Chapter Fourteen
Nikki watched as Emily was led away by Anna and into one of the offices. Not just any office but Doctor Redford's. She had seen Emily shoot a nervous look over her shoulder at Nikki before she left the room.
Nikki sighed softly, knowing she was helpless to aid Emily. She sat down on her bed and looked across at Emily's bed space. For someone who had been in hospital for three months Emily had sparse belongings.
On Nikki's bedside table she had a card from Clarissa telling Nikki she was missed and that she'd visit soon. She also had her kindle with enough books to keep her going for the year- not that she was going to stay that long. Her toiletries were in her wash bag and her warmest hoody was draped on the edge of the bed.
On Emily's bedside table there were no cards. There was a colouring in book that the Occupational Therapist had been getting Emily to colour in to try and take her mind off her father's death. There was also the pile of books that Nikki and Emily had bonded over. Nikki looked over the battered spines:
Pride and Prejudice
Wuthering Heights
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Anna Karenina
Nikki smiled to herself. Emily certainly had eclectic tastes. She paused, noticing something sticking out of the Harry Potter book. She walked over to Emily's bed space and picked up the book. Inside was a picture of a younger looking Emily and a woman that she assumed to be Emily's mother. On the inside cover, in curly writing, was an inscription.
'Dearest Emily, may all your adventures be as magical as Harry's. Love always, Mum'
Nikki sighed sadly as she placed the photo back in the book and the book back on the bedside table. Nikki too might have lost both parents, but she had her Lyell Centre family.
Emily had no one.
Padding back to her bed space, Nikki knew she could only wait patiently for Emily's return. She picked up her kindle and prepared to lose herself in some Austen.
Time always passed quickly when she read and soon she heard someone walk into the dormitory.
"Emily?" Nikki said closing her kindle as the younger woman walked into the room
"Hi Nikki," Emily said, looking deflated as she sat down on her bed, kicking off her trainers as she did so "Do you work with the police a lot?" she asked
Nikki nodded "Why do you ask?"
"How do you know you can trust them?"
Nikki paused before answering "What makes you mistrust them?"
"They think my Dad was murdered by William. They asked me what he said when he came to visit me. He's not allowed to visit anymore…" she sighed
"Has he been arrested?" Nikki asked and Emily nodded "So why don't you trust the police?"
"He was the only person who came to visit me. All he did was ask me questions about Dad. Now the police think he's a murderer,"
"They wouldn't have arrested him without sufficient evidence," Nikki said
"But he's all I have left…"
"What did William ask you when he came?"
"Just about what Dad was working on before he died. He also wanted to know if I knew the combination to Dad's safe in his office,"
"Emily, that sounds like important information. Please tell me you told the police this?" Nikki said and Emily nodded
"Of course I did," she said flopping back on her bed "What if William is annoyed with me 'cos of what I told the police?"
"You've done nothing wrong Emily,"
"But he wont come and visit me anymore…" Emily said, looking despondent "You get loads of visitors," she said sadly
"Jack will come and seen you again. Remember? He promised you he would take you on a walk around the grounds again," Nikki said, and Emily nodded
Suddenly Nikki's phone buzzed and she looked down to see a text from Jack:
Brown's been arrested. His DNA was found in car. Just need a motive. J.
Nikki looked across at Emily who was picking out a book from her stack:
Check Hooper's office. E. said Brown was looking for the combination. N.
Her phone pinged back and she saw Jack's reply:
Thnx. Will follow lead. Clarissa is coming to visit with me tomorrow.
"You're popular," Emily said looking up from her book
"What are you reading?" Nikki said, trying to distract her
"Harry Potter," she shrugged
"Is there a spell in there to make the food here taste better?" Nikki asked and Emily laughed
"Avada Kedavra macaroni cheese!"