This is a pretty short chapter but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Two Hundred and Nineteen
"You know, for a cop, you sure break driving laws," Mink commented from the back of the car.
Concentrating hard on the road, Charlie merely remarked that their daughter was in trouble and it didn't matter how fast she had to drive in order to save her. Joey studied her girlfriend's face, noting the fear in her eyes. Watson had promised to get to the Diner as soon as she could but at the moment, she was dealing with a riot in Yabbie Creek. There were only so many officers available but that the Diner was their next priority.
John headed in the direction of the Diner, hoping to catch Leah or Colleen in time to get some takeaway. He paused when he realised that the building was on fire and there was a large, inebriated, angry crowd outside, pounding on the doors. One window had already been smashed and a couple of guys were trying to push through it. Fearing that someone could be inside, John called the police. When he hung up, he considered leaving. It was a dangerous situation for one man to handle all by himself. But his concern that someone could be inside, propelled him forward. He attempted to calm the gang down.
"How long has it been?" Colleen asked desperately.
She was quickly beginning to panic. They were trapped inside a burning building with an angry mob outside, blocking both the main exit and the fire escape.
"Ten minutes," Alf said.
He knelt over Hazem who was drifting in and out of consciousness. Leah held her date's hand, trying to be strong and capable and not dissolve into tears. Everyone looked up when they heard a loud groan above them.
"Ruby, look out!" Geoff screeched, darting forward and pushing Ruby out of the way as part of the ceiling caved in.
Miles hurried out of his house. He wasn't entirely sure but with a fear that there was something bad going down at the Diner, he had to check it out at least. If he woke up in the morning and found out that something really had happened, then he wouldn't be able to live with himself. Arriving, a little out of breath, he was horrified to see John struggling to calm a drunken gang down.
Charlie, Joey and Mink arrived sooner than should have been possible. Charlie had barely cut the engine before she'd leapt out of the car, with Joey close behind her. Curiously, Mink stayed in the backseat, watching everything from a safe distance.
"I told you!" Miles deliberately slurred. "The police are coming!"
He spotted Charlie.
"They're here! The police are here!"
He pointed. A few people dismissed him but a few more, notably some of the more notorious boys from Mangrove River, recognised her, even out of uniform. Joey blanched when she recognised one of them, Heath Braxton. She quickly looked away. Charlie shouted for everyone to leave and backed up by John, Miles (who was apparently pretending to be drunk) and Joey, eventually the crowd dispersed. Approximately thirty seconds later, three patrol cars showed up. Without waiting for them, Charlie knocked hard on the Diner door, identifying herself to the scared people within. Leah unlocked the door and let her and Joey in, followed by a couple of paramedics who had also finally arrived at the scene.
"Ruby!" Charlie said desperately, pulling her daughter into her arms.
"Geoff..." Ruby said tearfully, pointing.
Joey hurried over to her colleague who was clutching his shoulder in pain. The paramedics tended to Hazem who had passed out from pain and smoke inhalation.
Next time... Charlie and Joey support Ruby through her ordeal...
