Chapter 24
Gallagher woke in the dark, breathing hard. He’d passed out while cleaning and dressing his wound. The pain in his arm reminded him of where he was and why. He'd driven the unmarked Land Rover at speed across country and he'd lost a lot of blood as a result. Once he was out of what would have been the initial search area, he'd hidden the vehicle in a copse so it couldn't be seen from the air.
Looking around the room, he began to control his breathing. He'd spotted the ruined cottage lying back from the road. There were signs of habitation, recent habitation: camping stoves, food, sleeping bags. It wouldn’t have been his first choice of accommodation but the fatigue had been threatening to overwhelm him.
It was at least an hour before dawn. He heard voices below. Footsteps beg
