by V Clifford
Shaz rifled through a bleached-pine, linen press and picked out what looked like pillowcases, but then she hovered, ‘If you’re done here I’ll show you out. I’ve got to get back on.’
‘Don’t worry about me. I’ll check the bins. They might have slipped into the bins when I emptied my sheet out.’
‘The only bin that hasnae been emptied is his. I’m no’ allowed to touch anything in that room. You’re privileged if he let you in there.’ She nodded towards the study.
‘Right. I’ll just have one last scout around and then I’ll be off. No need to see me out. I guess you’ve got enough to be getting on with.’ Viv gestured at the pillowcases.
‘Aye y’er telling me.’ Shaz’s undernourished, undoubtedly, at one time, over drugged frame, never stood still and she was off upstairs like a bolt. Viv breathed a sigh of relief and headed back into the study.
The computer hummed and a warning sign with an exclamation mark sat on the screen. Viv knew how to get round this but it could take a few minutes. The computer objected to her first attempts, then bingo she was in. Viv didn’t try to make head or tail of anything she just copied the lot onto the USB. The machine was slow and she wiped her palms on her trousers, whispering at it to hurry up. Then she heard the thud of the front door closing and the click of heels on the parquet flooring. These footsteps did not belong to Shaz. As Viv hit the deck again she sensed that whoever was in the kitchen had heard her so she blasphemed loudly. ‘Shit!’
‘Hello!’ Lucy Mullan, Ralph’s wife, came round the door and tentatively squinted into the room. Viv scrabbled to her feet and brushed off her trousers. ‘Hi, Lucy . . . Shaz let me in . . . I’m really sorry about this, but I’ve lost my scissors and wondered if I might have left them here.’
‘What? In Ralph’s library?’ She furrowed her brow, and dropped the canvas overnight bag she was carrying onto the floor, and heaved her black leather medical case onto the table. ‘Ralph hates anyone in here. So . . . ’
Viv interrupted. ‘He was showing me his copy of Patrick Stewart’s memoir. We were both at the signing.’
Lucy’s shoulders dropped. ‘Oh that.’
‘I’m sure I had my tapering scissors in my hand but I can’t find them anywhere. This is the last resort.’
Lucy began to walk into the room and Viv swallowed. Then, completely out of character, she said, ‘I’d kill for a cuppa.’ As the words tumbled out of her mouth she could feel her face contort. But the request had the desired effect and Lucy stopped in her tracks, staring at Viv appraisingly. She walked over to Ralph’s desk and as she squeezed round his chair the computer sprang back into life. Viv imagined that a message saying that her task was complete would be sitting on the screen.
Lucy looked at Viv. ‘Are you sure you didn’t find what you were looking for?’ The ambiguity of the question hung between them. Viv shook her head and backed out towards the kitchen.
But Lucy had other ideas. ‘Take a seat, Viv. I’ll get you that cuppa.’ Her voice was too high for Viv’s comfort. Then Viv realised it was probably for Shaz’s benefit. Viv couldn’t now deny she’d like a cuppa and pulled out a chair from the kitchen table.
As the kettle boiled Lucy called up to Shaz. ‘I’m home, Sharon. You must be almost through.’ This was more of a command than a question.
Shaz came bombing downstairs. ‘I didnae hear ye comin’ in. I’ve jist the one mair thing to . . . ’ She glanced from Lucy to Viv.
Lucy interrupted her. ‘Don’t worry about that, Viv and I are about to have tea. You just head off and I’ll see you day after tomorrow.’
This all sounded perfectly amiable, but a strange glint in Lucy’s eye didn’t bear this out.
It took a few minutes for Shaz to get changed into her outdoor kit and for the front door to close behind her with a threatening clunk.
Lucy spun round. ‘Now, Viv, you and I know each other pretty well. In fact how long have you been coming here and never left anything behind except for hair? I suspect you’re way too efficient to leave your scissors behind.’
Viv snorted. ‘Believe me, I’m astonished if this is the first time I’ve left them here. I’m always leaving them somewhere.’
Lucy shook her head. ‘Nah. I‘m not convinced. Let me guess what you’re really here for.’
