A soft knocking at the bedroom door interrupted my thoughts. A porter came in pushing a trolley, followed by a young nurse.
“Miss Crossley; we’ve come to take you down for an MRI scan. Did they tell you about it?”
“They did, yes. Will it take long?”
She giggled. “I don’t know really. They’ll let you know in the scan room.”
I was helped onto the trolley, and then pushed along a typical hospital corridor to the lift area. It seemed to take an age but eventually we arrived at the MRI unit, where I spent the next hour encased in a tomb-like shell, bombarded by a noise that penetrated my head like a pneumatic drill. Even the earmuffs they had given me did little to help. I was tempted once or twice to press the panic button they’d placed in my hand, but the thought of the embarrassment I would suffer if it ever got out restrained me. I tried thinking about sex but that didn’t help much, and, anyway, my thoughts were frequently disrupted by someone asking me: “Are you alright in there?” Bloody silly question; of course I wasn’t alright. Who would be in this coffin?
Then it was over and I was back in my room, to be greeted by the cheerful, and very welcome, face of Connie.
She lent a hand in helping me back into the bed, and then drew up a chair.
“It’s good to see you, Connie. How did you get here?”
She smiled and took my hand. “Steve gave me a lift. Are you feeling any better, Angie? You scared the life out of us the other night. Have they come up with any answers yet? Any idea who it could have been? No one will talk to me about it.”
I thought, seriously for a moment, about lying to her – in her own interests, of course. But Connie and I didn’t have that kind of relationship. We had promised each other a long time ago that we would always be honest with each other; now would not be a good time to break that pledge.
So I told her the truth; about my feeling that it could well be the same man we were pursuing, and how particularly concerned I was that, if he had been able to find her so easily, it was highly dangerous for her to remain at Ashworth House. I also told her that the idea had crossed my mind that we should consider moving her to a safe house.
“If you’re right, Angie, and he found me here, then I don’t think there’s such a thing as a safe house, do you?”
I shook my head. “Probably not, no. But I’m still worried about how the hell he found you.”
“If you think about it, there’s no great mystery. For instance, he could have phoned Forest Hills asking for me, saying he was a relative or something, and they could have told him I’d moved to Ashworth House. Or, if they’d just told him I wasn’t at the hospital any more, it wouldn’t take much to work out that I would go to Ashworth House.”
“That’s perfectly logical, Connie. But how would he know who you were? He doesn’t know your name. And, even if somehow he did, how would he know you were in the hospital in the first place?”
“He would know that in exactly the same way he knows who I am. I’ve told you, Angie; just as I’ve seen him, he’s seen me. That’s what’s so scary about him. Besides, I’m less worried than I was now Ashworth House has been turned into Fort Knox - and he’ll know that as well. So I can’t see him trying that one again, can you? Honestly?”
I sighed and squeezed her hand. “He also knows now that if he wants to get you he’s got to go through me first! And I’d actually quite like him to try that again. He won’t be so lucky next time.”
“When do you think they’ll let you out of here?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Hopefully, in the morning. Providing the scan is clear and there are no monsters lurking inside my head. And then, young lady, I’m told I’ve got to spend at least a week convalescing, so I’ve decided I’m going to ask Paul if he can find me a room at your place.”
“Hey! That’s great. Then I get to look after you for a change.”
“And I get to keep an eye on you – and that boyfriend of yours.”
She actually blushed. “Yes, well – I’d better be going, Angie; the ‘boyfriend’ is waiting downstairs.” She leant over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Hopefully, I’ll see you tomorrow sometime. Will you give me a ring?”
“Connie?”
“What?”
“I hate to remind you again, but you will be careful, won’t you?”
Her blush deepened. “Not big on subtlety, are you? And I’m not a child, you know.”
“I’m only thinking of you. The last thing you need right now is a pregnancy.”
“Don’t worry; I’ll be fine.”
I nodded and waved her goodbye, just as the evening meal arrived – a veritable feast of inedible rubbish. But when you’re hungry, then, as they say, you will literally eat anything! After a few mouthfuls of God knows what I pushed the plate aside; no one could be that hungry, I decided.