Saving Tara Goodwin (Mystery Book 1)

by Richard Harrington

  The atmosphere was sombre as Frank and Evelyn sat side by side on the steps with both of them lost in their own private thoughts, and for him it was a time of reckoning.

  So how did things stack up now?

  Well the private ambulance had indeed carried Monty safely away and Eddie and the CIC would have already disappeared into the shadows, but he had to stay low for long enough to give Monty time to get out of the country.

  He smiled, well at least he wouldn’t need a passport to run to Moon Shadow, and later, when everything had calmed down, Evelyn could run him over to the tavern, and if Tara had been collected he could take his car and find somewhere to hide it.

  Nudging Evelyn out of her thoughts, they went up to her apartment for coffee, but she seemed miles away, so he walked her away from the bugs and out onto the balcony.

  ‘Alright, spit it out. So what’s bothering you?’

  Leaning against the balustrade, she avoided his eyes and looked down to her nails.

  ‘Well I’m worried about Mr Montague. He’s in serious trouble now, isn’t he, for reading that Pale 1 file.’

  ‘Yeah, I reckon so. But don’t worry, he’ll be okay.’

  ‘Well that’s fine for him, but what about me, I swiped him into Leonardo.’

  ‘That’s right. And it’s not like Monty to put someone in danger, and to be honest, he didn’t even tell me he was going to do it, so I reckon that file must be pretty important.’

  Evelyn shivered at the unknown, ‘So what will happen to me now?’

  ‘Don’t worry, you didn’t know he was going to do it either and you’re not on camera, and anyway, as I said, you’re going to be a Cardinal puppet, so just keep your mouth shut and jump when they pull your strings and you’ll be fine.’

  She glanced up, ‘Really? You’re quite sure?’

  He looked away, ‘Yeah. Why not.’

  Tara felt the tension as Sammy drove his old V8 Rover away from the Sergeant’s tavern, but later, as they settled into the journey, the men relaxed a little and Sammy became his usual brash and irreverent self.

  After a while she found herself smiling at his ruthless jokes, while Ted checked the traffic, side roads, junctions and temporary traffic lights, and was always alert for two riders on a super bike, squirting a magazine of 9mm through the car window.

  But Sammy was good at his job and had chosen a convoluted route, so hopefully there shouldn’t be any nasty surprises.

  Gradually the tension eased and Tara became more relaxed with the two men, and though their gaze was everywhere, they were both trying to be friendly, and coming to a junction, Sammy slowed down and steered into a parking area.

  ‘What’s wrong, Sammy?’

  Grinning, he pointed to a roadside caravan café parked way over on the grassy bank.

  ‘Nothing, but my belly thinks my throat’s cut, I’m starving and it’s time for some grub.’

  ‘Okay. Ten minutes, and stay sharp.’

  Sammy bought huge bacon and egg rolls along with cups of strong dark coffee, and standing amongst the truck drivers, travellers, delivery men and sales reps, they drank their coffee and munched the hot and juicy bacon and egg rolls.

  ‘Hey, Sammy, this is good tucker.’

  He grinned, ‘It has to be. Truckers work all hours and they sure like their grub, so if it ain’t no good, they don’t come back.’

  Glancing around, Tara thought some of the men looked quite rough, but it was a shame they could be misunderstood, because they were really quite friendly, and although crude at times, they were often hilarious.

  Standing there, she realised she knew very little of anything ... only how to please men, but even that wasn’t true. The men she’d pleased, weren’t men at all.

  The real men of the world were standing right here, enjoying their tucker.

  Christiana ran deep into the woods and took care not to break any branches or leave an obvious trail, and although it was fairly easy to stay away from the roads, she didn’t expect Lucinda to use her car, but come on horseback.

  After a while she climbed a tree and sat in the high branches to look and listen, but apart from bird song there wasn’t a sound to be heard.

  Looking back towards the old farmhouse she took a moment to do some hard thinking.

