Chapter 4

Danny made his way back to the waste ground under the bridge where the homeless gathered to wait for the van that dispatched food and drink to the homeless. He didn't really feel like food, but he knew to survive he had to keep eating and drinking. He had felt unsteady on his feet several times during the day and his headache was constantly with him now.

After collecting his food and drink, Danny returned to the building he had slept in the night before. He lay in the darkness, a little warmer under the dust sheets, but still chilled. He listened to the heavy rain falling outside and tried to get his disjointed thoughts in order again, but he still couldn't make sense of things. He readjusted the dust sheets to cover him and bunched up the dirty quilted blue jacket he was using as a pillow. Somehow he found the almost total darkness comforting, not being able to see the filthy rubbish filled room he was lying in, although the smell was a constant reminder of his surroundings. He rubbed his fingers over the skin of his palms, not rough or calloused, he reasoned he probably wasn't employed in a manual job.

He desperately wanted a shower to wash away the dirt and blood that covered his body. Eventually he drifted into an uneasy sleep, his body aching for a decent rest.

Several hours later Danny's eyes flew open, his hand moved to his waist band in search of his gun. He shook himself awake, realising he was used to carrying a weapon and wasn't sure if he found this reassuring or not. He lifted his head at the sound of footsteps above him, he sat up, groaning at the pain in his head, straining to follow the sound of movement above him..

He stood up and walked out into the corridor that was dimly lit by the street lights outside. Suddenly he heard footsteps racing down the steps a little way along the passage and found himself confronted by two men. He was forced back against the wall, he took two blows to the stomach and a knee to his face. He fell heavily to the floor face first . Torch light flashed over his still form, he struggled as his watch and gold band were ripped from his wrist, receiving two sharp kicks to his side. Danny stayed down and he listened to the two men go down the stairs to the ground floor and leave the building. He pushed himself up, his nose was bleeding profusely and he seemed to have acquired another gash on his head. His sweat top was now covered in blood, he tore a strip from a dust sheet and mopped at the blood on his face and neck. He removed his sweat top and picked up the coat he had used as a pillow. Putting on the quilted jacket, Danny made his way out of the building and into the cold wet night.

Jack, Sam and Martin were in the office early on Monday morning. The stress of the last few days showed on all their faces, they went through the usual checks and then tackled more paperwork, although nobody's heart was really in it. Every lead to do with Danny had turned into a dead end, Sam and Martin looked up as Jack hurried out of his office.

"We may have had a sighting of Danny." Jack smiled at the two excited faces in front of him. "Cops found a homeless guy badly beaten this morning, when they were asking around outside the building it seems somebody matching Danny's description spent Saturday night there and he was seen leaving late on Sunday night." Jack paused. "He was bleeding badly." He turned to Martin. "You and Sam head over there and check it out."

Sam and Martin raced out of the office, Danny meant so much to all of them and they all missed his presence in their lives.

Martin seemed mesmerised by the grey hooded sweat top in the plastic evidence bag, it was saturated with blood.

"Can you identify that as Agent Taylor's." Asked Lt Jarvis, the burly officer who was investigating the assault on Lenny Lyle.

"He certainly has one similar." Answered Martin looking sadly at Sam who nodded. She looked at the blood that had dripped on the floor and the bloody rag, Danny had lost a lot of blood.

"We've lifted his prints from this room, he was definitely here." Said Lt Jarvis. "He was probably assaulted by whoever attacked Lyle."

"Danny's not a suspect?" Asked Sam.

Lt Jarvis shook his head.

"We know Lenny was arguing with two men on Sunday afternoon. There's no blood in the room with Lyle, blood's in the corridor." The Lieutenant looked around room where the bloodied top had been found. "And in here where we found Taylor's prints. I think he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, not that anywhere's particularly safe around here."

"No sightings of him since?" Queried Martin.

"No, he's probably laying low."

Martin and Sam drove around the area before they returned to the office. Although he was still alive, they seemed no nearer finding Danny and he'd been hurt and was bleeding again.

It was just gone 7 o'clock, Danny sat leaning against a brick wall a little way from the waste ground, he ached all over and although he didn't feel really hungry, was suffering from his lack of food over the past few days. He had spent most of the day there, his thoughts not really clear enough to decide what to do next. It was raining again and as it got darker the temperature was dropping, Danny seemed have got used to feeling wet and cold, he felt like screaming in frustration, there seemed no end to this nightmare. Maybe it was time to turn himself in and face the consequences, whatever they might be.

He knew he was getting sicker, his headache never eased now and his chest felt tight. Danny pulled himself to his feet and slipped behind the wall as he saw a squad car approach the small group of homeless people that were warming themselves by a fire. He decided to take a walk until the cops left, still not really knowing who to trust. Suddenly feeling unsteady on his feet, he leant back against the wall, until he felt able to make his way down to the river.

At 9.30pm Jack, Martin and Sam were still in the office, they all stared at the phone when it started to ring in Jack's office, he went to answer it.

Martin and Sam watched his reactions carefully and could tell it was not good news, Jack put the receiver down and closed his eyes for a moment. Sam looked at Martin, her eyes glistening with moisture, she reached out for Martin's hand.

Jack walked over to them.

"They've just pulled a body out of the river." He paused tried to get his thoughts together. "He matches Danny's description."

Sam and Martin got to their feet.

"No, you two stay here, I'll phone as soon as I've got some news." Jack wanted to spare them some of the distress, if it turned out to be Danny. He turned, picked up his coat and left the office.

"Danny always likes to think by the river, always has, that's where he'd go." Sam reflected sadly. Martin pulled Sam in to a hug.

"I know." Martin said sadly, knowing he could say nothing to reassure Sam. "I know."