I nearly collided with Jimmy Achebe leaving the hospital. I don’t know who was more surprised.
‘Jimmy!’
He looked startled, poised to run, until he realised who I was. We both spoke at the same time.
‘How are you?’ I asked. ‘I’m so sorry…’
‘I’ve sent a cheque,’ he blurted out.
We both stopped, embarrassed.
‘Yes, thank you. I got it on Saturday. About Tina…’
He looked away, ill at ease, dropped his cigarette and ground it out, pushed his hands into the pockets of his jacket. I was aware of Agnes moving a little bit further away from us.
‘I’m so sorry. It must be awful, and to be held at the police station on top of everything else…’
He nodded briskly, sniffed and hunched his shoulders against the cold. ‘Yeah,’ he said quietly.
‘I saw in the paper, about the charges. Do you know when it’ll come to court?’
He shook his head again. ‘They don’t tell me anything.’ He raised his eyes to mine. They were shiny, blazing with hurt. He shuddered.
I couldn’t think of anything to say but it seemed abrupt to leave it like that. He spoke first.
‘Better go, visiting my mum,’ he explained. He nodded towards the entrance. ‘She’s in for tests – and now with all this…’ He left the sentence hanging. The murder of a daughter-in-law would be devastating, even for someone in good health, but to have your son all but accused of killing her into the bargain – horrendous.
‘I am sorry,’ I repeated. ‘Bye, Jimmy.’
He dipped his head in reply and wheeled away through the doors and back into the brightly lit corridor. He seemed eager to go. Did he think hiring me had set in motion the chain of events that had led to Tina’s death? Had it? It wasn’t a question I could ask. I’d have to wait for Bill Sherwin’s trial to see if it was answered. But had that association made him uncomfortable with me or was it just the sheer bloody pain of grief and the awkwardness between people who don’t know how to share it?
I didn’t say anything to Agnes about Jimmy and she was discreet enough not to ask. We made our way back to the car. The sun still shone but the bitter wind cut right through my clothing. It was a relief to get into the car.
‘Did you find anything out?’ She fastened her seat belt.
I hesitated. Would it be insensitive to tell her?
‘Please don’t spare me the details,’ she said sharply. ‘Lily’s dead now, she’s at peace, nothing else can hurt her. The least I can do is find out whether her death was inevitable.’
‘They’re going to remove her brain. It’s going to be sent to Malden’s for research.’