Alice Isn't Well (Death Herself Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

continued, “I get it, community placement schemes are for people who've been out of the community and need a bit of help getting back in. The thing is, they're not normally used for people who've been in hospital, they're more for people who've been in...” He paused, as if he was worried about finishing the sentence. “Well, people who've been in prison or some other kind of forced situation.”
    “I haven't been in prison,” she said quickly.
    “Okay,” he replied, holding his hands up, “that's fine. I believe you.”
    “I was in hospital.”
    He grabbed his cup and took a sip. “Obviously I'm not a nosy man and you've got no obligation to tell me, but if we're gonna be working together every night I figure I might as well get to know you a little better. That's how it goes, isn't it, as strangers start to become pals? You exchange stories, talk about your life, just generally chat about things.” Another pause, as if he was waiting for her to suddenly, miraculously open up and tell him her entire life story. “Like I said, I'm not nosy, but I can't help noticing you've got a few scars there.”
    “I..” She swallowed hard. “I had an accident.”
    “Just the one?” He paused. “Must have been quite big.”
    “It's complicated.”
    “Of course. You don't want to talk about it, I understand entirely. The last thing I want to do is press you on it.”
    “I was...” She paused. “I was told I wouldn't have to discuss it. I was told I was just going to start working, and that everything would get sorted out.”
    “Sure, sure,” he replied, keeping his eyes fixed on her. “Like I said, I'm not nosy, and you're totally entitled to keep that barrier between us if that's your wish.” He paused again. “I was in a car crash once,” he added finally. “Not a big one, but enough to give me a scare. Not nice, not nice at all. Was it a car crash you were in?”
    She stared at him for a moment, before shaking her head.
    “Did you get attacked?”
    She shook her head again.
    A faint smile crossed his lips. “If I guess right, will you tell me?”
    She watched him carefully. “I'd rather not talk about it.”
    “Well...” Sighing, he took a sip of tea. “That's your prerogative, of course. Creates a bit of a wall between us, but if that's how you want things, I most certainly don't intend to push you.” Another sip. “As long as you're not a danger or anything like that.” He waited for a reply. “Then again, they wouldn't put you in a position like this if you were a danger, would they?”
    She paused, before turning to look at the monitors again. “I suppose not. I'm not a danger.”
    “Which is a bit of a relief,” he continued. “I mean, I'm all for people getting second chances, but you need to balance that with the best interests of the community at large.” He paused, watching the side of her face and, after a moment, spotting another scar on her neck. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but he quickly thought better of it and took a sip of tea instead. “Like I said,” he added finally, “I'm not a nosy man -”
    “I saw something,” she said suddenly, pointing at the monitor on the top right shelf.
    “Like what?” he asked.
    “Just a flicker,” she replied, turning to him, “but I definitely saw something move. Like a shadow, maybe, going from right to left across the floor.”
    “A shadow of what?”
    “I don't know.”
    He paused. “Probably a leaf.”
    “It wasn't a leaf.”
    “Mouse, then.”
    She shook her head.
    “You need to be a bit more specific, love,” he continued, with a faint, condescending smile. “If you saw it, you should be able to describe it, otherwise you didn't really see it, did you?”
    She swallowed hard. “It was bigger than a badger.”
    “Probably just a trick of the light, then,” he replied. “You're jumpy, it's your first night -”
    “It wasn't a trick of the light.”
    He sighed. “I'm not doubting you, but