Shut Up and Drive: DI Ted Darling Book 4

by L M Krier

  'Well, this is cute,' Trev laughed, sliding his long frame into the front passenger seat. 'And dinky. At least it shouldn't be a target for car thieves or joy riders.'

  'You can mock,' Ted retorted, 'it's all we can afford at the moment.'

  Trev leaned across and kissed his cheek. 'I know, and I will never forget what you're doing for me. Oh, and I've got company for the weekend, while you're away. I've got a hot date with a beautiful woman.'

  'Willow?' Ted guessed, correctly. Willow was a close friend of both of them, especially Trev, and they often spent time together. She was a model, now married to another model. He and Trev had been invited to their wedding but Ted's job, as ever, had prevented him from being there for most of it.

  'Yes, Rupert's away on a shoot and she's at a loose end, so I invited her to come and stay. She has all sorts of fun planned for us. We're going to play badminton, going swimming, and she has a friend who's lending us a couple of young eventers so we can go riding.'

  'I'm glad one of us is going to be having fun. The more I read the agenda for this course, the more I think I would even prefer to come riding with you, and you know my total lack of success with horses. You take care, with those wild animals. And promise me you won't tell Willow what sort of course it is I'm going on. I'm not exactly proud of myself.'

  'Of course not!' Trev laid a reassuring hand on Ted's arm as he drove, then leaned further back in his seat, casting critical eyes over his lithe form. 'I just hope I can still get into my breeches. It's ages since I wore them.'

  Ted glanced at him fondly. 'You put weight on? That'll be the day.'

  Trev gave him a suggestive look, put a hand on his thigh and said, 'Just in case, perhaps I better make an effort to burn off a load more calories when we get home?'

  'Behave yourself,' Ted told him, trying and failing to sound stern. 'I've only just bought this car. I don't want to crash it already because you're distracting me,' although Trev noticed he did speed up a bit, without exceeding the speed limit.

  Chapter Twelve

  Ted somehow managed to survive the weekend and gain his certificate of participation in the course, which he could wave at the Ice Queen when he got back to work. It would have to stay on his file to show he had complied with the requirements of her investigation of the complaint. It was one certificate he was not proud of, because of the necessity to obtain it.

  He arrived home late afternoon on the Sunday to find Trev and Willow blissfully splattered in mud from an exciting ride, sharing mugs of tea and slices of cake in the kitchen, still in their breeches. He gave both of them a hug and a kiss, made some tea for himself and sat down to join them, although most of their conversation went over his head.

  He was pleased to see his partner having such a good time. Their backgrounds were completely different. Trev had grown up doing things that had never been, nor ever would be, on Ted's spectrum. Although Ted asked Willow to stay on for a meal, and to stay another night if she wanted to, she tactfully departed and left the two of them to catch up.

  Apart from a brief nod and a 'Very good,' the Ice Queen made no further comment on Ted's course when he presented her with the certificate the following morning. They both hoped they could safely put the matter behind them and move forward.

  The team had nothing new to report on the case, and were dealing efficiently with a couple of incidents from the weekend. Ted felt partially redundant, although aware that it meant his team were good at their job and doing it well. In a strange way, he was pleased that their attacker had not resurfaced. He fervently hoped that he would be the one to collar him, when they finally got a breakthrough.

  He spent the day catching up on witness statements from the various ongoing cases. He didn't make much headway on his routine paperwork, so he decided to take a stack of it home with him and see if he could make any inroads on it there. Trev was going to be home a bit later than usual as he was going round to see a friend who lived locally, helping to fix a motorbike. Ted hoped to be able to concentrate on his work, with no disturbances.

  He had paperwork piled all over the kitchen table when he got home. So that he could work in peace, he had shut the six disgruntled cats in the sitting room. He didn't really need their help with a difficult case.

  He was surprised when the doorbell rang. He wasn't expecting anyone, and they seldom had anybody drop in unannounced, especially in the evening. He just hoped it wasn't Jehovah's Witnesses. He wasn't sure if his newly-acquired anger management skills were up to being interrupted by them.

  'Well, you're obviously not Trevor,' a somewhat disdainful voice greeted him when he opened the door.

  Although he'd never met her, he recognised the unexpected visitor immediately by the rebellious, glossy black curls and the piercing blue eyes. Not unusually, she was taller than Ted. He knew she was only fourteen but she could easily have passed for closer to twenty.

  He stood aside as he said, 'Come in, Siobhan. Is Trev expecting you? He's at a friend's at the moment, bonding over motorbikes.'

  Trevor's sister stalked into the hallway and in response to Ted's nod, headed towards the kitchen at the back of the house.

  'I thought I'd surprise him,' she said loftily, as they reached the kitchen. She looked round, appraisingly, then pronounced, 'Quaint.'

  'Do your parents know you're here?' Ted asked her, shuffling papers out of the way and pulling a chair from under the table for her to sit on.

  'The Olds are abroad, as usual,' she said with a shrug. 'I'm at boarding school, in Somerset.'

  'And do the school know where you are?' Ted persisted.

  Again, the arrogant shrug. 'I'm on an exeat, it's cool.'

  Ted leaned against the sink, his arms folded, studying her.

  'The thing about being a copper, which I am, Siobhan, is that you develop a sixth sense for when someone is lying to you. Like you are now, to me. Give me the number of someone in authority at the school and I'll contact them, let them know you're safe and will be going back tomorrow. Do you want something to drink, in the meantime?'

  She peered at his partly-drunk mug on the table and asked, ' What are you having?'

  'Green tea, but I'm not sure you'd like it.'

  She arched an eyebrow at him. It was a gesture disconcertingly like one of the Ice Queen's. 'Are you always this patronising? And policeman-like? What does Trevor see in you?'

  Despite himself, Ted threw his head back and laughed at her directness. 'Probably, and I have no idea,' he replied. 'I'll put the kettle on. Now give me that number, then after that, I'll call Trev and let him know he has a visitor.'

  Ted was not surprised to learn from the school that unauthorised absence was not unusual for Siobhan. He used his police credentials to smooth feathers and assure the house parent he spoke to that she would be escorted back there the following day. Then he called Trev and simply asked if he could come back earlier than planned as he had a visitor. When Trev asked who it was, Siobhan suddenly looked as young as she really was and mouthed to Ted, 'Please don't tell him, I want it to be a surprise.'

  'It'll certainly be a surprise for him,' Ted said as he rang off. 'I think a visit from a younger sister he's never met before is the last thing he'll be expecting. How did you find out the address?'

  'Pa can find out anything he wants to. He knows lots of Spooks. I saw the address in Her Ladyship's desk. I assume she'd been in touch about the heart condition.'

  Her father was a top diplomat, with a knighthood. Trev had found out recently that his parents had had a daughter after they had thrown him out. His mother had come to see him, out of the blue, because his father had suffered a heart attack because of a condition which could be hereditary.

  'What's he like, my big brother? I've never even seen a photo of him. I only knew I had one because Nanny would sometimes mention him after she'd had a bit too much port.'

  'You look almost exactly like him,' Ted told her.

  She also had the same poise and self-assurance. He could tel
l that her clothes were expensive. Her look was casually pulled together Boho that clearly cost a fortune. He dreaded to imagine the price tag of the long, soft, leather boots or the coordinating handbag. The cloud of pricey perfume which hovered about her reminded Ted of one which Jezza sometimes wore. Siobhan had clearly planned to stay over as she had a weekend holdall, which was also leather, looked costly and was stamped with her initials.

  'I mean as a person. What sort of a person is he? The Olds refuse to talk about him at all. I don't even know if he was clear on the heart tests, like I am. I wanted to find out. And will he be okay about me? I mean, he's not resentful that the Olds had me, after they threw him out?'

  'Your brother is one of the nicest, most generous people you could ever meet,' Ted told her sincerely then he cocked his head as he heard the sound of Trev's big Triumph roaring into the driveway. 'You can see for yourself in a minute, once he's put the bike in the garage. And yes, he's fine, no heart condition.'

