The Simple Death (36 page)

‘I wish . . .' she said.

He remembered the letter Peters had given him, the response to Conti's application for a transfer. Pulling out the envelope, he gave it to her. Wondered if a kiss on the cheek would be a good idea, thought probably not.

Kissed her anyway, said, ‘Welcome to Homicide.'

Acknowledgements

I
owe a great debt to Michele Simpson and her tremendous hospital experience, feeling for drama, and generosity of spirit. This book is the love child of Michele's stories and an essay by Philip Jenkins on serial killers and health care facilities. Sasha Shearman provided crucial ideas and advice. Thanks also to: Rosemary Caruana, Margaret Connolly, Tim Glover, Douglas Revette, Alex Snellgrove, Denis Tracey, Darryl Tuck, Peter Walsh, Jeanette Williams, Exit International, and the staff of the Sacred Heart Palliative Care Service.

I'm usually accurate in my description of Sydney, but not always. For plot purposes I created a big skyscraper in
The Tower
, the first Nicholas Troy novel, and here I have built a small bus stop for the same reason. St Thomas' Hospital has been erected to avoid the risk of legal action had I chosen a non-fictional institution, although I have placed it on a site where a real hospital once existed—my daughter Isabel was born there. Local readers will be aware an action on the suspension bridge at Northbridge described in the final chapter could not happen now. The book was finished just before the anti-suicide fences were put up.