Theft of Love

by Marina Oliver

  'Did you leave them there?'

  'No, we escaped while they were gone, but they have a caravan and had left a light on, so we expect them to return. You might catch them during he night.'

  'If they know you're gone, surely they'll move?'

  Simon explained, and the Inspector picked up the phone.

  'I'll set things moving. Was there a second way out of the clearing?'

  'A small path, not wide enough for a car. I think the way we came out is the only good track.'

  At that moment Maggie appeared with a loaded tray and poured out the coffee. When Linda stretched out for a sandwich Simon exclaimed and caught her hand, turning it up to look at the ends of her fingers.

  'How did you rub them raw like this?'

  'The nail, when I was twisting it,' she replied, trying to clench her hands into fists and hide them.

  'You have some sort of fatal affinity with nails,' he said, raising her hand to his mouth and gently kissing the ends of her fingers. 'I'll deal with them as soon as you've eaten.'

  Embarrassed, Linda glanced across at Maggie, and was surprised to find her smiling with what could only be described as maternal approval.

  'Now, if you could explain,' the Inspector said with barely concealed impatience. 'Why did you leave the house when you'd been told to stay put, Miss Slater?'

  Linda bridled at his tone. 'I knew Pete and no one else did,' she insisted. 'OK, I was idiotic, Simon's already made that clear, but neither of us could have known he'd abduct us!'

  'Tell me slowly, what happened after you left the house?'

  Linda complied, in between eating Maggie's delicious sandwiches and drinking the best-tasting coffee she had ever known. The Inspector listened, making notes, and interpolating questions occasionally. Then she and Simon described how Pete had captured them, and driven off before any alarm could be raised.

  'When the horse came back to the stable, lathered and clearly frightened, we sent extra men to the exit gates, but we were too late. One of the stewards had seen a caravan and horse box leaving a few minutes earlier, but several caravans had gone during the earlier part of the afternoon, and we had no reason to suspect them in particular.'

  'But weren't all the re-enactors staying for the rest of the display?' Linda asked.

  'Some of the caravans belonged to spectators, who had been here on Saturday and probably wanted to get away before the rush. It was a bit odd to have the horsebox leave, but the steward thought it had finished, he didn't know they were all taking part in the battles as well as the jousting. And for all he knew it might have been lamed or injured. He thought no more about it until we began to ask questions.'

  Suddenly Linda yawned, and Simon stood up. 'Linda needs to go to bed, she's shattered. If we think of anything else we can tell you in the morning. You don't want me to come and show you the way to the clearing, do you?'

  'No, Simon, you're exhausted too, and your wrists need as much attention as my fingers!' Linda protested. 'The police can manage without you.'

  The Inspector suppressed a smile. 'Do as the lady orders, Mr Cottrell,' he said. 'Go an anoint one another's wounds, and I'll speak to you both again in the morning, when perhaps I'll have been able to snatch a few hours' sleep myself.'

  *

  When Linda awoke, she lay in bed lazily recalling the kiss Simon had given her as he'd said goodnight. Apart from the one cut on his forehead he was suffering from bruises, and her own roughened fingertips had not been serious. She was just contemplating whether to doze for longer or get up and have a shower when there was a tap on the door.

  'Come in,' she called, expecting to see Maggie, and feeling guilty that while she had been lazing the older woman had probably been up for hours, and was now bringing her tea.

  The door opened to admit Simon, wearing a very smart business suit, and carrying a tray with a small teapot and two cups.

  Linda struggled up. 'How late is it? You shouldn't have bothered, Simon.'

  'After all the difficulty I had in persuading Maggie that it was perfectly respectable for me to enter a young lady's bedroom,' he said, affronted, setting down the tray on the bedside table and pouring out the tea. 'Milk and sugar? She has rather old-fashioned ideas, imagines I have never seen girls in rather fetching nightgowns.'

  Linda chuckled, and looked down at the oversize Snoopy tee-shirt she wore in bed. 'I'm sure you've seen several,' she murmured, and felt a wave of disappointment engulf her when he merely grinned, handed her a cup, and didn't deny it.

