Murder Club - Mark Pearson [45]
‘I appreciate it.’
‘Go home, take a shower, get some rest. I’ll call you as soon as I hear anything.’
Laura shook her head, trying to compose herself. ‘I don’t know if I want to go home. An empty house?’
‘Take a shower here, then. I know it sounds trite, but it will help.’
Laura knuckled her fist, furious with frustration, against her temple. ‘I just wish I could remember.’
‘I know you do.’
‘Christ, though, Kate! Maybe it’s best if I don’t.’
Kate stroked her arm.
‘Go and take that shower. You’ve got something to change into?’
‘I brought clothes. I know what the procedure entails, don’t I?’
Kate gave her arm a final rub. ‘You have my number. Just give me a call. Any time.’
Laura nodded and headed off. Kate watched her for a moment and then went back into her office.
Laura was pushing through the door into the corridor leading to the staff changing rooms when the sound of someone running made her spin round, terrified for a moment.
‘God, Dave!’ she said. ‘You nearly gave me a heart attack.’
‘Sorry, Dr Chilvers, but I need to speak to you.’
‘What about? This isn’t a good time right now.’
‘I tried phoning you at home, on your mobile.’
‘I’ve been busy.’
‘You’re not rostered in for today?’ said the sergeant, puzzled.
‘I had things to take care of.’
‘We’ve got things to take care of too.’
‘Spit it out, Sergeant. Like I said, this really isn’t a good time for me.’
‘It’s Bible Steve.’
‘What about him?’
‘He’s lying in an intensive-care bed, Laura.’
Her hand flew to her mouth. ‘Oh, my God, what’s happened to him?’
‘We don’t know.’
‘I knew you should have kept him in last night.’
‘We have to be very clear on what happened last night.’
‘I am.’
‘You asked me to keep him in, but you also said he was fit to be released.’
‘He was. But it was freezing out there, and you said he doesn’t always stay in the shelter.’
‘I know. But we’re not a homeless refuge.’
‘I do know that.’
Dave Matthews looked at her. ‘Are you all right, Laura?’
‘Of course I’m all right, what do you mean?’
‘You seem very distraught.’
‘I’m a doctor, Sergeant! Forgive me for being concerned if someone who was under my care is now in an intensive-care bed.’
‘He was under both our care. We charged him and released him on your judgement—’
‘And?’ snapped Laura, interrupting.
‘And,’ he continued pointedly, ‘another woman was found unconscious beside him, and is also in that same unit fighting for her life.’
‘I don’t understand?’
‘We don’t know if he attacked her or not. So, like I say, we have to be very clear about what happened last night. His state of mind when we released him. His blood alcohol levels were sky-high this morning.’
Laura’s eyes danced nervously again as she ran a hand through her dishevelled hair. ‘He must have got hold of some more.’
‘Bible Steve may have killed that woman.’
Laura blinked, taking it in. She ran a hand through her bedraggled hair. ‘What happens next?’
‘Detective Inspector Delaney is at the hospital now. If Bible Steve recovers, he’ll take a statement and we’ll take it from there, I guess.’
‘And if he doesn’t?’
‘There’ll be an inquiry. But our hands are clean, aren’t they?’
Laura didn’t reply for a moment or two. ‘I may go to the hospital myself. See how he is.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe I feel responsible.’
‘But you’re not, are you?’
‘What if I missed something?’
‘Let’s find out why he collapsed, and what happened to the woman, before we decide who’s to blame.’
Laura nodded distractedly. ‘I’ve got to go,’ she said and hurried off towards the changing rooms.
Sergeant Dave Matthews watched her for a while, absent-mindedly scratching his chin and unaware that he was doing so.
32.
GEOFFREY HUNT STOOD up from adjusting the thermostat on his electric radiator mounted on the back wall, and stretched his aching back once more.
He was in the studio that he had built in the garden. It had been made from breezeblocks, with split-beamed pine logs clad on the front and stained wooden panels on the inside, so that it looked like a log cabin. His wife had called it his folly,