Joshua's Grace

Chapter 18 (1)

Joshua did not stop following the car, but neither did he speed along in their wake. He did kept track of the Police. The overhead helicopter was also clearly in pursuit. He decided to keep it in his sights. It followed the right fork. The Police cars disappeared out of site as the road began to wind, clinging tightly to the curve and steep incline. The traffic was lighter on the side road.

Joshua followed. The road followed the natural outline of hills. Steadily the curves became tighter, and steeper, as the road wound its way up the steady incline. He noticed that the helicopter was hovering and the wail of the police sirens suddenly ceased. Something was wrong. Why had everything stopped?

Joshua didn't have to wait long to find out. He rounded a bend, braked hard and skidded to a stop. The two police cars were parked at an angle to the road, their hazard lights on. They were deserted. Joshua brought the Jag to a stop alongside the police cars, then he raced from his car. He glanced briefly around and heard their voices. They were scaling the side of the hill. He raced over to the steep bank and saw her car. It was crushed. The roof was caved, buckled, mangled.

He must have yelled her name aloud, the four policemen turned at the sound. Joshua slid down the bank, the soil loose, his footing unsure. He followed the path of destruction carved out by the car. It had rolled over a hundred feet, flattening shrubs along its way.

"Stay where you are sir." He was advised. Joshua ignored the advice. Three police officers continued to descend, one waited for Joshua. The man put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Just wait here. Wait." He was told more firmly when Joshua almost pushed past the young man.

Joshua wasn't listening. He tried to shove the man aside. The man held on. The other three had reached the car. One peered into the remnants of the concave roof. The two others walked around the car. One tapped on the boot. "Dr Carvalho?" Joshua heard the man ask. No response. The policeman tried again. "Dr?" Nothing.

"Grace." Bellowed Joshua with all his might. The restraining policeman was startled.

"You know her?"

"My wife." Joshua pushed past the young man and scrambled down the hill, rushing toward the car. "Grace." He yelled. No response. One policeman was on his radio, requesting ambulances and the fire brigade, he finished by reporting on the situation.

"Three male dead"
By the time Joshua reached him all he caught was the word dead.

"She isn't dead." He screamed, and raced toward the boot of the car "Grace." Joshua hammered on the rear of the car. Nothing.

The four policemen shared speaking looks.

"Sir. Leave this to us." Stated a calm voice.

"She's not dead. I'm telling you. She's not dead. Grace. Grace." Joshua turned anguished green eyes toward the nearest man, "Can't you pop the boot?"

The car was too mangled and they were unable to reach the boot release mechanism. "We'll have to wait. The fire brigade will cut it open." One of the officers verified the request for an ambulance and fire brigade.

"That's not good enough." Joshua told them. He fought to remain calm, rational. Grace needed him. He had to think. "Where are the keys?"

"Keys?"

"To the car?" Joshua's logical brain was back in gear. "The electrics are probably shot, but the lock looks ok. We need the key."

One officer moved to the mangled front door, he reached past the body slumped across the seat and slowly extracted the keys from the ignition. He walked toward the boot, wondering whether he should order Joshua away while they opened it. He wasn't sure whether Joshua would cope.