Chapter 53: A Question of Morality

"So you wanted to see me?" Nikki asked as she took a seat by the bed

"Yes Doctor Alexander," came the response

"I'm not on duty now. I'm just plain old Nikki,"

"I'm never off duty,"

"I think that's your problem Rachel," Nikki said as she glanced across at DI Harris who was staring very deftly at a spot in the corner of the room as she attempted to avoid Nikki's gaze

"I'm not here to debate semantics,"

"So why did you ask me here?"

"You wanted me to talk didn't you?"

"Yes but if I remember correctly you didn't seem too keen on the idea. What's changed your mind?"

"Despite your low opinions of me Doctor Alexander, I am human and I do have a conscience,"

"And is that conscience particularly weighted down right now?"

Rachel ignored that comment "You wanted me to talk so ask away,"

"Why did you stage the kidnapping?"

"I knew the tribunal wasn't going my way. I also heard in the office that Molly was beginning to remember something. It was bad enough that I was going to lose my career I couldn't go down for taking part in the murders as well,"

"So you staged your own kidnapping?"

Rachel nodded "The idea came to me when I went to the toilets. I thought I heard a disturbance but it turned out to be nothing. I thought someone had come to get me then I thought I could make it look like someone was after me and if I looked like the victim then no one would suspect I had anything to do with the murders,"

"Why then send the text to Jack?" Nikki asked "You could have just taken Molly and killed her,"

"The murder had to be planned properly like the other five murders, that way it would take the heat off me and make me look like a victim. I wanted to confuse you, I didn't think you would find out. How did you find out?"

"Jack found your initials on a piece of paper inside Devil's Cott,"

"That's not possible,"

"It is. You were double crossed. You were the one who smuggled the belladonna into his prison cell. You helped him kill himself and in return he double crossed you. He left you behind to take the wrap and now you're facing charges of kidnapping, attempted murder and perverting the course of justice,"

"You think I don't know how much shit I'm in?"

"You're not even sorry,"

"How do you know that Nikki?" Rachel said crossly "I have a fractured pelvis,"

"I meant sorry for nearly killing Jack and Molly, not sorry for yourself,"

Rachel was about to reply when Nurse Clara came in to check Rachel's obs

"I'm not interrupting am I?" she asked

Nikki stood up "I think we're done here,"

"No Nikki wait," Rachel called

"What?"

"How is Molly?"

Nathan took a deep breath and walked into the ICU's relatives room

"Ethel Bates?" he asked a primly dressed woman who was perched on one of the chairs in the corner of the room

"Yes?"

"Hi, I'm Nathan one the nurses that's been looking after Molly. I spoke to you on the phone earlier,"

"Yes," came the curt reply

"Thanks for coming down. We've been going through Molly's medical records looking for any family that could support her now that her parents are deceased,"

"I see,"

"I can take you to see her if you'd like or we could sit and chat for a moment before you go and see her. I know things like this can be really difficult. Is your husband here to support you?"

"Jeremy died six months ago,"

"I'm so sorry," Nathan winced

"It's fine," she said standing up

"Ok," Nathan nodded "It's this way," he said as he led the way out of the room and down the maze of corridors until they came to a halt outside Molly's room

"I know it looks scary but the machines are just there to monitor her. She's still quite weak so we need to keep a close eye on her,"

"What's wrong with her?"

Nathan was taken aback by the bluntness of the question. Usually the first question people asked was 'how are they?'

"Molly's suffered some brain damage to the frontal lobe part of her brain. It's affected her ability to walk and talk. She's improving with therapy but there is going to be significant long term lasting damage. She will need long term care from now on which is why we've been trying to get in contact with her family,"

"What kind of care?"

"Well Molly has some mobility issues. The damage to her brain has affected her ability to walk and she will be a bit wobbly around the house. She's also lost the use of one arm due to a fracture which damaged the nerves in her arm. We've seen no improvement there even with therapy so it seems that the consultant was right in his initial prognosis that the nerve damage was permanent,"

"I see,"

"I know this is a lot to take in right now,"

"Is she cognitive?"

"Sorry?"

"You said she was brain damaged. Is she cognitive?"

"Molly knows who she is and can recognise other people. She does have problems with her memory and speech but that can be helped with therapy and she's been coming on in leaps and bounds according to our speech therapists,"

"Is it noticeable?"

"I'm sorry, I don't understand the question?"

"I'm head of the Women's Institute and the Horticultural Society. I have appearances to keep up. I already had one wayward daughter drag me down through her unsuitable marriage I can have anyone else affect my social standing,"

"Molly's brain damaged not wayward. She really needs some love and support right now. Why don't you just step inside and we can talk about this some more,"

"No need," Ethel said "I can't do this. I told Jonathan at Isabella's funeral that I couldn't be responsible for Molly. I have my own life to lead and that is that same now as it was then," and with that Ethel Bates walked out of the hospital and out of Molly's life for a second time.

Nathan sighed and banged his head softly against the nearby wall. He glanced into Molly's room and saw her begin to stir and so gently slipped inside

"Hey Molly," he said walking over to her bed "How're you feeling?"

"I h-had a f…f…funny d-dream," she said

"Oh yeah?"

"I d-dream G-granny Bates was here,"

Nathan paused for a moment "It was just a dream Molly. No one's come to see you this morning," he lied "But Jack is going to come down and see you this afternoon after he's discharged,"

"Mm-k..ay," Molly said drowsily as she turned over and drifted back into sleep "Bye G-Granny Bates…" she murmured sleepily

"So Molly isn't facing charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice?" Jack asked DCI Carter who had come to update Jack on the case

"No and the charges of murder have been dropped against her as well. I am going to have to give her a caution for wasting police time though," Carter said "She had information and she led us a merry dance when she could have just told us and made the whole case a lot easier,"

"She couldn't trust the police not after the prejudice of DI Harris. She was scared. She didn't know what to do," Jack protested

"I'm not sure that's entirely true Jack," Carter said "DI Harris was prejudice but so was Molly. Against the police. And it was that prejudice that led to her playing games with us when she could have come clean,"

"Well we're just going to have to agree to disagree," Jack said

"I'm just doing my job Jack," Carter said "You stick to yours. Stick to science and not morals. That's what your best at. You're a scientist, what do you know about questions of morality?" Carter called as he left the room leaving a fuming Jack in his wake.

Just as Clarissa entered the room to visit him.

Author's Note: So what do you think. Who are the guilty parties here? Is DI Harris as heartless as she makes out? Was Molly playing games or was she just trying to make the best of a bad situation?