Dani initially froze, unsure what to do, but with her suspect lying in pieces on the road she couldn’t rely on the first response team to do the job. She was already on the scene. She was the first response. Yet, having scrambled over the fence and having begun to walk across the tarmac towards the chaotic mess, she could already sense that what lay ahead would leave her forever scarred.
The carnage in front of her was devastating and absolute. With the braking and the screeching tyres and the smashing at an end, and the smoke clearing, Dani could see that four cars were involved as well as the large articulated truck that had pulverised the man Dani had been chasing.
Big trucks had big problems stopping quickly, and safely, and although the driver had probably done his best, it was inevitable on such a busy road that other vehicles would be sucked into the mess.
Dani hit the button to call Easton then pulled her phone to her ear as she walked through the destruction, not quite sure what to say or do first. Two of the cars caught up in the disaster were almost unrecognisable; just lumps of mangled, crumpled and jagged metal. What remained of the windows was smeared with blood from the unlucky occupants stuck inside. The other two cars had fared better; their drivers and passengers were already out of the vehicles, surveying the damage, wondering what had just happened to them, and pretty soon likely to be overcome with emotion when they realised how lucky they were to still be walking and breathing.
The call to Easton went unanswered and Dani put the phone away. A second later she heard him call out to her.
‘Dani!’
She turned to see him clambering over the fence. She locked eyes with him for a second.
‘Call for help,’ she shouted out to him before she faced back to the truck driver who was standing by his open cab. ‘We’re going to need a lot of help,’ she said more quietly, almost to herself.
The truck driver seemed the least injured of the many people involved, though by the shaky look of him he was possibly the most mentally damaged.
‘I didn’t see him,’ the driver said over and over again. His face was as white as chalk and he was shaking. ‘I didn't see him.’
A plump balding man with rounded facial features which reminded Dani of the Fat Controller from Thomas the Tank Engine, he was talking to no one in particular, just staring at the lumps of flesh and bone that used to be a man. As well as the mess on the front of the truck there were streaks of blood and flesh and clothing stretching a good hundred yards across the tarmac behind the vehicle, glistening gruesomely in the warm evening light. The little that remained of the man formed an ugly lump that had been catapulted further down the carriageway even after the truck had finally come to a stop.
Dani reached the driver and, like him, simply stood and studied the carnage in front of her. As she’d walked across she’d expected to feel horror and shock and to be a shaking mess like the man standing next to her. What she actually felt was absolutely nothing. No emotion whatsoever. Dani was numb.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her ID which she held out in front of the truck driver, her eyes still on the remains of the man she’d been chasing moments before.
‘Honestly, I didn’t see him. I couldn’t do anything.’
‘I know. I saw.’
‘How…? What… oh god.’ He cupped his hand to his mouth and sobbed.
Dani really didn’t know what else to say. She shook her head to regain her focus. First response. She couldn’t just stand there. She had to help. She turned away and walked with purpose towards the group of people from the other vehicles who were busy trying to rescue the occupants of the two more heavily damaged cars.
‘Please stay back!’ Easton ordered the civilians, holding out his ID. ‘For your safety and theirs, stay back. Help is on the way.’
Easton warily and carefully pulled the largely shell-shocked civilians away. Dani moved up to him. Both the male driver and woman passenger of one of the cars were trapped, the front of the vehicle crumpled beyond recognition and their torsos stuck somewhere among the mess.
Dani stuck her head through the broken glass of the passenger window.
‘Can you hear me?’ she asked, putting her hand on the woman’s neck, feeling for a pulse. It was faint, but she was definitely still alive.
‘Go check the man,’ Dani said to Easton. ‘But don’t even think about trying to move him.’
The woman stirred and Dani talked to her quietly and calmly, trying her best to get an understanding of what her likely injuries were, but she really didn’t even know where to start in helping to get her out. A police squad car arrived moments later, then an ambulance, and Dani was thankful to have the paramedics take over from her. Two more squad cars soon arrived, followed shortly after by two more ambulances. Finally, two fire engines hurtled to the scene.
Minutes later Dani had pulled away from the melee and was standing by a police car, the moment when the man had been creamed by the truck replaying over and over in her mind.
‘What the hell happened, Dani?’ Jason said, coming up to her side. When had he arrived? Who had called him?
Dani didn’t answer. She really didn’t know what to say.
‘Come on, why don’t we get you out of here?’
‘No,’ Dani said. ‘I’m not leaving. Not until I know those people are ok.’ She nodded over to where the fire brigade were busy sawing away at the roof of the most crumpled car.
‘It’s not your fault. You were just doing your job.’
‘I’m not even sure that matters,’ Dani said, trying her hardest to hold back her tears.
More than three hours later, darkness fully descended, but the crash site lit up brighter than day with portable spotlights, Dani was still on the scene, along with a large crew of traffic police who had by then largely taken charge of the situation. Jason had stayed too, and Dani had to admit she was grateful for that. The side of the road consumed by the crash was still closed, and would be for a while longer, but the police had managed to move the gridlocked traffic from behind the crash site one vehicle at a time, having them turn around and drive the wrong way to the nearest junction. The opposite side of the road remained jam-packed with evening commuters leaving the city, the traffic backing up way past as far as the eye could see as natural voyeuristic instincts took over and people slowed to survey the grisly scene.
Dani headed back over to a police car where Easton was busy chatting to a uniformed PC. She’d just taken an update from the traffic officer in charge of the scene. Forensics would be some time yet recording everything they needed before the damaged vehicles could be removed, but the update she’d received had at least told her that there’d been no other fatalities. Yet.
She’d also spoken to McNair on the phone three times to brief her. McNair had been friendly enough, though Dani was sure there would be a lot more grilling to come. She’d be required to give formal statements. There’d no doubt be an inquiry into what had happened.
She really didn’t want to think about that right now.
‘All good?’ Easton said.
‘Not exactly,’ Dani said. ‘Why did he run?’ she asked, as much to herself as to Easton.
‘It wasn’t your fault, Dani. And anyone who asks will get that answer from me.’
His words of support were comforting, but the potential repercussions were still worrying.
Anyone who asks will get that answer from me.
But he hadn’t seen what had happened. He’d already told her – he was running across the playground when he heard the smash. So was he saying he’d lie for her?
Did she want him to?’
Jason came over and Easton wandered off.
‘Maybe we should go. Not sure we’re of much use here now.’
Dani wanted to be taking a more active role, but the truth was she didn’t know how, yet she was struggling to pull herself away even though she knew the officers on site had everything under control.
‘Come on then,’ she eventually said.
They walked back to the chainlink fence. The image of the man racing into the road flashed in her mind again and she stopped and squeezed her eyes shut to try and clear it from her mind.
‘Dani, are you ok?’ Jason asked.
‘I really don’t know.’
‘Come on, let’s get back to your car.’
Jason grabbed Dani’s arm and pulled enough to get her moving again before he let go.
They traipsed through the dark across the dewy grass back towards the tower blocks. When they reached the row of flats, Dani noticed a uniformed officer stationed outside. Given what had happened, someone would stay there now until the occupants returned or at least until they figured out exactly who was now lying smeared across the dual carriageway.
Dani recalled the scene from outside the flats hours earlier. The man across the street. Why did he run?
‘Give me your keys,’ Jason said.
‘What?’
‘I’ll take you home in my car. Someone else can get yours for you.’
Dani didn’t protest. She handed Jason her car keys and he headed over to the PC by the flat. After a brief exchange he handed the keys over then made his way back to Dani.
‘Come on, my car’s this way.’