The first thing Ben noticed the next day as he left the hospital was Kath's absence. He tried to tell himself he hadn't expected her to come waltzing in right as he was packing up to leave, even though he had. Even if he hadn't expected her to be there when he woke up he was still disappointed when he reached the reception area and found no sign of her.
He walked down the long corridor, numb now to that antiseptic smell, and his shoes whispered on the blue carpet. He was still wearing the same black jeans and white t-shirt he'd been wearing Friday night. It hadn't even occurred to him to ask Kath to get him a change of clothes and he supposed that was just as well. Old Mavis probably had enough to gossip about as it was.
As Ben walked into the reception area he looked around eagerly, hoping to see Kath sitting in one of the hard, plastic chairs waiting for him, but they were all empty.
As he went through the process of checking out, Ben kept checking the door, and each time his heart dropped a little more. But more than that he was worried, he didn't think it was like Kath to stand people up and he feared that something, or someone, might have happened to her.
"Have there been any calls for me?" he asked the receptionist.
She peered up at him through her thick glasses, and Ben thought he saw a hint of annoyance there.
"Sorry, it was Ben Reilly wasn't it?"
Ben nodded.
She flicked through a standing file on the desk.
"No, I'm sorry," she said, turning back to him and looking genuinely upset. "We have nothing for you."
"Oh," said Ben. He forced a smile. "Thanks anyway."
He picked up his bags and walked out the door of the hospital with one thought niggling at his mind.
Where was Kath?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN