A Place of Hope (7 page)

‘Someone could ask him! Leon has been a close friend for years.’

His expression said he didn’t believe her. What had George been saying, for heaven’s sake?

When Jackson came in later, he scolded her. ‘You’d have done better to co-operate, you know.’

‘That man was asking me totally stupid questions, like what day of the week it is.’

‘And you gave him the wrong day.’

‘I didn’t!’

‘You did.’

She’d been so sure of that, because Sister Pauline had corrected her about what day of the week it was only that morning. Had that woman been setting her up for the interview, trying to put her in the wrong? ‘Well, it’s hard to keep track of the days in here with nothing happening. Look, now that I can read again, can I order a newspaper to be delivered?’

‘You can get one sent up from the shop if your nephew will pay for it.’

Fat chance there was of that. George wouldn’t even give her spending money.

Jackson hesitated then said quietly, ‘I’m going on leave next week. Someone else will be taking my place. Tracey’s a bit of a stickler for the rules, so don’t tell her about the extra exercises or your night-time chats with Chad, hmm?’

‘How long are you going for?’

‘Three weeks.’

That settled it. They would have to escape before then. ‘Which day is your last?’ She kept her voice low, remembering how clearly she’d overheard George one day.

‘Friday of next week.’

A sharp voice interrupted them. ‘Excuse me, Jackson, but you have another patient waiting.’

‘Sorry. See you later, Emily. You did very well today.’ He walked away.

‘The staff are not here to gossip,’ Pauline told her severely. ‘We’re short-handed and struggling to cope. How would you like it if you had no help in getting washed because someone was wasting staff time by gossiping?’

Emily didn’t argue that she was taking full care of herself now. What was the use?

On their next walk round the unit at night, she and Chad saw a mobile phone lying on the ground in a corner underneath some of the nurses’ outer clothing. Usually coats and shopping bags were locked in the cupboard, to which only Pauline had a key, but someone must be wanting to get away quickly.

They looked at one another, then he picked it up. ‘Our need is greater than theirs.’ He passed it to her. ‘I have no one I can call, but you do. Be careful when you use this.’

She ought to have handed it in, didn’t like to steal anything, but he was right. Her need was too great to waste what might be her only opportunity. She slipped the phone into the pocket of her dressing gown then hid it at the back of her bedside drawer, for lack of anywhere better.

When one of the staff came to take her obs the following morning, she said firmly, ‘I’d like the rest of my day clothes back, please. I don’t like being told what to wear. They gave me someone else’s clothes the other day.’

‘They can’t have done.’ The nurse’s voice grew gentle. ‘You’d probably forgotten they were yours.’

Emily stared at her in shock. ‘Of course I hadn’t!’

Sister popped in later. ‘Why do you say we gave you someone else’s clothes?’

‘Because you did.’

‘Miss Mattison, we did not. We are scrupulously careful about our patients’ possessions.’

‘
Ms
Mattison.’

But Pauline wasn’t listening, was already walking away.

Emily told Chad about the incident later.

‘Next time, don’t say anything. You’re only giving them fodder to prove you’re developing dementia.’

‘I’m not good at being deceitful, at thinking about the impact of every word I say.’

‘No. It’s one of the many things I like about you.’

She looked at him, swallowing hard. ‘I can’t believe this is happening. Sometimes I think it’s a nightmare and I’ll wake up suddenly.’

‘Well, whatever they do, don’t protest from now on. They’ll only blame it on your supposed dementia.’

Jackson popped in to see her on his way home that evening. ‘Don’t push them about clothes. I’ll get you some of your things, enough for your purpose, anyway.’

She looked at him in shock.

‘I overheard you and Chad talking one day. You need to be more careful about that.’

‘Thanks for not giving us away.’

‘I can only take so much.’ As he wrote on the clipboard, he added in a whisper, ‘I’ll even show you where to hide the clothes.’

Why was he suddenly agreeing to help her? Was this a trap? She looked at him suspiciously.

He put one finger to his lips. ‘It’s not a trick. I’m about to give in my notice, so I won’t be coming back after my leave. I’ve found another job, thank goodness. I don’t like what’s happening here. How they’ve escaped being caught for so long, I can’t figure. But I’m not going to be the one to blow the whistle on them. I don’t want to ruin my career.’

