Shot of Silence (Justice Again Book 3) by M Comley (best contemporary novels txt) 📗

an attempt to cut through the chilled atmosphere which had descended.

It worked. Camilla grinned. “I’m sorry for getting in a ‘tizzy’. You have to understand that today…I lost everything. Rufus was my world…”

“Honestly, I get that. Please, won’t you consider helping me by trying to find James?”

Camilla stared at the corner of the room for what appeared to be an eternity until she finally relented. “Okay, I’ll help, for Rufus’ sake.”

Katy pulled up a chair.

The nurse patted Camilla’s hand and said, “I’ll leave you to it. Give me a shout if you need me.”

“Thank you,” Camilla replied.

Katy glanced up and nodded at the nurse. The door closed, leaving Katy alone with Camilla. “Please, hear me out. I’m going to try and make this as painless as possible. My intention isn’t to cause you any more unnecessary anxiety. You’re doing exceptionally well. If at any time you want to stop, that’s fine by me.”

“No, I think I’d like to get it over with in one go. I’m getting tired, my lids are drooping. What do you need to know?”

“When you were with James, was there a place he dearly liked to visit?”

“In the area?”

“Yes.” She watched on as the woman’s eyes narrowed and her head tilted as she thought. “Wait, maybe. I think his parents…no, I know his parents used to own a holiday cottage somewhere down on the coast. He was left it in his father’s will. It was only a one-bedroom place. Now where was it?”

Katy kept quiet, giving Camilla the time and space to ponder.

Camilla eventually shook her head. “I can’t for the life of me think where it was. There’s definitely one around, though, if that’s any help.”

“We can do some digging. Did you ever go there?” Katy tried her best to jog the woman’s memory.

“No. We were planning to, but things always went against us. Either bad weather or something cropped up at work to prevent us from going. In the end, we never got around to using it. Shame really, going away for the weekend might have helped save our marriage in the long run.”

“You really believe that?”

She stared at the tissue in her hand. “I don’t know. We led a boring life. His controlling behaviour destroyed my self-esteem. The one night I arranged to go out with the girls and I was fortunate to meet Rufus. He sincerely turned my world upside down. I fell in love with him the first time I laid eyes on him. I know it was wrong of me as I was married at the time. But let’s face it, if I’d been happy my eyes wouldn’t have wandered.”

“When you told James the marriage was over, what was his reaction?”

“I feel like you’re testing me, asking me the same questions again. Like I said before, he accepted it. His demeanour didn’t change. He didn’t plead with me not to leave him. He didn’t say that his world would collapse if I walked out on him, nothing! Therefore, I moved in with Rufus and we lived our lives to the fullest. He treated me like a princess. I know a lot of women say that about their fellas, but he truly did. He couldn’t do enough for me. All our plans have now disintegrated. I’m lost without him. I can’t see it getting easier anytime soon.”

“Time is…”

“A great healer, yes, I’ve heard it all since coming in here. I’m afraid to shut my eyes. To dream, because I know he’ll be there, holding my hand, waiting for me to join him on our next adventure. My dreams were always filled with him and the joy we shared. I know that sounds sloppy, it would to my ears if any of my friends spoke that way about their fella, but it doesn’t alter the fact that Rufus was a very special guy. I will miss him…more than life itself. I know I was foolish.” She ran a finger over the bandage decorating her left wrist.

“You won’t try it again, will you?” Katy asked quietly.

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. My head wasn’t in the right place at the time. I shudder at the thought of taking that razor in my right hand and…I’ve never considered doing anything as bad as that before…”

“Grief is a powerful emotion to deal with. It’s very much taken for granted by most people. It can tear a person apart in an unexpected way. Words are cheap. No one can define a person’s future for them after suffering a great loss such as losing the love of their life. I wouldn’t begin to try. All I can advise is for you to hang in there. You seem a bit brighter than before.”

“I think I’ve had time to reflect, which has helped immensely—that is until the seeds of guilt hit me. What if I hadn’t met him on that night out? Would Rufus still be alive today? Of course he would. It’s my fault he’s dead. If he hadn’t taken me under his wing, sheltered me and cured my shattered nerves, he’d still be alive. That type of guilt will take its toll on a person.”

“Hmm…no one will be able to right that wrong, but I don’t think you should feel guilty about it. Life just got in the way, nothing more than that.”

“I know. Maybe in time I’ll be able set those feelings aside and learn to deal with life again, not now, but definitely in the future.”

“That’s the spirit. I’m sure, once we’ve captured James, things will look so much brighter. It won’t make things right, of course, but it’ll lessen the blow, if I can put it that way.”

Camilla nodded. “I hope so. I’m tired now. Do you need anything else from me?”

“I don’t think so. You get some rest. I’ll leave you my card. If you can recall any other places James loved to visit in the past, maybe you can give me a ring.”

“I’ll do that. Do you think he’ll come