‘Not good,’ she managed to say, her voice cracking. ‘He’s regained consciousness, but …’ She shrugged. She couldn’t speak.
Matilda sat down in front of her desk. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
‘You could make him remember who I am.’
‘He doesn’t remember you?’
She shook her head as the tears fell. Matilda ran around the desk to comfort her boss.
Earlier this year, Valerie had been all smiles and full of plans as she and her husband, Arthur, a retired dentist, were charting their route through Europe in a motorhome. Valerie was taking early retirement and they were going on the trip of a lifetime. A month ago, their plans had been thrown into chaos when Arthur suffered a massive stroke. He was unconscious and in intensive care for three weeks. Valerie had taken a few days off work but wallowing alone in their large house in Derbyshire made her feel worse, so she made a quick return to work, one eye permanently on her phone, waiting for the call from the hospital.
‘He’s lost all feeling down his left-hand side. He’s lost his speech, he can’t feed himself, or dress himself. He doesn’t recognise me, or the children. It’s like talking to a complete stranger who just happens to look like Arthur.’
Matilda plucked a few tissues from the box on the desk and handed them to Valerie for her to wipe her eyes and nose.
‘What are you going to do?’
‘I’ve no idea.’ She blew her nose loudly. ‘What can I do? It could take years for him to get any form of movement back. He may not even get his memory back. All our plans, all our dreams, everything we’ve both worked for, ruined.’
Matilda didn’t know what to say. She hoped that wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders would help her to open up. When she was grieving for James, she had her best friend, Adele, to talk to, and crying and screaming at the world really did help.
‘He’d hate this,’ Valerie continued. ‘We always talked about what we’d be like as old people. I’d laugh and joke about us causing havoc in a nursing home, but to Arthur, it wasn’t a joke. He hated the idea of growing old, of not being able to do the things he’s always been able to do. That’s what this trip was all about; visiting all the places we’ve only seen on TV before it’s too late. Now look at him.
‘You know, I sit in the hospital room and I watch him. He looks so sad. He’s got tears in his eyes and I know that he’ll be screaming inside, screaming at me to help him, to do something so he’s not feeling like this. It’s so unfair, Matilda.’
It really was unfair, and Matilda knew exactly how she felt. James was only forty-five when he died. A brilliant man at the top of his field, handsome, caring, loving, and he was taken from her.
‘You need to be strong for him,’ Matilda eventually said. ‘Physiotherapists can help with his speech and movement, but you, and your kids, need to help with his memory. You’ve been married for such a long time, you’ll have thousands of stories and photos to show him, to help him unlock the door to help him remember. It’ll be hard, I know it will, but you can relive everything together again. His will to get better will be strong; you have to match that strength.’
‘You’re right. I know you’re right. It’s just …’
‘When you feel low, when you need to scream and shout and cry, come and visit me. I’ve got a huge garden you can stand in the middle of and scream and nobody will hear you. You helped me when James died. Please, don’t go through this on your own.’
Valerie placed a clammy hand on top of Matilda’s. ‘Thank you. You’re a good friend, Matilda. Now,’ she wiped her eyes. ‘We’ve got a kidnapping on our hands, I hear.’
‘Yes. A nine-year-old girl. Keeley Armitage.’
‘Any clue as to who might have taken her?’
‘Not so far. I’ve got an FLO at the house. I’m going to see her in a bit.’ She stood up and went around to the other side of the desk. ‘The kidnappers said they’d call back in twenty-four hours. That’s around four o’clock this afternoon. We’ve no idea if they’re watching the house or not so we can’t go knocking on doors. We’re just having to wait.’
‘I’ve been told it’s all over social media.’
‘Yes. The eldest daughter, Jodie, put something on Twitter last night. I’m guessing she thought she was helping.’
‘And I see our favourite journalist has reared his ugly head again,’ she turned the open laptop around to face Matilda. The screen was showing the home page of the local newspaper, the Sheffield Star, and a brief breaking news story written by Danny Hanson.
‘Ah,’ was all Matilda could think of saying after she read the short article.
‘I knew he’d bring up the Carl Meagan case at the mention of a kidnapping,’ Valerie said. ‘Are you thinking … you know … similarities with Carl?’
‘I’m trying not to.’
‘I can assign someone else to this case if you’d rather not get involved. Nobody would think badly of you for taking a step back.’
I’d think badly of me.
‘That’s fine, thank you, but I can do this. A year ago, probably not, but I’m stronger now.’
Valerie smiled. ‘Yes. You are, aren’t you? I suppose now is as good a time as any to tell you.’
‘Tell me what?’ Matilda frowned.
‘There’s a restructuring process planned for South Yorkshire Police to begin late next year. I’ve been asked to recommend officers who I believe would be suited for more demanding roles. I already see Christian Brady as a future DCI and Sian Mills should have been an inspector years ago. Have you considered being Superintendent Matilda Darke?’
Chapter 13
Matilda had never considered being a superintendent. She loved her role as detective chief inspector and enjoyed being in charge of a major crime unit. Valerie had chastised her on more than one occasion for going out to attend interviews and crime scenes when she should be behind a desk supervising and coordinating. Becoming a rank higher would mean an end to all of that. She couldn’t imagine the rest of her career being trapped behind a desk. The very thought of it made her shudder. However, if she was reluctant to move up, that would be blocking Christian and Sian in achieving bigger and better things. This would require some thought.
On her way out of the station, she sent a text to Adele asking if she was free to come round for a meal tonight. She received a reply almost straight away saying she was. Matilda’s text back told her it was her turn to pay for the takeaway and she voted for Chinese. The sarcastic gif she received as a reply made her laugh out loud.
***
Detective Constable Ellen Devonport answered the door and let Matilda in.
‘How’s it going?’ Matilda asked in a whisper while they were in the hallway.
Ellen shook her head. ‘You’re not going to believe this,’ she said, lowering her voice. ‘Linda only snuck out of the house earlier and went to see Sally Meagan and asked her for the ransom money.’
Matilda’s face hardened in anger. ‘What? What happened?’
‘She didn’t give it to her. She’s been crying non-stop since she got up. Craig managed to get it out of her and when he did, well, you should have seen him. He had a right go at her. I thought he was going to hit her at one point.’