Ash & Bone

A slight tensing of her muscles and nothing more. A tray of food, uneaten, lay nearby on the floor.

'Talk to me.'

A silence, unbroken, and then, muffled by her arm, so that Elder had to strain to hear: 'What for?'

'I want to help.'

She laughed then, a harsh sound that raised her head and broke into a jittering cough. Elder moved closer and sat, perched, near the end of the bed; when his leg inadvertently touched her foot, she pulled it, sharp, away.

'You want to help,' she said, not looking at him, her voice small and dry.

Times he had sat like that when she was a child, four, rising five; his hand would touch her cheek and, as he spoke and said her name, she would slowly stroke his lower arm, her fingers smooth and warm and small. His eyes smarted with the begi

'Of course I do,' he said.

The laugh again, harder this time. 'You mean like you did before?'

Elder flinched as if he had been hit.

For an instant he must have looked away, because suddenly he was aware of her staring at him, her gaze, the awful flatness of her eyes.

'Katherine…' he began.

But by then she had turned again towards the wall, head buried in her arms.

Elder stayed where he was, not moving, awkward, listening to her breathe. When the custody sergeant called time, Elder bent over her once more, stopped short of kissing her, stood and turned aside, the sound of the door closing behind him like the clenching of a fist.

She's alive and you're some great hero, your picture all over the papers, all over the screen every time you turn on the bloody TV.

Joa

29

Martyn Miles answered the door. 'She's in a bad way, Frank. Shaky at best.'

Joa

'Yes.'

'How was she?'

'Confused, angry, upset. Take your pick.'

'When I went to see her, she kept her face to the wall. She wouldn't tell me a thing.'

'The drugs they claim she had in her bag,' Miles said. 'Planted, like as not.'

'Martyn,' Joa

He carried on as if she hadn't spoken, as if he hadn't heard. 'No offence intended, Frank, not to you, but the police, you know what they're like, some of them.'

'Martyn,' Joa

'All right, okay. Calm down, why don't you? Just calm down.'

Ash spilled down the front of Joa

'These days -' Martyn began.

'Don't get to thinking she's like those ski

'One of your fantasies, sweetheart, not mine.'

'Fuck you,' Joa

'All I'm saying is, Frank,' Miles went on, 'these days you can never tell. Well, you'll know that yourself, better than anyone.'

'For Christ's sake, Martyn, stop trying to get him on your side.'

'I didn't think it was a matter of sides.'

'No?'

'No.'

'Because if it is, why don't you tell him what you told me when you heard Kate had been arrested. See how far he's on your side then.'

'Oh, for Christ's sake, leave it out, Joa

'Why? Because it doesn't suit you now? For Frank to know what you really think?'

'Now you're being stupid.'

'Am I?'

Miles gave Elder a look as much as to say, You see how unreasonable she's being.

'I think,' Elder responded, 'I might like to know what it was you said.'

'He said it was no more than she deserved.'

'What I said was, it might not be such a bad thing.'

'Why was that, Martyn?' Elder said. 'I'm not sure I understand.'

'You know, Frank. These past months, the way she's been. And now it seems drugs as well.'

'And you think being locked up in a police cell will make her see the light?'

'It might scare some sense into her, yes.'

'Don't you think she's been scared enough?'

'That was a year ago, Frank. She can't keep hiding behind that forever.'

'Listen to yourself,' Joa

'And you do?'

'Yes, I fucking do.'

'That's it. That's it. Get hysterical,' Miles said. 'Great help all round.'

Tears welled in Joa

'Martyn,' Elder said. 'Maybe you should let Joa

'Fine.'

The lanterns on the patio shone small candles of light through the window, their reflections doubled and redoubled in the glass. Nursing a fresh glass of wine, Joa

It was past midnight by now, Elder thought, closer to one.

The reflection of his face slid over hers and merged. Slowly, he touched her shoulder with his hand.

'Frank.'

When she said his name a small circle of mist blurred the glass before her face. She said his name again and turned and when she turned it was into his arms. Eyes closed at first, he held her close, her head beneath his chin, feeling her heart race against his chest.

Minutes passed.

Minutes passed and her breathing steadied and she lifted her face towards his. 'I'm sorry,' she said.

With a slow shake of his head, he stepped away.

'I need a cigarette,' she said and crossed the room.

Elder went through into the kitchen and ran the tap, drank water from a glass. Whoever Joa

In the living room, Joa

'What will happen?' Joa

'To Katherine?'

She looked back at him as if to say, What else?

'They could charge her with possession with intent to supply, in which case she'd almost certainly be released on police bail. But I don't think they will.'

'Because of you?'

'That wouldn't matter one way or another.'

'What then?'

'I don't really think it's Kate they re interested in. It's him. Summers. I think they were hoping if they pressured her, she'd give them something they could use against him.'

'And she won't?'

'It doesn't look that way.'

'God.' Joa

'How long has she been seeing him?' Elder asked. 'Summers. D'you know?'

Staring at the floor, Joa

'I'll talk to her. If I can.'

Joa

'You'll stay, Frank.'

'I don't think so.'

'This time of night…'

'I'll go to a hotel'

'There's no need.'

He shook his head. 'It's easier.'