The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1179 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

“Wouldn’t you be better helping your friend with the accident over there,” I pointed to the inverted car and damaged ambulance.

“Oh yeah, and let you run away?”

“You know who I am.”

“Yeah, so?”

“You also know where I live.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“I have five other children there, I’m not going anywhere except to see how my daughter is.”

“Gunshot is a series offence.”

“I didn’t shoot her, but I know who did.”

“Who’s that then?”

“Alfie Bird.”

“Didn’t know ‘e used guns. You’re still under arrest.”

“Go and help your friend, I’ll speak to your superiors later.”

“That sounds like a threat.”

“I wouldn’t threaten a member of the county constabulary despite their stupidity.”

“Don’t push your luck,” he pulled himself up to his full six feet.

“I could say the same to you. Talk with your colleagues and mention my name, listen to their advice.”

“Who do you think you are?”

“I know who I am, it’s you I’m unsure about–oh, does testicular cancer run in your family?”

“What’s that supposed to mean.”

“The injury you got, what two years ago? I’d get it checked out quickly.”

“What d’you know about that?”

“Very little, but more than you it seems.”

“Look ‘ere, if you’re pissin’ me about...”

“If you don’t get it sorted in the next few months, you have five years to live. Now excuse me, I have to see my daughter.”

I pushed past him, leaving him standing in a daze, serves him right if he loses his dangly bits. I didn’t offer to heal on him because–well could you see me standing in the car park with my hands round his–um, you get the point, besides I had Julie to deal with. Maybe I was losing it but I didn’t feel she was under any great risk–perhaps I am losing it.

I spoke with reception, “Yes, it’s me again.”

“She’s in theatre.”

“I’ll wait–oh who’s the duty surgeon?”

“Mr Nicholls, why?”

“I just wondered.”

I sat in the waiting area and called home, Jenny agreed to sort out the baby and collect the girls. I sent Simon a text. ‘Ju shot, back at QA. Cx’

Half an hour later I got his reply, ‘WTF? Si.’ It might have been easier to respond to a specific question, so I let it go. Minutes later he called my mobile.

“Where are you, Babes?”

“I told you, the QA. I went to collect Julie and she was shot as I drove towards home.”

“Shot? Who shot her?”

“I think it was Alfie Bird, in which case he should be here somewhere too.”

“Why?”

“I hit him with the car.”

“You did what?”

“He tried to stop us after he set us up with two other cars to crash us off the road. I could see he had something in his hand, so I clipped him with the car. Looks like it was a gun. I was being chased by two cars and I didn’t notice for a moment that Julie had gone quiet and was bleeding. I rushed her here only to be arrested.”

“For what?”

“Probably dropping litter.”

“I’ll give Dad a call, I’ll get there as soon as I can–how is she?”

“In theatre, Ken Nicholls is the duty surgeon, so I’m hoping he’ll let me see her soon.”

“I’ll call Dad and see if he can call the plod off, better see if you can help Julie.” He rang off and I sat down to wait. Some while later, Ken Nicholls arrived, he looked very tired.

“Lady Cameron, this is becoming a habit.”

“It’s not my fault, I didn’t shoot her.”

“No–I know that, but this poor child.”

“Can I see her?”

“If you can bring your healer’s hat with you, yes–otherwise no.”

“I’m wearing it.”

“Follow me, kimosabi” he wandered off in his scrubs and I followed. He led me to a recovery room where Julie was linked up to oxygen and all sorts of machines. “Can you manage? The machines, I mean.”

“I’ll cope, thanks.”

“God, I need a drink, you?”

“A cuppa, white no sugar, please.”

I saw him nod to a nurse or technician and she left. I sat beside Julie and started talking to her.

“I’m here now, sweetheart, you’ve been hurt but don’t worry–you’re going to be alright–I promise. I want you to listen carefully wherever you are, I want you to start coming back to me–follow my voice and use the light I’m shining for you. Just look for it, it’s the brightest light you can see, brighter than the sun, just head towards it and let me know when you see it, then I’ll know you’re on your way.”

I watched her; she was lying very still, the machines bleeping gently in the background, then I saw her eyes moving under their closed lids. I knew then she was coming back to me, she was searching for the light. “Just follow it, I’m sending it to you like a beacon–follow it and my voice, feel the light contacting you and bathing you in its energy. You know only too well that it’s healing you, so hurry back to me, darling, so we can heal your hurt and then we can go home.”

I felt her clasping my hand tightly and her expression became one of pain. I poured energy into her and told her to relax and trust me. Eventually, she got the message and relaxed–then all hell broke loose. A huge man, the size of a large ape burst into the room and pointed a gun at me and by association, Julie.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

“So, she survived did she? Oh well, I’ll kill two birds with one stone.” As he spoke the nurse came in with the cup of tea.

“I’m a bit busy, nurse, oh and he’s got a gun.”

“You don’t expect me to fall for that old trick do you?” he laughed at me.

“Not really, I mean if there was a nurse there with my cup of tea, she’d fling it all over you wouldn’t she?” Thankfully, she got the message and he turned and swore as the hot liquid went all over him.

I only had one chance, and I grabbed a drip stand and smashed it against his back and side. The gun discharged and he fell down. I jumped towards him and kicked his wrist, dislodging the gun, then I kicked him under the jaw and his head jerked back into the leg of another bed. He lay very still. The nurse screamed and half a dozen people ran in including Ken Nicholls, a security man and a copper who was in the building.

They dragged Alfie Bird out and loaded him on a gurney, he had a suspected fractured skull–well those beds are quite substantial.

“Jeez, Cathy, I’ve got enough to do without this,” Ken moaned.

“He’s had two goes at her now, if there’s a third I’ll kill him.”

“You’ve damn near done that now.”

“No, I hit him with the stand, he fell and banged his head.”

“Is that why his teeth are all over the floor?”

“He might have clamped his jaws together when he fell.”

“On the bed leg?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“And I was going out for dinner tonight–the missus ‘ll kill me.”

“Do you know that rather large hotel at Southsea?”

“The posh one?”

“Yes. How about you take her there tomorrow night and send me the bill–go to the Green Room–the menu there is delicious.”

“Are you joking?”

“No–I’ll tell you what, I’ll call them and arrange it–eight pm?”

“Why?”

“To thank you for helping my various kids.”

“It’s my job–it’s what I do, and besides, you’ve done just as much for some of my patients.”

“It’s what I do.” I shrugged and we both laughed.

“Mummy?” said a weak voice behind me.

I turned round and smiled at a little face which was blinking at me.