Twice in a Blue Moon

by Wilf Voss

  "What is this place?" Adam looked around.

  "This?" The policeman pulled out a pistol. Kate gasped. He screwed a silencer onto the barrel. "This is the morgue. I think it will become rather fitting for you." He laughed.

  "So you're going to kill us. . ." Kate sighed loudly.

  "You don't sound surprised. . ." The man raised his eyebrows.

  "No. . ." Kate suddenly ran forward, ducking her head down, she hit the man solidly in the stomach. He fell to the ground gasping. "Come on Adam!" She yelled as the other officer ran towards him. He turned and kicked the man in the shin's. Kate ran and pulled the door. They ran down the corridor.

  "Great move! I won't ask where you learnt that! Where now!"

  "Here!" Kate ducked through a set of double doors and into the kitchen. She knocked a person and a pile of china plates flying, they clattered to the floor with a loud crash. Kate kept running, looking behind her she saw that the two police officers were coming through the doors. "Hurry up Adam! Here!" Kate pulled a large steel handle and pulled open the heavy door. They both dived into the room, the door slammed shut. Kate skidded along the floor and crashed behind a set of shelves.

  "What is going on here officer?" A woman in a white chief's outfit approached the two officers.

  "Nothing to worry about Madam. We are looking for a couple of suspects, we have reason to believe that they came through here."

  "Yes. . . I think I saw them go into the freezer." The chief pointed towards the white steel door.

  "Thank you. . ." The officers walked towards the freezer and opened the door, he stepped inside. Adam pushed himself against the wall. The man walked down the central aisle. "They aren't in there." He slammed the door and took a pair of handcuffs from his belt, which he threaded through the locking hasp on the catch. "I have to keep this door locked until my colleagues have checked for fingerprints and the like. . ."

  "Oh!" The chief looked surprised. "Are you sure they aren't in there?"

  "No there's nothing but frozen meat in there. . . They may have doubled back and left the kitchens. . . If you can keep this area clear. Just so that you don't lose any forensic evidence. . ."

  "Okay. . .....” The chief watched as the two officers left the kitchen. She went back to work.

  "What was that about?" The man pushed through the double doors.

  "Shut up." The other man had a mobile phone in his hand. "Yes. . . I'm sure that the job will be completed. . . Yes, it will look like an accident. Thank you." He switched off the phone. "I saw the girl in there. . . They must be together."

  "So why didn't you stop them there?" The other man frowned.

  "Why bother? They aren't going anywhere!" He laughed.

  "Very good!" The other man smiled and pulled his tunic off, he threw it in a dustbin in the corridor.

  ***

  "What's up?"

  "Bad news. . . Those two officers aren't who they say they are. . ." Lucas frowned.

  "What do you mean?"

  "The numbers they had on their shoulders, their ID numbers. They don't exist. . ."

  "What?"

  "I've called for backup. . ." Lucas took Amanda's hand. "I'm sorry but I think that Adam and Kate may be in some trouble."

  ***

  "I'm cold. . . Let's get out of here!" Kate stood up and walked to the door, she pulled the handle. "It's stuck. . ."

  "Come on!" Adam grabbed the handle and pulled as hard as he could. "Oh dear!"

  "What do you mean? Oh dear?" Kate looked up at him.

  "I mean Oh dear we can't get out" Adam walked back to the back of the freezer. "Stand back Kate!" Adam ran towards the door and rammed his shoulder against it. He bounced back and fell onto the floor.

  "Are you okay?" Kate knelt down beside him. Adam grimaced. "We're in trouble aren't we?"

  "Yes Kate. . . I really think that we are in a bit of trouble." Adam smiled. "Never mind. . ."

  "What! Never mind!" Kate yelled. "How can you be so bloody cheerful?" Kate started sobbing. Adam put his arm round her.

  "I'm sorry Kate. . . I don't know what else to do. . . I've been knocked out, tied up, shot at, nearly drowned in a bog and now I'm going to freeze to death. I really don't care anymore. I'm just trying to be realistic."

  "Oh Adam what are we going to do?"

  "I really don't know Kate? We can't get out. I think that we had better try and keep warm." Adam stood up and took his jacket off. "Here have this...”

