6

 

Adeline lay stunned, unable to react as Nate finally rolled off her. Someone took the Prime Minister from her arms, and laid her on the ground. She sat up and grabbed her phone, putting it away, before she cradled her arm. Ben stood protectively next to her, one paw on her lap. In a daze she watched as a cop felt the Prime Minister’s neck for a pulse, then shook his head. Another cop started CPR.

Someone touched her arm and she jumped, crying out. Her head snapped around, not letting her guard down even after she realized it was Nate.

“...with me now.”

She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch all of that.”

“I said we have to get you away from here. I need you to come with me now.”

“All right.” She let him help her stand and took hold of Ben’s lead. “Where are you taking me?”

“The station. You’ll be safe—” He turned his face away.

Unable to make out the rest of what he said, Adeline turned back to look at the prone figure lying on the ground, blood spilling from her body in an ever growing flood. Paramedics worked ceaselessly on the motionless woman, counting aloud as they did.

Tears filled Adeline’s eyes. Her whole body shook, and she glanced down, seeing the blood on her hands and clothes.

Lord God, be with Mrs. Williams’ family right now. Preserve her life, but if it’s Your will to take her, then take her now, don’t let the paramedics try too long. Be with the government and security services as they try to make some sense from this. And be with the whole country as we come to terms with this horrific act.

Nate gripped her elbow firmly, as he ran to a marked police car, pulling her with him. Pain soared though her arm. She swallowed hard as nausea rose. Stars danced in front of her eyes. She tripped and would have fallen had he not held her.

“Please...” She needed to slow down. But in the chaos reigning around them, she wasn’t sure if Nate even heard her, never mind responded, because he kept his face averted as he ran.

They reached the car and he put her inside, then climbed in. The car pulled away before she’d even had time to do up her seatbelt. Adeline closed her eyes, blissfully shutting herself off from the turmoil around her.

I don’t want to believe what just happened. Someone shot the Prime Minister. They shot her right in front of me. It could have been me…was it meant to be me? It can’t be. She’s an important woman. I’m a no one.

The journey was short. She wasn’t sure if that was a blessing or not. As soon as the car stopped, Nate touched her arm. He leapt out of the car and ran around the other side.

Once inside the safety of the police station, he led her to one of the interview rooms and sat her down. “Stay there. I’ll get someone to look at your arm.”

“I have to get back to work.”

He shook his head. “No. You stay here.” He moved back to the door.

Adeline pulled out her phone. She texted Jasmine. ‘Jas. The PM got shot. Not sure when I’ll be back. Put news on. Think she’s dead.’

She slid the phone back into her pocket and looked around for Nate. He stood in the doorway talking to one of the other officers. Adeline watched his face. “...tea and then I’ll talk to her. No, I’ll do it. She was right next to Mrs. Williams when she was shot. Get Dane to ring Jas and ask her to…” He turned away and she couldn’t see any more.

Tears filled her eyes, and she looked down at Ben. He licked her hand and wagged his tail. He always knew when she was upset and tried to cheer her up. “I know, buddy,” she told him. “Me too.” She was caught in some kind of a nightmare. The phone in her pocket vibrated and she pulled it out. The caller ID read Jasmine. She answered. “Hey, Jas.”

She read the reply. “What’s going on? The news is chaotic. They’re saying the Prime Minister is critical.”

“Yeah. I was right next to her. I caught her when she fell.”

“What? Are you hurt? Where are you?”

“I’m at the police station with Nate. Dane’s around somewhere—” She broke off seeing blood on her hands.

Shaking hard, she looked down at herself. Blood lay thick and heavy over her white coat. The Prime Minister’s blood. She dropped the phone, nausea rising. A strangled cry rose up and out before she could stop it. Trembling fingers tried to undo the coat buttons, but failed.

