They thanked everyone for their time and left the pub.
Katy marched across the car park to James. Keeping her distance, she called out, “We’re going to shoot off now. I take it you haven’t found any evidence yet?”
“Correct. What about the cameras, anything there?”
“Yep.” Katy waved the disc in the air. “We’ll be going over it in the morning.”
“I hope it produces something useful. See you soon, no doubt.”
“Pretty much guaranteed living in this neck of the woods, James.”
Around fifteen minutes later, Katy and Charlie raced through the main doors of the hospital and followed the signs for A&E.
Katy flashed her ID at the receptionist. “I called earlier about an Ethan Johnson.”
“Ah yes, I remember. There’s been no news so far. His father has arrived and is waiting in the family room.”
“Thanks, we’ll go and see him. Any idea how long before we hear any news?”
“Sorry, there’s no telling with cases like this. I can request the doctor to come and see you when he has a spare five minutes.”
“That would be wonderful. Thanks for your help. The family room is where?”
“Bottom of the corridor on the right. You might want to take a coffee with you. The only vending machine on this level is over there.”
“Thanks for the tip.” Katy bought two drinks and rejoined Charlie.
They walked into the family room to find a man in his early sixties, pacing the room, a pained expression on his tanned and weathered face.
“Hello, sir. Are you Mr Johnson?”
“I am and you are?”
“We spoke on the phone earlier. DI Katy Foster, and this is my partner, DC Charlie Simpkins.”
“Ah, I see. Maybe you can use your powers of persuasion to get some information out of the doctors around here. They’ve dumped me in here and told me someone will be along soon. I just want to know what’s going on with my son, is that too much to ask at a time like this?”
“It’s not unreasonable, sir. I checked with the receptionist on the way in. She’s passing on a message for a doctor to see us when he has the time. Until then, I’m afraid we’re going to have to be patient.”
“That is not something I’m known for, having patience. Do you know what happened?”
“We’ve come here from the pub. It would appear four men attacked your son. It seems stealing his car would have probably been their motivation.”
“I knew it! I told him to be careful buying a bloody car that expensive, but would he listen to me? No. Now look what’s happened to him. I just want to know what’s going on, this is all rather frustrating for me.”
“Can I get you a drink, Mr Johnson?”
“No, I don’t want a blasted drink. All I want is information.”
“It’ll come in time. They’re obviously busy in there, working on making sure your son is comfortable. I’ll give the doctor another ten minutes and then chase him up.”
“Ten minutes is going to seem like ten weeks to me.” He kicked out at a chair leg, sending it scuttling into the one beside it.
Katy turned her back on him and rolled her eyes at Charlie. Just what we need. While I agree with him feeling frustrated, showing his anxiety isn’t going to help matters.
She sat on one of the orange plastic chairs and sipped at her drink. Charlie did the same, leaving a few seats between them.
There was a strained atmosphere shadowing the room.
The door opened a few minutes later, and a blonde woman in her twenties walked in. She glanced at Katy and Charlie and then ran into the arms of Mr Johnson. “Oh, Des, isn’t it awful? Have you heard anything yet?”
He smoothed a hand over her mane of golden hair and then took a step back to look into her face. “Thanks for coming, Hattie. No news yet. The detective over here assured me she’ll chase the doctor up soon.”
Katy smiled at the woman. “I was the one who rang you. Thanks for coming.”
“I couldn’t not come. He’s my world. Oh, Des, what if he…?”
“Hush now. Let’s not even contemplate that, love.”
Hattie sniffled. “But it’s there, in my mind, I can’t shut it out.”
“You’re going to have to, for now.”
The door opened a second time, and everyone in the room held their breath as a doctor came in and closed the door behind him.
“Hello, are you the Johnson family?”
Katy jumped to her feet and offered an explanation as to who everyone was. “Mr Johnson’s father and girlfriend, and we’re the two detectives dealing with the case, Doctor.”
“I just wanted to bring you up to date on what we’ve ascertained so far about Ethan’s injuries.”
“Is it bad?” his father demanded.
“I want to lay my cards on the table and tell you that, as things stand, your son’s condition is classed as critical. I’m sorry if that’s not what you were expecting to hear but I think it’s important not to give people false hopes at this stage. We’re doing our utmost to alter that situation and to offer you more hope. At present, we’re losing the battle. That’s not to say we’ve given up on him yet, however, with the injuries Ethan sustained in his prolonged attack, well, his body is fighting hard to overcome many obstacles on the road to improving his situation.”
“That’s all well and good, Doctor, but what does all that mean?” Mr Johnson asked.
“It means that with one perilous injury, your son’s life would be in immense danger. He has several, which is causing us to scratch our heads.”
“What sort of injuries are we talking about?” Katy jumped in to ask, her heart rate rising rapidly out of fear for the victim.
“I don’t want to be away from him for too long. Briefly, he has three broken ribs, a punctured lung and possible damage to one of
