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“Bless him. What did you find out?”

“I shouldn’t really be telling you…” Ash’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, as if wrestling with her better judgement. “But seeing as I’ve already broken so many rules and I don’t want you worrying… The scans came back normal, so it isn’t neurological. They think George experienced some sort of dissociative fugue.”

“A what now?”

“It’s like a temporary amnesia. Typically, when it happens, the person ends up somewhere completely unexpected and can’t remember who they are.”

“Wow, yeah, that fits. Have they any idea what caused it?”

“With George’s confusion and tiredness, it’s hard to pin down anything definitive. But that sort of thing is often triggered by something traumatic. Given how worked up he was when he first came in, that tracks.”

“They still haven’t reached his brother?”

Ash shook her head. “And we’ve still had no luck finding a charger for that damn phone of his either. It’s a relic.”

“So, what’ll happen to him?”

“They need to make sure he isn’t a risk to himself, and that it won’t happen again. I mean, he could’ve been killed if you hadn’t found him and brought him in.”

“I’m glad I did.”

Ash’s eyes flicked from the road to Alice and back. “I’m glad it was you, too.”

Alice swallowed, recalling the way her body had responded to just the hint of Ash’s touch earlier; every nerve ending alive and alert to her proximity. Alice would’ve detonated in her hands if there’d been more… but Ash didn’t want more.Did she?

Ash cleared her throat. “Back to George. He’ll probably need to see a psychologist, but I’m sure you’re familiar with NHS waiting lists — things are stretched, so I don’t know how soon that’ll be.”

Alice puffed out a breath, her mind immediately turning to Truscote and Dalton’s pro bono caseloads. But she hadn’t exactly left things on good terms. It’d be a bit cheeky to ask for a favour right now, and the thought sickened her.

“Speaking of trauma, what happened earlier with Fran, that was… pretty intense. Do you want to talk about it?”

Alice looked out of the side window. Black hedgerows blurred against a deep indigo sky. “I’m not really sure what to say. I’ve never seen her like that. And what she said…. well, she’s never said that to me before.”

And that was the truth. Fran’s words had bounced around in Alice’s head ever since she’d screamed them at her.I love you, you stupid girl.

It had been vaguely terrifying, yet also electrifying. Alice knew if Ash hadn’t been there, she likely would’ve ended up in bed with Fran after that outburst, because being wanted with such violent passion was insanely erotic.

Ash sighed, as if reading Alice’s mind for the second time in as many minutes.

“No one’s ever said that to me before,” Alice said in an almost-whisper of something she’d never spoken aloud, but always held in the back of her mind.

Ash glanced across, her face scrunched in confusion. “What?… really?”

“Yeah, really… well, aside from Maggie. And my mum when she was alive. No, no one else.”

Ash frowned. “I find that hard to believe.”

Alice laughed. “Why? Because I’m just so lovable?”

Ash glanced at her again, her face serious, like she was about to deliver difficult news to a patient. “Yeah, you are. Even more so because you don’t see it yourself.”

Alice looked into her lap and picked the Velcro on her splint with her good hand. She didn’t know what to say to that. Apparently, Ash didn’t know what else to say either, as only the low hum of the radio sounded between them until Ash pulled up alongside Alice’s Fiesta.

The amber light from the streetlamp cast a warm glow in the car and dark shadows on their faces. Ash sharply inhaled. She unclipped her seatbelt and twisted around, harpooning Alice with that serious gaze.

“I’m sorry that the first time someone said it to you, it was full of anger and derision.” Ash flung her hands up. “I mean, she literally chased it with an insult and a threat. I barely know you, Alice… but you deserve so much better than that.”

Alice’s heart squeezed in her chest. She had to look away, or she’d cry.