Page 72 of Her Lips Are Sealed

She rolled her eyes at Cain who patted her on the top of her head again. ‘We all know you’re a liability, best not give Lucy the sort of welcome you reserve for us, eh?’

‘It’s daylight, I’m going to a busy hospital and besides, surely he knows he’s messed up, that his ego has dropped him in it by the amount of police activity in Coniston. When we all turn up en masse, I think he’s going to go to ground. Stay inside wherever he lives and keep a low profile.’

‘I would agree with that, Morgan.’ Lucy smiled at her.

Morgan grabbed her stuff and headed for the door.

‘CS gas, cuffs, radio?’ Ben’s voice called after her.

‘Yes, boss,’ she called back and left them to it, going down to the locker room to retrieve the cuffs and CS gas, her radio she already had in her pocket.

Thinking better of it, she took a small leather radio clip off the shelf in her locker and attached it the best she could to her shirt pocket and clipped her radio on, having to root around for an earpiece. It had been some time since she’d had to wear one, but at least she’d have it on and be able to listen to the search updates in real time. Which made a change from it either dying or leaving it in the car where it was no good to anyone. Lifting it up she checked the battery icon was fully charged and thought to herself. You’re growing up to be all serious, Brookes, then she realised it wasn’t taking it seriously – it was self-preservation; she’d had too many close calls with killers and wasn’t about to make that mistake again.

FORTY-SIX

Morgan walked into A&E before realising that Lisa wouldn’t be there, she’d be in a side room on a ward by now. ‘Control, who is sitting with Lisa Palmer at FGH?’

‘It’s 2013 she’s on the Day Unit.’

‘Thanks, you answered my question.’

Morgan headed towards the reception desk and smiled at the woman from yesterday. She looked up from her computer and smiled back. ‘Can I help you?’

‘Yes, I need to get to the Day Unit. How do I get there, please?’

‘Technically, you should go out of these doors and walk around to the Yewdale entrance.’ She lowered her voice. ‘But I’ll let you through.’ Then winked at her, and Morgan laughed.

‘You are an angel, thank you.’

‘Tell that to the patients over there who don’t agree with you and think it’s my fault they had to wait three hours because they stubbed their toe or got a paper cut on their finger. When you get to the end of the corridor turn left go to the lifts straight at the bottom and go up to level five.’

Morgan walked away smiling. Working in a hospital was not for the weak that was for sure, she didn’t think she’d have the temperament.

When she got to level 5 she saw a nurse in a navy-blue dress and thought she looked familiar. As she got closer and read the name badge that said ‘Hello my name is Danielle’ she realised it was Sister Danielle Gaskell.

‘Hi, Danielle, how are you?’

Danielle smiled at her. ‘Morgan, it’s good to see you. I’m good, busy but you know, still smiling.’

‘Me too, can you tell me where Lisa Palmer is, please?’

‘End room down that way.’

‘How is she?’

‘Sitting up and talking, she’s a little quiet but that’s to be expected. She’s been through a lot. The doctor has no concerns about her, but I believe she can’t be released yet until they’ve sorted her a safe place to stay.’

‘Yes, she has. Is there an officer with her?’

‘There is, I think they nipped to the toilet.’

Morgan nodded. ‘Thanks, lovely to see you again.’

Danielle grinned at her. ‘Even better to see you not on a hospital trolley.’ She winked at Morgan who threw back her head and laughed.

‘Yeah, I much prefer visiting to being a patient.’

Morgan reached the last room and knocked on the door before opening it. Lisa was sitting up in bed, staring out of the window. She turned to look at her and smiled. Her lips had been scrubbed clean, all traces of the red lipstick gone much to Morgan’s relief.