Fate

Episode 4

Claire

She woke up and saw her only Uncle, Bob, sitting beside her, holding her hand. He was bent, resting his head on the bed probably sleeping. She looked around the room, her eyes settling on the wall clock which had ‘BE HEALTHY’ engraved in it. She couldn’t believe she’d slept for eight good hours at a stretch. Taking the exclusively furnished room into cognizance, she didn’t expect less as her name always evoked the best treatment for her. As she looked around the room, the event that had brought her to the hospital flashed through her mind. This was the first time an attempt was been made on her life since she came back to the country to take over her father’s business. She couldn’t think of any reason why someone would want to kill her.
As her thoughts roamed around the incident, the note she tucked under the pillow when they brought her into the ICU came to her mind. Adjusting quietly, trying not to disturb her uncle, she picked the note and unfolded it. Written on the paper in bold letters with a red ink were three words ‘TRUST NO ONE’
She remembered how horrified she’d been when the door to her side of the car opened. She had thought that he came to finish her up. She’d been so shocked and afraid that she couldn’t get a view of the guy. Though he was very fast and had half of his face covered by the hood of his sweat shirt, she could have made out something from his face if she had herself under control. She shifted to relax back to the bed when her uncle stirred and woke up.
“Thank goodness. How are you Princess?” he asked surprised at seeing her up.

“I’m fine uncle, sorry for waking you.” She replied with a smile. “I know you must have been here for long.”
“I came as soon as I was contacted by the police.” He replied waving off her apology. “What happened?”
“How is Anthony?” she asked ignoring her uncle’s question.

“I don’t know, the cops didn’t say much about him.”
The image of Anthony slumped over the steering wheel settled on her mind as she prayed silently for a miracle that he survives. She’d heard as two shots shattered the windscreen just as Anthony slumped over the steering.

Her thoughts were disrupted by the entrance of the doctor, nurse and two men; one carrying her handbag, the other she recognized vividly from the crime scene.

“Oh!! I see, you are awake,” the doctor said with a smile walking towards her bed, “Gentle men” he said turning to the two men behind him, “This is Mr. Bob, uncle to the victim and Mr. Bob these are men from the Police SCD.”
The men nodded in salutation to Bob who also did same. The one with the handbag handed it over to Bob who in turn placed it beside Claire.
Without waiting for further pleasantries, the doctor turned to Claire.

“How are you feeling?” he asked with a smile feeling her pulse from her hand.
She nodded without a word. The doctor with the smile not leaving his lips used his stethoscope on her chest. After that, he checked the readings on the EKG which was connected to some parts of Claire’s body. Taking the file from the nurse, he jotted down something before handing it back to her.
“Do you feel anyhow, weird or pressure on any part of your body?” he asked still with smiles.

“No, not at all. I feel like myself. When am I leaving here?” she asked trying her best not to sound rude.
“That’s good to hear that you are fine. We will watch you again for this night and maybe by tomorrow you will be discharged.”
“Ok, thank you.” She muttered, not pleased that she won’t be discharged immediately.
“Well then, these gentlemen will like to talk to you,” he said and turning to the SCD men, he said “Don’t pressure her, she still needs time.”

The leading officer nodded and shook hands with the doctor before he left. While all these happened, Bob rested on the seat observing without words.

“Miss like you already know, I’m Inspector Owel from the state SCD (Special Crimes Department) and this is my colleague Donald, hope you don’t mind if we ask you a couple of questions pertaining to the event of today?”
“No problem.” Claire replied.
Bob waved them to a double sitter beside where he sat asking them to sit. They thanked him and sank into the seat pulling out their note pads.

“Do you mind telling us what happened at the scene?” Owel asked.