TICK TOCK RUN (Romantic Mystery Thriller)

by H Elliston

  The footage rolled on. If it was Laura’s car, she’d parked a few houses away from Daryl’s, but then, I guessed it looked less suspicious if anyone spotted her in the area.

  My pulse came to life, wild and throbbing in anticipation. I squeezed Lee’s thigh. A few seconds later, Laura walked into view on the screen. “That’s her.” I jerked.

  The screen flashed, then blinked black.

  “You’re kidding me!” I yelled.

  Lee speeded through the disc, but March 10th didn’t return. He faced me. “Did you notice what Laura was wearing?”

  “Yes.” I shivered as I spoke. “The grey studded jacket.”

  “The one she’s wearing in the photo?”

  I nodded. “This could be moments before she meets Daryl and kisses him on the doorstep.”

  We held each other’s gaze for a few seconds, then dived across the carpet and rummaged through the other discs. “Which one?” I screeched, searching for a date that wasn’t crossed out.

  “Just try any.”

  “Pick one.”

  Lee snatched up a random disc. We came together in the middle of the room on our knees.

  He waved the silver disc in the air near my face. “We’re close,” he said, a smile creeping onto his lips. “If one of these discs contains March 10th, we just might spot whoever snapped that photo drive off in their car. It’s a one way street so they have to drive past the cameras.” Lee worked fast. He ejected the hairdresser’s disc and replaced it with the random one from the newsagent.

  With my tongue almost glued to the roof of my mouth, I bounced on my knees on the carpet. “Hurry up. Play it.”

  Just as Lee picked up the remote and pressed play, my phone rang.

  “Great,” Lee grumbled.

  I snatched my bag and opened it. Laura’s name flashed onto the screen of my mobile. Typical, I thought. Terrible timing as ever.

  Lee paused the DVD and I answered the call. “Good news,” I said. “We might be onto something.”

  “I hope so,” she replied in a hopeless tone. “Because the girls are asking me questions and Mark’s giving me funny looks, winking at me. I’m going stir crazy in here. I’ve decided to pay up this afternoon and get it over with.”

  “No, Laura! Don’t.”

  “I can’t see the point in getting into my wedding dress in the morning, knowing what will happen. I may as well shred it.”

  I covered the mouthpiece, faced Lee, and my heart seemed to be trying to bounce out of my ribcage. “I have to go back. Laura’s losing it. Mark’s creeping her out and the girls are suspicious.” I uncovered the mouthpiece and spoke to Laura. “I’ll drive back to your place and we’ll talk. Don’t slice your dress or pay a single penny until I get there. See you in ten.”

  At least no additional problems had occurred in my absence. Thank goodness for small mercies.

  I faced Lee. “I’ll stall Laura while you go through the other discs.”

  “Mark’s at Laura’s house right now?” Lee asked.

  I bent to pick up my bag. “Yes.”

  Lee rose so fast from the sofa I wondered if a needle had pricked his bottom. He grabbed my arm and his cheeks were stained red. “You’re not going. It’s too dangerous. Wait here with me.”

  “No. I can’t.”

  He pointed at the frozen TV screen. “News flash, Chelsea! I don’t know what Laura has put in that head of yours, but, my brother was murdered. Don’t put yourself in danger when you don’t have to. We’re close to ending this. Let’s view the discs, drive to Laura’s together with the good news, and get the bastard arrested.”

  “Laura won’t let you in her house.”

  “Tough!”

  I shrugged off his grip.

  “I know you’re trying to protect her. But, just how far are you prepared to go, Chelsea? What’s this hold she has over you that you’re willing to put yourself in danger?”

  I‘d been wondering that myself lately – how far I would go. “I owe her.”

  “Why?”

  I inhaled a sharp breath and breathed out slowly. “Uh... well... Laura’s parents died because of me.”

  Lee’s eyes pinged wide open like coins.

  “I was on a date with a guy named Carl.”

  “The one who you told the police about?”

  “Yes. He picked me up and was driving us to a bar when it happened.”

  “The crash?”

