The Girl on the Beach

by Morton S. Gray

  Just act, Ellie. Don’t think too much.

  Mandy revved the engine. The situation started to feel even more unreal.

  They drove out of Borteen along the coast road and for once Ellie didn’t even notice the spectacular views on each side. The quarry road was easy to spot; the sign saying “Quarry Cottage” was a bit of a giveaway.

  Mandy stopped a little further along the beach road in a layby and faced Ellie as the engine fell silent. ‘Do you think we’re doing the right thing? Should we just leave it to the police?’

  Ellie noted the pallor of her friend’s face. ‘Do you want to go back and wait for me? You don’t have to come.’

  ‘No way. If you are going, I’m coming with you.’

  Mandy was more like an auntie to Tom. Ellie felt guilty for a moment that her friend wasn’t aware of the relationship between Tom and Harry, but now was not the time to begin to explain.

  ‘I guess I’m starting to lose my nerve a bit. I’ve never done anything like this before and I couldn’t bear anything bad happening to you. I’m not normally brave. I’m afraid of my own shadow for goodness’ sake.’ Ellie chewed her finger, aware she was voicing her thoughts out loud.

  ‘I suppose we don’t have to actually confront Rushton. Let’s just go for a walk and gauge the situation. At least then, we’ll be able to give useful information to the police when they arrive.’

  ‘True. We’ll just go for a walk. When we find the cottage, we’ll decide whether to go in, all marbles blazing, or run back to the car. We haven’t actually committed to anything yet. We don’t even know if they are still there. Hopefully, the rescue bid will happen soon. If we’re lucky, we’ll only need to watch, at most distract the baddies, or maybe the rescue party will get there before we do. Sorry, I’m nervous. Hence the babbling.’

  ‘Let’s find Quarry Cottage and take it from there.’

  ‘Okay. I’m going to leave the money in your car for now.’

  They walked back along the road at double speed. Ellie dragged Mandy into the hedgerow every time she heard a car coming.

  ‘Just in case it’s Rushton.’ She apologised, as her friend brushed twigs out of her hair yet again.

  The pair fell silent.

  Ellie hadn’t the breath for walking fast and talking at the same time. She was wearing the scarf over her hair that Harry had suggested for disguise at the airport. She wondered if she looked glamorous or like a sit-com cleaning lady. It was not a fool-proof disguise, but it might confuse Rushton for a few vital moments.

  Reaching the sign to the cottage, they walked cautiously down the track.

  Ellie grasped Mandy’s hand and squeezed.

  Mandy squeezed back. ‘It might have been better if we’d been able to wait until dark.’

  ‘I know, but I have the feeling that there isn’t a moment to lose. Harry said something about the possibility of Rushton selling him on to another group.’

  ‘I wish I understood what all of this is about, Ellie, but I guess you can explain later.’

  They crept around the bend in the road and the track levelled out and straightened. The cottage was set to the side of the track right in front of them. Ellie pulled Mandy against the hedge.

  After watching patiently for five minutes, she could detect no sound or movement around the cottage. The silver van was parked to the side of the door, exactly as Nick had reported. If they walked further down the track, they would be totally exposed to anyone looking out of the cottage windows.

  They both jumped as Ellie’s phone rang out. Her hands were shaking as she silenced it by answering the call, Sam’s warning about keeping it on silent echoing in her head.

  Rushton’s chilling tone came from the handset.

  ‘Now you’ve had time to think, I guess you’re more willing to empty your bank account for me.’

  Ellie instinctively began to walk back up the track away from the cottage as she spoke.

  ‘You know I am. How do I get the money to you?’

  His horrible laugh came from the mobile. ‘As much money as you have remember. The last breakwater on the beach furthest from Borteen.’

  ‘And Tom?’

  ‘He’ll be released as soon as the money is in my hand. I’ll ring my friends.’

  ‘How can I trust you?’

  ‘Okay, I’ll bring Tom with me.’

  ‘And Harry?’

  ‘He’s not part of the deal.’

  Ellie toyed with arguing, but decided against it.

