County Lines Rider

by Samantha Bassett

  “Okay, I am aware of Edwin Smith and his activities. To be honest, most Coppers are, he was put away recently, wasn’t he. A real nasty piece of work. He was running most of the drug trade in the South. He had millions in class A drugs.”

  “Yeah… I didn’t know it at the time.” There was the same look I’d got from May. The disbelief that said ‘how could you not know that your boyfriend was a gangster’. “Look, I realise, that may sound unbelievable, maybe I was totally naive, but he just never spoke of what he did. I thought he owned restaurants. Needless to say, if I had known what he really did…”

  “Sure…” Anderson let the word hang.

  I spoke for hours, well into the night. Trying to explain what had happened with Patrick and the accident. Anderson had left at that point and returned with a print-out.

  “Was this the vehicle?”

  I stared at the photographs, it seemed like a lifetime ago. Oh God, seeing the blood. I pushed them away. “Yes.”

  “Well, you were lucky to walk away from that. And, you didn’t think to call the police at the time?”

  I shook my head, I hadn’t thought to call anyone, I was in shock and just wanted to get away. Adam said the same, what could we do. We wanted the relative safety of home, however, that was a laughable notion. I’m not sure if he believed us, there was a time when I thought we would be arrested and held, for what I don’t know. Anderson just kept a solid eye contact with me. Eventually, exhausted, he said it would be best if we went home. Leave it with him and he would be in touch. We eventually stepped out of the police station as dawn was breaking.

  It was late in the afternoon when a car pulled up. Our cavalry had arrived in the guise of DI Anderson this time accompanied by his colleague DCI Raab. I discovered Anderson’s name was Dan and his colleagues was Holly. It seemed that he had spent some time looking into what had happened, his initial coldness seemed to have somewhat melted. Perhaps once he had seen our stories were true, he could see we weren’t loonies looking to waste police time.

  We sat around the dining room table and I told them both again what had happened. They looked at each other carefully.

  “I spoke with colleagues in the Met about Edwin Smith and his associates. They told me that Patrick is a dangerous piece of work. It seems you were amazingly lucky to get away and not just from the accident. You’re in a whole lot of danger here. They know where you are and it seems they want to punish you for what has happened. Last night you mentioned money. Tell me again what happened there.”

  I told him it had been taken, I didn’t admit that Annie and I had received some of the funds as he had spoken about the proceeds of crime and how those assets could be frozen. It would be a bridge I would have to cross if and when I got there.

  It seemed like hours before they left, unsure what they could do to protect us, but telling us that they would add extra patrols and Dan gave me his card with both his mobile and personal numbers, just in case.

  Adam had left the room sometime before, so I went to find him. He was not on the yard but I found him leaning on the fence between our land and the bay, he was looking across the water lapping at the shore as the tide was in. “You really loved her… Didn’t you?” He turned to face me, a deep sadness in his eyes.

  “Enough to let her go…”

  “Please go, run, hide, protect yourself…” I pleaded with him.

  “Sis, I’ve been through this much, I’m going to stand by you.”

  “Thank you. I think you’re a bloody idiot, but thank you. I need you here.”

  ***

  “What do we do?” Adam sat opposite me at the dining room table. The evening had grown dark, reinforcing the isolation of our location, there were a few lights across the bay and the dim lighting on the stable yard but apart from that, we were alone.

  “I think we should let the working pupils go.” I held up my hand to stop Adam speaking.

  “Look, we know that Patrick and his cronies will come after us. I’m not just going to get away with this.”

  “We aren’t going to get away… We’re in this together sis.”

  “Which is why I think we should make sure the girls are safe. We close down and ask them to take a holiday until this blows over.”

  “And you think it will ‘blow over’ as you say?”

  “Adam, I think I’m in deep trouble. No, I know I am. I wish you weren’t here but I am so glad you are. I made a really stupid mistake and now I have to live with the consequences, even if it means dying. These are some very dangerous people. If I could turn back time…”

  “Sis, if we could do that we would all do a lot of things differently. What’s happened has happened. We have to do the best we can to get through this.”

