Page 40 of Ticket Out

She looked through the cupboard under the counter, found a small first aid kit, and took it with her when she went back to let Longmore know what was going on.

“I know first aid,” she said, holding up the kit. “I can make a start on him before the ambulance gets here.”

Longmore seemed happy for her to take the initiative, and she crouched beside the man in the white coat, careful to avoid the broken glass. “Can you take your coat off?” she asked him.

He struggled up, leaning against a table leg, and she helped him ease it off his shoulder and get his shirt unbuttoned so they could do the same with his shirt.

She was busy cleaning the jagged cut with some antiseptic wipes when a few more bobbies arrived, along with two medics.

They carried the man off, giving her a friendly nod of thanks for her efforts.

All the while, the Ford driver fumed at the far end of the room, arms crossed over his chest, refusing to come closer and be put under arrest.

Gabriella repacked the first aid kit. There was blood on her hands, but she’d been careful not to get it on her uniform. She eased past the policemen crowding the small antechamber. “I’ll go return the kit and wash my hands in the shop, then I’ll be off.”

Longmore looked less than enthusiastic about that idea.

“DS Archer knows where to find me. I have to get on with my rounds. And you really got here just after me.”

After a moment, he gave a nod of agreement and Gabriella slipped out from under the curious eyes of the other bobbies.

She washed up in the gift shop’s tiny kitchenette and once again stepped around the gift shop owner sitting on the stairs, when DS Archer and DC Hartridge pulled up in the loading zone with a screech of brakes.

“Miss Farnsworth?” DS Archer called as he closed his door.

“It’ll all over,” she said, then couldn’t help a quick grin. “Bar the shouting.”

“Shouting,” the woman on the steps said. “Lots of shouting.”

“Did you hear what the shouting was about, Mrs. Pinter?” Archer asked.

“Some.” Mrs. Pinter lifted her head. “About Patty. Lenny accused Mr. Fischer of killing Patty.”

“And what did Mr. Fischer say about that?” DS Archer’s voice was calm, although Gabriella could see the gleam in his eye.

“He said it was Lenny who had killed her, by being too cocky, and he needed to direct his anger at himself.”

DS Archer turned to her. “What can you tell me, Miss Farnsworth?”

“PC Longmore and some other officers are arresting Lenny at the back, and the ambulance took Mr. Fischer off to hospital. Lenny stabbed him in the shoulder with a broken laboratory flask.” Gabriella thought about it, then raised a shoulder. “Or, that’s what it looked like.” She hitched her satchel up higher on her shoulder. “I’m off on my rounds.”

“Wait.” DS Archer frowned. “How are you involved?”

“Mrs. Pinter grabbed me as I was passing. Fischer and Lenny were fighting in the room that runs along the back of her shop. She begged me to help, so I called you at the Yard, and when I couldn’t get you there, I asked them to send some local bobbies for help, and I went round the back to see if I could do anything.”

“And could you?” DC Hartridge asked when she paused.

She shot him a quick grin. “No. Fortunately PC Longmore arrived hot on my heels, and while he kept Lenny from trying to escape, I tried to do some first aid on Mr. Fischer until the ambulance arrived. Some more bobbies arrived to help get Lenny under control, and I left them to it.”

“We’ll need a statement,” DS Archer said. “Can you come round to the Yard later?”

She gave a nod. “I’ll come after my shift.”

Just then, Longmore and his fellow bobbies emerged from the alley with Lenny between two of them.

He looked like he hadn’t gone quietly.

“Well, I’ve got to be off. Cheers.” Gabriella gave a wave and walked away. She decided it was the illegal parkers in Clematis Lane’s lucky day, because she was moving on to the next section of her rounds.

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