The Triumph of Katie Byrne (25 page)

Jane, who had been silent, now said, ‘We’ve moved her legs and her arms for the last five years, that I know. And although her muscles have atrophied, we’ve tried to give her some help.’

‘Yes, I’m aware of that, Jane. It’s been good therapy for her. Nevertheless, I do think it’s going to take a while before she walks again.’

Jane nodded in agreement. ‘Yes, but she’s young, Dr Nelson.’

‘Parts of her brain seem to have woken up. And I’m sure some of her motor skills will start coming back, however slowly. And eventually her speech and memory,’ the doctor explained.

‘She seems to know I’m
me
,’ Katie murmured.

‘Yes, she apparently does, and that is very important, very promising.’ He glanced over at Carly again, and then moved across the floor quickly. ‘I had better go and phone her mother. Mrs Smith will be overjoyed when she hears the news. And I must talk to the head of the hospice.’ As he finished speaking he opened the door.

Katie hurried after him. ‘Dr Nelson, please wait. I must speak to you.’

He paused in the corridor. ‘Yes, Katie, what is it?’

Closing the door and swallowing hard, Katie said, ‘You can’t really tell anyone about this, about the sudden signs of life in Carly.’

‘Whyever not? It’s a…a miracle, however it’s happened. A first, as far as I know. As I just told you.’

‘Carly is the only eye witness to a horrible murder, Dr Nelson. Before she was struck down she saw the killer, the man who attacked her and Denise Matthews. Because there was some sort of struggle in the barn, before the two girls ran out into the wood. Denise is dead, so she can’t identify her murderer. But Carly can.’

James Nelson was silent, but he paled, understanding the implications behind her words.

Katie said, ‘Carly could be in grave danger. There’s still a killer out there. That’s why you’ve got to keep this a secret. And you’ve got to call the police.’

Forty-five minutes later Mac MacDonald was sitting with Katie and Dr Nelson in the latter’s office in the Neurological Wing.

‘Thanks, Katie, you’ve told that very clearly,’ Mac said, and turned his attention to the doctor. ‘And so have you, Dr Nelson. Thanks. But tell me, in your considered opinion, do you think Carly will recover completely?’

‘It’s truly hard to say. I haven’t had a chance to think clearly. This just happened, less than an hour ago. She might, of course. Then again, she might not. It could go either way.’ Dr Nelson paused for a moment, and then added, ‘The thing that makes me feel somewhat positive about Carly’s eventual recovery is that she said Katie’s name, and several times. Which to me means that there’s memory intact. I think that perhaps parts of her brain have been awakened.’

‘By the amantadine?’ Mac asked.

‘Possibly. Although I gave it to her to prevent pulmonary infection, as I explained to you.’

‘I understand. What I’m getting at is will Carly be able to remember what happened to her ten years ago? At the barn, and later in the wood? Will she remember who her attacker was?’

‘It’s possible,’ Dr Nelson answered. ‘As I said, she seems to know Katie. However, the attack on her was so horrendous, caused such trauma physically and mentally, she may have blocked it out. I just can’t say. I can’t predict anything.’

Mac was silent for a second or two, and then he said, ‘I’m going to make the assumption that she
will
remember everything, whether it’s this week or next month. And therefore I have to take certain steps, Dr Nelson.’ He gave the doctor a penetrating look, and continued, ‘This sudden development in Carly’s condition must be kept under wraps. The perp’s out there, and I don’t
want him to know about this change in Carly. He thinks he’s safe, that he got away with murder. Now, maybe he hasn’t. I don’t want him coming after Carly. So I must ask you to keep quiet about what’s happened here today.’

Dr Nelson nodded, looking worried.

‘I realize this is medically important to you, doctor,’ Mac went on. ‘A first, a medical breakthrough, perhaps. But by waiting to tell the world we protect Carly. No press announcements. Understood?’

‘Of course,’ James Nelson responded.

‘There would be a feeding frenzy if the media got wind of this. Also, you must talk to the staff here. There cannot be any leaks. Not one. And I’m taking further precautions. I’m leaving those two officers now outside her room here at the hospice. There’re going to be permanent guards outside her door. Just to be on the safe side.’

‘I think that’s wise,’ Dr Nelson said. ‘And I’ll talk to the staff immediately, caution them about talking. There’ll be no problem.’

‘Good.’ Mac MacDonald stood up. ‘Now I’m going over to see Carly’s mother, to explain to Mrs Smith that she has to keep this development a secret for the moment.’

‘Thanks, Mac, for coming so quickly,’ Katie said, also rising.

He threw Katie a knowing look. ‘I’ve waited ten years
to solve this case, and I think I will now, with Carly’s help and a little luck.’

‘I’ll walk with you to the door.’ Katie followed him across the office. She glanced at James Nelson. ‘Thanks, Dr Nelson, and I’ll come back tomorrow morning, before I return to New York.’

