in here to do some paperwork.

      Fat chance. She touched the coffee cup on her desk. Stone cold. Had she even managed a sip before she’d wiped out?

      How long had she been asleep? She wriggled in her chair, rolling her shoulders back and trying to ease the knots out of her back.

      Bzzz…Bzzz…

      She glanced at the number. A and E. Another admission. Probably another respiratory problem.

      It was Glasgow, at the start of November, but it felt like the middle of winter. The temperature had dropped dramatically in the last few days and paediatric emergency admissions had soared. Trips and falls on the slippery pavements had resulted in a whole host of strains, fractures and head injuries. Asthma and respiratory complaints were through the roof. Infections and nondescript viruses were causing mayhem with new babies and toddlers.

      Just as well she didn’t have anyone