by Nick Roteman
She was too excited to concentrate on working and by lunchtime was dying to confide in someone.
Moira came into her office. “Hi my dear, what a lovely day, I know Oliver’s away so do you want to eat your lunch outside with me, it’s a shame to be inside on a day like today.”
They took their sandwiches and drinks outside and sat on the low wall under the watchful eye of the statue to enjoy the sun’s rays.
They ate for a while in silence before Moira chose to speak.
She glanced across at Auburn and thought how young and pretty she looked today, especially today, she seemed to be glowing.
“You look very nice today, if I may say so. That’s such a lovely dress and the colour so suites you my dear.”
“It’s called Teal.” Auburn said smiling as she actually glanced at her briefly. Yes, she did have to agree with Moira. She had chosen her clothes with particular care this morning. In fact it had taken the best part of an hour to decide on a sleeveless tunic dress. That part had been easy, deciding on which of the three colours she had, had not, but after fretting for an age she plumped for the sky blue one, which the makers called Teal. She would have loved to have completed the look with her high healed buckled sandals, but alas Freddy was still in bed, so she had had to settle for her black ankle boots, which she could slip on with ease. She had even managed to put her wild locks up, and this accentuated her fine cheekbones and tight jawline.
“You seem preoccupied my dear, I do hope it’s not something nasty bothering you, you know you can always confide in me.” Moira said in her usual sweet way.
“Thank you, yes I do want to Moira.” Auburn replied staring down at her shoes, and kicking her feet against the wall. “I’m going to confront Tom Phipps today, sometime, I’m not sure when but I’ll know later.”
“I’m not sure I follow you but what are you going to say to him?”
“That’s a secret, so you mustn’t say anything to, well, anyone.”
She waited for Moira to nod before she continued.
“I have agreed with Detective Sergeant Sara Ash to go to his place and show him some pictures which should make him really mad.”
“What!” Moira exclaimed, the alarm clear on her face. “Are you sure that’s wise, he’s a violent man he could hurt you.”
“She will be there to watch me; I have to do it you know.”
Moira sighed, she knew there was no point in arguing, not once she had made up her mind, talk about ‘the lady is not for turning’ sprang to mind.
“Ok let’s say you go ahead with this, will you do something for me?”
“I will try, what is it?” she replied earnestly, she liked Moira.
“When you get this phone call will you tell me where you’re off to, just so I know where you are for my own peace of mind, will you my dear?”
Auburn grinned. “That’s easy-peasy of course I will. I hope to get the call this afternoon, it’s exciting.”
Exciting was not the word Moira would have used in this situation, but she kept quiet, at least she’d know where she was headed.
At a quarter after four, Auburn received the call from Ash giving her the location and time of her assignment, and reiterating, rather unnecessarily, how dangerous a mission it could turn out to be.
“Yes, yes!” Auburn replied impatiently. “I’ll go straight there from here, I’ve dressed especially.”
“Do you know how to get there, do you need me to...”
“No. I can Google the address thank you, must go.” She switched off her phone and dashed out the back office to find Moira.
It was time to leave and she was ready. Her directions were printed and stuffed in her bag, and she had her laptop under her arm, as she left the building to go to her car she was surprised to be met by Freddy.
“I know you have to do this thing, which I so wish you wouldn’t, but I‘m coming with you!”
“Coming with me?”
“Yes you can drive us there, I’ll wait outside if you prefer, but at least I will be there if anything, god help us, happens to you.”
“Yes I’d like that, just to watch my back; like in the movies how wonderful!”
In spite of how nervous he felt at this precise moment, he smiled at her. He had been ready for an argument, but she had obviously wanted him with her, he felt touched, almost honoured in a weird sort of way, but terrified too.
Ash had given Auburn Tom’s work address, but even with her directions courtesy of the AA, it took them a while to find the street. They drove past the factory and parked some way away from it.
Freddy grabbed Auburn’s arm. “Please do be careful, this man’s an animal. Do you want me to come with you?”
Auburn shook her head slowly. “No I will be ok, you stay here. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do!”
“What?”
She stepped out the car and Freddy breathed a deep sigh of relief, then instantly felt ashamed at his relief that she had told him to stay put.
Three people hidden from view watched her approach, as did Tom himself.
The factory had CCTV fitted, to warn them of any police raids, and Tom had a monitor in his office. Quite by chance he happened to glance up and his eye caught sight of Auburn, laptop under her arm, approaching the front door. He grabbed his mobile and tapped in a number.
Auburn banged loudly on the metal door repeatedly until one of the factory workers reluctantly opened it. There was a brief argument at the door, until the young man fearing he was about to be attacked by a mad girl allowed her inside, and pointed the way to Tom’s office.
Tom stepped outside his office and waited for her to arrive.
He stood in front of his office door glaring menacingly down at her. “Yes and what brings you here, and how the hell do you know where I work?”
“I have friends, also I have something here I want to show you.” She said, keeping her voice level and avoiding looking at him.
“Can we go inside?” she simply asked.