No one spying on this scene of domesticity could imagine the tension between the two women. Lucy banged two beautifully hand-painted mugs onto the worktop. Then after she collected milk from the fridge she closed the door with the tip of an impressive pointed shoe-tip. Her eyes began to bulge. Adrenaline, Viv guessed. She poured the tea in a theatrical gesture from a great height, but didn’t pass a mug to Viv. Lucy walked to the end of the table, never taking her eyes off her guest, and rummaged around in her medical bag.
Viv watched as the USB’s light flickered in the back of Ralph’s computer and glanced from it to Lucy. Surely that would give her away. Lucy was a GP and certainly no bimbo.
Lucy interrupted Viv’s rising panic. ‘Either you are up to something with Ralph . . .’
Viv spluttered her defence. ‘Oh, my God, you’re kidding.’ The revulsion in her voice hit the wrong note.
‘Well, if my husband,’ Lucy spat the last of these words, ‘is so disgusting to you there must be another reason for you being here.’
‘I’ve told you . . .’
Then, in a voice that Viv wouldn’t have believed could come from Lucy, she said icily, ‘Don’t you dare patronise me. You’re not here for scissors.’
Viv began to interrupt. ‘But . . .’
‘Don’t. Just shut up.’
None of this had been in Viv’s plan, and she rubbed her palms down the sides of her thighs. She gulped involuntarily as Lucy, still not taking her eyes off Viv, opened her medical case and took out a syringe along with a small bottle, from which she drew a clear liquid. Viv scraped her chair back noisily over the terracotta tiled floor and moved towards the door.
But Lucy yelled, ‘Not so fast!’
Viv’s survival instinct was pretty robust but before she was halfway across the hall, Lucy had darted in front of her still grasping the syringe. ‘Now come back in here and join me for tea.’
Viv stepped backward to the kitchen and bumped into the table.
‘Careful now!’ Lucy sounded as if she was speaking to a naughty child. ‘We wouldn’t want any accidents now, would we?’ She smiled but it wasn’t the kind designed to comfort.
Nor did her question require an answer. Viv sat as directed by a nod from Lucy.
‘Now place your hands on the table in front of you where I can see them, and don’t try anything stupid.’
‘Look, Lucy, whatever you think is going on you’ll need to fill me in. I’m here to look for my scissors.’
Lucy shook her head. ‘Nice try, Viv. You must think very little of me. Your scissors aren’t here and you know it. Now why don’t you start by telling me why there’s a USB in the back of Ralph’s Mac?’
‘I’ve no idea. Maybe he left it there.’
Viv watched as Lucy clenched her jaw then spoke through gritted teeth. ‘Don’t take me for an idiot. Now why?’
‘Maybe it was Shaz.’ Enough of a shadow flew across Lucy’s face for Viv to know she’d planted a seed of doubt. Viv felt bad about accusing Shaz, but no matter, she’d never know. Lucy looked at the computer as if it would reveal the answer.
‘You’re clever, Lucy. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on and maybe we can put our heads together.’
Viv watched as the hand holding the syringe relaxed its grip slightly, but Lucy then pointed it at Viv smiling. ‘You’re good, you know. But not that good.’
Viv wondered what might be in the syringe, knowing that it was a medicine designed to cure someone. She ran through the possibilities from the contents of the bag that could prove lethal. That Lucy had filled the syringe was a good thing. An empty one could do a lot more damage. Viv gave an imperceptible shake of her head but Lucy noticed and gri
nned. How could this woman, who had sat here at this very table with Viv and poured her heart out, look as if she was possessed?
‘God, Lucy, I’m guessing for you to behave like this you must have had the worst day possible. Surely we can talk it through.’
Lucy laughed loudly. ‘What would you know? You’d never understand. The thing is, Viv, I like you, but I can’t let you leave here knowing . . . ’
Viv raised her voice. ‘Knowing what? That my scissors aren’t here?’ She expelled a huge breath. ‘For heaven’s sake I don’t know anything . . . ’ She hesitated as if an idea had just struck her. ‘But we could find out from the USB if there’s anything on it that there shouldn’t be.’
Again a shadow crossed Lucy’s eyes. But she still hovered too close to Viv with that needle.
‘Don’t move.’
Viv dropped her eyes.
‘I mean it! Don’t move.’ Lucy backed out of the kitchen, into her husband’s sanctuary, towards his computer.