  ‘When?’

  ‘Eleven, on the dot.’

  Ellie stared at the handset for a long while after Rushton’s voice died away and then she switched her phone to silent.

  Mandy was waiting tucked into the hedge. Ellie wondered how Nick had been able to watch the house without detection. She told Mandy what Rushton had just said.

  ‘Can you trust him?’

  ‘Not at all, but what choice do I have?’

  ‘It will be quite exposed on the beach, the police patrols might see us and there could be dog walkers and tourists. I wonder if he’s thought of that?’

  Mandy turned her attention back to the cottage. ‘If we could get to the other side of this hedge we might be able to get closer.’

  ‘There must be a vantage point. Nick said he watched the cottage for quite a while.’

  She pushed her way through the hedge and Mandy followed.

  The pain in Harry’s side was intensifying. He was having to fight very hard not to pass out. Tom was trying hard to keep the conversation going, probably because he could see the look on Harry’s face.

  ‘Did you know your dad, Mr Dixon?’

  Harry jolted back to full awareness, his ears alert and the hairs at the back of his neck standing to attention. ‘I didn’t. He was out of my mother’s life well before I was born.’

  ‘Same as me. Only my dad died in a surfing accident.’

  ‘I’m sorry. My mum married when I was very young, so I had a great step-dad and step brother.’ Harry didn’t know what else to say.

  Tom shuffled up the bed to sit next to Harry with his back against the headboard. The mirror on the wardrobe opposite showed them side by side.

  ‘You know, you and I look so alike. You could easily be my dad.’

  Harry didn’t trust himself to say anything. His stomach did a strange somersault. They sat for a while examining their reflections. Harry couldn’t blame Tom for saying what he had, they truly did look alike.

  He felt a renewed drive to get out of this situation, so maybe Ellie could tell Tom the truth. Was there a remote chance he could be part of his son’s life?

  It was starting to drizzle. Ellie pulled her scarf closer round her face and looked at Mandy. ‘What now? Any ideas?’ Her adrenaline had been keeping her going, but as it began to seep away, despair and uncertainty reared up to engulf her.

  ‘There’s no sign of the rescue party.’

  ‘No, I’m starting to get anxious and annoyed. If we meet Rushton on the beach, we might not see Tom or Harry again.’

  ‘We could go and knock on the door.’

  ‘What! Then what? It would be madness.’ Ellie silenced her outcry and ended her sentence on a whisper.

  ‘Well we have to do something. Time is slipping past.’

  Ellie nodded. ‘You’re right … If we have to run, split up and meet behind the hedge near the car.’

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The women were just about to move. Mandy grabbed Ellie’s arm and pulled her down.

  ‘They’re getting ready to leave.’

  Ellie looked at her watch. ‘But it’s nowhere near five.’

  ‘I hope Rushton hasn’t changed his mind.’

  Ellie’s head was full of images she didn’t want to see. There were only a couple of scenarios which would cause Rushton to leave without his money. Maybe they were panicking. Maybe someone had told them the police were on the way. She peered through the leaves again.

  Rushton’s two henchme
n were loading backpacks into the van.

  ‘They could just be getting ready for later.’

  ‘Phone your contact quick.’

  Ellie ran doubled over along the hedge line, until she judged she was far enough away not to be heard.

  Sam answered the call on the first ring.

  ‘They’re packing up. How far away are you?’

  ‘Five minutes.’

  ‘Hurry up! We’re going in.’ Ellie felt her resolve returning.

  ‘Do not under any circumstances make your presence known. It’s not safe, Ellie.’

  ‘Maybe not, but he’s my son. Get here as fast as you can. Mandy and I are going to do what we can to delay them.’

  ‘Ellie, this is crazy. What are you going to do if Rushton attacks you?’

  ‘It’s happened before. I’ll be cautious and if the worst happens, I’ll just have to make it up as I go along.’

  ‘Please. Just stay where you are. We’ll be there in moments.’

