I bought the rights to House from David Shore last night on ebay. Set me back ten bucks but he's worth every cent!
Not. I don't own anyone or anything to do with House. I should probably add I don't own David Shore or ebay, either. Don't want to distract you from the story any more, so read on! And please review, I'd love to here anything you've got to say. (the line-thingies aren't working so you'll have to make do with dashes) .:dangles completed chapter 8:. Review or you're not getting this!
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"Please, come in." Cameron opened her front door a little wider and indicated a couch with her free hand. "Take a seat."
Detective Williams, who had introduced them, nodded politely and entered her apartment. His partner, Detective Graham, remained silent and followed Williams without glancing at Cameron.
Once they were inside Cameron shut the door and headed over to the lounge room. Williams had seated himself on one couch with his partner standing beside him, arms folded. Cameron sat on the couch opposite them.
She remembered her manners. "Would you like a drink? Coffee, tea, orange juice?"
"Just some water, thank you." Williams answered. Cameron stood up and walked over to the kitchen, feeling Graham's dark eyes on her the whole time.
She returned a minute later, carrying a jug of water and three empty glasses, to find the two detectives murmuring over a notepad, on which they had jotted down some notes. She placed the jug and glasses on the coffee table before sitting down once more.
Silence fell on the room as she sat down. The two detectives watched her, Williams' hand poised over his notepad. Cameron began to feel uncomfortable. 'Is this an intimidation thing?' She wondered.
Williams cleared his throat after a few moments. "As you know, Ms Cameron-"
"Doctor Cameron," She corrected. These men, particularly Graham, were making her slightly anxious so she needed to maintain a sense of control.
"-Dr Cameron," Williams continued as though she hadn't said anything. "We're here to ask you a few questions regarding Isabelle's death. I understand you saw her on the day of her murder?"
"Yes. She came into the hospital where I work."
"What is it you do?"
"I'm a doctor. I take care of sick people." Cameron replied in a tone not unlike House.
"So Isabelle was sick?"
"No. She'd injured her foot."
"What kind of injury?"
"I'm afraid that's confidential."
Williams paused, looking slightly put-out. Beside him Graham was glaring at Cameron. She didn't falter. Now she felt more at ease, having made her boundaries clearer.
"What kind of glass was it?"
"The sharp kind." Cameron snapped. Having been around House as long as she had, it was obvious her respect for authority had decreased. She cleared her throat and continued. Graham's glare was icy.
"I can't tell you what kind of glass it was."
"Because of doctor-patient confidentiality? Does that even apply-"
"Because I can't remember."
"Did you notice anything strange about Isabelle?"
Cameron paused briefly. She was tempted to remind them of doctor-patient confidentiality once more, but the compassionate side of her spoke up. 'They're here to help Isabelle, just like you are.' It said.
She opened her mouth to tell them about the odd behaviour and bruises on Isabelle's body. But before she could say a word cold fingers wrapped themselves around her throat. She gasped for air, seeing Williams' brow crease, then coughed as her neck was freed a second later. The flesh burned white-hot and Cameron knew at once she was not to tell them anything. It didn't entirely make sense, but it was obvious the sensation was a warning from Isabelle and Cameron trusted her instinct.
"Excuse me, I haven't been very well lately." Cameron apologised smoothly, wrinkling her nose and sniffling for added effect. "No, I can't say I noticed anything odd about Isabelle, apart from the fact she was in pain. But she seemed okay, considering what she must have been feeling. And she was fine when I let her go." Now that Isabelle's warning had opened her eyes a little wider, Cameron saw the detectives in a new light. There was something about them she didn't trust, and this made it easier to lie to them.
Williams bowed his head to scribble some notes. Graham's gaze remained fixed on Cameron. His eyes were narrowed in suspicion – he had obviously noted the ease at which she shared that information, whereas she'd been reluctant to say anything about Isabelle before.
Williams stabbed the notepad with his pen to emphasise the end of that particular topic. He looked once more at Cameron. "Is that the first time you'd met Isabelle, Dr Cameron?"
"Yes."
"Did she return any time that afternoon or evening?"
"No… why?" Cameron frowned. These questions were odd. She was starting to feel nervous again, having guessed where they were heading.
"Just standard procedure Dr Cameron. Where were you at approximately 11:15 that night?"
"I was here… in bed."
"Can anyone vouch for you? A friend, boyfriend, husband?" Williams looked around the apartment, almost as if he expected a boyfriend to jump out from underneath the table and spring to her defence.
"No, I'm single." Immediately Cameron regretted saying that. Williams turned his attention to her once more and Graham shifted his feet, staring at her with more interest that before. She cursed herself for being stupid enough to give information like that away. She could only imagine how vulnerable she appeared to them now.
"I see you've been following up on Isabelle's case." Williams changed the subject at lightning speed, indicating her dining room table with his head. Graham had also turned his attention to the table, or rather, what was scattered upon it.
Cameron groaned inwardly. She hadn't bothered to put away any of her notes on Isabelle's case. The laptop, open at an online article complete with photos of Isabelle, newspaper article with various sections highlighted, and pages of her scribbled notes couldn't have looked very good on her part.
"I guess I feel involved. I had seen Isabelle on the last day of her life, after all."
Although her intentions were to appear sympathetic and genuinely concerned for Isabelle (which she was) Cameron could tell this was the wrong thing to say. The detectives' heads snapped back to look at her. Williams furiously etched some more notes on his notepad. Graham stared at Cameron with such intensity she could feel a blush growing in her cheeks. She was sure she knew what they were thinking.
"'I've done nothing wrong!' She thought furiously to herself. But she was too shocked to turn these thoughts into words.
"You don't think I… had anything to do with her… murder, do you?" She finally managed to stammer.
Williams didn't answer straight away. "We have to explore every possibility. " He answered shortly. "We'll keep in touch, Dr Cameron." He tried to sound polite, but Cameron could hear the warning tones in his voice. He might as well have said, "We're onto you, Doctor. Don't leave the state".
"Sure… Good luck with the case." She replied softly, getting up to see them out. Graham was still silent as he followed his partner out the door. Cameron was relieved to shut the door behind them.
After staring silently at the door for a minute or two Cameron gathered up her case notes. She stored them in the bottom drawer of her bedside table, under some old Christmas cards and a photo album. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and glanced out the window.
Dark, sinister clouds had gathered on the horizon, casting shadows over what started out as a sunny, promising day.