Far away she heard a shout. Her eyelids fluttered. A woman? Lottie? No. A blur of black jeans. Freddie! There was a crack. Air rushed down Nasreen’s throat; she grabbed at her own neck, trying to force more into it, protecting it, her lungs greedy, gasping, coughing. Colour poured into the room. Alex was lying across her, legs sprawled. Freddie, a log in her hand, had hit her. ‘Get off her!’ Freddie was screaming, pulling at Alex.
Nasreen blinked. She watched as Alex pushed against the floor with her hand, springing up, knife raised. Nasreen tried to cry out but her throat was raw. Freddie swung the log at Alex, cracking her wild, blonde head. Alex dropped the knife, staggered. It was all Nasreen needed: she was up on her feet and launching herself at Alex. They crashed onto the floor. She grabbed for Alex’s hands and wrenched them back. Freddie kicked the knife away. Alex bucked, but this time Nas was ready, forcing her knee down into her spine, pinning her wrists back. ‘Ah …’ She coughed. Her voice squeaky. Gasped. Croaked. ‘Alex Black, I’m arresting you for the kidnap and attempted murder of Charlotte Burgone. For the harassment and manslaughter of Chloe Strofton. For the false imprisonment and attempted murder of a police officer …’ She broke off to cough again, Alex squirming under her weight. There were shouts outside. Back-up.
‘In here!’ Freddie shouted. ‘We’re in here!’
Nasreen spat out the blood that was gathering in her mouth and tried to blow her plastered hair away from her face. ‘Thanks,’ she said, nodding at the log Freddie was still holding.
‘Some people just don’t get the sisterhood, do they?’ Freddie grinned.
‘Cudmore!’ Saunders kicked past the door. His face panicked. Mud up his suit legs. He took in Freddie, Nasreen and Alex, squirming under her. Then he was on Alex with his handcuffs. Chips appeared seconds later, followed by a surge of uniforms. Someone helped Nasreen up.
‘It’s her. Alex Black is a her. She,’ Nasreen coughed.
‘Bloody hell,’ said Chips.
Saunders hauled Alex Black to her feet.
‘You okay, lass?’ Chips caught hold of her shoulder. She was gripping her arm: blood oozing between her fingers. ‘Looks like stitches to me.’
She wiped the gunk that was gathering under her nose. ‘Where’s Lottie?’
‘The wee thing’s safe. The guv’s here. We found her outside. She told us you freed her. She told us where to find you,’ Chips said.
‘Thank god.’ Relief flooded through her. She touched her hand to her throat.
‘Forget god: thank fuck you got here in time.’ Chips was shaking his head, a look of shock working across his forehead. ‘You took her down single-handedly.’
Nasreen looked up as Freddie shrugged off the blanket a paramedic was trying to wrap her in. ‘Not single-handedly,’ she said. ‘I had a little help.’
Chips raised his eyebrows as he took in the log Freddie was still trailing from one hand. ‘The paperwork for this one’s going to be tricky.’