Part 15 (1/2)
The flimsy shoe covers pinged from her feet and were left in a sad bundle with the hat, dragged from her head as she ran. She tore at the billowing coverall and threw it aside as she shot through the main doors. There were people after her, feet thudded on the tarmac of the road way. She jigged and turned nipping between taxis and parked cars. An emergency vehicle screeched to a halt as she flew in front of it, she flung out her arms in reaction and it missed her by inches. Breath burned in her throat as she picked up speed. An old lady hobbling before her, leaning heavily on a metal walking frame, turned at the sound of running feet.
”Oh my word, whatever is it, what's wrong?”
She held out a hand as Sylvie flew past, ”Hey, what have you done, why are you running away?”
They collided, only lightly but it was enough. The old woman tipped and stumbled.
”Oh, oh no.” She tumbled to the pavement and the metal frame crashed into the road under the wheels of a pa.s.sing car. The screech of tyres and the screams of the old woman lying on the ground beat into Sylvie's ears. She couldn't stop, mustn't stop and so ran on, away from the mayhem, her heart pounding and her gasping breath loud in her ears.
The chasing security guards had no choice but to stop, they had to help the old woman who had skinned her knees and the walking frame was tangled in the wheels of the car. The resultant back-up of traffic blocked the hospital entrance and an ambulance, lights flas.h.i.+ng and siren blaring, mounted the pavement to try and find a way through the confusion.
Sylvie ran on and on, she didn't remember the way from last time but again her instinct took her out from the city centre. When she felt sure she had truly left all the pursuers behind she stopped and flopped to the ground beside a brick wall. She drew up her legs and lowered her head to her knees. Every bit of her body was shaking, her throat burned and her head pounded. She sat for many minutes simply waiting for her heart to resume a steady rhythm and for her brain to still and take stock of what had happened.
There was a tiny cafe on the corner of the road and she took herself inside to hide from the crowds and the day and the pure confusion of it all. She bought a bottle of water and asked for a cup of coffee. The table in the corner gave her a view of the window and the street outside but she felt hidden in the angle of the walls.
For a while she simply sat there trying to straighten out the events in her mind. Although going back there had been foolhardy there was no denying she had needed to do it. Now she had seen him, he had looked better than expected, opened his eyes and was so very obviously improving and that was good, it was, wasn't it? There was the other thing though, what could she take from that, he had looked straight at her, there was no doubt he had seen her but there had been nothing. Not in his eyes, not on his face, no sign at all that he knew her. In his condition and the flurry of those moments surely his reaction was unguarded and honest and so, did he truly not know her or did he know her only too well.
Chapter 54.
”Leave it Forbes, there's plenty of bodies to catch her. Stay with me.”
With the sharp instruction Detective Bailey swung back into the newly quieted room and dragged a chair to the bed where Samuel was struggling to keep his eyes open. He had been disturbed by the turmoil in his protected world and now turned to peer at this new visitor.
”Samuel. I'm Detective Bailey, this is Constable Forbes, we've been with you from the start of all this. I'm glad you're feeling a bit better, it must be great to have the tube out. The doctors have told us you can talk to us for a little while. If you find it all too much and want to stop at any time let me know and we can leave things for another day.”
Samuel nodded and raised a hand.
”Marie, do you know where she is?”
The question was little more than a whisper and the desperation obvious in the sick man's eyes pulled at the detective's sympathy. He shook his head.
”There are a lot of things we are in a puzzle about Samuel. I think if I tell you what we know as fact it might be a good place to start and then you can ask me whatever you want and I'll answer you where I can.
”You have to be aware though before we start, there has been a crime, we have a shooting, not only you but another man. We think we know who did it but we don't know why. At this moment in time you are not in any trouble but simply helping us with our investigation. Are you clear about that Samuel, don't try to talk just nod if you understand me.”
He nodded.
”Do you remember being in the hotel?” The question was answered with a weak shake of Samuel's head where it lay against the pillow. He pointed at the plastic tumbler and Stella lifted it and helped him to drink.
”Okay, well we were called to The Seven Stars Hotel by someone reporting a disturbance, to save time I'll give you a quick rundown of what we found. We entered your room and you were lying in a pool of blood beside the bed, there was a girl with you, and there was the other man. I have to tell you he had also been shot and didn't survive.”
”Marie, what about the baby? Are they okay?”
Now he was showing signs of being distraught, his breathing had grown rapid and laboured. One of the machines showed a red light where before there had been a green glow. The nurse hurried across the room.
”I'm not sure he's up to it. I think I should get the doctor.”
Samuel reached out and grabbed at Stella's arm, ”Tell me about Marie, is she okay? G.o.d why won't anyone tell me? Are they okay?”
The doctor pushed in beside the bed and nodded to the nurse who introduced a syringe full of medication into the infusion tube. Samuel calmed quickly and as his lids closed he made a final effort.
”Marie, will you fetch Marie?”
The police stood up, ”Thanks for that doc.” The comment was sour and Bailey shook his head in frustration.
”I can't have him upset, I warned you when I agreed you could talk to him. You'll have to wait until he's stronger and that's all there is to it.”
”Yeah, yes I know you're right it's just that we can't move along here. There were no doc.u.ments, nothing to tell us who he is except the story from the girl and it's so frustrating. Nurse, do you know who this Marie is?”
”He's asked for her a few times and he keeps talking about a baby but according to the book there's been no-one visiting him and certainly no baby.”
”Great so we're even more confused than before. Anyway, let's address the other issue. Sylvie, how the h.e.l.l did she get in here and what did she say to him.”
”I know nothing about her, I didn't recognise her, I've only been in the department two days and I thought she was the cleaner until she went ballistic when she saw you. Sorry can't help you.”
”I don't expect she'll risk coming back but if she does, or anyone else for that matter you need to let us know. Come on Forbes, I'm feeling disgruntled I'm gonna tear a strip off the b.l.o.o.d.y plod who was sitting outside the door. I'm having his scalp.”
”Hey, guv he made a mistake is all.”
”Yeah well, I need a victim today and he's it.”
With this angry statement Detective Bailey stormed from the room and could be heard a few minutes later his voice a threatening growl as he harangued the hapless bobby who had allowed Sylvie access to the room.
As he drifted into the drug induced peace a great tear tracked down Samuel cheek.
That had been so hard, unbelievably hard. Now though he just wanted to drift away, he let go the strings of reality and as he fell into the peace Marie came to him smiling.
Chapter 55.
Sylvie left the little cafe with no idea where she was or what direction to take. This place was unfamiliar, busy and confusing and with the recent panic still raw her brain refused to cling onto rational thought long enough to make decisions.
The image of Samuel as he looked at her in the room, looked through her really as though she was a stranger, kept blocking out everything else. Every time she pictured his drowsy eyes filled with nothing but confusion she choked on the lump in her throat.
Was he brain damaged, how would she have been able to tell? She hadn't even had a moment before all h.e.l.l had broken loose. Was he simply drugged, did he know her and want to protect her or did he know her and want to protect himself with distance and ignorance. The thoughts pushed and jostled against each other as her legs carried her nervously through the hustle of the shopping streets.
Then, like a glimpse of a harbour from a storm tossed sea she saw the figure, tall and skinny, striding out confidently before her, legs scissoring and long hair dancing from side to side.
”Lennie, Lennie wait.”