End of the Road (The Rozzers) Read Online Free PDF

location. Further casualty trapped with fuel leak; request fire and rescue and heavy lifting gear.” He turned to me. “How heavy’s that thing?”
    “Twelve-tonne digger; maybe fifteen max with trailer.”
    “Sufficient for eighteen tonnes, plus ambulance and a supervisor please.”
    He was passing on my update to his control room. He spoke in a language I recognised and appreciated – concise, accurate, efficient language that military personnel use on radios. I realised that what I was saying to this officer was important enough to cause a man to die if I got it wrong. I seriously concentrated as the driver returned with heavy duty torches and a decent-looking first aid kit.
    “There’s another guy with a serious head- cum -eye injury over there. There’s an arsy civilian first aider with him, although she seems to know what she’s doing. He’s another squaddy and his eye’s hanging out.” I forced the image from my mind. The driver made to go until I said, “He’s okay, though. He’s in good hands; nothing more to be done for him now until he gets to hospital.”
    “Whiskey Tango 1-9 further,” said the passenger.
    “Go ahead,” came back the female voice.
    “Will need two ambulances at this location; repeat: two. We have one further casualty with a serious head and/or eye injury. The road is completely blocked; will need to close it both ends at ...”
    As he continued updating his control room the driver asked me to show him what was what. He switched his radio off as we walked around the fuel-soaked pile-up so as to not ignite the fuel vapours. He leant in through the rear window and spoke, introducing himself and reassuring Robin that help was on its way and that he’d be out of there soon. I was so relieved to hear Robin’s voice.
    “Is there anyone we can contact to meet you at the hospital?” asked the cop.
    “Oh yeah,” I said. “I’ve got that here.” I ripped out the page from my notebook and held it out to the cop. “It’s Robin’s wife’s details.” My hand trembled. The cop looked from my hand to my face before taking the paper. He shone a pocket torch on it, checking its legibility.
    “Nice one, thanks.” He put his head back inside the car. “We’ll get a car around there straight away, okay Robin?”
    I heard a muffled reply.
    He turned to me and squeezed my shoulder as we walked towards the small group huddled around the injured sergeant.
    “Nearly done, soldier.” He looked me in my eyes and I felt his strength and understanding. “Now, just go with PC Jones and show him where the fatality is, will you? I’ll get this sorted out.” He waved the paper at me and smiled. I felt another hand on my shoulder and turned to see the other cop again.
    “Come on, son, show me where he is. Did you know him?”
    “No, he’s not one of ours,” I replied. I led him off the side of the road as he illuminated the plain with his monster torch. We spotted the Land Rover straight away – it was about twenty metres from the road. We made directly for it and found Tommo where we’d left him. The cop knelt and examined him.
    “Poor sod; at least he didn’t suffer.”
    I wondered how often he had to do this sort of thing and how he managed to deal with it. Traffic cops; must be a way of life for them.
    “No doubt here, soldier. He’s definitely dead.” He looked up at me. “What’s your name, son?”
    “Sapper Burden, Officer.”
    “Well, Sapper Burden, I was hoping you had a name .”
    I smiled. “Sorry, it’s Dave.” For a moment, I forgot that we were chatting to each other over a dead body.
    “Well, Dave, my friends call me Jonesy. I often get called other things but Jonesy suits me just fine.” He smiled at me as we stood up. I took comfort in his presence. “Did you pull him out of the Jeep?”
    “No, I didn’t. Donk – that’s the guy who found him – might have; he was with him when I arrived. Or the driver might have done – that’s the guy with the