The Triumph of Katie Byrne

by Barbara Taylor Bradford

  ‘Too true, but it’s not always in the way we want. Take my word for it.’

  When Katie was totally silent, and sat staring into her mug of coffee, Maureen went on, ‘Would you be prepared to give up the play? Go to Argentina to live with Chris?’

  ‘You know very well I can’t. I signed a contract for a year.’

  ‘You know full well what I’m getting at, Katie.’

  ‘Okay, so I do. But I can’t answer you, because I don’t know.’

  Katie thought about this conversation as she drove over to the hospice in Chris’s car an hour later. Her mother was right, but she didn’t want to face making such a difficult decision. And she was quite certain, deep inside, that Chris was avoiding doing that himself.

  Later, I’ll think about it later, she told herself, and endeavoured to push thoughts of Chris’s return to South America to one side. Right now she was on the way to see Carly, and that was her chief consideration. She wanted to tell her friend about the opening a week ago, and the party afterwards at Tavern on the Green.

  Twenty minutes later Katie was walking into the front lobby of the hospice, and hurrying down the corridor to Carly’s room. As usual, she ran into the young nurse, Jane, who was one of the day nurses, and they exchanged greetings. Seconds later Katie was leaning over Carly, kissing her on the cheek.

  There was no response, and so Katie pulled the chair closer to the bed, sat down and reached for Carly’s hand. It was warm, not as cool as it generally was, and Katie glanced at Carly’s face. Her violet-blue eyes were open, but there was no sign of life, and her face was as bland and as passive as always.

  Katie made herself comfortable in the chair, and took a deep breath. Then she began to talk to Carly.

  ‘I wish you could have been there on opening night, Carly. You and Denise. You would have loved it. I looked at the picture of the three of us before I went on, and you know what, you and Denise helped to carry me through the play. Of course I did it for myself, but I did it for you too. I wanted to fulfil your childhood dream as well as mine. There’s something else I have to tell you, Carly. I had a touch of stage fright. I’ve never really had it before, but last Sunday night I was stricken. At least for a moment or two, and I thought of Richard Burton as I stood in the wings. Do you remember when we read his biography, the one by Melvyn Bragg, and we discovered how he had suffered terribly with stage fright, had started his drinking habit, having a quick nip before he went on stage. And you made me laugh when you brought me a bottle of whiskey to the school concert. Except that it wasn’t whiskey at all, but cold tea. Oh, Carly, I do miss you so. And I miss your funny jokes.

  ‘I wish you could have heard the applause. One thousand and fifty people applauding us last Sunday, and we took so many curtains. The play is a big hit, and it looks as if it’s going to run for a year, maybe longer, according to Melanie. The reviews were wonderful and I got quite a lot of attention.

  ‘The whole family came to the opening, Carly. Mom and Dad, Niall, and Fin, who flew in from London. All the aunts and uncles, and four grandparents. You would have loved it.

  ‘There was a party afterward at Tavern on the Green. Black tie, everyone dressed up in evening gowns. Mine was made of purple velvet. When I saw the dress hanging in the shop, I thought of pansies, and of your eyes. I wish you could have seen it. I wish you could have been there. I wish you could hear me, Carly. I’d give anything for that.’

  Katie stopped and stood up. The sun was flooding the room, blinding her, and she walked over to the venetian blinds, adjusted them so that the sun was filtered.

  ‘Can…hear…you…’

  Katie stiffened.

  The low, rasping voice said again, ‘Can…hear…’

  Katie swung around, rushed back to the bed, stared down at Carly, hardly daring to believe that she had actually spoken. At once, Katie saw that the eyes were different, not so flat and dead. There was a spark there, a hint of life.

  Bending over the bed, Katie said urgently, ‘Did you speak to me, Carly? Blink if you did.’

  Nothing happened. The life seemed to seep out of those pansy-violet eyes. They went dead again.

  Katie said, ‘Carly, listen to me. Listen hard. It’s me. Katie. Blink if you understand what I’m saying.’ Her eyes were riveted to Carly’s and when Carly did finally blink several times, Katie shouted, ’Carly! Carly! You blinked.’

  Carly blinked again, rapidly, and opened her mouth, tried to speak. Closed it. Then she said slowly, in a mumble, ’Ka…tie.’

  ‘Oh, my God! Carly, you said my name! Oh God, oh God! This is a miracle.’