  Ellie drew in a deep breath. ‘I know he’s dangerous and nothing about him would surprise me. I lived with him after all, but that still doesn’t mean I can just abandon Tom and Harry.’

  She heard Sam’s exasperated sigh. ‘I can see I’m not going to be able to dissuade you, but please be doubly wary and, hopefully, my team will get there first.’

  ‘We’ll be careful,’ said Ellie, with a bright tone she didn’t really feel.

  She cut off the call before Sam could argue with her and returned to Mandy.

  ‘They are definitely getting ready to go. I’ve been watching those two big men carrying stuff to the van.’ Mandy was scrabbling through her handbag and Ellie didn’t have to ask if she was going to help, when her hand emerged from the depths of the bag with a metal nail file. ‘I’m on tyres. You see if you can trip up Rushton, or even better, punch him in the face.’

  ‘Don’t put yourself in danger though, Mandy. Stay outside and run if anyone comes out.’

  They hugged, waited until the two men went back into the house, then squeezed back through the hedge and darted across the road. Ellie knew she had to move before she thought too much about what she was doing.

  Mandy stabbed at a tyre and Ellie rushed past her and rang the doorbell.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  ‘Ow, Ow.’

  Harry was in pain. Either he had a bruised kidney or something more serious was going on inside him. He tried not to dwell on the possibilities, clinging instead to the feeling of the tightness of the bindings on his wrists and the bruising on his face to remind him he was still alive. He was trying not to make too much fuss about how he was feeling, as he didn’t want to frighten Tom.

  He’d deduced that Rushton’s helpers hadn’t known him before. They were much less vocal than Rushton, but no doubt also ex-cons. Perhaps Rushton had met them in prison.

  Before Tom had been brought to join him, he’d heard Rushton outside the door, ranting about Ellie and his money, including a threat that chilled him – “I’ll get that bitch if it’s the last thing I do. I’ll enjoy finishing her off. I bet she’s been laughing while I’ve been inside. Well I’ll show her.”

  There had been telephone conversation after telephone conversation with Rushton spreading the word about his captive and starting to auction him to the highest bidder. Harry knew that Rushton had wanted him to hear those calls.

  He mentally listed the criminals he’d been responsible for putting in prison and wondered which reprobate he’d end up being owned by, no doubt someone with a grudge, who would delight in settling it. Things were likely to get much worse. That was if he lasted that long. He really didn’t feel at all well.

  He worried that Rushton still intended to go after Ellie and that meant both she and Tom were always going to be in danger while her ex was at large.

  Tom was staring out of the window. Tom, his son. Would he ever get over the strangeness of saying that? Yet, if he could have chosen a son, he would have chosen someone exactly like Tom. He hoped that Sam would help them to get away, that Ellie would choose wisely for their next location to live and prayed that Rushton would be dealt with in such a way that he could never threaten them again.

  Harry’s future involvement in their lives was secondary to them being safe, after all he’d not known of his link to either of them until he had arrived in Borteen. But now he knew, he could never forget, or cease to wonder what life would have been like if he’d known before.

  He strained to hear if his captors were close by and when he couldn’t hear them, he tried to loosen the ties on his wrists, only succeeding in setting off another wave of pain in his side. Harry lay still, hoping he wasn’t going to pass out.

  ‘Tom, let’s see if we can untie each other.’

  They lay wriggling on the bed and fumbled with the bindings. Harry told Tom to try untying his wrists. They could tackle their ankles later. He gritted his teeth against increasing discomfort.

  Harry didn’t know what his future would hold, if indeed, he had any future at all, but one thing was clear, he had to get Tom to safety.

  Ellie pulled the scarf further forward on her head as she banged on the front door of Quarry Cottage.

  Rushton peered through a tiny gap, when he opened the door. Ellie didn’t hesitate, she pushed her weight against it and took him by surprise.

  Recognition dawned across his face, as he lurched backwards. ‘You!’

  He stumbled, but didn’t lose his footing. Ellie stepped into the room, her heart thundering. Show no fear. Show no fear. She repeated the words like a mantra.

