Chapter 1 –
Sam stood outside and took a deep breath, resting her hands on her knees as she dropped her head.
"Are you ok Sam?"
Tess spoke quietly as she rested a hand on Sam's back as slowly Sam stood back up.
"Yeah I just needed some air."
"You're sure that guy..."
"I'm ok Tess."
Tess nodded her head, a drunk patient had just launched a tirade of verbal abuse at Sam before he had shoved her away. Sam turned and looked at Tess, smiling at the older woman but the squeal of car tyres caught their attention. The black car came to a sudden halt in front of Sam and Tess, the back door opened and a heavy blanket was pushed onto the ground before the door closed and the car sped off.
"Hey!"
Sam shouted as she started to run after the car but she stopped when she realised that there was no way that she could catch it.
"Sam!"
The tone in Tess's voice quickly grabbed Sam's attention and she turned back, her mouth opening in horror as she saw a young girl cowering under the blanket. Sam didn't waste any time as she ran over and crouched down beside Tess taking in the sight of the injured girl who had her wrists handcuffed together and a scarf tied tightly around her mouth so she couldn't speak.
"Hello I'm Tess and this is Sam, come on let's get you inside."
Tess smiled as she held out her hand but the girl shook her head and pulled the blanket tighter around herself but both Tess and Sam quickly noticed that she saw also naked and had lots of visible injuries. Tess closed her eyes for a second before she turned to look at Sam who had an equally worried look on her face but then the girl stood and tried to walk away from them. Sam quickly leapt to her feet and ran over towards her, reaching her just in time before she collapsed, Sam caught in her arms and carried her inside.
"Take her through to resus."
Tess spoke firmly as she followed Sam inside before Sam gently laid the girl onto the bed, a frightened and confused look on her face.
"What have we got?"
Fletch spoke loudly as he and Lloyd wandered over but Tess quickly moved and blocked their path.
"Can you get Zoe and Linda in here please?"
Fletch looked confused but Lloyd nodded his head and pulled his colleague out of the way as Tess pulled the screens around the bed to give them some privacy.
"Thanks Tess."
Sam spoke softly but she kept her eyes focused on the girl who was sitting on the bed and clutching the blanket tight around herself.
"I'm going to take that scarf off ok?"
Sam looked right into the girl's eyes as she spoke but she just got a vacant look in response, Sam took a deep breath as she gently reached around to the back of the girl's head and untied the garment passing it to Tess who dropped it into a clear plastic bag.
"Ok I want you to breathe nice and slowly for me."
Sam smiled as the girl opened her mouth wide in relief but Sam's eyes were drawn down to the handcuffs as she heard Zoe and Linda arrive but both women remained silent as they watched Sam.
"Right I'm going to get these off your wrists for you but I'm going to have touch your hands."
Sam's voice was barely a whisper as the girl just nodded her head.
"Thank you."
Sam reached up and took a clip out of her hair, squinting and concentrating as she tried to open the clasp, it took her two attempts but the girl's small gasp of relief was audible to the four women. Sam gently moved the girl's wrists out and once again passed the item to Tess who placed it in the bag with the scarf.
"I'll phone the police and get security to review the CCTV footage."
Tess spoke quietly into Sam's ear as Sam nodded her head, frowning slightly as the girl pulled her hands away from Sam's touch and hid once again behind the blanket. Tess looked at Zoe as she left and saw the look of worry and confusion on the woman's face.
"We're going to need to get you into a gown."
Zoe spoke kindly as she and Linda moved around the bed closer to Sam and met the girl's gaze. The girl looked absolutely petrified at Zoe's statement turning to Sam to reassurance but her breathing had become fast and uncontrollable.
"She's in shock."
Sam quickly helped the girl to lie down on the bed and put an oxygen mask on her face before Linda moved the blanket off only to reveal her bruised and battered body.
"Jesus it looks like someone used her as a punch bag."
Zoe muttered slowly under her breath as Sam went to move away only to realise that the girl had a tight hold of her hand and was unwilling to let it go.
"Its ok sweetie just relax and let me help you."
Sam smiled as she bent over and spoke quietly, Zoe looked at Sam and nodded her head for her to stay close while the girl calmed down.
"We need a chest x ray, the cuts on her arms need suturing and we had better send some bloods off too."
Sam spoke to Linda and Zoe as both of them nodded their heads, Linda quickly moved to retrieve a gown and helped Sam to place it around the girl.
"I'm going to check in with Tess, give me a shout if you need me."
Zoe looked at Sam who nodded her head in response, waiting until it was just her and Linda before she focused her attention back onto the girl.
"Can you tell me your name?"
"Rachel."
"Ok Rachel can you tell me where it hurts?"
Sam smiled as she watched Rachel slowly nod her head, a few tears had started to escape from her eyes as she sat up in the bed and moved the mask off her face, looking straight at Sam.
"Everywhere."
The word was whispered as Sam nodded her head and quickly reached her arms around Rachel as the girl buried her head into Sam's chest, weeping uncontrollably. Sam looked at Linda but she had the same exasperated expression on her face as Sam.
"Its ok sweetie we're going to make you feel better."
Sam spoke quietly, not knowing quite what else to say, Linda smiled reassuringly at her as Sam held tightly onto the injured girl, hoping that she would calm down enough for them to treat her and to tell them who had inflicted the damage onto her body.