  “Yes. Our tyre blew out. We veered onto the opposite lane and rammed into the oncoming car. Laura’s parents’ car. It skidded off the road and flipped, just kept flipping and bouncing down the slope.” A tear trickled from the corner of my eye. “That’s how they died.”

  Lee reached for my hand. “It’s sad. It sucks. But it wasn’t your fault.”

  “But if,” I said, while Lee wiped tears from my face. “If I hadn’t been on yet another stupid date, we wouldn’t have been on that stretch of road at all. If we hadn’t been flirting in the car, hands on thighs, stealing glances, we might have seen the lump of metal that popped the tyre.” I drew a deep breath. “The crash wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t gone on that date.”

  “Christ! Is that what you think?” Lee said in a high voice. “Accidents happen. You weren’t to know you’d have a blow-out. You didn’t drop the metal in the road.”

  “I know. But still, the guilt and the ‘what ifs’ just won’t go away.”

  “Does Laura blame you and Carl for their death?”

  “No. She doesn’t.” I shook my head. “But, even so, I can’t help feeling like I owe her. If I hadn’t been on a date that night her parents would still be alive. She’d never have needed counselling, so wouldn’t have met Daryl and had the affair. This whole mess might not exist if I—”

  Lee hugged me. “Okay. I get it. The snowball effect. And this is why you won’t go against Laura and phone the police.”

  I pulled away. “I can’t be the one to destroy her life again.” I shoved a hand through my hair. “If it doesn’t end by tomorrow, then... At least I’ve tried to do all I can.”

  Lee stroked my cheek. “I wish you’d take a step back now. You’re there for Laura, but you don’t seem willing to let anyone be there to catch you.”

  I clamped my lips together, stared at the floor. It irritated me that Lee was right.

  “Let me be the one to catch you, Chelsea.”

  I sniggered. “You did. Of sorts. When I fell down your staircase.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I mean ‘catch you before you fall.’ So I’m asking you now... Don’t go to Laura’s.”

  I leaned my cheek into his palm. “Catch me you can. But after this is over.”

  Lee shook his head in despair.

  “Don’t look so worried. Laura’s got a house full of guests and Paul’s there, too.” I laughed. “Have you seen the muscles on him?”

  He shrugged.

  I stroked his arm. “I need to do all I can to help her. Anyway, it’s not up to you.”

  “I don’t want you to go over there without me.”

  I thought fast, used his grief to my advantage and then instantly regretted it. “You need to watch these discs and find out who took the photos. The face of whoever blackmailed, or even killed your brother, could be on there.”

  Lee squinted down at the discs for several seconds, as though hoping to see the killer’s face on the mirrored surfaces. I hoped he could too.

  “Okay.” Lee sighed. “I’ll whizz through these discs, but then I’m driving straight to Laura’s, whether she likes it or not.”

  “Mark’ll be leaving for the hotel soon,” I said. “So if it is him, he’ll not be near us anyway. So you don’t need to worry.”

  Lee’s eyes turned narrow and serious. “Promise me you won’t confront him. If Mark’s still there when you arrive, drive straight back here. Please. Just this once, do as I ask.”

  “I won’t go near him. How’s that?” It was what I thought he needed to hear. I slid my arms around his w
aist, leaned my cheek against his chest and tried to take his mind off worrying. “I hope you know how much I like you, Lee. It’s taken me a long time to let a man into my life again.” Such a tragedy may not have affected some people the way it did me. I just couldn’t shake it off because there was no distance. I saw the pain it had caused every time I saw Laura. I pulled away from Lee, lowered my gaze to his knees. “Dating reminds me of that awful crash. But anyway, I can’t stop the way I feel. After this is over, I’d love you to come away with me. Just the two of us. A short break. But, we won’t call it a ‘date.’ The word makes my head spin.”

  “I’d love to go away with you.” He tilted my chin up. “On a ‘non-date.’ Try and stop me.”

  My stomach did cartwheels.

  I pointed at the TV. “So, the sooner you spot who took those photos, the sooner we can spend some proper time together.”

  Lee inhaled a long breath and eventually, he nodded. “Keep your phone with you.”

  “For sure. That sleazy photo of Mark is on it.”

