Читать книгу Lies Between Us: a tense psychological thriller with a twist you won’t see coming - Ronnie Turner - Страница 18

‘Excuse me, is your name Maisie Green?’

‘Yes. Can I help you?’ The man is in his early thirties with wavy brown hair, bright-green eyes and a spattering of freckles across his face. He’s wearing an Armani suit, black with silver cufflinks, which adds authenticity to the air of wealth and class surrounding him like a bubble.

‘I’m here to see Tim. He’s a friend. Heidi told me to ask for you.’

‘Oh. OK. I just need to check it’s OK for you to see him. Just bear with me while I give her a quick call.’

Maisie studies him out of the corner of her eye as she dials Heidi’s number. When she is finished she gestures him forward. ‘Great! He’s in room 217. Follow me.’ She walks with him through the door and down the corridor, dodging other staff members. ‘So how do you know Tim?’ She knows it isn’t her place to ask but she can’t help but wonder.

‘We knew each other years ago. I… I read about the attack in the paper. I would have come sooner but I’ve got a big case going on at the minute.’

‘I understand the nurse you talked to at reception explained the situation.’

‘Yes. She explained everythi—’ He stops mid-sentence. His expression turns blank, his eyes empty.

‘Hello. I didn’t expect to see you.’ She sees Watson walking up to them.

‘No… no, I didn’t expect to see you either.’ The man bites his lip and casts his eyes to the floor. What is that, Maisie wonders. Anger? Concern? Irritation? A change of atmosphere chokes the hall. The nurses – usually an insensitive bunch – turn and look, eyebrows raised. Lailah sends her a questioning glance. Maisie shrugs, putting her hands up as if to wave away the fug of tension. ‘So you know each other too?’

Watson pats the man’s back, a warm smile stretching across his lips. ‘Yeah. We go way back, don’t we, mate? Huh?’

He cringes, shuffling out from under Watson’s arm. ‘Yes. I suppose so. I’ve come to see Tim.’

‘He’d be so glad you’re here, mate.’

The man frowns, glancing at Watson. Glance. Glance. Glance. It’s almost as if he is looking for something. Something he can’t find.

‘Follow me, please.’

The three of them stop outside room 217. ‘I’ll leave you both to catch up.’ Maisie watches the man follow Watson into the room. They sit either side of Tim, Watson exuding warmth, his friend staring at the floor, cold and reticent. A sharp contrast to each other. Maisie wonders if they had a disagreement in the past. A tiff that has stretched long fingers into the present. She smiles, hoping they can resolve their issues, then turns and makes her way down the corridor to check on her other patient. When she returns the man is gone. Watson is leaning over Tim, holding his hand tenderly.

She watches thoughtfully, a smile playing across her face. Watson’s lips are moving but Maisie can’t tell what he is saying.