Her Perfect Family(5)

‘I don’t know. I don’t know. We didn’t hear shots . . .’ The woman’s voice is shaking.

‘OK. You – with me.’ He points at the marine and the woman in the dark suit and leads them both through the choir stall to a narrow stone corridor with two large oak doors. There’s a single usher standing just inside one door and he can hear crying.

Matthew steps into the first room. ‘Right. There’s been a shooting but we are going to keep you all safe. This is . . .’ He tilts his head at the marine.

‘Tom.’

‘This is Tom. He’s military and he’s going to stay in here with you and bolt the door. You’ll be safe in here until the police arrive. I’m going to give you a password. The password is ICE CREAM. OK, Tom?’ The marine nods. ‘You don’t open this door until you get that password. You hear me. Now shut this door and bolt it inside.’

He moves along to the second anteroom and repeats the instruction to the woman in black who agrees to stay with the students. ‘You’re safest in here for now. The password is ICE CREAM. Don’t open until the police give you that password. Yes?’

He retreats to the main part of the cathedral just as the first uniformed police officers appear at the far end.

Matthew dials Mel again. ‘We’ve got scores of students in two locked anterooms inside. They’re safe. Heavy doors. I’ve given them the password ICE CREAM. I’ll pass it on to the first teams who’ve just arrived. Can you circulate it as well?’

‘Good thinking. Will do. Any more shots? What kind of weapon, Matt. Automatic?’

‘We don’t know. But it’s not safe to move the students just yet, Mel. There’s still a terrible crush. But no more shots. No sign of the gunman. One victim. Girl. Looks in a bad way. But the shooter could still be around.’

‘Really good work, Matt. Thank you. You OK?’

‘No. We need that armed team. But I can see two more doors being opened. Good. And your guys are here at last. I’ll hand over. But I can’t stay. I’ve got Sally and Amelie in town.’

‘OK. Hand over and go to your family, Matt.’

‘Password – ICE CREAM. You get those students out fast as you can, yes? They’re terrified and some of the parents won’t move away until they see their kids.’

‘Course. You stay safe, Matt. And thank you.’

Matthew moves forward to speak to the first uniformed team to reach the doctor tending to the injured girl. They are on their radios checking the ETA on the ambulance. He tells them about the students and the password and they nod, then frown. They all know the ambulance won’t be allowed through until the all-clear is given on the gunman.

‘I’m ex-job. Matthew Hill. DI Mel Sanders knows me and can vouch for me. I’ve done what I can but I can’t stay. I have my own family in town. Do you need anything more from me?’

The officers shake their heads and Matthew glances around the cathedral again. ‘Up there. That balcony is my best guess for the shooter position. No sign of anyone now. But who knows?’

And then he moves forward one last time to speak to the parents of the bleeding girl. ‘The ambulance won’t be long.’ The doctor is continuing the CPR. ‘She’ll be in hospital soon.’

Matthew then retreats, using the door back out to the green by the laburnum. From there he jogs down a side alley and runs at a steady pace, using back streets to avoid the chaos on the high street. At first there is no phone signal. He hears more and more sirens as he nears the outskirts of the city, dialling Sally as he runs. At last. Three bars . . .

‘I’m safe. I’m on my way to you. The police are there now.’

There is this terrible sound. Like an animal howling.

‘Where are you, Sal?’

There’s a pause. Sort of gulping on the end of the line.

‘Asda car park. I did what you said.’

‘Good. On my way.’

He hangs up and continues jogging, replaying all the scenes in his head. The girl on the ground in the pool of blood. The sound of the fences hitting the ground. Smash. Smash. The students, crying and terrified in those two anterooms.

Ice cream. Ice cream.

He steadies his pace until he finally turns a corner to see the supermarket across the road.

There are quite a lot of people milling about – white-faced – and he can hear a steady stream of questions.

What’s going on? Is it safe? What do we do?

He sees the red of Sally’s coat in the distance and continues towards her.

As he reaches them, Amelie’s still crying. Sally too.

And then to his shock there is this blow to his left arm as Sally hits him really hard, tears pouring down her face.

He just stands there as she keeps hitting him.

‘Why did you do that? Leave us. Why . . . did . . . you . . . do . . . that?’ She punctuates each word with another blow.

He just lets her hit him over and over until finally she stands still and looks at him, the anger on her face changing. Next her shoulders are heaving with sobbing.

‘I thought you were going to get yourself shot.’

Tears are still streaming down her face now and he gently puts his arms around her, kissing her cheek – ‘It’s OK, I’m safe; I’m here now, Sally’ – before pulling back to lift Amelie, who is also crying, from the ground to hold her tight too.