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Storm, Leo and DI Zael leave the hospital, intent now on intensifying the hunt for Rachel’sthat India is the murderer

I linger outside of India’s rooned arrives to take his post outside India’s room DI Zael had insisted that one of his police officers uy arrives shortly afterwards

I introduce myself to them both By the aloof disinterested manner of Zael’s officer, I’ve no doubt that he is there more to keep India prisoner than to protect her I leave the two officers standing apart on either side of India’s door, neither of the to the other

I go down to the hospital café to see if I can find any snacks to tempt India’s appetite Her nurse had told etarian I come back up with so that India probably likes to eat healthily When I pop my head inside of India’s door, I find that she is propped up against her pillows, staring blankly at the wall

“Want some company?” I ask her

She nods, and I go in, shutting the door on the two officers, and pull a chair closer to India’s bed I offer her the snacks, and when she shakes her head, I put them down on her bedside table

“My foster parents haven’t come yet,” she says in a voice that trembles no matter how casually she tries to say it “They ht? Have you seen them?”

She looks at ly I don’t knohat to say I had overheard Storm mentioned that he’d interviewed them Which means they are here in London I don’t knohy they haven’t come to visit her

It ry If they had cared they would have come But I can’t say that to her I don’t want to upset her even more

“Maybe they aren’t allowed to visit you until the Agency has interviewed you?” I suggest lightly

She shakes her head Tears leak out of the corners of her eyes and down her cheeks, ruining her efforts to pretend that everything is okay She angrily wipes them away “It’s because they think I did it It’s because they think I did that to Rachel”

“If they think that then you don’t need them here You’re better off without them”

She looks stricken “But I don’t want them to think it! I need to tell them it’s not true It can’t be true”

“It’ll be okay,” I say “Storm says we need to keep an open mind until we know all the facts He will have told them that They can’t blame you for this”

“That police guy thinks I did it too I could tell”