Dead Man's Eye

CHAPTER 11

Joanna shook uncontrollably. She had just killed her best friend. Tears coursed down her cheeks and she put her face in her hands and sobbed.

She couldn’t understand how it happened. What had Lincoln done to Nina? What had she done to Nina?

Panicked by the screams and shouts of the shoppers, she had run; now she didn’t know whether she should have stayed - running away made her seem guilty of something, which she wasn’t, at least not entirely. It was an accident. She would tell them that. Tell them that it wasn’t Nina she killed. At least she didn’t think it was – didn’t actually know who or what it was to be honest.

A siren blared in the distance, making her cringe. Were they looking for her? Should she turn herself in?

Of course they’re looking for me, she admonished herself. I’ve just killed someone.

Even the thought made her shudder. There had been so much blood.

But if she turned herself in and said it was an accident, they’d be lenient, wouldn’t they?

She ran through it in her head. But whichever way she looked at it, they weren’t going to believe her. Her friend wasn’t really her friend at the time she killed her, because she was already dead, having been killed by someone else. Someone who then brought her back to life, and now wanted to kill Joanna. Well, they would lock her up in a padded cell and throw away the key.

She couldn’t believe she had found herself in this mess.

She wiped away her tears, didn’t know what to do next.

If she went home, the police might be waiting for her. But they didn’t know who she was, at least not yet. And of course, Lincoln might still be there, which was another reason she couldn’t return.

The alley she crouched in was behind an Indian restaurant, the aroma from which made her stomach grumble. The bins reeked of curry and spices. She looked up. Fat oozed from a fan on the wall, as though the building was undergoing liposuction, which tempered the grumble in her stomach.

The tears soothed her eyes a little, but she needed her drops, which were back at the apartment, but no way was she going back there.

It wouldn’t be long before the witnesses issued the police with her description, and then when an artist stepped in, they would have a representation to work with, and as soon as they showed it around the area, people would recognise her and that would be it.

No, before that happened she needed some proof, needed to discover what Lincoln was up to, and fast.

Cars circled the hospital car park like sharks as they searched for a space. Joanna ran between them and made her way towards the A & E reception.

She saw Stephen sitting behind the desk, trying to placate an irate man with blood gushing from a cut on his arm.

When he saw Joanna, he frowned and spoke to a colleague who took over his seat before he stepped out to join her.

“Jo, what’s up? You look terrible.”

“Thanks.”

“No, seriously, what’s happened?”

She didn’t know how much to reveal, as he would undoubtedly freak out if she admitted that she had just killed someone. And not just anyone. Nina. Tears filled her eyes.

“Jo!” He put an arm around her shoulder and guided her along the corridor to a small room decorated in pale yellow with a drinks machine that dispensed tea and coffee, comfortable looking chairs and a table.

“This is the new bereavement room,” Stephen said, filling the silence.

Joanna shook her head, unable to believe the aptness of where he’d brought her. She sat in the chair, which felt as comfortable as it looked – she could go to sleep, hoping that when she awoke the nightmare wouldn’t be real.

“Your eyes look sore. Have you been using your drops?”

“I need some more. But forget that for now. We need to talk.”

“This sounds serious. Would you like a drink first?”

Joanna nodded. “Coffee. Black.”

“That’s not your usual.”

“No, but I need something strong.”

Stephen walked across to the machine and poured two drinks before walking back and sitting down in the chair next to Joanna.

“So what is it?” he asked as he passed the drink across.

Joanna took a sip of the steaming beverage. It tasted bitter and burned her throat, but she didn’t care. Suddenly cold, she closed her palms around the cup to receive some of the warmth.

Stephen stared at her as he waited for a reply.

She peered at her drink, looking for inspiration. The reflection of the fluorescent light above wavered on the surface. Through her Fuchs’ eye, the light became a glare and she looked away.

“It’s nothing really,” she said.

“It doesn’t look like nothing.”

“Well, when I say nothing, I mean it’s not much.” She took another sip of her drink. Outside the room, she heard people walking by and for a moment, she was worried that one of them would open the door, and it would be Lincoln or the nurse. “I’m still having those visions, you know, the shadow thing.”

“I thought you’d seen the doctor.”

“I did. He said it’s probably astigmatism as a result of the surgery.”

“Well there you go then. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“I guess. It’s just… it would make me feel better, you know, if I knew a little something about that man who lost his arm, Lincoln.”

Stephen sat up straight. “Like what?”

“I don’t know, where he lives and stuff.”

“Oh, I get it. You fancy him. What do you take me for? You really expect me to help set my girlfriend up with another man!” He jumped to his feet and shook his head. “I really thought we had something.”

“Jesus, Stephen, we do. What do you take me for? It’s nothing like that, honest. How can you even think it? I just think that if I got to know a bit about him, then I wouldn’t imagine all these things. It’s like that old saying about knowing your enemy.”

Stephen folded his arms across his chest. “And you came to me because?”

“You have access to hospital records.”

“Great, so you not only want me to set you up with another man, you want me to steal his details to do it.”

Joanna stood up and wrapped her arms around Stephen. He remained rigid within her embrace.

“You’ve got it all wrong. I love you. I just want to get these visions out of my head.”

