Identity
Matt felt sick as he walked into the trauma room where Alesha was being nursed. He had never been so nervous. Alesha had asked for him. That had to mean she was awake and conscious. That she knew him and wanted him with her.
"Hi."
He smiled as he sat next to her. She smiled back as he took her hand. The drip infusing blood fed into her arm. He swallowed hard as he realised she was still having a blood transfusion.
"Hi, you ok?" Alesha asked. Matt raised his eyebrows.
"Me? Yeah."
Alesha sighed, relieved that the man sat at her side appeared to be in one piece. Trouble found them and she hated it.
"I should be asking you that." Matt held her hand. Alesha sighed.
"Fourteen stitches in my left arm, ten in the wound on my left shoulder blade. They've washed out the wound on my thigh and closed it up. That stung the most."
"Lesh."
"I'll live. I always do." She smiled Ashe closed his eyes. "They would have taken me to theatre normally but what with my heart problem when I had Cameron and passing out from blood loss the doc thought it best to try to deal with the cuts under local." She watched as Matt shuddered. It was well known that he didn't like blood - was almost phobic of the stuff. "Matt?"
"I'm ok."
"Thanks to Kate and the boys I will be too."
"Yeah. I thought. There was so much blood and. I thought. When I saw Kate covered in your blood." Alesha's eyes filled with tears.
"You don't get rid of me that easily." She touched his face, wiping a stray tear away. "You are stuck with me Matthew John Devlin."
"Good." He kissed her hand. "What?"
"Did the nurse say anything else to you?"
"No." Matt was suddenly on edge once more. Alesha smiled.
"Well, seems when I was fighting with Psycho Blonde she wasn't able to land the knife anywhere near my abdomen. My arms and legs, my neck but not my tummy." She smiled. "A mothers' instinct the doctor said."
"Leah?! Are? Hold on."
"I'm pregnant. I didn't know until they did a test here. They wanted me to have an X-ray so they did a blood test for pregnancy when they did the other samples. Oh God. Matt, can you say something? I'm exhausted."
"Baby? Another?"
"Yeah." Alesha bit her lip. "Not planned I know."
"Neither was our Cam." Matt smiled broadly. "You are brilliant." He kissed her cheek, bumping the oxygen tube that still gave her oxygen. She smiled as he began apologising.
"Good news?"
"I thought I was going to have to find a way to tell our boy you were. That you had been. I was bloody terrified!" He watched as she held his gaze. "So yes. This is bloody fantastic." He kissed her forehead. Alesha yawned. "Rest."
"Not much choice."
"No, not really." He smiled.
"Why don't you go out there and tell your dad and family that Alesha is going to the ward for observation." The nurse interrupted as he recorded Alesha's observations. Alesha raised an eyebrow.
"Kate, Ronnie and the lads." Matt explained. Alesha nodded.
"Go on. Give them some good news." She let him kiss her once more before letting the porters take her to the ward.
Xxxxxx
"A wig?" Sam folded his arms as he watched the dark haired woman work. Chloe nodded.
"Synthetic hair. Like the stuff dolls have. Fancy dress outfits and things like that. Whoever did this." He paused as he realised Joe was still talking quietly on the phone. The newest member of the team looked slightly out of place in jeans and leather jacket partially hidden by the alcove he was stood in. The serious expression on his face replacing his normal smile. Joe Hawkins was naturally a happy person. In the split second Sam observed his whole demeanour change. Joe was completely focused on what he was being told.
"Thanks Ang. And that's a definite?"
"As I can be. Like I said that woman is Clare Thomas. Me and Ronnie nicked her when I first started here. She got ten years for GBH and carrying knives. Mind you, what she has to do with Sally and Alesha I have no idea." Angie stared at the computer screen as she spoke. "I called Ronnie; left him a message. No news from them yet."
"Ok." Joe paused. He wished Ronnie was with him so he could ask. He was painfully aware of Sam and Chloe watching him. "Do we have the files on this Clare?"
"Yeah. They're from 2006, so took a bit of digging. Computerisation was only really starting here then. They're a physical file. A4."
"That's gonna keep Ron happy. Look, I'll tell Sam. You keep digging, yeah?"
"Yeah." Angie ended the call. The desk in front of her a mess of paperwork as the computer screen taunted her. "Isn't that what I always do?"
Xxxxx
Ronnie smiled slightly as Natalie slipped her hand into his. He was glad she was there but equally concerned that Sam was leading the case without anyone senior to back him up and reign him in.
"Ron?"
"It's just, something doesn't fit right. Dunno."
"Ron?"
"I dunno. Don't take any notice of me luv." He squeezed her hand. "Getting old."
"You?" Natalie teased. "Never."
"Oi." He teased, pretending to be offended. Natalie rolled her eyes.
"I've sent Kate and Jake home. James is calling George. I left Sam and Joe at the CPS. We will find her. The woman who did this."
"Yeah. But how is it linked to Sally Fothergill? Was James the real target and young Alesha was just in the wrong place? Don't buy it."
"No." Natalie paused. "Neither do I." Both looked up as Matt appeared in the doorway, smiling like a Cheshire Cat.
"Matty?" Ron got to his feet.
"Keeping her in for observation. Blood transfusion they said she's going to be ok. Her and the baby."
"Cam? He's with our Sarah." Ronnie paused as Natalie rolled her eyes. Before Matt could answer Natalie hugged him.
"Alesha's pregnant, you dozy article. Congratulations Matt." She watched as the penny seemed to drop.
"Ah right, son." Ronnie smiled. "Cmon, let's get you ome."
Xxxxxxxxxx
