Chapter 8. Reunited
Brrrrr. Brrrrr. Brrrrr. Brrrrr. "Whose that ringing the doorbell at this hour on
a Monday morning," grumbled John. He hadn't even shaved yet.
"Major, what was Paula's other name?" Miriam sounded excited.
"Simkins. Why"
"Have you seen today's East Anglian?"
The story of Paula's rape had made the front page together with a photo of her
sitting in the hospital bed showing her gruesome injuries. "Oh my God. It's her.
I must go to see her."
In record time John drove to the hospital and enquired of the receptionist for
Paula. She is not to have visitors, police orders. This in fact was to try and
keep the press at bay and disturbance to the minimum until they were able to get
a statement from Paula. "I am Major Padham, she will see me." Despite his best
military manner the girl refused to let him know where Paula was.
"Morning Major." It was Ella a wife of one of his army friends and who had been
at the fateful party. She was a staff nurse at the hospital. "Come into my
office for a moment, Major." They walked down a long corridor and into a small
cluttered office. "I've been trying to phone you for the last half hour ever
since I came on duty and found that it was your Paula that we had here. The
receptionist was right, they are very much restricting visitors. Paula is very
depressed as well as being very very sore." Ella went to a locker and pulled out
a white overall coat. "Put this on and we may get pass the first sentries!" She
found a teaching stethoscope and hung round his neck. "This way doctor if you
please."
Nobody took any notice of a staff nurse and a doctor walking to Paula's room.
She was being kept in a room of her own with a policewoman constantly at her
bedside. A young nurse popped in regularly and was there when Ella and John
arrived. "Everything seems fine, Staff but she's still not talking much," she
told Ella as she left.
The policewoman looked up but didn't suspect anything. "Morning," She whispered.
John was only half prepared for the sight that met his eyes. The swollen cheeks,
the livid colour, the bandages and the plaster. "Oh Paula my dear, what did
those maniacs do to you?"
Partially opening her eyes, Paula murmured, "John, is that really you? Oh John,
I'm sorry. I really am sorry."
"Shush, Paula, it will be alright now. Just worry about getting better and then
I can take you home."
By this time the policewoman perceived that John wasn't a real doctor. "Who are
you?" she asked, "And what is your business here?"
"Major John Padham. Paula and I lived together until a few weeks ago when we had
a disagreement. I have searched for her ever since. And now may I ask who you
are?"
"WPC Stephanie Wallis. I have been waiting to try and get a statement to piece
together what happened to her but she has refused to say anything very much."
Ella cut in, "It might help her to get over it quicker if she would talk about
it instead of bottling it up inside. She may talk to you."
John took her good hand in his. "Paula, dear, would you like to tell me what has
happened to you since you left my house?" John realised they would have to go
slowly so he tried starting way back before the incident. Stephanie recorded it
and John slowly and skillfully wormed the details from her. Diplomacy and
interrogation had been his main job in the military. Ella left. She had work to
do. Stephanie stayed even though her relief came. She, like Paula were crying
before the end of the story. John had misty eyes although no tears came. It was
one of the saddest stories of cruelty he'd heard of including some from the
India / Pakistan war atrocities. Puzzled by why the police had turned up at that
time, Stephanie told him, "The site was patrolled at intervals by a security
firm. The security man saw light coming around the blanket and when he
investigated heard a woman scream before it was stifled. He called the police
because no one should have been in the building and he didn't want to get
involved in any rough stuff. They arrived and .... well you know the rest.
Thanks for your help Major. I'd better report back now. I'll let my relief sit
here now while I have another cry."
Paula spent Christmas in the hospital but John visited every day. He was able to
take her home before New Year but she needed months of care and physiotherapy
before she fully recovered.
John listened to her reasoning about why she left and agreed she could partake
of a glass or two of alcohol as and when she wished and if she looked like
becoming an addict he would find other alternatives to punishment. It might work
in India but it had had a disastrous effect here. Paula pointed out that since
leaving the old pub, she hadn't touched any drink. If she could refrain from it
under such difficult circumstances she could when John was around or even when
he was away on business. John's kill or cure method very nearly did kill her.
Finis