Ben nudged her leg. Black shoes appeared on the edge of her field of vision. Strong hands covered hers, helping her. She glanced up into Nate’s concerned face. He undid her coat and pulled it off. She cried out in pain as her arm moved awkwardly.

“Take a couple of deep breaths. We’ll need the coat for now. I’ll get a doc in here to check you over, then you can go and clean up before we take your statement.”

Adeline nodded slightly. Her skirt was stained, too. “I dropped my phone.”

He picked it up and handed it to her. “There you go.”

“Thank you. I should get back to work.” There was something she needed to tell him, something important, but what was it?

“You can’t leave until you’ve given a statement. Things are a little hectic right now, but...” he turned away, and Adeline lost the rest of what he said.

She closed her eyes, trying to stop shaking. I wish I knew what was happening out there. Is she dead? How much chaos is there? Let them catch the guy quickly.

Was it too much of a coincidence that the guy who’d bought the doll in to be mended, had vanished into a building in the same direction the shots came from? She scrolled through the photos on her phone. There was the man and there was the building. That was it. Him.

She almost dropped the handset again as she twisted around. “Nate?”

Nate turned back to her. “Yes?”

“I’ve seen him before. He came into the shop. And then he went into this building right before the shooting. I took his photo.”

He moved swiftly over to her and took the phone. “This man here?”

Adeline nodded. “Yes. That’s what I was trying to tell you before all this happened.”

“I’ll be back. Don’t you go anywhere. I need to keep this as evidence for now. You’ll get it back.”

“I need my phone to talk to people. It’s got particular software on it. I can’t just use any old phone.”

“You’ll get it back or we’ll give you a replacement.” He strode rapidly over to the door.

Despite the situation, for a moment, she found herself admiring his authoritative stance. Then frustration at having her means of communicating long distance taken away set back in.

Adeline glanced down at Ben and sighed. Maybe she said the wrong thing again. Her hands were sticky with blood and she longed to go and wash them.

A hand dropped on her shoulder and she jumped. “Oh…”

“Hi, I’m Dr. Chandler. I’m the police surgeon. I didn’t mean to startle you.” The woman was blonde and her eyes carried her smile behind the glasses. “I need to check you over.”

Her arm hurt like the blazes, but in the grand scheme of things, it just didn’t matter. “I’m fine. Just need to clean up.”

Dr. Chandler took her hands, causing her to gasp in pain, and started to examine them. “...samples...”

“I can’t hear you,” Adeline said. “I’m deaf. If you look at me when you speak, I can lip read.”

The blonde woman frowned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize. I said I’ll need to take samples of the blood from your hands and under your nails. But that gasp of pain tells me you’re not fine. Where does it hurt?”

“My arm’s a little sore from where I fell, but that’s not important, right now. How’s the Prime Minister?”

“She didn’t make it.”

Shock resonated through Adeline, setting every nerve on edge. She swallowed hard, bile rising as if someone had thumped her hard in the stomach. Thinking and guessing that was the outcome, was vastly different to seeing it spoken. She closed her eyes, blocking herself off completely from the world. The silence surrounding her became a blessing.

She couldn’t be dead. They needed her, with the fragile state the country was in at the moment. She was the only woman who could unite the country and lead them out of the recession. She was their one hope and now she was gone.

They’d been working on her when Nate brought her here. She might have died in her arms.

Hot tears streamed down Adeline’s face, huge choking sobs welled up and out. Falling to her knees, she wrapped her arms around her stomach, rocking back and forth.

A wet nose nudged her arm a fraction before strong arms wrapped around her, the scent of mint and aftershave following it. A hand moved slowly over her back in an attempt to both comfort and console. Nate…

Not opening her eyes, she took the comfort he offered.

After a few minutes, he tapped her shoulder, and she opened her eyes. She held his gaze, wanting him to tell her it wasn’t true. “Nate, she can’t be dead. They were working on her. She has to be all right.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s true. Mrs. Williams is dead. They just made the official announcement.” He took a deep breath. “Are you all right? The doc wanted to sedate you, but I intervened.”

