by Wilf Voss
***
"We're almost there. . ." Amanda parked the car beside a parking meter in a side street and switched off the engine. "We can walk to the wine bar from here."
They got out of the car and walked along the busy street, completely ignored by the crowds who pushed past them. Within a few minutes they arrived. The front of the bar had been blacked out, except for a neon sign whose cold blue neon letters flickered 'The Blue Moon' in a scrolling script.
The interior was dark, small lamps on each table formed glowing circles of light. There were very few people around, the lunch time rush had come and passed and now the mid afternoon was running slowly. Amanda stepped towards the bar. The bartender opened a hatch in the bar and walked towards them.
"Look I'm going to have to ask you to leave, this is a high class establishment."
"I need to speak with James."
"He certainly will not speak with you. Now can you leave!" The bar tender reached under the bar and pushed a button. A door at the back of the room opened and two large men in dinner jackets and black bow ties appeared, they walked slowly towards Amanda and Adam.
"He will talk to me. . . Just tell him its Amanda." At that moment she one of the large men forcibly picked her up. "Put me down! Adam do something." Amanda looked towards Adam who was being held by the other man. They were dragged towards the front door. Just as they reached the door, it opened. "James?"
"Do I know you?" The man looked towards Amanda. "You! Put her down!" The bouncer dropped Amanda like a hot potato. "Are you all right? I'm so sorry about this. Please come with me. . . I think we should talk."
***
Adam and Amanda were escorted to a small office at the back of the wine bar.
"You can wait outside." James nodded to the two bouncers. He stepped back into the office and sat down behind his desk. "What are you doing here? I had heard that you had been kidnapped."
"No. . ." Amanda paused. "One of my staff has been kidnapped. I think the kidnappers must have thought they had me." She stopped. "I thought it might have been you." Amanda laughed nervously.
"What! Please Amanda I am a gentleman." James smiled and took her hand.
"But the money?" Amanda paused. "You know the bank account. . ."
"That was a mistake. . . An error, the funds were processed to the wrong account. I hoped that you would be able to just look after it for a short while. While I was unavailable." James smiled. "We saw that you had closed the account, my people were worried that you had left us. I knew that you would come back though. . . Where are you now?"
"I am running a. . .-"
"Nowhere in particular." Adam cut in. Amanda stared at him. "No we're all over the place, never in the same place twice. Isn't that right!"
"Is he your bodyguard?" James laughed.
"You haven't met my brother. Adam this is James. James this is my brother Adam." They stared at each other, but did not shake hands.
"I see that your dress sense hasn't changed much. . ." James smiled. Amanda looked down at her jodhpurs and boots. "You didn't take any of the clothes I bought for you."
"I couldn't take those.."
"Amanda they are no use to me.. You can come and collect them, perhaps you would like to join me for some lunch. I own a wonderful little place just down the road."
"Well James. I really would. . ."
"We haven't got the time." Adam stepped towards the desk.
"We're not in any hurry." Amanda stared at Adam.
"I think you will find that we are. . ." Adam scowled.
"That is a shame. . . You see we have so much to talk about." James stood up and picked a book off the shelf above his desk. "You see, our people made an unfortunate mistake in transferring a large amount of money to your bank account. Now I am a very patient person, so when you disappeared and took the money with you I was willing to wait for you. But some of my people have not got the patience that I have, they are beginning to ask questions about that money. You see it was to be used to pay a debt. A debt to some rather unpleasant people, it’s an unfortunate business. But of course if you just pay back the money, the debt can be recovered and everything can be sorted out in a business like way."
"James. . .. I have a little problem. . ."
"Please Amanda, I know you are going to tell me that you have the money for me. You are just going to hand it to me and I will let you leave this room. . . Please don't disappoint me, because I don't want to have to pass you to my associates"
"Please let me tell you. I did have the money. . . But.-"
"But?. . . Let me make this simple for you. I will just ask you, do you have my money?"
