County Lines Rider

by Samantha Bassett

  The house was warm, a wood-burning stove glowing in the front room and an Aga in the kitchen ensured that it felt cosy against the rain outside. We took off our dripping coats, hanging them up in the hallway. Amanda grabbed me, first hugging me and then holding me at arm’s length. “Let me see my grown-up little brother!” She sobbed, hugging me again. “You must be famished. Let’s eat.”

  ***

  Stepping outside the next morning was a revelation, in the darkness, I had not been able to see the countryside we were set within. Behind the farmhouse was a dense forest, when you stepped out of the door there was a beautiful view of Morecambe Bay before you. To one side there was a horseshoe arrangement of beautiful brick stables and I could see an outdoor arena and barns. I heard footsteps behind me.

  “Hello there, couldn’t sleep?”

  “Too used to waking up early to do the horses. However, I see that’s not required here.”

  “Yet… I want to create a small business.” She walked excitedly towards the stables. “Can you imagine it, all these stables full. Liveries and a small riding school. There are staff quarters above, it’s a lovely flat they can share and then there is the arena and in here.” She opened the door to one of the barns and there was a full-size indoor school.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think you could have gone anywhere… You had money, you could have run to Brazil, somewhere they would never find you and here you are in Cumbria?”

  “What are you saying?” Amanda raised her voice.

  “I’m not saying anything. Sorry… Ignore me, I’m being stupid.” I smiled. “Show me the rest.”

  Amanda took me through her plans, she had enough money to buy enough horses and tack to get the equestrian centre started, and, with livery customers, it should make enough to be a going concern. She looked at me nervously.

  “So?”

  “So, what?”

  “So, will you help me? I need you, Adam. Help me get this started, I can create something here which is useful and fun.” She took my hand. “Please?”

  “Oh, how could I say no to you?” I smiled. “Okay, I’ll do it, I’ll get involved with this mad scheme.”I was almost knocked off my feet as she hugged me.

  23

  A Change of Head

  “Are you here to gloat?”

  “Edwin. I am here to assure you that it’s business as usual.” Patrick smiled, he was looking smarter now, wearing one of his hand-tailored Savile Row suits, having completed a course of cosmetic dentistry.

  “How can it be business as usual?” Edwin rumbled, he sat across the plastic-covered table in a prison visiting room, watched by several guards. “You may not have noticed that I am, shall we say, unavailable for many years. Our last shipment was seized and we owe a considerable amount of money to the Hong Kong triads.”

  “Yes, you do…” Patrick softly corrected Edwin. “It’s been decided that, as you are no longer in charge of operations, a new face should take your place.”

  Edwin roared, standing and throwing the table aside reaching for Patrick who leapt back. The guards pounced wrestling him to the ground and cuffing him. He was screaming abuse as he was dragged back to his cell.

  “You are yesterday’s man…” Patrick smiled, straightening his tie.

  He hated prison and was glad to step beyond the high fences and back into the back of his car. The other man waited patiently, looking towards Patrick as he sat down. “How did he take your news?”

  “How do you expect?” Patrick laughed. “It was a pleasure to seem him squirm, the worthless shit.”

  The car sped through the streets of London.

  24

  The Right People

  “So, why would you like to work here?” The young girl looked up, her blue eyes sparkled with mischief, she had red curly hair and, despite a lack of makeup, a beautiful complexion. I was deeply jealous, and it was obvious I wasn’t the only one who had noticed her beauty. I noticed the faraway look in Adam’s eyes.

  “Well, I could ride almost before I could walk. I’ve been looking for somewhere to work and your yard looks lovely.” She smiled.

  “Any questions Adam?” There was a silence, so I turned around and looked at my brother. “Did you want to add anything?” He blushed, stuttering.

  “No, I think my brother has had all of his questions answered. When could you start?”

  I’d asked potential staff to send me a video link to show me their riding skills, I felt it would be a quick way to filter out those who had always loved ponies but had never actually ridden. Once they came for an interview they were immediately asked to skip out stables or poo pick the paddock. Two of the girls had immediately turned up their noses and made their excuses so we hired the three who had both mucked in without question and been able to string a sentence together. Something which, to be honest, was more than my brother was proving to be able to in the presence of Kate.

  I thought with three working pupils, Adam and I, we would be in a perfect place to manage our growing stable of horses. We now had six riding school horses, a mix of horses and ponies which would allow us to at least get started and we had got four liveries already. It seemed there was a shortage of good livery yards and the lure of the brick stables and good hacking had meant we would soon have a waiting list.

  The three new grooms were Kate, the ‘beautiful’ redhead, Adam’s words, not mine although I would admit she was very pretty, I wasn’t as smitten of her as he was. Judith, a local lass desperate to get out of her family home and therefore, away from her four burly brothers and Emily, a teenager from Liverpool who had a wicked sense of humour and was often to be found by her laugh before you saw her. They had settled into the grooms flat above the stable block. It had been clean and serviceable so I’d purchased furniture ensuring that each girl had a comfortable room and clean and tidy shared areas.

