First Banks reached into his desk drawer, where he kept a spare packet of cigarettes, then he dialled Eastvale General Infirmary.
12
Reception paged the doctor, who picked up the phone about a minute later.
“Are there any serious injuries?” Banks asked.
“Most of them are just cuts and bruises. A few minor head wounds. On the whole, I’d say it looks worse than it is. But that’s not-“
“What about PC Gay?”
“Who?”
“Susan Gay. The policewoman.”
“Oh, yes. She’s all right. She’s got concussion. We’ll keep her in overnight for observation, then after a few days’ rest she’ll be right as rain. Look, I understand your concern, Chief Inspector, but that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What is it, then?” For a moment, Banks felt an icy prickle of irrational fear.
Sandra? The children? The results of his last chest X-ray?
“There’s been a death.”
“At the demonstration?”
“Yes.”
“Go on.”
“Well, it’s more of a murder, I suppose.”
“Suppose?”
“I mean that’s what it looks like. I’m not a pathologist. I’m not qualified-“
“Who’s the victim?”
“It’s a policeman. PC Edwin Gill.”
Banks frowned. “I’ve not heard the name. Where’s he from?”
“One of the others said he was drafted in from Scarborough.”
“How did he die?”
“Well, that’s the thing. You’d expect a fractured skull or some wound consistent with what went on.”
“But?”
“He was stabbed. He was still alive when he was brought in. I’m afraid we didn’t… There was no obvious wound at first. We thought he’d just been knocked out like the others.
13
He died before we could do anything. Internal bleeding.”
Banks put his hand over the receiver and turned his eyes up to the ceiling.
“Shit!”
“Hello, Chief Inspector? Are you still there?”
“Yes. Sorry, doc. Thanks for calling so quickly. I’ll send down some more police guards. Nobody’s to leave, no matter how minor their injuries. Is there anyone from Eastvale station there? Anyone conscious, that is.”
“Just a minute.”
Dr Partridge came back with PC Tolliver, who had accompanied Susan Gay in the ambulance.
“Listen carefully, lad,” Banks said. “We’ve got a bloody crisis on our hands back here, so you’ll have to handle the hospital end yourself.”
“Yes, sir.”
“There’ll be more men down there as soon as I can round some up, but until then do the best you can. I don’t want anyone from tonight’s fracas to leave there, do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And that includes our men, too. I realize some of them might be anxious to get home after they’ve had their cuts dressed, but I need statements, and I need them while things are fresh in their minds. Okay?”
“Yes, sir. There’s two or three more blokes here without serious injuries. We’ll see to it.”
“Good. You know about PC Gill?”
“Yes, sir. The doctor told me. I didn’t know him.”
“You’d better get someone to identify the body formally. Did he have a family?”
“Don’t know, sir.”
“Find out. If he did, you know what to do.”
