‘I wouldn’t dare, Alfie …’
‘Hmmm. I’m not quite sure I believe you, Miss Gunnersley.’
‘Goodnight, Alfie.’
A smile lingered on her lips.
‘Goodnight, Alice.’
*
‘Ladies, I need your help.’
‘I’m sure you need many people’s help. What’s up?’
The next day, the rapport between her two friends was so natural that Alice had to remind herself they’d only just met.
‘Sarah, don’t even ask. It’s going to be a stupid crossword clue.’
‘Well, I won’t be asking for your expertise in the future then, will I? No more puzzle fun for you.’
The thought of him turning his nose up in defiance made her smile.
What do you look like, Alfie Mack?
Would Sarah laugh at her if she asked? Of course she would!
Why do you even care?
She didn’t care so much as she was simply curious.
Sarah’s voice cut her daydreaming short. ‘Come on then, what’s the clue? And if it’s simple, I’m going to be really pissed off.’
‘It’s probably simple for a mind like Alice’s, to be fair.’
‘Flattery will get you nowhere, Alfie. I’m not going to indulge you in this game.’ She wasn’t in the mood for his charm.
‘Fine, be like that. So, Sarah … we are looking for a five-letter word. Clue is “long-term prisoner”.’
‘A-L-I-C-E.’ Sarah laughed at her own joke.
‘That’s a good one! But unfortunately notquitethe answer we were looking for.’
Alice scowled at her friend.
‘What? Don’t give me that look. You’re the one that apparently refuses to leave this bloody cubicle.’
‘Excuse me?’
Who the hell told her?
‘The nurses told me this morning on my way in.’
Alice’s eyes widened.
‘Don’t look at me like that – I wanted to know how you were really getting on.’ Sarah nudged her affectionately. ‘There’s nothing stopping you getting yourself up and out! You know I’ll be right by your side if you want me to.’
Here they were: the first signs that Sarah wasn’t going to go quietly.
