Hope for the Underworld

22

'They call her Snow White, you know?' Officer Costas shot a sideways glance at her partner.

In the few days since their visit to the clinic, she noticed a profound change in him. The Inspector had had a much-needed haircut and started shaving every day; he now wore a tie and definitely paid more attention to his appearance.

'What?' He was concentrating on manoeuvring around a tight cluster of traffic.

'You know, skin pale as snow, choked on an apple...' she deliberately left the sentence unfinished.

'Have you been gossiping with the nurses?' His lips twitched; whether with amusement or annoyance, she couldn't quite tell. 'So, what are they saying?'

'That she cries in her sleep and calls for someone. But she can't remember who. Even under hypnosis.' She sighed deeply. 'He must have done a number on her.'

'What do you mean?' He chanced a quick glance, away from the busy road, to see his partner's expression.

'The toxicology is back,' she spoke calmly, professionally. 'The fruit was laced with something they've never seen before. And they are having trouble identifying it. If it wipes the victim's memories,' she speculated, 'it might be something like an enhanced rape drug, and that would be a huge problem...' she paused, as a new thought occurred to her. 'Do you think he might have always planned to eventually release her?'

'That would be sick!' the Inspector exclaimed, angered.

'Indeed' she concurred dispassionately. 'Should we go to see her again?'

'No need.' He shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, but she knew him better than that. 'I will swing by the clinic on my way home. If she can't remember anything, even under hypnosis, there's little we can do to help... Do you want me to drop you at home?'

'No. I need to get back to the office. I have some paperwork to finish. But thanks.'

'Sure.'

He dropped her off and drove away. Costas looked back on the disappearing car with a strange mixture of feelings. She was happy for him. Since his divorce, some five years ago, he had completely buried himself in work; he had no life and survived solely on take-aways and coffee. It was good to see that he was ready to live again... But on the other hand, she'd hoped that their friendship might grow with time into something more...

Completely unaware of his partner's feelings, Christopoulos drove away, shaking his head. 'Snow White,' he muttered under his breath. 'Honestly!'

He found Cora sitting alone, with her elbows braced on her knees and her face buried in her hands. She wore her own clothes; he had made sure her belongings were returned to her from the evidence room as soon as possible.

Not wishing to scare her, he stopped a few feet away and cleared his throat discreetly. 'Miss Lancaster,' he spoke softly. 'Are you alright?' When she lifted her head, he noticed tears on her face.

'Inspector.' She made a valiant effort to appear fine; she wiped the tears and forced a fake smile. 'You've caught me in a moment of indulgent self-pity.' That attempt at self-deprecation told him how sad she was really feeling.

'Miss Lancaster...' he started, but she cut him off.

'Let's dispose with the etiquette. Please, call me Cora. You know enough about my affairs to warrant some familiarity,' she added.

It was true that he knew quite a lot, down to her recent ordeal, but he did not want it to be something she resented about him. 'Miss Lancaster, I assure you, nothing I discover while in the due process of my investigation would ever be used or disclosed.' How could he convince her that he understood? That all he wanted was to protect her...