  ***

  I sat Judith and Emily in the tack room and told them that we were closing. Emily had screamed abuse before bursting into tears, Judith had just looked sad. I sighed and started to tell them the reasons why. The looks of disbelief were cut short when I started to show them the archived news articles on my phone. I looked up at the two, young, shell shocked girls. “Now you understand. It’s just not safe here.”

  “We’re not leaving you!” Emily was defiant. Judith just shook her head.

  “We are…” Judith stood up. “Look, when you get through this. If you…” She stopped.

  “I’ll call you. I’ll need you back. This is just a short holiday, I’m not sacking you. Here…” I handed each girl an envelope, four weeks wages and then some, in cash. “Take a break, go far away and then when this is all done…”

  Emily flung herself at me. For all her bravado and bluster she was just a frightened young girl, she hugged me and sobbed, telling me she didn’t want to leave.

  “I admire you… Both.” I embraced them. “But you have your life ahead of you. I would never forgive myself if you were hurt.”

  We did the stables together and the girls made up hay nets before going to the flat and packing their bags. I promised I would see them again soon, not a promise I really had any right making. I drove them both into Grange to the station where they would go their separate ways.

  It felt lonely at the yard, the horses were turned out in the fields, Adam was busy working. I looked around, I had been happy, it was typical that it wouldn’t last.

  ***

  “So?” Adam took my hand. We were sitting at the kitchen table again, I had a dish of pasta in front of me but it had long since gone cold, my appetite lost.

  “So what?” I looked up. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “So we sit here like sitting ducks waiting for them to come and take us?”

  “What do you suggest we do then?”

  “We prepare…”

  ***

  Adam had been out of most of the morning. He came back in muddy with scratches up his arms. I queried what he had been doing and he told me that he had made it more difficult for people to get to us, digging a deep ditch through the driveway at its narrowest point in the forest, he had also set tripwires, a hang off from befriending an old Welsh gamekeeper who had shown him how to make effective traps which would delay people attempting to arrive unannounced.

  I had scoffed at the idea but agreed that he was right, we couldn’t just sit and wait for potential disaster and a collection of angry gangsters to just walk in on us. I had tried to keep myself busy, but I knew that it was only a matter of time.

  I jumped as my phone buzzed, I picked it up and answered. “Hello?”

  “Hi there Amanda, its DI Anderson… Dan… I’m struggling to get to you…”

  I had called Dan earlier, even though he was off-duty he had said that he would gladly visit and see if there was anything he could do to help. I had walked down the drive and seen him on the other side of a deep moat which Adam had dug across the drive. “Oh crap! I think my brother got a bit over-excited here…” I found a ladder laid with boards on our side of the ditch and dropped it over. Dan gingerly stepped across.

  �
��Inventive!” He smiled. Wearing jeans and country boots with a tidy shirt, I resisted staring at him but could not resist taking in his chiselled features and well-built body. I tutted to myself, ‘concentrate girl, think of the matter in hand’.

  “He wants to be sure we are not attacked too easily. ”

  “It’s a good idea. I have some kit which may help you. Some CCTV cameras which will allow us to see anything that does happen.”

  It was good to have something to do, we spent the rest of the afternoon fitting the various battery-operated cameras so that they would cover the entrance and most of the yard. Holding the bottom of the ladder left me long, lingering moments looking at the handsome DI’s rear in his tight jeans. I was struggling to concentrate but knew that I needed to keep my mind on the job.

  “Like what you see?”

  “Oh God yes…” I muttered huskily, before realising that Dan was holding out a tablet which was showing images from the cameras. I blushed deeply which caused him to laugh heartily. “Sorry… I was…” I stuttered.

  “Maybe, when this is all resolved I can take you for a drink?”

  “That is very optimistic of you, perhaps I should just make you a cup of tea now, just in case?” I couldn’t help myself crying, his embrace was so comforting. He led me to the farmhouse and made me a tea in a chipped mug.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “Please Dan, don’t make promises you can’t keep…”

  32

  Arnside

  I helped Dan escape back to his car watching as he drove away. The sun setting as I walked round the paddocks ensuring the remaining horses were well.