"James. . .-" Amanda frowned.
"Let me ask you again. . . Do you have my money?" James sat down.
"No. . ." Amanda turned away.
"Oh dear!" James frowned.
"I can get your money. . ." Amanda stood up.
"I'm sorry Amanda. . . I would like to help you, but my associates are very persistent." One of the bouncers burst through the office door.
"It's the police!"
"You two stay here, I haven't finished with you yet!" He ran outside the door.
"Come on!" Adam grabbed Amanda and ran out of the office.
"Are you trying to go somewhere?" The bouncer slammed his hand into Adam's shoulder knocking him back against the desk. Adam grabbed a paperweight and ran towards the bouncer. He bowled the paper weight towards him, catching the man on the side of the head. The bouncer collapsed to the floor, dazed.
"Let's get out of here!" Adam put his shoulder against the fire door at the end of the corridor and smashed it open. He jumped onto a dustbin and swung his leg over the wall. Grabbing Amanda's arm he dragged her to the top of the wall before they both tumbled onto the pavement on the other side. They both ran down the street as fast as they could.
***
Amanda lent against the car with her hands on her knees breathing heavily.
"Are you okay?" Amanda puffed. "You're bleeding."
"I'm fine. Let’s get out of here!" Adam pulled the door open and leapt inside. Amanda pulled sharply away, she sped off down the street, attracting a cascade of car horns. Adam handed her a tissue. "It's okay, wipe your eyes. I think we just won the chance to live for another day."
***
"Simpson here. . . She wasn’t lying, the girl you have isn’t the right one. I know what I said, but I've just had them both here today. . . Yes Miss Bishop and her brother. . . Yes, in London.” He paused. “No, they got away. Look shut it! I just want this sorted." He clattered the phone down.
***
It was dark when Adam and Amanda pulled up at the yard. "Are you sure you would like to stay here tonight?"
"It's okay. . ." Adam stepped out of the car.
"You can stay in the cottage tonight if you would like. . .."
"Go on I'll see you tomorrow. We can discuss things then." Adam closed the door.
Amanda drove away. She was nervous about going home alone. She sighed as she pulled up outside the cottage. Opening the door she was sure that she was not alone. There was a sound from the living room. Amanda froze.
"Who's there?"
***
Adam tried to go upstairs as quietly as he could. Caroline was sleeping gently on the sofa, he crept past her and into the kitchen. Opening the fridge he took out a bottle of milk. He popped the lid and started to drink the cold liquid. Looking out of the window there were only the grey silhouettes highlighted by the full moon that shone above. There was a gentle movement from the living room. He watched as Caroline yawned and stretched.
"How's it all going?" Adam spoke softly. Caroline jumped and turned round.
"Adam?" Caroline stood up and looked into the shadows. Adam stepped forward. "Oh it is you. . . You gave me a fright!" Caroline paused. "I thought that you would be still in hospital."
"I discharged myself this morning. . . I spent the day with Amanda."
"Oh thank goodness. When she didn't come back this morning. . . Well we thought. . ."
"I am sorry, we should have told you what we were doing, but we didn't want to worry you." Adam sat on the sofa next to Caroline. "How is everyone here?"
"No one really knows what's going on. We're all worried about what's happened." Caroline turned towards Adam. "Kate didn't just run away did she?"
"I don't think she did. . .."
"Will she come back?" Adam stood up and walked back to the kitchen, he stood silhouetted in the light of the fridge. He put the half empty milk bottle back inside and closed the door.
"Come on we both need some sleep. . ." Adam paused. "I'll see you in the morning. . . Things might be better then."
***
Amanda picked up an umbrella she kept in the hallway and edged towards the living room.
"I'm not alone! There are five of us out here. . ." Amanda tried not to show fear as she slowly opened the door. There was a loud crash from the other side. Amanda leapt into the room and was brought down. She fell heavily, knocking her head on the fire-place.
