The Ringer

by Greg Hunt

  Chapter 70

  Crying himself to sleep, David had had a fitful night. He had been aware of the breathing of his two companions within the dark cellar room and had been unable to move from his spot by the door. He was rooted in position and had been, since arriving in the early hours of the morning, still dressed in his black tie from the ball the previous evening.

  David truly was a sorry sight. He appeared to be empathising with the two captives. Their forms were dimly outlined against the wall, sleeping underneath their respective grey blankets on the two old bed frames across from David. If he had been able, he would have been sorely tempted to release his prisoners from their shackles, attached to each of the bed frames. But he was unable, and had to focus his attention to the money. Yes, the money, keep thinking about the money, he told himself; what he could do with it; how it would change his life; all the ways the money would benefit him and change his future. Taking care of these captives would feel like a slight hiccup in the overall scheme of things; a trial to test him. Come on David, if you cannot cope with this simple situation then do you really deserve all of those extra notes?

  But was it worthwhile? What good was all this if he had lost the love of his life? What really was the love of his life? The girl? The money? The buzz of the adrenalin in doing a deal? His head ached from all of the different thoughts going around like a whirlwind.

  What did he want? Where was he going to be in ten years? Well, forget that, how about in two or three years? No, it was not possible to think that far ahead. Let’s be realistic. How about a half year tops, yes, a half year? David focused on the next six months of his life. He was dreaming of a beautiful motor yacht somewhere warm. The Caribbean would do, yes the Caribbean. He was surrounded by friends, some lovely ladies and a wonderful, beautiful, giggling girl with slightly curly hair, right by his side. She was laughing at the joke that he had just told. His humour had always been good. It reeled her in. Let’s finish the wine, David was saying to the gorgeous and sexy and curvy lady, and then go for a dip in the sea. Her body language indicated that she could not wait. There was a loud rattle of the anchor chain, but it was not in David’s dream. It was the here and now. Oh no, thought David, crushed again, back to reality. The reality of this pit of a hole that was once a cellar. The teenage daughter had just turned over and it had caused her ankle chain to rattle. David sighed; he would get out of this. He was not the type to give up. People had adored his company for his humour and companionship but, with money as well, he would be laughing.

  Chapter 71

  Archie woke with the dawn light, which shone in through the French balcony doors, direct in his face. The sofa had not been that comfortable but he had not required the use of it for anything other than sitting and slumping in, since buying the flat.

  Wow, Emma was in the room next door lying in his bed and yes, in his bedroom. Right, softly, softly, he thought. He must not wake her. Archie had made up his mind. He had things to do, places to be, and was on a mission, literally. Although not having the support of Commander Edgar Bennett and the resources of the whole of Naval Command, Archie would not be put off the scent.

  His mission to the Alps had turned everything around. All leads had pointed directly back to Portsmouth. The paper that Nick had found consisting of the historic ships pass and the half faded and scrawled address led to Portsmouth. Petty Officer Betts had turned up in Portsmouth. A complete shock but, nonetheless, the man was here and Archie had witnessed him talking to David of all people. Archie remembered that David had carried out some volunteering work as a guide on the historic ships but crossed his fingers that David and Betts’ relationship did not extend further.

  The van that had driven off hastily from the rear of the Student Union car park had contained copious amounts of perfectly separated, small packages. Archie was not a complete fool; he knew what they were, even if he did not know what was going on. How was David mixed up in this? How deep did he go?

  Archie knew that he was one of the very few people that David had trusted enough to reveal that he had been brought up in a children’s home. He realised that, despite having lived with David many years ago during their first year at University, he knew very little about him. What were his activities and hobbies apart from the obvious? The water-polo, hockey and other team sports were forever on display and Archie was now aware that David had continued to bell-ring at St. Mary’s. However, Archie also recognised that he had lost track of the true David, and everything that he might be caught up in now.

  Archie’s brain was quickly jumping through different possibilities but all of them involved David. He needed to track David down. Archie was sure that he was at the heart of this mess. David would enable Archie to understand whatever was going on.

  Archie wrote a note for Emma to pick up and left it on the sitting room table. He quietly let himself out of his flat and had the all important piece of paper in the back pocket of the blue jeans he was wearing. By walking to where David now lived, Archie would see if he could catch up with him at the hall of residence in the city centre.

  It was quiet on this Sunday morning and there was little pedestrian or vehicular traffic at this early hour. Archie noticed a large, speeding Audi heading the other way, in the direction of the Cathedral. He checked to see if there were any other motorists before crossing the road towards the Guildhall and David’s hall of residence, which lay opposite.

  Entering the student accommodation by pressing the caretaker’s buzzer, the only route was through to the reception. Archie was surprised to hear that David was not in and had to admit that he was temporarily stumped in the search for David. He asked the caretaker if he knew where he was and received a negative response. David’s friends would not thank Archie for waking them up at this time in the morning, but Archie’s business was urgent. He took the stairs two at a time to the second floor and it was only twenty seconds later before he arrived at the door of Richard Gupta. Back in the hall after the recent police visit, he was now answering every door knock and was on his best behaviour. Of course, Archie did not know that the student had been busted for his plant growing activities only weeks before, but even Richard did not have the faintest idea where David was. After a few second thoughts he said, “Try St. Mary’s Church, he normally rings there first thing.”