“Thank you. I’m fine. I need to know if she…” She took a deep breath. “Did she die in my arms?”

Nate didn’t answer until she repeated her question. Then he nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

A fresh wave of tears fell down her cheeks. The Prime Minister had given birth to her first child, a daughter, only a few weeks previously. This was her first official engagement on her return to work. She’d never get to hold the baby again or sing to her. And the baby would never know her mother.

“Let the doc check you over,” he said. “Jas is coming in with a change of clothes for you. We’ll need the ones you have on as evidence. Then, once we’ve taken a statement, I’ll drive you home.”

“All right.” Adeline took a deep shuddering breath, wanting to wipe her eyes, but not wanting to get blood on her face. She settled for wiping her sleeve over them and then looked at the doctor.

Dr. Chandler smiled. “This won’t take long. Sergeant, if you’ll excuse us please.”

He looked at her and nodded. “Sure. I’ll be right outside.”

Adeline gripped his arm tightly. “Stay.” She needed a familiar face, one friendly presence in the midst of the horror.

Nate turned to face the doctor for a long moment, then smiled at her. “Sure.” He sat next to her.

Dr. Chandler scrapped under Adeline’s nails while Adeline blinked hard and glanced at Nate. His lips moved in what was obviously a prayer. She prayed along with him. Once it was over and the doctor had left, Jasmine came into the room.

Her friend held out a bag. “I got you some clothes like Dane asked.” She dropped the bag and held out her arms.

“I don’t want to get blood on you.”

“Never mind about that. You need a hug.”

“Yes, I do.” Adeline hugged Jasmine tightly. “Thank you.”

Jasmine hugged her then pulled back. She gently ran a hand down Adeline’s face, before signing as she spoke. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

Adeline shrugged. She glanced at Nate and Dane standing on the other side of the room and signed her reply. She knew Nate could follow some of her signing now, but didn’t want to verbalize how she felt. “No, I’m not all right. Jas, Mrs. Williams died in my arms.”

Jasmine’s eyes widened as she replied rapidly in sign. “Seriously?”

“She stopped right by me, petted Ben, spoke to me. She had her picture taken with me and Ben. Then she got shot and landed on me. Jas, I was the last person to touch her, to speak to her.”

“I am so sorry, hon,” Jasmine signed and hugged her tightly. Then pulling back, she sighed. “Dane wants me to go, so he and Nate can interview you. I’ll go back to your house and put a casserole in the oven for you.”

Adeline shook her head. “Thank you, but I’m not hungry.”

“I know you’re not, but you still need to eat. I’m doing it. Call if you need me to come around later. Remember I love you.” She hugged her again and then headed out.

“Love you too,” Adeline called after her. She raised a hand in farewell and then looked down at the bag of clothes. “Can I go and change?”

Nate nodded “I’ll show you.”

“Thank you.” She followed him down the hallway.

Ten minutes later, she came out of the ladies room. Nate was leaning against the wall, waiting. She’d managed to wash off all of the blood, but longed for a hot shower. She could still feel it clinging to her. This must be how Lady Macbeth felt in the Shakespeare play.

“Feeling better?”

She nodded, resisting the temptation to ask him if he spent a lot of time hanging around outside the ladies. He looked well practiced at it, but then he was usually accompanied on trips by Vianne. Now just wasn’t the time for humor. “Yeah.”

“All right. Let’s go back to the interview room so we can take a statement.”

“Nate…first there is something you and Dane need to know. I tried telling you earlier, but everything was so chaotic. I’ve seen him before.”

He tilted his head. “Who?”

“The shooter. He came into the doll hospital this morning, but that’s not important. Nate, he’s the man from my nightmares. The one with the ponytail.”

Nate’s gaze turned to stone. “He’s what?”

“I think he’s the Herbalist.”