FIFTY-NINE
The gust caught a tree’s branches and they kept hitting the side of the building. Led by the battering ram, PC Ahmed burst through first. Gina and Jacob followed. Blue lights shining across the car park lit the entrance up. A pair of night-vision goggles lay on the floor against the wall.
‘Simeon Yates, it’s the police.’ Gina ran through the reception area, then through another door into the main room. The light was already on. She saw a pool of blood around the crowbar sticking out of Simeon’s eye. Stagnant water had sloshed over the top of the tank. ‘We need a paramedic.’ She kneeled on the floor and checked Simeon’s pulse. ‘He’s dead.’ She looked up and gestured to Jacob.
‘The tank.’
He climbed up the ladder and recoiled. Gina watched as he reached in. ‘Two women, one alive and one dead. Her finger moved. It’s Justine Crawford.’
Wyre burst in.
Jacob pulled Justine up and let out a roar as he yanked her body towards the lid of the tank. ‘It looks like most of the liquid is on the floor. She barely seems conscious but I felt a pulse.’ He managed to manoeuvre her over his shoulder before climbingdown and letting Wyre help him. ‘Lindy’s in the tank. She’s dead.’
Gina pulled the strips of slime away from Justine’s neck and face as they lay her on the ground. ‘Her airways are clear.’ Gina was sure Justine just tried to murmur something. ‘Justine, where’s Danny?’
‘Danny,’ she muttered as she let out a snore.
Wyre got down on the floor and shifted her into the recovery position.
‘It looks like she’s been drugged.’
‘There are sleeping tablets on the racking over here,’ O’Connor said.
Gina heard the sound of trickling water under all the commotion. It was coming from the door behind them. She stood and ran to it. It was locked. ‘Shaf, you need to get this door open now.’
She stepped aside. After three crashes with the battering ram, the heavy door burst open. Gina ran to the tank and grabbed Danny by the shoulders, lifting his head out of the water. Jacob assisted and they lay him on the concrete floor. Gina stood aside as a paramedic nudged past.
Gina and Jacob left the paramedics to do their jobs. She placed a hand on her chest, over her banging heart while watching as the paramedics tried to revive him. She glanced at Justine, knowing she was going to have to break the news to her about her son’s death and a lump formed in her throat. No one wants to tell someone that their child had died. Justine hadn’t asked for any of this but then he coughed up a load of water.
SIXTY
Danny had made it through the ordeal. Another minute, he’d have drowned. Gina had left him in the care of a nurse with a police officer posted outside his room. First they’d treat Danny like a victim and when he was in better shape, they’d bring Danny to the station and interview him with regard to his assault on Kain, but now wasn’t the right time. She sipped her hospital machine coffee.
‘I’m shattered, guv.’ Jacob stood there in his standard issue track bottoms and sweater after changing from his filthy clothes back at the station.
‘Same. Can you head to Justine’s room? I’m just going to update DCI Fraser.’
Jacob nodded.
Gina mulled over all that Justine had told to her. It was clear that Simeon was behind everything, all in the name of justice for his brother and then he got angry with Justine for helping Kain. Justine had cried when she said how she’d brought Lindy into their friendship group. She wasn’t to know about Simeon’s past and how Simeon had blamed her for bringing his past to his door. She went to call Brodie but tapped Briggs’s number first.
He answered. ‘Gina.’
‘Hi, how are you doing?’ She thought of the last time she saw him, all sore and battered.
‘Getting there. I heard what happened. Congratulations.’
‘So many people died or were hurt. It doesn’t feel like a victory.’ She thought of Kain, Zavier and Lindy – all dead.
‘A very dangerous person is off the streets. We can’t win them all.’ He paused. ‘I’m heading to my brother’s for a short while, to help my recovery.’ She heard him swallow. ‘I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call. I need some time to think about this week, my close brush with death, and I want some time alone. We need some time alone… apart… but thank you for being there and believing in me.’
A twinge of guilt made her wince. There was a time when she didn’t believe he couldn’t have been totally innocent and she would always wonder if he acted in a way that would make him ashamed to admit. She knew Briggs well enough to know he wouldn’t purposely hurt anyone in custody, but did they all neglect Barry Yates? She couldn’t help but feel for the poor lad after having his life taken away so young. ‘Barry Yates died in your custody. The perp blamed you and the others.’
He paused. ‘I know and I always wonder if I could have done more that day. I’ll think about that case for the rest of my days.’
‘Can I see you, before you go?’
‘Like I said. I need some time alone.’