  Why should it matter to her? She liked him, he'd kissed her a couple of times, but they were strangers thrown together by odd circumstances, and she wasn't convinced he now believed her totally. Besides, she knew nothing about him. He might even be married, and such an attractive man had to have a girlfriend at least. He was speaking again, and she dragged her wandering thoughts back to him.

  'Maggie will give you breakfast and then the Inspector wants to see you. Eleanor's with him. Will you promise not to leave the house without her?'

  'Where will you be? Are you going out?'

  'I have an appointment in London, and have to leave in a few minutes. I'll be back for dinner this evening.'

  He swallowed his own tea quickly, and with a brief wave departed. Linda sipped more slowly, then told herself not to be foolish. He hadn't said whether Pete had been captured, but she was eager to know, and the sooner he was in custody the sooner she could return to her own flat. The thought depressed her, and she thrust away the implications as she showered and pulled on her jeans and shirt.

  In the kitchen Maggie, looking as fresh as though she had not sat up half the night waiting for them, was busy at the cooker.

  'Full breakfast?' she asked, smiling. 'Coffee's made, and there are cereals on the dresser. Help yourself.'

  'I don't think I could manage more than toast, thanks,' Linda said. 'It must be almost lunchtime.'

  Maggie stared at her for a few moments, then turned away. 'White or brown bread?'

  As Linda listlessly spread marmalade Eleanor poked her head round the door, grinned, and came in. 'Any coffee for me, Maggie?'

  'Help yourself, girl.'

  'What happened last night?' Linda asked.

  'My fools of colleagues stamped their big clodhopping feet all over the place, and somehow Pete and one of the others got away down another path and went to ground. At least we have one of them, but he's not talking yet.'

  'Oh, no! Then Simon's still in danger if they catch up with him! And he's on his own today, he's gone to London!'

  'Don't worry, he can look after himself, and they won't know where he is. Besides, in a modern suit he doesn't look at all like a medieval knight, now does he?'

  'He's still in danger,' Linda insisted, wishing she could rush after him. Though judging by the past two days she wouldn't be much use. She'd been the cause of his being captured in the first place.

  Eleanor reached over and squeezed her hand in sympathy. 'We have the car and the caravan and horsebox, though, and plenty of evidence in there, plus your testimony, to put them away for a long time on abduction and false imprisonment charges, even if we can't pin the thefts here on them, and I'm sure we can do that. There were fingerprints on the door of the room where they left you, and they belong to a small-time hoodlum from London. Once we catch him he's got no defence.'

  'What about Pete?

  'All his known haunts are being watched. Inspector Stone wants to know all the places you went to, pubs and whatever, in case he has associates we might question. If you've finished eating, can we go across now?'

  Linda did her best to recall everywhere she'd ever been with Pete, and the Inspector relayed the information to the men who were trying to trace him. He was furious that Pete had slipped through their hands, and repeatedly warned Linda not to go anywhere on her own.

  'He's bolder than we thought, and has cause to want revenge,' he said more than once.

  'What about my brother, and my parents?'
/>   'Did Jackson know your family?'

  'He knows where my parents live, but he never met them. He knows Bill though.'

  'Then we'll question your brother, he will probably know other places where we can look.'

  Linda spent the rest of the day fretting. When Simon returned at eight o'clock, she rushed out of the small sitting room where she and Eleanor had been watching television, and almost flung herself into his arms.

  'Thank goodness you're safe!' she exclaimed, and he swept her off her feet and swung her round until she was dizzy.

  'You don't think I could come to any harm in the big, bad metropolis, do you?' he teased, dropping a kiss on the end of her nose and putting her down. 'Has she been a good girl, Eleanor?'

  'I'd hate to have her as a hospital patient,' Eleanor said. 'Every time we heard a car she had to go and see who it was, and she jumped a mile high whenever the phone rang. But she'll calm down now you're back. I bet you wish your students were as eager to see you!'

  He grinned. 'Stay for dinner?'

  'No, thanks, I'd better go home. I'll be back in the morning, Linda. Have a good night.'

