Kiss a Falling Star

by Barabara Elsborg

  “I’m okay now, Geoff. You can let go.”

  “Sorry. I can’t.”

  Every bone in Ally’s body liquefied and she crumpled. He hauled her upright and dragged her along the track. She opened her mouth to scream and a whimper slipped out. Her head buzzed. Not Jack but Geoff.

  “You’re really hard to kill,” Geoff said, and this time she managed a scream.

  Only for it to be cut off when he wrapped his arm around her throat. Ally gasped in pain.

  “No one up here to hear you, but screeching women give me a headache, so shut the fuck up.”

  Ally kicked out and struggled, but he dragged her farther up the hillside.

  “Christ Almighty, stop wriggling.”

  She fought harder until Geoff threw her down and sat on her lower back. She could feel him checking her pockets. Ally groaned. Can’t breathe. Hurts. Don’t let him see my phone. If she could just get a little way away, she could dial 9-9-9 and they’d trace her if she kept the line open.

  “Want to know why?” Geoff asked.

  She couldn’t speak. Ally panted with her cheek pressed against a moss-covered rock. God, he’s breaking my spine.

  “Nine years I’ve worked for him. Driven him wherever he wanted to go. Put shelves up. Dug his garden. Served him meals. Cleaned up his mess. Wiped his backside literally and figuratively. He said he’d see me all right, said he appreciated what I’d done for him. Then I read his will. The fucking bastard. Ten thousand pounds. What the fuck’s that supposed to be? The rest goes to his daughter.”

  Oh God.

  “He never even mentioned a daughter. I can’t ask him because I’m not supposed to fucking know. But I found you. Took me awhile and I’ve had to keep him alive until after you die, otherwise it’s going to look suspicious. Once you’re dead, I get the lot.”

  I don’t want the money. You can have it.

  The weight came off her back and Ally groaned. She tried to scramble away, but Geoff scooped her up and carried her a few more feet.

  “Sorry about this. I wish it was one of the others. I like you best out of all Emma’s friends.”

  Ally spotted a hole with rocks scattered around it. A couple of rotting timbers rested across it.

  “Please, Geoff. You can have the money. I don’t want it.”

  He tsk-tsked. “You say that now. You won’t later.”

  Ally grabbed his neck. He let her legs free and pulled her hands away from his throat. She kicked out and he dropped her. Ally crashed through the wood feet first and screamed as she fell into the hole. Legs together. Knees bent. One arm struck the side then her feet hit rock and she cried out as she crumpled only to slither to one side and fall again. A tunnel? Ally flailed for a handhold and her hand caught in a crack. The wrench on her arm almost dislocated her shoulder but she pressed herself against the sloping rock and found a ledge for one foot. God, my shoulder, my wrist.

  “Dead yet?” Geoff called.

  Fuck you. Ally stayed silent, didn’t move a muscle. Something crashed down close to her head and she only just managed to swallow her scream. For a moment, she thought Geoff had fallen. Then another rock landed, and Ally realized he was making sure she was dead or at least too injured to climb out. Rock after rock landed on the flat area above her head. If she hadn’t slipped into this side tunnel, she’d have been crushed.

  After the flurry of rocks stopped, she waited and sensed him waiting too. A foot and a hand hold on a forty-five degree slope had to keep her safe until she was sure he’d gone. Ally listened, heard shuffling at the surface and then nothing. She waited and counted.

  On ninety-seven she heard him mutter and then the sound of him moving away. Her eyes had adjusted to the low light. Everything was grainy, but at least she wasn’t in the pitch-black. Ally thought about her phone, but she didn’t dare reach for it with her free hand in case she dropped it or fell. She ran her fingers over the rocks, feeling for another handhold, and when she had one, did the same with her dangling foot. Little by little, she edged up until she was able to crawl into the bottom of the shaft.

  Ally sat trembling on the pile of stones he’d intended to be her tomb, clutching her arm. She felt battered and bruised but nothing had broken. She pulled her phone from her sock and thanked God she’d thought to put it there.

  No signal.

  Bloody hell, God. Can’t I catch a break?

