‘Guv, guv, wake up. Guv, come on,’ Kim heard before she opened her eyes.

It took her a moment to realise where she was. The discomfort of the damp grass beneath her was trumped by the knife being run up and down her left leg. She groaned as she tried to sit up.

‘Stay there,’ Bryant said, steadying her and putting his jacket around her shoulders.

The April morning sun was warm on her face but her body was shivering uncontrollably.

‘It’s the shock, guv,’ Bryant said. ‘You’ve pushed your leg too hard. You need to be checked—’

‘Bryant, tell me that siren in the distance isn’t for me?’ she said, looking around for the blue lights.

‘I may have accidentally called it in.’

‘What, you fell over and landed on the 999 button?’ she asked, cuttingly.

‘Yeah, that was exactly it,’ he said as a first responder pulled off the main road and onto the grass.

‘Now, if you’d tried that manoeuvre, Bryant, I might have c-caught her,’ she said as a violent shudder coursed through her.

‘Whatever,’ he said as the first responder approached.

An ambulance pulled up behind the responder’s vehicle. Two paramedics jumped out with a stretcher.

‘Hell, no,’ she raged and then looked at her colleague. ‘Bloody hell, Bryant.’

‘I don’t decide who comes. I just made the call,’ he said as his phone rang. ‘Woody,’ he said taking a step away.

‘You called the boss?’ she asked, incredulously.

‘Yeah, got bored waiting for you to wake up,’ he said, answering the call.

‘What’s your name?’ asked the paramedic as he kneeled on the grass.

‘Well, it ain’t Usain Bolt, is it?’ she snapped.

He raised an eyebrow.

‘Kim Stone,’ she answered.

‘And where are you?’ he asked, pulling on a pair of latex gloves.

‘Sitting on a field in the middle of bloody Tividale being gawped at like a circus animal,’ she said, nodding towards the onlookers gathering around the edge of the field.

‘Did you hit your head?’ he asked.

‘No.’

‘So, what exactly happened?’

‘Stupid mistake, moved too fast, leg gave way, passed out but I’m fine now. Plaster came off a few days ago,’ she explained, pointing to her left leg.

He frowned before moving around to her left-hand side. ‘Did the doctor not explain?…’

‘Yes, he did,’ she said, holding up her hand. ‘I am solely responsible for this level of stupidity,’ she said.

‘Yes, she is,’ Bryant confirmed after ending the call. ‘And Woody wants you either at the hospital or back at the station. Preferably the hospital but…’

‘Actually, you can blame him for some of it. If he’d got the car closer…’

‘This may hurt a bit,’ said the paramedic as he placed both hands at the top of her knee.

She looked at him questioningly.

‘Just checking everything is where it should be,’ he said, flatly, as the two guys with the stretcher arrived.

‘Thanks guys, but I won’t be needing—’

‘They’re staying,’ said the first responder.

‘Seriously, go help some sick person,’ she protested, deeply disturbed by the resources being used because she’d tried to run.

They made no move to retreat and stood behind the first responder.

‘Bryant, tell ’em I’m fine.’

‘They won’t listen to either of you,’ said the first responder as his gloved hands moved down her leg.

‘I’m sure there are people that need their… aargh…’ she cried out as his hands squeezed around her shin.

‘I did mention it might hurt,’ he said, without flinching.

As his hands moved away from the break spot she breathed a sigh of relief. He took a pupilometer from his medical bag and shone it in both of her eyes. She was reminded of the scenes from the film Men in Black.

‘Okay, I’ve forgotten everything. I never saw a thing. You can let me go now,’ she joked in an effort to show him she was fine.

‘She’s Perrl,’ he said, over his shoulder.

‘I’m what?’ she asked.

‘Pupils are equal, round and reactive to light,’ he answered, placing his pen light back in his bag.

‘Sounds like I’m good to go,’ she said, pushing herself forward.

‘Any headaches, nausea?…’

‘Seriously, I’m fine,’ she said, shaking her head.

‘I don’t think you’ve done any permanent damage but I’d like you to go to hospital for an X-ray to make sure.’

‘Nah, I’m good, thanks,’ Kim said, holding out her hand to Bryant to help her up.

The paramedic took off the gloves. ‘I can’t force you to go but it is my best advice.’

‘Hospital or station, guv,’ Bryant reminded her.

‘At least let me see you walk a couple of steps,’ the paramedic said, stepping back.

Kim lowered her left foot to the ground and put her weight through it. She hid the pain behind an ‘I told you I’m fine’ smile.

‘Grimacing on the inside, eh?’ he asked with a half smile.

The second step was less painful than the first. The next one was less tentative as the vision of the bone snapping in half disappeared from her mind.

‘A few more steps,’ he said, turning to Bryant. ‘You going to be with her for the rest of the day?’

‘Due to sins in a past life, I’d imagine so,’ Bryant replied drily.

‘Keep an eye out for any signs of concussion from the fall: throwing up, balance issues, complaints of blurred vision, confusion, saying things that don’t make sense…’

‘Yeah, some of those are gonna be difficult to isolate from normal—’

‘Bryant,’ she warned, sending him daggers. She didn’t need him giving them any excuse to hassle her further.

She’d taken two more steps when her phone started to ring. It was the squad room.

‘Stace,’ she answered before she heard the voice. ‘Oh, Penn,’ she corrected, feeling the tension seep into her jaw.

She listened as he spoke.

‘What?’ she said.

He continued.

‘You are kidding?’ she asked.

He finished speaking, and she ended the call.

She smiled at the trio of technicians. ‘Sorry, guys, looks like I’m going to the station after all,’ she said.

‘We are?’ Bryant asked.

‘Oh yes, but first we have to pick up something on the way.’