Chapter 4 –

Dixie and Jeff were the first ones at the scene but they could hear the police and fire engines were not far behind them.

"Dixie over here!"

There were in the middle of an abandoned warehouse, the car was smashed up against a wall and a pile of rubbish had been set alight in the far corner but Jeff had seen a male body lying on the ground behind the car. Both of them grabbed their bags and ran over, quickly noticing the blood coming from his head and knees.

"He's got gunshot wounds to both legs."

"We need to get some blood in him and get him out of here."

Jeff nodded his head at Dixie's comment and watched her run back to the ambulance to fetch the stretcher.

"Ok ready Jeff?"

The two of them didn't waste any time as a police officer ran over to them.

"Hey you might want to know that the car is the same one that dumped the girl outside your hospital earlier."

"Ok thanks mate I'll let the doctors know but I don't think that he'll be causing anyone any problems for a while."

Jeff looked at Dixie as she got on the radio before she drove off fast towards the hospital.

Tom was the one that took the call, he knew what had happened earlier in the day and Sam was busy looking after the girl, the information that Dixie relayed to him quickly caused him to raise his eyebrows before Tom went to find Zoe and pulled her into the staff room.

"We've got a gunshot victim coming in, he was found in an abandoned warehouse beside the vehicle that dumped the girl earlier."

"Shit!"

Zoe reached up and ran her fingers through her hair as she looked at Tom and took a deep breath.

"Ok well resus is clear and I'll inform security that we'll need some extra bodies down here. I'll be in to assist you once I've spoken to Sam."

Tom nodded his head and walked out of the staff room before Zoe puffed out her cheeks once again and headed to her office.

"Have you heard?"

Zoe looked at Alice who had her phone in the palm of her hand and nodded her head.

"I've got extra officers coming in with him."

"Thanks."

"We need to keep Rachel safe."

"I know I was just about to inform Sam about everything."

"I would feel better if I could come and stay with her."

Zoe paused as she thought for a moment before she finally nodded her head and gestured for Alice to follow her as they quickly walked through to the quiet cubicle Rachel was occupying.

Zoe coughed as she stood outside the cubicle and quickly Sam pushed her head round the corner and saw Zoe and Alice standing outside, her eyes opened wide as she stared at them.

"We need to come in."

Zoe spoke firmly as Sam pulled the curtain apart and allowed the two of them to enter, the three of them stood at the foot of the bed as Rachel looked at Linda for reassurance while Zoe whispered to Sam.

"We've got a gunshot victim coming in he was found by the car that brought Rachel in, I don't know quite what is going on yet but we thought that it would be best to keep you informed and if DI Parker stayed here for the time being."

Sam closed her eyes and looked at Rachel before she smiled at the girl.

"Don't worry Rachel everything is fine."

"Thanks Sam, I've got to help Tom in resus but I'll let you know as soon as I know anything."

Sam nodded her head as Zoe left before she turned her attentions to Alice.

"I don't want you to cause her any distress, if you do you'll have to leave."

"Ok I just want to make sure that she is safe."

"Good then you won't mind staying at the end of the bed?"

Alice shook her head as she watched Sam walk up the bed and smile kindly once again at Rachel before she took a hold of her hand stroking it softly.

"Please don't worry Rachel we're all just here to make sure that you are safe, this is DI Parker but she won't be asking you any questions, we just want you to rest for the moment."

Rachel lifted her head slightly and looked at Alice who gave her a soft smile before she turned back to Sam and gave a small nod of her head before she spoke.

"Thank you."

"Not a problem sweetie now please try and rest and don't move too much those ribs are broken."

Sam smiled once again as Rachel rested her head back down on the pillow and closed her eyes but again she kept a tight hold of Sam's hand which Alice duly noticed and Alice knew that if she was going to speak to the girl she would need Sam's help.

Zoe walked into resus and saw Tom battling hard to save the man's life, he was perched up on the bed doing chest compressions while Lloyd and Fletch helped him.

"What's the situation?"

"He's losing blood faster than we can put it in, he's got a severe head wound and we haven't any output for the last five minutes."

Zoe nodded her head as she walked over and picked up the notes and looked at the man and the monitors.

"Tom?"

Tom turned and looked at Zoe while he carried on with the chest compressions but he saw the look on Zoe's face and he knew that she was right before he stepped down and looked at Fletch and Lloyd.

"Is everyone in agreement?"

Everyone was silent, just nodding their heads in response.

"Ok time of death is 14:18, I'll go and tell the police."

Tom didn't look at anyone as he walked out of resus, Zoe took a breath before she walked over and took out her phone, taking a picture of the man's face before she looked at Fletch and Lloyd.

"Ok remember that this is a suspicious death, leave everything in place."

Zoe turned and left the two men walking out of the room, ignoring everyone and everything until she reached Rachel's cubicle.

"It's Zoe."

Zoe waited patiently as Linda opened the curtain and she walked in, feeling all eyes upon her as she spoke quietly.

"He's dead, I've got a photo I'd like you to take a look at Rachel."

Zoe moved closer as Rachel nodded her head and concentrated on the photo.

"Is this one of the men that hurt you?"

Alice spoke anxiously before Rachel handed the phone back to Zoe.

"No he was the one that found me, he rescued me."

Alice opened her mouth in shock and looked at Sam but she was concentrating on Rachel, Alice knew that she needed to talk in more depth to Rachel but for the moment that just wasn't possible.