By early evening, Taylor had successfully driven Danny mad by loitering around the lab as he processed the evidence that he had collected from Chloe’s room. There was nothing, nothing to suggest anything other than Chloe had taken a pill and died of respiratory arrest due to it, and in the five hours Taylor had been in the lab, she hadn’t appeared to suggest anything otherwise.
“Go home,” said Danny, impatiently – she’d been watching him run an analysis on a piece of fibre for the past twenty minutes.
“I’m fine,” Taylor told him.
“So am I,” Danny agreed. “But if we don’t finish now, we won’t be able to go out for those drinks.”
Taylor’s eyes narrowed. “I thought we told you it was a girly night.”
“And I told you I was fine with that,” Danny retorted, unmoved by Taylor’s grumpiness.
“Fine. 9 o’clock, Squares,” Taylor growled impatiently at him.
Danny smirked at her. “See, that wasn’t so hard.”
Taylor pulled off her gloves and walked out of the room, “See you later,” she told him. Taylor headed to her locker and grabbed her purse, and walked out through the parking lot, when she spotted Marty’s car. “I forgot how much I love this car!” she exclaimed, running her hand over the hood of a red Porsche.
“Checking me out?”
Taylor snatched her hand away and whirled around. It was Marty. She pulled a face. “I was checking out the car.”
“Check out the car, check out the driver,” Marty shrugged with a grin.
“Great logic you’ve got going there,” she muttered, “But,” she told him with a bright smile, “I think I prefer the car.”
“Now, we both know that isn’t true,” he said in mock horror.
“Don’t be too sure,” Taylor told him, as she pulled out her cell phone which had started ringing. “Hello?”
“Hello, is this Taylor Turner?”
“Yes, who’s this?” Taylor asked with a frown.
“This is Dr. Ryan over at Mercy General. We were given your details from a friend of yours, Madeleine Alameda-”
“Oh God,” gasped Taylor, feeling faint. “Is she alright?”
“She’s going to be admitted overnight-”
“I’ll be right there.” Taylor hung up the phone and started to dash off when Marty grabbed her arm – she’d forgotten he was there.
“Are you alright?” he asked her. She’d gone white.
“Maddy’s in hospital,” she told him, shaking her head.
“Come on,” said Marty, pulling her in the direction of his car, “I’ll give you a ride.”
“You’ll be late for work,” Taylor objected.
“I don’t care,” he told her as he practically forced her to get in the car.
Taylor managed a small smile. “Thank you.”
They drove in silence across the city to the hospital, Taylor fidgeting nervously with her cell phone, and Marty shooting her concerned glances from the driver’s seat, until they finally pulled up outside the ER.
“Thank you,” said Taylor as she made to leap out of the car.
“Just wait there,” Marty told her, “I’ll park up and come in.”
Taylor shook her head, “No, you should go to work.”
“Taylor, I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“I’ll be fine, Marty, but you should really go to work,” she insisted. “You’re already going to be late.”
Marty stared into her dark brown eyes, considering her carefully. “Fine,” he said reluctantly, “But if you need anything, call.”
“I will,” Taylor managed to throw over her shoulder as she ran into the hospital.
“Go home,” said Danny, impatiently – she’d been watching him run an analysis on a piece of fibre for the past twenty minutes.
“I’m fine,” Taylor told him.
“So am I,” Danny agreed. “But if we don’t finish now, we won’t be able to go out for those drinks.”
Taylor’s eyes narrowed. “I thought we told you it was a girly night.”
“And I told you I was fine with that,” Danny retorted, unmoved by Taylor’s grumpiness.
“Fine. 9 o’clock, Squares,” Taylor growled impatiently at him.
Danny smirked at her. “See, that wasn’t so hard.”
Taylor pulled off her gloves and walked out of the room, “See you later,” she told him. Taylor headed to her locker and grabbed her purse, and walked out through the parking lot, when she spotted Marty’s car. “I forgot how much I love this car!” she exclaimed, running her hand over the hood of a red Porsche.
