Not an easy task
Joanne shook her head and coughed again. George furrowed his brows as her cough sounded like someone was roughly scraping her throat. How painful that must have been for the older woman. She cleared her throat and folded the handkerchief.
"Get me some water", she said in a hoarse voice.
He went out of the storage room, remembering he had seen a jug of water by the front desk where they had found her. He got hold of it and a glass to pour some water when he got back to her side. She gratefully took it and drunk. She exhaled softly and held onto the glass.
"Some more?" He asked, ready to pour.
"No. Thank you." She stayed quiet, looking as though she was trying to find her bearings before speaking up. "She shouldn't look into that. Let sleeping dogs lie."
"But this is important to her. These people.... They already know who she is."
He hoped that would convince her to talk hoping that truth would frighten her but instead she nodded. "I know."