‘Bloody hell. You know, even though it didn’t look good, I thought he was going to be all right. I thought we might have done enough.’
‘We might have done,’ Lizzy said. ‘The doctor said there was every chance.’
‘I hope so,’ Will said, ‘I really do. I assume you haven’t heard from Dan yet?’
Emma shook her head.
‘Come here, sis.’ Will put an arm around her and pulled her close. ‘No matter what happens, we’ll be here for you.’
‘Like last time,’ Emma muttered.
‘Yeah,’ he said, ‘like last time.’
***
‘Emma, wake up,’ Lizzy said. ‘Richard’s back.’
Emma opened her eyes and it took a few seconds for reality to break through. She glanced around, first at Lizzy, then at the hospital reception desk opposite, where a couple of nurses were filling out forms. Realising where she was, and why, was a terrible feeling.
‘What time is it?’ she said, kneading at her stiff neck.
‘Nearly one o’clock in the morning,’ said Will, flattening down strands of hair at the back of his head – a sure sign that he, too, had been unable to stay awake.
‘By now we should officially be completely plastered in one of London’s tackiest nightclubs, dancing to Kylie,’ Lizzy said. ‘I had it all planned.’
‘Funny how things don’t turn out how you expected,’ Will noted. ‘Who would have thought we’d be sitting in a hospital tonight?’
‘Where’s Richard?’ asked Emma.
‘A nurse just came by,’ Lizzy replied. ‘She said we can go in and see him. They’ve put him into the private room over there.’ She pointed to the room in the corner.
‘Did they say how he is?’ Emma stood up and tried to look through the windows that wrapped around the room.
Lizzy shook her head. ‘She didn’t say anything.’
But the nurse didn’t have to say anything - just one look at Richard lying in the bed, hooked up to a ventilator that controlled his breathing, told its own story.
In many ways he looked more ill now than he had done back at the apartment. His head was bandaged, hiding the injury, and his face was ashen.
‘Can he hear things?’ Emma asked the nurse, keeping her eyes trained on Richard. As she approached the bed she half expected his closed eyes to snap open like in a horror movie.
But of course they didn’t.
‘We don’t know really,’ the nurse admitted. ‘But people who have come out of coma do say that they remember things from when they were unconscious, so it’s always better to assume that they can hear everything you say. We also recommend that you try not to talk about the person indirectly whilst you’re in the same room as them.’
‘Sorry,’ Emma said. ‘I didn’t realise.’
‘It’s okay,’ the nurse said. ‘You’ll find it strange at first, but you’ll get used to it.’
‘How long have we got with him?’
‘You can have a few minutes, but then I’m afraid the doctor will need to come back in. Sorry.’
‘That’s okay.’ Emma stepped close to the bed and grasped the handrail. Lizzy paused just behind her, while Will stood at the head of the bed, his face solemn. ‘It’s just good to see him.’
‘I’ll leave you to it,’ replied the nurse, leaving the room.
‘Thanks,’ Emma said, not looking back at the nurse and keeping her gaze on Richard. ‘Hi, Richard,’ she said. Despite talking to someone who was unconscious, she didn’t feel at all self-conscious. It was as if Richard was awake and alert, listening to every word, making eye contact. ‘It’s good to see you. We thought you might be…’
Suddenly, unexpectedly, she broke down.
‘It’s okay, Emma,’ Lizzy said from behind, but her voice was also cracking with emotion and she had tears in her eyes.
‘Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,’ Will said, still keeping his distance at the base of the bed, as if Richard was infectious. ‘Maybe we should come back tomorrow. It’s been a tough day for all of us.’
Emma turned to look at Will and held his gaze. He was right. There was too much going on in her head, too many thoughts swimming around up there.
What happened to Richard?
Where is Dan?
Did Dan…
‘You’re right,’ she agreed, ‘we’ll go.’ She turned back to Richard. ‘We’ll see you first thing tomorrow,’ she promised. She placed a hand on his cheek and held it there for a few seconds. His skin was worryingly cold.
