Recuperating at the hospital, Nelly felt safe with her sister. Amy, Nelly’s older sister had not stepped an inch out of the hospital since the night Nelly was taken in. Amy barely rested her fatigued body since the incidence happened the same night her daughter’s birthday party took place and she was still knackered from the party's preparation. The strain on her face disappeared the moment Nelly opened her eyes when she regained consciousness. She squeezed Nelly’s hand and kissed Nelly's forehead. Nelly smiled and hot tears poured down her face – with a weak voice she said to Amy’ – “He tried to kill me Amy" "I know Nelly" Amy replied fighting her tears from rolling and putting her fingers on Nelly's lip to stop her from talking.
Mummy!!! ...Hazel screamed as she jumped on her mum whilst her dad stood behind her. Nando kissed Amy and walked into the room with a basket in his hand which he handed over to his wife. She unpacked the basket. They brought fruit salad, chicken stir fry and noodles. Amy smiled at Nando “Its Nelly’s favourite”.
“I know! Hazel told me and we cooked it together”, Nando replied.
“You are my rock Nando”, she kissed him more deeply. Hazel spotting the duo ran in-between them and said “Mummy it was me who cooked it not Daddy”. Amy picked her daughter up ruffled her a little bit and said, “I know you did it Hazel”, putting her back down.
Nando stood over Nelly took her hands in his and spoke to his wife, “after you informed us she had gained consciousness we hurriedly prepared to come over hoping to catch her awake”. Amy replied, “The doctor put her to sleep after checking up on her because she was totally drained emotionally. She has been crying”.
“Have you been crying too?” Nando asked raising her head to look at her face. "You know you can’t do that in front of her, you should be her support system”.
“Angrily, Amy responded raising her voice a little, “I couldn't help myself, I am a little emotional myself. Today for the first time I saw the stab wounds when the nurse attended to them, I almost lost my only sister”. Sensing her anger and trying to avoid any more exchange of words he moved closer to her “I know, I’m so sorry”. He held her in his arms and she let loose of more pain and wept helplessly. After about 20 minutes of crying she released herself from his embrace went into the bathroom, washed her face, cleaned it with a towel and came back out feeling a lot better.
“Nando I think you should leave now, the little woman is already in Dreamland”, both looking at Hazel already snoozing on the chair beside Nelly. Nando picked her up, kissed his wife goodbye, "I will see you tomorrow” he said and left the hospital.
A week passed and both sisters discussed all that happened on that fatal day, trying to unravel the mystery behind Frederick’s erratic behaviour, still an explanation eluded them. Amy stayed close refusing to leave her sister for even a second. Frederick was in police custody as at the last time Nando went to the Police Station, there was enough evidence to pin him down for attempted murder.
The next morning both women sat together watching television and discussing general issues, when they heard voices behind the closed door of the private hospital room, then a knock at the door. “Hello doctor, we weren't expecting you now”.
“Hello Amy” he smiled and handed a card over to her
“I met a detective hanging around the corner with two other policemen, he wanted to come over to have a chat with Nelly but I told him he would have to come back another day when Nelly is fit enough to talk”. I think she is fit to talk, however it is totally up to her, when she is willing, we would allow them in. Our job is to protect and ensure the health and safety of our patients while they are in here”.
“Thanks, doctor”, Amy replied.
After the morning check up the doctor left. Amy took a peak at the corridor and spotted the two policemen standing guard a few feet from Nelly’s room.
Two days later, the detective visited at Nelly’s request. He shook hands with Amy and introduced himself as detective Cooper. Nelly sized him up in a glance. He was totally different from what she had expected; he was short, stocky and wore a tee shirt and leather jacket on jeans. He was completely bald and only had hair on his eyebrows. He had on what was supposed to be white sneakers but had turned brown.
The detective pulled up a chair right beside her, brought out a pen and notepad from his jacket and started talking to her. “I am detective Cooper, the detective in charge of your case”. She nodded her head in response, and then Cooper proceeded.
“Ma’am, can you please relate all that happened prior to your arrival here?” Nelly then recaptured the events of the fateful day up until she was rescued.
“Ma’am has your husband grieved you to the extent that you would want to kill him?”The detective asked. Agitated by the question she responded hauntingly
“Is he the one lying on a hospital bed with stab wounds? Was I the one caught driving away with a knife that had blood stains on it? - my blood stains?” Cooper continued “Ma’am do you know a guy named Deen Carter?”
“No” Nelly answered. “Why should I know him?”
“He came up to the police station yesterday and gave himself up as the person you hired to get rid of your husband”.
“What! Are you for real? Nelly asked. The detective then reached for his wallet and brought out a picture a little bigger than a normal sized passport photograph. “This is he Ma’am”. Starring at the photo wide-eyed Nelly yelled in surprise. “This is the man Frederick hired to kill me; I didn’t, Frederick did”.
Cooper rose up from his seated position and left the hospital without saying another word leaving both women shocked.
“Is he for real Amy or am I being punked?
“He seems to be pretty serious Nelly; we will get to the bottom of this”. Later that afternoon in too much suspense Amy gave Cooper a ring but it went straight to voicemail.
