Vanished Beneath: DS Lasser six (The Lasser series Book 6) (32 page)

When the vehicle hit the water, he could see the headlights disappear beneath the surface. Without hesitating he leapt headlong into the water, the nose of the vehicle began to slide deeper into the abyss, sliding slowly down the steep sandstone embankment. Then he saw Emma's face appear at the rear window, her hands beating a terrified tattoo on the glass, her eyes wide and frantic, framed with the fringe of blond hair as the sinking car began to fill with freezing water. 

Lasser could feel his legs growing numb as the water dragged the heat from his body. The car lurched forward again picking up speed as the incline grew more acute. Reaching down into the water, Lasser gasped in shock as it rose up to his chest; his ice cold fingers scrabbled on the rock strewn ground. Then he broke free, the chunk of sandstone clasped in his right hand. The water lapped at the back window, the taillights reared upwards, he could hear Emma's screams muffled as the car continued to sink. Lasser leapt forward and landed on the boot as it tilted into the air.

'Get back!'
he screamed.

Emma looked out at him in terror, then he raised the stone and brought it down hard on the glass, instantly the surface became opaque and Emma's face vanished behind a spider web of cracks. Fighting for balance, he grasped the stone in both hands and smashed it down again, the glass folded inwards in one complete sheet and his head was suddenly filled with Emma Drake’s screams.

Reaching forward Lasser grabbed the collar of her jacket in both hands and yanked her through the small gap. Then the car lurched one final time as it see-sawed on the stone ledge and Lasser leapt back bringing Emma with him like a new born child delivered into a world of pain. They hit the water together and then he was kicking for the shore one arm wrapped around her shoulder and neck as he fought to reach the edge.

The taillights of the car blinked once, twice before sliding into the deep.  

'Got you!'
Bannister hollered as he grabbed Emma and dragged her towards the edge.

Lasser tried to stand but he slipped on the slick rocks beneath his feet and plunged forward into the water.

'Lasser!'

He heard Medea scream his name, her voice muffled as his head dipped below the surface and then he was lunging upright and staggering forward into Medea's waiting arms.

85

Lasser sat on the hospital bed his shaking hands wrapped around a mug of steaming coffee. Bannister stood over near the door, his hair sticking up on end, Suzanne by his side. She'd arrived at the hospital armed with a clean suit for Bannister. Lasser's wet clothes had vanished.

'I tell you Sergeant when you jumped onto the back of that car I thought you were a fucking goner.'

'
Mind your language Alan
,' Suzanne chided and Bannister glanced at her and then blushed in embarrassment.

'Tell me you brought another set of clothes with you Suzanne?' Lasser asked hopefully.

She perched on the edge of the bed and frowned. 'You need to rest, tell him Alan.'

Bannister grunted from the doorway.

Suzanne threw him a dark look.
'Is that all you can do grunt?'

Bannister shrugged. 'He'll be alright, Suzi.'

'He could have been killed you said so yourself.'

'Well yeah, he didn't die, I mean, look at him - he looks fine.'

Suzanne shook her head in disgust. 'If it had been you who took a dive into that water then we'd never hear the last of it.'

'Rubbish!
' Bannister barked.
'Lasser did what he had to do but that doesn't mean he can lounge in bed all day.'

When the door opened and Medea walked in Bannister snapped his mouth closed and Suzanne rose from the bed.

'Right come on Alan let's give these two some privacy.'

Bannister smiled at Medea and gave her arm a squeeze as he pushed through the door; Suzanne kissed her on the cheek before following Bannister into the corridor.

Medea waited until the door closed and then her head fell forward her black hair swaying to cover her face.

When she looked up Lasser was standing in front of her in the paper gown.
'Are you OK Med?' he asked his face etched with concern.

'I thought you were dead, when I saw you reach into the back of the car all I could do was scream,' she sounded forlorn, her face white with remembered shock.

'I've told you before I'm tougher than I look.'

She tried to smile and then her face crumpled. 'But
why
did you do it,
why
did you risk everything?'

Lasser tried to think of some throw away quip, but in the end he could only think of one thing to say, 'Because I made you a promise.'

She blinked up at him; her tongue darted across her lips he could see the moisture glistening beneath the strip light, he wanted to kiss her.

'I promised you Emma would be safe.'

She looked into his eyes and shook her head in disbelief.
'Thank you,'
she whispered and then held out her hands.

Lasser grasped them before pulling her towards him. 'The main thing is Emma's fine; I mean,
she is fine isn't she
?'

'The doctor said she has cuts and bruising and she's still in shock but apart from that she's in one piece.'

'Well considering the time she's had that's good.'

'She would have
died
if you hadn't intervened.'

Lasser could feel his face begin to burn. 'Yeah well, to be honest I don't think blocking the road helped but the last thing we wanted was to get involved in a chase.'

She laced her arms around his neck and kissed him, Lasser felt his legs grow weak.

When she tried to pull away, he grasped her waist and held her close.

'I'm sorry for not ringing when I said I would, it was out of order.'

Medea trailed a hand across his cheek. 'I spoke to Alan, he told me about the man jumping from the balcony in Platt Bridge. It was me who was out of order; I mean, it must have been terrible for you?'

Lasser tried to think back to Colly Roberts death but it suddenly felt like a lifetime ago. 'I've had better days,' he admitted and then rubbed at his eyes. 'Did Bannister say anything about Forbes?'

