Chapter Twelve
“Charlie and I went up on that last year; made me quite sick, but I didn’t tell her that,” Lorne told Katy as they drove past the London Eye. “I doubt they’d be on there—too expensive for kids. They’ll be looking for cheap thrills. Are there such things in this tourist magnet of a city?” She wracked her brains, trying to come up with anything, and drew another blank. It was pointless asking Katy, as she was a northerner and she hadn’t been stationed in London long enough to have got caught up in the tourist trap.
“Not something I’d relish going on. I haven’t got a clue about the cost of some of the attractions. Hey, they wouldn’t necessarily be visiting these places as such—driving past them, yes, but not actually visiting them. Let’s carry on to the next one. We’re beginning to lose the light now. I don’t suppose Roberts hinted at what kind of car this kid had?”
“No, and I forgot to ask. Dumb of me, right?”
“You’re too harsh on yourself, Lorne. Just stop it. All this negativity isn’t getting the job done any better.”
“Who made you the smart kid on the block?” she said playfully.
“What about Buck House?”
“That’s miles from here, but doable. I’ll sweep past some other touristy places on the way. Good thinking.”
The sun lit up the evening sky in scorching red tones. Any other time, Lorne would have pulled the car over and marvelled at the wonderful sight. There was something special about sunsets and sunrises that touched her heart and made her think what a beautiful place the world was. Not today, though—not with Charlie on the missing list.
In the middle of negotiating the rush hour traffic at a roundabout, her mobile rang. “Katy, do you mind getting that for me?” she asked.
“Hello? Just a minute.” Katy covered the phone’s mouthpiece and motioned for Lorne to take it.
“Put it in the hands-free contraption, would you? Who is it?”
“Roberts,” Katy replied as she fastened the phone in position on the dashboard.
“Sean, hi. Have you found out anything?” Lorne drew in an anticipated breath.
“I take it you’re driving, Lorne. I need you to stop the car.”
Her hands took on a life of their own and began to shake on the steering wheel. She indicated, pulled the car to a halt, and switched off the engine.
“Okay, the car is stationary. You’re scaring me shitless, Sean. What’s going on?”
“We think we’ve located the vehicle—”
“But that’s wonderful news, isn’t it?” She turned to Katy and held her crossed fingers up in front of her.
“Umm…not exactly. It was found overturned and on fire.”
“Oh no! Please don’t tell me that. Did they get out? Was Charlie in the car?”
Sean sighed heavily. “She was there, and yes, the fire brigade managed to get them out—”
“Tell me where.”
“Down near the Embankment.”
Lorne started the car, but Katy’s hand clasped her arm. “I’ll drive,” Katy said, her tone one of authority. Katy opened the passenger’s door and ordered Lorne to move over into the passenger’s seat while she ran around the front of the car and jumped in the driver’s seat.
“They’re still at the scene, Lorne. When you get there, for heaven’s sake let them get on with their jobs. You hear me?” Sean insisted.
“Fine. Don’t worry. Anything else?” she asked, exasperated that he knew her so well.
“No. Just be careful getting there.”
His extended hesitation concerned her. She glanced over at Katy. “Quick, put your foot down.”
They arrived at the scene within ten minutes. Both women sprinted from the car. However, two uniformed policemen blocked their path. “Please stand back. There’s nothing to see here, ladies.”
Lorne pointed at the upturned car and screeched, “My daughter was in that car.”
The coppers looked at each other flummoxed by her outburst. Finally, Katy shouted, “Let us through, you idiots, I’m a DS in the Met.”
Shamefaced, the coppers held the crime scene tape up. Lorne and Katy rushed past them and over to the ambulance situated far enough away from the flaming car to be out of any danger.
Two paramedics were about to strap Charlie into a stretcher. Her neck was encased in a collar and a man in biker’s leathers was at her side.
“Charlie? Can you hear me?” Lorne clutched her daughter’s hand in her own as tears slid down her cheeks.
