Searching For Hope by Michael Joseph

Author:Michael Joseph [Joseph, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2014-07-10T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Sam Carlisle was having a peculiar dream. Something was crawling on his skin, wriggling about incessantly on his body. A muffled noise began to sound far away. It got louder and louder, a harsh monotone piercing his senses.

Sam's eyes shot open.

His phone was ringing in his trouser pocket.

A bolt of pain hurtled through Sam's skull. He groaned and tried to lift his head. It felt heavy and unwieldy, too big for his shoulders. He gave up and remained motionless, flat on his back in his bathroom. There he lay, soaking in a puddle of water, listening to the ringtone puncture the silence in his flat. He presumed his assailants had departed. He hoped so in this state.

What had happened?

He tried to rationalize it but simply didn't have the strength. Instead, he allowed himself to drift off again, lured by the enticement of further sleep.

The flat was shrouded in darkness when he came to again. He was stiff and cold, with a headache that pummelled his temples worse than any hangover. He touched his forehead lightly and felt an egg-sized lump protruding above one eye. Grimacing, he reached up, took hold of the sink basin and hauled himself to his feet.

He had stayed down long enough.

Sam wandered around his flat, ensuring no unwelcome guests were lingering. The place was empty. He made his way carefully downstairs to find the front door shut. Sam climbed back up the stairs, feeling the spirit gradually feed back into his body. His head hurt like hell, and his arms were aching, but the loss of dignity hurt more.

Back in his office, he settled behind his desk just as he had done earlier in the day. He looked at his wristwatch. Seven in the evening. He had been out cold for hours.

Sam poured himself a double whisky and replayed the build-up to the sudden intrusion into his home. He had let Detective Inspector Robins out before returning to his desk to consider his forthcoming assignment. Then thoughts had turned to Alice. Finally, the intercom had buzzed, igniting the sudden, unforeseen violence that had left him unconscious in a pool of his own tap water.

Sam took a sip of his drink, ruminating, ignoring his physical discomfort. The flat was deathly quiet. Not a sound could be heard outside. The world could have come to a standstill.

His phone burst into life.

Sam nearly jumped out of his skin.

He pulled the phone out of his damp pocket with a grim smile. He was entitled to be edgy after events today.

'Sam?'

It was only Alice.

'Alice...'

'I rang earlier,' she said breezily. 'I thought we could meet up for a chat...catch up after you scooted off the other night.'

Sam thought about the call he had missed while prone on the bathroom floor, thankful now he hadn't been able to take it. A groggy reply would have only alarmed Alice.

'Sorry, I'll have to give it a miss tonight. I had a heavy day yesterday...still recovering, I'm afraid.'

Sam sensed Alice hesitate. Any other time, he would have been delighted to spend an evening in her company.

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