  They heard the front door open after a moment, then a familiar sound which Ted knew was Trev dumping his helmet on the hall table as his voice called out, 'Hi, I'm home, so where's my mystery visitor?'

  He came striding into the kitchen, filling the space, as ever, with his presence. Then he turned and saw his sister for the first time.

  'Wow,' they both said, almost in unison. The resemblance between them was striking. Siobhan had been conceived and born after their parents had disowned Trev when he told them he was gay. They had never yet met, nor had any other contact.

  'Trev, this is Siobhan. Siobhan, meet your brother, Trevor,' Ted said, smiling from one to the other.

  Trev was still in his leathers, which always made him look taller. He looked down at his sister, sitting looking up at him in nervous expectation, all semblance of being a sophisticated adult having disappeared at the sight of her good-looking brother. Then Trev was beaming and holding his arms out to her for one of his famous hugs and, shyly at first, she stood up and went to him.

  'Hey, little sis, it's nice to meet you. It's like looking in a mirror!'

  Ted knew that there was no way he was going to get any of his work done that evening, so he busied himself tidying it away into his briefcase, which he put in the hall ready for the morning. He'd just have to catch up tomorrow, perhaps go in early to clear his desk.

  Trev had put a casserole in the oven before he'd gone out. There was plenty for an extra one and the two of them already seemed to be getting on brilliantly as they laid the table together, talking nineteen to the dozen.

  When they sat down to eat, Ted went back into serious policeman mode once again.

  'Siobhan, you're very welcome to stay tonight, but tomorrow, one of us will take you back to school. Trev, can you get the day off? You know I'm a bit up to my eyes at the moment.'

  Siobhan interrupted as Trev was about to reply. 'There's no problem. I came on the train and I have a return ticket. I can go back by myself.'

  Ted put his knife and fork down and looked serious. His voice had the quiet, measured tone which let his team members and even Trev know when it was not the right time to push their luck by arguing with him.

  'Siobhan, let me just tell you a bit about my job. I spend a lot of my time looking at the bodies of young people, just like you, who think they're very grown up but who finish up in a ditch somewhere, strangled, maybe raped, when they go off by themselves.'

  Trev put a restraining hand on his arm, but Ted shook it off and continued.

  'I'm busy at the moment because we have a serial rapist on our patch. A man who overpowers young women at knife point, and who is getting increasingly violent with every attack he makes. He killed his last victim. I've had to deal with young runaways, sometimes not much older than you, who have left home, thinking it's a great adventure, and finished up on the streets …'

  'Ted, come on,' Trev told him. 'I'm sure Siobhan understands you're just telling her this for her own good. She did something silly, but she won't do it again, I'm sure,' he said, looking directly at her.

  His sister was looking taken aback, eyeing Ted warily. Ted was breathing hard, clearly struggling for control.

  Trev took hold of one of his hands and this time, Ted didn't shrug him off. 'Hey, it's all right, there's no harm done. I'll take Siobhan back to school tomorrow, no worries. It's fine. Now I'm a partner in the firm, I can take the odd day off when I need to, it's one of the perks.'

  Ted nodded slowly and started to relax. 'Sorry,' he said. 'Sorry, Siobhan. It's just that, you think you're an adult but you're not, not in the eyes of the law. You don't realise the risks you're running. Trev will take you safely back. Take the car, I'll go in on the bus.'

  'Are you kidding me?' Siobhan demanded. 'I've just discovered that my brother is totally ripped and owns a motorbike and you expect me to go back in your car? I mean, unless you have a seriously cool sports car, it's just not going to cut it, compared to turning up at school on a bike.'

  Her words broke the tension and finally Ted produced the grin which always transformed him from serious policeman to almost boyish charm.

  'There is no street cred of any sort in appearing in my little car, not even my new one, believe me. You can borrow my helmet and Trev can take you on the bike. Just promise me you will be more careful in the future, no more going off alone. Make sure someone always knows where you are and what time to expect you back.'

