Chapter 22
When they reach the intensive care unit Tom looks exhausted and resigned. ‘Were they… all right?’ Philippa asks him anxiously. ‘The police, I mean… They didn’t… You’re not in trouble, are you?’
He shrugs his thin shoulders. ‘I, er… No, I don’t think so. Not from the police. But it’s not them I’m worried about.’ He glances at Eve, then turns enquiringly to his mother.
‘You remember Eve, don’t you?’ Philippa asks.
‘From the café, yes.’ He smiles palely. ‘Hi, Eve.’
She grins. ‘Hi, Tom. I’m sort of giving your mum a hand here.’
‘That’s nice.’
‘Can you bear to go through it all again? To tell us both what you told the police?’
‘I don’t mind. But—’
‘Mmm?’
‘These guys. They don’t mess around. I don’t know what’s gonna happen when I get out of here, but—’
Eve nods. ‘Look, we’ll figure something out, OK? But first we have to know the whole story. We have to know what we’re up against. Make sense?’
‘I guess.’
‘Would you like some tea? Something to eat?’
‘That’d be nice.’ He looks at Philippa, his expression strained. ‘Mum? Could you…’
‘What?’
‘Can I… talk to Eve alone?’
‘Er, yeah. Sure. If you want.’ Philippa glances questioningly at Eve.
Eve gives her the ghost of a shrug.
‘A Snickers and a cup of tea?’ Philippa asks him.
‘Coke please, Mum.’
‘Right. I’ll, um…’ She tiptoes away, frowning and biting her lip.
When she’s out of sight, Tom seems to relax a little. ‘There’s stuff I don’t want to tell her,’ he mutters. ‘I don’t want her worrying about me.’
‘She’s already worrying about you.’
‘I know, but…’
‘She’s going to find it all out anyway, one way or another.’ Eve searches his pale features. ‘You know that.’
‘I do know that. I’d just rather… Not all at once, y’know.’
‘I get it. So tell me.’