Jim realised he’d barely closed his eyes never mind slept as he watched Tasha for any sign of life, any sign of anything. She was currently fighting off an infection that had caused her temperature to spike and her heart rate to become erratic which is what triggered all of the alarms and panic the previous day. Stan had warned him that if antibiotics were unsuccessful in treating the infection then they’d have to take her back to theatre to try and stem the spread.
Mike had just dropped off more clothes and food when Jim’s message alert sounded with several messages enquiring after Tasha. His children, brother and sister-in-law had visited but there really wasn’t anything they could do to help her or offer any comfort to him.
A nurse, Chloe, was caring for Tasha and seemed more concerned each time she checked on her and that is what she was doing while Jim watched on.
“I am going to call for the doctor,” she told Jim. “Tasha’s temperature is rising again.”
Jim nodded and knew what that meant. The infection wasn’t under control and his beautiful and very sick fiancée would be going back to theatre.
Within the hour, he watched as Tasha was wheeled down a corridor and through heavy looking doors that led to the operating theatre leaving him to sit on a very uncomfortable chair in a hallway to wait.
The first hour seemed to drag, the second, even more so. The sight of the police appearing at the bottom of the corridor caused Jim to shake his head at their timing.
There was a younger officer with Masterson now and although he was introduced, Jim didn’t really register that information.
“Mr Maybury, I believe Miss Winters is back in theatre?”
“Yes.” He glanced down at his watch. “We are just entering the third hour.”
“Sir, I’m really sorry to intrude at this time, but…”
“But?”
“But, this can’t wait. I can confirm that Miss Winters’ collision was not an accident.”
“Go on.” Jim swallowed down a hard knot of fear. Every time he thought this thing couldn’t get worse, it did.
“Our investigations have revealed there was another car on the road. That car drove behind Miss Winters and appears to have forced your fiancée off the road and through the barrier.”
“Fuck!” cursed Jim.
“There’s more. We have traced Miss Winters’ movements and acquired some CCTV images that appear to show her car being tampered with when it was parked outside a convenience store.”
“Tampered with?” Nausea washed over him. It was one thing knowing someone else had been involved in her crash, and even if it had been an accident they’d still left her, literally for dead. However, if he was understanding what he was being told, the crash had not been an accident, quite the opposite. Someone had tampered with her car, deliberately wanting to cause her harm.
“Yes, tampered with. We have recently received the report on her car and the brakes were cut.”
“Cut? Who? Why? This makes no sense at all. Why would anyone hurt her?” Jim pushed a hand through his unusually unkempt hair.
“Our investigation seems to suggest that the man we are looking for entered the country a few days before your fiancée’s accident—”
The sound of a phone ringing halted all conversation. Jim watched on as Masterson picked up his call and within seconds was walking down the corridor, presumably wanting some privacy. Jim’s glance flitted between the theatre doors and the Sargent who was now returning with an expression that could only be described as grim.
“We have apprehended the other driver. He was attempting to leave the country but was infiltrated near the airport. Mr Maybury, I don’t know how to say this and I’m hoping my colleague has somehow misunderstood this man’s identity,” Masterson said with a dark and sad expression on his face. “Are you familiar with a Samuel Bailey?”
Jim was beyond stunned, so much so that he fell back onto the seat behind him. Surely there must be a mistake if he was understanding things correctly. The man suspected of being the driver of the other car, the one that ran Tasha off the road was her father.
“Mr Maybury?” Masterson said, forcing Jim to refocus.
“Sorry, yes, he’s Tasha’s dad.
The officer nodded sadly. Tasha’s dad was behind this and that in turn meant Jim had taken his eye off that particular ball and missed this man still posing a danger to Tasha.
A young man coming out of theatre startled them all, especially when he made for Jim.
“I’ve been asked to update you. The infection was more advanced than we first thought. We’re doing everything we can, but it might take a while…there was also some further internal bleeding which complicated things a little, but she’s hanging in there.”
With a final half-smile and a pat to the shoulder, the doctor left as quickly as he’d arrived.