Viv had to decide whether to make a break for the front door, or to accomplish what she came for. She followed Lucy into the study.
Lucy screamed at her. ‘Get back in there!’
But Viv had reached the desk and rolled the mouse. A ‘disc eject’ alert leapt on to the screen. ‘Looks as if whoever tried to use that USB hasn’t had any luck.’
Lucy, sweating, and confused, grabbed for the USB but Viv beat her too it. Lucy lunged at Viv with the syringe and Viv leapt back into the kitchen. Viv called her bluff and continued backwards towards the front door.
Lucy yelled, ‘Don’t make me do this!’
But Viv reached for the handle. Lucy lunged again. Viv managed to leap out of the path of the needle, but stumbled on the curved edge of the bottom step and rolled away from the front door. Viv was up quicker than she went down. Lucy recovered her composure, even straightening her suit jacket, and walked towards Viv. Watching the advance of the needle, Viv wheeled her right leg up, crunching the heel of her boot into the elbow of Lucy’s offending arm. Lucy squealed but didn’t drop her weapon. She was tough and fit and ran at Viv like an angry bull. Viv leapt onto the staircase. Now at an advantage she kicked out again, this time aiming not at the arm but at Lucy’s knee-cap. Lucy yelped but Viv could see that the other woman had passed the point of no return. Viv was acutely aware that she might have taken something, she’d seen the effects of substance abuse many times.
Lucy was slightly taller than Viv and not dissimilar in build, so they were well matched. She lunged again, her only mission to stick the needle in anywhere. Viv stumbled backward and lost her footing giving Lucy the chance to reach her. Viv felt a tiny prick through her boot against her ankle, but kicked out and watched, relieved, as the syringe went flying over the hallway floor. She steadied herself on the next step but Lucy grasped at her trouser-leg. If Viv could have seen a film of this she’d have laughed out loud. It was pure slapstick. Only the look on the other woman’s face convinced her otherwise.
Lucy took a swipe with her fist and connected with Viv’s upper arm. Viv cried out almost releasing the memory stick but was still able to ball her other hand and land a punch in Lucy’s gut. Winded, Lucy staggered and looked as if she was about to fall, then in another burst of energy she grabbed the edge of Viv’s jacket and hauled Viv down with her. They were like two boys scrapping in a playground, but doing more damage to each other. Lucy was first to regain her feet and she kicked Viv in the back with the pointed toe of her Jimmy Choo. Viv screamed, but suddenly Lucy was back on the floor with another body pinned on top of her. Viv rolled into a foetal position, vomited, and passed out.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Viv came to on a moving stretcher. She immediately tried to sit up. ‘What the hell’s going on?’
Jacob was holding her hand. Viv withdrew it, and asked again, ‘What the hell’s going on?’
‘Well, at least whatever was in the syringe hasn’t dulled your senses. We’re on our way to the Royal to have you checked out. I’m guessing she didn’t manage to puncture you enough to cause any real damage.’
The paramedics slid Viv onto secure runners within the ambulance before they were on their way. Viv tried to wipe something from her lip but her arm wouldn’t co-operate and she dropped it back by her side. ‘I’m lost. What the hell are you doing here?’
Jacob grinned. ‘You did a great job. You got the stick.’
Everything flooded back into Viv’s mind. ‘You might have the stick but we don’t know if there’s anything on it yet. She . . . ’ Suddenly nauseous, she swallowed.
‘It can wait, Viv.’
One of the female paramedics handed Viv a bottle of water. ‘Here. You can sip this.’
Viv looked at it suspiciously. Clear liquid now had a different meaning.
Jacob nodded. ‘Go ahead . . . Lucy isn’t going anywhere soon and you’ve had a good kick in the kidneys so shouldn’t be doing too much chatting.’
The ambulance slowed and the doors swung open to reveal the chaos of A&E. The combined smell of disinfectant and hospital food made Viv retch. She clung to an empty cardboard bowl then handed it back to the same female who had given her the water. Her eyelids drooped, but she was conscious of Jacob walking at her side as the trolley made its way through bustling corridors towards a cubicle. Moments later a doctor appeared and Viv became vaguely aware that the account of events that Jacob was giving him wasn’t exactly as she would have described them. The doctor gently checked Viv’s ankle, where a tender swelling had appeared. He didn’t seem overly concerned. However, when he rolled her onto her side and gently prodded her back, Viv shrieked.