“Are you the girl’s mother?” the man in leathers asked.
“She is, and you are?” Katy replied for Lorne.
“I’m the emergency doctor. I’ve sedated her. She’s in a sorry state, I’m afraid, but at least she’s alive.” He looked over his shoulder and nodded at the body lying under a white sheet. “The same can’t be said for her companion.”
“How badly hurt is she, Doctor?” Katy asked.
“Your daughter was thrown from the car. She was unconscious when we arrived. It’s precautionary to put the neck brace on. I’m afraid we won’t know more until we get her to the hospital. Bearing in mind what happened to the driver, I think your daughter is an extremely lucky girl. I don’t want to give you false hope, though, so let’s wait and see.”
Lorne gasped and Katy placed a soothing hand on her back. “She’s only sixteen,” Lorne whispered.
“We like to think positively about things, Doctor. I know you and the hospital will do your best,” Katy said.
The doctor nodded. One of the paramedics gave the thumbs-up. “We’re good to go, doc.”
Katy pulled Lorne aside so the paramedics could load the stretcher into the back of the ambulance. “Do you want to travel with her?”
“Go on. I’ll follow on in the car,” Katy told her with a half-smile.
“I’d like that, thanks. Damn, what about ringing Tom and Tony?” Lorne faltered as she followed the stretcher into the ambulance.
“Leave it to me. I’ll ring Tony and he can contact Tom.” Katy turned back to the doctor and asked, “Which hospital are they taking her to?”
“It’ll be St. Thomas’s. We’d better get going.”
As the door closed to the ambulance Lorne shouted to Katy, “See you there, and drive carefully.”
In shock, she looked down at her injured daughter, and all the personal regrets she’d had of putting her career before motherhood came flooding back with a suffocating vengeance. Lorne’s breath was coming in short, sharp bursts, and the air in the ambulance seemed to be disappearing faster than a rocket being launched into space.
“Are you all right, love?” the paramedic who was checking Charlie’s vital signs asked.
“I’m sorry. She’s my only daughter, and I…I’d be lost without her.”
“I understand. Talk to her. A mother’s voice has healing qualities that people just don’t realise. I’m sure she’ll pull through this.”
Lorne smiled at the young paramedic, who had a kind face and sparkling brown eyes. “I hope so. Thank you.”
From there until they reached the hospital, she talked nonstop, reminiscing about the happy times they’d had together throughout her short life. She glanced up at the paramedic now and then to see him smiling and shaking his head at some of the antics they’d got up to together over the years, and that was when it dawned on her that maybe she hadn’t been such a terrible mother after all.
Charlie was immediately wheeled through the emergency entrance to a team of medical staff waiting in an Accident and Emergency examination room. Lorne was left pacing the hallway outside, and Katy found her a few minutes later.
“Any news yet?”
“Not yet, Katy. Her pulse and heart rate were steady on the journey over here, which is a good sign.”
“I rang Tony, and he told me to send you his love and that he’ll get here when he can. He wasn’t looking forward to ringing your ex, but agreed to do it.”
“I don’t envy him that task.
Tom is going to blow a gasket.”
“Just let him try. I’m sure Tony will point out that Charlie went missing on his watch and not yours,” Katy reassured her.
“That’s the thing—I really don’t want to apportion any blame. We all know what teenagers are like. I’m sure when Charlie eventually comes ’round, she’ll be riddled with guilt and apologetic. If only kids would put their brains into gear before getting into bother instead of after. She’s been through a lot over the years; I’d have thought that she of all people would know right from wrong by now.”
Katy shrugged and sat down in one of the plastic chairs that lined the wall. “Like you said, we all know what teenagers are like. We were teenagers once, remember? Don’t tell me you didn’t like to push the boundaries now and again; I know I did. Drove my parents ’round the twist on more than one occasion. Once, when I was fourteen, I went missing for a whole weekend.”
Lorne lowered herself into the seat next to Katy. “You didn’t! Why? Where did you go?”