“If you come in, you don’t touch anything, nothing you understand, or your feet won’t touch the ground until your arse lands on it outside!” he growled through clenched teeth.
She held her ground, although she could feel her pulse beating faster. “Very poetic, I need to show you this now!” She said as calmly as she could.
He turned and opened his door and went in leaving it open for her to follow.
“Close it behind you!”
She did and looked about her taking in the room. There was a large desk sat in the centre of the room with two large computer screens on it. Being careful not to drop her laptop, she placed it carefully on his desk, and opened it.
Outside a car door opened and Ash walked swiftly towards the factory, but just before she reached the front of the building, she slipped down a side alleyway leading to the rear of the premises. Freddy watched her from the safety of his car before also getting out. But unlike her he walked to the front of the factory and boldly knocked on the door. A young girl answered this time and without any preamble waved him inside, pointing to Tom’s office in the back, it was of no concern to her what that man in the back got up to.
Ash kept walking down the alleyway following the side of the factory until she reached the rear of the building. She prayed that even though most of the factory’s output was illegal or fake, the owners had at least adhered to the current laws on Health and Safety. They had and she entered the building through a fire exit. As she came through the doors, a man melted into the darkness but kept his eyes focused on her every movement.
Freddy had felt disgusted at his cowardliness and in a sudden madness had almost been drawn to walking to the factory door. He knew deep inside he had to do this for himself if not for Auburn. So he marched down to Tom’s office and knocked on
the door.
“Fuck off, not now!” Came the coarse reply from within, but Freddy was on a roll and not giving up now so only knocked harder on the door.
It flew open and a face with an expression likely to frighten even a gargoyle glared out upon him. Freddy held his ground, although that tiny voice inside his head was screaming ‘Run, run!’
“I should be here with Auburn, this matter involves me too!” he boldly said.
Tom burst into laughter. “Well, well dear Freddy I’d hate to split you from your conscience, come on in join the party darling.”
Freddy walked inside but stayed by the door, and Auburn with no more than a cursory glance in his direction continued her prepared speech.
“I have pictures linking you to many of the other local villains, plus those dirty ones you took of young men, two of which were brutally murdered by you of course!”
“And what?”
“And you have to do what is right!”
“Is that it?” He laughed again. “If I’m so dangerous, perhaps I’ll just kill you and gay-boy over there. What you say to that?”
Freddy flinched as he pointed a finger at him, but Auburn held her ground, staring intently at her computer screen and the current picture on it. It helped to keep her focused; this had to be done no matter what the outcome.
Taking a deep breath, she went on. “You killed my friends, my best friends, Rachel and Peter.” Her voice rose in anger. “Didn’t you, just tell me just say it, say it because I know you did!”
“Yes of course I did, so what, you bloody knew that? Now what are you going to do you stupid fuck?”
“You’ve admitted it, you have!” she exclaimed, the relief suddenly showing, as her face actually melted into a lopsided grin.
“He’s admitted it!” she shrieked to the room at large.
With a sharp click, the office door slowly opened making Freddy jump aside. Auburn who was still grinning glanced up, but her grin quickly faded as Ash, whom she had been waiting for, fell into the room held up by the strong hand of Wayne. He threw her to the floor, as he locked the solid door behind him. She lay there looking up at them, her eyes full of pain. Blood dripped down her face and onto the floor from her broken nose and cut lip.
Both Auburn and Freddy were rooted to the spot. She just stared down at Ash unable to speak, while Freddy standing to the left side of the door did his best to blend into the wall.
“Caught this nasty little rat hanging about outside!”
“Well, well, well!” Tom chuckled shaking his head slowly as he looked at Ash, who was attempting to speak, but she gave up. He looked at Auburn. “I’m guessing your plan has just blown up in your face? Are you going to get rid of her, she knows too much?” he said pointing at Ash.
“No problem, will be my pleasure.” Wayne replied with a twitch of his head in Auburn’s direction. “What about her, she’s caused all this problem, stupid bitch.”
“I am not, thank you!” Auburn corrected him.
As she was standing in front of Tom, she suddenly picked up her laptop to show Wayne. Have you seen these pictures?” she asked nodding at the screen.
“That’ll do!” Tom warned, as she replaced her laptop on his desk, but instead of moving away she started furiously tapping away on it. Tom slipped around his desk to see what she was up to, but she picked up her laptop and dived around the other side avoiding his outstretched hands, and thrust it under Wayne’s nose forcing him to look down at it.
“Have you seen these, I’ve just made them into a slideshow, so you can see them all, I think you’ll want to.” She assured him, completely oblivious to the danger she was in.
Tom certainly couldn’t allow this, it would be the end of him when Wayne realised he was nothing more than a sadistic poof, and their current dilemma was all because of his sexual orientation. He acted, and wildly threw himself in her direction in a desperate attempt to either grab her laptop or better still have it smash onto the ground. Surprising even herself she just moved one step to her right, and instead Tom crash landed against Wayne, knocking him sideways, before he himself landed on top of Ash, who had just struggled to sit up on the floor.
