Series 16 Episode 2:
DIRTY LAUNDRY
Written by Clive Dawson and Stephen McAteer

It is the day after the crash and Patrick's married girlfriend, Rachel James, is interviewing Josh. He does not handle the interview very well, insisting that he was not driving recklessly. Afterwards he goes to the ambulance station where Nikki, who obviously still blames him for the crash, blanks him. Although Josh is anxious to start back at work straightaway Jeff McGuire suggests that he take a few days off and that he lets Max examine him to check that he is OK. Josh finds out that he is suspended from his driving duties when he does start back at work. Meanwhile Danny's sister, Lynne, arrives in the country. She goes to the hospital to see where her brother died. Charlie takes her to see Danny's body and after she asks to see someone who was with her brother, he introduces her to Dillon. Dillon takes her into resusc to show her where her brother died and they bump into Josh who, while waiting for Max, is looking for Colette. Not knowing the circumstances for her brother's death Lynne thanks Josh for trying to save his life. Dillon, having realised that no one has told Lynne about how her brother died, fetches Max who breaks the news to her. She gets irate that she thanked Josh and begins to shout. While Max is telling Lynne what happened to her brother Jack accidentally pulls out the headphones from the stereo he is listening to and loud music fills the reception area. Max storms out of the relative's room where he was talking to Lynne and grabs Jack's stereo, which he drops in a bucket of water. Outside the hospital Lynne is waiting for a taxi. Josh joins her and apologises. Lynne says that she knows what he wants, her forgiveness, but that he won't get it. She says she hopes that Josh sees her brothers face everyday.
Comfort and Nikki get a call about a patient suffering from chest and arm pains at the airport. Simon Kingston was returning from his holiday in Israel when he became ill on the plane. He arrives at the hospital and is examined by Patrick. When Chloe suggests a possible diagnosis, a pulmonary embolism, Patrick snaps. He correctly diagnoses that Simon has got the bends from diving the previous day to impress the air stewardess he was seeing and that the cabin pressure of the plane brought forward the symptoms. When questioned by Patrick whether or not he was warned about such consequences Simon admits that he didn't really understand the diving instructor and that he only went diving to impress the stewardess. Patrick calls Plymouth to arrange Simon's transfer to the decompression chamber. The air stewardess (Lisa) arrives but gives Simon the brush off. Meanwhile Jack asks out Lisa's friend Sherilyn who accepts his offer but is only in town for the night. Jack, posed with the task of deciding between the air stewardess and Delight, who he has already arranged a date with goes to Dillon for advice. Dillon tells Jack to go with Delight as the air stewardess probably has a man at every airport. Dillon laughs at the fact that Jack has still not worked out that Delight is a transsexual. That evening Jack goes out with Delight. He notices some blood on her face and when she says that it's a 'shaving nick' he finally realises what everyone else realised the day before, that Delight is a transsexual. Nevertheless he buys her a drink as she tells him about women.
Patrick is seen reading a postcard from Holly. She is in Germany. He smiles as he reads it and then is given patient notes by Chloe. Later he is angry that Chloe, who is thinking about getting a second job so she can take out a loan to pay her debts, has given him the wrong patient notes. While asking for a reference for Max, he is told that the new SHO starts next week. Her name is Lara Stone and she is an Australian. A friend of Patrick faxes over an article about the new SHO and Patrick reads it in disgust. He does not seem impressed with the fact that she worked on the frontline in Sierra Leone. Later on Patrick again reminds Max about his reference, reminding him about the "world class" thoracotomy he performed the previous week. Charlie shows Patrick another article about Lara Stone, this time with a large picture in the middle. Patrick again does not look impressed and later the same article is seen graffitied. Charlie asks Patrick if he knows anything about it and although he doesn't admit doing it, he smiles. Later Patrick is seen meeting Rachel James, the married policewoman, in a car park. She takes off her wedding ring and they agree to go and get a drink.
Natalie, Colette's daughter, arrives at the hospital to speak to Colette. They go and get a drink and Natalie tells Colette that she is five months pregnant. When Colette asks about the father Natalie tells her that he is out of the picture but that she is keeping the baby. Colette asks Natalie if she wants to go shopping for baby clothes but Natalie says she can't see Colette anymore. She can't understand how Colette could have given her away when she can't even contemplate giving her baby away. She thought she understood but she doesn't. Colette is visibly upset but asks that Natalie let her know when the baby is born. Natalie agrees and walks away. Colette hurries away and when ignores Josh when she passes him in the corridor.
Nikki is interviewed by Rachel James and is shocked to discover that McGuire has told her of Nikki's concerns about the speed of which Josh was travelling. Later when Fin is interviewed he is angry to find out that Nikki has said she felt that Josh was driving too fast. After several questions from Rachel James, Fin reluctantly admits that he too was unhappy about the speed at which Josh was driving. Fin goes to the ambulance station and confronts Nikki about talking to the police. She tells Fin that McGuire "stitched her up". The pair continue to argue but are broken up when they receive an emergency call. On the way to the emergency call Fin drives carefully so as not to do a "Josh". They arrive at the scene of a mugging and a man, Tom Mills, is lying on the ground suffering from a stab wound to the neck. He has been stabbed. Once the patient is in resusc Fin berates himself for driving too slowly and almost costing that man his life. Comfort tells him that he did everything right and that they saved the man's life, but Fin continues to blame himself. Later, at a briefing, Fin confronts McGuire. They have a heated argument in which Fin admits that he doesn't know anything anymore and that he is angry that since the crash he has been offered no counselling or days off and is just expected to get back to work and pretend that nothing has happened. Fin and Comfort are called to a man stuck up a crane complaining of shortness of breath. Fin goes up to talk to the man. The previous day his friend slipped and now the man is scared to do his job. Fin tells the man that he is going to be all right and that he's just having a panic attack. Singing "The Red Flag", Fin manages to get the man down to the ground. After his shift Fin again confronts McGuire who tells Fin not to get involved in case he goes down with Josh. In response Fin throws his uniform at him and tells him to wash it. Fin walks away.


Episode first broadcast Saturday 22nd September 2001

Additional Cast
Jeff McGuire Bob Mason
Rachel James Amy Robbins
Danny Oldfield Noel Clarke
Delight O'Toole Harold Finley
Natalie Charis Thomas
Lisa Majors Lucy Blakely
Sherilyn Tilson Preeya Kalidas
Lynn Oldfield          Tracey Saunders
Janine Daniella Lavendar
Eric Ben Bennett
Simon Kingston Alex Dunbar
Joe Stanley Townsend
Tony Nick Hamilton

Written by Claire Morton

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