Sheelagh was walking along the hospital corridors the next morning. She was in a bad mood because Des had accused her of doing overtime on purpose to avoid him. He wouldn't listen to her when she tried to explain that she hadn't realised what time it was. In the end she had given up on him and gone to bed.
Sheelagh walked up to Patrick Murphy who was reading his book. Patrick smiled when he saw her.
"You got your Inspector's attention then?" he asked.
"Yeah. Within five minutes of me entering the station!" Sheelagh's mood improved the minute Patrick had started talking to her in his cheerful and cheeky way.
"Well done." He put down his book by his leg and looked at her. "You okay?"
"Yes thank you. How are you feeling today?"
"Better thanks. I'm allowed to go home tomorrow."
"Oh, good." Sheelagh realised the real reason she was there and lifted the laptop case onto the bed. "Can you look at these pictures?"
"Of course."
Sheelagh took the laptop out of its case and opened it up. She switched the laptop on. She put in her password and user name then put the laptop on Patrick's knee. She clicked on an icon and stood back to allow Patrick to have a good look at the faces on the page. She watched Patrick study each one. He looked up at her and shook his head.
"None of them?" she asked.
"Not one." Patrick answered.
"Okay." Sheelagh clicked down. "Any of these?"
Patrick studied the page for a few seconds before pointing to the picture of Harry Bells. "Him."
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"Okay." Sheelagh started packing the laptop away.
"Is that it?"
"For today."
"Oh." Patrick sounded sad.
Sheelagh stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "Are you okay?"
"Well, I don't get many visitors so I like it when you come."
Sheelagh smiled sadly at him. "I'm sorry. I'll visit you after my shift if you like?"
"Would you? That'll be nice."
"Okay. About five o'clock then."
Patrick smiled at her and she left the cubicle and hospital.
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At five past five Sheelagh was walking quickly through the hospital corridors to Patrick Murphy's cubicle. She pulled back the curtain just enough so she could slip through. Patrick looked towards her as she came through the curtain and smiled at her.
"You came back?" he said.
"I said I would." Sheelagh replied. She was more nervous this time because it wasn't official. Patrick noticed this.
"Come on. It's okay." He held out a hand towards her. Sheelagh slowly and shyly walked towards him. When she was close enough to him he reached out, took hold of her hand and pulled her gently towards him. Sheelagh smiled gratefully at Patrick and gently removed her hand from his when she reached him. "Sit down if you like." Patrick patted the bed covers by his leg and Sheelagh sat down obediently. "Please don't be shy."
"Sorry, it's just it's so……different…when it's not official business."
"I know. For a start, you're not in your uniform."
Sheelagh laughed and relaxed. "What do you do all day in here?"
"Read, sleep and eat." He answered simply.
"So you're going to celebrate being free tomorrow then?"
"Can't. Got no one to celebrate with."
"Oh." Sheelagh looked down at her knees.
"Hey!" Patrick put his hand on her arm. "It's okay. Do you want to play hangman?" Patrick asked with a cheeky grin on his face.
"Okay." Sheelagh cheered up and got up to pull the table nearer to the bed. Patrick produced a piece of paper and a pen off his bedside table. Sheelagh was a lot more relaxed now. She sat down next to Patrick again and Patrick started.
Sheelagh guessed and guessed and guessed but she didn't get it before she had no life left. Patrick smiled.
"You lost!" He said.
"What does it say?" Sheelagh asked.
"You'll never know." Patrick teased.
"Please." Sheelagh pleaded.
"Oh okay." Patrick wrote out the letter. It read.
U / L U K / N I C E / I N / U R / O W N / C L O T H E S
Sheelagh blushed. "Patrick…" She said shyly.
"Well you do." Patrick said simply. Sheelagh just smiled.
"My turn." Sheelagh picked up the pen. She thought for a few minutes before drawing the lines. Patrick had one letter left and one chance left.
"Okay." he said. "P."
"Nope!" Sheelagh said triumphantly.
"Oh dear."
Sheelagh glanced at her watch. "I've got to go." She stood up.
"You have to tell me what it says."
"Okay." She wrote in the last letter so it read.
G E T / B E T T E R / S O O N
"How did I not get that?" Patrick asked.
"I have no idea." Sheelagh laughed.
"Remind me to give you a free ride in me taxi."
"That's not necessary, I'm only doing my job."
"It is necessary." Patrick insisted.
"I'll see you soon." Sheelagh put her hand on his arm.
"Okay."
Sheelagh left him feeling a lot happier.