Page 32 of Murder in Shades of Fire and Ash

“No, mate,” one of the firefighters said, and took Charlie under the arms, walking him away from the fire, towards the emergency vehicles at the end of the alleyway. “Let’s get you checked out.”

“I’m fine,” Charlie said, “just need a drink.”

“You’re shaking and your leg is burned,” the firefighter said. “Not fine. Tell him to get checked out.”

Charlie looked to see who the firefighter was talking to and saw Eddy and Patsy between two fire engines. Patsy started forward, arms outstretched, a look of horror on her face.

“What happened? Oh, God, sarge, what happened?”

And all Charlie could think waswhat the hell is Patsy doing here?

24

Tuesday morning, still too early

As the adrenaline ebbed out of Charlie’s body, his leg began to hurt even more. He peered down to see what the paramedic was doing and flinched at the sight of his reddened, blistered flesh. The paramedic looked up in alarm.

“What’s hurting?”

Charlie took a deep breath and winced again. “As well as my leg? My chest,” he said. “I must have landed badly or something when the explosion threw us across the yard.”

“Let me get this sorted, then you can get an X-ray at the hospital,” the paramedic said.

Yeah, no. Not going to happen. With Freya Ravensbourne being blue-lighted to A & E, he, Charlie, was the person in charge until HQ sent someone else.

“How’s my boss?” Charlie asked. “Do you know any more?”

“Just that she was alive when they loaded her up,” the paramedic said. “You can ask when you get to the hospital.”

Charlie didn’t have time to say he wasn’t going anywhere before Eddy strode over, with what almost seemed to be panic on his face. He kept glancing back over his shoulder, and Charlie realised he was watching Patsy.

“What’s Patsy doing here?” Charlie asked.

“Tell you later,” Eddy said. “I’ve just had a call from my mate Kev down at the trading estate. They’ve found what they are pretty sure is a body in a burned-out van at the back of the car parts place.”

Charlie took a couple of deep and very painful breaths. His immediate instinct was to rush back to the trading estate to see the scene, but was that the right thing to do? What was now doubly certain was that he wouldn’t be going to the hospital. He also had to deal with whatever was causing the look of panic on Eddy’s face. He put all the confidence he could muster into his voice.

“Ravensbourne must have had a driver,” he said to Eddy. “Find him and call Mags. One here and one at the trading estate to monitor who has access to the scenes. I’ll call the big boss and get the scenes of crime guys and the pathologist. And then, you are going to drive me back to the trading estate, and tell me about Patsy, and why you haven’t been to bed.”

Eddy’s face began to relax, until Charlie beckoned Patsy over. She came, looking exhausted: eyes red, face white, clothes crumpled. Charlie saw that her trainers were damp and grubby, despite the heat of the last few days. She had a small band aid covering the cut on her cheek.

Charlie called up his inner Ravensbourne: the one who issued orders rather than the one who asked for opinions. He probably looked like Ravensbourne, too. The paramedic had cut up the side seam of his trousers to be able to bandage his burned leg, and the rest of his clothes showed the signs of being rolled in debris.

“Eddy is going to walk you back to his mam’s when he’s made a couple of calls,” Charlie told her. “And I want you to promise me that you won’t leave for the rest of the day. If you don’t, I’mgoing to arrest you. Your choice. I’m just too busy to deal with you now.”

The paramedic muttered something that could have beenyou’re going to regret this,but Charlie ignored it. He also ignored the way Eddy’s mouth fell open at the wordarrest.“Make the calls,” Charlie said in Eddy’s direction, and Eddy got his phone out and moved away.

The paramedic was wrapping Charlie’s leg in what seemed to be greasy clingfilm. “You need to get this properly dressed.”

Charlie shook his head. “Sorry, mate, too much to do … I’d appreciate some painkillers though. The good stuff.” Because exactly no part of his body didn’t hurt. Maybe his ears. Nope, they were still buzzing from the explosion. He tried to straighten himself up and all the muscles in his chest protested. The paramedic rocked back on his heels, and looked at Charlie through half closed eyes, seemingly assessing his state of mind. Whatever he saw, he reached into one of the green bags and produced a strip of tablets. Then he turned round to the ambulance and brought a bottle of water. He handed them both to Charlie.

“Take one of these now, and then one every four hours if you need to. Which you will. No more than that if you want to keep your head clear and get yourself to the hospital asap with that burn. Burns get infected. Infections kill.”

“Then wrap it up really, really well,” Charlie said, and then added, “Please.”

“I’m bloody glad you’re not my boss,” the paramedic said.

“I saidplease.”

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