  Lucinda would obviously try to kill her as soon as she got the chance, but she had two injured people to deal with, and time was also against her as she was committed to the Goodwin target, and that was arranged for today.

  So her advantage was time, and as she only intended to get to Ted Willis at Malmesbury she could afford to be careful and not to rush, so things weren’t so bad after all.

  Not being able to get through the kitchen door, Lucinda had run to the lounge, then out through the French windows and around the house to the kitchen, but stopped when she saw Martha laying on the path, and there was no sound or movement anywhere.

  Running round to the courtyard she checked the Ferrari, and it was still there and locked, so the bitch must have run away and would be long gone by now.

  Walking back, she glared down to the prostrate figure of Martha laying on the path, and placing one foot on her damaged hand, kicked her hard in the ribs with the other.

  ‘You let the bitch get away, you useless old cow.’

  Storming into the kitchen she filled a bowl with cold water, and carrying it out, threw it full into Martha’s face.

  Waking up in confusion, she coughed, her breath rattling in her damaged throat.

  ‘Get up, you old whore, and for god’s sake try to do something useful for a change.’

  Throwing the bowl across the garden she went back to the kitchen and saw Christiana’s silver tobacco tin on the table, and glaring, snatched it up.

  ‘You’re going to die, Christiana. You’re going to die because I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill you with my own two hands and watch you die horribly as I snuff out your pretty little life.’

  Tottering into the kitchen, Martha’s clothes stank from the blood, her bruised jaw hanging open with the pain as she struggled to catch her breath.

  ‘Jesus Christ, what on earth do you look like? My god, you and your idiot brother make a good double act, and you’re both about as useful as an outbreak of the shits, now go and wake him up, and tell him to saddle my horse, right now.’

  Holding onto the furniture, Martha made her way painfully across to the hall door, but as she lifted the chair away from the handle, stopped dead in her tracks as that tune from the old Swiss clock suddenly floated out across the kitchen, and looking round, saw the little wooden figures rotating around and around as they foretold of another message waiting in the gloomy priest hole.

  Lucinda became rigid, and looking up, felt her skin prickle, her eyes staring into space. Spreading her feet apart, she drew the Colt .45, and holding it in both hands, took aim at the clock, but when she pulled the trigger there came the heavy metallic click of the hammer falling onto an empty shell case, and she realised she’d fired every round.

  ‘You lousy bastards, why can’t you leave me alone. I haven’t done anything to you, so why do you keep sending me out to kill people, it just isn’t fair.’

  Frank and Evelyn swiped out of the house and walked round to collect her car, and climbing into the Pontiac, drove up to the red and white barriers at the lodge, but this time, instead of being allowed straight through, the guard waved them down.

  He looked at Frank, ‘Excuse me, sir, but Sergeant Jenkins would like a word with you.’

  As the guard spoke into his lapel radio, the gatehouse door swung open and the sergeant stepped out onto the veranda, his expression hostile.

  Frank sighed, and getting out of the car, walked over, ‘Okay, so what’s the problem?’

  The sergeant looked at him as if he wished he and Montague were dead and gone.

  ‘Well, sir, as you may know, we’ve had more trouble in the high security wing and Mrs A wants to see you at the cottage immediately, and to tel
l you the truth, it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest if you never came back. No offence, of course.’

  ‘Okay, you’ve given the message, now why don’t you fuck off and tell her all about it.’

  When Frank clambered angrily into the sports car, Evelyn knew something serious had happened, but giving him a questioning look, he only gazed out through the windscreen.

  He could imagine well enough why Angela wanted to see him so urgently, and she’d probably gone totally ballistic when she heard of Monty reading that damned file, so now it was all down to damage limitation.

  ‘Evelyn, the shit’s hit the fan and we’ve got to get our story straight, so listen carefully. On Monty’s orders, you swiped him and myself into Leonardo, but he went into that room alone, okay?’

  ‘Well that’s fine with me, but what were we doing all that time, there’s nothing in there except those four locked rooms.’

  ‘Good thinking, and I can hardly say I went into the master passage.’