“Checking me out?”
Taylor snatched her hand away and whirled around. It was Marty. She pulled a face. “I was checking out the car.”
“Check out the car, check out the driver,” Marty shrugged with a grin.
“Great logic you’ve got going there,” she muttered, “But,” she told him with a bright smile, “I think I prefer the car.”
“Now, we both know that isn’t true,” he said in mock horror.
“Don’t be too sure,” Taylor told him, as she pulled out her cell phone which had started ringing. “Hello?”
“Hello, is this Taylor Turner?”
“Yes, who’s this?” Taylor asked with a frown.
“This is Dr. Ryan over at Mercy General. We were given your details from a friend of yours, Madeleine Alameda-”
“Oh God,” gasped Taylor, feeling faint. “Is she alright?”
“She’s going to be admitted overnight-”
“I’ll be right there.” Taylor hung up the phone and started to dash off when Marty grabbed her arm – she’d forgotten he was there.
“Are you alright?” he asked her. She’d gone white.
“Maddy’s in hospital,” she told him, shaking her head.
“Come on,” said Marty, pulling her in the direction of his car, “I’ll give you a ride.”
“You’ll be late for work,” Taylor objected.
“I don’t care,” he told her as he practically forced her to get in the car.
Taylor managed a small smile. “Thank you.”
They drove in silence across the city to the hospital, Taylor fidgeting nervously with her cell phone, and Marty shooting her concerned glances from the driver’s seat, until they finally pulled up outside the ER.
“Thank you,” said Taylor as she made to leap out of the car.
“Just wait there,” Marty told her, “I’ll park up and come in.”
Taylor shook her head, “No, you should go to work.”
“Taylor, I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“I’ll be fine, Marty, but you should really go to work,” she insisted. “You’re already going to be late.”
Marty stared into her dark brown eyes, considering her carefully. “Fine,” he said reluctantly, “But if you need anything, call.”
“I will,” Taylor managed to throw over her shoulder as she ran into the hospital.
* * *
It was nearly forty-five minutes later before anyone would talk to her, despite her hurling abuse at the receptionist, pacing up and down, and pouncing on every doctor that walked past. Finally, a nurse led her upstairs to a private room. Taylor let out an involuntary gasp as she looked at her sleeping friend. Her arm was bandaged up, and she was sporting a black eye.
“Miss Turner?” came a low voice. It was a doctor, beckoning her outside.
She walked out. “Is she alright?”
The doctor sighed, “We’re keeping her in overnight.”
“What happened?”
“I’m afraid I can only give that information out to family members.”
Taylor began to tap her foot impatiently, “You rang me. Surely that counts for something?”
The doctor shook his head, “I’m afraid not.”
“Her mother is in California and only speaks Spanish – does she know?” Taylor demanded.
The doctor glanced down at his clipboard, “I believe she has been notified.”
“And what, you’re going to wait for her to fly out here, before I find out what happened?” Taylor asked, disbelievingly.
“I’m sorry, Miss Turner, but I cannot divulge any information to anyone other than family members.”
“Or the police.”
Taylor turned around to find Flack and Stella stood behind her – Flack was flashing his ID.
“What happened?” Stella asked, giving Taylor a reassuring smile.
The doctor frowned. “She was brought in by her boyfriend. They claim she fell, but I have seen enough domestic abuse cases, and checking up on her history, she has been in here before-”
“She wasn’t abused!” cried Taylor, incredulously. “I know her, she would have said something.”
“This is why I didn’t want to tell a friend,” the doctor muttered.
Taylor was in his face in a flash, “Maddy and I are like sisters,” she growled, “I am not just a friend.”
“Hey, come on,” said Flack, wrapping his arm around her to drag her away. He led her down the corridor, leaving Stella to talk to the doctor.
“What was that for?” she cried, pushing him off her.
“Calm down,” said Flack, “And stop getting so emotional.”