  "No Adam! I can't take your coat." Kate handed it back.

  "Kate take it. . . Please. . ." Adam smiled. "It will give you a better chance." Adam helped Kate put the coat on. Her tears were freezing as they ran down her cheeks.

  "I really hope we get out of here. . ." Kate hugged Adam. "Because I would really love to have a husband like you."

  "I'm flattered. . ."

  "No after all we've been through. . ." Kate sobbed.

  "Come on Kate. No more tears. . ." Adam glanced up at the thermometer on the wall, minus twenty-five degrees centigrade, Adam shuddered.

  ***

  ". . . Here is a photograph of them both. We are presuming that they are somewhere in the hospital. I want this place searched from top to bottom. Look everywhere, even if it is their bodies we found, I want them found." Lucas watched as the officers split up and started looking through the hospital.

  "What you said about their bodies. . ." Lucas span round and saw Amanda standing behind him.

  "You should be in bed." He put his hands on her shoulders.

  "I need to find him. . . He's my brother. I can't just lie in bed. . . Please Simon."

  "Okay. . . I shouldn't do this but okay. . ." Lucas smiled. "I'll see if I can find you some proper clothes."

  "Thanks!" Amanda hugged him warmly.

  ~~~

  Chapter 12

  Adam knocked on the door of the freezer.

  "I don't think anyone can hear us. . ." Kate shook her head. Her hair was frosted.

  "We have to do something. . ." Adam slumped down on the floor. "I'm cold. . ."

  "So am I. . ." Kate shuddered. "Come here. . ." Adam sat down beside Kate. They hugged each other.

  ***

  "Come on. . ." Lucas looked at his watch.

  "Okay. . ." Amanda pulled the curtain back; she was wearing a set of green overalls from the hospital's operating theatres. "Where do we start?"

  "Well we have officers searching everywhere except for the basement." Lucas pointed to a plan of the hospital.

  "What's down there?"

  "The morgue, kitchens and the incinerators."

  "Great. . ." Amanda frowned.

  "They'll be safe, I'm sure. . ."

  "Now say it like you mean it. . ."

  "I can't do that without lying." Lucas walked down the ward. "Let's go."

  "I'm frightened." They walked out into the corridor and into the waiting lift. Lucas pressed the button and the lift whisked them down into the bowels of the hospital. They stepped out into the corridor below and walked into the morgue. Amanda gasped as she breathed in the stale air. "Ugh!" Lucas pulled open the refrigerated drawers.

  "They aren't in here."

  "Thank goodness. . ......” Amanda sighed. "Can we get out of here. . .?” She held the door open and walked back out into the corridor. "What's in here?" Amanda pushed through the double door and stepped into the steaming kitchens.

  "What are you doing in here?" The chief turned round.

  "Detective constable Lucas." Lucas showed his identity card.

  "Not more of you..." She frowned. "Look there is no one here, and perhaps you can let me have my freezer back!" She frowned and started walking away.

  "What do you mean?" Lucas stepped closer.

  "Two people ran through the kitchen earlier, followed by two police officers." The chief walked towards the freezer. "He locked the door, said that someone else needed to look for evidence."

  "And what
about the two people?"

  "He said that they had run out of here. Strange really, as I certainly didn't... “She stopped as she watched Amanda's shocked face.”What's going on here?"

  Lucas ran to the freezer and pulled at the handcuffs.

  "Get me a piece of steel, a knife sharpener, something like that!" Lucas followed the chief and grabbed the sharpener. He forced it into the freezer's door handle and forced it. The catch snapped.

  "I hope you are going to. . ....” The chief stopped when the door opened, Adam and Kate crouched together in the centre of the freezer. Amanda screamed and started sobbing; she ran towards Adam and clutched him in her arms. He was silent and cold, his hair white with frost and his skin a shade of blue. Kate moved slightly.

  "He gave me his coat." Kate whispered, her teeth rattling. "He gave me his coat."

  "Get them out of here! Please get them out of here!" Amanda tried to pull them both out of the freezer.

  ***

  "Miss Bishop." The nurse bustled into the waiting room. Amanda stood up. "Can you come with me please?" She followed the nurse into a small room. There was a white coated doctor waiting for them.

  "I'm sorry to keep you waiting." He smiled. "Your brother was very brave. He gave away his coat to save the young woman, she wouldn't have survived otherwise. He is also very lucky." Amanda gasped. "His metabolism slowed down as hypothermia set in. In simple English, his heart and breathing slowed down but it kept him alive." The doctor paused. "He is very weak, but he is alive."

  "Thank god!" Amanda wiped her cheek.

  "The nurse will take you to see him." The doctor smiled. "Your brother is lucky, another couple of minutes..."

  ***

  Amanda followed the nurse through the wards until they came to Adam lying silently on a sea of white sheets. His skin was back to a warm pink. He was attached to a series of heart and breathing monitors. "Adam. . ."

  "Hello sis. . ." Adam's voice was rasping and quiet.

  "How are you feeling?"

  "Warmer. . ." Adam smiled briefly. Amanda sat on the edge of the bed and hugged him.

  "You frightened me. . ."

  "I frightened myself." Adam looked up at the ceiling.

  "You saved Kate you know."

  "It was nothing. . ." Adam whispered. "How is she?"

  "I haven't seen her yet."

