Contents (84)
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- EIGHTY
- EIGHTY-ONE
- EIGHTY-TWO
- EIGHTY-THREE
- Acknowledgements
SEVENTY
Will Duffy opened the door to the Intensive Care Unit and stepped back to let Sarah go through first.
It had been an hour since they had arrived at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. An hour since they had been reassured that Michael would live. An hour since Sarah had finally allowed herself to breathe.
Unable to see Michael while he underwent routine tests, Duffy had given his number to a nurse who had promised to call them as soon as Michael was allowed visitors. Sarah had still been reluctant to leave the reception desk. But she finally allowed Duffy to persuade her to join him in the Starbucks by the building’s main entrance.
And as they were sat there, Duffy had guessed her secret.
‘How far gone are you?’ he’d asked.
The question had hit Sarah like a bolt of lightning. She’d sat upright, too flustered to even meet his eyes at first.
But once she’d admitted he was right, she’d felt a surge of relief. She’d thought about little else for days, but had had no one to talk to. In a way, it had helped that she didn’t know Duffy well. And she’d been grateful to finally have a release for her pent-up thoughts and questions. And so for the next half hour they had distracted themselves from Michael’s condition, and from the threat that still hung over them.
A distraction that had ended when Duffy had received the call.
Sarah felt increasingly nervous as they moved towards Michael’s room. The anticipation of seeing him – of finding out exactly how bad his injuries were – was bad enough. But with what she had to tell him as well? Perhaps it wasn’t the right time. But she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep the news to herself.
Taking a steadying breath, Sarah stepped into the room. The first thing she noticed was that they were not alone. Bruce Bull. Sarah recognised him from her coverage of the case.
‘Bruce,’ she heard Duffy say as he came in behind her. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Just following up with Michael after the attack on him this morning,’ Bull replied. ‘Given his involvement in the Mansour case and the . . . complications.’
Sarah paid no attention to their conversation as she stepped hesitantly towards Michael’s bed. Her first view of him gave her a jolt of energy. He was not only awake but smiling. Rushing to his bedside, she threw her arms around his neck.
‘You’re OK,’ she said. She could hear the tremor of emotion in her own voice. ‘You’re OK.’
With two visibly damaged arms, Michael could not hug back. Sarah, though, didn’t notice. She just gripped him tight.
‘I’m OK,’ he said, as she finally let go and stepped back to look at him. As she did she saw Duffy and Bull approaching the bed.
‘How are you feeling, big man?’ Duffy asked.
Sarah could see a haziness in Michael’s eyes as he looked up in response. Painkillers, perhaps. Or the head injury.