  She’d forgotten Rushton was so tall. He towered over her. Had she really been married to this man? She recognised that menacing look. What had her self-defence instructor said? Strike first, they’ll expect you to cower.

  There was a vase of artificial flowers on the sideboard next to her. Ellie realised with a strange slow-motion moment of clarity that it was one of her own pottery vases. How appropriate. She grabbed it and smashed it into Rushton’s face, plastic flowers showering around them. He howled and leaped back, blood rushing from his nose. Ellie tipped the rest of the flowers onto the floor and struck again. A part of her brain was thinking how strong the pottery was, as it didn’t shatter. She was horrified and exhilarated all at the same time that she had hit him.

  ‘You’ve broken my nose.’ Rushton howled.

  ‘If I have, then we’re part way even at last. You broke my nose, both cheek bones and one eye socket … and my wrist.’

  He recovered himself and lunged towards her. She ducked under his arm and ran to the far side of the room only to be caught by Rushton’s two thugs as they came from the staircase in the corner. She squealed as they grabbed her arms. The pottery vase fell to the floor and smashed to pieces. In another seemingly slow-motion freeze frame she noticed there was blood, Rushton’s blood, on some of the bits.

  She heard a sound and saw Mandy standing at the door rolling handfuls of marbles across the wooden floor. If it hadn’t been such a serious situation, Ellie would have laughed.

  Rushton growled and turned round, marbles flew everywhere under his feet. Ellie looked from side to side at the men who held her and knew she and Mandy had taken on more than they could deal with. What had they been thinking? Sam was right.

  ‘Run, Mand!’

  Mandy ran, but Ellie heard her scream before she’d gone very far.

  Rushton pulled Ellie from the two men who held her as if she was a rag doll. He pushed her and she fell against the table. He grabbed her by the arm and hauled her upright. ‘Meet my wife.’ He shoved her back towards the two burly men, just as four uniformed men came bursting through the open front door. It was Ellie’s turn to scream. The policemen had guns and, in seconds, Rushton and his friends had their hands in the air.

  ‘Are there more of them?’ asked a thin man with glasses who had followed them in.

  ‘I don’t think so.’

  Rushton was cuffed and manhandled out of the door with the o
ther two. Mandy darted back in and pulled Ellie into a big hug. As they stood against the wall, Ellie recognised several of her own paintings on the wall. It seemed somehow ironic that the owner of this cottage had bought her artwork to decorate this property.

  ‘Where are Tom and Harry?’ Ellie asked. Fear once more surfaced to engulf her, as she shrugged off Mandy’s embrace.

  ‘Search the rest of the house,’ commanded the thin man. The men disappeared down the staircase. He remained behind.

  Nausea rose in Ellie’s throat at the sight of the blood on the bits of vase and the floor. How had she managed to hit Rushton? The thought made her feel ill now the adrenaline was seeping away.

  ‘Which one of you is Ellie?’ the thin man asked, but he was looking at her, so he’d already guessed.

  ‘I’m Ellie and this is my friend Mandy.’

  ‘I’m Sam. We need to get you out of here.’ He put his hand on her arm.

  Ellie shrugged him off. ‘Not until I’ve seen my son and Harry.’

  She began to cry, as the tension overwhelmed her. It was as if all of this effort had been useless. What had she been thinking? Thank goodness the cavalry had arrived in time, but were Tom and Harry safe? The pressure inside of her felt unbearable.

  She recognised Tom’s thundering footsteps on the stairs before he appeared. He flew into her arms. After a fierce hug, she held him at arm’s length to assess him for injuries. ‘Are you hurt?’

  ‘I’m fine, Mum. Just sore wrists and ankles from being tied up.’

  ‘Thank heavens!’

  Mandy grabbed him next and held him very close.

  Ellie’s elation only began to dissipate because there was no sign of Harry; she’d hoped he’d follow Tom into the room.

  She turned to Sam, who had been talking to one of the armed policemen, and lifted her eyebrows in question.

  ‘We’ve called for a medical team.’

  She felt the colour drain out of her face. ‘Can I see him?’