Guests and Guilt

by Diana Xarissa

  When Fenella pulled up at the hospital entrance a few minutes later, he appeared to be asleep again. She sighed and then put the car into park.

  “You can’t leave your car here,” the hospital security guard told her.

  “I won’t. I just want to unload my brother before I move it,” she replied.

  He looked uncertain, but Fenella didn’t wait for him to reply. She dashed around the car and opened the passenger door. James blinked several times when she shook him.

  “Where am I?” he demanded.

  “We’re at the hospital. We need to get your head examined.”

  “I’ve always needed my head examining,” he replied with a weak smile.

  Fenella was grateful that he felt well enough to make a joke, even if she didn’t find anything about the situation even remotely funny. “Come on,” she said. “You need to get out of the car.”

  As Fenella did her best to help, James worked on sliding out of the car.

  “Here,” a voice said behind Fenella. “This may help.”

  She turned around and found the security guard standing there with a wheelchair.

  “Thank you so much,” she said, feeling overwhelmed by the entire situation.

  With the guard’s help, she managed to get James out of the car and into the wheelchair. Pushing it wasn’t easy, but it was better than trying to get James to walk any further.

  “I can’t help you because I have to stay out here,” the guard said in an apologetic tone. “I will keep an eye on your car for you, though. Get your brother registered at the desk and then come back and move it, okay?”

  “Yes, that’s great, thanks,” Fenella said. She pushed the heavy chair with her very heavy brother up the short ramp and into the building. The woman behind the reception desk barely glanced at her.

  “Fill out the entire form, front and back,” she said as she handed Fenella a clipboard.

  It didn’t take long for Fenella to comply, mostly because she didn’t know the answers to many of the questions. James had fallen asleep again, so he was no help at all.

  “I did the best I could,” she told the woman as she handed the clipboard back to her.

  The woman glanced at the paper and then shrugged. “We’ll call you shortly.”

  “I’m just going to move my car,” Fenella replied. “You won’t take him back before I return, will you?”

  “I doubt it,” the woman said.

  Feeling as if that wasn’t very helpful, Fenella pushed James into the small and empty waiting area and then rushed back outside.

  The guard smiled at her. “I didn’t think I’d see you again for hours,” he said.

  “I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness. Now that James is settled, I’ll move the car to a proper parking space.”

  “There should be spaces in the first car park that you’ll drive past. It’s marked as staff only, but that’s only enforced between seven in the morning and seven at night. Anyone can park there after hours.”

  “Thank you,” Fenella said. The lot was only a short distance away. Fenella slid into the first empty spot she saw and then rushed back into the building. James didn’t appear to have moved. As Fenella dropped into a chair next to him, her mobile phone rang.

  “Fenella? I hope I’m not interrupting something important, but I was surprised to get home and not find you here,” Shelly said.

  “James rang that he’d had an accident. I’m at the emergency room with him now.”

  “What sort of accident?”

  “He wasn’t totally clear on that,” Fenella replied, not wanting to go into any detail until she knew more.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you, but that’s not necessary. I suspect they’re going to want to admit him, as he has a head injury. Once they do that, I’ll be home.”

  “But surely you’d appreciate some company?”

  Fenella blinked back tears. “I really would,” she admitted in a low voice.

  “I’m on my way,” Shelly promised.

  Now that she was sitting down waiting, Fenella began to think back through what James had said. Had someone in a car really chased him through the streets? It seemed impossible.

  “Mr. Woods?” a voice called from a doorway near the back of the room.

  James didn’t move as Fenella pushed him toward the door. “This is James. I’m his sister.”

  The woman frowned and looked at the paper in front of her. “Sisters aren’t usually permitted in the exam rooms with patients,” she said.

  “Well, I’m all he has on the island, so I’m afraid I’ll have to do.”

  She nodded, but she still looked uncertain. “He is an adult. We’ll need his permission if you want to come with him.”

  “James,” Fenella said, tapping her brother on the shoulder. “Tell the woman yes.”

  James looked around and then frowned at Fenella. “What?”

  “Just tell the woman that it’s okay that I’m with you,” she said. “Then we can see about your head injury.”

  “Is that why my head hurts?”

  “Yes, dear.”

  The woman made a few notes on her clipboard and then nodded. “We’ll take that as permission for now,” she said. “If he objects later, you’ll be escorted out.”

  “That’s fine. If he’s well enough to object, I’ll go happily.”

  The woman led them into a small exam room. “He’ll want to take off everything except his pants and put on the gown. It ties in the back. The nurse will be with you shortly.”

  There wasn’t much that Fenella wouldn’t do for her brothers, but helping them undress was a bit much. She shook James awake. “You need to take off your clothes and put on the gown,” she told him. “I’ll wait outside the door. You can leave your underwear on.”

  James nodded. Fenella waited until he’d risen to his feet before she stepped out of the room. She watched the second hand tick slowly around the clock on the wall for several minutes and then stuck her head back into the room. James was wearing the gown and his socks, and had climbed onto the examination table. He appeared to be asleep yet again.

