by Hatchett
The journey would take them around fifteen to thirty minutes at this time of night and that would give Damian and Jess ample time to bring Di up to speed.
14
Joshua arrived at the Richardson’s house in Worplesdon to find a police car parked next to the curb.
He climbed out of his car and approached the two officers who were standing on the driveway talking. They turned as they heard footsteps.
“You must be Dr Raven,” the larger of the two officers said, holding out his hand.
“That’s right,” Joshua confirmed as he shook the man’s hand before turning to his colleague and shaking his. Immediately, Joshua realised that the first police officer was Laakuu, and the recognition had been reciprocated with a slight nod of the head.
“There’s no one home,” the first officer noted, “we’ve checked all the doors and windows but nothing. Any idea where they might have gone?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Joshua replied.
“Well, it looks like you’ve had a wasted journey I’m afraid. There’s no point in rousing the neighbours at this time of night. They might have heard a car but they’re unlikely to have seen anything.”
“That’s ok, officer. Perhaps you could keep me informed if you find anything out because the girl is very important to me?” Joshua requested as he passed the officer one of his business cards.
“No problem, we’ll do that. In the meantime, we’ll put out a ‘BOLO’ (Be On the Look Out) for their car.”
Joshua handed across his ‘post-it’ with the relevant car registration details and thanked the officers before returning to his car.
He sat there for a few moments to gather his thoughts. He then placed a call which was answered on the third ring.
“Mason.”
“They were gone when I got back to the hospital. I’m at their home now and they’re not here. We have a friend here who will try and trace them and keep me informed.”
“Ok, get some rest and we’ll consider our next steps tomorrow.” The line went dead.
15
Damian turned off the road when instructed by the satnav’s female voice and found himself facing a set of sturdy automated gates. He pressed the intercom and a few seconds later the gates glided open.
Damian drove through and saw them closing in his rear-view mirror. He followed the long drive, lights on either side guiding the way until he emerged into a cobbled courtyard with a large old farmhouse sitting on the far side next to five bay hand-crafted oak garage, each bay holding a different vehicle.
A light was on above the front door and as Damian pulled up, the door opened, and John and Paula emerged to greet their guests. Damian turned off the engine and got out before walking towards John and Paula to greet them.
“Thank you so much for having us,” Damian said as he shook hands with John and kissed Di on both cheeks. “We didn’t know what to do.”
“We’re pleased to have you. Surprised, but pleased,” John replied. “Right, let’s get your stuff and more importantly that special young lady.”
They all moved to the back of the car and Di got out to greet John and Paula. As the two women started carrying items into the house, John collected the wheelchair and got it ready as Damian went around to the other door and unstrapped Jess before lifting her out. He gently placed her in the wheelchair and put the blanket over her before John wheeled her in the direction of the front door. The two men had to lift the chair over the step then John led them to a sitting room where Paula and Di were already getting out some crystal glasses.
“Drink?” Paula asked.
“Is the Pope catholic?” John replied.
“Not you, silly! I know you’ll have one, I was asking Damian.”
“Please,” said Damian.
“What would you like? I think we have most things.”
“A Scotch would be good, if you have it.”
“Of course! John likes a finger or two of Glenlivet now and again, mostly now rather than again, I might add.”
Paula poured out the Scotches for John and Damian while she and Di helped themselves to a gin and tonic. Paula then left the room before swiftly returning with a plant spray bottle.
“I don’t know what made me buy this but as soon as I saw Jess drinking the spray the other day, I just had to get one. What would you like Jess? I guess water for the time being?”
Jess had been watching proceedings and nodded slightly when Paula asked her if she wanted a drink of water. Once she had received a couple of sprays, she looked at the voice box on her lap and instructed it to say, ‘THANK YOU’.
For a second, Jess could see the confusion on Paula’s face, and she looked around at John to see an equally baffled look.
“I thought you said that she didn’t need to use the voice box anymore,” Paula said accusingly as she looked over her shoulder at her husband.
John nearly choked on his Scotch before managing to reply, “Well, that was what I was told,” before he looked enquiringly at Di and Damian.
“It’s true,” Damian protested, turning to Jess for support. Di nodded her head in agreement.
“IT’S TRUE.”
All eyes turned to Jess as Damian let out a sigh of relief.
“I CAN ONLY DO IT ONE-ON-ONE, NOT TO A GROUP. JOHN, LOOK AT ME,” came from the voice box.
John looked directly at Jess.
‘CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?’
“Yes, I can. Amazing. I can actually hear your voice!”
“I can’t hear anything,” Paula said.
“PAULA, LOOK AT ME.”
Paula turned to look at Jess.
‘CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?’
“Bloody Hell!” Paula spluttered, spilling some of her drink. She quickly sat down in the nearest chair and stared at Jess.
“Damian says you can read our thoughts?” John asked.
“ONLY IF I CHOOSE TO…WHICH I WONT…UNLESS I HAVE TO.”
“Prove it,” John challenged her. “What am I thinking?”
“YOU’RE THINKING THAT SURREY WILL WIN THE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP THIS YEAR.”
“Jesus Christ, that’s exactly what I was thinking! I better be careful what I think about now, no more dirty thoughts!”
“YOUR SECRETS ARE SAFE WITH ME.” Another little smile spread across Jess’s face and she winked at John.
“Did you just wink or am I imagining it, or did you plant the thought in my head?” John asked, seriously interested in the answer because he wasn’t sure if he was coming or going.
“THAT WAS REAL, BUT WATCH.”
Jess looked at Paula. A few seconds later, Paula picked up the TV remote control from a side table next to her and turned it on.
“Paula, what on earth are you doing? We’re talking to Jess,” John admonished her.
Paula seemed to come out of a trance and looked at the remote control then the TV in confusion.
“Did I do that?” she enquired.
“Of course, you bloody did, woman!” John retorted.
Paula turned off the TV and returned the remote to the side table, still confused.
“I SUGGESTED THAT PAULA SHOULD TURN ON THE TV.”
“What? So, you can control us now?”
“NO, IT’S MORE LIKE A SUGGESTION.”
“Will it work on everyone? Animals?”
“NO IDEA, I HAVEN’T TRIED.”
“Try me,” John challenged her.
For a few seconds nothing happened then John tipped what remained of his Scotch over his crotch.
“LOOKS LIKE YOU’VE WET YOURSELF JOHN,” Jess smiled.
John looked down at his crotch and his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“Jesus! OK, you win. Remind me never to get on the wrong side of you!” he said as he stood up to wipe his trousers and replenish his drink. “Anyone else for a top up? Mine seems to have gone down a bit too easily.” There were laughs all around.
When he returned to his seat, John looked at Jess.
>
“We need to get serious for a minute. We need to know what’s going on, what’s happening to you, what you can and can’t do? Have I missed anything out?”
“I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THOSE QUESTIONS MYSELF. MY BODY IS RECOVERING QUITE QUICKLY IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND I’M FINDING I CAN DO MORE EACH DAY. I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON BUT I HAVE SOME SUSPICIONS.”
“What suspicions?”
“DOCTOR RAVEN IS NOT WHAT HE SEEMS. HE WANTS TO HARM ME.”
“Why would he want to do that? He’s a doctor.”
“I DON’T KNOW. I SUSPECT HE HAS MANY SECRETS HE WISHES TO KEEP. I SUSPECT HE’S NOT HUMAN.”
There was complete silence in the room, everyone lost in their own thoughts and looking at each other for any suggestions.
“What makes you think that, love?” Di asked tenderly. She had only just got her daughter back and she was not about to let anything bad happen to her again.
“I CAN’T SEE HIM. HE IS BLACK. HE IS EVIL. I MANAGED TO PICK UP SOME OF HIS THOUGHTS AND HE IS NOT ALONE.”
“So, who or what is he?” Paula butted in. “A demon?”