'He said they've got people up at the reservoir, but Alan's convinced he went down with the car.'

Lasser grunted before brushing the hair from Medea's face with his fingertips.

'Emma said she wants see you as soon as possible,' she said.

Lasser looked at her in surprise. '
She's awake then
?'

Medea shuddered. 'She says every time she closes her eyes she can see the water rising in the car.'

'Right then let's go and see if we can cheer her up.'

When he stepped towards the door, Medea grabbed his wrist. Lasser turned and looked at her in surprise.

'
Problem
?' he asked.

'Well yeah your backsides hanging out.'

Lasser spun around.
'Shit!'
he said his face turning puce with embarrassment.

Medea raised an eyebrow before slapping his bare buttock. 'Get covered up Lasser we don't want the nurses swooning as you walk down the corridor.'

Lasser covered his face with his hands and shook his head. 

As soon as Emma saw him walk into the room, she started to cry. Medea sat on the edge of the bed and took hold of her hand.

Lasser smiled awkwardly. 'How are you feeling Emma?'

Suddenly she kicked back the sheet and swung her legs from the bed before standing up. Lasser glanced at Medea in confusion, she smiled back at him.

'Thank you,'
Emma whispered before throwing her arms around his neck.

Lasser patted her back awkwardly, Medea shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself before scowling at Lasser he raised an eyebrow before encircling Emma in his arms.

Medea nodded her smile growing wider.

'Thank you,'
Emma repeated.

Lasser could feel the shudders running through her body and then he eased her back to the bed. Emma sat down and looked up at him like a child with wonderment in her eyes.

'I was sure I was going to die, I could feel the water on my legs I knew it was rising and then I saw you,' she shook her head as if she still couldn't believe what had happened. 'I mean, it didn't seem possible.'

'I told you he was a good guy, Em,' Medea smiled before taking her hand again.

Emma looked at her friend and managed a weak smile before turning her gaze back to Lasser.

'You could have died,'
she said in a small voice.

Lasser frowned. 'Why does everyone keep telling me that, I mean, I'm a good swimmer...?’

'But you didn't
need
to do it,' Emma said in a trembling voice.

'Oh, believe me I did, Medea would have killed me if I hadn't done the right thing.'

Medea nodded. 'See, he knows me so well.'

Emma lowered her head and started to cry again.

'I'll get us all a coffee,' Lasser said, heading to the door. As he reached for the handle it swung open and James Drake stood in the doorway. When he saw Emma, his paper-thin face crumpled in a mixture of terrible anguish and relief.

Lasser turned. ‘Em, you have a visitor.'

Medea turned, her eyes widening when she saw the old man standing on the threshold.

Emma looked up and then she blinked at her father in shock, the last time she'd seen him, he had been at least two stones heavier, his hair had been grey yet still full of vitality. Now he looked like an escapee from a concentration camp, his face like an alabaster death mask, the skin hanging loose from his chin as if some invisible weight were pulling down on his face.

'
Dad
?' she whispered unsure if it was really him.

Drake opened his arms and tottered into the room on stick thin legs.

Then Emma rocketed up from the bed her fair hair trailing behind as she ran across the room. When she threw herself forward, Lasser had to steady the old man to save him from falling to the floor. 

Tears slid down James' face, tears of regret tears of relief.

Lasser went in search of the drinks machine.

86

It had gone midday before they released him, he found Bannister waiting on the hospital car park leaning against the battered Audi pulling hard on a cigarette. Suzanne had picked Medea up and was taking her back up to Rivington to collect her car. Medea said she would head home to grab a few toiletries for Emma, who was still under observation, and meet him back at home later.

'I take it you've stopped milking the glory then?' Bannister asked as he dropped the cigarette onto the floor.

Lasser sniffed.
'What do you mean by that
?'

Bannister shrugged. 'Come on Sergeant you might be able to fool the women in your life but you were loving it in there.'

'
Bollocks
!'

'Well I hope you can put your fan club to one side because we've got a busy few hours ahead of us.'

'Fan club
?' Lasser mumbled in disbelief as he yanked open the car door.

'What do you think you're doing Sergeant?'

Lasser hesitated. 'I thought you said we had somewhere we need to be?'

Bannister tilted his head. 'We're going back in there,' he nodded at the hospital. 'Doc Shannon's been working on Sharon Cliff and I want an update.'

'Oh right
.'

'You've had your quota of excitement for one week Lasser now it's back to standing around with your thumb up your arse. Now come on, I want to get this out of the way, I'm having the Mellor’s brought in later, and I don't want to give them the chance to fabricate a load of bullshit.'

'Hang on even the Mellor’s wouldn't be thick enough to dump a body outside their own premises.'

Bannister set off walking back towards the entrance Lasser fell in by his side.

'I agree, but I don't believe in coincidence either, she was placed there for a reason.'

'
What reason
?'

'That's what we have to find out, now stop asking stupid questions and shake the water from your ears, because this is serious work.'

Bannister barrelled his way through the front doors and strode across the foyer with Lasser hurrying to keep up.

A couple of minutes later, they opened the door to Shannon's office to find the big man behind his desk tapping his sausage like fingers at the keys of a desktop computer.

'Ah, the hero is back on his feet. How are you feeling Sergeant?'

Bannister folded his arms. 'Never mind him what can you tell us about Sharon Cliff?'