‘We’ll need to have that X-rayed. You’ve had a fair puncture with something . . . ’ He looked round at Jacob who responded, ‘Who’d have thought a pointy shoe could be such a lethal weapon?’
The doctor tutted and shook his head. ‘There could be some internal bleeding.’
Viv struggled onto her back. ‘I’ll be fine. It’s only bruising.’
The doctor sharply replied, ‘You’re not here to ignore my advice . . . Nurse, see that this patient is X-rayed.’ The nurse raised her eyebrows but unclipped the brake on the trolley and steered Viv back out to the corridor. Viv glanced at Jacob, who just nodded. ‘You’d better be completely checked. We’ll need to write a detailed report.’
Writing any kind of report had never been high on Viv’s priority list, especially one that was supposed to be a priority, but Jacob’s look made her realise that agreeing to secure those files had also secured her the headache of bureaucracy. The next couple of hours were spent lying waiting for whatever treatment was next., giving Viv time to quiz Jacob about his role. Jacob, a consummate professional, managed to skirt round the detail of how he actually became involved. But he did say that following her to the Mullan’s was a precaution since it was her first assignment.
Grateful for his intervention Viv lay back and winced at the pain in her back, which was sufficient to inhibit further questions. But eventually she mustered the energy to ask, ‘Was this all part of your game plan? I mean, the night we met. Was that already part of this mission?’
He grinned, exposing his beautiful white teeth, and nodded. ‘It’s okay to have fun on the job you know.’
‘Does that mean you’re not an academic . . . and for that matter are you even remotely interested in Freud?’
He laughed. ‘No, I’m not remotely interested in Freud.’
‘But the books on your desk . . . the notes?’
‘Viv, you’ll get the hang of us if you want to. But if we’re involved it has to be good. We have to know how to get what we want.’
A draught came howling down the corridor, and with it Mac, searching in each cubicle and on each trolley until he spotted Jacob waving.
Viv was mortified to feel tears begin to roll down the sides of her face. Mac bent down as if he was about to kiss her but instead he gently pushed her hair back off her forehead. The intimacy of the gesture caused J
acob to raise his eyebrows.
‘You okay?’ He shook Jacob’s hand. ‘Hi. I believe you got what you needed.’ He nodded at Viv. ‘You make a habit of this and I’ll get ideas. Hospitalised twice in one week. A girl could get a reputation.’ He grinned. Then turning to Jacob. ‘What’s still to be done?’
Jacob, entirely professional, said, ‘We’ve been waiting for ages to have a second X-ray. The first one had a shadow that they’re not sure about. It could just be that Viv moved a fraction, but they want to take a another look.’
Mac nodded. ‘I’ll take over here if you like.’
At this Viv interrupted. ‘Eh hello, I’m here. I don’t need a minder. I’m sure . . . ’
Both Mac and Jacob turned their backs on her. Not interested in her bravado.
Jacob smiled at Mac. ‘How about I go and get some caffeine and supplies? We can take it from there.’
Mac nodded and Jacob took off down the corridor.
Viv wiped her eyes and nose. ‘What is it with me? Every time you turn up in a crisis I’m guaranteed to start blubbing.’
‘Go figure, Viv . . . ’ Then, realising she was struggling, he continued more softly, ‘Call it empathy, Viv. Empathy and me, we’re like that.’ He crossed his fingers and she glared at him. ‘You did a good job, Viv. We’d no idea she was quite so unhinged . . . or would behave like that.’
‘What exactly did you find out from that memory stick?’
He ran his hand across his throat. ‘Classified now.’
‘Fuck that! I’m lying here with a damaged kidney. The least . . . ’
He cut in. ‘Calmly, calmly. I’ll fill you in when we do the debriefing.’
‘For God’s sake! There doesn’t need to be a debriefing. She attacked me, we fought and eventually d’Artagnan there,’ she flapped her hand in the direction that Jacob had gone, ‘jumped in and retrieved the USB. End of!’
Mac stuck his long slim fingers into his dark hair. ‘You are unbelievable. For now let’s just focus on what damage has been done.’