  "Tell her I love her. . .."

  "She knows. . .." Amanda whispered. "I'll tell her." She added aloud.

  "Thanks sis. . ." Adam put his head back on the pillow.

  "He's tired. I think you had better let him rest." The nurse smiled.

  "Okay. . . I would like to see Miss Grimshaw."

  "Of course." They walked to one of the other wards. Kate was sitting up in bed. Her eyes were red. She smiled when she saw Amanda walk down the ward.

  "Hello Amanda." Kate smiled. "How’s . . .-?"

  "He's okay. Weak. . . But okay. He asked me to tell you he loves you." Amanda paused. "Have your parents seen you yet?"

  "They don't know I'm here." Kate looked away.

  "I told them you are here."

  "Amanda please!" Kate pleaded.

  "Kate. Tell them. Please tell them everything. They were concerned about you; they have been trying to get in touch with you for a long time." Kate lay back on the bed. "I don't know why you haven't called them, and I don't really care, but now is the time to tell them about everything Kate." Amanda stood up. "It took me a long time to find your family Kate, please, at least talk to them." Amanda glanced at her watch. "They'll be here soon. Tell them about Adam." Kate watched as Amanda walked away...

  Kate lay back and sighed. Her parents wouldn't understand what she had done.

  ***

  "Kate! How are you?" Kate sat up; her parents were standing beside the bed. Her mother rushed towards her and hugged her.

  "Hello Mum. . . Dad." Kate smiled briefly. "I'm sorry."

  "What for?" Kate's mother sat down beside the bed.

  "For everything, for not contacting you. . . For running away, for everything!" Kate sobbed. "I didn't know what to say, or do. . ."

  "Kate you can always talk to us. . . Please remember that. . ." Kate's father took her hand. "We respect you. . ."

  "I'm sorry. . . I was frightened, I needed to do something. But I had nowhere to turn. That was when I met Adam."

  "Adam?"

  "Adam is my. . ." Kate paused. "I'm going to get married."

  Kate's mother smiled. "I hope we are invited."

  "You mean that you aren't angry about it?"

  "Why should we be angry? If you are sure that you have made the right decision. . ."

  "I have. . . He's saved my life twice and we love each other. . ."

  "Tell us about him. . ."

  ***

  "Caroline. . ." Amanda sat down. Wires and tubes surrounded Caroline. "I have to apologise." Caroline lay silently. Amanda took her hand.

  ***

  "I'm very impressed." James smiled and turned his chair back to the two men. "It was a very interesting way to get rid of them. Something even I would be proud of. You are sure that the job is completed this time."

  "No one knew that they were in there, by the time anyone had realised what was going on they would be just a pair of frozen turkeys." The man laughed. "And the money?"

  "Of course. . ." James reached into his desk drawer. "You have done very well." The door slammed open, a group of police officers stormed into the room.

  "Mr James Simpson, I am placing you under arrest for murder, attempted manslaughter, fraud, precession and sale of category A drugs, need I go on?"

  "I really don't know what you mean?" James smiled.

  "You're going to be going down for a long time. . ."

  ***

  "How are you feeling?" Kate smiled. She watched as Adam did up the last few buttons on his shirt.

  "All the better for seeing you. . ." Adam picked up his bag. "Shall we go?"

  "I'll be glad to leave this place. . . I really hate hospitals."

  "It's not been that bad!" Adam paused. "Actually? Yes I think I agree with you." He started walking down the ward. They reached the corridor and pressed the lift button, the door slid open and they stepped inside, Kate shuddered as Adam pressed the floor selector.

  "Not the basement please. . ."

  "Don't worry it's the ground floor we're going to." The lift doors shut and the lift went slowly downwards. The doors opened again on the ground floor. Kate gasped as she saw the two police officers standing waiting outside. They stepped past her into the lift. "Come on calm down Kate. . . It's all over now. Trust me!"

  "Are you sure?" Kate frowned.

  "James has been arrested. They say he will be in prison for a very long time."

  "He was in prison before, he'll be out again." Kate frowned.

  "Not for a good few years, and who knows where we'll be then. He can't harm us now." Adam pushed the doors opened and stepped out into the sunshine. "Oh wow! Fresh air, how I've missed it!" He looked around. "Where's Amanda? I thought that she was going to give us a lift back?"

  "I'm here. . ." Amanda stepped out from behind Adam. "I have to take you shopping."

  "Shopping?" Adam laughed. "What do I need to buy?"

  "Adam. . . I'm not going to escort you down the aisle in jodhpurs and wellies!"

  "What?"

  "You need a suit. . . That's if you still want to marry me!" Kate smiled. Adam hugged her warmly, tears spilling from his eyes.

  "I do!" Adam sighed. "Thank you Kate. . ."

  "Miss Amanda Bishop." Amanda span on her heals. She stared at the police officers standing in front of her.

  "Yes. . . Can I help you?"

  "Miss Amanda Bishop I am arresting you for handling stolen money."

  "What?"

  "If you would like to come along with me please."

  "No!" Amanda screamed the officer clicked handcuffs on Amanda's
wrists. "Adam!"

  "Please Miss Bishop." She was ushered to a waiting police car. Adam turned round and watched in shock as she was driven off screaming.

  "Oh my God! They've taken Amanda." He ran across the hospital car park after the police car.

