THE TROUBLE WITH DECEIT

Part 18 Don't blame me!

Gregor wheeled around and barked orders to a man wearing full medics overalls and the similarly garbed nurse accompanying him.  "take one-half litre of blood now, label it with full details and date.  Do it this minute, and let it be known I do not think drawing blood from a man suffering from massive blood loss is exactly an ethical action!"  To the nurse, he said "Help me get him on the trolley and then set up saline, his heart needs something to pump or it will surely arrest!  As soon as Gino has completed the blood sampling give him some adrenalin, and we will move him to the ambulance.  Gary, you are coming as well, because I need to know what the hells going on here, and I need to know just how much trouble I am getting myself into by helping you."

Quickly moving to Helen's side Gary said "I'm going to have to go with him, I am asking you as a friend, not a colleague to stay here and hold the fort for me.  Shut down the portal again and maybe if we are very lucky nobody will have realised that it has been opened.  We mustn't let this story get out Helen or we are all going to be in so much trouble that I don't even want to think about it.  Get this place looking normal and make sure there's nothing on any of the security cameras. We want this to look as though nothing at all has happened, be thorough Helen, all of our futures depend on you now."    As he joined the Gregor and the medics, who were wheeling the trolley to the waiting ambulance he was told by him to sit in the front with the driver, and that he and the medics would travel in the back with the patient.  As they all quickly boarded the vehicle Kip began to climb in also. Spotting him Gregor barked, "where do you think you are going, boy? you stay here with the others there is no room for passengers here!"  Undeterred Kip clambered into the crowded little ambulance and squatted down beside Reese, taking hold of his lifeless hand.  In a determined voice, despite the tears streaming down his face, he said: "I go where he goes!"  Shaking his head Gregor said to Gary "please tell me those two are not involved, I didn't think this situation could possibly get any worse!"  Looking completely deflated Gary replied "don't ask me, before today I always felt that I knew exactly where I was going and what my role is in the world.  Now I feel as though I am in a train crash!!"

Arnold Riley bolted away from the bleeding figure of Reece on the ground and scuttled into the side streets that he knew so well.  Any minute expecting to be apprehended by a chasing policeman.  The guy was as good as dead, he was sure of that, as nobody made it after that kind of blood loss. That stupid idiot David! looking back this whole situation it was unbelievable.  He had never intentionally gotten involved with violent crime, it just wasn't him.  All of this had happened to him because of that do-gooder who had jumped him as he ran from the shop with a stolen shirt.  Just a stupid shirt and now he was facing a life sentence for murder.  It would be he,  Arnold, who would take the rap for this, the damn do-gooder had seen him grappling with the shopkeeper, and he had seen him again on the second occasion.  He should have walked away then, it was like he was cursed and now the guy would testify that he had killed the shopkeeper in cold blood because typical of his luck in this whole sorry mess, the interfering do-gooder hadn't actually emerged from the shop until that wanker David had fled the scene.  He knew what was going to happen next, as soon as he returned home he would be arrested and carted away.  Little did he know that in fact that thanks to Rani the crime had never even been reported and probably never would be.  He wasn't a stupid man and his mind was racing now, it was one thing being caught for petty theft or burglary and quite another to take a rap for murder.  Making a quick decision he changed direction and began rapidly walking in the direction of the high street.   Fifteen minutes later he arrived at Romford police station and unhesitatingly strode in and presented himself at the desk, he realised that the only way he was going to stand any chance of not taking the hit for this was going to be by blowing the whistle on his (not anymore) friend David, and it needed to be done right away, while they could catch him with the shopkeepers blood on him, because after the police interviewed the witnesses they were only going to be searching for him and David would be in the clear. 

It was one of those rare quiet nights that came along every so often, and Keith had just left the desk to get himself a cup of coffee when the door buzzer went.  Cursing softly under his breath he returned to the desk.  There was a bit of a shifty looking guy standing there wringing his hands nervously.  "Yes, can I help you sir,"  he said.  "I've come to report a knife attack, a murder, I think the guy's dead. "  Instantly alert now Keith said to him, "if you would like to step this way please sir and have a seat right here I will take a statement from you, and we will see what we have here."  Sitting down opposite Arnold with a pen and paper at hand he said to him, "ok sir, if you can tell me first your full name and address, and then we can move on to what it is you want to tell me."  Arnold felt confused, he had been sure that in view of the recent events there would have, by now been a major incident squad of some kind at the shop, and yet this policeman was acting as though he knew nothing about it.  Although he felt unnerved by this, he told the guy how he had gone round to the shop and knocked on the door.  And of how as the shopkeeper had opened the door, another man, who he in fact recognised as somebody he knew, had rushed forward and stabbed him, and how he himself had fled in fear for his own life."  Finally putting the pen down Keith said to him, "if you would be so kind as to remain here sir, I will send somebody right away to see what is happening. "Somebody will bring you a hot drink in a moment, we shan't keep you waiting for very long."  Arnold's mind was racing.  Something very strange was going on here.  If he had known it would be like this he wouldn't have come here in the first place, but it was too late for that now as he had already given his statement, and told the policeman David's address so there was no going back now.