She shakes her head and looks out the window. Her hands twist in her lap. A cyclist wavers out in front of me with no warning. The brakes bite hard, and the man yells at me with the kind of deep righteousness only found in urban cyclists. The kind that makes my foot itch on the accelerator.

‘Then what?’

‘We were taken out of there.’

‘That was it?’

‘For us, yes. I heard several volunteers were taken to intensive care but I don’t know any more than that.’

‘You never heard how they ended up?’

‘No.’

‘Isn’t that a bit strange?’

‘I did ask, but was told nobody knew.’

There’s an uncomfortable pause. I get the feeling she’s wrestling with something.

‘And?’

‘And the next day I was told to go to a room to draw some blood from a new patient. There was a man in there, but he didn’t look like a patient. He was in a suit, not a hospital gown, which was a bit odd as it was an inpatient ward. He knew my name and told me to sit down and that he wanted to talk to me. He said that he was sorry that I had to be put through what was such a traumatic thing to witness. He also said I didn’t need to worry about the volunteers any more, that they’d all made a full recovery.’

‘That’s all?’

‘Those were pretty much the words but … I got a sense that he wasn’t just letting me know; it was more that he was letting me know that he knew I’d asked about them. If that makes sense?’

‘You mean he was warning you off from asking any more questions.’

‘That’s what it felt like. But he was so polite, and seemed not friendly but … concerned at any rate. So afterwards I convinced myself I was being silly, that I was imagining things.’

‘Did he give you a name?’

‘I don’t remember, no. I would have remembered. I’m great with names and faces. Helps with the patients if you learn their names quickly.’

‘Do you remember what he looked like?’

‘What’s this all about?’

‘Right now I’m not sure.’

We’re getting close to the school. I’m hoping for more red lights.

‘He was tall, very neat blond hair. And he had a suit on. I remember thinking it was a very expensive suit. Dark with light pinstripes. There was just something about it which made me think it most likely cost more than I earn in a month. Probably several months.’

‘And you never saw this man again?’

‘No.’

‘You think you’d recognize him now?’

She doesn’t even hesitate. ‘Yeah, I’d remember him.’