Wayne reacting on instinct suddenly pulled a handgun from his left hand pocket, and pointed it at Tom sprawled on the floor. Tom was struggling to entangle himself from Ash and stand up when Freddy seized the moment. There were work surfaces along the left hand wall, and on it within arm’s reach was a long and weighty heavy-duty stapler. Grabbing for it he struck Wayne’s gun hand with all the effort he could muster. Auburn wisely retreated to the other side of Tom’s desk forgetting her precious laptop, as the gun miraculously flew out of Wayne’s broad hand to be caught first by Tom, then almost wrestled out of his grasp by Ash surprising them all.
A desperate fight ensued on the ground. Freddy’s first blow had landed on Wayne’s left hand, and spurred on by his success was swiftly followed by a second and third to his face and head. The fourth, the one too many, failed as Wayne despite his pain moved into Freddy, and with a flash of his fists had laid him out. Freddy crashed backwards into the wall, before falling with a sickening thud as his face hit the solid concrete floor; he lay there unconscious.
Ash had won the battle of the gun and was pointing it at Tom as she struggled back to her feet, but Wayne had other ideas. With a deft kick, the gun was out of Ash’s hand and airborne once more. Auburn neatly diving around the desk caught it in her outstretched hands. For all her problems one thing she was proficient at was how to catch, courtesy of her late loving father having spent many a long day teaching her how to coordinate her hand to eye movements.
As Auburn triumphantly waved it at Wayne, Tom who was still on the floor lunged at Ash propelling her forwards into Auburn, and Wayne, and successfully snatched back the gun.
Auburn nevertheless had been galvanised by these events and was not about to give in. Pushing Ash away from her, she turned around and grabbed her laptop off the desk and presented it to Wayne again.
“I think you should see these pictures now, they’ll explain everything and you will know how despicable your friend really is, and how right I am!” she said in a rush as she carefully walked towards him, concentrating hard on not dropping her precious laptop.
This was Tom’s final chance before he was exposed and humiliated, he turned and fired in one movement at Auburn, but Ash pre-empting his move suddenly leapt in front of her and took the bullet in her face.
She was thrown backwards by the force of the shot taking Auburn with her. They both landed heavily on the floor, accompanied by Auburn’s laptop, which then to add to the drama unfolding, bounced once off the floor before spectacularly shattering into pieces, almost in slow motion and of course in High Definition. That was it for Auburn, the fight was lost and she sank onto her haunches defeated, and began rocking slowly back and forth staring at the remains of her precious laptop, nothing else mattered now, it was over.
Wayne turned on Tom, “What the fuck’s going on here, and give me the bloody gun!” he demanded putting out his huge right hand.
“Best I keep it for now, ok!” Tom answered taking a couple of steps backwards so he could glance at the CCTV monitor. He couldn’t believe his eyes, his day just got better and better. Hammering on the front door was that damned police officer, DI Simpson.
Wayne approached the desk, “Look give me the gun matey, and we can’t leave her!” he said with a short nod in the direction of Auburn.
Tom came from around the desk and stood a foot away from him.
“You’re right of course,” he said very quietly as he turned the gun on Auburn.
But before he could pull the trigger Wayne reacted first and was upon him, and another fight ensued.
The gun went off again, the sound reverberating around the tiny room, as from outside came the sound of fists
banging on the door accompanied by orders screamed through it from Simpson, to bloody open up!
Wayne slumped to the floor and rolled around in agony a look of shock on his pained face. Blood spilt through his fingers, tightly held against his stomach. He stared up at Tom a look of panic in his eyes, but Tom ignored him. He bent down and roughly pulled Auburn to her feet, and half dragged half pushed her towards a tiny half door almost hidden right behind his desk.
Bending down to open it he squeezed through it dragging her with him. The tiny door opened into the passageway outside, which ran back to the street.
Simpson still outside the office door kicked and shouldered it, but being made of steel, it happily resisted all his endeavours. He turned around and was taken aback to see so many people standing behind him watching the spectacle.
He grabbed the nearest young man by the neck. “Is this the only way in, is there another?” he roughly demanded.
“Oh yes, there is a back door onto an alleyway.”
“What, where’s it come out?”
“Up, back up on the street next door of course.”
“Get out my way!” he screamed as he pushed his way through the throng and ran back towards the front door.
Out on the street he dashed to the passageway and peered down it into the darkness, but of course it was deserted. Pulling out his mobile he rang for backup and an ambulance before running back to Tom’s office. The door was wide open with Wayne propped up against it but the workers were milling around outside as no one had dared go in past Wayne. He jumped over Wayne’s body and rushed to Ash’s side, and cradled her head gently in his arms but he knew she was already dead.
Oli and Moira still waiting, watching outside in her car, both almost choked in alarm as out of the alleyway appeared Tom and walked past them still frogmarching Auburn. A few cars up was his Porsche and he opened the passenger door and forced Auburn to get in. Appearing in a trance, she obeyed. She sat there quietly allowing Tom to walk around and get in the driver’s side. With a roar of it’s powerful engine the car shot off up the street followed at a discreet distance by Moira’s car.