  “Don’t do anything with it yet!” he warned. “I want to be near you when we rile him up. I haven’t forgotten about the car that almost ran you down last night.”

  It felt great, but kind of alien, to have a man wanting to watch my back again, and in such a determined way.

  I slipped my mobile into my bag, pushed up on tiptoes and kissed him hard on the mouth. He dropped backwards onto the sofa and pulled me on top of him. Our lips moved together. His tongue circled mine, making my blood pound. A moment later, he lifted my top over the cups of my bra. Letting his hands roam wild, he lavished so much attention on my body that my heart was a beat away from singing out. I gasped, threw my head back while his lips swept along my breasts. Then I kissed him again on the mouth. Every inch of my body ached to have him, yet something made me pull away. I broke the kiss, had to.

  If I didn’t leave right now, I knew I wouldn’t leave at all.

  Is that what Lee hoped?

  “Thanks for the... er... non-date,” I said, pulling my top down to my waistline.

  Lee’s smile cooled. He hummed a gritty note of disappointment.

  Laughing, I waltzed toward the door wondering what Lee would have done if we’d had more than one suspect. Visions of numerous blow-up dolls, strapped to front doors spanning the neighbourhood, popped into my mind. It would certainly have made for entertaining headlines.

  I left Daryl’s house, trying to retain a seed of hope that the footage would prove fruitful. The sooner this nightmare ended, the sooner I could concentrate on Lee. I felt like a child longing for Christmas morning.

  If Lee spotted Mark’s face on the surveillance discs, this whole nightmare could end in a second, and I’d get the old Laura back. I could almost picture the finishing line and smell the glory. This thought put an instant pep in my step. But then, just as quickly, I stopped moving, stood rooted to the spot with my car keys an inch from entering the lock.

  What if the other discs have been taped over?

  I was nervous about pinning my hopes on the footage, for fear of jinxing it. Nothing we’d tried up to this point had changed a damn thing.

  We couldn’t rely solely on those discs.

  While unlocking my car, I pictured the photos of Mark and his plastic airbag girlfriend. I nodded to myself. “It’s time.” I intended to expose the blackmailer, solve Daryl’s murder, lead Laura down the aisle, and then flop onto the crisp sheets of a hotel bed with Lee by tomorrow evening.

  CHAPTER 28

  Upon entering Laura’s house I encountered Mark in the hall. “Has anyone seen my gloves?” he said, glancing around. A light from above shone on the back of his shaved head. On seeing him acting as casual as ever, inside the house of the person he could be blackmailing, my muscles tensed in rage. Lee’s request that I give Mark a wide berth got swept away by a tidal wave of fury. Twice as irritated because the problem that at first brought Lee and me together now caused us to be apart, I stormed over to him.

  I prodded Mark’s shoulder hard from behind. “I’m onto you,” I said in a raspy voice.

  He spun around and his gaze washed up and down my body. “Excuse me?”

  I had the impulse to stick my car key up his long Pinocchio nose to cause him pain. “I’ve had enough. I’m not afraid of calling the police if it doesn’t stop, and if you cause a scene tomorrow. You’re a sicko.”

  Mark blinked several times and shook himself. “What the fuck?”

  “It’s only a matter of time until I get proof to help her. And when I do, I swear I’ll use it. Return everything, excuse yourself from the wedding and get the hell out of their lives.”

  “Chelsea, you’re insane. Whacko. Why would I cause a scene?”

  “Drop the act, Mark. You’ve done this to break Paul and Laura up. It’s no secret you’ve got the hots for her and don’t want to wait ‘til she turns forty. I know all about your back-up plan. Laura told me.”

  After a hesitation, he scowled and held his hands up. “I have no intention of causing a scene at their wedding. Why would you even say that?”

  I angled my head and returned the scowl.

  Mark went silent, and then something flashed in his eyes. “Laura worked out who the roses were from, didn’t she?” A disbelieving, yet smug smile curved Mark’s lips, and then he sighed. “Okay. You got me. I admit I have a big crush. But, I’m not a fool. Laura’s marrying my best mate. Game over.”

  I prodded his chest, and whispered, “You’ve slipped some of those photos into your DVD for your wedding speech. It’s obvious.”

