Kim didn't say a word. She didn't react, she didn't move. For a few moments I thought that she had stopped breathing again.
"Two days you had him for two days! Couldn't you make sure he wasn't able to escape!" Kim's mum was pacing the room. She was on the verge of tears. I could tell she was trying to bite them back like Kim does every time she wants to be strong.
"How did you let him escape?" Kim's dad was growing bright purple.
DS McKnight held his hands up in the air "Mr Crawford please calm down this isn't helping your daughter. I am truly sorry every precaution we could think of we took to ensure that Frank was not able to escape. I don't know how he managed it but he found away around it. We have all available sources out to search for him. Please rest assured that all our efforts will be focused on finding him"
"Rest? How can we rest knowing that lunatic is on the loose?" Kim's mum cried, sitting beside Kim's bed. She took Kim's hand in hers "Oh darling please say something"
Still Kim was frozen like a statue. I was getting more worried about her now and so were her mum and dad who were trying to entice their daughter to say something.
"He murdered my best friend. He shot Kim. He hurt Donna mentally so much that she is stuck upstairs in the mental ward under suicide watch. We have to find him. He has to pay for what he has put us all through" I reminded everyone. I was hoping my comment would make Kim flinch or blink or anything to let me know she is okay. Still I had no luck. Its like Kim had shut herself to the world. But I am persistent I will keep trying soon Kim will realise that I will not stop asking her.
DS McKnight nodded. "Again I am truly sorry for the hurt he caused. I will keep you all updated with the search. In the meantime I will leave hospital security at your door. I am placing Kim under twenty four hour protection until we apprehend Bickle"
"How long will that be for? How long will it take them to find him?" Kim's mum asked once McKnight left.
I somehow managed to convince the Crawfords to leave me and Kim alone but it took some persuading. As I expected they were highly reluctant to leave their daughter so soon after that news which changed everything but I told them Kim hadn't eaten much or drunk much at all today, so they left believing that they would be helping more by getting her something to eat and drink.
"Kim its just us two now" I said "You don't have to be strong around me. Please do something or say anything to let me know that you are okay"
Kim smiled, laughing "Was that a joke?"
It was hard to read her face now that she is laughing. It felt like ages since I had last seen even though it was really only a few days ago. I had expected her to anger maybe even sadness but definitely not laughing.
"It must be a joke" She said once she had regained her composure "There's no way he could have escaped"
"That's what McKnight seemed to think" I said playing with Kim's hair "Sorry Kim"
She ran her fingers through her scalp holding back her hair "Jack how did this all happen?"
Truthfully I couldn't really give her an answer. The only person who knows is Frank and he is on the loose. Nobody knows where he is. He could be anywhere and I guess we have to find a way to live with that until we find him.
I rested my head on hers "They'll find him eventually"
The Crawfords returned with a tray full of food and drink from the canteen.
"Sorry we didn't know what you wanted so we got a little bit of everything" Kim's mum said.
Kim pushed the tray away. "i'm not hungry"
"Oh angel please eat something we are worried about you" her dad said.
Kim shook her head "me eating food isn't going to help the police find Frank"
"Honey you won't be much help anyway" Kim's mum said. "You only have one job and that is to recover"
"no I need to help them. We have no idea where Frank is, he could be lurking outside the hospital watching me" Kim said. "No one can stop him not without knowing where he is hiding"
"Sweetie"
"Mum!" Kim snapped.
Her mum looked like Kim had slapped her in the face. "Honey I..."
"...Its true though Frank could be anywhere. He could be planning something worse. Frank will be desperate for revenge. I don't think anyone will be able to stop him. We weren't able to stop him at the school what makes us think we can stop him now?"
"You can't think like that" I said putting my palms on her cheeks. "Let everyone else worry about Frank. I know you are going to find that difficult but desist and let everyone look after you. The quicker you recover you sooner you can be back on your feet."