  What Archie could not have known was that Emma had made her mind up in the early hours of the morning to support Archie in every possible way on his mission. Peering through the binoculars that she had borrowed from Archie’s flat, which he used to take in the comings and goings of the Solent, she stood close to a pillar on the side of the Guildhall. She was still in her purple dress, topped off by Archie’s fleece, and was now watching the entrance to the hall of residence. Her plan was to help Archie and follow him to where he was heading. She would do everything in her power to help avenge the deaths of his colleagues who had suffered out in the Alps, whilst Emma had been recovering from her night on the mountain. She would wait until Archie reappeared.

  Chapter 72

  Emma saw Archie appear from the entrance to David’s hall of residence. He was in a rush and seemed slightly flustered, but had a sense of purpose and clearly knew where he was going.

  Emma was nervous and excited, eagerly awaiting a hint as to where Archie was heading. Searching for David, she expected him to go to the Student Union, the engineering block or the library, though if he was not in his hall room, it was much too early for these other options on a Sunday morning. Perhaps he had just been given a tip off by a friend living in the hall?

  Emma had to move quickly. She could not let Archie leave her sight, and he was walking at a pace. She could see the hunger in his stride and the yearning for closure. Her man had been troubled and he wanted to put his demons to rest.

  Almost running to keep up, she had crossed the Guildhall Square and had passed the road which led to David’s hall of residence. Archie was walking up towards north Portsmouth and Fratton, where Em
ma had never been before.

  Filled with row upon row of nineteenth century terraced housing, north Portsmouth did not have the natural green areas of Southsea Common or the beauty of the open ocean. Much of the area had become run down and many of the houses were boarded up, with few facilities and very few professionals. Little inward investment had been attracted and this was what was direly needed.

  Archie looked around him as he crossed to the other side of the road, past one of the few trees which was attempting to retain as much of its blossom as long as possible. The blossom only remained where it was out of reach of the local kids. Snapped off lower branches lay strewn around the base.

  Emma had to dodge for cover behind a parked van and, when she was sure that Archie had continued on his way, she crossed the road and continued to follow him. She was nervous, excited and apprehensive. Where was Archie going?

  Around the next corner taken by Archie, he walked onto St. Mary’s street, leading to the partially dilapidated old church itself. It desperately needed repair work, and Emma noticed the temporary boarding where there seemed to have been a spate of recently smashed windows. Archie walked past the church and then abruptly stopped. Emma hid behind what appeared to be three abandoned wheelie bins.

  Archie was ringing a door bell. She could see the outline of his head from the crack between the dark green wheelie bin and the black one, and it seemed as though he was standing on the doorstep for an eternity. There was no response.

  Whilst Emma stayed put, Archie seemed to have disappeared around the corner, although something in his walk indicated to Emma that he was watching the house. The time dragged by. Emma was wondering what she was doing. It was still early in the day and fortunately there were not many people about. She reflected there was definitely no-one else wearing their ball clothes from the night before! The few birds in this part of Portsmouth were singing their morning chorus.

  It all happened very quickly. So quickly in fact, that Emma just saw the back of David going into the house. Archie had reappeared, hiding behind a parked car on the opposite side of the street. So, Archie had tracked David down to a house in north Portsmouth. What was David doing here, Emma wondered? She knew that David lived in the hall of residence and had few other friends. She was sure that there were no other mature students in this part of town. Was it a bell-ringing friend?

  Emma had met David when playing hockey and, whilst he had been fairly quiet about his campanology hobby, she had been intrigued by it. She only knew that he occasionally rang the bells at this church, and she thought that he had not been ringing for some time.

  David had only popped back to the house. As quickly as he had appeared, he was turning the key in the lock and walking towards where Archie was hiding, with a small rucksack under his arm. Were Archie and David into whatever Archie had been talking about together? Had it all been a lie? Had Emma been totally and utterly fooled by this man who had swept her off her feet? She really, really hoped not.

  Emma had to move from where she had been hiding for the last half an hour. She had to see where David was going to and keep an eye on Archie, who had moved along to some wilted bushes further along the road. David was not going far. He was looking around to see if he was being watched. He opened up a grate in the stone pavement outside the church. Then he disappeared.

  Archie ran across from where he had been hiding. No sooner had Emma ducked than Archie was disappearing out of view also. She stood up from where she had been crouched and saw the half-closed paving slab. She put all rational thoughts to the back of her head and went to lift the stone cover.

  Chapter 73

  The paving slab was heavier than she thought, though not nearly the weight that it should have been, having been replaced by a lighter weight alternative and made to match the surrounding colours. Emma used both her hands and bent her knees to pull the slab open into the upright position. She let it clunk back down to the surface. It gave out a small thud as it landed on the stone path adjacent. Even from close proximity, it had fitted in extremely well. It was only when you lifted it that you realised the cover was much more recent than the other slabs.

