James caught the swooning woman at the same instant he recognized her as someone he knew. He scooped her up and carried her to the next room where there was sofa. He laid her down gently, propped her feet with a pillow and covered her with his jacket.
James took a minute to look at her and remember. It had been ten years, but he would have recognized her anywhere. Penelope Larson. She had the same slim build and delicate features he remembered. Her hair was pulled up into a bun instead of down as she used to wear it, and her stillness was unlike the happy bounce he always thought of when he pictured her walking. He remembered the last time he had seen her, graduation at Cambridge, bouncing along in her cap and gown.
She stirred and he tried calling her name "Penny...Penny, wake up." She opened her eyes and slowly was able to focus on his face.
"James" she said slowly with a tiny smile of recognition. Then she remembered where she was and what had happened and James watched her face crumple into fear and sadness.
"It's all right, Penny. I'm right here. Do you want some tea?" James asked gently. She nodded silently in response. He turned and saw a constable. "Jones, there must be a kettle or something in here somewhere...find it and make miss Larson a cup of tea, please, 2 sugars"
Lewis had walked in on this last bit "Two sugars! That's a bit sweet for anyone!"
"Unless she's changed her ways, that's her usual brew." James replied.
"You know her?" asked Lewis.
"We were at Cambridge together. This isn't much of a way to start a reunion, though."
Penny stirred a bit on the sofa and tried to sit up. "Stay where you are, miss," said Lewis. "We don't want to lose you again." Penny nodded, then said in a confused voice "James, why are you here?'
"Detective Sergeant James Hathaway, Oxfordshire Police, at your service, miss." replied James in an official-sounding voice. " And this is Inspector Lewis, my better half."
"Now then, Miss," Lewis paused and glanced at his notebook, "Larson. Can you tell us who the people in the next room are and what happened?"
Penny closed her eyes as if trying to remember (or maybe trying to forget, Lewis thought) then she started and exclaimed "Laila! You must check on her! He might have hurt her!"
"Who is Laila?" asked James, taking out his notebook.
"Aaliyah's mother," replied Penny with fear in her eyes. "The address is in the file open on my desk inside. Her mother, Nadia, lives with them also. Please check to see if they are all right," she pleaded.
"We'll do that straightaway," said Lewis, and motioned for James to find the address and check on the mother and grandmother. "Don't worry, Hathaway will be on it, and we'll let you know" He had noticed that she had an American accent, and wondered what an American girl was doing in his crime scene in Oxford. No need to worry about that now, though. He was sure James could fill him in on how she had turned up here. A constable entered the room with a steaming cup of tea. "Now, here's your tea"—he took the cup from the constable and passed it to her—"why don't you try to sit up slowly and sip that and tell me what happened here. "