Chapter 8 The Exchange

Andrea waited nervously in the car park. Gabriel was getting everything ready to put his master plan to get himself of the hook. He knew that if he was arrested and it went to court he would go down for a long time. The charge sheet was long and he knew it murder rape attempted murder kidnap perjury conspiracy to murder on 4 accounts. That was why he wanted the file to destroy. However there was one part of his plan that wasn't decided. What to do with smithy. Would he kill or let him live. He couldn't decide. His thoughts were distracted by a loud groan. Smithy was awake. He pulled the van to an abrupt halt. Smithy flew forward. Gabriel got out and opened the doors of the van. Smithy gave him a furious look. He kicked smithy in the face.

"Arrrggh" cried smithy. Gabriel didn't reply. He produced a needle and jabbed it into smithy's arm. Smithy slipped into a deep unconscious state. He lay there not moving. Gabriel laughed. He got back into the front of the van and started driving to the meet.

Smithy lay in the back of the van unconscious state. Suddenly he heard the voice again. Kerry.

"C'mon smithy those drugs are killing you wake up" she begged "I don't want you to die before your time…I loved you I've always loved you I know this sounds selfish but I want you to get justice I know you can I'm not the only one he's blackmailed c'mon wake up smithy please carry on fighting"

He struggled to wake up. The van came to a stop. Andrea waited nervously. He climbed out of the van.

"Hello Andrea" Gabriel smiled evilly

"Hello" she replied nervously. He looked at her sharply then at whom she'd bought with her. Insp. Gold, DCI Meadows and DI Manson.

"You got my package" he grunted.

She nodded and handed him the package. He smiled to himself. "Where is smithy?" she asked

"He's not here" he laughed

"Well where is he then?" asked Gina

"Not here" he replied simply "He's not dead"

Smithy had finally come round and could hear voices

"how do we know you're not bluffing" stated meadows

"You don't but take my word he is still alive" He smiled

"How do we know you haven't already killed" asked DI Manson

"He will be returned to his home by tomorrow" he explain "drop round about nine he will be back by then" Then Gabriel turned around and walked to his van. He climbed in and started driving.

"All units from superintendent okaro all units withdraw he still has sergeant smith.

As he drove away smithy who had just come round and started banging on the doors help me he screamed repeatedly.

"Did you hear that" asked Gina "it sounds like smithy

"Yeah" replied Andrea. The van drove off into the distance. Gabriel drove back to where he had left the van last night a car park in the coal lane estate. He came to abrupt halt throwing smith forward causing him to knocked his knocking him out again.

The next day…

Gabriel parked a few streets from smithy's flat. He yanked the drowsy smithy from the van and dragged back to his flat.

"Get in" bellowed Gabriel. Smithy obeyed and walked in. he pushed smithy onto the sofa. Smithy fell asleep. Gabriel glanced at his watch 8:40am. 20 Minutes later the doorbell rang. It was Andrea. Smithy was still very drowsy. Andrea pushed the door open. She walked into the living room "Smithy?" she asked as he lay there on the sofa. She walked over and crouched down next to him "Smithy wake up wake up" she said shaking him. His eyes flickered open

"Andrea" He muttered "Take me to the station I think Gabriel will come back"

"Okay" she nodded "C'mon" she helped the drowsy smithy to the car.

"Thanks" he smiled weakly

"No problem" she smiled she headed straight for the station. When she got there she helped him out. They walked into the station. They headed to Gina's office.

"Smithy" smiled Gina she got up and hugged him "Are you okay?"

"Yeah just a bit tired" he replied feeling very weak.

"I know this may be insensitive but do you know where Gabriel's gone?"

"No" he shrugged "he told me things I wanted to kill myself and him he confessed murder and rape I think I going to pass out" he finished

"Are you sure?" asked Gina

"I recorded it" he replied faintly

"Good idea serge" said Andrea who had been standing quietly in the doorway. He played the message. When it finshed they all had their hands over their mouths. Smithy stood up then passed out.

"Smithy" cried Gina and Andrea.

"Call an ambulance" said Gina

"Sierra Oscar from 493 ambulance required to sun hill station man passed out" she spoke into the radio

"sierra Oscar to 493 ambulance on way" crackled the radio

The ambulance arrived. The relief were confused. Who was it for. They carried smithy out on a stretcher to the ambulance.

"Serge" came many voices of the relief. Andrea accompanied smithy to st Hughes.

"Smithy. Smithy hello" came Andrea's soft voice. His eyes opened slowly he looked at her. "How you feeling?"

"Crap" he replied "Am I at hospital?"

"Yeah" she replied "you passed out in insp. Gold's office"

"Oh" he bit his lip "How long have I been unconscious?"

"A while" she smiled

"Sierra Oscar to 493 serious assault in progress can you deal?"

"Sierra Oscar from 493 show me dealing" she spoke into the radio "Sorry serge I've gotta go sorry again"

"It's okay" he smiled weakly. She walked off. He laid back on his bed and started to drop off to sleep. He woke up to the sound of a nasty familiar voice.

"Smithy" snarled the voice "smithy wake up" he opened his eyes and was alarmed to see Gabriel staring down at him

"Go away" cried smithy

"As if" he laughed he grabbed smithy's arm and yanked him off the bed.

"Get off I'm not coming with you"

"That's what you think" he produced a gun and pointed it at him "Now c'mon cooperate or I'll shoot. Smithy reluctantly went with him. Gabriel chucked him into the van. And drove off.

Gina went to visit smithy. "I'm here to see Dale smith"

"He's just in this bed over here" she said showing Gina to the bed. She pulled back the curtain but smithy wasn't there.

"Where is he?" asked Gina panicking

"Well he hasn't been discharged I'll ask some of the other nurses.

"Thanks" smiled Gina who was very worried

They started asking around. Some didn't have a clue but then two nurse came through

"Hello sandy" smiled the nurse. "Did you see where the man in bed 7 went?"

"He left with another man" she replied

"Can you describe him" asked Gina

"About 5ft 7in bald longish face he had a bit of hair. If you come down to the station and did a photo id for us. The man who he went with didn't look happy… I think I saw a gun" there was a bit of a struggle

"Yeah okay" she nodded

They asked another nurse Melinda who gave the same description of the man and what happened. Gina took them both back to the station.

She led them into a room. She produced the wads laptop. She showed them lots of pictures. The last one was of Gabriel.

"It was him" they both said pointing at Gabriel's photo.

"Thanks" smiled Gina "You've been a great help" they both left. God thought Gina he's gonna kill him. She ran to the superintendents office.

"Mam" asked Andrea "Are you okay

"It's smithy" she replied. Andrea Joined her

She knocked on the super's office. "Come" came his voice. She could see jack Neil as well

"It's Gabriel he's taken smithy again from st Hughes two nurses identified him" she blurted

"Here we go again" muttered DI Manson