Chapter Four: Larson.
'DI Neil Manson.' Neil answered the phone in his office.
'Guv, it's Phil.'
'Phil, what's happening?'
'Sasha's named Pete Larson as the person who stabbed her.'
'Larson?'
'Yes guv.'
'Okay, if she's up for it, get a statement, then bring Larson in. This might be it Phil!' Neil was almost jumping with excitement. He hung up before going into a packed CID office. 'Okay guys,' he shouted above the noise and it quietened down, 'I don't want you to get too excited, but we could have something to pin on Pete Larson.' There was a stunned silence.
'What crime?' Zain asked.
'Attempted murder.' Everyone's faces erupted into big grins. 'Don't get excited just yet, let's wait till we got it in the bag.'
Back at the hospital, Phil walked back into Sasha's room.
'Hello again.' He said cheerfully. Sasha smiled but didn't speak. Jo sat holding her hand tightly. Samantha and Sheelagh were hovering around talking to the doctors and nurses. 'Are you up to a statement?' Sasha nodded.
'If I name Larson, will I be safe from his followers and that.'
'I expect so, anyway, you live with a policewoman don't you?'
'No, me and Jo don't live together.'
'Oh, right. Okay, well, in your own time, do you want to explain to me what happened.'
'I was preparing the food for a meal tonight, the music was on, very loud, and I was, errr, dancing and singing to it.' Jo smiled, she's seen Sasha do that before. 'I suppose he broke down the door, but I didn't see that or hear it. The first I knew that someone was in the house, was when he came into the kitchen. He wasn't very quiet. I had the vegetable knife in my hand and I swung round, I hardly had time to take a breath before he turned my hand round and the knife went straight into my abdomen. I fell onto the floor and he said, 'Don't try and call out for any help, no-one's around,' then, just before he left, he said 'Don't die too quickly,'.'
'He said 'don't die too quickly'?'
'Yeah.'
'Okay, thanks.'
'Come on Sam, let's go get Mr Larson.'