‘I’ll see you then, Katie.’

James Nelson rose, walked over to the door, and shook Mac’s hand. ‘If there are any developments I’ll call you immediately.’

‘Thanks. I’d appreciate that.’

Katie and Mac MacDonald walked to the front entrance in silence, but when they were outside, Mac turned to Katie and said, ‘I’m sorry, Katie, but right now you can’t talk either. So not a word to your parents.’

Katie stared at him, frowning. ‘Okay, I understand. It’s so easy to let something slip. Careless talk costs lives.’

It was his turn to stare. ‘That’s a good line, where did you get it?’

‘I saw it on a World War Two poster at a house in Yorkshire recently. The owners have a whole collection of war-time memorabilia. It seemed so…apt.’

He nodded, smiled at her. ‘Your father’s very proud of you, Katie. Bursting with pride.’

She returned his smile, thinking he looked much the same as he always had. Ten years had brought a few silver hairs and even a few lines around his eyes and
his mouth, but he was still a very good-looking man. ‘How’s Allegra?’ she asked, suddenly thinking of the Medical Examiner, knowing they were close, although they had never married.

‘She’s great and she’ll be real happy about this development, I can tell you that. We’ve got the DNA taken from Denise’s body at the time of her murder stored away. If Carly comes up with a name, and we arrest the perp, all we need is a DNA match to convict.’

‘You mean DNA samples last that long?’

‘Sure they do, Katie. They last forever.’

Pushing pots of theatrical make-up to one side, Katie found space on the dressing table for her diary. After opening it, she sat back in the chair for a moment, thinking, and then she began to write.

March 1st, 2000

Barrymore Theatre

New York

Today is Wednesday matinée day, and since I never leave the theatre on matinée days, I have time to put a few things down here.

Opening in a Broadway play is really the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. Just stupendous. But what’s also very exciting to me is the sudden change in Carly’s condition. When she spoke to me earlier this week, I was flabbergasted. In fact, as she spoke my name I was the one who became speechless! What a wonderful breakthrough this is. I’m sure Carly is going to recover, if not completely, certainly enough
to live a halfway decent life. James Nelson tends to agree. He’s still stunned himself, puzzled as well, and not sure what started this sudden change in Carly. The amantadine is one factor, he believes. When Carly’s up to it he’s going to do some extensive neurological tests on her. She’ll also start undergoing intensive speech and physical therapy. Dr Nelson told me that she might be physically disabled and mentally challenged after ten years in a vegetative state. But my money’s on Carly. She was always a fighter, and she’ll fight now. And I’m going to be there to help her.

I’m frustrated a bit because I can’t tell Mom and Dad and Niall. I was bursting with the news on Monday night, but I managed to keep my mouth shut. I can’t put Carly at risk, and talking might do that. Not that my parents would let anything slip, but I told Mac I wouldn’t say anything to them. And I can’t break my word to him. Dad has always said he’s a good cop and a good guy. He was startled when he saw Carly. He thought she hadn’t changed much at all, that she was still like a beautiful young girl. That’s true, although she has a few lines on her face now. So do I. Mac didn’t question her, or say a word to her at the hospice on Monday. Anyway, Carly was out of it again, and there was no point in him hanging around. But once she shows more improvement, he’s going over to the hospice with Detective Groome, hoping to get a lead on the murderer. For years I’ve wondered who did it, and I never could come up with a name. That name is locked in Carly’s brain, but maybe it will be revealed now. I was really startled when Mac told
me DNA samples last forever. I never knew that. I guess most people don’t either.

I’m going to go back to Malvern next Monday. If Chris can’t lend me his car, I’ll rent one. I must go and see Carly again, to encourage her. Dr Nelson thinks it’s vital I do this, because I’m the one she remembers. How could we ever forget each other? We were together most of our lives, on a day-to-day basis, until we were seventeen. I’m in her system, just as she’s in mine. There’s a very strong bond between us. It’s a bond that can’t be broken, so James Nelson says.

Going back to opening night, that was such a wonderful experience for me. Full of excitement, and success. The critics liked me, mentioned me, went so far as to say I had a big future as an actress. My mother was all puffed up with pride and excitement, and said she felt justified for her constant belief in me. She looked wonderful in her long black Trigère gown, and so did Aunt Bridget in her slinky red silk gown and diamond earrings. I was really proud of my mother and my aunt, and of all the women in our family, who had made a big effort to look their best. Even the two grandmas were all fancied up in evening dresses. As for Xenia and my English friends, they looked sensational. Of course, Lavinia was Audrey Hepburn personified, in a slender column of black silk, with long black gloves, chandelier earrings and her hair piled on top of her head. Verity was her usual glamorous self, also in black, a three-quarter-length lace sheath, and her usual pearls. Xenia had outdone herself, was in royal-blue silk with blue earrings. She told me they weren’t real sapphires, but they looked like
it to me. All of the men in my life looked handsome, especially Dad, Niall, and Christopher.

