TOYL

about five minutes ago,’ the nurse continued, ‘to ask how Richard was. Must be hard for him being so far away from home at a time like this.’
    ‘Far away?’ Emma queried, confused.
    ‘He’s out of the country on business, isn’t he?’
    ‘Are you sure it was Dan who called?’ Emma said, trying to get her head around what she'd just been told.
    ‘That’s what he said.’
    ‘Well… did he say anything else? Did he pass on any messages to us?’ Emma’s head was buzzing with possibilities.
    ‘He just told me to tell you that he was sorry,’ said the nurse. ‘He was sorry that he couldn’t be there with you all.’

5

    ‘Thanks, Lizzy,’ Emma said, as her friend handed her a cup of tea. ‘It’s really nice of you letting me stay here. I just can’t face going back to the apartment. Not yet.’
    ‘It’s no problem, really,’ Lizzy replied, sitting down on the sofa next to Emma. ‘It’s nice having you back here. Pity it’s under these circumstances though.’
    ‘I know.’ Emma stared into the tea and let the steam drift up onto her face.
    It was Sunday morning, more than twenty-four hours since they had found Richard nearly dead in the apartment. They had returned to the hospital on Saturday as promised and Emma had stayed there for most of the day, watching Richard. They had also spoken with the doctors – the results of the tests were back. Richard was suffering from a cerebral contusion: a bruise on the brain. And although they still couldn’t say whether he was going to be okay, the fact that they hadn’t detected a bleed was really positive news.
    ‘Sleep any better?’ Lizzy asked.
    ‘Not really,’ Emma admitted. ‘I must have woken up over twenty times – I probably slept for about three hours or so in total. Every time I woke up I just kept replaying seeing Richard in the flat and the hospital. In the end I came into the lounge and watched some telly.’
    ‘Didn’t hear you,’ Lizzy said, ‘you should have woken me. I’d have kept you company.’
    ‘Thanks, but I’ve inconvenienced you enough without ruining your sleep as well.’
    ‘Nonsense. Next time, wake me up. I’ll expect you to make the hot chocolate, though.’
    They smiled at each other, the kind of smile that only happened at times of anxiety.
    ‘Emma,’ Lizzy said, tucking her legs under her body, ‘what do you think really happened?’
    ‘I really don’t know. But I still can’t believe that Dan would hurt Richard. Like I said, they’ve always been more like best friends than brothers. I just can’t imagine any way they’d fight.’
    An uncomfortable silence fell.
    ‘I’ve been thinking about what the nurse said,’ Lizzy mused. ‘About Dan calling the hospital to see how Richard was. Why doesn’t he just get in touch with us if he really is innocent? I don’t mean that I think he did do it,’ she added quickly, ‘but it just doesn’t make sense.’
    ‘Maybe he’s afraid of what we might be thinking,’ Emma offered, not admitting that she had thought the very same thing ever since the revelation that Dan had called the hospital. Until then, the thought that Dan, too, was hurt somewhere had been at the forefront of her mind, but the phone call from him appeared to quash that possibility.
    ‘Or maybe he’s hiding from the person who really did that to Richard?’
    ‘I’ve thought that too,’ Emma said. ‘Maybe they’d got into some kind of trouble – I don’t know, gambling or something, and someone came looking for them.’
    ‘Dan was a gambler?’
    ‘No, but maybe Richard was. Oh, I don’t know, I still can’t believe that this is happening.’
    She shook her head in exasperation.
    ‘Emma, just tell me to back off for being so insensitive, but I was wondering what you’re planning to do about the second reading tomorrow.’
    ‘I can’t go. Not while Dan’s still missing and Richard is in hospital. I just couldn’t do it; it would be so selfish.’
    ‘I understand,’ said Lizzy, taking a sip of her tea.
    ‘You think I should go to it?’ Emma said, reading her friend’s face.
    ‘I think it’s a fantastic opportunity,’ Lizzy admitted, ‘after all these years of hard work, it’s what you’ve always wanted – always dreamt of. Having Guy Roberts, the famous casting director, call out of the blue and ask you to come for an audition for a potential blockbusting movie. And to think that someone actually recommended you to him for the part – it’s