  Ally took a deep breath and offered a mental apology.

  Sorry, God. I’m still alive. Thank you.

  She swallowed a sob. Crying wasn’t going to help. Geoff was such a bastard. She’d thought he was a friend, and all the time, he’d been plotting to kill her. He didn’t care about Emma. Ally was his target. She was right and no one had believed her. Christ, if she managed to get out, they’d probably claim she threw herself down the hole. If she didn’t get out, they’d think the same. When it was light, she’d scratch a message on the rock. Geoff wasn’t going to get away with this. Even if she died, they’d find the message one day.

  Ally put the phone back in her pocket and stood in the narrow chute. The surface looked about ten feet above her head. No choice but to climb. She got partway and couldn’t get any farther. Nothing to hold onto and too steep to crawl up. She climbed back down and tried the other side of the hole. Within a few feet, she found herself in the same position.

  This time, while she was still halfway up the side, Ally reached into her pocket for her phone, pressed 9-9-9, held it as high as she could and yelled for help. When her arm grew too heavy to keep elevated, Ally climbed down and stuffed the phone in her pocket. She’d keep doing that in case there was a signal and she’d yell every couple of minutes on the off-chance someone was passing and not think about the fact that mobile signals weren’t good in these desolate areas.

  Christ.

  She had to try not to think about the fact that she was stuck in a hole on an isolated hillside and it was getting dark.

  Christ.

  I have a father? Ally gulped. Maybe Caspar had been right and her father hadn’t even known about her for a long while. Maybe he still didn’t want to know about her. She exhaled. He didn’t, did he? Because if Geoff had found her, her father could have found her. He just wanted to leave her money. As if she wanted it. It wasn’t bloody fair.

  Maybe she could chisel out hand and footholds? She picked up one of the rocks Geoff had dropped and smashed it down onto another. Not even a tiny chip flew off. The chances of carving steps seemed a touch optimistic.

  Ally picked up another stone and threw it in the direction of the side passage she’d climbed from. It was always possible there was another way out. It took too long before she heard the muffled thud of the rock landing. The only way was up.

  She piled up the rocks to get higher and tried time after time to climb to the surface, exploring with her hands for every tiny hold, frustrated to get within a yard of the top with no way of moving higher. Should she throw the phone out? It was no use to her in here, and if there was a signal up there, maybe the police would trace her. But Ally couldn’t bring herself to let the thing go. She clung to the rock, held the phone up and screamed for help. When her legs and arms began to shake, Ally slid back to the bottom of the shaft.

  The light had almost gone. She sat on the rocks and for the first time began to seriously think she might not make it out.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Caspar picked up his phone. Unknown caller. He hesitated and then pressed the button. “Yes?”

  “Caspar, hello.”

  He wasn’t sure how many more shocks his heart could take today.

  “Lu—” Maybe he shouldn’t say her name. “How did you get this number?”

  “Not so difficult. Friends helped.”

  “How are you?” he asked.

  “Fine. Still in my old apartment.”

  Still living in Albania then.

  “I thought of you often but couldn’t… I saw the newspaper. Engaged now?”

  “No,
that was a mistake. Not the story it might have been.”

  “I wondered. I’m married now.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “I’m safe.”

  Caspar wasn’t sure what she was telling him. Why she’d called to tell him that today.

  “Good,” he mumbled.

  “I had a call that made me think you might not believe me safe. I just want to tell you I am. Good luck, Caspar.”

  She ended the call and Caspar stared at his mobile phone, wondering if he’d imagined all that. Luljeta had been his contact, the woman he’d gone to help and as a consequence lost his sister. Caspar hadn’t spoken to her since that night. She’s safe? What the hell did that mean?

  Richard fucking Hanley.

  Caspar switched on his laptop and went onto the internet. He looked for a link between Hanley and Mantel and eventually found it. Rumors of promotion in the Foreign Office, Hanley supported by Mantel. Fuck.

  His phone rang again and Caspar snatched it up.

  “Caspar, it’s me.”

  Caspar checked his watch. “It’s eleven thirty. What the fuck do you want?”

