Batty 5

Part 4 here. Index here.

I am not left fretting at this question, however; Nallisami asks “How are you feeling now, sir?”
“Ah, um… Rather better.” I gingerly flex my arm and to my relief it moves almost as it should. Still painful, but far less so. Hopefully I’ll be fully recovered by tomorrow night.
Nallisami nods and starts packing away his equipment. “Would you like us to drop you off? We could give you a lift to your Chapter House or the bus depot, if you’d prefer.”
Frankly I have no idea where I am; my arrival was an agonised blur of dark gardens from a disorienting low perspective. So despite not wanting to be in a car with this Daryl person I readily say “If it’s not trouble. My place is down off Barkway, so anywhere on the number 12 route will be fine.”
“Oh, well, we can easily take you to Barkway.” Nallisami offers me a hand up and doesn’t twitch at my touch. A true professional. I hope he goes far. “We’ll get you dropped up and head back to the depot.”
This last sentence is pitched to the hallway, presumably as a hint for the ongoing heated snipping to wrap up. Which it promptly does, Caroline abandoning Daryl to wave me past.
“I’m so sorry about Louie, I really ought to start keeping him in at night…”
“Well, yes, he could get into a lot of trouble if he’s not careful.” I carefully don’t glare at the cat in Caroline’s arms. “Let’s all be glad there was no real harm done, eh?”
“Right.” She nods gratefully. “Um, get well soon?”
“Oh, don’t worry, after good care like this I’ll be right as rain in no time.” I tentatively pat Nallisami’s shoulder and am relieved that he looks pleased. “Now, I should let these gentlemen get back to their work and you try and catch up on your sleep.”
“Right, right, sorry again, I’ll call you later.”
I don’t think Caroline noticed the look Daryl gave her at that. I pretend I didn’t either.
With a final round of awkward farewells I’m out in the night air and invited into a ‘Blood Angels’ minivan. Should only take eight minutes to Barkway, Daryl informs me, then thankfully says nothing else the entire drive.
I am so ready for this night to be over. Though questions are still teasing at me.