I’m about to take a gulp from the glass that’s just been handed to me. As I begin to tilt it back, Simmonds pipes up impatiently, ‘Your turn, Novak!’
I pause. Lower the glass. ‘I should take my medicine.’
‘Oh, you can swig your Calpol later!’
As I place the still-full glass on my bedside table, he chivvies me along with, ‘You compile the dossier. Well? What then?’
‘A lot of people who assisted Paige did so because they thought they were helping with a legal adoption process. I didn’t want those people hurt. There’s more to it, I suppose, but the bottom line is I went to Paige and offered him a deal. All his cash to go to his victims and he could disappear to some backwater with no extradition treaty.’
‘How did that go down?’
‘My client shot me in the stomach.’
‘So very nearly a happy ending!’
I recount the events that took place in Paige’s study, then, using my phone, forward the dossier to Simmonds. I’ve just pressed send when Doctor Sharma bobs her head into the room.
‘Right!’ she declares. ‘Time’s up! We need to examine Mr Novak to make sure there’s no collection of blood and—’
‘I require just one more minute, thank you!’
Simmonds’ peremptory tone clearly grates on the medic, but I give her a ‘please, miss!’ nod and she snaps, ‘One minute!’ and disappears.
I ask Simmonds, ‘So what happens now?’
He gets to his feet. ‘I return to civilisation.’
‘I meant to me.’
‘The doctors do their bit. You convalesce. My people go after Paige.’ He grabs his long cashmere coat from a hook on the wall. ‘Christ knows what the PM will say about all this.’
‘Yes, it must be jolly difficult for the poor old thing.’
‘Oh, one more thing, Novak. Our sources tell us that Paige has already taken out a contract on you.’ He slips into his coat. ‘He’s paid someone to have you bumped off.’
‘That’s a one more thing?’
‘One was reluctant to mention it earlier. Didn’t want to bring the mood down.’
‘Very thoughtful. Will I get protection?’
‘Shouldn’t think so. Budget cuts. Public purse. Paperwork. You know how it is.’
‘Thanks ever so.’
‘Stop fretting!’ He buttons up his coat. ‘I was pulling your leg. I’ve ordered men to watch you whilst you’re here. They should arrive within the hour.’
That’s something at least, I suppose. ‘Thank you.’
Simmonds stands over me, and as if he’s being forced at gunpoint to say the words, he asks, ‘Is there anything else I can do for you? Anything you’d like?’
‘I could murder a drink.’
‘I’m not a trolley dolly, Novak!’
‘Was worth a shot.’
He gives another sigh and pulls a silver hip flask from his coat pocket. ‘Here. I suppose you could do with this more than me right now.’ He hands me the flask and walks towards the door, pausing before he opens it. ‘Why do we do it, Novak? Do you ever stop to ask yourself that?’
‘All the time.’
‘And?’
‘I haven’t a clue.’
He gives me the ghost of a smile. ‘For once, we are aligned.’
He opens the door.
‘Simmonds!’
‘Yes?’
‘Thank you.’
He looks vaguely embarrassed and points a finger in my direction. ‘I shall want that hip flask back, Novak!’
He leaves the room and I smile. God, I could do with a drink. I open the hip flask. Sniff its contents.
Oh, no . . .
I take a swig.
It’s full of coffee. Bloody coffee!
If I wasn’t so aggrieved, I’d laugh. It’s zero alcohol and the real kicker is, it’s terrible coffee.
I screw the lid back on as the doctor re-enters the room. ‘How are you doing?’ she asks.
I slide the flask under the sheets. ‘I’m good, thanks.’ As she approaches, I remember the medicine the nurse told me to drink, turn and reach for the glass. ‘Just about to drink up, like the nurse told me to.’
‘Nurse?’
‘The lady who brought me this.’ I raise the glass.
‘This is a cottage hospital, Mr Novak. We only have one nurse. And he called in sick this morning. Right now, it’s just me and Billy the porter.’
I attempt a smile. ‘Just my little joke. Mr Peters poured me a drink from a bottle he sneaked in.’
She scowls at me. ‘Well, you shouldn’t drink it.’
I recall Simmonds’ warning.
Our sources tell us that Paige has already taken out a contract on you.
I place the glass back on my bedside table. ‘For once,’ I tell the doctor, ‘we are aligned.’