Page 77 of A Poisonous Plot

He nodded. “I used to. We worked together back when we were both starting out.”

“Did you know Flynn when he was a kid?”

“No.” He paused and gave her an odd look. “Michael wasn’t together with Flynn’s mother. I’m not sure I even knew he had a kid back then. He must have already had Flynn though.” He looked vaguely confused as he pulled at the door.

“Is that why Flynn ended up on St Mary’s?” Lily asked. “Because of his dad’s connection to you?”

“Hasn’t he told you about this?”

“Only bits. He doesn’t talk much about his dad. What’s he like?”

“I don’t really know him any more. Not personally. Only by reputation.” His attention went to the woman on the reception desk. “I believe you have PC Grainger?”

“He’s down in room four,” she said, pointing. “Just along the hall. You can wait in the hallway and the doctor will fill you in when she’s finished examining him.”

“He’s all right though?” Lily asked.

“As far as I know,” she said with a sympathetic smile.

Striding along the hallway, Lily found room four and knocked quietly.

“We’re supposed to wait out here,” Sergeant Proctor said, pointing at the orange plastic chairs.

“I’m not great at following directions.”

“I’ve noticed that,” he said, a warmth to his voice, which sounded almost like amusement.

Slowly, Lily pushed the door open. A nurse was sticking a needle into Flynn’s arm while the doctor stood over him with a stethoscope to his chest. In a hospital gown, he looked even worse than he had done before.

Doctor Redwood straightened up and smiled at Lily. “He’s been asking for you.”

“Is he awake?” Moving closer to the bed, Lily searched his face, but he seemed completely out of it.

“Not really. He was just muttering a bit.” She tipped her chin at Sergeant Proctor. “Hi, Graham.”

“Hi. How’s he doing?”

“Seems to be okay. It’s fascinating. Whatever this plant is, the poison acts like anaesthetic. It’s incredible.”

“Scary, more like,” the sergeant said, while Lily perched beside Flynn and slipped her hand into his, being careful of his freshly bandaged cut. She didn’t know if he’d be aware of her, but if it was the other way around, she’d want to know there was someone there with her. Thathewas there.

“PC Hill is disposing of the plant as we speak,” the sergeant continued.

“Shame.” The doctor stared down at Flynn. “It would be interesting to study it.”

“What’sthat?” Lily asked, looking at the drip which the nurse was attaching to the line in Flynn’s arm.

“Just fluids,” the doctor told her. “We’ll keep him hydrated and monitor him. I’ve patched up the gash on his hand. That’s all we can do for now. Hopefully, he’ll wake up before too long.”

“Thanks,” Lily whispered.

Sergeant Proctor approached the bed and put a hand on Flynn’s shoulder in a manner that made Lily feel bad for complaining about his lack of compassion. “I need to go and call his dad, let him know what’s going on. That’s going to be a weird one to explain.”

“If any family members want to speak to me, I’m happy to chat with them,” Doctor Redwood said.

The sergeant thanked her and offered Lily a thin smile before he left.

The nurse pressed buttons on the machine beside the bed, then addressed the doctor. “Mr Pengelly is also waiting for you to check his wound.”

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