"Littleford, Clare - Death Duty" - читать интересную книгу автора (Littleford Clare)

"Well, thank you," I said, because I didn't want to appear
ungrateful.

We waited. When the doctor arrived he was young, thin, tired-looking.
I wondered how long he'd been on duty, when he last had a meal or some
sleep or a cigarette break. I needed a cigarette. I needed a glass of
water, too, but I didn't like to ask, and anyway, the triage nurse had
told me not to eat or drink anything, just in case.

I sat up and allowed the doctor to shine a torch in my eyes, and told
him no, no blurred vision, no dizziness, no numbness, I wasn't tired
really, I just had a thumping headache, I'd only been out cold for a
few seconds tops, and when could I go?

The doctor gave a patient smile a patient smile for a smiling patient
and said, "We need to do an X-ray, just to be sure there's no serious
injury. And you need a couple of stitches on that cut."

I wanted to say that it wasn't necessary, but I was aware of Alex next
to me, so I said nothing.

When the doctor had gone, Alex said, "Are you going to tell me what
happened?"

"You know what happened. I was mugged. He took my purse."

"Yes, but what actually happened?"

"You mean blow by blow?" I said, and he started to say yes, then
frowned at me. I forced a smile, but it didn't feel convincing.
"Later," I said. I was feeling tired, now that the initial shock was
starting to wear off, and the last thing I wanted to do was go through
the entire experience again just to satisfy Alex's curiosity.

Alex said, "But it wasn't a client, was it?"

"No, nothing like that."

He nodded, as if that made it better, as if it was better to be knocked
unconscious by a complete stranger than by someone who thought they had
a reason for attacking me. I didn't find that comforting, and I would
have said as much, but I wasn't sure why I had given such a definite
reply. After all, I didn't know who my attacker was how did I know why
he had picked on me?

I wanted a cigarette more than ever now. I was about to ask Alex
whether he thought there was time to nip outside before the nurse came
to stitch the cut on my head, but as I opened my mouth to speak two
policemen in uniform came into the room.