  “Good evening,” a young man said as he pushed the exam room’s door open a short while later. “What brings you in tonight?”

  “My brother went out for a walk and nearly got run over,” Fenella said. “He tripped and fell and hit his head on the curb trying to get away.”

  “Have you rung the police?” the man asked as he began to poke and prod James.

  “No, I haven’t. Do you think I should?”

  “There was just a fatal hit and run yesterday. These things seem to be getting out of hand. I don’t suppose there will be much the police can do, though. Your brother didn’t happen to notice the license plate, did he?”

  “I don’t know. He hasn’t been exactly coherent since I found him.”

  The man nodded. “Mr. Woods? Can you wake up for me, please?”

  James opened one eye and then groaned. “I just want to sleep,” he complained.

  Fenella listened as the man asked James a series of questions. He knew his name and that he was in the hospital, at least.

  “Who is the current prime minister?” the man asked.

  James stared at him for a minute and then shrugged. “I didn’t know that before I hit my head,” he said. “I don’t really keep up with British politics anymore. I don’t keep up with US politics, either.”

  “None of his injuries seem too bad,” the man told Fenella a moment later. “The doctor will be in shortly to take a look and if he concurs, then I’ll dress a few of the more serious cuts on his legs and we’ll probably keep him overnight for observation.”

  Fenella nodded. She’d been assuming that he was the doctor, but clearly she was mistaken. A few minutes later a much older man strode in.

  “Good evening,” he said. He checked that James knew his name, flashed a light in James’s eyes and then shrugged. “He’s given himsel
f quite a bump on the head, along with some nasty cuts and bruises. I suggest you try to keep him from taking long walks when he’s been drinking in the future. We’ll keep him overnight. Head injuries can be serious.”

  The man swept out of the room before Fenella could reply. She looked over at James, but he seemed to be asleep again. Was it possible that the doctor was right and that James had simply tripped and fallen because he’d been drunk? An hour later, Fenella made her way back into the waiting area. James had been taken up to a room where he would be checked hourly. There was no reason for Fenella to stay.

  “There you are,” Shelly’s voice cut through Fenella’s thoughts.

  “Shelly! I forgot you were coming up. I’m so sorry,” Fenella exclaimed as Shelly pulled her into a hug.

  “It’s fine. I just assumed you’d gone back with James to see the doctor.”

  “Yes, I did. They’ve put him in a room for the night now. I was just heading home.”

  “Let’s get out of here, then,” Shelly replied. She followed Fenella home, which helped Fenella concentrate on her driving.

  When Fenella opened her apartment door, Mona startled her.

  “Is he okay?” she demanded.

  Shelly was right behind Fenella, which made answering the question difficult.

  “Anyway, as I said, James is being kept overnight, but they seem to think that he’ll be fine,” she said, repeating what she’d already told Shelly twice.

  “Yes, you said that already,” Shelly said gently. “I think you need some sleep.”

  “Yes, I’m sure I do.”

  “You can’t just go to bed,” Mona told her. “I need to know what happened to James. Did one of Stephanie’s friends try to run him down? What do the police think?”

  Fenella gave Shelly a hug and then went into her bedroom and shut the door. Mona followed a moment later.

  “Tell me everything,” she said as she sat on Fenella’s bed.

  “There’s nothing to tell. James was barely coherent. I didn’t ask him any questions. Hopefully I’ll find out more tomorrow.”

  Mona looked angry for a moment and then shrugged. “Maybe I should go and visit him myself. We really should find out what happened while it’s fresh in his mind.”

  “I don’t think much of anything is fresh in his mind right now. I’ll talk to him first thing tomorrow morning. That will be soon enough.”

  “What did Inspector Hammersmith think of it?”

  “I didn’t call the police.”

  “You didn’t? Why not? They could find out where Stephanie’s three friends were tonight and maybe solve Stephanie’s murder. It must have been the same person who tried to kill James.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Mona replied. “Stephanie must have been blackmailing one of her friends or something. Now that friend is worried that James knows her secret, too.”

  Fenella yawned. “You may be right, but I’m too tired to think it all through right now. I’ll probably call Mark in the morning, after I talk to James again, maybe.”

  “I think you should call him right now. What if the killer tries to get to James at Noble’s? The police should have a guard with him at all times.”

  “He’s being monitored constantly right now. I’ll talk to the police in the morning,” Fenella said. She quickly brushed her teeth and took off her makeup and then crawled into bed. Katie was already asleep and it didn’t take long for Fenella to follow suit.

  “Mmerrreww,” the voice said softly in her ear. “Mmerreww meerroowww.”

  Fenella frowned and looked at the clock. It was still a few minutes before seven. “You’re early,” she told Katie.

  “Meeewwwwww,” Katie replied.

  Fenella sighed and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. A moment later, she heard a loud knock on the apartment’s front door.

  “Meeewww,” Katie said, bouncing off the bed. She went and stood at the door, staring expectantly at Fenella.

  “I could just ignore them, whoever they are,” Fenella suggested.

  A second knock, louder and longer than the first, put an end to that idea. As Fenella slid on her slippers and bathrobe, she thought of Shelly. Hopefully the person at the door hadn’t woken her, too.