Katy looked embarrassed. “Umm…a friend and I bought tickets on the internet for Glastonbury.”
“Eww…the thought of seeing all those rock bands, cheering them on when you’re knee-deep in mud, has never appealed to me. God, I bet your parents were livid when they found out.”
“Er, yeah! I was grounded for a whole month, no pocket money, and my chores around the house doubled. I was so knackered by the end of my lockdown that I never did anything like that again.”
The swing doors opened beside them and the doctor exited the examination room.
“Mrs. Simpkins?”
“That’s right. How is Charlie, Doctor?”
“Hard to say right now, due to the sedation. Her vital signs are nearing normal; however, we won’t know the extent of the damage done—if any—until she’s fully awake. There could be a possibility of internal bleeding. We’re transferring her to the Intensive Care Unit, where she’ll be monitored at all times. I suggest you go home and rest. I think she’ll be out for a while longer yet.”
Lorne’s hand clutched at her chest. “I can’t leave her.”
“That’s your choice, but you won’t be doing either you or Charlie any favours. I’ll tell the ICU sister to contact you the second she wakes up.”
“He’s right, you know. You should go home and get some rest,” Katy agreed, nudging Lorne’s elbow.
Lorne dug in her handbag and located one of her business cards. She gave it to the doctor and stood up, ready to leave.
The doctor tucked the card into the top pocket of his white coat. “Please try not to worry. Charlie is in safe hands.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Lorne watched him turn and head back into the room, and she mentally kicked herself for not asking to see Charlie one last time before they left. “Let’s get out of here.”
“I’m driving,” Katy insisted.
Lorne nodded, too tired to argue with her. Instead she rang Tony to let him know they were on their way home. Then they made their way out to the car park in silence.
As they drove down one of the country roads a few miles from home, Katy said, “Christ, you certainly get some maniacs on these roads, don’t you?”
The inside of the car lit up when the car behind them turned on its main beam. “Indicate and pull over, Katy; let the dickhead pass.”
Katy did as Lorne had requested, but instead of overtaking them, the car slowed down and remained close to their rear bumper. The two women looked at each other and frowned.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that that was the same car that wrecked Croft’s car.” No sooner had Lorne uttered the words than the car rammed them from behind. She reached out and helped Katy hold the steering wheel steady. The car behind them revved its engine. They were doing about thirty miles an hour, and Lorne watched their speed increase to over fifty as the four-by-four locked bumpers with the Nova.
“Shit. What do I do?” Katy’s panicked voice filled the car.
“Hold her steady. Try braking.”
“I am; it’s pointless. He’s going to fucking kill us!” Katy shrieked.
Chapter Thirteen
The four-by-four kept ramming them, tentatively at first, but the driver’s aggression grew the more Katy fought him off.
“What are we going to do?” Lorne cried out, pictures of her seriously injured child circulating in her mind and hampering her ability to think straight.
“I’m worried about your dad’s car, Lorne.”
“Sod his car—do what you have to do to save us.”
With permission given, Lorne felt the car lurch forward as Katy pressed her foot down hard on the accelerator.
“We’ll see what he makes of this. I forgot to tell you that I took an advanced driving course a couple of months back.”
If the situation hadn’t been so fraught, she would have laughed at Katy’s statement, but instead, a feeling of confidence descended over her. However, a huge doubt still persisted as to whether or not they’d make it out of this situation alive.
Lorne grabbed her mobile and dialled 9-9-9. “Yes, it’s an emergency. Someone is trying to force us off the road.” Suddenly, her brain shifted up a gear and she hung up. “What the hell am I ringing them for?”
Katy shrugged as she focused on pulling away from the charging vehicle.
Lorne dialled another number. “Sean, help us!”
“What the fu—Lorne, is that you? What’s going on?”
Lorne heard his chair scrape on the floorboards in his office. “Sean, someone’s trying to kill us. Help us, please! We’re not far from the house. I really don’t want to lead them there. Meet us at Willow Lane by the junction of Mill Road. Get help, quickly.”