  She winked at Simon and laughed, whisking out of the room as he threw a cushion after her.

  Linda knew her cheeks were red at the innuendo, and was thankful when Simon excused himself to go and change.

  'I'm stifled in this suit,' he said, tearing off his tie. 'I won't be more than five minutes, '

  Maggie had laid the table in the small breakfast room near the kitchen, and despite the light evening she had drawn the curtains and lit candles. A single red rose was in a slender crystal vase, and two wine glasses were by each place. When Simon came back and ushered her into the room Linda could not suppress a gasp of admiration.

  'Do the aristocracy live like this all the time?' she asked as they were sampling ripe melon balls, before reflecting that this was a rather gauche question.

  Simon, however, laughed, and poured her some wine. 'Try this. It's another of our ventures, a vineyard. We're not aristocracy. My great-great-great grandfather was given a title, just a baronetcy, in the nineteenth century, because he made a lot of money out of shipping. His son became a merchant banker and made another fortune. We've been lucky to be able to stay here, had some good investments, and the property passed on to the heir in time to minimise death duties. Besides, it's only a modest little manor house by stately home standards, and the farm and stud help to keep it viable. When Rupert, my eldest brother, inherits, I imagine I'll take over the stud full time.'

  'Won't you be sorry to leave teaching?'

  'No. I always knew that was just a temporary career.'

  He paused, and Maggie came in to clear the dishes.

  'Sorry, Simon, but the Inspector's on the phone, and he says it can't wait.'

  'Let's hope they've caught him.'

  He went out, and it was several minutes before he came back, holding the door open for Maggie who carried in a casserole and vegetable dishes.

  'A ragout, with new potatoes and fresh peas,' she said, lifting the lid.

  Linda sniffed appreciatively. 'That smells delicious. The vegetables are home-grown?'

  'Yes, we grow most of our own. That way I know they're always fresh.'

  She departed, and Simon chuckled. 'Maggie has a fetish about fresh vegetables. And fresh everything else. Mother bought her a huge freezer years ago, thinking she would store the surplus, but I don't think she ever uses it apart from making ice cubes. What she doesn't want is sold in the farm shop.'

  'Have they caught Pete? Was that what Inspecter Stone rang for?' Linda demanded, thrusting aside thoughts of her own small freezer stuffed with ready-cooked meals.

  'Not yet. He wanted to come and speak to you later, so I said nine o'clock.'

  Linda fretted, but Simon refused to talk about Pete, saying he was bored with hearing all about Linda's boyfriend. She then worried that he seemed to have reverted to disbelieving her innocence. She tried to refuse the strawberries and cream Maggie brought in, as the clock was striking nine, but Maggie looked so disappointed, saying the pesky Inspector could wait, that Linda laughed and took them.

  'I've shown the Inspector into the small sitting room,' Maggie said, 'and I'll serve coffee there.'

  Linda almost ran along the corridor, and Simon clasped her arm and forced her to slow down.

  'Steady, calm down,' he said, and she bit her lip and tried to take deep breaths.

  'I just want to know he's behind bars and I can get back to normal,' she explained.

  She didn't, she knew, for getting back to normal would be the end of her time with Simon. Against that she did want to feel safe once more, so that both of them could move around without fearing some sudden attack.

  She greeted the Inspector with a strained, questioning smile, but he did no more than nod a greeting, and waited while Maggie served coffee. When they all had coffee, and Simon and the Inspector had brandies, he turned to her.

  'Miss Slater, we're no further forward, I'm afraid. Your brother gave us a few more leads, and your cousin did too, after we had applied a little persuasion, but they've led nowhere. So I came to ask if you would help once more.'

  'What can I do?' She was puzzled. 'I've told you all I can possibly remember about Pete, all the people I know who might have known him.'

  'And we've questioned all of them, and his workmates, and even several of his customers. None of them know much about him, most of them knew less than you'd already told us.'

  'So how can I help?'

  Simon had been standing leaning against the Adam-style fireplace. He put his cup and glass down with great deliberation and stepped forward so that he was looking over the Inspector, seated in a low, comfortable armchair.