“Emotional?” Taylor snapped. “Don’t get patronizing with me! That is my best friend in there.”
Flack nodded. “You abusing the doctor is not going to help matters.”
Taylor’s eyes flashed. “I know her. She wouldn’t allow anyone to do that to her.”
Flack bit his tongue – he could tell by looking at her that nothing he said was going to be the right thing at this point. He’d leave that for Stella.
The curly haried detective walked over and joined them. “She has a concussion, but she’s going to be alright,” she told Taylor.
“What are you guys doing here?” Taylor asked as she let out a sigh of relief.
“Marty. He met us as we were leaving and said you were here,” Stella explained.
“You’re not here to pro… process her, are you? Because she wasn’t abused.”
Stella and Flack shared a look. “We can’t do anything unless she presses charges,” said Stella. “We’re here for you,” she pulled Taylor into a hug.
Taylor pulled away and headed back to Maddy’s room. She was awake when she walked in.
“You still have the ability to wake everyone up with your mouth,” Maddy told her weakly.
“That’s because I spent too much time with you. That temper you have rubbed off on me,” she told her as she sat down. She leant over , resting her forearms on the bed. “What happened, Mads?” she asked softly.
“I fell,” muttered Maddy, not looking her in the eye – something which Taylor didn’t miss.
“Maddy, don’t you lie to me,” Taylor pleaded. “That was our tequila promise last year of high school – that we wouldn’t lie to each other.”
“Sometimes I regret ever introducing you to the stuff,” Maddy grumbled at her.
“Stop changing the subject and tell me what happened,” Taylor demanded, her tone becoming firmer.
Maddy sighed, “It was my fault.”
Taylor’s mouth dropped open, “What?!” she spluttered.
“I provoked him,” Maddy insisted, twisting at the blanket in her hands.
“Provoked him?” Taylor repeated, angrily. “What did you do? Point a gun at his head and tell him that unless he beat the crap out of you, you would shoot him?”
“Taylor,” Stella called from the doorway.
“You had better press charges,” said Taylor, ignoring Stella.
Maddy shook her head. “No, it was my fault, Taylor. He gets jealous and I know it – I was flirting with someone-”
“He hit you because you were flirting with someone? You had better have told him that you want nothing more to do with him and,” she pointed to Stella, “This is my friend, she’s a detective, you can pre-”
“I am not pressing charges, Taylor,” Maddy quickly interrupted her. “Pete won’t do it again.”
“Maddy!” Taylor exclaimed, getting to her feet.
“Taylor!” cried Stella, wrapping her hand around her arm and pulling the journalist out of the room.
“He did it Stella,” said Taylor, “He actually did it, and she thinks it’s her fault?” Tears were beginning to form in the corner of her eyes.
“I have worked far too many domestic abuse cases, Taylor, but if there is one thing I have learnt, it’s that you can’t bully the victim into pressing charges.”
“You’re telling me I should drop it?” asked Taylor in disbelief.
“No, she’s telling you that you shouldn’t be shouting at your friend right now. She needs your support.”
Taylor spun on her heel to find Flack behind her. Then her attention fell on the guy behind him, peering into Maddy’s room. Taylor scowled and marched past Flack. “Pete?”
The man turned to face her. “You must be Taylor. Maddy’s told me all-”
“Don’t you even start getting pleasant with me,” she threatened him, her voice low and even. “I know exactly what you did, and I’m going to make damn sure you pay.”
Pete’s face darkened, “What has that little bitch been saying?” he asked her in a voice as equally as low as he took a step towards her.
“You may have frightened Maddy, but you’re not going to frighten me,” Taylor told him.
Pete raised his fist at her.
“Yeah, you do that! You hit me! Except I sure as hell am going to press charges on you,” Taylor snapped.
Pete glanced behind her – Flack and Stella were hurrying over – and dropped his hand.
“What is going on here?” The doctor was back. “This is a hospital.” He turned to Taylor, “I think you should leave.”
