The Consultant didn’t look pleased by the question. “I can assure you he is already getting the very best of care available,” he responded testily. “Your prayers might be more useful than your money.”
Then the Doctor turned on his heels and was on his way. Off to save someone else’s life no doubt, Tom thought. He watched John Seymour’s departing back with admiration. It was a name he knew he’d never forget. He turned and could see Liz staring at him with a look of expectation in her eyes. Tom gave her his best reassuring smile and immediately saw her relax a little.
Sam booked into the hotel close to Heathrow Airport at 5.00am. Airport hotels were used to people coming and going at all hours and the reception showed no sign of surprise at her early, unplanned arrival. She had obtained a small pack of essentials from reception, which included a toothbrush and toothpaste, as she had left her wash bag and cosmetics in the hotel bathroom in Brighton.
She went straight up to her room and soaked for a long time in a very hot bath. She hated Connor for what he’d done but recognised that in some ways she’d escaped lightly from him. He was a sick bastard and there was no knowing what he might have done, if she’d stuck around any longer.
She was thankful she had turned up for her three monthly contraceptive injection just a couple of weeks earlier and so didn’t have to worry about the possibility of being pregnant. The pig hadn’t even bothered to check whether she was taking contraception. She hoped he didn’t have any nasty diseases. She would have to get a checkup as soon as possible. Anyway, Connor was history. She didn’t know if the police had found him still in the room back in Brighton but even if not they had his name and he wouldn’t find it easy to evade them. She managed a small smile at the thought of Connor in the bath when the police charged into the room. At least he had served a purpose in getting rid of Ashdown.
She’d paid a high price for her revenge but with hindsight maybe it was worth it. If he’d asked her up front for a quick shag in return for killing Ashdown, she might well have agreed. After all she was basically bartering sex for Eduardo’s assistance. And it wasn’t the first time in her life she wanted to forget a sexual experience. There had been a couple of drunken occasions where she regretted who she woke up with the next day. This was different though and she wouldn’t easily forget Connor. In fact she didn’t want to forget him and when she returned to Belfast, she would seek him out and make him pay. For now she would look forward to seeing Eduardo and some pampering in Paris.
As she came out the bathroom she heard mention of Ashdown’s name on the television. She hurried to turn up the volume and heard the reporter say he was in hospital in a critical state. Though immediately disappointed he wasn’t dead, she was pleased to hear he still might not live. Her emotions changed rapidly though when she realised that it was his brother who had been shot and a neighbour had been killed. That fool Connor had managed to shoot two people but neither of them was the bloody intended target.
She slunk on the bed uncertain what to do next. There was no mention of Connor so she had to assume he’d not still been sat in the bath when the police arrived. It was ironic she decided but actually perhaps Connor’s incompetence had worked out for the best. Her brother was suffering in jail and now Ashdown’s brother was also suffering. Ashdown would have to live with the knowledge he was responsible for his brother’s being shot. Maybe this was a more potent revenge even than actually killing him. Her spirits lifted.
Eduardo’s plane was due to arrive in two hours. That still gave her plenty of time for a bit of shopping. There were some nice shops at the airport. She intended to look and smell her best for him. It would take him about another hour to clear customs and she would surprise him by waiting for him at arrivals. She wondered if he would recognize her. She had been a blonde the last time they met. Hopefully that hadn’t been all that attracted him.
Then she could take a taxi with him to his hotel. She had returned the hire car at the airport, as the police would now be looking for her. At the very least the hotel in Brighton would have given a description of her and the car to the police and she didn’t fancy driving around in it any longer. She now realised she had acted too hastily when she sent the police hurrying to her hotel room. In her desire to get back at Connor she’d overlooked the fact that the room also pointed straight to her. There had even been a video camera over the front door, which if working must have captured images of her and Connor. There would also be fingerprints but fortunately she had no criminal record. All in all it was a mess but she knew she would be safe once she was with Eduardo and out of the country.
Connor knew he’d been lucky to escape the police. Laying in his bath in the hotel room, he’d heard just the sound of the television and wasn’t surprised when Sam, I’m too fucking good for you, Murphy ignored his request to get him a scotch. She was probably sleeping or had just returned to being a cold bitch. He’d finished his leisurely bath, wrapped the towel around his waist and returned to the hotel bedroom to discover the bloody girl missing. He’d dressed quickly
