God only knows what Barney would say when he heard the police would be in touch. That was one call I really didn’t want to make.
Chapter Eighteen
What a day! From the start it had been one long rollercoaster from worrying about Kate through to finding Peter’s gift, the arrival of the police and more recently the silent whirlwind of the SOCO team.
Hearing Daniel say ‘we’re together’ earlier in the car had been the high point, but now seeing Emily with her arm firmly anchored through his and the uncomfortable look on his face, I was going through the fastest freefall in history. She was in such a state that when she sobbed, ‘Daniel, please stay tonight’, what could he do? There was no way he could leave her, let alone break bad news to her.
Half an hour after Cartwright and Carpenter left, the crime scene guys turned up. They weren’t the Hollywood heartthrobs you see on TV. Trooping in carrying their kits, apart from a brief introduction neither said a word. Once in the kitchen they produced outsized brushes, big fat, round ones with black bristles, which they whirled in circular motions around the fridge reminding me of a car wash, except instead of cleaning they were spreading black ash, which later proved bloody hard to get off.
I loitered in the kitchen for as long as I could until, after a pointed look from one of them, I disappeared just as they got to the interesting bit. It looked as if they were about to lift off a couple of prints. Within ten minutes their job was done and the two of them trooped back out again, telling me they’d got a couple of prints and someone would be in touch. Now it was just me, and Emily and Daniel.
In sheer desperation I got out the ironing board to occupy myself. Perhaps my domestic goddess impersonation might impress Daniel.
Of course if Nigella had been doing the ironing, she would have made it look all sexy and come-hither, with parted lips as she concentrated on a collar, a gentle toss of her hair as she pressed a sleeve and meaningful glances at the camera through the steam.
I, on the other hand, looked more like an angry troll taking my frustration out on several pairs of jeans. What with thinking of Daniel and worrying that I still hadn’t heard from Kate, my concentration was shot and my favourite T-shirt ended up with a scorch mark on the sleeve.
Just as I was wondering whether Kate was all right, the phone finally rang and a strong Australian accent informed me that she was a nurse on Kate’s ward.
‘Thank God. How is she?’ I asked anxiously. On the sofa I could see Daniel straighten and turn towards me.
‘I’m afraid she’s lost the baby, but she’s doing well. We’re keeping her in to keep an eye on her because she’s lost a fair amount of blood.’
‘How long for?’
‘Another day or so. It was an incomplete—’
‘Can she have visitors?’ I interrupted.
‘Only one at a time at the moment,’ said the nurse. ‘She’s very weak and, of course, upset.’
The nurse then reeled off the visiting times and ward number. I looked at my watch. Bill would be landing at about 11.30 their time. Could he get to the hospital for visiting time that afternoon?
‘So how’s Kate?’ asked Daniel, as I was texting the details to Bill once the nurse rang off.
‘In hospital. Doing OKish.’ I didn’t want to reveal all the details in front of Emily as I was sure that she was the last person Kate would want to know intimate details of her private life.
Emily, lifting her head from Daniel’s shoulder, looked intrigued but before she could ask any questions I announced that I was going to bed.
‘Been quite a day.’
‘Yes,’ said Emily huffily, as if it was entirely my fault.
Daniel looked at me steadily. ‘Night, Olivia. Sleep well.’
‘Good night,’ I said as I slipped into the bathroom. How bizarre? Wishing him a good night. It was the last thing I wanted him to have. Sitting on the loo, I buried my head in my hands in a moment of self-indulgent despair. If ever I wanted someone to lean on, tonight was the night. Just my luck, so close and yet so far. How could I be missing Daniel so badly — it was less than twelve hours since our first kiss?
* * *
‘’Lo,’ I answered groggily, when my mobile went some hours later.
‘I know it’s late but it’s me. I’ve seen Kate.’
‘Bill?’
‘Yes, I’ve just left the ward.’
Rousing myself, I switched on my bedside lamp. It was three in the morning. ‘God, what did she say when she saw you?’ How much trouble was I in?