  'No, I don't think you can ask Linda to do this, Inspector,' he said evenly.

  'It's for her to decide.'

  'And she'll do it because we have, between us, made her feel guilty about the theft, and the abduction, and she'll want to make amends. It's too risky, you don't know what Jackson might do, and you can't guard against every possible eventuality.'

  'I wish you'd both stop discussing me as though I were not here,' Linda exclaimed, annoyed. 'What will I agree to do? And what danger is there? You might at least give me the opportunity to hear what it is, and choose for myself!'

  Simon glanced at her, then shrugged. 'Of course you'll be told, but remember there is absolutely no need for you to agree,' he said. 'The Inspector is impatient to solve the case, but we were the people harmed. It was my family property that was stolen, and we were the ones abducted. We have a right to say whether we agree to what he proposes or not, Linda.'

  'Miss Slater must decide, Mr Cottrell. You have no right to influence her.'

  Simon opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. He turned away and picked up his brandy goblet, drained the fiery liquid in one gulp, and sat down on the settee next to Linda.

  'Go ahead.'

  The Inspector gravely inclined his head. 'Miss Slater, when we tried to capture Jackson last night he was swearing that if it hadn't been for you he'd have got away with the stolen goods, and that whatever happened he would get his own back on you.'

  Linda shivered, and found Simon's hand closed over hers. She clutched at it convulsively. 'I would have expected him to make threats, but what is it you want me to do?'

  'We think he's in hiding, with people we know nothing about. We don't know where the third man is yet, and if he lives nearby Jackson may have a bolthole with him. But he will be aware of what's going on, we're sure of that.'

  'How?'

  'He could be watching police activity. We don't know what criminal acquaintances he has, who could be telling him what is happening. We want to flush him out.'

  Simon could keep quiet no longer. Linda had felt his hand tightening as they listened to the Inspector's measured words, and she turned to look at him as he leant forwards.

  'And they want to bait the trap with you!' he said. 'They'l
l set the trap, leave you helpless, and then make the same sort of mess trying to catch him as they have done so far!'

  'Mr Cottrell, that's not fair. None of us have behaved with complete success, have we?'

  Simon subsided. 'No, and I apologise. Linda must decide, but I hope she says no.'

  'If you'd stop arguing and tell me what you want me to do, I might just be able to do that!'

  'We want you to go back to your flat tomorrow, Miss Slater, openly, and letting some of your workmates know. Perhaps you could telephone them and inform them you'll be returning to work on Wednesday, and drop hints of something exciting you have to tell them. What we hope is that somehow Jackson will hear about this, or he may even be able to overlook your flat, or have an accomplice who can. We're sure we have actually stumbled across the fringes of a bigger organisation than we at first thought.'

  'And then what? Pete knows I'm back home and comes to attack me again? Is that what you want me to do?'

  'Don't do it, Linda. Don't agree!'

  'We'll have men concealed, ready to protect you, ready to capture him as soon as he shows his face. Well, Miss Slater, will you help us?'

  ***

  Chapter 7

  Simon leaned across and kissed Linda, but his face was grim and the kiss was no more than a peck on the cheek.

  'For the benefit of any watchers,' he said, his voice curt. 'I think you're mad to agree to this.'

  'If it's the only way to catch him,' Linda said wearily, 'I'd rather try it.'

  They'd argued until midnight, long after Inspector Stone had gone, and he'd tried to persuade her to change her mind. He's tried again this morning, and now, at almost noon, he hadn't given up his attempts to get her to back down.

  'The police have men installed in several of the houses round about,' she said now.

  'They can't put someone in a car or van, watching, which would be the best way of keeping surveillance. It's too obvious, Jackson would spot that straight away.'

  'No, but they'll have different vehicles patrolling all the time, and I have this alarm which will alert them without him knowing,' she said, fingering the pendant which was disguised to look like a locket. 'You'd better go, Simon. He might be watching.'

  She stepped from the car, took her case from the back seat, walked a little way down the path, turned and waved. Simon let in the clutch and drove off down the road. Linda had never felt so alone in all her life.