Richard was going to be Dan’s best man.
What the hell had gone so wrong?
‘Thanks for letting us see him,’ Emma said, as they walked past the nursing station.
‘That’s okay,’ the nurse said, looking up from the desk. ‘It was the least you deserved after waiting there for so long. Let’s just hope that Richard shows some battling spirit and pulls through this.’
‘I hope so,’ Emma said.
The nurse smiled kindly. ‘It’s not as bad as you think. I’ve been working here for nearly twenty years and I’ve lost count of the number of people who weren’t really given a chance, but then recovered against all the odds. I always used to wonder why people who had the worst injuries recover, while some who don’t seem as badly hurt don’t make it. And do you know what I realised?’
‘What?’
‘That love can make the difference between life and death. I know it sounds sentimental, but I know. I’ve seen how powerful love can be. And that’s why having you there is so important for Richard. It’s just a shame that his brother couldn’t be here too.’
Emma kept quiet, wondering whether the police had told the nursing staff about the circumstances surrounding Richard’s condition, and Dan’s possible role in it.
‘He called about five minutes ago,’ the nurse continued, ‘to ask how Richard was. Must be hard for him being so far away from home at a time like this.’
‘Far away?’ Emma queried, confused.
‘He’s out of the country on business, isn’t he?’
‘Are you sure it was Dan who called?’ Emma said, trying to get her head around what she'd just been told.
‘That’s what he said.’
‘Well… did he say anything else? Did he pass on any messages to us?’ Emma’s head was buzzing with possibilities.
‘He just told me to tell you that he was sorry,’ said the nurse. ‘He was sorry that he couldn’t be there with you all.’
5
‘Thanks, Lizzy,’ Emma said, as her friend handed her a cup of tea. ‘It’s really nice of you letting me stay here. I just can’t face going back to the apartment. Not yet.’
‘It’s no problem, really,’ Lizzy replied, sitting down on the sofa next to Emma. ‘It’s nice having you back here. Pity it’s under these circumstances though.’
‘I know.’ Emma stared into the tea and let the steam drift up onto her face.
It was Sunday morning, more than twenty-four hours since they had found Richard nearly dead in the apartment. They had returned to the hospital on Saturday as promised and Emma had stayed there for most of the day, watching Richard. They had also spoken with the doctors – the results of the tests were back. Richard was suffering from a cerebral contusion: a bruise on the brain. And although they still couldn’t say whether he was going to be okay, the fact that they hadn’t detected a bleed was really positive news.
‘Sleep any better?’ Lizzy asked.
‘Not really,’ Emma admitted. ‘I must have woken up over twenty times – I probably slept for about three hours or so in total. Every time I woke up I just kept replaying seeing Richard in the flat and the hospital. In the end I came into the lounge and watched some telly.’
‘Didn’t hear you,’ Lizzy said, ‘you should have woken me. I’d have kept you company.’
‘Thanks, but I’ve inconvenienced you enough without ruining your sleep as well.’
‘Nonsense. Next time, wake me up. I’ll expect
you to make the hot chocolate, though.’
They smiled at each other, the kind of smile that only happened at times of anxiety.
‘Emma,’ Lizzy said, tucking her legs under her body, ‘what do you think really happened?’
‘I really don’t know. But I still can’t believe that Dan would hurt Richard. Like I said, they’ve always been more like best friends than brothers. I just can’t imagine any way they’d fight.’
An uncomfortable silence fell.
‘I’ve been thinking about what the nurse said,’ Lizzy mused. ‘About Dan calling the hospital to see how Richard was. Why doesn’t he just get in touch with us if he really is innocent? I don’t mean that I think he did do it,’ she added quickly, ‘but it just doesn’t make sense.’