Taylor shot a final death glare at Pete and stormed off outside. She was stood to one side of the ambulance bay, watching the emergency case get wheeled in, mentally hitting Pete, when Chloe appeared.
“Stop them.”
“Stop them! Stop them?” she shouted at the ghost. “Do I really look like I give a damn about stopping anybody other than Pete, at the moment?”
“Stop them,” repeated Chloe. She pointed to a newspaper which was dancing around in the gutter.
Taylor bent down and picked up a can and launched it at the ghost. It went straight through her and rolled across the road. Chloe disappeared.
“Throwing things isn’t going to help.”
Taylor turned around – it was Flack and Stella.
“We should take you home,” suggested Stella.
Taylor shook her head, “No,” she told them, wiping the tears of frustration from her eyes. “Whether you believe me or not, Chloe is not going to let me sleep.”
Stella shot a look at Flack, “Ghost,” he mouthed to her to answer the question.
“Can I go back to the lab?” Taylor asked, suddenly feeling weary.
Stella looked at Taylor. Perhaps being at the lab would be better – at least there would be people around to keep an eye on her. She nodded and put her arm around the younger woman, leading her to their car.
“Miss Turner?” came a low voice. It was a doctor, beckoning her outside.
She walked out. “Is she alright?”
The doctor sighed, “We’re keeping her in overnight.”
“What happened?”
“I’m afraid I can only give that information out to family members.”
Taylor began to tap her foot impatiently, “You rang me. Surely that counts for something?”
The doctor shook his head, “I’m afraid not.”
“Her mother is in California and only speaks Spanish – does she know?” Taylor demanded.
The doctor glanced down at his clipboard, “I believe she has been notified.”
“And what, you’re going to wait for her to fly out here, before I find out what happened?” Taylor asked, disbelievingly.
“I’m sorry, Miss Turner, but I cannot divulge any information to anyone other than family members.”
“Or the police.”
Taylor turned around to find Flack and Stella stood behind her – Flack was flashing his ID.
“What happened?” Stella asked, giving Taylor a reassuring smile.
The doctor frowned. “She was brought in by her boyfriend. They claim she fell, but I have seen enough domestic abuse cases, and checking up on her history, she has been in here before-”
“She wasn’t abused!” cried Taylor, incredulously. “I know her, she would have said something.”
“This is why I didn’t want to tell a friend,” the doctor muttered.
Taylor was in his face in a flash, “Maddy and I are like sisters,” she growled, “I am not just a friend.”
“Hey, come on,” said Flack, wrapping his arm around her to drag her away. He led her down the corridor, leaving Stella to talk to the doctor.
“What was that for?” she cried, pushing him off her.
“Calm down,” said Flack, “And stop getting so emotional.”
“Emotional?” Taylor snapped. “Don’t get patronizing with me! That is my best friend in there.”
Flack nodded. “You abusing the doctor is not going to help matters.”
Taylor’s eyes flashed. “I know her. She wouldn’t allow anyone to do that to her.”
Flack bit his tongue – he could tell by looking at her that nothing he said was going to be the right thing at this point. He’d leave that for Stella.
The curly haried detective walked over and joined them. “She has a concussion, but she’s going to be alright,” she told Taylor.
“What are you guys doing here?” Taylor asked as she let out a sigh of relief.
“Marty. He met us as we were leaving and said you were here,” Stella explained.
“You’re not here to pro… process her, are you? Because she wasn’t abused.”
Stella and Flack shared a look. “We can’t do anything unless she presses charges,” said Stella. “We’re here for you,” she pulled Taylor into a hug.
Taylor pulled away and headed back to Maddy’s room. She was awake when she walked in.
“You still have the ability to wake everyone up with your mouth,” Maddy told her weakly.
“That’s because I spent too much time with you. That temper you have rubbed off on me,” she told her as she sat down. She leant over , resting her forearms on the bed. “What happened, Mads?” she asked softly.