  I was glad that both Adam and I held our BHS teaching qualifications and intended to get each of the girls qualified just as Anne had done for me. Just the thought of her gave me pause, I hoped she would have been proud of me.

  All too soon it was time for us to officially open, naturally, I stayed out of the limelight as Adam had group photos taken for the local press announcing Glebe Farm Equestrian Centre with the staff holding our horses and some ‘action’ shots of him jumping one of them in the arena. I told him I would, quite obviously be more of a silent partner, so my name was not on the website or the letterhead and when we appeared in a couple of welcome articles in the local papers I was nowhere to be seen.

  We soon had a set of regular customers, enough to keep us busy with lessons and hacks, we were lucky to have some of our own land and the neighbouring farmer was happy to be plied with a case of Scotch to allow us to ride on the headlands and borders of his fields.

  ***

  I found Adam sitting in the tack room cleaning tack, he was sat opposite Kate, but at a distance. I smiled and asked how they both were, Kate was chatty but Adam was strangely quiet. Kate soon finished polishing the bridle she was working on and bid us a warm farewell.

  “What’s up?”

  “I don’t know what you mean?”

  “Adam, you have put that bridle back upside down and inside out and when I came in here it looked as if someone had stolen your tongue.” I put my hands on my hips. “Spit it out buster. What’s going on…” He blushed, looking down and turning the bridle in his hands.

  “What do you think of Kate?”

  “I think she has proven herself to be a very competent working pupil, she is hardworking and efficient, very polite.” I looked up at Adam’s lost expression. “And I know that is not what you wanted to hear me say…” I sat down, looking into his eyes. “Look at me… Adam, are you falling in love with Kate?” The way he stuttered and blushed told me everything. “Oh goodness… Ask her out…”

  “I can’t… What if she said no…”

  “What if she doesn’t…”

  ***


  The rather one-sided conversation went on between us over dinner, I let him escape to bed. However the next morning I was due to take Kate for a lunge lesson. I had asked her to tack up Manton so she led him into the arena and I started to lunge him as she sat without stirrups and reins to improve her riding seat.

  “What’s up? Don’t tell me it’s riding without stirrups, because you’re going to have to do a lot more of that.”

  She frowned, a look of concentration on her face. “It’s your brother…”

  “Oh no… What’s he done?” I snapped.

  “Oh nothing, it’s just…” She looked away from me, her cheeks reddening.

  “Oh, God…” I brought Manton back to a halt and walked towards her. “Are you saying you, like Adam?” She nodded. “Do you like him a lot?” She blushed even more and nodded. “Oh goodness… Have you told him you like him?” She shook her head coyly. “Aggh!” I yelped, causing Manton to throw his head up. “Okay… Come on…” I started to lead Manton towards the gate.

  “Where are we going?” Kate squeaked.

  “You’ll see…” I walked Manton across the yard much to the amusement of the other grooms who were sweeping down the yard. I stopped at the tack room door. “Adam, come out here…” Adam stepped out, looking up he saw Kate on board Manton and blushed.

  “Right, so I don’t have to bang both of your heads together. Kate, Adam has told me he ‘really’ likes you. Adam, Kate has told me that she likes you a lot. So, here you are.” I pushed the lunge rein into Adam’s hands. “Sort it out, take this poor girl on a date!” They both blushed and the grooms applauded and whistled. I walked away muttering how sometimes you have to take things into your own hands.

  ***

  “This one?”

  I looked up. Adam, you have now taken every single shirt out of the wardrobe, go with the blue one. No, that one.” I handed him a shirt. “Then get downstairs, I have to get you lovebirds into Grange.”

  ***

  Kate was similarly flustered, Judith had lent her a pretty black dress and Emily had helped with makeup so that when she walked down the stairs and towards the car she looked more beautiful than ever.

  “Easy tiger…” I whispered to Adam. “And close your mouth…”

  “Oh Kate, you look amazing.”

  “Please, let me get you in the car and to the Bistro.”

  It was a short drive into the local town of Grange Over Sands, a pretty seaside resort which boasted a few inexpensive restaurants. I dropped them both off at the Grange Bistro and told them I would collect them later unless they fancied the long walk through the dark back to the stables.

  ***

  I blushed as Adam opened the door for me, this was stupid, I worked with him every day, yet now I felt as if my mouth was full of cotton wool, I couldn’t speak. We were seated at a small table in the window, with a candle flickering in a red glass pot. Adam opened his mouth to speak, stuttered and stopped. I laughed, then he did.

  “Oh, I’m sorry…” He smiled, blushing. “I seem to have turned a bit shy all of a sudden.” He took a deep breath. “Can I say, you look amazing… I mean, you always do, but wow!”

  “Well, I guess not wearing torn breeches and smelling of horses is an improvement. Unless that’s what turns you on!” Oh, Kate, what are you saying? I cringed at my own words, but saw a smile spreading across Adam’s face.

  “Well… I don’t think there is a look you couldn’t pull off. But it’s nice to have a reason to dress up. I do sort of feel I am playing at being an adult here!”