  Katie looked at the door as it flew open and Jane poked her head inside. ‘Is something wrong?’

  ‘No, no, everything’s right! Very, very right. Jane, come over here. Carly blinked. She spoke. Honestly she did.’

  Astonishment washed over the nurse’s face, and she ran to the bed, stared down at Carly, then turned to Katie. ‘Are you sure? She looks the way she’s always looked for the five years that I’ve been here.’

  ‘Ka…tie,’ Carly said again in the same unsteady and raspy mumble.

  ‘Good Lord, she spoke your name, Miss Byrne! I can’t believe it. This is incredible!’ Jane was thunderstruck and gaping at Katie.

  ‘Please, Jane, go and get Dr Nelson. I don’t want to leave Carly.’

  Jane nodded, and rushed out of the room.

  Katie leaned over the bed again, and took hold of Carly’s hand. It had the same warmth, and she wondered if this meant anything.

  ‘Can you squeeze my hand, Carly? Can you try?’

  Watching attentively, Katie saw the fingers move very slightly, but they were not strong enough to grasp her hand. Nevertheless, there was movement there, and this hadn’t happened before.

  The door opened and Dr James Nelson came in, obviously concerned and worried. ‘What is it, Katie? Jane here tells me that Carly spoke to you. Is that true?’ He looked doubtful.

  ‘It is, Dr Nelson, it really is. She said she could hear me, and she said my name.’

  James Nelson threw Katie a curious look, again as if he really didn’t give credence to what she was saying, and hurried over to the bed so that he could examine Carly. He took out his small light and looked into each eye. He then felt her pulse, and listened to her heartbeat.

  Straightening, he swung his head to Katie, and asked, ‘Can you tell me exactly what happened, Katie, please?’

  ‘Yes, of course. The first thing that struck me when I arrived was that her hand was warm. Usually it’s so cool. Anyway, I looked at her as I always do, and there was no sign of life at all. Her eyes were wide open, as they usually are, but they were dead, flat. So I sat and talked to her, told her all about the play, the opening, the party afterwards. There was nothing, not one flicker of life, of understanding. It was suddenly really sunny in the room, brilliant sun was coming in through the open blinds. So I got up to adjust them. Oh, one thing I forgot, Dr Nelson, just before I stood, I said I wished she could hear me.’

  Katie paused, cleared her throat. ‘Anyway, I’d just adjusted the blinds when I heard this voice. It was low, rasping. It was Carly, Dr Nelson. She said, very slowly, in a mumble, “Can…hear…you.” Just like that. I was stunned, I didn’t believe it. I ran to the bed, and I asked her to blink if she knew it was me. At first she didn’t seem able to do that, and then suddenly she blinked several times. A moment later she said my name…broken up. Ka…tie. That was how she said it.’

  The doctor shook his head. ‘I don’t understand this…’ His voice trailed off, and for a moment he appeared baffled, at a loss.

  Jane, who had returned to the room with him, said, ‘It’s true, Dr Nelson. I heard Carly speak, too. I heard her say “Katie”, in the way Miss Byrne described.’

  ‘Ka…tie…’ Carly mumbled.

  James Nelson focused all of his attention on Carly. Bending over her, he took hold of her hand. He enunciated clearly, slowly, ‘Carly, squeeze my hand if you can hear me.�
��

  After a moment he saw the fingers move, but just barely. His astonishment was obvious. He said, ‘Blink, Carly, if you can.’

  After a second or two Carly blinked.

  James Nelson stared down at her, and he saw the flicker of life there in those lovely eyes. It was the most extraordinary moment of his career.

  Turning to Katie and Jane, he nodded. ‘This is extraordinary. A medical first, I’m sure. Carly’s been in a vegetative state for ten years. I’ve never heard of anyone coming out of it after so long. I must admit, I’m flabbergasted.’

  ‘What do you think happened to bring her out of it, Dr Nelson?’ Katie asked.

  ‘I don’t know. It’s not that we’ve done anything different, there’s not much we can do for her –’ He broke off abruptly, and stared at Katie, frowning. ‘Oh my God, I recently started her on a drug called amantadine, which guards against pulmonary infection. Especially in bed-ridden patients. I wanted to protect Carly…’ He paused thoughtfully. ‘It can be an arousal agent, that I do know. Then again, she may have had a brain-stem blockage that has gradually cleared up. Maybe it’s both things working in combination. But whatever, this is great news. As I said, it’s possibly a medical first. But I do think she’s going to take a while to get back to normal, if she ever is actually normal in the true sense of that word.’

