by Bill Ward
They kept the visit brief on the doctor’s instructions. They had had to wait to see Colin while the doctor did some further checks and it was getting quite late by the time they left, promising to return again soon. Outside the room, Tom thanked her and once again listened to the response that it was she who owed him the thanks. All she had brought him and his family was trouble. Tom suggested they get a coffee from the machine they had passed earlier down the corridor.
As they rounded the corner arm in arm they walked into what seemed like a stampeding bull elephant such was the force with which they collided. The result was that all three of them were thrown to the floor.
“This is a hospital,” Tom started to complain, when he realized he recognized who had charged into them. He also saw Simpson had a weapon in his hand. “What the hell’s…” Tom didn’t finish his sentence.
“Get up,” Simpson ordered, climbing to his feet. All the time he was pointing the gun directly at Tom. At the same time Tom heard a commotion in the distance and the sound of running feet coming closer.
“Get up,” Simpson repeated. He grabbed Melanie and hauled her to her feet. Tom reached out to intervene but Simpson kicked him hard in the midriff causing him to double up on the ground clutching at his stomach.
Miller and Taylor emerged into view and slowed to a halt as they appraised the situation. Simpson was using Melanie as a human shield. He was pointing Taylor’s gun at Melanie’s head. “Keep back,” Simpson warned. “You know I won’t hesitate to use this.”
“OK Tony, take it easy,” Miller implored. “You are just making matters worse.”
Simpson let out a small sardonic laugh. “Couldn’t really be much worse could it?”
Tom’s pain in his stomach had been replaced by anger. “What the fuck is going on here?” he asked. No one seemed immediately inclined to answer. “He saved my life,” Tom continued, looking at Miller, hoping it might prompt some explanation.
“Why did you save him?” Miller asked of Simpson.
“Believe it or not I abhor killing. Unfortunately sometimes it becomes necessary. On that occasion it wasn’t necessary."
Simpson started backing down the corridor, keeping Melanie as a shield. Miller and Taylor both took a step forward as if to follow. Simpson fired a warning shot into the wall beside them. “Don’t anyone move. I won’t pretend I want to shoot you but in the interest of self-preservation, I will do so if necessary.”
Miller and Taylor were both unarmed and made no further effort to move. Tom slowly got to his feet so as not to cause any alarm. A nurse appeared from a room behind Simpson, attracted by the commotion. Simpson glanced behind as he heard her exclamation and waved the gun in her direction.
“Get away,” he screamed and she scurried away down the corridor.
“Give up, Tony,” Miller begged. “We called it in already. This place will be swamped with armed officers within minutes.”
“They better be careful then. Wouldn’t be good to see someone as famous as this get harmed.” He pushed the gun a little closer to Melanie’s face.
“Why?” Miller asked, hoping to buy some time while the armed response team arrived.
“Had no choice, it was help them or go to prison for a very long time.”
“What did they have over you?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Simpson said dismissively.
“Was it you?” Miller asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Was it you betrayed Brian Potter?”
Simpson went pale at the mention of a name from the past he had tried hard to forget. He said nothing but the silence told Miller what he wanted to know. Of all the times Simpson had been forced to provide information, it was the occasion he detested himself the most for. He had known Brian Potter personally. Been drinking with him and shared a joke. Simpson knew what they would do to him but had still told them how to find him.
“You bastard,” Miller swore. “He didn’t deserve to die like that. No man should.”
“I agree but it was a very long time ago. Times were different then. Everyone on both sides has dark secrets we don’t want to remember. Even you!” Simpson didn’t really believe what he was saying. He just felt the need to defend himself.
“The difference is the rest of us didn’t betray our friends,” Miller snapped back.
Miller, Tony and Tom were creeping forwards but not seeking to close the gap on Simpson who was only succeeding in moving very slowly as Melanie was making his job harder by dragging her feet.
Simpson used his forearm to wipe the perspiration from his brow. “By the way, satisfy my curiosity,” he asked. How did you get on to me?”
“The Godfather, Miller said simply.” Seeing Simpson didn’t understand he explained further. “There’s a point where Marlon Brando warns his son that whoever comes to broker peace will betray them. No matter how much they trust the individual and it seems impossible he would betray them. I thought of that when you turned up at the hospital. Then I called Jones and he knew nothing about us holding Connor. Said you were retiring and taking a holiday. Very remiss of you not to bother informing him.”
“I was going to tell him in the morning. After my visit here tonight.”
“I’ll give you another line from The Godfather. At one point in the film Don Corleone says ‘revenge is a dish that tastes best when it is cold.’ There is no escape for you now. Nowhere you can hide. I will hunt you down wherever you go and make you pay for what you did to Brian.” Miller’s tone was cold and carried absolute conviction.
“Good luck,” Simpson retorted.
“You know that Connor is already dead?” Miller asked, feeling very pleased with himself.
“What do you mean?”
“That was just a dummy in the bed.”
Simpson looked shocked by the revelation. “You always were a clever bastard.”
