Time Is Running Out by Michael Wood

Author:Michael Wood [Wood, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008460617
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Chapter Thirty-Five

Night’s veil had started to draw in on the journey back from Worrall to HQ. Sian shivered as she climbed out of the car at the front of the building. She doubted she’d ever use the rear car park again.

With her head down, she pushed by a swarm of journalists, ignored their questions and was let into the building by a police constable she didn’t recognise.

A little way down the corridor she stopped in her tracks. Sian had been with South Yorkshire Police her entire career. She prided herself on knowing everyone, but it turned out she didn’t know as many people as she thought. Out of the six dead, she only knew two by name. Of the eight seriously injured, she only knew three. That had to change. She turned back and returned to the petite uniformed officer standing by the door.

‘Have the reporters been any trouble?’ Sian asked.

‘Oh, no. They’ve been quite patient, actually,’ she said in a soft voice. She obviously hadn’t expected a plain-clothed officer to talk to her.

‘Have you been here long?’

‘I started here a few months ago,’ she said with a look of sadness on her smooth, pale face.

Sian gave a sympathetic smile. ‘Not the start you were hoping for?’

‘You could say that.’

‘Well, I’m DS Sian Mills. I’m with the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.’ She held out her hand for the young woman to shake.

‘Nice to meet you. PC Zofia Nowak.’

‘Beautiful name.’

‘Thank you.’ She gave a genuine smile. ‘My parents are Polish.’

‘I know today is highly unusual, and it will affect a lot of us in different way, but if you ever need to talk, just pop upstairs. None of us should go through this alone.’

‘That’s very kind of you. Thank you.’

Sian promised herself to be more open and forthcoming, especially with the next generation of officers. She proffered a sympathetic smile, turned and headed for the stairs.

But stopped dead when she saw a face she knew at the end of the corridor.

‘Kesinka!’

Her colleague turned around. Her face was gaunt and wide-eyed. The moment she saw Sian it wrinkled, and the tears flowed.

‘Sian!’

‘Oh my God.’ Sian started crying and headed towards her with her arms outstretched. They held each other tight and cried on each other’s shoulder. ‘I’m so sorry, Kes. I’m so, so sorry.’ Sian’s words were muffled, lost in Kesinka’s duffel coat. She pulled herself out of the embrace and looked deep into Kesinka’s wet eyes. ‘He was a good man. The best. I’m so sorry. What are you doing here? You should be at home.’

‘I couldn’t stay in the house. I just … I don’t know … I needed some air, so I went out for a walk, and I ended up here. I don’t even know how I got here.’

‘Where’s Hemant?’

‘He’s with my mum. Sian, I don’t know what I’m going to do without him,’ she said, bursting into tears once more.

Sian fumbled in her pocket for a tissue. She pulled a crumpled one out and handed it to the DC.

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