He was gone before she could comment on that.

Thank goodness they’d found the phone.

The following day, as she sat chatting to Chad, she told him Jackson was leaving.

‘Yes, he told me too. I think we have to escape this Friday, after he’s gone on holiday. The relief nurse might clamp down on us and make it impossible to get away, or even to see much of one another.’

‘I’d hate that.’

‘So would I.’

She sat frowning into space, wondering how to do it.

He was silent for a long time and when she turned sideways she saw he was looking sad again.

‘Are you sure you still want me to go with you, Emily? I can’t walk as quickly as you can yet. I might hold you up.’

‘But you can walk steadily. How far do you think you’ll be able to go?’

‘However far it takes. I’ll crawl on my hands and knees, if necessary.’

She laid one hand on his, understanding his frustration. ‘Then help me plan it.’

‘It has to be at night, when
she
isn’t around.’

Emily nodded. ‘I have the mobile phone. I had a look at it and the battery’s quite low, so I’ve been saving it to ring Rachel once we have a definite escape time sorted out. Jackson’s even got me some of my own clothes.’

Chad gestured to himself. ‘I have only the clothes they provide and no outdoor ones.’ He sat lost in thought. ‘We’ll stand a lot more chance of success if your friend’s there to help us get away. Will she come for us?’

‘Yes. She’s a very good friend. I’ll phone her tonight.’

She couldn’t imagine Rachel refusing.

She took out the mobile phone in the middle of the night and listened to it ringing.
Please answer, Rachel
, she prayed.

‘Ah, Rachel. Emily here. Sorry to disturb you at this hour, but they won’t let me use a phone so I had to sneak this call.’

‘Emily? But George said you were—’

‘He’s telling people I’m losing my marbles. I’m not. Rachel, could you please get my mail and keep it till I come home? He won’t bring it in and I bet he’s reading it.’

‘Look, just to check that this is bona fide, what did we do on your fifty-fifth birthday?’

Emily knew this was a way for her to let Rachel know if this was a trick, but told the truth, smiling at the memory. ‘Went out for a curry then got drunk together. You sang Happy Birthday to me three times, none of them in tune.’

‘I’m ahead of you on the letters. I know how you feel about George. I’ve been getting your mail when I can. They aren’t always around when the post arrives. I’ve got one letter that looks quite important. I’ve been worrying what to do with it.’

‘You’re an angel. Do not give it to George under any circumstances. Couldn’t you bring it in to me? We can’t escape yet.’

‘Your nephew says you can’t have visitors and they haven’t let me speak to you when I’ve phoned up.’

‘Just turn up, come to the Geriatric Care Unit and come at five past ten precisely. Sister will be on her break then. Make a big fuss. I’ll hear you because it’s a very quiet area. There are a lot of stroke and advanced dementia patients.’

Rachel gasped. ‘What on earth are
you
doing in a unit like that, then?’

‘George has made them think I’m developing dementia. The trouble is, I don’t even have my purse and credit card because he took them away. Could you lend me some money, do you think? And help me get a lawyer? And can I stay with you at first?’

‘Yes, to all those.’

The phone beeped and she looked at it in dismay. ‘Look, I can’t chat any more. The battery’s running low.’

She sat and wept after she’d hidden the phone. Then she got annoyed at herself for being so weak. To prove she was getting her old spirit back, she went on the prowl to try to find a way of getting out of the hospital at night. She needed a code for the keypad to the stairs door, was going to watch for someone going out that way, which the nurses did sometimes on their breaks. She might be lucky and see what number they keyed in.

She waited for over an hour, sleepy but determined.

In the end, she was indeed lucky. A yawning nurse keyed in the number that opened that door to the stairs, doing it very slowly.

They would need a lot more luck than this if they were going to escape, but Emily felt it was a good start.

The following day she told Chad what she’d found out and he clinked his teacup against hers in a toast to her success.

‘Well done! You’re an enterprising woman.’

‘I’m feeling much more like my old self. How about you? No more memory flashes?’

‘Nothing useful. I could see a garden, and a huge building with a sign on it. Only it faded before I could read the sign. Apart from that, I see oddments of furniture, old things. I must have liked antiques.’