Stephen bristled. “Back up a step. What did you say?”

“That I want to get these visions out of my head.”

“Before that.”

Joanna felt herself blush. “That I love you.”

“You’re not just saying that?”

“Of course not.”

“I’ve felt like that for a while too… I just didn’t want to say anything in case you didn’t feel the same and I scared you off.” He relaxed, circled his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

Joanna raised her face, letting their lips meet. She felt safe within Stephen’s embrace.

“You really think it’ll help?” he asked after they separated.

“I just thought it was worth trying to get back to normal.”

“Normal! You? Never.” He laughed.

Joanna forced a smile. She felt anything but jovial, and she hated lying to Stephen. The love part was true. She’d never realised it before now. But the reason for obtaining Lincoln’s details was a lie. She needed to find where he lived. Needed to see if she could find out what was going on.

“So you’ll do it?” she asked.

“I’m taking a big risk if I do this – I could lose my job.”

“I know. Honestly, I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it would help.”

Stephen left Joanna in the bereavement room and made his way back to the A & E reception. He felt nervous. Accessing patients private records could get him fired, and he still wasn’t sure it would help. But the knowledge that Joanna loved him brought a grin to his face, subduing the negative thoughts.

Besides, she wasn’t going to fancy a one-armed man. That was just ridiculous, wasn’t it? Unless of course having seen the accident she had developed an affinity with him.

Now he knew he was being daft. Joanna loved him. That’s all he needed to know.

But of course she would say that if she was trying to get him to do something for her. Women were like that. They would say anything to get what they wanted.

Before he could continue the internal debate, he arrived at the reception and pressed the code to enter.

“Glad to see you’ve decided to come back,” Clair Davis said from the front desk. “I’m supposed to be on a break.”

“Just give me two minutes,” Stephen said, giving her his best smile.

Clair turned back to the queue of walking wounded. “You owe me.”

Stephen logged onto the computer in the corner of the room and entered his password. Just as he pulled up Lincoln Parker’s file, he heard Clair shouting his name and he looked across the room to see two police officers stood on the other side of the security screen.

“They say they want a word with you,” Clair said.

Stephen’s heart leapt into his throat. They know, he thought. Godammit, they know I’ve accessed private files. His palms went sweaty and his legs melted beneath him. He wished the ground would open and swallow him whole.

He quickly logged out of the system, trying his best to hide what he’d been doing. He always suspected that the hospital monitored its employee’s computer use. Now he felt the prompt arrival of the police at the scene of the crime vindicated his assumption.

They were going to arrest him. He just knew it.

Legs shaking, he stood up and walked across the room. His mouth felt dry, tongue a lump of rock in a desert. He considered multiple excuses.

“Stephen Cook?” the youngest looking officer asked.

Stephen nodded his head, which made him feel giddy.

“We’d like to ask you a few questions if that’s alright.”

“Questions about what?” Stephen struggled to swallow.

“If we could just go somewhere a little more private.”

God, they’re going to arrest me. “Erm, yes, sure.” He unlocked the door and the officers walked into the office. “There’s a room over here.”

Stephen led the way, willing his legs not to give out. Once inside the office, he shut the door and sank into a chair, his mind a whirl of excuses and lies.

The older police officer flipped through some notes before looking down at Stephen. “We believe you know a Miss Joanna Raines.”

They even know who wants the files, he thought, nodding in response to the question.

“Have you seen her today?”

He pulled his tongue in. “No, no, not today. Why, what’s this about?”

The young officer exhaled loudly. “Do you know a Nina Ansell?”

The question threw him off track. “Jo’s friend, sure. Why?”

“She was murdered earlier today, and we’d like to ask Miss Raines a few questions.”

“God, no. Nina? Dead? That’s awful.” He shook his head. “What do you need to ask Jo?” Despite the awful ramifications, he couldn’t help feeling relieved that they hadn’t come to arrest him.

The officers glanced at one another. “Someone matching Miss Raines’ description was seen at the scene of the incident.”

“Jo, at the scene. She didn’t say anything.”

“Then you have seen her.”

Stephen closed his eyes for an instant when he realised what he’d said. “No, I mean, yes, she came to the hospital.”

“And is she still here?”

Stephen hesitated. Jo, at the scene of the crime. It didn’t make any sense. “What was she doing there?”

“That’s what we’d like to ask her. Now is she still here.” He paused. “You do realise it’s an offence to harbour a suspect.”

“Suspect! You don’t mean…”

“Mr. Cook, is she here or not?”

Stephen took a deep breath, then shook his head. “No, she left a short while before you arrived.”

The officers looked at one another, and he could tell by their expressions that they didn’t believe him. They’re going to book me with perverting the course of justice next, he thought.

“Do you know where she might have gone?” the older officer asked.

Stephen shook his head.

After a moment, the youngest officer passed Stephen a card. “If you should hear from her, contact us immediately. Do you understand?”

Stephen nodded and watched the police officers walk away.

What the hell was Joanna involved with? Stephen waited until the police left, then he stood and hurried across the room.

“Hey, now where are you going?” Clair shouted.

Stephen didn’t reply. He exited and hurried to the bereavement room, eager to question Joanna, only to find her gone.