What happened to Grace Sinclair? (Friday Barnes)

~6~

                                ~No Visitors~

They spent all night at the hospital.

Friday was granted special permission to help in any way she could, often running back and forth between rooms and levels to get things for the nurses.

It was around 3:00 AM when the note was slipped under the door.

Friday was the only one in the room other than Grace, and everyone other than the nurses were asleep in the chairs outside.

She could see Ian sleeping in the chair closest to the small window in the door, his head resting in his hand.

Friday was ready to fall asleep too, but she walked over and picked up the paper.

Written in messy handwriting were the words:

Butt out Barnes, or Grace dies

Friday whipped open the door to see if she could catch whoever slipped the note as they walked away.

But there was no one there, just the officers and her friends sleeping.

Ian blinked a few times, then yawned, lifting his head.

"What's wrong?" He asked when he saw how pale she was.

Friday scrunched the note in her fist and put her hand behind her back. "Uh- no- nothing, I was just- uh, just trying to see how fast I could open the door, should anything happen to Grace."

The excuse was lame, but it was the only thing she could think of on the spot.

Ian looked at her arm which was bent to hide her hand with the note from his view.

He stood up, and walked over to her, reaching out to try and take her hand. "Are you sure-"

"Yes!" She said moving away so he couldn't get the note, immediately realising she had spoken it too quickly.

Ian locked eyes with her, a mixture of hurt, confusion, concern, and exhaustion all over his face. "Friday. What aren't you telling me." He asked, his voice shaking slightly with worry.

She knew he wanted to spin her around and open her hand to see what she was hiding.

Friday gave him her best fake smile and said, "nothing, I promise."

Ian was quiet for a moment. "Ok, but promise me you'll tell me if anything is wrong."

She nodded, putting all her energy into being as convincing as possible.

He looked at her for another moment then kissed her forehead. "Try and sleep."

She nodded again and watched as he walked back to his seat.

She turned, and walked back into Grace's room, reading the note over and over again.

She had considered telling Ian, but she didn't know anything about this person. And she didn't know if they would actually kill Grace.

She sat back in the chair next to Grace. She leaned over and brushed a black curl from the woman's neck, revealing a large green bruise, one of the many found in her pale skin.

"Who did this to you?" She whispered.

~*~                              ~*~                                  ~*~

The next morning, Friday was awoken by Annabelle, a young nurse who had been tasked with taking care of Grace.

"Friday, dear, would you like to grab something from the nurses office to eat? You've been here all night and haven't eaten a thing. There are some muesli bars in my desk drawer if you want one."

Friday stood up and stretched. "Yes, thank you. Which draw is yours?"

Annabelle put her hand on Grace's wrist looking for pulse. "Just ask Jennie, she's in there doing something."

Friday opened the door and wandered sleepily out into the open plan waiting area.

She saw Ian and Olive chatting together and smiled.

The nurses office was a large room with one big desk that went around the wall. There were photos and papers on each desk, then every meter or so there was a set of drawers that indicated the beginning of someone else's desk. 

Friday knocked on the already open door.

Jennie looked up from writing a report and smiled at her. "Friday! What can I do for you? Sit, sit."

Friday wandered in and sat down in one of the empty chairs. "Annabelle said you would know where she kept the muesli bars?"

Jennie stood up. "I do! They're right here."

She opened a drawer and tossed Friday a bar.

"How is Grace?" Friday asked, taring the plastic wrapper on the bar.

Jennie sighed as she sat down in her chair. "It isn't looking good. She's in a critical position with her brain swelling like a balloon."

There was another knock on the door and they both turned to see Mr Sinclair standing in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I was going to head home, make some calls and do some things around the house. I was wandering if I could have a pen and some paper. Oh, and maybe some clear tape?"

Jennie smiled, "absolutely."

Friday munched on the muesli bar as she watched Jennie gather the items and hand them to him.

"Wonderful, thanks." He said, scribbling on the paper with the pen.

Then he cut some of the tape, stuck it on his finger and walked away.

Friday frowned, standing up and following him.

He stuck the paper on the door of Grace's room then left the building.

The people who had watched him put the paper on the door wandered over to read it.

"What the hell?" Officer Thomas asked.

Friday walked over quickly.

In messy writing, Mr Sinclair had written

No visitors