  Emma peered down and saw the vertical, shiny, metallic ladder leading to the base of the floor below. Archie and David were nowhere to be seen so Emma had no choice now. She just had to follow on. Descending the ladder into the gloom she did wonder if she was making the right decision.

  From behind the thick wooden door immediately in front of her she could hear two voices in intense discussion. The voices were raised, the density of the materials within this subterranean layer blocked out most sound. The light was only partial but Emma’s eyes were becoming more accustomed to her surroundings. Apart from the ladder which she had descended and the thick wooden door, there was nothing else to take in. Should she call the police? She attempted to make out what was being said by gluing her ear to the door but to no avail. The voices just produced muffled sounds and she recognised both.

  Emma felt she had no choice. She pushed open the wooden door with all her weight and went into the underground chamber.

  Emma found it difficult to take in what her eyes were telling her. Archie and David were both on their feet in front of her. Their conversation was more than animated, it was rapidly moving from being an intense discussion to pointing, gesturing, assertion and aggression. Down to her left was a covered chamber pot and to her right were two metal beds. Grey sheets covered the majority of the two occupants but their heads were both watching the events unfurling in the room. What were these two ladies doing here? Emma’s presence stopped David and Archie in mid-flow.

  As if in unison, David and Archie both looked at each other and asked pointedly, “What’s she doing here?”

  David added, “Archie, you’ve done enough by stealing Emma away, let alone come and follow me here. What is going on? Why is Emma with you?”

  Emma was shaking as Archie and David started to push each other across the room. Their builds were very similar and the two of them were of equal height.

  “Stop it!” she screamed.

  This seemed to bring about a momentary pause in the jostling that was taking place.

  “I said stop it!” Emma demanded in vain as David continued to push Archie back to the far wall. David worked himself up into a rage whilst pummelling Archie in the stomach, the ribs and the arms. He kept thumping him, an endless torrent of emotion. Archie attempted to block his blows and question him at the same time. Who was he working with? How did he know Betts? What were the two women doing in this underground chamber?

  Archie was backed up against the far wall, and had nowhere to go. He attempted to take David’s legs out from underneath him; to pin him on the ground so that he could be contained. However, David had other plans. The man was like an animal. David had resented the fact that Archie had come between him and Emma. He also resented Archie for his good looks, for his perfect life and for discovering David in the midst of his other life. How would he cover it up now? It was Archie who had brought Emma into it… and she had to see him in this mess also. Archie just could not be forgiven.

  David clouted him on the jaw and Archie went down. David kicked him in the head, once, twice, another few times, violently, without mercy, out of control. Emma ran towards David to make him stop. In the small contained space she had not gained any momentum and David cast her to one side. Emma threw out her arms to protect herself from landing directly onto the hard floor. David loomed over her, grinning, and Archie lay next to her. He was not making a sound.

  Chapter 74

  Emma stared up at David, who was looming over her.

  “Please don’t hurt me,” she said.

  He laughed, “Do you really think I would ever want to hurt you, Emma? It’s him that I have the problem with.” As David spat out the words he kicked Archie again in the ribs. Ironically, he was lying in the recovery position.

  Archie groaned as spittle ran from the corner of his mou
th diagonally across the edge of his chin to form a pool on the floor. He started to emit a small trickle of blood along the same route.

  “C’mon, you’re coming with me,” David said to Emma and reached down to grab her arm but Emma refused to cooperate.

  “We can play this the easy way or the hard way, Emma. Please don’t make me hurt anyone else in this room or hurt your lover boy even more.”

  Emma started to rise to her feet whilst David dragged Archie a yard closer to the metal frame of the bed with the teenage daughter lying on top. David produced a third leg chain and shackle from the darkness of the far corner of the room. Archie was only semi-conscious and not aware of David clicking the lock into place around his ankle and then securely padlocking the other end around the base of the bed-frame.

  Emma appeared to have given up, standing hunched in the corner of this basement room, as far away as she could be from David.

  David went over to Emma. He took her in, the hazy glow of a beautiful female form was now buried under an exterior of hate, fear and coldness. David looked closely into Emma’s eyes. He touched her right arm gently; it was close to a caress. His left hand touched her cheek and drew a line down to her chin.

  “Emma, did I ever tell you that I really like you, that I’ve liked you from the moment I first saw you at the hockey practice night. I recall all those times that we’ve had fun, that we have been lost in each other’s company. We just need to forget that this ever happened. Can you do that? Can you do that for me?”

  Emma was whimpering in the corner of the room but she was attempting to hold it together. She would attempt to use this whole situation to her advantage. If she could just hang in there, fight for what she was worth, fight for Archie and his downed colleagues. She pulled all her strength together to stay focused, to keep the end vision in her mind, to concentrate on what was being said. Had that really just been said? She was trying to hide her disgust and ignore Archie’s shallow breaths and attempts at groans; to avoid any eye contact with the middle aged woman or the teenage daughter who had seen Emma and Archie as lifelines. She had seen the lights in their eyes. No-one could properly hide hope when it was as big as theirs.