Love Lost and Found

Chapter 16/?

Exhausted he sank back into the pillows as Dr Stein, Ian and Peter finally left. They had bombarded him with questions for what seemed like an eternity to him. He glanced around the unfriendly, small room once more and sighed again. The room was absolutely empty, safe for the bed, two chairs and a small, wooden cross that hung on the wall opposite from his bed. //As if religion could really help anyone...// he thought bitterly. Slowly he propped himself up on his elbows and licked his dry lips. His throat was hoarse and dry from thirst. Even reaching for the glass on the bedside table was an exertion to him but finally he managed to grab hold of it with shaking fingers and drank slowly, savouring the feel of the cool, clear water running down his throat. //Viggo is aliv// h// he thought happily, a small smile gracing his lips. //He’s really alive... but still unconscious...// the smile faltered as quickly as it had appeared. His eyes were still burning from the tears of relief he had cried when Peter and Ian had told him the joyous news. //He’s alright and he’s being cared for... I’m sure he’ll get better soon...//
Now he only had to make it up to Viggo that the older man had been injured because of him, he decided as he finally drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

Loud, arguing voices right outside his room woke him. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, as he groggily opened his eyes, but it sounded like as though a woman and at least two men were trying very hard not to yell at each other in frustration. Curiously he stared at the door, wondering whether they’d come in or non. He almost gasped out loud in shock as the door finally opened.
He was immediately on his guard and eyed the two police men and Dr Coyle wearily. The last time they had met had been more than unpleasant.
“Very well,” Dr Stein who had entered the room after the police officers said. “You may talk to him. But only for 20 minutes. He still needs his rest. And if you’re not gone in 20 minutes, I’ll...”
“Calm down, doctor.” MacLachlan interrupted him. “20 minutes are all we need. For now.” he added almost as an afterthought. Doctor Stein stared at the men menacingly again.
“You will see him again if I see fit, officer. Never forget that.” With a last angry glare he turned on his heels and walked out stiffly, showing how much he disliked leaving them alone with his patient. At once MacLachlan and Goodie settled themselves upon the chairs, while Dr Coyle stepped closer to the bed and smiled sweetly at Orlando. So sweetly it almost hurt his teeth. /And utterly false...// Orlando thought //She’s absolutely phoney... she doesn’t care for anything at all... neither me nor the truth... I have to be careful with her...//
“Well,” Coyle said and cleared her throat loudly, brushing some imaginary specks of dust from her knee-long shirt. “It’s good to see you awake again, darling. You really gave us a scare. So how are we today?”
“I’m not your darling.” Orlando ground out furiously, “And I’ve got no idea how you feel, but you surely must be a little off, if you’re talking to me like that.” He decided to ignore Goodie’s and MacLachlan’s raised eyebrows and meaningful glances and instead concentrated fully on staring Dr Coyle down. His attempt however was totally unsuccessful.
“You know,” Coyle said slowly with what was meant to be an understanding smile. “It’s quite common for people in your situation to lash out at all others but believe me, it won’t help. And you’ll have to get over it, one day.”
“And just what would you know about my situation?”andoando spat icily.
“More than you think.” Coyle replied smugly, glad to get a response. “I’m a doctor after all.”
“You’re a shrink.” Orlando corrected “And you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Come back when you have something to say or leave me alone.”
“I...” Coyle tried to say, blushing with anger but MacLachlan took hold of her arm and stopped her.
“It’s alright, Doctor.” he said slowly. “He’ll want to talk soon enough. And I’ll make sure that you’ll be here then. It’s enough for now. Please wait outside.”
Doctor Coyle gulped audibly and with a last indignant glare at Orlando stalked outside.
Nervously Orlando looked at the two remaining officers. Somehow he noticed that he would prefer Dr Coyle’s company to having to face these two every day.
“Now,” officer MacLachlan tried again, “We really don’t want to bother you but we still have some questions. We have to write a report about what happened for the file and you’re the only witness we have. So... are you going to talk to us or will you keep on insulting everyone who only wished for you well-being?”
Orlando seemed to ponder this for a minute before he finally nodded reluctantly. “Very well, officer.” he said. “I will talk to you. As long as I deem your questions worth answering.”
MacLachlan nodded, obviously relieved, and gestured for Goodie to take out a notebook and take notes of what was being said. “When we found you more than three weeks ago, you said that you had killed Viggo.” MacLachlan asked, carefully gauging Orlando’s reaction.
“Did you stab him?”
“No.” Orlando said firmly. “I was shocked and felt guilty because Viggo was only trying to help me when he took me in. And he got stabbed because he interrupted when the attacker wanted only me.”
Goodie nodded thoughtfully and scribbled away hastily, also taking notice of Orlando’s slightly unsteady voice and the faint shaking of his hands. Smiling sympathetically he looked into the young man’s brown eyes and asked the next question. “So there really was a burglar?”
“What do you mean by that?” Orlando snapped at once. “Of course there was! What do you think happened?”
“Let me put it this way...” MacLachlan said as though he were speaking to a child. “It’s quite obvious that there’s some sort of emotional involvement between ynd Mnd Mr Mortensen and”
“Viggo and I are not a couple!” Orlando hissed and glared hatefully at the officer.
“Be that as it may,” MacLachlan continued, “there are some emotions involved and we have seen other cases where a very dominating and overly jealous partner drive the other to do things he or she normally wouldn’t.” Orlando just continued staring at the police man.
“First you suicide attempt,” MacLachlan enumerated “And then this... burglar... it’s quite a coincidence that all these things should happen to you, isn’t it?”
“Just what are you trying to say?” Orlando grated through clenched teeth.
“I think, that you and this Mortensen were in some sort of relationship.” MacLachlan elaborating, while gesturing wildly with his hands. “And that Mortensen’s jealousy and possessiveness put so much pressure on you that you tried to kill yourself to escape his clutches.” Orlando gaped and stared in shock.
“After that failed he took you him with him to be able to control you better and when you failed to obey his...” MacLachlan paused before he finally continued “his wishes, he tried to force himself upon you and you saw no other way to defend yourself. Am I right?”
Orlando just shook his head and started shaking all over again. “No...” he mumbled,... ... Viggo would never do such a thing to me... we’ve never been an item... he just took me in because he was worried....” The young Brit cursed himself as a few, lone tears rolled down his cheeks. He didn’t want to cry in front of the two officers.
“I understand if you’d rather talk about this with Doctor Coyle,” MacLachlan tried to calm him but was interrupted by Orlando’s angry yell.
“You don’t understand a single bloody fucking thing, officer! I already told you again and again that Viggo never harmed me! You just don’t want to listen! Why?”
“You’re overstepping your bounds, Mr Bloom.” The officer said coldly. “I will came back later and you’d better tell me the truth then.” Throwing a withering look at Orlando he turned on his heels and marched angrily out of the room.

