Another nurse popped her head around the curtain, and said, ‘Sorry for interrupting, Doctor Ross, but you’re needed in Resus.’
The doctor immediately scooped up the folder she’d laid on the bed and rushed out, leaving Lorraine to get Josie back into bed.
‘Leave me,’ Josie said. ‘I’m tired and I just want to lie like this for a while.’
‘OK, I’ll check on you in a bit then,’ Lorraine said, backing out. ‘Ring the buzzer if you need anything.’
Josie nodded, and closed her eyes. In the gap beneath the curtain, she saw Lorraine’s feet walking towards the bed next to hers, then heard her walk over to the bed on the other side of the room, and ask, in a loud, slow voice, as if speaking to a deaf person or an idiot, ‘Are you feeling any better, Agnes?’
No reply came, so she said, ‘Why don’t you close your eyes for a bit, my love? They’ll get sore if you keep staring like that, and we’ll have to use those drops you don’t like. Shall I turn the light off and see if that helps?’
Still no reply. Lorraine walked past Josie’s bed again, the overhead light went out, and then all fell silent in the room. Waiting a few seconds to make sure she wasn’t coming back, Josie got up and took the coat she’d stolen out of the cabinet. It was a little tight around the arms, but it buttoned up all right; and it fell to just below Josie’s knees, so the bloodstained gown was completely covered. Shoes back on, her handbag over her shoulder, she peeped out into the corridor to make sure Lorraine wasn’t standing guard, and then headed quietly towards the door marked Exit.
The Resus room was situated at that end of the corridor, and Josie glanced in through the open door as she passed. The old lady whose coat she was wearing was lying flat on the bed, her head angled back, her mouth wide open. Doctor Ross and three nurses were standing around the bed and Josie instinctively knew from their downbeat expressions that the woman hadn’t made it. At least she wouldn’t get done for stealing the coat, she thought, doubting that the grieving relatives would notice it was gone when they came to collect the woman’s belongings. Thankful for that, she quickly crossed herself before pushing out through the exit door.
22
Suzie and Holly were huddled on the sofa in their pyjamas, watching a horror film. Jumping when her phone started ringing, Suzie reached for it, her gaze still fixed on the TV screen.
‘Hello?’
‘Is this Suzie?’
‘Depends who’s asking,’ she replied cagily, not recognizing the voice.
‘It’s Dan,’ the man said. ‘PC Spencer.’
‘Oh, hi . . .’ Suzie sat up straighter and flapped her hand at Holly to lower the TV volume. ‘Is everything OK? We weren’t expecting to hear back from you so soon.’
‘I just wanted to let you know that Josie’s awake and I’ve spoken to her,’ Spencer said.
‘Oh, that’s good,’ Suzie said, smiling at Holly who was watching her anxiously. ‘And how was she?’
‘A bit groggy, but the nurse said she’d just had pain meds before we got there, so that’s to be expected, said Spencer. ‘She doesn’t remember anything, but it’ll probably start coming back to her when she’s slept and her head’s a little clearer.’
‘Let’s hope so,’ Suzie said. ‘He needs catching before he does this to someone else.’
‘We’ll get him,’ Spencer assured her. ‘Anyway, they said Holly can visit her tomorrow, and they’ve asked if she can take some stuff in – nightie and toiletries, and what have you.’
‘No problem,’ Suzie said. ‘And thanks for letting us know.’
‘You’re welcome.’
Spencer paused, as if, Suzie thought, he wanted to say something else, and she wondered if he was going to ask her out. Given the way he’d looked at her earlier, and his blush when she’d touched his arm, it wouldn’t surprise her; and he was a good-looking bloke, so she couldn’t deny it would be flattering. But she wasn’t sure she was ready to start seeing anyone so soon after Rob, so she was relieved when Spencer said, ‘Right, well, I’ll leave you to it, then. Night.’
‘Night,’ she said. ‘And thanks again.’
‘What did he say?’ Holly asked. ‘Is my mum OK?’
‘He’s spoken to her and she’s fine.’
‘Really?’ Holly’s eyes lit up for the first time that night. ‘Can I go and see her?’
‘Tomorrow,’ said Suzie. ‘And we need to take a nightie and some toiletries in for her, so I’ll help you to pack a bag when the film’s finished.’
‘I’ll do it,’ Holly said, jumping up off the sofa and rushing into the kitchen to grab a plastic bag.
Suzie smiled, happy that the cloud of gloom had lifted off Holly’s shoulders – and even happier to hear that Josie was on the mend, because the thought of spending the night in this grubby, soul-destroying little flat was already bringing her out in hives. She felt itchy just sitting on this stinking sofa, but she’d promised PC Spencer she would stay here, so that’s what she would do. But she was going to count off the seconds until she could escape and take a long hot shower.
Out in the hall, Holly hesitated before entering her mum’s bedroom. She wasn’t allowed in there, because her mum said it was the only private space she had, and she’d always respected that. But this was an emergency, so she opened the door and switched on the light.
Unprepared for the sight that greeted her, her mouth fell open. Her mum nagged her to keep her own room clean and moaned if the rest of the flat wasn’t spotless after she’d cleaned up at the weekend, yet her room was an absolute tip. Dirty clothes were strewn across the floor, and the air reeked of stale smoke and sweat. The duvet cover and pillowcases looked grubby, and an overflowing ashtray was sitting on the bedside cabinet surrounded by dirty
