I pictured him in a wheelchair, trapped behind bars, existing in a concrete cell. That would be Frank’s living hell. “Yeah. You’re right.” I lowered my boot.
Sapphire turned toward Cassidy, and the second her back was turned, I stomped my boot onto Frank’s bandaged hand.
Frank howled again.
“That’s for that young girl, Kat,” I said.
Sapphire spun to me, and I stepped back, raising my hands.
Sapphire rolled her eyes. But her expression wasn’t all anger, there was a little bit of satisfaction in there, too.
“Come on,” she said, waving her hand for me to step in front of her.
We raced back to Lyle. He was unconscious, his breath shallow but still going.
Mitch squatted down, lifted the bloody wadding, and shook his head. “We need to get Lyle to a hospital.” Mitch glanced up at Sapphire. “He’s lost a lot of blood.”
Cassidy’s eyes went to Frank. Then to me. “I’ll get the chopper as close as I can.” She sprinted out of the mouth of the cave.
Sapphire took out her phone and marched toward the entrance to get a signal. She moved like she was running on fumes.
“Detective Callahan. It’s Constable Sapphire Delaney from Winton Police Station.” Her voice bounced around the cave.
A pause.
“Yes. I need urgent help. I’m at a cave on Koolaroo Station, about two hundred miles past Winton.”
She paused.
“Yes, correct. Where Doug went missing. Listen. Senior Sergeant Bob Ackerman is a corrupt police officer. He attempted to kill me yesterday, and I’m with a civilian who’s bleeding from a close-range bullet wound to his stomach. Bob is the perp.”
Another pause.
“No. I didn’t catch him. He’s escaped on foot. I have a second victim Bob shot in the back and is possibly paralyzed. We’re flying the first victim out now, but I need urgent medivac for the second.”
A longer pause.
“Yes. RFDS would be ideal. Plus, your own people. I don’t know who else to trust. I have proof that Bob has been corrupt for a very long time.”
She listened. Her shoulders dropped half an inch. “I also believe the cave I’m in is the scene of multi-homicide crimes going back decades.”
She caught my eye, exhaling hard.
“Thank you. Yes, I understand. Hopefully, you’re quicker than that. I’ll send coordinates now.”
She hung up and stayed at the cave mouth for a beat longer, typing out a message on her phone. Finally, she wiped her brow and strode back to where Mitch and I were trying to stabilize Lyle.
“How long will they be?” I asked.
“They’re coming from Rosebud, so at least two hours.” She shook her head.
I’d figured as much. Koolaroo was a bloody long way from anywhere, even in a fixed-wing aircraft.
The chopper noise built outside.
Lyle’s eyes opened, and he reached for my hand. “I don’t wanna die.”
“You ain’t gonna die, mate,” I said. “You have to help us bring that bastard Bob Ackerman down—and Frank.”