  ~~~

  Chapter 13

  Adam ran across the car park as fast as he could until he was level with the car. Grabbing the driver's door handle he yanked the door open. The officer gasped as Adam took the steering wheel and forced the car to veer onto a flowerbed at the side of the road.

  "What the hell are you doing?"

  "Don't you dare try and take my sister! I'll rip you apart!" Adam tried to hit the police officer, but the other police officer grabbed him and wrestled him to the ground. Forcing his arms behind his back, they roughly handcuffed him.

  "Get him in the back!"

  ***

  "Tell me that again. . ." The detective frowned. Amanda went back over the story. She had been in the interview room for a number of hours, but she really couldn't tell how long she had actually been there. The door opened, Amanda didn't look up until she heard the familiar voice of Simon Lucas. He smiled briefly at her and then took the other detectives out of the room. Amanda laid her head on the table.

  "This really doesn't seem fair." Amanda looked up and saw a young WPC step out of the shadows. "I mean after all you and your brother have been through."

  "How is Adam? Do you know?" Amanda realised that she must be slightly younger than herself. Just think, if she had become a police officer, none of this would have happened. And she could have had a good pension. Amanda sighed.

  "I'm sorry. . . I might be able to find out later when they come back. I can't leave you alone."

  "I understand." The door opened again. The two officers stepped back inside.

  "We have been told about your situation, and we know that this is difficult for you, we are sorry but you have to understand. In essence the ten million pounds which you took had been raised by a money laundering process, and you were an accessory."

  "But I don't have the money. . . You know that. I've told you it all before."

  "We understand that, but we still have to prosecute you." The officer frowned. "If there was anything else we could do. . ."