  Trev and his sister had so much to talk about and were delighted to find they had a lot in common. Ted sat back and watched them as they talked, Trev occasionally chipping in an aside when Ted was clearly not sure what they were on about.

  Siobhan told him she'd persuaded her parents to let her go to the Somerset boarding school so she could continue her passion for riding. When she mentioned having her own eventer, Trev's face turned wistful as he said, 'I used to event. I had a really good mare, Delta Fox.'

  'Foxy? We still have her. She's retired now, but I learned to ride on her. My horse, Blue, is her last foal. But Her Ladyship makes me ride the school ponies.'

  'Polo ponies,' Trev told Ted, seeing that none of it meant anything much to him. The conversation really highlighted for Ted the gulf between him and Trev in terms of their background and upbringing. Ted was a miner's son whose only attempt at riding, on a pony on Blackpool beach, had not been a success. His life had been a world away from the privileged circumstances in which Trev had grown up.

  After Siobhan had gone to bed, Ted and Trev moved into the sitting room and sat together on the sofa, immediately invaded by the cats. Trev put his arm around Ted and hugged him close.

  'Thanks for caring about Shewee, and thanks for letting her stay,' he said.

  'Shewee?' Ted queried.

  Trev laughed. 'That's what her school friends call her. She told me when you'd gone upstairs for something. She's quite a live wire, it seems. They like to slope off to the festivals, especially Glasto. It's the name of something the girls use to pee through if they don't want to sit on the seats of the Portaloos.'

  Ted looked at him, horrified. 'She's fourteen and she's going off to the festivals? Trev, promise me you will have a serious talk with her on the way tomorrow. You know what my job's like. You know how often I have to deal with bodies, including girls just like her. Kids dead in skips, dumped in ditches.

  'Look, I'm sorry I went off on one but you know that I've been dealing with so many young people meeting a bad end of late. I'd hate the same thing to happen to your sister. Make her see sense, Trev, otherwise some poor coppers somewhere might find themselves dealing with her body one of these days.'

  Trev stood up and pulled Ted up by the arm.

  'It's going to be a long day tomorrow, so it's time we were going up. Can you wake me when you get up, then I can make sure Shewee is up and ready to leave at a respectable time. I imagine teenage girls take even longer in the bathroom than I do in the morning.'

  'Just drive carefully and promise me you'll take a proper break before you head back. H
ow long will it take you?'

  'About four hours each way,' Trev said lightly then, seeing Ted's look, he added, 'well, maybe four and a half, if I stick to all the speed limits.'

  'Make sure you do,' Ted told him sternly.

  Trev laughed as they headed towards the stairs, then replied meekly, 'Yes, mother.'

  As they reached the small landing at the top, they heard Siobhan call out from the guest room, 'Not too much noise in there now, you boys. Impressionable teenager trying to sleep in here.'

  Trev let out a shout of laughter then called back, 'Go to sleep, Shewee.'

  They were both in their bedroom now but as Trev was closing the door, they heard her call out again.

  'Good night, John Boy,' then, after a brief pause, 'Goodnight, Grandma.'

  Ted looked aghast as he started to undress. 'Grandma?' he asked. 'Is that how she sees me?'

  Trev had already peeled his clothes off, scattering them randomly on chair and floor, before sliding under the duvet.

  'She is so like me it's scary, especially as we've never met before. She's teasing you,' he told his partner. 'That means she likes you. She told me she did. And you're not remotely old enough to be anyone's granny. Why not come and join me and I'll prove it to you?'

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ted was up at six, so he could get into work early to clear his paperwork before his day began. He was surprised to find Siobhan already in the kitchen, the kettle just boiling. She greeted him by thrusting a mug of green tea at him.

  Seeing his surprised look, she said, 'I have to get up at sparrows' fart when I'm hunting or eventing. Trev's out of practice, but don't worry, I'll get him up and sorted in plenty of time.' Then, more shyly, 'Thanks, Ted, for letting me stay over, and for making sure I get back safely. And I promise I'll be a good girl from now on.'