Free Sisters of Mercy by Andrew Puckett

— I think so, yes.’
    ‘ Good. But, Sister, I’d like you to keep me informed about what questions he asks, what it is he wants to know.’
    ‘ Of course, Miss Whittington.’
    She hesitated … ‘There was one other thing, Sister …’
    ‘ Yes?’
    I heard her take a breath. ‘Dr Wall tells me he thinks you’ve been under an inordinate amount of stress recently — something that had already occurred to me, you may remember …’
    I didn’t hear the rest. You bastard ! I thought furiously. How could you?
    I heard myself agreeing that we should discuss it, then replaced the receiver.
    ‘ What’s the problem?’ Jones asked, but before I could reply, the phone went again.
    ‘ For you,’ I said, holding it out to him.
    ‘ Hello? Oh, hello, Andy … hang on a minute while I find a pen …’
    I leaned back into the sofa while he found pen and paper and closed my eyes. I don’t know whether it was the sleepless nights, the release of tension after Polo’s visit or Stephen’s treachery, but a savage pain started pulsing behind my eyes and I wanted nothing more than to forget everything and sink into my bed …
    The drone of his voice stopped and I realized he’d been speaking to me.
    ‘ I’m sorry?’
    ‘ I said, is there any reason why we shouldn’t go in now and get the patient records from the computer? So I could make a start on them.’
    ‘ Yes, there is.’ The words came with difficulty. ‘I can’t remember when I last felt this awful. Also, it would look odd. I’m not expected until tomorrow morning.’
    ‘ You might have a point there — we don’t want to alert the person we’re after. Listen, I’m sorry you feel so rough, but it would help if you could answer a few more questions before I go.’
    ‘ Go ? ’ Fear banished the pain for a moment and I sat up. ‘Mr Jones, I’d … I rather assumed you’d stay — for tonight, anyway. Sutton isn’t going to be very pleased with me after Polo’s told him what’s happened.’
    ‘ Stay here, you mean?’
    ‘ If you think your reputation could stand it. I do have a spare room.’
    ‘ All right,’ he said after a moment, not really liking it. ‘I’ll need to collect some things from my hotel, though. And let my wife know where I am.’
    I didn’t like the idea of being left alone at all, so I went with him to his hotel while he collected a few things, although I can’t remember much about the journey.
    When we got back, he started asking more questions about the patients on my notes, but I was too tired to make much sense, and after a while, he gave up.
    ‘ Can I use your phone?’ he asked. ‘I want to find out about a PM on Mrs Sutton, among other things.’
    ‘ Help yourself.’
    I staggered away upstairs before he could think of anything else, took a couple of paracetamols and went to bed.
    Strangely enough, I didn’t sleep immediately. The pain in my head slowly diminished to a manageable point in the middle of my brow, and all the while, I was aware of Jones’s voice droning away on the phone downstairs. It was oddly comforting.
    *
    I was awoken by a persistent tapping. Didn’t realize it was from my door until he said, ‘Sister, I need to speak to you. It’s important.’
    ‘ What time is it?’
    ‘ Half-past eight.’
    I ’d slept for eight hours, although it didn’t feel like it.
    ‘ What’s the matter?’
    ‘ I’ll tell you when you come down. Would you like a coffee?’
    ‘ All right.’
    I dragged on some clothes and splashed some water on to my face before going down. He was sitting on the sofa, smoking a cheroot. Two mugs of coffee were on the table in front of him.
    ‘ What’s the problem?’ I looked for my cigarettes, then realized I didn’t want one.
    ‘ A problem is exactly what we’ve got,’ he said deliberately.
    ‘ Well?’ I sat on the sofa beside him and took a mouthful of coffee.
    ‘ I’ve been on the phone to my boss for most of the day — which reminds me, I’ll have to