“I fell,” muttered Maddy, not looking her in the eye – something which Taylor didn’t miss.
“Maddy, don’t you lie to me,” Taylor pleaded. “That was our tequila promise last year of high school – that we wouldn’t lie to each other.”
“Sometimes I regret ever introducing you to the stuff,” Maddy grumbled at her.
“Stop changing the subject and tell me what happened,” Taylor demanded, her tone becoming firmer.
Maddy sighed, “It was my fault.”
Taylor’s mouth dropped open, “What?!” she spluttered.
“I provoked him,” Maddy insisted, twisting at the blanket in her hands.
“Provoked him?” Taylor repeated, angrily. “What did you do? Point a gun at his head and tell him that unless he beat the crap out of you, you would shoot him?”
“Taylor,” Stella called from the doorway.
“You had better press charges,” said Taylor, ignoring Stella.
Maddy shook her head. “No, it was my fault, Taylor. He gets jealous and I know it – I was flirting with someone-”
“He hit you because you were flirting with someone? You had better have told him that you want nothing more to do with him and,” she pointed to Stella, “This is my friend, she’s a detective, you can pre-”
“I am not pressing charges, Taylor,” Maddy quickly interrupted her. “Pete won’t do it again.”
“Maddy!” Taylor exclaimed, getting to her feet.
“Taylor!” cried Stella, wrapping her hand around her arm and pulling the journalist out of the room.
“He did it Stella,” said Taylor, “He actually did it, and she thinks it’s her fault?” Tears were beginning to form in the corner of her eyes.
“I have worked far too many domestic abuse cases, Taylor, but if there is one thing I have learnt, it’s that you can’t bully the victim into pressing charges.”
“You’re telling me I should drop it?” asked Taylor in disbelief.
“No, she’s telling you that you shouldn’t be shouting at your friend right now. She needs your support.”
Taylor spun on her heel to find Flack behind her. Then her attention fell on the guy behind him, peering into Maddy’s room. Taylor scowled and marched past Flack. “Pete?”
The man turned to face her. “You must be Taylor. Maddy’s told me all-”
“Don’t you even start getting pleasant with me,” she threatened him, her voice low and even. “I know exactly what you did, and I’m going to make damn sure you pay.”
Pete’s face darkened, “What has that little bitch been saying?” he asked her in a voice as equally as low as he took a step towards her.
“You may have frightened Maddy, but you’re not going to frighten me,” Taylor told him.
Pete raised his fist at her.
“Yeah, you do that! You hit me! Except I sure as hell am going to press charges on you,” Taylor snapped.
Pete glanced behind her – Flack and Stella were hurrying over – and dropped his hand.
“What is going on here?” The doctor was back. “This is a hospital.” He turned to Taylor, “I think you should leave.”
Taylor shot a final death glare at Pete and stormed off outside. She was stood to one side of the ambulance bay, watching the emergency case get wheeled in, mentally hitting Pete, when Chloe appeared.
“Stop them.”
“Stop them! Stop them?” she shouted at the ghost. “Do I really look like I give a damn about stopping anybody other than Pete, at the moment?”
“Stop them,” repeated Chloe. She pointed to a newspaper which was dancing around in the gutter.
Taylor bent down and picked up a can and launched it at the ghost. It went straight through her and rolled across the road. Chloe disappeared.
“Throwing things isn’t going to help.”
Taylor turned around – it was Flack and Stella.
“We should take you home,” suggested Stella.
Taylor shook her head, “No,” she told them, wiping the tears of frustration from her eyes. “Whether you believe me or not, Chloe is not going to let me sleep.”
Stella shot a look at Flack, “Ghost,” he mouthed to her to answer the question.
“Can I go back to the lab?” Taylor asked, suddenly feeling weary.
Stella looked at Taylor. Perhaps being at the lab would be better – at least there would be people around to keep an eye on her. She nodded and put her arm around the younger woman, leading her to their car.
Originally posted: 22/05/2006