  “Oh yeah, me too. Oh I’m so relaxed when we are both at work. Why am I feeling so nervous!”

  “Right, let’s talk horses, we’ll both know where we are!”

  tarting to talk about our first horses and riding in shows we discovered we had so much in common, we laughed and flirted more naturally, the ice well and truly broken.

  We were so deep in the conversation we hadn’t noticed the time until the waiter asked us politely if we wanted anything else as it was midnight! We had sat and chatted for five hours without a break, and more importantly, we had left Amanda waiting for well over an hour.

  We walked down the road arm in arm, laughing like little children. Amanda was parked in a side street and jumped when we opened the car doors.

  “Oh…” She sat up, rubbing her eyes. “I’m sorry I must have just closed my eyes for a moment.”

  In the near darkness of the back seat of the car I felt Adam’s hand reach for mine and his breath on my neck. I turned to face him and our lips met. It was electrifying, his tongue explored my mouth, I reciprocated. It seemed like a lifetime when I realised the car interior light was on and Amanda had turned to face us.

  “Oh hello… We’re here. But we’ve been here for about five minutes. Do you two want to get a room.” She paused. “No… I didn’t suggest that on a first date. Say goodnight Adam, put her down she has work to do tomorrow.”

  I stepped out of the car, we shared a short embrace before I dashed up the stairs hoping everyone had gone to bed. Of course, I had no such luck as and there were two pairs of eyes watching me and demanding what had happened.

  “He was… Oh, girls, he’s wonderful and what a kisser!”

  ***

  I was watching Adam as he taught in the outdoor arena, I felt someone standing beside me and turned to see Amanda. I blushed, but she just hugged me.

  “I think you will be very good for my little brother… Just look after him…”

  ***

  I squealed as a pair of hands dragged me into the darkness of the hay barn. My eyes adjusted and I saw Adam standing there.

  “Sorry… I missed you.”

  “But we’ve been working together all.-” I was cut short as he embraced me, his lips hungrily finding mine. I goodness my knees were wobbly. We broke apart smiling like loons. I kicked the door closed before pushing Adam firmly, he landed on the pile of bales and loose hay, I knelt beside him kissing him. His hands ran down my back, my skin tingling at his touch. I gasped as he grasped my bottom, pulling me towards him. Oh goodness, it was clear that he was rather excited, his tight breeches were leaving me in no doubt. I reached down and he groaned as I gently caressed him.

  ***

  Amanda walked up behind me as I stepped out of the barn. She reached up, picking pieces of hay from my hair.

  “A little roll in the hay?”

  “I was just filling up hay nets.” I brushed my hand through my hair.

  “Of course you were…” She smiled. Starting to walk away when she called after me. “You need to redo your blouse, you missed a button.” I span and looked at her, reaching for my blouse. She winked and walked away.

  25

  A Matter of Money

  “Where is the money?” Patrick hissed.

  Edwin sat back in his chair. “I have no need money while I’m here, at Her Majesty’s pleasure for at least the next twenty years, thanks to someone who tipped off the police to our activities.” He smiled. “Now, if that same someone has to come up with the payment to our Far Eastern friends.”

  “You bastard!” Patrick snarled. He took a breath as one of the prison officers glared at him. “We know you have it in Bitcoin, we know how much and what they are, but we do not have the crypto key and the safe.”

  “No, and you will never have it.”

  Patrick smiled, a sudden thought crossed his mind. “I know you don’t have the digital wallet here, and it isn’t at your home or the businesses. You gave it to her.”

  Edwin leaned forward. “She doesn’t have it. If I hear you’ve touched her…”

  “Threats?” Patrick laughed. “I don’t think that you are in any position to threaten me? I will have to visit your little slut and ask her nicely to give me what you owe me.”

  ***

  “I want her found…” Patrick smiled. “I don’t care what you have to do, but I need you to find her.”

  “Of course, no one can remain hidden forev
er.” He paused. “Is there a message?”

  “No, I would like to see her. Please ask her nicely to come and see me.”

  The man smiled. “Naturally.”

  26

  Days Off

  “I’ll race you to the top of the hill!” I pushed my horse into a gallop, glancing back I saw I’d taken Adam unawares, he laughed and kicked his horse on. The ground passed quickly beneath us and he never got closer than hoof beats behind me. As I pulled up I turned and watched him arrived. “What kept you, slowcoach?” He rode close to me, grabbing my thigh and leaning in to kiss me, oh how my body tingled!

  “You may have won that one…” He smiled. “But, I’ll get you next time.”

  We’d galloped up the hill through the forest to a clearing which had a beautiful view over Morecambe Bay, we dismounted, allowing the horses to graze. I turned to face Adam, here we were, on our only day off spending time with horses, however, a hack together did have its advantages I thought as Adam took me in his arms.

  ***

  Amanda put the phone down, there’d been no answer which was unusual, she had been trying for a few days. This was unexpected, something innocent may have happened. Knowing Raj he may well have broken his phone. She would take a trip out later and she could make a quick call from the only remaining call box, just to catch up.