  “Good morning,” Mark Hammersmith said. His face was grim and he looked even more tired than Fenella felt.

  “Good morning,” she replied. “Is James okay?” she demanded as she suddenly realized the potential significance of the man’s visit.

  “He was fine when I left him a few minutes ago,” the man replied.

  “A few minutes ago?” Fenella shook her head. She felt very much like she’d walked into the middle of the conversation. “Did you want to come in?” she asked after a moment.

  “Yes, please. And I’d love some coffee if you have any.”

  “I don’t, as I wasn’t out of bed yet,” she replied, even though she was pretty sure that her pajamas and messy hair had already told the man that. “I can start some, if you’d like.”

  “If you can, I’d appreciate it. I didn’t get nearly enough sleep last night, and then I was pulled out of bed at five.”

  Fenella filled the coffee maker without thinking. While it was brewing, she pulled out a loaf of bread. “Would you like some toast?”

  “That would be good, too. I didn’t get breakfast.”

  Fenella slid bread into the toaster and then found a jar of jam for the man. When the toast popped, she gave him both slices and started two more for herself. By that time the coffee was done and she happily filled two cups with the hot liquid. After a few sips, she started to feel almost awake.

  “I’m sorry. I’m still half-asleep,” she said. “What brings you here this early in the morning?”

  “I understand you took your brother to Noble’s late last night.”

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “My first question, then, is why didn’t you ring me?”

  Fenella had been mentally preparing herself for that very question. “I was going to call you after I talked to James. He wasn’t making much sense last night. I didn’t want to bother you if he’d simply had too much to drink and fallen over the curb.”

  “Even if that is what happened, I’d want to know about it. Your brother is a witness in a murder investigation. His being admitted to Noble’s is important. I should have been informed.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”

  “What did he tell you happened?”

  Fenella frowned. “He wasn’t making much sense when he rang,” she said, trying to work out how much she wanted to tell the man. “He said he’d gone out for a walk and then fallen over into someone’s yard. That was on the phone when he called me. Once I got to the house, he didn’t tell me anything further, he just complained about how much his head hurt.”

  “He’s still complaining this morning,” Mark told her. “Do you have any reason to believe that this was anything other than an accident?”

  “Until I talk to James, I simply don’t know.”

  “And James doesn’t want to talk to me,” Mark sighed.

  “He doesn’t?”

  “Oh, he was very polite and he answered all of my questions, but only with the vaguest answers I think I’ve ever received. I was hoping you might be more forthcoming.”

  “I probably will be, once I’ve spoken to James. I don’t really know anything yet.”

  Mark nodded and then sipped his coffee. “Why was he taking a walk after dark last night?”

  “He said something about wanting some fresh air.”

  “I’m surprised you left him on his own.”

  “I’m sorry now that I did. He wanted to be alone, though. He had food and a few cans of beer. He wanted to be alone to think things through, that’s all. As I’ve always lived on my own, I could understand how he felt.”

  “How much beer did he drink?”

  “I don’t know. He had twelve cans when I left him. You’d ha
ve to count how many are left, I suppose.”

  Mark made a few notes in his phone and then got to his feet. “I’d appreciate it if you’d come with me now,” he said. “I’d like you to talk to your brother and persuade him to answer my questions.”

  Fenella glanced down at her pajamas. “I need to take a shower and get dressed,” she said.

  “Meerroww,” Katie interrupted.

  “And I need to feed Katie,” Fenella added.

  “You may have ten minutes,” Mark said. “Please be quick.”

  Fenella stared at him for a moment and then dashed away to her bedroom. She took the fastest shower she’d ever taken and then pulled on the first clothes she came to in her wardrobe. After doing the best she could with a light layer of makeup, she combed out her wet hair and headed for the door.

  “You can’t go out looking like that,” Mona said sharply from behind her.

  “Why not?” Fenella asked, glancing down at her clothes.

  “There is a stain on the jeans and the T-shirt is far too big for you. At least put on a clean pair of jeans and a shirt that fits,” Mona insisted. “People do know that we’re related, you understand.”

  Fenella resisted the urge to sigh as she found a clean pair of jeans and a different shirt. Once she’d changed, she had to admit that Mona was right. She looked much more put together as she glanced at herself in the mirror.

  “Okay, I’m ready,” she said as she walked back into the living room. Mark was sitting on the couch with Katie on his lap. They were both staring out at the sea below them.

  While they were distracted, Fenella filled Katie’s bowls. Not completely sure what Smokey was meant to have for breakfast, she filled Smokey’s water bowl but left her food bowl empty. After writing a quick note to Shelly, telling her where she’d gone and why, she tried again.

  “Okay, I’m good to go,” she told Mark.

  He looked up at her and smiled. “I could sit here all day,” he told her.

  Fenella nodded. “Some days I feel as if that’s all I do.”

  “But I have work to do, and I’m sure you’re eager to talk to your brother. Let’s go.”

  Fenella grabbed her handbag and followed the man to the door. “What did you want me to do exactly?” she asked as they boarded the elevator.