Frederick paced up and down the house he had shared with Nelly; somehow he had managed to be out of the police net. The once bubbly house filled with love had turned to a big empty cold house with no life. All the fun memories were overshadowed by the memories of the night he tried to kill his Nelly. His plan had gone terribly wrong and he sensed he was in danger of going to jail if another plan wasn’t hatched as quickly as possible to send his estranged wife to the world beyond. Too restless to stay in the house he dressed up in a disguise so he wouldn’t be recognised and headed straight to the hospital where Nelly was. A few miles from the hospital he packed his car and walked around the vicinity of the hospital; it was in a high brow area and quite busy. He noted the restaurants, bars and hotels. He did a little bit of shopping while, studying the environment. One that really caught his eye was the hotel directly opposite the hospital. A few hours later he checked into the hotel as Marcus Marsden a businessman in town for a few days for a medical check-up. Later that evening Frederick, incognito passed by the hospital and finally rested in a bar not too far, in sight of the hospital studying police patrol, the traffic in and out of the hospital finally he retired to the hotel.
About 8 am the next morning Frederick was out and already on his way to the hospital when he sighted Nando just in front of the hospital entrance, he hurried to catch up with him giving him a good distance, so Nando wouldn’t sense he was following him. He trailed Nando, got into the same lift with him, all the while Nando being in a hurry not to get to the office late gave no attention to the others in the lift with him. It was too early for a visit but he had to deliver fresh clothes to his wife. He stepped out of the lift on the third floor and Frederick stepped out with him. The lady at the reception stopped Nando
“Sir it’s not visiting time yet, please come back at twelve”.
“You know what, he replied, hand this over to my wife in room 304 I would be back later to see her. It’s just fresh clothes in here”.
“Oh sorry sir you can go in then, didn’t know you were close family”. He made his way to the room. The lady turned to Frederick “Can I help you sir?”
“No thanks, I am with him, will just wait for him outside. He will be out soon we need to hurry to work” she smiled and returned to her desk while Frederick entered the lift and went back to his hotel room.
The walk back to his hotel was the best walk he had had in months. His plan seemed easier yet he had to find a way to sneak into his wife’s room without being caught out.
With no word from detective Cooper for over two days, he returned to the hospital and headed straight to Nelly room. “Ma’am after thorough investigation you are charged for the attempted murder of Mr. Frederick in collaboration with Deen Carter, confused Nelly stammered. Reading Nelly her rights, “Ma’am you are under arrest anything you say will be used against you in the court of law............... you will continue your treatment under security on discharge you will be escorted into police custody where you will be await further proceedings”. He then headed out of the room. Amy rushed behind him shutting the door after her. “Detective Cooper what about Frederick?” “Is he still in police custody?
“No he was released yesterday”, He turned his back and left. Fear gripped Amy at the thought of Frederick being free; surely he might make another attempt. She looked at the two police guards who had their back to her.
Throughout that day she had been nervous. The thought of Frederick free and possibly even in the hospital sent chills down her spine. Nando arrived at the hospital straight from work; his wife had called him panicking. Not wanting to let Nelly know the situation of things, Amy excused herself and Nando for 10 minutes to go to hospital’s café for teas “If you need anything, press the panic button.”Amy said.
“Take your time guys” Nelly responded.
Peeking out from the visitor’s rest room Frederick headed straight to Nelly’s room as the couple got into the lift. Earlier, he had been waiting for someone familiar going up to see Nelly so he could tag along. He sighted Nando from the nearby bar as he drove into the parking lot; quickly he made his way to the third floor exchanged pleasantries with the receptionist and asked to use the visitors’ toilet while he waited for his friend Nando to come up. “Your friend has stepped out” the receptionist said he smiled at the receptionist “yea I saw them get into the elevator I will be in with Nelly”.
“Ok sir”, She replied.
“Hello officers”, Frederick greeted the police men. They nodded in response; their job was to stop Nelly escaping arrest, not to interrogate or stop visitors going in.
He got into the room; Nelly had dozed off watching television. She felt someone standing by her, she opened her eyes “Hello, I am Marcus Marsden” he said taking off his disguise and laughing. She fidgeted, but before she could yell, he placed one of his hands over her mouth then yanked her off the bed, then giving her a kick on the belly bursting open the stitches from the stab wounds. He was too powerful for her. “You thought you had escaped me whore. You lying, cheating bitch! Nah this time you won’t be lucky”. He slammed her back on the bed, removing a pillow from underneath her; he pressed it hard on her face. She struggled for about two minutes and went still. Frederick pressed on for another two minutes to make sure she was really dead. He took off the pillow felt the pulse on her hand and there was nothing. She was not breathing and she had no pulse. He laughed hysterically put his disguise back on and headed out of the room. He smiled at the receptionist and walked to the lift. As the lift opened he stood face to face with Amy and Nando. Amy sensing something thought “Nelly” she ran quickly to the room. Frederick got into the lift and disappeared from the hospital afterwards. Amy found her sister in the room lying lifeless. She pressed the panic button screaming and pulling Nelly frantically. Immediately the medical team arrived pushing Amy and Nando out of the room.
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