‘Maybe he’s afraid of what we might be thinking,’ Emma offered, not admitting that she had thought the very same thing ever since the revelation that Dan had called the hospital. Until then, the thought that Dan, too, was hurt somewhere had been at the forefront of her mind, but the phone call from him appeared to quash that possibility.
‘Or maybe he’s hiding from the person who really did that to Richard?’
‘I’ve thought that too,’ Emma said. ‘Maybe they’d got into some kind of trouble – I don’t know, gambling or something, and someone came looking for them.’
‘Dan was a gambler?’
‘No, but maybe Richard was. Oh, I don’t know, I still can’t believe that this is happening.’
She shook her head in exasperation.
‘Emma, just tell me to back off for being so insensitive, but I was wondering what you’re planning to do about the second reading tomorrow.’
‘I can’t go. Not while Dan’s still missing and Richard is in hospital. I just couldn’t do it; it would be so selfish.’
‘I understand,’ said Lizzy, taking a sip of her tea.
‘You think I should go to it?’ Emma said, reading her friend’s face.
‘I think it’s a fantastic opportunity,’ Lizzy admitted, ‘after all these years of hard work, it’s what you’ve always wanted – always dreamt of. Having Guy Roberts, the famous casting director, call out of the blue and ask you to come for an audition for a potential blockbusting movie. And to think that someone actually recommended you to him for the part – it’s amazing really. It’s a real shame to turn your back on something that could change your life.’
‘But…’
‘But,’ Lizzy continued, ‘I think that you’re doing the right thing.’
‘Thanks, Lizzy.’ Emma smiled gratefully. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
***
Will woke up with one hell of a hangover, courtesy of a bottle of Jack Daniels. He’d spent the evening drinking in front of the TV and had fallen asleep fully clothed on the sofa. And although he’d woken up several times since, he didn’t have the balance, energy or inclination to make his way to the bedroom. He struggled to his feet and staggered towards the curtains. A short, sharp shock was required. The blast of early morning sunlight set off what felt like a nuclear bomb in his head. Turning back towards the living room, grimacing at the sour taste in his mouth, his eyes focussed on the photograph lying on the coffee table.
Why had he not told her about it when he had the chance?
Somehow he’d managed to regain his composure in the hospital, hiding his torment, even joking with Emma and Lizzy. And the phone call from Dan seemed to indicate that maybe it wasn’t what he feared.
But who was to say that the person calling really was Dan?
He moved over and picked up the photo.
‘If you had anything to do with this, I swear I’ll kill you,’ he said, his eyes burning at the man in the shot.
He showered, dressed and headed outside into the sunshine, needing to escape the stale smell of alcohol that seemed to have soaked into every part of the flat. He decided to head towards Regent’s Park – maybe amongst the crowds of picnickers and sunbathers he could try and forget about the mess he had got himself into, if only for a couple of hours.
***
‘What did he say?’ Lizzy said, as Emma replaced the handset. ‘Was he okay about it?’
‘Surprisingly nice,’ Emma replied, not quite believing what the casting director Guy Roberts had just said to her. ‘He said he understood why I’d decided not to go, but he was really disappointed as I’d been the standout candidate from the first reading. He also said that I have real talent.’
‘Wow, Emma, that’s great! And you said there were loads of people going for the part.’
‘He probably says that to everyone.’
‘No way. Why would he? People like him have got enough wannabe actors bothering them without encouraging people who aren’t good enough. So he wouldn’t have said it unless he meant it. That’s really great news. I’m so proud of you!’
Lizzy embraced Emma in a congratulatory hug.
‘Thanks,’ Emma said, ‘but it’s not really important now, is it?’
‘I guess not,’ conceded Lizzy, pulling away. ‘Not right now, anyway. But everything will work itself out, Em, I’m sure of it. Then maybe you can contact this guy, see what else he’s working on. If he likes you that much, he’ll be interested in seeing you again for another part.’
‘Maybe.’