“I’m on my way. Keep the line free. I’ll get back to you soon.”
“Thanks, Sean.” She hung up and quickly rang home. “Tony, just listen. The same vehicle that attacked us the other night is trying to force us off the road. We’re not far away—Willow Lane—but I don’t want to lead him back to you. We’ll drive past the end of our road.”
“I’ll get the van—hang on tight. I’ll be with you soon. Love you.”
Lorne pressed the button to end the call as the Nova received a mighty shove from behind and her mobile shot out of her hand. “Shit, Katy, he’s trying to push us into the ditch.”
“I’m doing my best, I’m struggling to hold him off. Another shunt like that, and we’re gonners.”
Within seconds, Katy’s prediction came true. The four-by-four rammed them again and kept the pressure on, and Katy stepped on the brakes. The squeal of tyres combined with the whine of the engine deafened them. Another shunt and all of a sudden, the Nova veered off the road and into the narrow ditch. The four-by-four slowed down beside them. With the windows blacked out they couldn’t tell what the driver was doing, but they could make an intelligent guess. Lorne gave him the finger, and the driver put his foot down and roared away.
“You okay?” she asked, looking down at Katy, who appeared to be at a steeper angle than she was.
“Yeah, just took a whack in the thigh. You?”
“No, I’m bloody livid.” Lorne’s mobile rang; they could hear it playing the Sweeney theme tune, but had trouble locating it. “Damn, it’s down by my feet somewhere,” Katy cried out, frustrated.
“What if you took your seatbelt off?”
Katy unlatched the seatbelt and subsequently fell against the door. “Ouch! Great idea, Lorne, thanks for that.” She grappled for the door handle and eased the door open.
“Be careful, hold on to the—” Before Lorne could finish warning her, Katy toppled out of the car and into the ditch, which was half-full of muddy water after the heavy rain that had fallen during the week.
“Crap!” Guided by the interior light, Katy found the phone and handed it to Lorne.
“Hi Sean.”
“I’m ten minutes away and a patrol car should be with you soon.”
“Don’t rush. We’re in a d
itch. The bastard drove us off the road and disappeared.”
“Did you get the plate number?”
“He didn’t have one, just like the other night.”
“What do you mean, Lorne?”
She could hear the concern in his voice. “It’s the same car that crushed Croft’s vehicle. It’s probably the same guy or guys who put Croft in hospital, too. Don’t worry, we’re fine.”
“Christ, what have you got yourself caught up in this time?”
“Tony’s here now. I’ll tell you all about it when you get here.” She hung up as Tony opened her car door and yanked her free of the car. He held her tight and pressed his lips against her forehead.
“Baby, are you all right?”
Lorne pushed away from him and kissed his lips. “I’m fine. We’re fine, aren’t we, Katy?”
In the dim light, Lorne saw Katy’s head drop to survey the damage to her clothes. She shook out her legs one at a time, which proved pointless as she placed them back in the water after each shake.
Grinning, Tony said, “Climb back through the car, Katy. I’ll hoist you out.”
Seconds later, Katy was standing alongside them, dripping from her knees down. They heard a distant siren, and soon a police car came to a halt in front of them with its engine ticking. One of the coppers put down his window. “You guys okay?”
“Yeah, we’re fine. The car that forced us off the road headed that way. It might be worth taking a look in case the driver is up the road spying on us, monitoring the situation.”
“We’ll do that. I’ll call a breakdown truck to help you.”
“Don’t bother, I’ve got a tow bar on the van,” Tony said, pointing over his shoulder.
“Righto! We’ll be back in a mo’.”
They watched the police car turn around and head in the same direction as the four-by-four.
“He’ll be miles away by now,” Lorne said. “Come on, let’s see if we can pull the car out.”
“You two stand back—I’ll do it. Actually, go sit in the van before you catch a death—especially you, Katy. Hey, don’t let me stop you from stripping off those wet clothes.”
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