What to do about Chris?

My mother put a bug in my ear when she said I had to face the fact…mainly that we live in different countries. I’ve thought about this endlessly for the last two days. Could I ever live in Argentina? I don’t know. Chris says it’s beautiful, that it’s known as the Paris of South America. But I’m an actress, and so I need to be in New York or London, where there are theatres. There are theatres in Buenos Aires, I’m sure, but I don’t speak Spanish.

I asked Chris last night if he will always make his home in Argentina and he said he didn’t know. He gave me a funny look, so I decided to drop the subject. He’s picking me up for dinner after the show again tonight, but I’m not going to say anything about the future. After all, he hasn’t mentioned it. He does keep saying he’s in love with me, and that he needs me, wants me in his life forever. But he hasn’t said anything about getting married. Do I want to marry him? I don’t know. What I’m certain of is that I’m in love with him, and that we get on so well it’s incredible. I wish he could come back to live in New York, but I suppose he has to be near rain forests.

The strange thing is I feel as if I’ve known Chris all my life, when in fact it’s only been five weeks. He told me the other evening that you can know someone for years and never know them, and that time as such is not a factor, not meaningful. I guess he’s right. Aunt Bridget says we’re the same blood type. She doesn’t mean that actually, it’s just
an expression she’s used for years to describe a couple of men she’s been involved with. She’s the big success in our family, New York’s top real-estate broker, one of the biggest, with her own company. Water finds its own level is another one of her expressions, and by that she means Chris and I will work everything out somehow. I hope so.

Katie put the pen down, closed her diary and slipped it into the carryall at her feet. She drank some bottled water, ate the sandwich she had brought with her from home, and then went over to the daybed. She liked to have a short rest before the evening performance; it always refreshed her, and she was able to walk on stage feeling energized. Two shows a day were taxing for most actors, and she was no exception to the rule.

‘Where do you want to go for supper?’ Chris asked later that evening, as he helped her into a yellow cab.

‘I don’t know really, what about Fiorella’s? I like it there, and so do you.’

‘Great, Katie.’ He leaned forward and told the driver where to go, and then sat back next to her, took hold of her hand. ‘How did it go tonight? How was the audience?’ he asked, his voice warm and loving.

She smiled at him in the dim light of the cab. He had come to understand that audiences were very different, and sometimes affected an actor’s performance. You had
to rise above a bad audience, and she had explained that to him. ‘It was good, and the same this afternoon,’ she replied. ‘I didn’t have any problems.’

‘I spoke to Jamie Nelson tonight, Katie.’

Katie felt herself stiffening, and she held her breath for a moment. ‘Oh, and how is he?’ Surely Dr Nelson hadn’t mentioned anything about Carly?

‘He’s great. He said he saw you on Monday.’

‘That’s right. I guess I forgot to tell you.’

‘He said he’d like to see the play, Katie. So I invited him down for the Friday-night performance, and dinner afterwards. Is that all right with you? You won’t be too tired, will you?’

‘No, I won’t, and that’s fine. I’ll arrange a house seat for him. Or will he be bringing someone with him?’

‘I’m not sure, sweetheart, but I can buy the ticket or tickets, you don’t have to bother Melanie.’

Katie laughed. ‘There aren’t any tickets to buy, Chris. Have you forgotten, we’re sold out for months to come.’

‘It did slip my mind for a minute.’ He leaned into her and kissed her cheek. ‘I guess you’ll have to get house seats then.’

They had been sitting at the table in Fiorella’s for about twenty minutes, sipping their drinks, when Chris said suddenly, ‘I spoke to Boston today, Katie. I have to leave on Sunday.’

She looked across the table at him, and asked, ‘Leave for Boston? Or Argentina?’

‘Argentina, darling.’ He smiled faintly.

‘I guess I’ve been expecting it,’ she murmured softly, and lifted her glass of Fiji water. ‘How long will you be away?’

‘Six months. I’ll be back in New York in August. For a couple of weeks.’ He reached out, put his hand over hers resting on the table. ‘I could probably fly in for a weekend, maybe even two. How about you? Could you come down to Buenos Aires for a long weekend?’

Katie stared at him askance. ‘Of course not, Chris! I’m in a hit play. I’m the
second lead.
I can’t have any time off
now.
And not even in the foreseeable future. I thought I’d made that clear to you.’

‘Yes, you had, but you do all these matinées, sometimes two performances a day, doesn’t Melanie think you’re entitled to a little break now and again? All of you, not just you, Katie?’