“NO. I’M NOT SURE, BUT I DON’T THINK HE’S REAL BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN ENOUGH OF HIM SINCE I FOUND I COULD READ MINDS. BEFORE IT WAS MOSTLY INSTINCTIVE.”
“Shit, don’t tell me we’re working off women’s intuition!” John stated in mock horror.
“I THINK HE’S ALIEN AND HE SUSPECTS I’M A DANGER TO HIM AND HIS KIND.”
There was more silence before it was broken by John.
“You mean like little green men from Mars?”
“THEY’RE OBVIOUSLY NOT GREEN AND I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THEY’RE FROM MARS.”
“Funny! So, like invasion of the body snatchers type thing?”
Jess thought for a moment. “COULD BE, NOT SURE. BUT IT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY I CAN’T SEE HIM AND WHY HE DOESN’T SEEM REAL.”
“Ok. Look, it’s late. I suggest we sleep on it – if we can – and deal with it in the morning. We’ll all be safe here for the time being.”
“ONE MORE THING. ONE OF THE HOSPITAL GUARDS WAS LIKE HIM. AND ONE OF THE NURSES.”
“Thanks for that Jess, I’m sure I’ll sleep really well now,” John muttered sarcastically. “Come on, let’s all get to bed.
16
The following morning Di went to Jess’s beautifully decorated room and helped her use the toilet and have a bath in the immaculate en-suite before changing her into the fresh clothes that she had put together for her back at their house.
Once she was done, Damian came into the room and carried Jess down the stairs to the wheelchair sitting at the bottom. They could smell food and followed their noses to the kitchen where Di was cooking, and John was reading a paper.
“Morning all,” John said jovially as he folded the paper and put it to one side. “Have a seat and help yourself to some food and drink.
The kitchen was massive, very modern with shiny white surfaces everywhere and a large table and set of chairs in the middle; a complete contrast to the old farmhouse itself. It seemed that no expense had been spared on the house.
Damian pushed Jess’s chair into a space which had been made at the table before he sat to her left and Di sat to her right. They didn’t realise how hungry they were, and the sight of fresh toast, eggs, bacon and sausages was almost enough to have them drooling.
“Let me look after Jess,” Paula said as she wandered over. “I’ve been thinking about the poor girl and how we’re going to feed her and get her some exercise now that she’s not in the hospital.” She looked at Jess. “What would you like love? I can put some drink in the spray gun, and I can blend some of the food if you would like?”
As Damian switched seats and started to tuck into the food and drink, Paula sat in the vacant chair and looked at Jess. “That’s no problem, love,” she said before rising. The others around the table looked over, realising that Jess had been communicating directly with Paula. So, the previous night hadn’t all been a dream…or nightmare.
Paula came back with the spray gun loaded with orange juice and proceeded to squirt some of the contents into Jess’s mouth. She then selected a plate and chopped up a sausage and egg into very small pieces and fed a small amount into Jess’s mouth. Everyone around the table had paused what they were doing to watch events unfold.
Very slowly, Jess began to chew. Small movements followed by her swallowing. Paula picked up the spray and squirted it another couple of times. Then she picked up some more food.
“We’d better not have too much,” Paula said to Jess. “Your body isn’t used to solids, so we need to take it nice and easy.”
As she was being fed and watered, Jess put her left hand on top of Paula’s other hand and gave it a little squeeze.
After breakfast was finished, they were all in the sitting room once again. This time they all had mugs of coffee rather than alcohol, and even Jess’s spray gun had been filled with the dark aromatic liquid.
“I’ve been thinking,” John started. “In fact, I didn’t sleep much so I’ve had plenty of time to think.”
“I slept like a log,” Damian butted in. “Best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages.”
Di looked up to the ceiling and tutted. “Only you could sleep like the dead at a time like this.”
“Anyway,” John continued, “I think we need to report this, bring more people into it. I don’t think we can deal with it on our own and if what Jess suspects is true, then it’s a far larger problem than we could ever have imagined.”