  ‘No, and I can’t say I was twiddling my thumbs waiting for both of you.’

  ‘I guess not, but we’ve got to agree on something, and something believable.’

  ‘Well how about this. Mr Montague wanted to check something in the room, but I was feeling jittery after everything, so you took me down to the cubicles to comfort me, and one thing led to another, if you see what I mean.’

  ‘But that’s a brilliant idea … It’s just about the only answer Angela would believe, and it’s perfect because no-one can prove otherwise. So let’s stick to that.’

  When Evelyn drove into the car park of the Sergeant’s tavern, Frank saw his old Range Rover sitting there, and glancing across, saw Duncan coming out.

  ‘Give me five minutes, I need to check something.’

  Climbing out, Frank walked up to meet him.

  ‘Hi Duncan. So did the young lady get collected okay?’

  ‘Yes sir, she was met by two men, and there weren’t any problems.’

  ‘Thanks, I guess I owe you one.’

  Taking the keys from the exhaust pipe, Frank opened the door and called over.

  ‘Evelyn, follow me, I’ve seen a place where I might be able to hide her for a while.’

  Storming through the house in her cowgirl outfit, Lucinda climbed the stairs and let herself into the priest hole, and kicking the spiders away, glared at the printer when she saw another message had come through, and ripping it off, quickly decoded the blocks.

  Attn DC.

  Be aware - notification of imminent Immediate Action.

  Target - George Montague, Ex SAS, Section Leader NSA Executive Section - retired.

  Currently on Cardinal secondment.

  Location unknown at this time.

  Immediate Action required when location identified and confirmed.

  Best wishes.

  A.

  Lucinda stared wide eyed at the instruction.

  Another one? But why now for god’s sake.

  Why now when she had that whore, Christiana, running around the countryside.

  She felt the migraine spreading as bright lights began to shoot through her head, and throwing the cowboy hat across the room, began to punch her forehead.

  Why now? Why can’t they leave me alone?

  Wandering back to her bedroom, she fell into the misery of loneliness.

  Her darling Chrissy had run away, but why? The other playmates were waiting for her, she could have made such nice friends and wouldn’t be lonely.

  Sitting on the four poster bed, she gazed out through the sunlit bay window.

  ‘Oh Chrissy, come home. Please come home and let me kill you.’

  Waking her brother, Martha saw his mouth was bleeding badly, some of his teeth were broken and his cracked jaw was hanging loose.

  She smiled, and taking aim, kicked him till he clambered to his feet.

  ‘You’re to saddle her horse, and be quick ‘cos she don’t like you now.’

  Arthur looked at her, and walking away, wiped the blood from his mouth.

  Sighing at the waste of the cowgirl clothes, Lucinda tossed them onto the bed and walked to the bathroom to wash and scrub her face.

  Sitting at the dressing table, she swept her hair up and back and held it in place with ebony clips, and taking care, made up her face and added over twenty years to her age.

  Satisfied, she dressed in staid underwear and a skirt and jacket of sombre brown tweed, and slipping her feet into flat matronly shoes, chose a pair of thick horn rimmed glasses, and standing back, swore at the long mirror, because she now had the look of a frumpy, sixty year old school mistress, a woman as desirable as a fart on a cold and wet afternoon.

  Walking to the wardrobe, she lifted down the heavy brown leather handbag and having carefully checked the contents, angrily slung the strap over her shoulder, and taking the hated, wide brimmed hat, put it on and held it in place with the razor sharp, six inch pin, and now she was ready for the target.

  35

  Martha cringed and stepped back when Lucinda walked through to the kitchen.

  She’d seen those clothes before and remembered not to make any comment about them.

  ‘Oh, it’s you, ma’am. But it’s alright, Arthur’s saddling your horse right now.’

  Lucinda frowned, and standing tall, looked at her as if she’d gone totally insane.

  ‘He’s saddling my frigging horse? But why? What the bloody hell for? Just look at me, you stupid old cow, do you really think I could ride a horse, dressed like this?’

