Deceit. [COMPLETED.]

Chapter 29

This chapter is dedicated to Andy. Thanks for the amazing picture!

"Daddy's yacht"

When I came round I was in somebody's  bedroom and by the look of the colour and decor it belonged to a woman. I called out and saw Max enter. She looked tired. I had no idea what time it was other than late morning or mid afternoon judging by the daylight streaming through the drawn curtains. She came across and planted a kiss lightly on my cheek.

'That,' she said, 'was for the heroics of last night.' She moved away. 'So how's the arm?'

'Oh. This little thing,' I joked trying unsuccessfully to raise it. 'Be good as new in no time.'

I immediately dropped the pretend and frowned. I was out of my clothes save for my underwear and apart from a bandage hiding the cut, I had no idea where we were or how I got here. Max saw the confused look on my face.

'You passed out in the car,' she said. 'We had to manhandle you up two flights of stairs.'

I guess it was the wine and the attack. I remember feeling very woozy afterwards and passing lights overhead but after that there was nothing. I said that I was sorry and asked for more details of what had happened.

'That phone call I made,' said Max. 'It was to a friend.'

She motioned to a large teddy bear sat on a chair in the corner and then to the assortment of makeup on a dresser opposite.

'Tina Laroche,' she said. 'It's her apartment. She works at the city hospital. She's a nurse and it was she who stitched you up last night.'

There was a pause, I could see moisture forming in her eyes.

'I really thought you were going to die.'

I scrunched up my nose and shook my head, I grinned trying to dispel any worries.

'Me? No. You can't get rid of me that easily.'

But I still felt groggy Max indicating that it was the painkillers.

'They'll do that I'm told.'

She looked concerned.

'Do you need any more?'

I shook my head. I said that I was fine. My arm hurt a little but I never did like taking pills.

'A drink then?'

I nodded. 'That would be lovely.'

She came back a few minutes later with a cold glass of diluted orange juice. I sipped it gently. It felt refreshing against my parched throat. I watched her eyes as I drank. There was something else. I could tell. Every time I tried to hold a stare with them they flitted away and aside from the obvious look of tiredness I could see that she was hiding something. Max read my mind taking the glass from me. She tilted her head slightly to one side as she pursed her lips and even in the shadows of the room I could see that she still had a little make up on.

'It's in the papers,' she said breaking through my trance. 'Tina left for work early this morning and while you were asleep I went down and bought a newspaper. They've found a body. The police are still trying to identify it but they are asking for any witnesses.'

So I had killed a man. Whether it was self defence or not. I had killed a man.

'I've been back to Hockenhiem,' continued Max. 'I've shown my face. I don't think we have anything to worry about and Tina's been a gem. I told her that you and me were an item.' She shrugged. 'I hope you don't mind. It was all I could think of at the time. It seemed to please her. We had to get you out of your clothes.' She released a small grin at that point. 'We did close our eyes,' she said as if reading my mind. 'Your arm was in such a mess. All I could think of telling my friend was that someone tried to attack me and you came to my rescue.'