  It was much later, while I was lying awake in bed that I thought that I should just go back to London, offer myself to them and beg them to leave my brother alone. However, I feared they would not be satisfied and I would put not only Adam but also Annie and May at risk as well. What the hell could I do? I knew that my fate was set and it was only a matter of time.

  ***

  I was up early, not that I’d been able to sleep. The sunlight pouring through the windows caused me to get up and go down to the yard.

  “So, you couldn’t sleep either?” Adam hugged me.

  “Not a wink…” I sighed. “Let’s check the horses.”

  We kept busy and were scrubbing water buckets when a gunshot rang across the yard. I froze. Adam slammed down the bucket.

  “Shit!” He grabbed me. “That was one of the booby traps in the woods, a shotgun shell on a tripwire.”

  We stared out across the yard, it was all quiet, maybe it had been a deer or some other animal. I was about to say it must have been a false alarm when there was a yell from the treeline. The first man was heavyset, in black jeans and a t-shirt, carrying a baseball bat which he swung menacingly. Behind him was Patrick, cursing as he pushed through the undergrowth. I turned to run, but realised what happened next was now inevitable. I stopped and knelt down on the concrete yard.

  “Shit! Amanda… For Christ’s sake, what are you doing?” Adam yelled.

  “Go… Save yourself… I love you… Let me deal with them and whatever…-” I willed him to run away, but he stood his ground, swinging towards the heavy who struck him hard with the bat, there was a sickening crack, and he fell, hitting the ground.

  “Hello there…” Patrick walked slowly towards me. “Kneeling before me.” He laughed. “How fitting. Now, tell me, is this you begging for mercy, or something else?” He gestured rudely towards his belt.

  “Screw you!” I spat. “Take me, leave Adam, do what the hell you like with me.”

  “Oh, I will…” He sneered. “Maybe I should keep you for myself? Always nice to have variety.” I shuddered, looking across Adam, was lying silently on the yard. “Cuff her.”

  The heavy man pushed me face down onto the ground, roughly cuffing my hands behind my back.

  “Go to the car. Get the tools. We’ll deal with these two here. I’m sick of this one coming back like some bloody weed.” He gave Adam’s prone body a kick. “I’ll keep her entertained.” I looked up from my position on my knees, watching the other man walk away. “Oh, you stupid girl, thinking you could escape. I have you now…-”

  I squealed as he suddenly landed on my body. I struggled against the dead weight, but he was soon rolled off me. Someone grabbed me and pulled me to my feet.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Kate? What the Fu…!” I stared wide-eyed at my red-haired saviour. From the bloody shovel by her feet, I could see that she’d hit Patrick hard, causing him to fall unconscious onto me.

  “Oh, you cannot imagine how good that felt!” She was going through his pockets, finding the keys to the cuffs before rapidly unlocking them. As I rubbed my wrists, she turned to Patrick, giving him a hard kick to the chest.

  We heard Adam groan, so we both knelt beside him, he rolled onto his back.

  “Oh God, now I’m seeing things…”

  “No silly… I came back.” Kate helped him to his feet.

  I didn’t know if I wanted to hit her, screaming at her for being as stupid as my brother, putting her life at risk for us or to hug her. The embrace won she’d come in the nick of time.

  “Right we have to shift. Can you move?”

  “Yeah… I hurt, but I can get going.”

  “We need to get out. We can cross the bay to Arnside, I have friends there.” Arnside was a small town directly opposite the yard, a simple case of crossing the fence and then making our way across some of the most dangerous mudflats in the world. We made our way quickly into the lower paddock and from there over the fence onto the beach below.

  Grabbing my phone, I made a quick call. “Dan, when you get this call me. They’re here. We’re going to go across the bay to Arnside.”

  We quickly made our way onto the sandy part of the bay. Looking out beyond the small town, which was in sight, we just had to cross the bay. Although I had not been here long, I was aware of the risks, so gingerly stepped into the ankle-deep mud.

