Page 51 of Fire Must Burn

‘No. I usually pick up the final edition on the way home. Why?’

‘There was some kind of fire last night. An explosion.’

‘What happened?’ she asked, her heart sinking. ‘Why are you calling me about it?’

‘A man was badly burned, it says here,’ said Sally. ‘It was Tony. Tony Danforth.’

She clutched the handset, the room blurring for a moment.

‘Where did they take him?’ she asked as Gwen looked over in concern.

‘St George’s,’ he said.

‘Do they know how it happened?’

‘Not as of publication time,’ he said. ‘“Police are making enquiries,” that vague cliché. But Gwen mentioned he was back in town and a client of yours, of all things, so I thought you should know.’

‘Thank you, Sally,’ she said. ‘Do you want to speak to Gwen?’

‘I can’t, actually. I’m at work, but I broke away for five minutes to ring you.’

‘All right. Thanks again.’

She hung up.

‘He wanted to speak with you, not me?’ asked Gwen. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Tony Danforth was injured last night,’ said Iris. ‘Someone torched his flat.’

‘Good God! Which hospital did they take him to?’

‘St George’s.’

‘Let’s go,’ said Gwen.

The hospital was across from Hyde Park Corner, normally a twenty-minute walk from Mayfair. They did it in fifteen, Iris’snervous trot barely keeping up with the long, determined strides of her taller partner.

The hospital’s current form dated from a massive rebuilding a century earlier, with a Greek colonnade over the entrance facing Grosvenor Place. Iris pulled up short as they came to the entrance.

‘What’s wrong?’ asked Gwen.

‘I haven’t set foot inside a hospital since Archie died,’ she said. ‘I need a moment to steel myself.’

‘If it’s any comfort, I have a very happy connection to this place,’ said Gwen. ‘It’s where I gave birth to Little Ronnie. Let me know when you’re ready.’

Iris took a deep breath, then grabbed Gwen’s hand.

‘I’m not being rational right now,’ she said. ‘Thank you for bearing with me.’

‘It’s an insane situation,’ said Gwen. ‘Fortunately, I have much experience with those.’

‘I’m ready,’ said Iris.

They went in, Iris still clutching Gwen’s hand. There was a line at the front desk. They waited patiently until they reached the receptionist.

‘May I help you, ladies?’ she asked.

‘We’re looking for a friend who was brought in last night,’ said Iris. ‘Anthony Danforth.’