  “Mountain Rescue call out,” Tom said. “You’re on. I’ll pick you up as we pass your place.”

  Caspar groaned. Why’d the bastard call him?

  By the time Tom pulled up in the van, Caspar stood waiting at the side of the road. The door slid open and he climbed in next to Tom. Caspar was surprised to be included. He hadn’t gone through the training, didn’t think he’d been formally accepted, even if attitudes toward him were thawing.

  “What’s happened?” he asked.

  “We think it’s Ally,” Tom said.

  For a moment, Caspar thought his heart had stopped working. His lungs definitely had.

  “The police had a brief emergency call,” Tom said. “It came again a couple of minutes later. Faint cries for help. The signal is intermittent but it’s Ally’s phone.”

  “What… Why… Where.” Caspar tried again. “Where are we heading?”

  “Grady’s Peak,” said Mike.

  Which was riddled with abandoned lead mine shafts. What the hell was Ally doing up there? Caspar’s heart had decided rapid activity was better than none and adrenaline surged around his bloodstream. She wouldn’t have done anything stupid, would she? Because of him? Oh Christ. He took out his phone and called her. No answer. Kept trying.

  * * * * *

  Tom pulled up behind a police car, its warning lights flashing. Caspar leapt out and looked around frantically.

  Bill put his hand on Caspar’s shoulder. “Let Tom handle it.”

  Caspar watched Tom walk away and talk to a policeman. Please, please, please. He repeated the words over and over in his head.

  “Help me sort out the equipment.” Bill tugged him to the back of the van. “We need ropes, helmets with lights on.”

  By the time Tom returned, Caspar was ready to explode. “What’s happened?”

  “The signal was weak,” Tom said. “Her phone is somewhere on the hill. No one has spoken to her.”

  “There are a lot of old mine shafts up there,” Mike said. “Some have metal covers, some don’t.”

  “Everyone rope up,” Tom ordered. “Helmets on. We’ll spread out in a line and sweep through the trees up onto the hill. Every twenty paces we stop. Call Ally’s name, listen then shout out your number. Okay?” Tom looked at each man in turn.

  Get on with it.

  “Check your map,” Tom said. “Once we get to the limit of the forest, I don’t want anyone falling down a hole. All the shafts should be marked but we can’t be sure.”

  Even as Caspar’s brain was shouting Too slow!, he knew they had to be thorough. It was a clear, cold night. If Ally was injured— Stop it.

  On Caspar’s left, Mike shouted, “Ally.” Once he’d called “Three”, it was Caspar’s turn. Once the last one in line called out, they advanced up the hill. Each time they came across an old mine shaft, they listened for a response and then marked it with a flag.

  Please let me find her. Please let her be okay.

  Caspar kept repeating the same thing over and over.

  * * * * *

  Perched uncomfortably on the pile of stones with her back against the wall of the chute, Ally stared up at an oblong of sky. Not a star in sight. When the light came back in the morning, she’d try to climb out, try again to chip some hand and footholds. She didn’t need much of a hollow. She’d seen Caspar cling to virtually nothing and had found herself doing the same. No use expecting anyone to come and look for her. No one would’ve registered she was missing, and if they did, why search here?

  Ally struggled to come to terms with what had happened. A father, who so far in her life had shown no interest in her, intended to leave her money Geoff felt was his. Because of that, she had to die. Ironic that she really didn’t want the money. Ally had spent eleven years longing for a father and then Finn’s dad had been more than she’d hoped for. What would he say to her now? Don’t give up. It’s never too late.

  She shivered and tucked her hands deeper into her pockets. Ally had stopped calling for help. There hadn’t seemed much point wasting her voice and energy once it got dark, but it was spooky down here. Every creak, crack and rustle made her think—snakes. To keep herself company and to scare off the slithering boogieman, Ally launched into a medley of songs about mountains and made up the words she didn’t know. Climb Every Mountain—much too sad,was followed by River Deep, Mountain High—even worse.Then She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain—much better.

  “She’ll be wearing red lace panties, wearing red lace panties, she’ll be wearing red lace panties when she comes,”Ally sang.