  Jane, who had been silent, now said, ‘We’ve moved her legs and her arms for the last five years, that I know. And although her muscles have atrophied, we’ve tried to give her some help.’

  ‘Yes, I’m aware of that, Jane. It’s been good therapy for her. Nevertheless, I do think it’s going to take a while before she walks again.’

  Jane nodded in agreement. ‘Yes, but she’s young, Dr Nelson.’

  ‘Parts of her brain seem to have woken up. And I’m sure some of her motor skills will start coming back, however slowly. And eventually her speech and memory,’ the doctor explained.

  ‘She seems to know I’m me,’ Katie murmured.

  ‘Yes, she apparently does, and that is very important, very promising.’ He glanced over at Carly again, and then moved across the floor quickly. ‘I had better go and phone her mother. Mrs Smith will be overjoyed when she hears the news. And I must talk to the head of the hospice.’ As he finished speaking he opened the door.

  Katie hurried after him. ‘Dr Nelson, please wait. I must speak to you.’

  He paused in the corridor. ‘Yes, Katie, what is it?’

  Closing the door and swallowing hard, Katie said, ‘You can’t really tell anyone about this, about the sudden signs of life in Carly.’

  ‘Whyever not? It’s a…a miracle, however it’s happened. A first, as far as I know. As I just told you.’

  ‘Carly is the only eye witness to a horrible murder, Dr Nelson. Before she was struck down she saw the killer, the man who attacked her and Denise Matthews. Because there was some sort of struggle in the barn, before the two girls ran out into the wood. Denise is dead, so she can’t identify her murderer. But Carly can.’

  James Nelson was silent, but he paled, understanding the implications behind her words.

  Katie said, ‘Carly could be in grave danger. There’s still a killer out there. That’s why you’ve got to keep this a secret. And you’ve got to call the police.’

  Forty-five minutes later Mac MacDonald was sitting with Katie and Dr Nelson in the latter’s office in the Neurological Wing.

  ‘Thanks, Katie, you’ve told that very clearly,’ Mac said, and turned his attention to the doctor. ‘And so have you, Dr Nelson. Thanks. But tell me, in your considered opinion, do you think Carly will recover completely?’

  ‘It’s truly hard to say. I haven’t had a chance to think clearly. This just happened, less than an hour ago. She might, of course. Then again, she might not. It could go either way.’ Dr Nelson paused for a moment, and then added, ‘The thing that makes me feel somewhat positive about Carly’s eventual recovery is that she said Katie’s name, and several times. Which to me means that there’s memory intact. I think that perhaps parts of her brain have been awakened.’

  ‘By the amantadine?’ Mac asked.

  ‘Possibly. Although I gave it to her to prevent pulmonary infection, as I explained to you.’

  ‘I understand. What I’m getting at is will Carly be able to remember what happened to her ten years ago? At the barn, and later in the wood? Will she remember who her attacker was?’

  ‘It’s possible,’ Dr Nelson answered. ‘As I said, she seems to know Katie. However, the attack on her was so horrendous, caused such trauma physically and mentally, she may have blocked it out. I just can’t say. I can’t predict anything.’

  Mac was silent for a second or two, and then he said, ‘I’m going to make the assumption that she will remember everything, whether it’s this week or next month. And therefore I have to take certain steps, Dr Nelson.’ He gave the doctor a penetrating look, and continued, ‘This sudden development in Carly’s condition must be kept under wraps. The perp’s out there, and I don’t want him to know about this change in Carly. He thinks he’s safe, that he got away with murder. Now, maybe he hasn’t. I don’t want him coming after Carly. So I must ask you to keep quiet about what’s happened here today.’

  Dr Nelson nodded, looking worried.

  ‘I realize this is medically important to you, doctor,’ Mac went on. ‘A first, a medical breakthrough, perhaps. But by waiting to tell the world we protect Carly. No press announcements. Understood?’

  ‘Of course,’ James Nelson responded.

  ‘There would be a feeding frenzy if the media got wind of this. Also, you must talk to the staff here. There cannot be any leaks. Not one. And I’m taking further precautions. I’m leaving those two officers now outside her room here at the hospice. There’re going to be permanent guards outside her door. Just to be on the safe side.’