  The going quickly became deep, despite this we were soon almost halfway across, facing the flow of the river. I looked back, seeing Patrick standing on the shore, the heavyset man was starting to wade into the bay, making progress towards us. I yelped, crying out that we needed to keep going. The mud was deeper in places, almost to our knees, so he was starting to make progress towards us. We were about to cross the river when we heard a yell behind us. I stopped, looking back I saw that the man had sunk to his chest. I stopped.

  “I have to help him…”

  “What the hell are you doing?” Kate screamed. “He wants to kill you.”

  “I can’t just let him die…” I waded back, grabbing for his arm. Adam stepped beside me, and we managed to drag him free. He lay on the mud for a moment before pulling a knife from his jacket. Leaping up, he slashed towards Adam, catching him across the chest. He screamed, falling back.

  “Oh, for Christ’s sake!” Kate grabbed his arms and dragged Adam up. “Run…”

  We waded into the river, the current was strong and the water perishingly cold, but we were soon clear and near to the shore. It was then that Kate screamed, she had sunk quickly to her waist. I stepped towards her trying to get her free but felt my legs being dragged down. “Adam… Keep going, get help!” I suddenly realised it was too late for all of us. Adam had started to sink, Kate was struggling but clearly trapped. The heavyset man stood on the other side of the river, it was clear we had hit a deep patch of quicksand, and despite helping him get free he had no wish to return the favour.

  “Boss!” He had pulled out his phone. “They’re trapped.” He took a photo. “Yeah… It’s too late for them.” He laughed, turning to us. “The Boss sends his regards and tells me he intends to be a long way away when you drown.” He turned and started to slog back towards the shore. I could see Patrick in the distance.

  I was sinking fast, every attempt to pull my limbs free was like pulling against rapidly setting conc
rete as the sand set solidly against us, we were up to our hips and trapped firm. I grabbed my phone. “Dan… Shit, we’re trapped in the bay.” My fear increased as I saw the river channel become deeper. “The tide!” I yelled. “Oh Christ, the tide’s coming in…”

  I realised that we were doomed, the tides changed fast. I dialled my phone again. “Yes, coast guard…” I was waiting to connect when a wave hit my body engulfing me. “Shit!” I desperately tried my phone but it was dead.

  “Kate… Thanks for coming back for me.” Adam leaned across, hugging her. It was clear we couldn’t move and there was no escape, we were firmly trapped in the shifting sands. The tide progressing, flowing around our bodies.

  “I love you… I hope you know that…” Adam clutched hold of her.

  Kate turned to me, her eyes streaming with tears. I wanted to say something, anything which could help, but this was it, after everything, crashes and gangsters, here I was, about to drown within sight of my own stable yard. How bloody ironic. I could no longer feel my lower body, a combination of the crushing sand and the freezing water.

  “Would you marry me, Kate? I can’t get down on one knee, but I am almost there I guess.” Adam laughed nervously.

  “Bit late Adam…” She gulped.

  “Oh, better late than never.” Kate shook her head. “Yes… I would have loved to have married you.”

  I was not sure if Adam would die of drowning or the loss of blood from the deep slash to his chest which was currently soaking into Kate’s clothes and turning the advancing tide pink.

  So, this was it. Although our rate of sinking seemed to have slowed, we were still slowly seeping into the sand and mud and the water level was increasing, with waves now splashing across my chest. I’d lost track of time, how long would this take? I wanted this now, I’d brought it on myself. Now, I stupidly envied my brother, embracing Kate. At least he wasn’t facing this alone. Yes, I had him beside me, but I knew I had to give him up now, he was Kate’s now. That feeling hurt more than anything, more than the fact that I was facing death. I had been here before, the horsebox crash, kidnapped with seemingly no hope. However, now, alone in a vast estuary, there would be no trace of me, no sign I had ever been here. Once the last few bubbles disappeared I would be forgotten everyone I had was here and I had doomed them all.