Next up, sorry for the delay. Reveiw and let me know what you think!
Chapter 9
The ambulance felt small, equipment pressing in on all sides. But she didn't notice. She was still holding his hand, staring at him as he stared back. His eyes kept falling shut, before snapping open again. Looking at her.
"What's his name?" Robin looked over at the paramedic as she answered.
"Cormoron... Strike." There was a brief confused look.
"Mr Strike? Are you in pain? Blink once for yes, twice for no."
He blinked once.
"Ok, I'm going to give you more morphine." As she did, his grip on Robin's hand tightened painfully. He was scared, which scared her. She leant in closer, whispering in his ear.
"It's going to be ok. I won't leave you. Just rest. I'll be right here." As his eyes closed, the grip on her hand loosened, but didn't disappear.
oOo
Her parents rounded the curtain. She was in a hospital gown, the doctor checking her eye.
"Robin," Linda hugged her, "Are you ok? What happened? What did they..."
"Mrs Ellacott, I understand you have questions, but Robin needs to rest and she can't answer anything until I've got my statement," Wardle was standing behind them. Robin was grateful he stopped her. So her mum just sat beside her and held her hand. Saying nothing. Her dad stood off to the side. Saying nothing.
She was examined and taken to a small private room. It was quiet and calm. After half an hour, Wardle came in.
"Hey, how are you?"
"I'm ok. How's Cormoron?"
"He's upstairs. That's where I've been. They have him on a ventilator in the ICU."
"I asked how he is not where."
"Robin..."
"It's ok, Linda," Eric looked back at Robin, "he's critical. His throat is damaged, windpipe, possibly vocal cords but they won't know until he's stabilised. He's intubated. Which probably caused more issues, but better that than no oxygen. Is that what you wanted to hear?"
"I'm sorry."
"Forgiven. Look we have the three guys who were with you in custody. The quicker I get your statement..."
"Can't you give her a couple of hours?"
"We need to know..."
"It's ok mum. I'll do it now. Then can I see him?"
"Of course. You can't talk to him until I have his statement but considering... yes you can see him."
oOo
The Ellacotts had left, Wardle had his notebook and recorder ready.
"Just take your time."
"I left the flat. Mum... we had argued... about Cormoron. About me working with him. She doesn't approve. We shouted. I was angry. I didn't notice... there was a guy behind me but before I twigged, he had grabbed me. Then there were two of them... I was in the van. I don't know how far we travelled. Not far. Didn't take long. They took me into a warehouse, tied me up. Started asking me questions; who my parents were, where I worked."
"They didn't know that already?" She just shook her head.
"They... took pictures of me."
"Pictures? What kind of pictures?"
"Of me tied to the chair. They said they would send them to him."
"Him? Who?"
"I didn't know... but then they said about the ransom, and I assumed they had meant dad. All I could think was... he's going to see them and then I'll die and that's..."
"He didn't get photos. At least, he hasn't yet."
"They said they were going to deliver them. Yesterday... did anything arrive...?"
"Not at the station, not your house. They might've just been saying it. Making you scared."
"It worked." Pause. "They didn't do anything to me. One of the guys... the place was freezing so he gave me thicker clothes. Let me change in the bathroom. They didn't..."
"I believe you. What else happened?"
"Nothing. Really. They left me tied up, then we went back to the van, to the cemetery. They were waiting on dad turning up with the money. They were going to do that to him. But Cormoron turned up... so they improvised. He said he had the money."
"He did. I don't... I don't know where he got it. It's at the station."
"Where's Barclay?" She hadn't seen him since the rescue, didn't really notice until now.
"He is also at the station." Wardle didn't look at her as he spoke.
"Why?"
"We had to arrest him."
"Arrest... why?"
"He had a gun. He shouldn't have had it Robin. We had to..."
"He saved my life. He saved Corm..."
"What happened in the cemetery?"
"We got there. We waited. He arrived... they kicked him. They pulled him up. The guy in charge walked up to him, said something to him. I couldn't hear it. Cormoron looked like... he just stared at me, looked shut down. Scared. I don't know, can't really describe it. Then they pulled him up. Pulled me away. Then they hit me... didn't really know what was happening... then I heard Barclay. He saved me. The guys ran... we got Cormoron down. Barclay gave CPR. He did nothing wrong. You can't arrest him."
"It had to be done. Anything else to add? To the statement? Or can we go to the ICU?"
oOo
Wardle stayed in her room, asking her dad about these supposed photos. The nurses insisted she went in a wheelchair, Linda pushing her gently.
"They didn't do anything to me mum. I promise."
"I believe you." She kissed the top of her head.
The ICU was eerie. Both quiet and busy at the same time. His room was at the end, the slow beep of the heart monitor filling the room. He was pale, eyes and mouth bruised and tinged blue. His neck was almost black now, the skin looking dead against the pale skin around the rope mark. The large tube down his throat jutted out against the indented ring. They stopped at the bottom of the bed. Only one leg beneath the sheets.
"Oh my god." Robin looked up, Linda looked faint. She was staring at him like she couldn't believe her eyes. "Look at him." She let go of the wheelchair, Robin grabbed the wheels, slowly edging forward. When she was next to him, she grabbed his hand. She felt a tear on her cheek. He looked dead. She closed her eyes. "Robin? Are you ok?"
"Where did he get the money?"
"What?"
"The money. I knew you didn't have it when they asked. But he had it... where did he get it?"
"I don't know. He just called to say he had it and was going to the cemetery."
"Look at him mum." Silence as the machine beeped. "He saved me."
"I know."
"What you said... before all this..."
"Nothing I said matters now."