Part 39 (1/2)

'This woman's child is seriously ill in hospital. If I don't find her she may not get there in time.'

A long pause, then, 'I'll radio Abdul.' Another wait, this time so long Thea was about to hang up and try again when he finally came back on. 'He took her to the Sanition Gallery in Regent's Park.'

Thea couldn't find a number for the gallery, most probably because, as a temporary structure, it didn't have one. Cursing, she called Brigita again.

'How's she doing?'

'She's not good. She's on a life-support machine. If she doesn't respond they say they may have to amputate her leg to stop the infection.'

'Oh, f.u.c.k,' Thea said. 'I'm getting in my car.'

It took forty minutes to get to Regent's Park, not bad by London standards but an age in the circ.u.mstances. Thea cursed at every traffic light, wished unpleasant venereal diseases on giggling couples who ambled lovingly across every zebra crossing. Even when she arrived, she had to drive round four times before she found somewhere to park. Having finally manoeuvred the car into a s.p.a.ce intended for a baby buggy, she jumped out and sprinted through the metal gates into the park, past gangs of friends enjoying picnics in the twilight, towards the big, white marquee.

'Sorry,' said a security guard sticking a burly arm in front of her.

'Invitation please.'

'I forgot it.'

Scornfully, he eyed the make-up-less face, the still damp hair, the threadbare jeans and dirty sweats.h.i.+rt. 'No ticket, no entry, love.'

'No, you don't understand! You have to let me in. My... my friend's friend's at a party in there, but her daughter's really sick in hospital. I have to let her know.' at a party in there, but her daughter's really sick in hospital. I have to let her know.'

'Yeah, yeah, now I've heard it all.'

'Do you think I'd try to gatecrash your stupid party dressed like this?'

He shrugged. 'People do the strangest things to be in the same room as Kate Moss.' He turned his back to her.

'For Christ's sake,' Thea cried, 'a child is dying here.'

He turned back. 'You're sick trying that.'

Suddenly Thea understood how people found the strength to lift cars and rescue bodies trapped beneath. Dipping her head, she charged at the bouncer, ducking beneath his arms.

'Oi! You stupid cow! Come back.' He started running after her, but Thea was inside the marquee. A band was playing and the dance floor was crowded. Thea virtually dived into the middle of it, then started weaving her way in and out of the dancers. 'Excuse me,' she said as Elle Macpherson screeched in pain at her squashed foot. 'Excuse me.'

And there Poppy was, in the middle of the floor, moving woodenly to the beat. For a second, Thea stopped and watched. She was so pretty, but she looked so lost. Once again, much as she would have liked to despise Poppy Norton, the only emotion Thea felt was pity.

But there was no time for such thoughts now. Thea squeezed past a skinny man in a sarong and shook Poppy on the shoulder.

'Poppy, hey Poppy!'

Poppy looked at her, her eyes as blank as the bullets in a movie gun.

'It's me. Thea. I... Luke's friend.'

Poppy bristled. 'What the h.e.l.l do you want?'

'It's about Clara. She's really ill. In hospital. Meningitis. You have to get there quickly.'

Poppy's face, already pale, turned white.

'Clara?'

'Yes, Clara. Come on. We have to go.'

Poppy didn't move. 'Why didn't Brigita call me? She promised she'd call.'

'She did. You weren't answering.' Thea began dragging her across the dance floor. 'Come on. We have to go.'

'My phone's in the bag in the cloakroom.' Poppy stopped dead and looked into Thea's eyes. 'What a stupid cow I am. How the h.e.l.l could I have done that?'

'It doesn't matter,' Thea said.

'It does. I left it there so I could keep on talking to Toby. I'm an idiot.'

'Come on!' Thea was virtually manhandling her. They stepped out of the marquee.

'There she is!' yelled the bouncer, as he spotted Thea. 'Oi. You cheeky cow.'

'Oh b.u.g.g.e.r off,' Thea snapped over her shoulder, as she pulled a still semi-frozen Poppy across the sun-scorched gra.s.s. 'Come on on. I'm going to drive you to the hospital.' She stepped out of the gates she'd come in by, pointing her keys in the direction where she'd left her car.

No beep.

'What the f.u.c.k?' Thea knew immediately what had happened. She'd slammed the door without locking it, as if she were a character in a movie. But unlocked cars in central London didn't stick around for long. Still, she'd worry about that later.

'We'll get a taxi,' she said, looking round. Nothing with a light on. 'Come on. We'll have to run down to Baker Street and find one.'

'Poppy?' said a man's voice behind them. Thea looked round. A middle-aged blond guy in a suit was grinning at them, as he locked the doors of his Skoda. 'You're not leaving the party already, are you? I've only just got here.'

'Charlie!' Poppy exclaimed and burst into tears.

'Are you OK?'

'No, I'm not. Clara's in hospital and we can't find a taxi.'

Charlie's sack-of-potatoes face crumpled. 'Don't worry,' he said. 'I'll take you there.'

From the front seat of Charlie's car, Poppy twisted round to interrogate Thea.

'What about Luke?'

'He should be there by now. I can't call him because he left his mobile behind.' She pulled it out of her bag. 'I'll try Brigita again though.'