  “I like the black ones better.”

  Oh God, now she was having an auditory hallucination.That sounded like Caspar’s voice. Ally looked up but could see nothing but white light. Wow, a really bright star.

  “What the hell are you doing down there?” Caspar asked.

  Ally was afraid to answer in case he went away. Oh, but if she didn’t answer, he might go away.

  “Weaseling,” she said. “I was so pissed off I’d missed it, thought I’d have a go on my own.”

  “Stay exactly where you are. Don’t move,” Caspar said. “I’m coming down.”

  Oh God, it is Caspar. Ally stood. Her heart pounded. This was real? She was safe? “Are you on your own?”

  “Tom and the others are here.”

  “Not Geoff?”

  “No,” Caspar said, and Ally breathed a sigh of relief.

  When Caspar’s feet appeared overhead, she gulped back a sob. If this wasn’t real, it was very cruel to tease her like this. But then Caspar stood in front of her, a light on his helmet and a smile on his face.

  “Star boy,” Ally whispered.

  “Little weasel.” Caspar pulled her into his arms. “Ally, Ally, Ally,” he whispered into her hair. “What the hell happened?”

  She melted against him. “Geoff tricked me into coming up here and then the bastard pushed me in this hole. He threw rocks in after me but I’d slipped into a side passage so he missed.”

  “Oh my God.” Caspar gave her a bottle of water then took off his helmet, put it on her head and fastened it under her chin. He rigged a rope around her. “Why does he want to kill you?”

  “He told me he works for my father and I’ve been left something in his will. Geoff gets the money if I’m dead. Not that my father’s dead yet, but I have the feeling Geoff’s working on that.”

  “Christ.” He stroked her face with his fingers as she drank, and then raised his head. “Ready,” Caspar called to the surface.

  They hauled Ally out of the ground and she emerged to cheers.

  “Hi, Tom, Mike. Oh you’re all here. Thank you.” Ally blinked back tears, touched that they’d all come to look for her.

  Caspar climbed out to stand at her side and she felt his hand on her back. Ally couldn’t look at him. This didn’t change anything, she knew t
hat, but she felt a shiver of pleasure he’d been part of the team.

  “You okay to walk down, Ally?” Tom asked.

  “Yep. Do I get chocolate?”

  Tom laughed and handed her a Mars bar. One bite and Ally thought it was the best thing she’d ever eaten.

  Caspar was next to her every step of the way down. Ally could see lights flashing on vehicles lining the road—police cars and an ambulance.

  “How did you know I was there?” she asked.

  “Your phone,” Tom said. “Once you’d called 9-9-9, it was tracked. We knew your approximate location and then we did a sweep up the hill. But you were lucky.”

  “I know.” She shuddered.

  “Over here,” someone called as Ally emerged from the trees. Two policemen walked toward her.

  Ally unfastened her helmet and handed it to Caspar. “Thank you.”

  She turned away and he caught her sleeve. “Ally? I don’t want you to leave.”

  She knew that. She understood why he’d said he was engaged, why he’d been sharp with her about the spy thing, why he pretended not to want her. He’d promised on the crag to catch her if she fell and he had, but it wasn’t going to happen in the way she wanted. She was on her own. Ally got the message.

  “This way, sweetheart,” said a paramedic.

  Ally remembered when Caspar had called her sweetheart and a pain erupted in her chest.

  “I’m okay,” Ally said, but she wasn’t. Her head whirled, sugar from the chocolate crackled in her bloodstream and the ground wobbled.

  All the lights winked out and she fell.

  Caspar threw himself forward and swept Ally into his arms.

  “Good save,” said one of the paramedics. “We’ve got her now.”

  Caspar didn’t want to let her go but he had to. He watched them lift her onto a stretcher. The door closed behind a policeman and one of the ambulance crew, and the vehicle pulled away.

  Tom put his hand on his shoulder. “She’ll be okay. It’s probably a combination of shock and dehydration.”

  “I need to talk to the police,” Caspar said. “Go back without me, I’m going to the hospital after.”

  “Okay, see you later.”