  A door creaked and someone tapped my shoulder. I flinched, twisted around and stood on a foot.

  “Ouch! Careful, Chelsea. What DVD?” Paul dragged his stricken foot from under my red pumps. “Has anyone seen Laura?”

  “No. I just… er…” I rushed into the downstairs toilet to avoid explaining myself. Having bolted the door, I stood motionless, gripped the sink and faced the mirror above it. Breathing heavily, I replayed Mark’s responses in my head. Not a fool? Game over? Had we had two conversations wrapped inside one or was it purely about his crush on Laura? I felt none the wiser.

  Nevertheless, venting had its plus points. I felt a little less in need of punching something, or someone.

  I stared at my glum reflection in the mirror. Shadows tired my once pretty eyes. Make-up didn’t exist in my vocabulary any more, and a furrow between my eyebrows had deepened. I let out a long exasperated breath, then pressed my ear to the door.

  No longer hearing the sound of movement, I stepped back into the hall. I glanced at the wall clock, wondering how many hours we had left to solve this mess. Troubled and uneasy, I stared up at the static hands, moved closer, and noticed the absence of a ticking sound.

  Commonsense argued that this was nothing. The batteries could have drained. I rapped my knuckles on the glass face. Nothing. Not a single tick.

  I wouldn’t have given it another thought on any other day. However, all three clock hands had stopped, indicating one o’clock. Not a second or minute before or after. One o’clock precisely: the time of tomorrow’s wedding ceremony and Laura’s deadline.

  With a sharp intake of breath, I pivoted on the balls of my feet and pressed my back against the wall. Happy chatter and music poured into the hallway from rooms downstairs. In this house, where only innocent friends ought to be, did Laura’s blackmailer really linger among us? But then, despite the subtle method, why would he, or she, want to announce their own presence, by stopping the clock?

  Everything still pointed to Mark. I felt sure of it.

  I wanted to wipe the smug look off his face by calling the police, watch them manhandle him into the back of a van. However, Laura’s depressed state from when her parents died sprang into my mind, like an irritating website pop-up box. The image pushed every rational thought out, each time. Paul cannot be allowed to find out. I didn’t relish watching Laura slide down the stairway to depression again. Was I protecting mys
elf? Or protecting Laura?

  I moved into the loud and lively kitchen. In my absence the rest of our friends had arrived. All the girls from Saturday’s hen evening. Emma, Claire, Jayne, Megan and Jess were sniggering when I greeted them. They cleared up glass shards and a Champagne cork from the worktop. They’d bust a ceiling light bulb and no doubt wondered why I didn’t bother to comment.

  I slinked out of the kitchen into the hall in search of Laura. I missed my best friend so much I could almost cry. She’d been acting like a different person lately. Snappy, selfish, argumentative... “Hold on, what’s going on up there?” While I strolled along the hall, fragments of an argument drifting from upstairs yanked me from my thoughts.

  Hovering at the foot of the staircase, I covered my right ear to blot out the laughter from the kitchen. A door slammed above, cutting off the argument altogether. A moment later, Paul stomped down the stairs with a hard grimace. I experienced a déjà vu moment of dread. I sidestepped, pretending to be queuing for the toilet, and twirled a lock of hair while humming as though minding my own business. The lounge door opened and closed. I hurried upstairs to locate Laura.

  After flinging open her bedroom door, I looked into the room. Laura, sitting on the bed, turned to face me. Her poker-straight hair swung to the side, revealing glossy red eyes and a strained expression of sadness. She flinched away from my gaze and covered her face with her hands, looking totally absorbed in a web of upset.

  I sat beside her for the next instalment. “Hit me with it. What’s happened this time?”

  “Paul received another text message.” She continued sobbing, sniffed and trembled. “A much worse one.”

  “What?” I held my breath. “What did the message say?” When Mark said ‘game over’ to me earlier, he hadn’t meant it.

  Her bloodshot gaze rolled up to me. “I know a secret about your fiancée. Ask her.”

  “You’re not wrong there.” Concern turned to shock, which, for a second, rendered me speechless. Had I caused this by confronting Mark? “This message is much worse. Any photos attached?”