Chapter 49

I awoke, headache-free, in a comfortable bed in a beautiful apartment, light and airy and nicely decorated. Alongside me was a magnificent sweet-smelling mass of raven hair, tied back in a ponytail: thankfully not Claudia Ranieri! I had Dr Giovanelli but did she have the coin? I decided that letting her wake naturally would minimise the risk of her screaming: that was more important than learning a few seconds earlier whether she had the coin or not. And it gave me time to secrete my now soft dick out of sight.

The body next to me started to stir. Dr Giovanelli exclaimed something in Italian, expressing surprise or a curse or both. Then she realised she wasn’t alone. She started turning towards me and drew in a deep breath ready for a scream. I tensed and prayed and hoped. Then Dr Giovanelli saw it was me and released it again. No headache and I stayed awake!

“Jon Snow? This is impossible. What has happened?” she asked. “How did I get here? How did YOU get here? I am certain I locked my door this morning.”

“I don’t understand it,” I admitted. “I seem to have developed an ability to sleepwalk in and out of locked rooms. Sometimes I can drag other people to me. Please don’t tell anyone: I already have an American neurologist trying to drill holes in my brain and that’s just because of some unusual EEG recordings. Luckily he doesn’t know about the sleepwalking that causes them.”

“I promised to keep your secrets,” said Dr Giovanelli. “Besides, it is so fantastical that no-one would believe me.”

“In that case, I’m very pleased to meet you in person, Dr Giovanelli.” I offered my right hand for a handshake.

“I am pleased to meet you too,” said Dr Giovanelli. “And since we are sharing a bed together, you may call me Monica.”

Beauty, brains and a sense of humour too!

Dr Giovanelli held out her hand to reciprocate, then realised she was wearing a pair of gloves and was holding something in the palm of her hand. “But how is this possible? I am holding your coin.”

“I don’t know,” I said, then showed Dr Giovanelli that my left hand was still clutching the photo of her wearing a bikini. “I ought to give this back to you. Thank you.”

“And I ought to give you your coin. But I think perhaps you do not have the right protection. I have some glassine envelopes; I will put this in one for you.”

When Dr Giovanelli got out of bed she laughed. “I see the need for clean shoes now. What would have happened had I screamed?”

“I would have been unconscious for hours and you would probably have called an ambulance,” I admitted.

“It is a good thing I did not scream, then,” said Dr Giovanelli.

I got out of bed too and put on my shoes before following her into her lounge. While tastefully furnished, it was well stocked with the trappings of her profession, and I guessed that she continued her work out of hours.

Dr Giovanelli opened a drawer and took out a tiny plasticky-looking envelope. She deftly slipped the coin inside and fastened the tab down. Then she handed it to me. “Please take good care of this. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to study it, and I have taken many photos so it is not lost to me completely.”

“Thank you,” I said. I looked at the translucent envelope. The coin was gleaming brightly so it had obviously been professionally cleaned. I held out the photo to Dr Giovanelli.

“No, please keep it,” she said. “I hope it will remind you that I am not like the people who stole the coin from you.” Now that she was no longer holding the coin, Dr Giovanelli took off her gloves and offered her hand and we belatedly achieved a handshake.