“Satisfy my curiosity, Tony. Did you have someone in Ireland give us the lead that they had an informant called Jones?”
“A nice idea but no. Jones was always my cover name. Seemed a better idea than Smith at the time. I did smile when that idiot Jones became my boss.”
Simpson was edging backwards along the corridor still keeping the gun to Melanie’s head. “Keep your distance,” he warned. “I won’t hesitate to shoot her or you. Another death will make little difference now.”
Tom looked at Miller for inspiration but just received a gentle nod as a warning to do nothing. He didn’t like feeling powerless to help Melanie. He could see she was in pain as Simpson had his arm clamped tightly around her windpipe, as he dragged her back by the throat.
Simpson was now twenty meters away and about to round a curve in the corridor that would put him temporarily out of sight. Tom realized it would also afford an opportunity for them to close the gap without being seen. He was under no illusion that he could rush Simpson the way he had the two IRA kidnappers.
Tom hadn’t heard of Brian Potter but he understood from what he’d heard that he had been betrayed by Simpson. Now this same Simpson was threatening all of them and in particular Melanie. Tom once again felt out of his depth and this time he needed the professionals to rescue Melanie but he wasn’t confident they would be able to do so, without her being harmed.
It was the nightmare scenario he’d hoped to avoid, when she had refused to go back to the States. He’d let his own selfish motives get in the way of doing what was best for her. He should have driven her to the airport and made her get on a plane. It was what Miller had wanted to do. But no, he had been too worried if he did that he would never see her again. He had played his hand very wrongly.
Had Simpson also been responsible for the attack on Colin? Tom didn’t pretend to fully understand what was going on here but there was a fair chance he was involved. Tom remembered the sense of optimism he was feeling when he left Colin’s room just a short time earlier. Now here he was plummeting the depths again. This man had a lot to answer for. With hindsight though Tom
could see he too had a lot to answer for. He prayed Melanie wasn’t going to pay the price for his selfish stupidity.
Simpson had not prepared an elaborate backup plan but the years of experience had taught him to identify an additional escape route, in case of unforeseen trouble. As he rounded the bend in the corridor, he turned to his left and smashed the fire alarm he had noticed earlier. Next to it was an emergency exit and he pushed the bar on the door to open and was immediately met by a blast of icy cold air from outside. He had loosened his grip on Melanie in order to open the door and she was struggling to get free.
“If you want to live much longer, stop this,” he threatened as he gripped her tightly and pushed the barrel of the gun to her ear. “I prefer to take you with me but if I have to leave you behind, you won’t be breathing.”
She stopped struggling and he managed to drag her outside as he slammed the door shut behind them.
Tom, Miller and Bob Taylor all moved forward in unison the moment they lost sight of Simpson. A careful approach turned into a run when they heard the alarm. Miller surveyed the corridor ahead and seeing no sign of Simpson guessed he had used the fire exit. He opened the door and peered out into the cold cautiously. He realized the door emerged onto the edge of the hospital car park. A bullet spat against the wall and he quickly drew back within the hospital. He had just had time to spot Simpson beside a car with an open door, pointing a gun in his direction. At the same time he was trying to push Melanie into the car.
Other doors along the corridor were opening and a mixture of nurses and patients were peering out trying to establish if the alarm was for real. “It’s okay,” Miller tried to assure everyone. “Please go back inside. I accidentally broke the alarm.” He turned back to Taylor. “Bob, keep everyone away from the car park and let the boys know what’s happened. I’m going after Simpson.”
“I’m coming with you,” Tom stated firmly.
Miller started to object but from the look on Tom’s face knew he would be wasting his breadth, so settled for delivering some advice. “Okay but keep behind me and your head down.”
Taylor moved a little way down the corridor and made a call on his mobile.
Miller opened the emergency exit door once more and glanced nervously to where he had last seen Simpson. Tom was right behind looking over his shoulder. Simpson was now inside his car and Melanie could be seen seated beside him. She was staring in their direction with a look of horror on her face.
Miller shouted back to Taylor. “Bob, he’s driving a white Audi and he’s got Melanie Adams in the passenger seat so tell them to take care.”
Without waiting for a response, Miller was off and running, quickly followed by Tom.
Simpson was pulling away at speed from the parking space he had occupied and never saw the car that was crawling along the lane looking for somewhere to park. Simpson’s Audi barged the other car out of the way as their wings collided but the collision had slowed him.
Miller lunged for the door but the Audi accelerated and he was prone on the ground before he really knew what had happened. Swearing, he regained his feet and saw that Tom was chasing the car down the next parking lane.
The car couldn’t accelerate to any truly great speed as the parking lanes were short and then required a hundred and eighty degree turn. By running directly across the lanes Tom was quickly able to get ahead of the Audi and stood in the lane as the car approached. At the last second he realized it had been a stupid idea to stand in the middle of the lane, somehow expecting that Simpson would come to a halt, just because he was standing there. Simpson had already saved his life once but it was now evident he would happily run Tom down, if he stood in the way any longer. Tom threw himself to the side just in time.
