The Price by Darren O'Sullivan

Author:Darren O'Sullivan [O’Sullivan, Darren]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2023-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

George

I couldn’t quite articulate my gratitude towards the staff on the night shift. Despite being a key worker myself, struggling through the past few years without a break or much thanks, I knew the NHS staff couldn’t have done more.

Through the night and into the early morning, every time someone came in to check Tabatha’s vitals, they offered tea, asked if I was warm enough, reassured me she was okay, and I should get some sleep. But of course, I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to be there for her when she woke up. I owed her that, and so much more. So despite the hours of sitting in an uncomfortable chair, despite how tired I was feeling, how the beeps and sounds of the hospital were strangely hypnotic, I forced myself to stay awake, keeping my attention on my little girl. I was just glad that I could do my bit and that Clara was getting some much-needed rest. She’d done so much lately, especially with driving the fundraising efforts. I always knew she was a strong woman, it was part of the reason I loved her, but she was even tougher than I could have imagined, a hero to our family. She was forward-thinking, decisive, brave. I just wished I could tell her as much. I wanted to, but I couldn’t, and I didn’t know why.

Clutching my fourth or fifth cup of coffee, I watched the sun rise. The day looked like it would be warm, the kind of day you packed up and went to the seaside or found a country park to explore. I had no doubt hundreds of families would be doing exactly that. I wondered if they understood how lucky they were. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, lost in something other than the life we were living that I didn’t hear someone approaching until I was gently tapped on the shoulder. It made me jump. I turned to see Clara smiling.

‘You’re back?’ I said.

‘Yeah, I didn’t want to be away for too long.’

‘How did you get here?’

‘I borrowed Mum’s car.’

‘And you’ve slept?’

‘I have, but as soon as I woke, I wanted to be here.’ Clara said, placing a kiss on Tabs’ forehead before sitting on the other side of the bed to me. ‘How is she?’

‘She’s good,’ I replied. ‘Calm.’ I noticed that something was off, that as Clara sat, she did so with a slight grimace. ‘Are you all right?’

‘Cramp,’ she said. Lack of sleep would do that, but she seemed on edge, too.

‘Has she been asleep this whole time?’ she asked me.

‘Yep, they said to expect as much.’

‘Have you slept?’

‘Nope. How could I?’ I replied. Before I could say any more my phone started ringing, although I was too slow to answer before it stopped.

Seconds later, a message pinged though. It was from Mike, and as I read, I knew it was bad.

‘Shit.’

‘What is it?’ Clara asked.

‘There’s been a third Mantel robbery.’

‘What?’

‘Three robberies in as many days.’

‘God.’

‘Yep, and it gets worse, this time someone was hurt.

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