Briggs stared at his phone. He’d tried to call Gina back but her phone was ringing out. He toiled over their last few words. He shouldn’t have walked away, he should have given her his time and put his anger aside. She was scared, he should have seen that, scared and paranoid, knowing that some killer was making things personal.
His anger was nothing more than love disguised. He knew that and he wondered if she really knew that. He shook his head. He didn’t even really know if she trusted him at the moment. He tried again. No answer.
‘Sir.’ Jacob stood in front of his open office door.
‘Everything okay?’
‘I don’t know. Guv was meant to call me back but she hasn’t. She was heading home and it’s not like her not to do as she says. I keep calling and it keeps ringing out or going to voicemail.’
‘There are a lot of spots in the area where you can’t get a signal.’
Jacob scratched his five o’clock shadow. ‘There is that. I think this case is just making me a bit paranoid. I think it’s making us all feel a bit grossed out. I’ll keep trying her. Maybe she’s stopped off at the shop to grab some food or a takeaway.’
‘Yes, that’s probably it.’
Jacob turned to leave as Briggs tried to call her again. Something didn’t feel right. Could it be that she was angry with him for turning his back on her when she left? Maybe that’s all it was. But Jacob, why wouldn’t she answer his calls? His chair scraped on the floor as he hurried to the incident room.
Wyre was just about to put her coat on. ‘Right, got to get to the gym. See you tomorrow, sir.’
‘Wait. Have you heard from Gina since she left?’
‘Should I have?’
‘Don’t worry about it.’ He went to leave.
‘Is everything okay?’
He nodded. ‘Of course. I think she’s on her way home. Jacob can’t get hold of her. I’m sure she’ll call as soon as she gets home.’ It was still early and she’d only left the office about an hour ago. No, she always calls back.
‘Catch you tomorrow.’ She waved and did the zip up on her coat before leaving.
He slumped at the main table, alone with only the buzzing of the strip light for company. A few raindrops scattered across the window. He grabbed his phone and tried again and again. Maybe he could annoy her into answering. Not his usual style but worry was driving him to it. Her voicemail kicked in. ‘Gina, call me ASAP. I just want to know that you’re safe. Jacob said you haven’t called him back yet. Call me.’ He placed the phone face down on the table and put his head in his hands. Everything was falling apart. He wanted to know that Gina was safe, go home and snuggle up to his dog and pour a glass of whiskey by the fire.
His phone rang. ‘Gina?’
‘Sorry, sir.’ It was Jacob. ‘I was going to head off home but I’ll stick around until she’s home and calls me.’
‘You’re worried too.’
‘It’s stupid, isn’t it? Guv hasn’t been gone that long but I can always get her on the phone.’
‘It’s not stupid at all. Something isn’t right. If you hear anything at all, let me know. Make sure a drive-by passes her house again, and tell them they need to do it now.’
‘On it, sir.’
He ended the call and linked his hands together, staring at his shimmery reflection in the smeared dark window.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Gina wiped the drool from her cheek. ‘Hello,’ she stuttered. As she opened her eyes to darkness, she felt her body swaying.I’m dizzy, just dizzy.She gripped what was in her hand and it made a rustling noise. Dropping it, she reached up and to the sides. Every now and again, she would slip back into the room with no way out, but she was fighting the drug with all she had. Her senses were coming back, but not fast enough for her to get a grasp of reality.
‘No!’ She hit and kicked the box that surrounded her. The top was soft and velvety as it glided along her fingertips. The sides, also lined. Choking, she gasped hard, but her lungs felt devoid of any air. A chill worked its way from her shoulders to her feet. She tried to inhale but nothing worked. Her throat was closing up. Was that damp she could smell? As she went to gasp again, a little bit of air got through. Not much, not enough. She wheezed and pounded on her chest with her fist, knocking the top of the coffin with each hit.
Breathe, breathe.
Hyperventilating, she reached for the soft material above and began pulling and loosening it until she felt it tearing around the edges. More of it pinged away from the sides and her breath came back a little. She pulled at the material again and the clump of it fell to her chest. As light as a feather but its presence, as heavy as iron when she couldn’t inhale deeply. Shivering away, she managed to tangle it in her fingers and around her one hand. Reaching up, she could feel more wood. It was just like Alex’s coffin.
Head pounding and throat dry, she tried to squeal as tears fell down her face. She was once again scared little Gina, locked in the shed with no way out. But it hadn’t been like this. Maybe with a lot of fight, she could have broken the wood and climbed out at any time, but fear had kept her a prisoner in the same way that fear had kept her with Terry. Scared of what Terry would do to her if she tried to escape. Another life had been her responsibility at the time. She knew he could have killed her and she always wondered what might have become of Hannah. He’d taken everything with his mind games, controlling behaviour and violence. She’d had nothing left to fight with. She had no idea when he’d been waiting and watching and he’d reinforced that uncertainty at every given opportunity. As far as she’d been concerned, he was always there. Always waiting.
