making me feel like a suspect and I’m not. I’m really not.’
He cried some more at the thought that anyone would ever consider the possibility that he’d harm his darling Nancy.
‘We know you aren’t. But these questions are to work out what happened. Are you okay to continue or would you like a break?’
Clive cleared his tears away. He wanted to get this over and done with. ‘Carry on,’ he said.
‘So, we’ve established you arrived home at approximately ten past three and it was about five minutes later that you noticed something was amiss. What happened after that?’
‘When I noticed the red paint on the door frame, I went to have a closer look. I couldn’t work out what it was or what would have caused it.’ Clive’s head was pounding. He could see the paint clearly when moments ago it hadn’t been there. All the details he’d been trying to block out.
‘What did you do next?’
He didn’t want to go into the territory of what happened next. He wanted his memory to stay in the safety of his lean-to forever more. ‘I called Nancy’s name.’ Clive’s throat was dry with his wish of wanting to reverse time. If only he’d not insisted on sowing a row of radishes. If only he’d left it to the following day and spent the afternoon watching quiz shows with his wife.
‘And did you hear anything?’
‘Humming. Not from a person, from something electrical. I only noticed it when I started going into the house.’
‘Anything else?’
‘No, not until I went back to the kitchen.’ The tears were overflowing now. He was full-on crying. Not in that dignified way where there was still some attempt at hiding the upset. Ever since that day he’d discovered her he was no longer capable of that kind of crying.
PC Doyle passed over some more tissues, but there wasn’t much chance of them stemming the flow.
The nurse spoke up for the first time. ‘Clive is due his next set of obs. I’ll go and get the machines, if that’s okay?’
‘Is it half an hour already?’ PC Doyle seemed surprised by the passing of time.
‘It’s a bit more than that.’
‘I think it might be a good idea to wrap up for today. I’d like to continue with a few more questions tomorrow, if Clive feels up to it.’
‘I think it might be for the best. Give Mr Ellington some time to recover.’
The nurse saw out PC Doyle before returning to Clive. The tissue box was empty now and Clive had taken to wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket.
‘Here’s some more.’ The nurse offered a fresh box. ‘How about I get you some tea or coffee?’
‘I thought we had to get back to do my obs.’
‘Nonsense. The only concern I have for you currently is dehydration. We undoubtedly need to replace your fluids. Now, what’s your poison?’
Clive took another tissue, amused by the young nurse’s analysis. ‘Tea. Milk, no sugar.’
‘I’ll make it – stat.’
Within moments the mug of tea was nestled in Clive’s grasp, the nurse clutching one as well.
‘Thought I’d take my tea break with you.’
The gesture didn’t escape Clive’s notice. It made another tear form.
‘It’s George, isn’t it?’ Clive asked. He’d been here over a week and even though he’d been told names it had been fleeting moments before one medical professional had been replaced by another.
‘Yes, I’m George. I hope the tea’s okay.’
‘It’s perfect. Thank you. Sorry for all the crying.’ Clive wanted to say more but he didn’t really know where to start.
‘Never apologise for tears. Spill as many as you need to. They’re never anything to be ashamed of.’
It was a refreshing thing for Clive to hear when he was so used to only ever doing such things in private. ‘Even so, I’m not sure this classes as a coffee break if you’re here mopping up my tears.’
‘Of course it is. I’m sitting down for starters. And between us, I’m sure you’re far more interesting company than what I would have had.’
‘I doubt that. Not today, anyway.’
‘I’m on duty tomorrow. If you need me again.’
‘Can it be you? Can I ask for you to be the one that joins me?’
‘Yes, of course. I’ll make sure of it.’
‘Thank you,’ Clive said. And for the first time since arriving at the hospital he felt the sense of a human connection. It was as if the world was showing him that there were trails of hope he could cling on to. There were still good people on