“Report to who? The police? Are they going to believe us?” Di enquired. “We’d be laughed right out of the station if they didn’t lock us up for wasting police time first. Or, perhaps they’d just put us away in a padded room and throw away the key.”
“Well, I think Jess can provide the proof if needed, just as she did at my expense last night.”
“But we don’t know who we can trust,” Di pressed. “If a doctor, a nurse and a guard are part of this…whatever it is, then there’s no telling how many others there are and what roles they’re in.”
“Again, Jess will be able to tell if they’re one of them.”
“But it could be too late by then. Remember, they’re after her because they see her as a danger and want to harm her or worse. If we go marching into the police station and they’re all part of this then we’re trapped and at their mercy.”
“All good points,” John relented. He thought for a few moments. “What about a good friend of mine? I’ve known him years and we can trust him. He’s a senior politician so if we can convince him, then we’d be able to convince others in power and they could then maybe do something about it.”
“That sounds a better option,” Damian agreed. He was still amazed how successful John obviously was and the people he obviously knew. Completely different league to him and yet he seemed such a nice, generous, down to earth type of guy. No airs and graces about him.
Di and Paula both agreed that John should contact the Right Honourable Robert M. Stephenson MP, conservative MP for Guildford County Constituency in Surrey.
John left the room to make the call. A few minutes later he returned.
“Well, we’re in luck,” he said. “Rob is at home today and has nothing special on so he said we could pop around anytime this morning.”
“Did you tell him what it was all about?” Di asked.
“No, I wanted to see him face to face first,” John replied. “He’d think I was taking the piss if I told him what it was really about. He thinks I’ve got a business problem he can help me with.”
“Ok, so when are we going?”
“No time like the present,” John suggested as he rose from his chair. I’ll just get the keys.
17
It was a dull, cloudy day, threatening rain, so they all made sure they were wrapped up warm before they left the house.
John took the lead with Damian following close behind, admiring the cars that John owned as he walked to the
far end of the five-bay garage and a people carrier.
“This will have to do for now,” John said. “I’ve had it years and never really used it. When Nick was alive, I thought we might use it for touring but that’ll never happen now. Oh, I meant to mention. I’ve got a new vehicle waiting to the picked up from a local dealer. It’s a Mercedes Viano converted to allow for wheelchair access.”
“What? You’ve gone and bought a van so we can get Jess around more easily?” Damian asked incredulously.
“Yep. It has an automated tailgate and ramp which she can drive straight up. Which reminds me…the new wheelchair.” John turned abruptly and went back to the house.
“Where’s he going?” Di asked as she, Paula and Jess caught up with Damian.
“He’s gone to fetch Jess’s new wheelchair. Oh, and he’s bought her a special van which she can drive the wheelchair into apparently.”
“Oh, so he’s told you about that then,” Paula noted with a smile. “He’s like a kid in a sweetshop trying to get what’s right for Jess.”
“You two are so kind and generous,” Di remarked.
“Yes, but it’s too much,” Damian added. “This van must have cost a small fortune and we’ll never be able to repay you for it.
“We don’t expect you to. It’s a gift,” Paula replied.
“Yes, but there’s a gift and a gift,” Damian pointed out. “I thought the wheelchair was excessive and now John’s gone and bought a van. And not just any old van, but a brand-new Mercedes. Top of the range no doubt.”
“How did you guess?” Paula replied smiling. “Look, we don’t mind. Really. We have more than enough money and we both take great pleasure from being able to help Jess. We see her as our surrogate daughter, so you’ll never get rid of us now!”
John came out of the house without the wheelchair.
“Problem?” Damian asked.
“Yes and no. It needs charging so I’ve plugged it in for later. We’ll have to make do with the hospital version for the time being.”
John led them to the Volkswagen Transporter and unlocked the van. Between them, they got Jess comfortable, stowed the wheelchair in the boot and took their seats; John driving, Paula in the passenger seat and Damian and Di in the back with Jess. John reversed out of the garage before setting off down the drive.