~~~
Chapter 7
"Wake up!" Kate was shaken roughly awake. She was tied in a sitting position on a wooden chair, her captors had removed her gag. "Good morning!" Kate was surprised, normally she had been treated more roughly than this. "We have been told that you are not the person we need. . ."
"So are you going to let me go?" Kate's voice was weak, she stammered out the few words.
"No. . . I'm sorry but now you know too much. I'm afraid that we can't just let you go straight to the police."
"I won't talk. . .." Kate smiled briefly.
"If only it was my decision. You are going to keep us company for a while."
"And then what?"
"Believe me you don't want to know!" He walked out of the room laughing. Kate sighed. She was past being upset now, she was even past tearful outbursts, the panic had subsided, and now this was just a painful realisation of the inevitable.
Now she knew that it was too late. She hadn't even spoken to her parents for at least three years. It had started a long time ago, after an argument at home, only something silly really. She had crept out of the house the next morning and just run away, never to go back. She now regretted her childishness, and thought of her parents. Now more than ever she wished she could turn the clock back.
***
Adam walked back to the office. His first clients would be soon be arriving for their lessons. Amanda hadn't turned up yet, but it was still early and she was probably tired after the long drive yesterday. The first car appeared along the driveway, Adam recognised the driver as one of his clients, grabbing his riding hat he stepped outside to greet her.
He would have liked to give up all his normal work, but things had to carry on, if they didn't the bank would reprocess. It was strange, Amanda had been a millionaire. She could have bought anything she wanted, but she settled for a small rural riding school and a modest cottage. She wasn't someone who felt good about possessions, they had both started with none. Adam shuddered as he remembered the home. They had been abandoned, he was just a baby, Amanda had been a few years old. He knew nothing about his mother, not her name or even a description. They had almost been separated, but fate had thrown them back together again, now Adam knew why she had left and what she had done. She had never spoken about it before, never even told her brother what she had been through.
Now he knew. But back then there had been tears, she had left him. He only knew where when she wrote back to him some days later. Addressed to a shop in London, she used to collect the letters from a friendly newsagent. That way no one would really know where she was, and so she couldn't be taken back to the home. Then there had been the letter telling him that she had bought a yard, he was to meet her at a railway station at a certain time if he wanted to get away. . .
Adam remembered waiting on the cold platform at a silent station miles away from anywhere. Clutching the letter, constantly checking and re-checking the time and place. Amanda had been late, so late that Adam was about to get onto the next train, go back and give up hope of ever seeing his sister again, when she arrived. After the hugs and welcomes, she told him that she was now Amanda King, and that he should tell nobody that they were brother and sister. He had argued, but she would not tell him why, and would not let him join her unless he agreed. . . A small price to pay.
***
He stood by the car door and smiled.
"Hello. . . You're riding Pegasus today. . . Do you know where his stable is? Good! If you get him out I'll see you up in the school."
Adam walked up to the sand school.
***
Amanda sat up. Her head was spinning. She rubbed her temples, there was a lump on the side of her head, she touched it briefly sending a stabbing pain across her brain. She looked down and saw that there was an electric flex wrapped round her feet, she looked around and saw that behind the door was a fallen standard lamp. Now it was becoming clear, something had knocked over the standard lamp and she had tripped over the cable. But what had knocked it over? Something pounced on her shoulders, Amanda squealed. Pinkerton jumped down from her shoulder into her lap.
"Oh Pinkerton! Did you knock the lamp over?" The kitten purred as it rubbed his head on her knee. Amanda clutched the mantelpiece to steady herself as she walked to the kitchen Fumbling in one of the cupboards she took out a bottle of aspirin. After swallowing some tablets the pain in her head dulled slightly. Amanda walked back through to the living room and picked up the lamp. "Come on then Pinkerton. . . Do you want some breakfast." The cat meowed.
***
Adam tramped across the school and back onto the yard. He saw Amanda step into the office. Adam followed.
