Karene watched the waves while she waited for Harry to return. Why was she so obsessed with getting inside this man’s head? She wanted everything: his views, his experiences, his likes and dislikes and she wanted them instantly. If it was possible to download someone’s mind into your own she’d have taken Harry’s without hesitation. It was an obsessive attraction that she’d never felt before and no amount of rationalization seemed to calm it.

15

Harry is awake.

The message flashed up on Bloom’s phone and they diverted to the hospital, arriving forty minutes later.

Karene was pacing the corridor outside Harry’s room.

‘Have you seen him yet?’ asked Bloom, intercepting her friend’s strides.

‘They’re checking him over. The consultant, Mr Lyle, is in there now.’

‘OK. Let’s see what he says.’ She touched her friend’s arm.

‘Will you come in with me?’

Bloom nodded. She didn’t want to intrude but if Karene needed support, she’d do whatever was required.

‘Have you found anything?’ Karene looked at Jameson who was hanging back.

‘It’s looking like one of the ambulances wasn’t legitimate,’ he said. ‘But we’d guessed that. We’re trying to work out why.’

‘I should have gone over. I knew I should have gone over. If I’d been with him – stayed with him – then this wouldn’t have happened. What else? What else do you know?’ Karene moved in an agitated manner as she spoke; running one hand up and down her opposite arm at an ever-increasing pace as she rocked her weight from one foot to the other.

‘We reckon it’s a professional crew,’ said Jameson moving a little nearer to the two women. ‘So, if it helps, I’m not sure you’d have suspected anything even if you had spoken to them.’

‘What sort of professionals?’

The door to Harry’s room opened and Mr Lyle exited with a couple of junior doctors in tow.

‘How is he?’ said Karene.

‘He’s a little disorientated but that’s to be expected. He knows who he is but he can’t recall what’s happened to him, but that’s not unusual at this stage. He’s also a little vague on a few facts but I’ll examine him again in a few hours. You can go in whenever you’re ready.’

‘What sort of facts?’ asked Bloom and Karene paused at the door.

‘The month. The year. That kind of thing. But try not to worry. He’s doing well. His motor functions are good. It may just be a touch of swelling. He’s been in a coma so it can take a little time for things to settle.’

Bloom nodded and Karene led them into the room.

A nurse was standing at Harry’s side checking the monitor and writing notes on his chart.

‘I’ll wait here,’ said Bloom, hovering by the door.