‘I love them – well, not all periods, but I have a few nice pieces. I always watch antiques programmes on TV.’ She took his hand. ‘Don’t worry. You
will
remember more. I’m sure of it.’

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. Desire speared through her and she gazed at him in shock.

He smiled knowingly. ‘It’s hitting me, too.’

She didn’t try to deny it. ‘Of all the places to meet someone!’

‘Fate’s been kind to us. What would I have done without you to keep my spirits up?’

She kept hold of his hand. ‘You’ve done the same for me. And we
will
escape.’

‘And be together.’

Two days later, while Sister was on her tea break, Rachel came to visit, sneaking up in the lift with some other people.

‘I’m afraid Miss Mattison’s nephew has requested no visitors and . . .’ the nurse at the reception desk was saying.

Emily walked along towards them, calling out, ‘Rachel! How lovely to see you!’

Her friend immediately hurried towards her.

‘We’ll just be in my room!’ Emily told the nurse.

The woman looked worried, opened her mouth then shut it again.

Chad gave them the thumbs up as they passed him.

‘Who’s the dishy man?’ Rachel asked. ‘Surely
he
hasn’t got dementia?’

‘Keep your voice down. Chad’s a friend. And if you’ve got any mail, give it me now, in case they send you away. And the money too, please.’

‘I just brought the important looking one, in case it’s urgent.’ Rachel passed over an envelope and two hundred pounds. ‘It seems to be from a lawyer in Lancashire. Isn’t that where your family comes from?’

‘Yes. But I daren’t open it now.’ She tucked the envelope under her mattress.

‘How are you, Emily? Really?’

‘Better than I let them know. There’s a conspiracy to keep me in here.’

‘George said you weren’t as well as you thought.’

‘My nephew is a liar. He said
you
had gone away to sort out a family crisis. And he’s told them I had dementia before the accident.’

Rachel’s shocked expression showed Emily’s guess had been correct: her being away had been a lie.

‘Don’t you have a lawyer I can contact?’

‘No. I’ve never needed one, except for buying my house.’

‘Well, you need one now, Emily.’

Sister arrived just then. ‘I’m afraid we decided on no visitors except family,’ she said with one of her tight smiles.

‘Then I’m afraid I’ll have to make a formal complaint,’ Emily said. ‘
I
wasn’t consulted about that. Or my friend can do it on my behalf. I’ve asked you before to stop George coming to visit and you haven’t done it, and now I find you’re stopping the people I do want to see from visiting me, like my best friend. This is outrageous. How do I make a formal complaint? Rachel, will
you
find out for me?’

‘It’ll be my pleasure.’

There was a pregnant silence, then, ‘Five minutes only.’

‘See what I mean,’ Emily whispered. Then she pointed. Outside there was a shadow across the corridor. Someone was eavesdropping. She nudged Rachel and put one finger to her lips, mouthing, ‘I’ll phone you.’

The five minutes went all too quickly and Emily felt near tears as she saw her friend firmly escorted to the lift by Sister.

She waited a while, sitting by her bed, pretending to read, then as lunchtime approached, she went to sit with Chad and bring him up to date on what Rachel had said.

He looked at her very solemnly. ‘You’re sure you don’t mind me coming along with you now you’ve got Rachel to help?’

‘I told you: I’d prefer to have your company for the Great Escape, and you’re welcome to stay with me as long as you need to.’

He closed his eyes in sheer relief and when he looked at her again, his eyes were bright with tears. She knew how desperate he felt, because she did too, so covered his hand with hers. They sat there quietly for a while.

What would she have done if she hadn’t had Chad to talk to and keep her sane?

Footsteps came towards them and they moved slightly apart, bending over the crossword puzzle they’d been pretending to solve.

When they were alone again, she sighed. ‘We still have to work out how to get away once we leave hospital. I wish I’d dared discuss that with Rachel, but I knew someone was standing outside my room, eavesdropping.’

‘We’ll play it by ear, if necessary.’

How could this be happening to her in England? Emily thought as she was escorted firmly back to her room to rest after her meal, in spite of her protests that she wasn’t tired.