CHAPTER NINETEEN

Jack was standing at one of the police cars talking quietly with McGrath when he heard Corey yelling. He then heard a loud thud; followed by a scream.

"Oh my god. That was Irene," Hayley gasped from the sidewalk.

Everybody went silent and kept their eyes glued to the house. They all held their breaths as they watched the front door open. Irene, who was clearly distraught, appeared a second later. Irene looked at them, but quickly turned back and looked into the house.

When Irene moved away from the door again, Jack could see straight into the house. He felt his temper start to flare as he noticed Martha lying on the floor by the stairs. Corey was leaning over her with his hands wrapped around her throat.

Jack broke away from the group and started running towards the house.

"Holden, get back here," McGrath ordered and started running after Jack with a few other police officers in tow.

"He's hurting her," Jack yelled over his shoulder.

Before he got any further, a gun shot rang through the air.

"Martha," Jack screamed.


Martha gasped for air when she felt Corey's hands slip away from her neck. His body went rigid, and he slumped on top of her. She could still feel the gun in her hand; pinned in between her body and Corey's. And she could also feel Corey's warm blood starting to seep through the material of her shirt.

"Martha," she heard a voice call out.

Martha looked to the side and saw Jack running through the door towards her. Sgt McGrath and a few other officers ran in behind him. She also noticed Irene crouching by the door crying.

Realising that she was still pinned under Corey; she started screaming.

"Get him off me." She screamed, trying to push him off. She didn't want him anywhere near her; especially if he was dead.

Corey's body fell to the side and she quickly slid away from him. She felt Jack kneel down beside; he wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her into his warm embrace. Martha buried her head into his chest and started sobbing.

"It's okay. You're safe now," he soothed.

Jack then noticed that Martha still had the gun in her hand in a tight grasp. He gently pried it out of her fingers and placed it on the ground beside them.

He then cupped Martha's cheeks in his hands and looked into her face. It was now that he actually noticed the damage that Corey had done to her.

"Look what he did to you," he said softly. She had a deep gash on her fore-head that was still bleeding quite heavily, a bruise was forming on one of her cheeks, and handprint marks were starting to show around her throat.

Jack was angry. He was angry with Corey for hurting Martha; but he was also angry with himself for letting this happen to her. He should have been able to protect her. He felt so useless.

Jack soon felt his eyes starting to fill with tears. "I thought he was going to take you away from me," he whispered to Martha.

"Me too," Martha cried, and wrapped her arms around Jack again. Martha needed to feel Jack's arms around her. He made her feel safe. He would protect her.

She then pulled away from him and turned her head to look at Corey. He was lying lifeless on the floor; surrounded by Sgt McGrath and a few other officers.

A few seconds later Flynn rushed through the door and was asked to check Corey. Martha watched as Flynn checked for a pulse.

"Is he dead?" Martha asked, with fear clearly in her voice.

Flynn shook his head. "No, he's still alive. But only just," he confirmed.

"An ambulance is on its way. And one for you too, Miss Mackenzie," McGrath said, and kneeled down beside Martha and Jack.

"Did he do that to your face?" McGrath asked Martha.

"Yes," Martha nodded.

"He sure is a nasty piece of work, isn't he?" McGrath stated. "What did he use to hit you with?" he then asked.

"Um, I think it was Irene's kettle that he hit me with first," Martha started. She saw the look of shock on his and Jack's face when she mentioned the kettle. "That's what knocked me out. But the other time he just slapped me, and then he tried to strangle me," she continued telling them.

McGrath turned around and called out Fitzy. "Can you bag up Ms Roberts's kettle. That's what he used to hit Martha with," he said. He then looked back at Martha. "We'll leave the rest of the questioning till after you're wounds have been treated," he told her.

Martha then looked back at Jack. "Can we wait outside for the ambulance? I can't stand being anywhere near him," she asked Jack, while looking back at Corey.

He smiled at her. "Of course. Alf and Ric are outside. I'm sure they'd love to see you," Jack replied.

Jack stood up and carefully helped Martha onto her feet. He wrapped an arm around her waist and they slowly made their way outside. In the distance Martha could hear the wailing of the ambulance siren.

Martha could see Irene standing with Barry, Kim and Hayley. And she saw her grandad standing with Ric and Tony; they were being held back by two police officers. Nobody was allowed to enter the house.

Martha saw the look on Alf's face when he seen how badly she was hurt. "Look at your face," he gasped when her and Jack reached him.

Martha didn't say anything; she just flung her arms around her grandad. "I'm fine," she reassured him.

Martha then felt Ric's arms wrap around her from behind; completing the family embrace.