She turned back to the wall and punched it until her knuckles cracked. She stumbled back, mouth open as they began to bleed.
‘What have you done?’ O’Connor called out.
‘That bastard will never pay for what he’s done.’ She went to punch the wall again but O’Connor stopped her. ‘You know you can be annoying sometimes.’
‘So you tell me.’
‘I don’t mean it.’ She wiped her knuckles on her torn trousers. ‘Call the station. Get someone to update Stephanie and tell her that I’ll be speaking to her soon. She might finally be able to sleep well in her own home.’ Gina caught movement by the entrance to the gates and began to run, just a shadow amongst the trees followed by a rustle.
Pushing the branches apart, she spotted the shivering girl hiding behind a large tree clasping her hands over her ears. Gina stepped in front of her, waving her hands slowly. ‘Phoebe?’
The shivering girl stopped sucking the strand of hair in her mouth and burst into tears. Gina caught the scent of vodka on her breath.
‘It’s okay, you’re safe now.’ Gina held out a hand and the girl took it.
‘I want my mum,’ she slurred.
Another tear slipped down Gina’s cheeks. She had no idea if anyone would see Susan alive again. The child gripped her hand and buried her thin trembling body against Gina’s stab vest. ‘Come on. Let’s get you out of here.’
Seventy-One
Gina nudged Lyndsey Saunders out of the way.
‘Are you upset, Inspector?’ A photographer came up behind her and the flash lit up the dark sky as he clicked.
Gina realised that she probably had what was left of her eye make-up running down her cheeks. She knew her eyes were red and puffy. ‘Out of my way.’
‘Charming.’ She scrunched up her nose as she beamed a smile.
‘And get out of here. If you want a tip-off DCI Briggs is about to release a press statement back at the station conference room. If you don’t hurry, you’re going to miss the boat.’
Lyndsey grabbed her bag off the damp pavement. ‘Come on, Drew, let’s get over there. You best not be making this up because I haven’t heard anything. If you are, that photo will be on the front page in the morning, with a story about how the police are failing to catch Dale Blair’s murderer.’ She paused and watched for an expression. ‘You’ve found the murderer, haven’t you? Is it Susan Wheeler’s kidnapper? Who is it, Inspector Harte? Have you found Phoebe?’
‘Just go to the conference, Lyndsey. Stop being an arse.’ Against her better judgement, Gina stuck her middle finger up at the reporter.
‘Did you get that, Drew?’
‘Sorry, it happened too fast.’
‘You buffoon,’ she said as she slapped his back and hurried towards the car.
The other reporters watched them get into their van. ‘You lot can go too. Conference at the station. The DCI is about to issue a statement.’
‘Nice one, guv,’ Wyre said as the front door opened.
Mary stood in the doorway in the same clothes she’d been wearing earlier, only this time they looked ruffled and worn. ‘Thank you for getting rid of them, well some of them.’
Gina glanced back. A couple of lone reporters were still hanging around. For a moment, Mary gazed into Gina’s eyes.
‘What’s happened?’
Mary knew there was news, it was written all over Gina’s face. She could feel the taut trail of tears where the dampness had dried. She felt her greasy make-up smeared across her cheeks. ‘We’ve found them.’ Clare stood in front of the kitchen door, holding her sleeping son in her arms.
Mary closed the door behind them as she waited for more. ‘Susan and Phoebe have been taken to Cleevesford A&E. Phoebe is fine, just a little bruised and shocked. Susan has come round but she’s suffered much worse injuries.’
The woman almost collapsed. Clare hurried into the lounge and placed a sleeping Harrison on the settee as Gina and Wyre took an arm each, leading Mary into the kitchen. ‘Susan and Phoebe, they’re alive, thank you, thank you so much.’
‘I can take you there. She’ll want to see you as soon as possible. I can confirm that she was being held by Ronald Halshaw at the old Cleevesford Youth Club, the derelict building at the bottom of the roman road. That’s where we found Susan. He’d then taken Phoebe to a lock-up by the church. That little girl gave him what for, she’s a tough one. In her words, she kicked and bit him like mad before running away.’
