The Next Girl(Detective Gina Harte #1)(81)

Fifty-Seven





Larry peered around the tree. The car had gone. He sprinted to the water’s edge, flinging his boots off as he ran, keeping his eye on the spot where the lady had been drowned. He had to get her out.

As he entered the water and it passed his waist, his breath was almost taken away. It would be a miracle if she survived not only the drowning but the icy temperature. He reached down, feeling deeper and deeper into the pond. He’d never been a brilliant swimmer, but he loved sitting by the water. It was part of the reason he loved fishing so much. But this was no time to think about his hatred of being in water. A woman’s life was at stake.

He reached down again and still he couldn’t feel a thing. He lowered his head under the water, held his breath and kept his eyes open. The brown water gave no clue as to where she was. He slipped off a rock and was plunged into darkness. He continued holding his breath until he came across what felt like the flesh of a person. He grabbed a limb and stepped back, pulling her at the same time. As his hand slipped further down the limb, he felt fingers. He linked his fingers into hers, steadied his feet and burst through the water, taking a huge breath of fresh air.

He leaned back in, grabbed the woman under her arms and lifted her head out of the water. With shaking hands, he felt for a pulse. He couldn’t feel anything, but he wasn’t sure. He needed to perform CPR. Grateful that his workplace had just sent him on a first aid course, he pinched the woman’s nose and sealed his mouth over hers, exhaling a lungful of air into her. He needed to do chest compressions. Dragging her to the water’s edge, he placed her on the grass and began to pump her chest. Nothing. He continued with what he’d been taught, over and over again, just like he’d been shown with the doll.

‘Come on!’ he shouted, wet and shivering and with only the ducks to bear witness to all that was happening.

The woman coughed and spewed out a stream of murky pond water. He rolled her into the recovery position and ran back to his fishing peg. He grabbed his phone and dialled 999 before returning to her side with his knee blanket and flask.

‘We’ll all be together soon’ – that’s what the man had said. The words ran through his head as his teeth chattered. It’s not every day a person witnesses someone trying to murder a woman. Was the killer coming back? The woman opened one eye and tried to scream.

‘It’s okay, there’s an ambulance on its way.’ He pulled the blanket over her shoulders and held a cup of hot coffee towards her. Debbie burst into tears and placed her hand on his as she lay back down. He smiled as he saw flashing lights coming down the long winding road.

Deborah continued to sob. ‘I’m Deborah, Deborah Jenkins,’ she croaked.

‘And I’m Larry,’ he replied.

‘Thank you.’ Her smile turned into a frown as she became more lucid. She reached for his chest, knocking the coffee down his front. ‘Please tell them, he’s going for my baby next. They need to stop him.’ She tried to sit up, but fell back in a heap. ‘They need to stop him,’ she whispered, as the police car crunched to a halt in the car park. Her heavy eyes finally closed.

‘Deborah!’ Larry called.

‘PC Smith.’ The man removed his coat and placed it over the woman. ‘I’ve just heard on the radio, there’s an ambulance on its way.’

‘Her name is Deborah Jenkins,’ Larry said. He watched as the policeman took the woman’s pulse before radioing for the ambulance to hurry.





Fifty-Eight





Gina watched as two officers dodged the undergrowth while trying to reach her and Wyre at the barn. She brushed away the droplets of water that had gathered on her sleeve from the hail shower. Her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and stared at the screen. It was Hannah. ‘Why do I always get calls I need to take at the worst of times? It’s my daughter.’

‘You should talk to her,’ Wyre replied.

Gina smiled and accepted the call. ‘Hannah.’

‘Tomorrow at ten. You got my message, didn’t you?’ she asked with no pleasantries. Gina smiled as she heard Gracie cooing in the background.

‘Yes. I’ll be there. Look, I’m sorry I’ve been a little off lately. After tomorrow is over, can we have a chat? I need to talk to you.’ Gina’s hands began to shake and her face flushed with heat.

‘Chat. What about?’

‘It’s not a good time now, I’m at a crime scene, but you must know that I love you and Gracie dearly. I really do. Please don’t shut me out,’ she said, her voice cracking with every word.

The two officers reached the barn and walked over to Wyre.

‘Okay, but I need tomorrow to be about Dad. Maybe we can meet for coffee next week. Take Gracie to soft play and have a chat there. Can we do that, Mum? And can you promise to turn up, whatever happens?’

‘I can. See you tomorrow, love.’

‘Bye, Mum.’

Gina ended the call and placed the phone back in her pocket.

Wyre walked over and placed her hand on Gina’s shoulder. ‘Everything alright, ma’am?’

‘I think so.’ Her phone rang again: Jacob this time. In the distance, she saw him get out of O’Connor’s car and wave at her with the phone pressed against his ear. She accepted the call.