A shiver of unease slithered down Karen’s spine. Herstomach constricted with fear and her heart hammered loudly against her chest.
“An accident, you said? Not sure whatIcan do – are you hurt? I don’t have any bandages in the house if that’s what you need but – ”
“Karen – ”
“I mean, I’m not a nurse or anything, I don’t even know first aid. Tessa’s the one you want, but she’s not here. Of course not, she’s probably still at work so whatever it is, I suppose you’d better call an ambulance.”
“Karen, please … sit down.” A stray tear rolled down Aidan’s face as he reached for her.
What the hell… Why was Aidan crying? And more to the point, why hadn’t she noticed until now that he was he still in uniform?
She stepped back as if electrocuted.
“Aidan – come off it, please. If this is your idea of a joke, it’s not funny, it’s not bloody funny, OK? Why are you scaring me like this?” Suddenly, dizzy, Karen lost her balance and slumped heavily against the doorframe.
She knew what he was here to tell her, of course – had subconsciously known before he opened his mouth. Aidan’s expression had told her enough –he didn’t need to say it out loud.
And she hoped he wouldn’t, because she didn’t think she could bear to hear the words.
“He didn’t suffer, pet,” Aidan whispered, his voice constricted. He reached for her again, and this time Karen numbly allowed him to guide her inside and back to the living room. He sat down on the sofa next to her,cradling her gently in his arms. “He was on his way back from a site inspection and a car going north had a tyre blowout. It skidded across the reservation, straight into Shane. He was gone instantly, pet – there was no pain.”
Karen said nothing.
“I’m so, so sorry,” Aidan continued, resting his head on hers, his tears falling onto her hair as she rocked back and forth in his arms, dully staring into space.
“No,” she said, sitting up suddenly, her face a mask of defiance. “No you’re wrong, you have to be wrong – he couldn’t be – it mustn’t have been …. can’t have been my Shane.”
“Pet – ”
“No seriously, think about it,” Karen argued, her voice rising as she shook her head. “He was picking up a takeaway – he’s probably down at the Jasmine Palace as we speak. It wasn’t him – I’m telling you.”
“Love – ”
“Don’t you think you should have got your bloody facts right before waltzing in here and upsetting me with speculation? The least you could’ve done was found out for sure ….”
Aidan shook his head, tears brimming, as he looked back at the officer in the doorway for assistance.
The policeman duly went to Karen and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m so very sorry, Ms Cassidy. I know how difficult this is, but your fiancé has already been identified.”
“What do you mean?” she implored in a small voice. “What does he mean ‘identified’ … Aidan – what does that evenmean?”
Wiping away tears, he tried to compose himself.
“My unit was the one called to the scene, pet. I’ve seen him and the Astra. It is Shane and … he’s gone, Karen. I’m so, so sorry, but it’s true. He’s gone.”
49
He’s gone … he’s gone … he’s gone.
Aidan’s words still echoed through Karen’s brain in an agonising mantra.
She could barely remember what happened next – vaguely recalled picking up the phone and calmly informing Nellie that her youngest son had died in a head-on collision, at the same time she and much of the country’s population were idly tucking into their supper.
Couldn’t remember the racking sobs on the other end, nor hysterical accusations of Karen forcing Shane to work all those extra hours that he mustn’t have been concentrating.
Couldn’t remember Jenny and Mike getting here, plus all these other people she didn’t recognise. Couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t just go away and leave her alone.
Alone.