‘Of course she doesn’t think that, no producer does, and that’s not what Broadway’s about, having weekends off, and all that jazz. Yes, if a play has a very long run, the stars do sometimes take off a couple of days now and again. But this one only opened on February the twentieth.’

He nodded. ‘Okay, okay, don’t get het up. I guess I’m an ignoramus when it comes to show business.’

‘I’m not het up, Chris.’

‘You sound it. And I don’t know why you’re always so very defensive about Melanie Dawson.’

‘I’m not defensive about her!’ Katie snapped. ‘I’m merely explaining the rules…of the game, if you like. Anyway, Melanie’s been wonderful to me, given me my great chance.’

‘You’d have made it anyway, eventually. You’re so talented someone would have discovered you. One day.’

‘Maybe, maybe not. There’s a lot of undiscovered talent out there. Anyway, Melanie’s been a true friend to me, she’s always kept an eye out for me, and given me other chances, which I didn’t accept. As you well know.’

He nodded, and opened his mouth to make a fast retort when their food arrived. And so he closed his mouth, said nothing, and began to eat the lasagna in silence when it was served.

Katie cut into the piece of chicken, seething inside. For a reason she couldn’t understand he seemed determined to pick a fight with her tonight. She couldn’t help wondering once more if James Nelson had said something to him about Carly? Perhaps he had, and perhaps Chris was angry with her for not trusting him, not confiding. But then again, Nelson had promised Mac MacDonald he wouldn’t let it leak out, primarily for Carly’s safety. Anyway, wouldn’t it be unethical to discuss a patient with a friend? No, she told herself now, James Nelson hasn’t said a thing. Chris is in a bad mood, that’s what this is all about. He’s probably upset because he has to leave New York, leave me.

She voiced this thought when she said quietly, ‘You’re upset because you have to leave, Chris. Don’t let’s quarrel like this. Not tonight.’

‘We’re not quarrelling, are we?’ he asked, lifting his head, staring across at her, putting his fork down.

‘Not really, I suppose, but we’re having heated words.’ She touched his hand. ‘Please, Chris, let’s enjoy the last few days you have in New York.’

‘Okay,’ he muttered, and forced a smile, began to eat again.

Katie looked at him surreptitiously from underneath her eyelids, and she couldn’t help thinking that he not only sounded sulky, but looked it. She held her tongue, and picked at the chicken.

Once he had finished eating, Chris took a swallow of red wine, and threw her a long, speculative look. He said, ‘Do you think this is going to last? That we’re going to last, with me there, you here?’

‘I don’t see why not. We’re both working hard. I’ll see you in August…’ Her voice trailed off. She suddenly felt he was challenging her and she wasn’t sure why. She exclaimed, ‘We’ve never discussed the future, you and I. And I’ve never mentioned marriage. Neither have you.’

‘I thought it was a foregone conclusion,’ he exclaimed, staring hard at her. ‘You must know I want us to get married.’

‘Well, I can’t read your mind!’

‘But surely you know how I feel?’

‘Yes.’ Katie also put her knife and fork down and sat back on the banquette, looked at Chris. ‘And I hope
you
know how
I
feel. I love you, Christopher Saunders.’

He smiled, his eyes warm. ‘And I love you too, Katie Byrne. But I’m not sure this is going to work out. Long-distance love affairs are pretty tough, you know. They often do fall apart despite the intentions of the participants.’

‘My mother said the same thing, only the other day. I told her we’d never discussed it, and we haven’t, not until tonight.’

‘I guess we were both putting it off, because we couldn’t bear to look at the situation. Listen to me, Katie,’ he leaned forward as he spoke, and went on quickly, ‘this contract of yours is for a year. I think we could handle a year apart, if I come back once or twice, don’t you? Then after that you can move to Argentina.’

Katie gaped at him. She was affronted, and slowly shook her head. ‘But I’m an actress, Chris, that’s what I do, that’s who I am. It’s my identity. Take my acting away, and I’m no longer Katie Byrne.’

‘Of course you are, silly,’ he said, smiling at her, squeezing her hand.

‘No, I’m not!’ she cried, pulling her hand away from his. ‘Without my acting I’m nobody. Just another woman with red hair and blue eyes.’

‘Beautiful eyes,’ he said, realizing his mistake, now
trying to cajole her into a better mood. She was very angry. He’d never seen this side of her.

‘Stop trying to flirt with me. This is serious. I can say the same thing to you, Chris. When your contract runs out, you could move back here.’

‘But Katie, my job’s in South America.’

‘And mine is on Broadway. Or in the West End. Or L.A. You see, my work is in the English-speaking theatre, Chris. I’m an actor. That’s what I do, what I want to do. And if I’m not doing it, then I’m no longer the woman you love. I’m a different person.’

‘And I’m an ecologist, and take that away from me, and I’m not the same either. I believe in my work.’