“We’ll have to if she doesn’t come round quickly.” Nell placed her cool hand on Mattie’s shoulder. Her skin was scorching and clammy. She clasped her narrow wrist and felt for her pulse. Faster than average, but not alarmingly so.
“I’m no doctor,” Angie said, “but I’m guessing she’s exhausted because of the heat and dehydration.”
Nell felt the back of Mattie’s neck to check her temperature: hot but not overly feverish. Nell had rushed here the moment Angie had texted for advice. She hadn’t expected to find Mattie in such a bad state. There was no trace of the commanding and incisive journalist who’d accurately sussed out that there was more to the fire story than at first glance. Mattie looked utterly spent and broken. Why?
Angie fretted with her phone. “I’m going to ring 999.”
Nell soothed the scorched skin on Mattie’s shoulder and gently shook her. “Mattie?”
Mattie stirred and leaned into the touch.
Nell gasped at the unexpected intimacy. “Ah, you’re back with us.”
Mattie whimpered when Nell took her hand away. At last she dragged her eyes open. “Huh?”
“Don’t worry, Mattie, you’re safe,” said Nell, clocking the panic and fear-stricken look on her face. “You’re at Cove House. Angie’s here with me.”
Angie knelt the other side of Mattie. “How are you feeling?”
Mattie licked her visibly dry lips. “Like I’ve drunk five vodkas too many.”
Nell breathed more easily. If Mattie was with it enough to attempt a wisecrack, it was unlikely she’d need an ambulance. But Nell hadn’t ruled out driving her to A&E and getting her checked over. “Have you been out in the sun all day?”
“Mostly.” Mattie’s arms gave way when she tried to sit up straighter.
“Grab hold of me,” said Nell, and Mattie did as she was told without argument. Hell, she must be feeling bad if she was accepting assistance. “I presume you either ignored or were unaware of warnings that today’s temperatures were among the hottest on record. They nudged thirty-eight, which is far too hot to be hiking.” She didn’t want to chide Mattie like a child, but heat stroke could be dangerous. Thankfully, it appeared Mattie hadn’t quite reached that stage.
“It was a little on the warm side,” Mattie said.
“You’ve got two choices. One, go to A&E–”
“No hospitals.”
“To get checked out,” Nell said, refusing to be derailed. “Or two, stay with us here for an hour so we can keep an eye on you.”
“Want my bed.” Mattie grumbled, but it seemed only half-hearted.
Angie held out a glass of water to her. “The garden’s better for now. There’s no air-con in the house, so it’s hotter than outside, especially now the evening is drawing in.”
Nell gestured at the glass of water. “You’ll keep sipping that. We’ll put a wet towel around your neck, you’ll keep your feet in that bowl of water, and you’ll eat something. If you get worse or fail to improve, then you’ll agree to get medical help.”
Mattie glared at her. “You’re very bossy.”
“I am.”
“I’m sure you’ve both got better things to do, Ms Important Police Officer.” Mattie sounded a bit drunk.
Nell quirked her eyebrows. “Well, there is a new episode ofBake Off.”
Mattie laughed. “You’re funny.”
“Why, thank you,” said Nell, totally deadpan.
Mattie snorted, and Nell’s heart skipped a beat. She was always the boring, staid one, never the humorous one. The fact that Mattie thought otherwise was delightful, even if she was off-kilter when she said it.
“So, that’s decided then,” said Angie. “I’ve got a tuna and egg salad in the fridge, plenty for all of us. And don’t you argue either, Nell. You’ve both had a pig of a day.”
“Can I do anything to help?” Nell stood up and brushed dirt off her knees.