‘Let’s get out of here.’ Lizzy was trying hard to sound cheerful. ‘You need to take a walk, have some time away from that hospital. We’ll go and get a coffee or something.’
‘Okay,’ Emma said, ‘that’ll be nice.’
Just then her mobile rang.
She spun around, looking for the phone, and saw it on top of the breakfast table. As she dashed over to get it her heart leapt when she saw the Caller ID.
It was Dan.
‘It’s him,’ she shouted, panicking, grabbing the phone.
‘Dan, where are you, are you okay?’ she spluttered, not even giving him a chance to say a word.
She forced herself to stop talking and listen, but was met with silence.
‘Dan, are you there?’
Again there was nothing.
‘Dan?’
Then the line went dead.
She looked across at Lizzy, but before her friend had a chance to say anything the phone rang again.
‘Dan?’ she said.
‘Hi, is that Emma Holden?’ a deep male voice asked.
‘Yes, yes,’ she replied, taken aback by the fact that it wasn’t Dan on the other end of the line.
‘Detective Inspector Mark Gasnier here. I’m part of the team investigating the serious assault on Richard Carlton. I was hoping to speak with you today…’
‘Sure,’ she said, meeting Lizzy’s interested gaze.
‘This morning okay?’
‘That’s fine. Do you want me to come down to a police station?’
‘That won’t be necessary. We’ll come over to you.’
***
He stood on the opposite side of the street, looking up at the window of the flat. It had been risky to call, especially while he had been standing only metres away, but he just had to hear her voice, if only for a few seconds.
He could sense the anxiety, the desperation.
It was all worth it.
A double-decker rumbled past and briefly obscured the view, its sides plastered with an advertisement for the latest West End musical. He took one last look at the flat before heading for the tube, making his way towards the hospital.
6
Will sat down on the grass, closing his eyes and letting the warmth from the powerful sun bathe his face. A gentle breeze wafted his shirt and amongst the shouts and laughter of fellow visitors he could hear birdsong. In any normal situation this would feel like heaven. He had been wandering around a bustling, vibrant Regent’s Park for more than an hour, already completing a couple of circuits. He knew what had brought him here – this place harked back to happier times. It was the place his parents used to take him to, when he and Emma wer
e children – he’d seen the photos, with the four of them sprawled out on a picnic blanket, surrounded by treats.
Even Dad had looked happy in those days.
He lay there for a few minutes, watching the brightness of the underside of his eyelids. But he couldn’t just shut out the world and its problems – especially when the problem was internal. He opened his eyes and scanned the park. The sun had really brought out the crowds, especially the families. It was a huge playground, with kids running around, playing football and chase. He focussed on a small boy who was trying to launch a kite, but there really wasn’t enough wind, and the kite kept crashing down and bouncing along the ground. As he watched the boy pick up the kite to try again, he saw him, sitting on the grass, looking in his direction. The hairs on the back of Will’s neck bristled, and his pulse quickened.
‘It can’t be,’ he mouthed.
He stared across at the figure, which still seemed to be staring back. But it was just too far away to make out the man’s face, and the sun distorted the view somewhat. Will’s first reaction was to turn and run, or at the very least pretend he hadn’t noticed the attention. But then he was overcome by anger. Anger at what had happened to Richard, and to Emma.
He stood up and began striding towards the man, dodging kids as they weaved across his path. His heart rate picked up rapidly.
By the time he reached the man, the guy had his back to him, sitting on the grass, leaning on his hands.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Will demanded. ‘Are you following me?’
And then the man turned.
‘Excuse me?’ He looked puzzled, shielding his eyes against the sun. ‘Do I know you?’
It wasn’t him.
‘Oh, I’m so sorry,’ said Will, holding up his hands and stepping back a couple of paces. ‘I thought you were a friend,’ he said, trying to explain.
The One You Love (Emma Holden suspense mystery trilogy) Page 3
