‘We’ll have that sent up to you, madam.’
Her room offered yet another view of the Acropolis. Grace stared down at the people in the street going about their business as usual. Cafés were opening up, flower stalls were setting out their wares, and dogs were being walked. It was an ordinary Friday morning in Athens. How could that possibly be, after what she’d just been through? Pictures of Will slumped on the ground covered in blood flooded her mind.
A knock at the door jolted her back to the present. Outside was a cellophane-wrapped T-shirt. Running the powerful walk-in shower as hot as she could bear it, Grace closed her eyes and tried to wash away the memories as easily as the dirt. Wrapped in her robe, she checked the time again on her phone. She was supposed to have a lesson with Nick in an hour. She had to let him know.
‘Angeliki?’
‘Grace?’
Just the sound of her friend’s voice set her off. She gulped back the tears.
‘What is it? What’s wrong?’
‘I can’t teach Nick today.’
‘Why? What’s happened? You’re not making any sense.’
‘It’s Will. He’s been stabbed.’
Angeliki’s sharp cry at the other end forced her to focus.
‘Sorry, don’t freak, he’s OK. We’re in hospital in Athens. He’s been operated on, and he’s come through it well. I’m going back there later. I’ll update you.’
‘But…’
‘Also, can you please check that Achilles is looking after Karen. The spare key’s under the second plant pot to the left.’
‘Wait…’
‘Sorry, I have to go.’
Grace threw the phone down on the bed. She could barely keep her eyes open. Tiredness had seeped into her bones. She needed sleep, but first she’d better set an alarm to make sure she’d wake up in time for visiting hours.
Her rucksack lay open where she’d left it on the floor. Will’s belongings stared up at her. He’d asked her to bring his phone in, hadn’t he? She’d better check if it had any battery first.
The phone flickered into life. He hadn’t password protected it, silly man.
She daren’t, dare she?
Grace scrolled down to J for Jack. There was only one of them. It must be him. Will had praised her earlier for not doing what she was told. It was a big risk, but one worth taking, in her opinion. Her heart was in her mouth as she pressed the number.
‘Hello. Is that Jack Lancing, Will Lancing’s son?’
‘Yes, and who are you?’
‘It’s a long story, and please don’t panic, but I have some news about your father.’
Five minutes later, she’d filled Jack in, and he’d vowed to get on the next flight from Heathrow to Athens. What Will would make of her actions, she wasn’t sure, but the guy sounded genuinely concerned. They’d exchanged numbers and he was going to let her know when he got to the hospital. She’d vowed to help Will get better in any way she could. Surely seeing his son would be a boost?
Grace lay back on the bed and let her mind drift away.
After a few snatched hours of sleep and a call to Sofia, she was back at the hospital reception in her box-fresh white T-shirt with pressed creases down the front. Eva would have gone off shift by now, but they must have her details on file.
‘I’m here to visit Will Lancing in the intensive care unit.’ She added, ‘I’m his sister,’ before the man behind the desk could raise any objections.
He looked down at his computer and up again.
‘I’m sorry, we have no record of a Will Lancing in the ICU.’
