I’m fine.’
‘Is there something bothering you? Anything I can help with?’
Sam was a great guy, and Ellie was sorely tempted to drag him off for a cup of coffee so she could talk to an impartial listener. Since he had started shaving his head about three months previously in an attempt to hide the fact that he was going prematurely bald, Sam had become more confident around women, and despite a rather long and lugubrious face, his gentle nature seemed to be winning the hearts of several of the young nurses. But she knew he didn’t have the time to sit listening to her problems. Glancing across at Abbie’s bed she realised that she needed to relieve Maria who was due to finish her shift.
‘You’re a gem, Sam. But I’d better go and see Abbie. How’s she doing? Any change since I was last here, which incidentally was only about twelve hours ago?’
Sam laughed. ‘After this week I’m told we’ll be back to full strength and you can take it easy. But Abbie’s actually doing great. She’s been opening her eyes for a few minutes at a time, and she’s trying to speak. Not having much success, but she’s trying. Her conscious levels are improving and she’s responding to pain. So it’s good news. And Ellie…’
Ellie turned back towards him.
‘… you know where I am if you need me. Any time. Okay?’
Ellie reached out and gave Sam’s arm a squeeze in thanks. She didn’t think she could speak without crying. Why was it that kindness was more likely to bring on the tears than harsh words?
As she approached the bed, she noticed that Kath was looking a bit more relaxed today. Maria was talking gently to Abbie, and Ellie could see that Abbie was showing some response although it would be a while until they could tell if there had been any permanent damage to her brain.
Kath and Maria glanced at Ellie, and Maria did a double take. I really must look like shit Ellie thought. Sam wasn’t exaggerating.
‘Hi Ellie,’ Maria said in a rather excessively cheerful voice. ‘Good to see you.’
The two nurses had a brief handover chat about Abbie’s care.
‘Is there anything I can do for you before I go?’ Maria asked, looking keenly at Ellie.
‘No, you get off home. I’ll take it from here. I’ve had a word with Dr Bradshaw and he’s brought me up to date.’ Ellie gave Maria a grateful smile and turned to Abbie’s mum. ‘Good morning, Kath. You must be pleased with the improvement?’
‘We’re thrilled,’ Kath replied. ‘Brian’s actually gone back to work today. Abbie seems to be making improvements all the time now.’
‘Any news from the police? Have they got any better idea of what might have happened?’ Ellie asked.
Kath bit her top lip and gave a gentle shake of the head.
‘No. They’re trying everything, but they know nothing more than yesterday. They don’t know if she was picked up by a man or a woman, they can’t find any trace of this Chloe, who seems to know very well how to cover her tracks, and they’ve admitted that they have nothing on the driver in the hit and run. All they can hope now is that somebody will have the guts to turn in anybody that they knew was out at that time of night. It’s the only chance they’ve got.’
Ellie felt an acute stab of guilt. She had done nothing about the fact that she was out - and she wasn’t the only one. This was so very wrong. There was every chance that she might have seen something and thought nothing of it; and if she hadn’t, Sean might have done. They were staying silent to save their own hides, but that was terrible. How was she going to feel if it came out that she could have been helping the police all along, while appearing to be sympathising with Kath and worrying about Abbie? As if she wasn’t confused enough, she now felt nothing but self-disgust.
Ellie stayed quietly by the bed, and listened to Kath murmuring from time to time to Abbie. But she was miles away. She was remembering that night. The night of the accident.
She had left the house at about ten past midnight. She knew Max wouldn’t have been on his way home by then. He was always the last to leave any party.
She had tried to keep the chances of being seen to a minimum by going the long way round, and she