I shrug. ‘I guess, given how his hallucination affected him, they didn’t want to risk telling him while he was alone in case he went on to have another cardiac event. It must have been a nod to their care in the community.’
‘Do you really think that was all there was to it? Is Clive telling you everything?’
‘I’m not sure any more. He hasn’t told me anything more about Friday evening. But saying that, I don’t have any other reason to doubt him. I think the only thing that isn’t telling Clive everything is his memory. There’s more to it, I’m sure… Lucy keeps telling me whenever we video chat I should try and investigate, but there’s nothing to look into.’
‘How is Lucy?’
‘Feeling better now they’ve done the endoscopy. They’ll give her the results soon, but she already said her appetite is improving.’
‘That’s good.’
‘It is.’ My own stomach feels better too, as if a knot of tension has undone itself. ‘George is going to pop by soon. Maybe he can tell us what he thinks. He’s taking Clive to view the retirement flats this afternoon so hopefully he won’t be hiding in the sleep lab much longer.’
‘George, eh?’ There’s a twinkle in Tess’s eye.
I shake my head to discourage any thoughts in that direction. ‘He’s supporting getting Clive new accommodation, that’s all.’
Tess dips some garlic bread into her lasagne sauce. ‘It’s such a shame that Clive can’t move back to his house when there is nothing wrong with it. Even the police reassuring him hasn’t been enough, I take it?’
I shake my head as I help myself to a piece of bread too. I don’t normally indulge, but I feel like an extra bit of carb loading isn’t going to go amiss with the week I’m having.
‘It does seem a shame. When I first heard his account of what happened, it was really shocking. Even when I think about it now and the images it conjured up in my head, it sends a shiver down my spine. That’s hearing it as a third party. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to believe those things had happened. I knew that was why I had to help him. I understood completely why he wouldn’t want to go back there.’
Mentioning the shiver means a real one finds its way through my autonomic nervous system and sends goose bumps along my arms. Images from my past try to bubble to the top of my consciousness. It’s the thought of blood that does it, the pooled, unpumping kind that has formed a puddle in a place it shouldn’t be.
‘You know, I’ve been thinking… My lodger Iness, the foreign student, leaves at the end of this week and the next foreign student has been cancelled. The university isn’t able to arrange a replacement immediately so the spare room upstairs will be free for a couple of weeks.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes. If he can’t move into his new accommodation straight away, I’d be more than happy to help him while I’m between students.’
The café door pings to indicate new custom and it’s George joining us. I’m glad to see him, even though I am still eating and would rather not have him witness me chomping away. That fluttering feeling creeps into my abdomen again. Strange when I’m not unwell, I note.
‘Love begins at forty, I’m telling you!’ Tess says before getting up to sort out a further portion of lunch for George.
I’m momentarily confused, and it takes me a minute to realise she’s referring to his date number that wasn’t really a date.
When the usual niceties are over and Tess finishes replenishing and supplying food and drink, we are quick to settle to the matter in hand: Clive.
‘The police didn’t find anything then?’ George says, tucking into his grub like a man that is rarely offered such good fare.
‘Not according to Clive. They were just letting him know he’s free to go back to his house,’ I confirm.
George nods as he finishes a mouthful. ‘The police went through all his medical notes, you know. Dr Hutchins said the old notes are still missing. You have to swear that neither of you breathe a word to anyone. I’ll get in trouble at work if anyone finds out I’ve told you.’
I’m not the only person taking risks in order to help Clive.
‘My lips are sealed,’ I say and Tess mutters her complete agreement.
‘The paramedic’s notes say he was found not far from the allotment, most likely on his