Orlando stared down at his trembling hands and cried freely for a few minutes, till he noticed that Sergeant Goodie was still in his room. “What are you doing here?” he sniffled, embarrassed that the officer had seen him brake down like that. “Shouldn’t you be out there with your partner? Trying to find some proof to get an innocent man into prison?”
Goodie shook his head sadly and waited for Orlando to calm down bit.
“The fact that Kyle is my partner doesn’t mean that I agree with every theory of his.” He said smiling and handed Orlando a photo. “Do you know this man?”
Orlando stared down at the photo of a young man who bore a start sem semce tce to him.
“No.” he shook his head. “Who is he?”
“The correct question would be “who was he”.” Goodie said with a sigh. “He was murdered about three years ago. I found something in your living room that the murderer back then had lost at the place where he killed this young man. I am not authorised to tell you this but I think that it could be the same killer. If I am right,” he continued as he saw Orlando’s shocked expression “you’re in very great danger.”
“You really think that Viggo might be innocent?” Orlando whispered incredulously.
“Yes.” Goodie nodded. “I checked, you know. He wasn’t in new Zealand three years ago. If it is the same killer, he must be innocent.”
“But why doesn’t MacLachlan see that?” Orlando asked bewildered.
“I don’t know.” Goodie shrugged. “He wasn’t with us back then. He was working in another district. Maybe he never heard of the murders.”
Orlando just shook his head without answering and an eerie quiet filled the sun-lit room. Finally Goodie cleared his throat and addressed Orlando once again. “Well, I’d better go and see what my partner is up to. If you remember meeting anyone with the initials KML or anything else these letters could mean, please inform me.”
Orlando nodded silently and watched the Sergeant leave, still stunned that someone really seemed to believe him.

Tbc...