He regained his feet and cut through two more lines of cars, to see the Audi once again heading directly towards him. He felt completely powerless to intervene as the Audi roared past and he saw the imploring face of Melanie at the window.
He watched as Simpson negotiated the last lane of cars and then was at the exit to the car park. Tom could hear the approaching sirens that confirmed the arrival of reinforcements but Simpson was accelerating towards the exit and safety.
He looked around and saw a man about to get into a silver BMW. Without thinking he rushed at the man and pushed him aside.
“I need your car,” Tom screamed. He tore the key from his grasp as he pushed him aside. The man seemed too stunned to react and in the time it took him to regain his composure, Tom was already seated behind the wheel and accelerating away.
Miller joined the man a minute later and they both stared after the BMW, as it disappeared into the distance.
Simpson glanced in his mirror and could see the BMW giving chase. A police car with flashing lights and alarm ringing arrived at the car park entrance at the same moment he was about to exit. The police driver spotted the Audi and flung his car across the exit to try and block his escape. Simpson floored the accelerator and crashed into the rear of the police car and managed to keep going, as the police car was spun around by the crash, just leaving enough room for Simpson to continue.
The BMW followed him through the space and accelerated right up to his tail. Simpson kept his foot to the floor and overtook two cars before darting back into his lane, just before colliding with an oncoming white van. Simpson could see in his mirror that the BMW had not immediately followed but did so once the van was past.
Simpson was worried by the traffic coming to a halt up ahead for the red lights. He didn’t want to come to a stop and give the girl a chance to escape. He pulled out to overtake the queuing cars and let out a small prayer nothing would come towards him as he threw the car around the front of the queue in a left turn. The BMW was still right behind him. He could also hear multiple police sirens in the distance, which seemed to be coming from all directions. He knew he had to ditch the car and quickly.
Tom had almost lost control when he followed Simpson through the red lights and turned sharply left in front of the queuing traffic. His rear wheels spinning on a patch of ice. He had followed close behind Simpson without really thinking further ahead. He now realized he couldn’t do anything while Simpson had Melanie hostage.
He certainly couldn’t ram the Audi which had been one of his first thoughts. In fact he was worried that just by following so close behind, he could be putting her life in greater danger. On the other hand though, he couldn’t just do nothing so instead of chasing the car, he settled back to following it at a safer distance.
He suddenly remembered he had Miller’s mobile number in his phone and called him. He smiled at the thought he was breaking the law by driving and phoning.
Miller answered immediately. “Where the hell are you?” he asked.
“Following the Audi down …” Tom didn’t know where he was and tried to read the names of the side streets. “Just passed Midas Street on my left. Where the hell are the reinforcements?”
“On their way. I’m just five minutes behind you. Keep this line open and give me a commentary of your whereabouts. And don’t do anything foolish!”
Tom was driving well over the speed limit in a heavily built up area, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand holding the phone to his ear. He thought that in normal circumstances that would count as pretty foolish. He was glad he was used to driving BMWs.
Simpson knew he could do nothing to shake the BMW from his tail. He had to get out the car before backup arrived and trapped him. At the moment there was just that damn Ashdown behind him. There was only one thing to do. He braked fast and then as he skidded to a halt he leaned across Melanie to open the passenger door. He pushed her out the car before she knew what he was doing.
He accelerated away before she had even hit the pavement. Looking in his rear view mirror, he was pleased to see his dumping Melanie had had the desired effect and the BMW had pulled into the kerb, to no doubt check on her welfare.
He drove a further half a mile then dumped
the car at the side of the road on double yellow lines, next to the entrance to the tube station. He threw open the door and once again belied his size with the speed he moved. He cast an anxious glance back down the road but there was no sign of any approaching police cars, only the sound of sirens. He didn’t like leaving such an obvious pointer to where he was headed but felt he had little choice.
He hurried down the steps hoping that a train would be along very shortly. He swiped his oyster card and joined the platform heading north. If the platform was suddenly swamped with police, he was trapped and stood willing a train to arrive. The platform quickly filled with a mixture of people, a number of them carrying shopping bags. Others were dressed for a night out on the town, which didn’t surprise him as the tube headed very much into the centre of the London night life scene.
He breathed a huge sigh of relief when after waiting what seemed an eternity but was less than five minutes, a train finally arrived. He had never been so happy to see the doors on the carriage close and the train pulled away into the tunnel.
Tom saw the Audi slow and Melanie deposited on the pavement. He braked so fast the car behind hooted vigorously and only just missed crashing into his rear. Tom was out the car in a flash and reached Melanie just as she regained her feet. He was thankful she looked dazed but unharmed.
“Are you ok?” he asked, reaching out to support her.
“Fine,” was the response as Melanie ran her hands through her hair, trying to improve her rather dishevelled appearance. “We need to get that son of a bitch!”