  ‘I think that’s wise,’ Dr Nelson said. ‘And I’ll talk to the staff immediately, caution them about talking. There’ll be no problem.’

  ‘Good.’ Mac MacDonald stood up. ‘Now I’m going over to see Carly’s mother, to explain to Mrs Smith that she has to keep this development a secret for the moment.’

  ‘Thanks, Mac, for coming so quickly,’ Katie said, also rising.

  He threw Katie a knowing look. ‘I’ve waited ten years to solve this case, and I think I will now, with Carly’s help and a little luck.’

  ‘I’ll walk with you to the door.’ Katie followed him across the office. She glanced at James Nelson. ‘Thanks, Dr Nelson, and I’ll come back tomorrow morning, before I return to New York.’

  ‘I’ll see you then, Katie.’

  James Nelson rose, walked over to the door, and shook Mac’s hand. ‘If there are any developments I’ll call you immediately.’

  ‘Thanks. I’d appreciate that.’

  Katie and Mac MacDonald walked to the front entrance in silence, but when they were outside, Mac turned to Katie and said, ‘I’m sorry, Katie, but right now you can’t talk either. So not a word to your parents.’

  Katie stared at him, frowning. ‘Okay, I understand. It’s so easy to let something slip. Careless talk costs lives.’

  It was his turn to stare. ‘That’s a good line, where did you get it?’

  ‘I saw it on a World War Two poster at a house in Yorkshire recently. The owners have a whole collection of war-time memorabilia. It seemed so…apt.’

  He nodded, smiled at her. ‘Your father’s very proud of you, Katie. Bursting with pride.’

  She returned his smile, thinking he looked much the same as he always had. Ten years had brought a few silver hairs and even a few lines around his eyes and his mouth, but he was still a very good-looking man. ‘How’s Allegra?’ she asked, suddenly thinking of the Medical Examiner, knowing they were close, although they had never married.

  ‘She’s great and she’ll be real happy about this development, I can tell you that. We’ve got the DNA taken from Denise’s body at the time of her mur
der stored away. If Carly comes up with a name, and we arrest the perp, all we need is a DNA match to convict.’

  ‘You mean DNA samples last that long?’

  ‘Sure they do, Katie. They last forever.’

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Pushing pots of theatrical make-up to one side, Katie found space on the dressing table for her diary. After opening it, she sat back in the chair for a moment, thinking, and then she began to write.

  March 1st, 2000

  Barrymore Theatre

  New York

  Today is Wednesday matinée day, and since I never leave the theatre on matinée days, I have time to put a few things down here.

  Opening in a Broadway play is really the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. Just stupendous. But what’s also very exciting to me is the sudden change in Carly’s condition. When she spoke to me earlier this week, I was flabbergasted. In fact, as she spoke my name I was the one who became speechless! What a wonderful breakthrough this is. I’m sure Carly is going to recover, if not completely, certainly enough to live a halfway decent life. James Nelson tends to agree. He’s still stunned himself, puzzled as well, and not sure what started this sudden change in Carly. The amantadine is one factor, he believes. When Carly’s up to it he’s going to do some extensive neurological tests on her. She’ll also start undergoing intensive speech and physical therapy. Dr Nelson told me that she might be physically disabled and mentally challenged after ten years in a vegetative state. But my money’s on Carly. She was always a fighter, and she’ll fight now. And I’m going to be there to help her.

  I’m frustrated a bit because I can’t tell Mom and Dad and Niall. I was bursting with the news on Monday night, but I managed to keep my mouth shut. I can’t put Carly at risk, and talking might do that. Not that my parents would let anything slip, but I told Mac I wouldn’t say anything to them. And I can’t break my word to him. Dad has always said he’s a good cop and a good guy. He was startled when he saw Carly. He thought she hadn’t changed much at all, that she was still like a beautiful young girl. That’s true, although she has a few lines on her face now. So do I. Mac didn’t question her, or say a word to her at the hospice on Monday. Anyway, Carly was out of it again, and there was no point in him hanging around. But once she shows more improvement, he’s going over to the hospice with Detective Groome, hoping to get a lead on the murderer. For years I’ve wondered who did it, and I never could come up with a name. That name is locked in Carly’s brain, but maybe it will be revealed now. I was really startled when Mac told me DNA samples last forever. I never knew that. I guess most people don’t either.