"Hello!" Adam sat down in front of Amanda. "Oh what's that lump on your head?"
"I tripped over a cable last night, banged my head. I'm fine, really I am." Adam stood up and walked to a map of the moor on the wall, coloured map pins were dotted across it. Blue showed pubs and hotels where they could take hacks for lunch. Yellow showed nice outlooks and views, and red, there were red pins across the map. The red pins were the most important, they showed the danger areas, the cliffs, the bogs that could drown a horse and rider, and the military areas. Everyone who took rides out across the moor had to know where every single danger was, and how to look out for them. . .. Adam looked across the map, he toyed with a spare red pin before sticking it in the centre of the stables on the map.
"You have to be more careful!" Adam shook his head.
"Don't patronise me!" Amanda yelled. Adam remained silent. "Sorry. . . I'm sorry. . . I'm frightened Adam. . .. They’re going to get me. . . They'll kill me. . . I don't want to die."
"They can't get you. . ." Adam held her tightly. The office door opened and Karen stepped inside.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to disturb you. I just needed to know what horses are being used for the next lesson."
"Of course, that's fine. . . Adam handed her the diary, Karen flicked through it and put it back down on the desk.
"Okay. Thanks." She walked out of the office.
"I have to teach another lesson. . . Are you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine. Really I will!"
***
Adam picked up the tack for his horse and walked from the tack room. The rain had started to fall steadily. Stepping into the stable Adam was engulfed by warmth, he stroked the horse's ears as it snuffled in his jacket pockets for pony nuts and mints. As Adam led the horse out of the stable, Caroline walked past leading a horse out onto the yard.
"Hello Caroline!" Adam smiled warmly. "I thought Karen was going to be escorting this ride with me?"
"She said that she didn't want to do it."
"You shouldn't let her push you around you know."
"I didn't. . ." Caroline paused. "Okay. But I really didn't want to argue. I could do with getting out of the
yard."
"So long as you're sure. . . How many customers do we have?"
"There are three booked to come out, but the weather might put some off." Caroline turned round in her saddle and saw three other horses being led out. "Of course I may be wrong." She chuckled quietly.
"Never mind. We still have to ride for two hours whether we have one or three, so we had better make the best of it." Adam turned round and faced the other riders. "Right. Are we all ready! Girths all tightened? Okay? Right lets go!" They rode out onto the moor. They trotted out of the yard and up to the top of the hill. Adam paused for a moment and looked around, Caroline rode up beside him. "I was just wondering where we might ride to today?"
"I don't know? What about going to the river and back?"
"That's a great idea." Adam pushed his horse into a canter and the ride went down the hill.
***
Amanda watched the ride come back onto the yard.
"You're running a bit late?" Amanda walked over to Adam who dismounted and handed his horse to Karen. "We went a bit further than we expected." Caroline blushed. "I think our navigator needs a few more geography lessons!" He laughed.
"I'm sorry!" Caroline handed her horse to one of the younger grooms.
"Don't worry. . ." Adam smiled. He walked with Amanda to the office. They both stepped inside and sat down. "What do we do now?"
"What?" Amanda frowned.
"What are we going to do about Kate? We can't just sit around." Adam shook his head. "What can we do?"
"You tell me. . . What do we know?. . . We're presuming that she has been taken by James's associates. But where are they? And how can we find her, and if we do find her what do we do then?"
"Tell the police!"
"I did, just after you were attacked. You know what they thought. They just said that Kate had attacked you."
"Tell them everything. . . Tell them about the money, tell them about James."
"They wouldn't believe us. And what if the gang have access to the police, they would kill me. . . They would kill or you." Amanda sobbed.
"You can't run forever. . ." Adam paused. "What made you think that they had Kate, why didn't you believe what the police told you?"
"Well the obituary. . . And this." Amanda held out the match book, Adam took it and looked at the writing on the outside. He threw it back down on the desk. "It's from the Blue Moon."