  ‘No ma’am. Sorry, but I thought …’

  ‘Oh. So you thought, did you … But I’ve told you before, don’t bloody well think, you know you can’t do it properly.’

  ‘Yes ma’am. I mean, no ma’am. Or was it yes, I can’t remember.’

  ‘Oh for god’s sake, why can’t you understand anything, don’t I pay you enough?’

  ‘Yes ma’am.’

  ‘Well there you are, you understand well enough when you want my money, don’t you?’

  ‘I do try, ma’am. I really do.’

  ‘Alright. Now go and tell your idiot brother to get the Morris Minor out of the garage, then take the Land Rover to the village and find as many of his layabout friends as he can and search for that bitch along all the lanes and roads between Sherston and Malmesbury. Now that isn’t too difficult, is it?’

  ‘No ma’am.’

  ‘And he can tell those useless drunken fools, that if they find her, I’ll pay each of them fifty pounds for the day, plus petrol, and there’ll be a bonus of one hundred pounds for the one who catches her. Now have you got that straight?’

  ‘Yes ma’am, I think so, but what am I to do?’

  ‘Well you’d better go with him and make sure they understand, and then come back here. I don’t trust that bitch and she might try doubling back for her car. So hide her purse, let down the tyres of her car and lock up the stables, and then stay in the house just in case. But Martha, if she does come back, don’t you dare kill her, and I mean that. Understood?’

  ‘Yes ma’am. But it is my turn, you promised.’

  ‘Martha, I am perfectly aware it’s your frigging turn, but you can’t have my Chrissy, although, if you’re good, I might let you play with her for a while, but that’s all. Okay?’

  ‘Yes ma’am, if you say so, but I haven’t had an American for ages.’

  ‘You lying, disgusting old cow, because if you bother to remember, you and Arthur had two each on holiday, which is precisely why they’d like to electrocute both of you, and if you also care to remember, it’s me who’s hiding you from extradition, now isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes ma’am.’

  ‘Right, so if you’re good, I might let you have the next one, but Christiana is mine.’

  Sammy drove to Malmesbury the quiet way, through the twisty lanes of fields and high hedges, and coming to the leafy junction leading to Ted’s cottage, stopped and watched the scene until they felt everything was normal.


  Keeping the motor ticking over, Sammy laid the Czech automatic pistol on his lap while Ted got out and walked up the lane, and taking the garden path to the cottage next to his, made his way round to the back garden.

  He listened for a while but there was no sound or movement, and walking over to the adjoining hedge, crawled through the badger gap and checked his garden.

  Everything seemed normal, and looking through the cottage windows, unlocked the back door and checked everywhere. He didn’t expect to find anything, but old habits die hard.

  Sammy saw him wave from the front door, and cruising the Rover up to the cottage, kept watch as Ted collected Tara’s suitcases, and together they escorted her inside.

  ‘Thanks Sammy, the drinks are on me later.’

  He gave them a cheeky grin, ‘Make it soon then, and be sure to bring Tara.’

  Blushing in the stare of his dark eyes, she felt a rush of regret when Sammy Paradise waved to her and strode away confidently down the garden path.

  With Sammy gone, Ted filled the awkward moments by showing Tara around his quaint old country cottage, and the more she saw, the more she could hardly believe that someone could have all this beautiful, peaceful tranquillity just for their very own.

  But Ted was feeling unsure as she gazed around and didn’t quite know what to say or do.

  ‘I picked some flowers. I hope you like them.’

  ‘Oh yes, they’re beautiful, and I love everything. I love your cottage, the flowers and the tranquillity, but most of all, Mr Willis, I love you because you helped me …’

  In that surreal, nerve tingling moment, it all became clear, and now he understood why Lewis had been so determined to break all the rules to get her out, for within the intense sparkle of this young woman’s innocent gaze, there was a child. But how could that be?

  Driving back from the sergeant’s tavern, Frank looked for the rundown farm he’d noticed before, and if he were lucky, this farmer down on his luck might take cash for a favour.