Time To Play by KA Richardson (best book club books of all time TXT) 📗

Alex left, and Connor realised he actually felt a little relieved. For the first time in a long time, he felt like a weight had been lifted. He wasn’t being controlled like some puppet on a very short string. Whatever came of the professional standards investigation, he’d make sure he was OK. Him, Marie and his mum were all that mattered now.

HDU, Sunderland Royal Hospital – 20 November

Marlo stuck her head around the door to Connor’s room, finding him awake but staring vacantly out of the window.

‘Hey,’ she said softly, trying not to scare him. She wasn’t sure he’d heard her come into the room. He jumped, then winced as he turned to face her. ‘Sorry, didn’t mean to make you jump. How’re you doing?’

Connor shrugged. ‘OK, I guess. Just sitting here doing bugger all. They won’t let me go home.’

‘That’s kind of understandable. You were stabbed, guess they need to monitor you.’

He looked really sad as he shrugged again and said, ‘I know. Just hate hospitals is all.’

‘Oh, quit your whinging, you’re alive. That’s what counts. Sitting there doing naff all for a few weeks beats being dead any day. You were lucky from the sounds of it.’

‘Depends on your definition of luck,’ grumbled Connor.

‘Hey, enough already,’ Marlo’s voice was strict, and she almost groaned as she realised how very ‘school ma’am’ she sounded. ‘I don’t care how much it hurts now, you’re still here. Pull your head out of your arse and be grateful.’

Connor had the grace to look contrite but didn’t speak.

‘Look,’ she continued, softening her tone. ‘I know you’ve got it tough at the minute. I don’t know the ins and outs and you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but you’re not alone here, Connor. You have friends and family who care for you. Whatever your mistakes, you’re a nice guy. If you need a friend, I’m here.’

Connor’s eyes filled at her kind words, all the stress catching up on him suddenly. Tears fell, and embarrassed, he swiped at them with the back of his hand.

‘Sorry, it’s just – I can’t—’

‘We all cry, there’s nothing to be ashamed of in that, Connor.’ Marlo handed him a tissue.

She was so focussed on Connor that she didn’t even register the door behind her had been pushed open.

She heard Connor cry out, and then everything seemed to start moving in slow motion. Marlo half-turned towards the door and felt something hard hit the side of her head. Gravity defied her as she toppled forwards, not even having the time to put out her hands to stop herself from face-planting onto the floor.

Rivers of red ran through her eyes as she fought to stay conscious, and vaguely she heard Connor cry out again. Forcing herself to her knees, she made out a blurred form through the blood covering her eyes. The figure had Connor by the throat, and somewhere in her mind, she thought he was wearing a hospital gown.

Knowing Connor needed her help, she pulled herself up using the bed rails. Her legs wobbled as she fought the wave of nausea that swept over her. Carefully she pulled herself round the bed to the side where the male grappled with Connor. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she tried to focus.

The man definitely wore a hospital gown, and he had his hands around Connor’s throat, squeezing hard, pure hatred shining in his eyes. He’d not even registered that Marlo had stood up. Which she knew worked to her advantage. She manoeuvred herself around the bed, and once behind the man, she used her training and quickly grabbed him in a chokehold, kicking at the back of his knees to displace his weight.

His roar was primal, and he let go of Connor and grabbed at Marlo’s hands. Pushing himself back to his feet, he threw himself backwards in an effort to release her hold. Marlo’s back smashed into the ledge around the base of the window, and she grunted as pain burst across the base of her spine. She kept hold, though.

He bent double suddenly, trying to throw her over his head, but she was ready and had adjusted her own weight to compensate.

She heard him gurgle, his air supply cut off by the force of her arm against the front of his throat, and she knew he was starting to weaken. If she could just keep hold, then maybe he’d lose consciousness. Which was precisely what she couldn’t do. Even now, the corners of her mind were screaming at her to stop, to give up and embrace the darkness that threatened, but she couldn’t. Not yet.

He scratched at her arms, his too-long fingernails gouging welts into her skin, but still she held on. Is he ever going to go down? What the hell is Connor doing?

Marlo’s hold slipped even before she realised she’d allowed herself to become distracted, and her attacker was ready. He tried to spin round as her legs collapsed on her and she sank to the floor, but she somehow managed to land in a tangle of mixed arms and legs.

Realising he was free, he rose to his feet and booted Marlo hard to the ribs. She was sure she felt one crack under the impact and braced herself for another impact.

It didn’t come.

She lifted her head and glanced up, but her vision was so blurred all she could see was a shadow sweep past her and slam the man into the wall at the back of the hospital room. Marlo shook her head, trying to rid herself of this incessant dizziness.

‘That’s blood on my arm … it’s my blood … oh, crap…’ the words had started with a hint of wonder but the second she realised it was her own blood, her