‘Thank God,’ she said, continuing to guide Zach away.
Leanne stood against the wall, cradling her elbow. Her face was pure white.
‘I’ll be back,’ Kim said, needing to get Zach away from the scene.
‘I’m fine,’ Leanne said before groaning.
Kim was at the front door when two paramedics came rushing towards her.
‘Second left,’ she advised as a second ambulance and a squad car came screeching onto the drive, followed by a breathless Reece.
‘Flagged ’em down at the road,’ he said, glancing at a glassy-eyed Zach. ‘Is he okay?’
‘He’s had a few shocks, but he’ll be fine,’ she said, realising there was no one left to call to come get him. His whole family was dead.
‘Is there anything else I can do to help?’ Reece asked, looking around.
‘No, you’ve done enough.’
Kim had no clue what Bryant had encountered upstairs but it was clear that Daryl Hewitt’s car was no longer on the drive.
‘Take your coat back,’ Reece said, removing his own.
‘What are you…?’
‘I’ll take him next door. Della will look after him. He knows us.’
Zach offered no objection as Kim took her coat and Reece wrapped his around the man’s shoulders.
‘Come on, mate, let’s get a strong cup of tea inside you,’ Reece said, taking Zach’s arm and guiding him gently and slowly down the drive.
‘Reece,’ she called out.
He turned.
‘Thank you,’ she said sincerely.
They weren’t family but Zach had known the Porters all his life.
The second paramedic team rushed to the front door.
‘If you’re not needed with the gunshot victim, there’s a woman standing against the wall, pretty pale and incredibly stubborn, who appears to have dislocated her shoulder.’
Kim wondered what body organ it had cost Bryant to prise Leanne away from the door to help. Clearly, they’d used the technique of one at the top and one at the bottom, which took a good few tries to perfect without serious injury.
As she re-entered the study, Gavin was being placed on a stretcher. A low groan told her he was still alive.
Leanne was still against the wall, arguing with the paramedics.
‘I’m not going,’ she said emphatically. ‘Just pop the fucker back in and send me on my way.’
‘So Gavin was Daniel?’ Bryant asked as the paramedics negotiated the furniture in the study to wheel him to the ambulance.
‘Yep, the prospect of Jonathan tipped him over the edge,’ Kim explained.
‘Jeez, and he seemed like such a nice guy. In other news, Daryl was the father of Rozzie’s baby.’
‘Ugh,’ she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.