Sisters - By Patricia MacDonald Page 0,62

Doctor Pandava,’ he said in a lilting accent. ‘I was the attending last night when they brought you in, Ms Woods.’

‘Thank you,’ said Alex, although she didn’t exactly know what she was thanking him for.

‘No problem.’

‘What happened to me?’

‘You were stabbed a number of times with some kind of carving knife. You suffered some very large lacerations and several deep wounds in the attack. We sewed you up. It took quite a few stitches. And you lost a great deal of blood. We had to give you a transfusion. As well as medication for the pain, and antibiotics, to avoid the possibility of infection.’

Alex grimaced.

‘Luckily and miraculously, none of your vital organs were lacerated in the attack. All in all, you were quite lucky.’

‘Lucky,’ Alex murmured.

‘All in all,’ he repeated pleasantly.

‘I guess so,’ said Alex. ‘Is it all right for me to move around? It’s pretty painful.’

‘The more you move around, the quicker you’ll heal,’ he said. ‘You can be released tomorrow morning. The nurse will give you instructions. You need to take it easy. No strenuous exercise for at least a week. I’ll want to see you next week for a check-up. The nurse will give you all the paperwork.’

‘Thank you, Doctor,’ said Alex humbly.

‘No problem,’ he repeated, smiling. ‘I’ll check on you in the morning before you leave.’

Alex nodded as he left. She picked up the glass of water and sipped at it again. It tasted delicious to her. The doctor’s matter-of-factness was extremely reassuring. He made it sound as if this pain was just a temporary setback and that she would recover in no time. But she still felt a little disoriented and, admittedly, a bit sorry for herself. There didn’t seem to be anyone waiting for her. She wondered if Seth knew what had happened.

Or Louis Orenstein. She suddenly panicked. This would have been her second day on the job. She didn’t want to get fired already. She wondered vaguely where her phone was, but there was no reason to think it was here in the hospital. She hadn’t exactly had a chance to collect her things before she was carried out of her house.

Just then the door opened again and the nurse came in. ‘You up for a little more company?’ she asked.

‘I guess,’ said Alex.

‘There are some gentlemen here from the police who want to talk to you.’

‘Oh, all right,’ she said. ‘Um, before they come in, could someone call my work and tell my boss where I am? His name is Louis Orenstein.’

‘I’ll ask your uncle. He’s out in the waiting area. But he probably already took care of it.’

‘My uncle’s here?’ Alex said.

‘Been here most of the night. Your neighbor called him when they brought you in.’

‘Can I see him?’ Alex asked hopefully.

‘You’d better talk to the police first. Then you can see your family.’ With that the nurse turned and disappeared from the room. In a few moments she was back with the two detectives in tow that Alex had met at the Colsons’ apartment. The white detective tilted his head to look at her.

‘Ms Woods? Do you remember us? We met at the Colsons. I’m Lieutenant Spagnola. This is Detective Langford. We’re cooperating with the Chichester police. We have a few questions for you about the incident at your home last night.’

‘OK,’ said Alex, although she suddenly felt extremely unsteady. ‘I’ll try and help.’

Spagnola took a pad and pen out of his coat pocket. ‘OK, Ms Woods. First off, do you know who did this to you?’

She hated the fact that Dory’s face leapt to mind. ‘No,’ she said firmly.

‘Can you describe the person who attacked you?’

‘I didn’t see them,’ said Alex.

‘You live alone in the house?’

Alex thought about explaining, and then decided against it. ‘Yes,’ she said.

‘We heard you haven’t got much in the way of security there.’

‘It’s Chichester,’ said Alex wearily. ‘It’s always been safe.’

‘Whoever entered the house came in through the back door. Apparently they opened the lock with a credit card. My colleague in Chichester said that it’s a very inadequate lock.’

Alex was beginning to feel as if they were blaming her for being stabbed in her own home. ‘I’ll get it replaced,’ she said with a sigh.

‘Or perhaps they had a key,’ he said. ‘Does anyone else have a key to your house?’

Alex felt anxious. ‘My neighbor across the street,’ she said.

‘Mrs Thompson. She’s the one who called the police.’

‘My Uncle Brian has a key.’

‘Oh, yes, we spoke to your uncle. He’s out in the