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‘So you go and see what you need to do medically while I stay with him so he knows he’s not alone. And make sure no one without police ID gets anywhere near this cubicle.’
Without speaking, he headed back towards the nurses’ station.
Kim took a seat on the man’s right-hand side. She had no clue if he was going to be able to hear her or not.
‘Nathan, I’m a police officer and we know what’s happened to you. The doctor is getting advice so they’re probably going to move you soon.’
She looked to his face, but there was no indication from his features that he knew she’d spoken.
Her gaze was drawn down to the fingers on his right hand. There was the smallest of movements where his thumb was touching his middle finger.
She pulled her chair closer and touched his arm. She didn’t know if this was an intentional movement or some kind of involuntary reflex in response to whatever was going on in his body.
‘Nathan, are you able to stop that movement with your fingers?’ she asked, holding her breath.
The movement stopped.
She had a rush of both euphoria and sadness. The first because he was alive and she could communicate with him; the second because it was incredibly sad that his mind was working perfectly fine inside a body that wouldn’t follow any of his commands.
She pushed the emotions aside, trying not to think about how terrified he must be.
‘Touch once for yes and no touch for no. Do you understand?’
One touch.
‘Are you in pain?’
Like anyone else, her first priority was his immediate welfare. Given he’d been lying on this gurney for more than three hours, she was guessing he might be in all sorts of agony.
Even so, there was no touch of the fingers.
‘Nathan, we need to try and find out who did this to you. I know you’re frightened, but I’m going to ask you some questions. Is that okay?’
One touch.
‘Do you know the person that did this to you?’
One touch.
‘Was it a family member?’
No touch.
‘Is it someone from your past?’
One touch.
‘Is it linked to Welton?’
One touch.
‘Was it a…?’
‘Excuse me, Officer,’ Doctor Samuel said, opening up the curtain. ‘You need to leave. We’re taking the patient to intensive care.’
Two porters entered and headed for the bed.
‘Five more minutes,’ she tried, but the porters were already positioned at the foot and head of the bed.
