Hathaway and Hobson sat huddled together in the waiting area of A&E, hope and fear swirling about them. Hathaway was uncharacteristically optimistic; Hobson knew that it was a front the he was putting up for her sake. She herself couldn't keep her mind from writing a pathology report- cause of death: exsanguination, it would say. But Lewis had still been alive when they'd arrived via ambulance. Barely alive, but alive, nonetheless. She'd repeatedly shouted his blood type to anyone who would listen. Now all she could do was wait to know if the medics were able to stabilize him enough for a massive blood transfusion. Hobson shivered and didn't seem to notice Hathaway's firm hand rubbing her back.
Standing outside the John Radcliff, Graham Lawrie checked his watch. A certain PC that he'd had his eye on was about to start her shift. He entered the hospital and brazenly decided to go get a coffee in the canteen. He congratulated himself at not being recognized. Everything was falling into place. He made his way to the floor where Pamela Carson was still being guarded. Before approaching her room, he sent a text to Burgess.
PC Julie Lockhart was standing vigilant in front of Pamela Carson's hospital room. Her work mobile pinged; it was a bad connection, but over the static she heard... "Graham Lawrie… compromised security at A&E… Altercation in progress. Attacking… Lewis is down…"
"I'm not sure I copy, who is this?"
"Repeat, proceed immediately to A&E. Back-up required for altercation with Lawrie."
Lockhart ran off, leaving the path to Carson open for Lawrie. He entered her room, and her eyes lit up. Of course, she knew him immediately.
When Lockhart arrived in the waiting area at A&E, she stopped short to catch her breath. She had been expecting to find a chaotic scene but instead found a more sedate tableau. She skimmed the crowd of unfortunate Oxfordians awaiting medical consultation. At last, she saw the form of Dr. Hobson sitting with her head hung low and her arms folded across herself as if to hold herself together. Inspector Hathaway had his arm around her.
"Sir?" PC Lockhart got Hathaway's attention. "Where's Lawrie? Is Lewis…? I got a call saying Lawrie was here, trying to get to Inspector Lewis."
Hobson jumped up. "No! Lawrie's not here. No one has gotten through to see him. I'm sure of it." Of course, she would be the first to notice anyone accessing Lewis.
Hathaway spoke. "Who called you?"
Lockhart drew a blank. "I don't know; I didn't recognize the dispatch sergeant. But it was a bad connection. It seemed a bit dodgy, but I didn't have time to think. The message was to report here immediately."
"Perhaps someone was trying to lure you away from Pamela Carson's side. Call for back up. Now!" Hathaway leapt up. "Laura, I should investigate this. Will you be OK until back up comes?"
"Go, James. I will protect Robbie with my life if Lawrie comes here."
Hathaway and Lockhart raced back to Carson's room just as nurses were flocking to her side. The steady beeptone indicated that she had flat-lined.
Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent asked the PC driving her car to pull up to the hospital entrance. She had been anxiously awaiting news of Lewis' condition and decided to come see for herself. Her eye was drawn to a bald man striding from the hospital; he was not rushed, but walked at a brisk pace and seemed very satisfied, smug even. Curious, she thought. As he passed her, she recognized those blue eyes from the evidence files she'd been digesting over and over. She made a split-second decision.
Tailored dress and high heels notwithstanding, Jean Innocent threw herself on top of Graham Lawrie and shouted for the PC who was driving her car. She and Lawrie hit the pavement. Cut and bruised, he still managed to struggle against her, but Innocent remained on top until the PC was able to shackle Lawrie in handcuffs.
"Graham Lawrie. I am arresting you for assaulting a police officer…" Innocent declared triumphantly.
Soon, she would be able to add a litany of other charges. Though Innocent had arrived just in time to apprehend Lawrie, it would be too late for Pamela Carson. Graham Lawrie had injected a copious amount of bleach into her IV drip, thus silencing his only confidant.
Once additional forces had arrived to take Lawrie away, Innocent entered the hospital. She saw Hobson right away, a petite blonde soldier pacing back and forth the waiting room. Is she nervous or is she securing the perimeter? Innocent wondered. She realised that she and Hobson were not on the best terms and thought about what she should say. Before Hobson could notice Innocent approaching, a doctor came and took Hobson by the arm. Innocent watched Hobson follow the doctor out of sight. Innocent could not see Hobson's face to read if it was good news or not. Innocent said a silent prayer that Lewis not share the bookbinder's mortal fate; then she swallowed and decided to go back to the station to oversee Lawrie's treatment personally. That's what Lewis would want, anyway.
Hobson slid around the curtain of the cubicle where Lewis was being treated. "Robbie?"
"Laura," he murmured. He was a mess of wires, IV lines, and bandages.
"How are you?"
"Knackered," he admitted quietly. "Are the kids OK? Must've given them quite a scare…" he was mumbling, but Hobson understood every word.
She nodded. "Lyn's on her way, of course, and I think I smoothed things over with Kenny." She did not tell Lewis that it had been Hathaway who had called Ken; the exchange between the two men had become so emotional that she had to take the mobile, send Hathaway for a cigarette, and talk Ken down herself.
"Tell my kids I didn't do this. That's what Lawrie wanted you to think- suicide. But I would never…"
"Shh, Robbie. We know. No more talk of Lawrie now."
"I got your message, Laura," he whispered. "I was coming home." He was fading out, but it seemed important to him that she know.
"You're safe and that's all that matters. Try to rest, sweet Robbie."
"I love you, Laura." He murmured before falling asleep.
Next: Kiwifruit explained!