Beautiful Strangers

by Ellen Dean

  She remembered that her friend Val had once told her to call on her spiritual protectors if ever she felt a psychic intrusion, or under threat. She had never felt that more so than right now. H’s persistent probing made her feel like an army of demented woodpeckers were hammering away in her head, trying to penetrate her protective wall. It had to be stopped.

  Sitting upright on the white wrought iron chair, she calmed her mind, grounded herself, and concentrated on her breathing. When she felt ready she stood up and faced the waxing moon. With her feet slightly apart, and her spine straight, she held her arms out in front of her allowing her elbows to bend as she flexed her wrists so that her palms were facing each other.

  She held the position for a full five minutes, feeling the heat from the energy as it came to life in the space between her palms. Slowly, moving her hands together, shaping them to hold the energy ball she had created, she concentrated on her breathing, asking her protectors to watch over her and those she loved, before pulling the new, strong energy into her solar plexus.

  A golden light entered her third eye and travelled down through her body to her ankles, covering every inch of her, wrapping her in its protection.

  Try to penetrate that, Hyacinth!

  Chapter 52

  All too soon Beth would be back in the UK, and in a few short hours Lou’s chauffeur would be taking her to the airport. She would have preferred to slip away quietly without a tearful parting, but Lou was planning to get some time off from filming and be there for when she boarded her flight. Pushing off from the side of the pool, Beth swam another length before flipping over to float on her back, contemplating her return to normality. In truth she would have been happy to stay here with Lou. But in reality she had responsibilities her conscientious nature would not let her neglect. However, she had decided to submit her resignation to St. Gregory’s as soon as she returned home, and then hot foot it back to Lou. She was determined they were not going to be separated for any longer than was necessary.

  The sound of her mobile phone disturbed her reverie. Anticipating it would be Lou she climbed out of the pool, grabbing a towel as she ran across the tiles to answer it. ‘Hello, darling.’

  ‘Hello my darling . . . I knew you would be pleased to hear from me.’

  Beth stared at the phone in horror. ‘Hyacinth!’

  ‘Yes, of course it’s me. Whom did you expect? I know, you thought it was Lou, didn’t you? Wrong!’

  There was something eerie in the tone of Hyacinth’s voice. Trying to banish the ridiculous vision of suitcases an diamonds that flashed through her mind, she had to ask H to repeat herself.

  ‘You’re really not listening, are you? I said when you come home, I will meet you at Edinburgh airport.’

  ‘What on earth are you talking about? I’m flying into Manchester.’

  ‘No, you’re not. You and I are going to live happily ever after in Scotland. You liked my house there didn’t you?’

  ‘Hyacinth! Have you lost the plot?’

  ‘Ah yes, the plot, Beth. Do you know you have played an essential part in it? I really should thank you for doing it so efficiently.’

  ‘What?’ Despite the heat of the day Beth shivered, pulling the towel around her.

  ‘You’re a professional Beth. On behalf of the Amethyst Group I would like to thank you for transporting our cargo around the world. The plot, darling Beth, as you so simply put it, is that you are carrying our uncut diamonds in your suitcases.’

  ‘Don’t be stupid. And don’t try to pin any of your little game on me.’ Beth flopped down into a chair, the brilliance of the Californian day fading into nightmare alley.

  ‘I knew you’d be pleased to hear how well you’ve done.’ H paused to light a cigarette. ‘Now, where were we? Oh yes, as I was saying, a girl needs some insurance, doesn’t she? And you have been terribly obliging, darling, transporting them with you since Cannes. I helped you pack. Remember?’

  ‘Are you having some kind of breakdown? You’re talking in riddles.’

  ‘No riddles, actual fact, and your precious Lindsay won’t be able to get you out of this one.’

  ‘I don’t believe you. Why are you doing this? More to the point, just what the hell do you want from me?’

  ‘What do I want, darling?’ H said in a silky smooth voice. ‘I want you of course. Now listen carefully. Go and look in every one of your suitcases . . . and I mean every one. See what you can find. Better check you’re favourite handbag too. Be thorough, imagine you’re a policewoman or, better still, airport customs. Now where would they look? The linings would be a good place to start.’

  Beth didn’t answer. Galvanized into action, she raced through to the spare room where her partly packed bags were set out on the bed. Dropping the phone onto the floor she launched herself at the biggest case and examined the lining, nothing. Guided by instinct she started to feel the corners. Carefully squeezing the pleating around the seam she found something suspicious. Flabbergasted she looked closer at the stitching. It had been tampered with, but so cleverly as to go unnoticed. Frantically she ripped the seam open, pushed her hand inside and pulled out a small purple velvet pouch. She didn’t need to open it to confirm its contents. She knew this material only too well.

  Sitting on the bed, her mind racing, she picked up the phone. ‘Why?’

  ‘Because you belong to me. And if this is the only way I can have you, then so be it.’

  ‘I don’t belong to anyone.’

  ‘Darling, we’re going to have such a wonderful life, you and I.’

  ‘No! We are not! I am going to the police. You’ll go to jail for this.’

  ‘You’re upset, darling, but don’t worry. Of course I won’t be going to jail, and neither will you if you play your cards right and do as I say. Now before we continue with our arrangements there is just one more little thing you need to do. Find Lou’s cream Prada handbag and check it out.’

  ‘I won’t.’

  ‘Do it, Beth. My patience is wearing thin.’

  ‘Don’t threaten me, you fucking bitch. I’m not frightened of you.’

  ‘I don’t want you to be frightened of me. And threaten you? I would never do that. Have you got that bag yet?’

  Flinging the closet door wide open Beth grabbed Lou’s bag. She examined it with shaking hands and found nothing. She had to go over it several times before she discovered the little velvet pouch, and had to tear the lining to get to it. Knowing she was beaten she started to retch. What now?

  ‘Why involve Lou? What’s she ever done to you?’

  ‘She’s taken you away from me and I can’t allow that. The fact is that Lou is your accomplice, and I have foolproof evidence I can give to the police. Clever, eh?’ H allowed the enormity of her words time to register. Laughing, she continued. ‘You can’t refute facts, Beth. And now that we understand each other, this is how it’s going to be.’

  The cold hand of fear gripped Beth’s heart. You bloody devious bitch!

  ‘Now don’t disappoint me, darling. I’ll be waiting.’ H took a long pull from her cigarette. ‘I can see it now, you and I sailing off into the sunset on board The Amethyst.’

  ‘You flatter yourself Hyacinth. You and I are not sailing anywhere.’ Beth’s voice was firm.

  ‘We shall see. Test me if you must, if you are prepared for your precious Lou to come crashing down off her pedestal that is. I expect you’ve been completely honest with her, haven’t you?’ H paused to extinguish her cigarette. ‘You were such a willing participant at our little gathering in the grotto, and in my bed. The cameras absolutely loved you. See you in Edinburgh.’ The phone went dead.

  Beth looked at the velvet pouches. These must be worth an absolute fortune. She could contact the police, tell them her story, but it would be totally wiped out by H’s cunning plans and willing accomplices who would confirm Beth was the kingpin in their operation. H had spun her web so cleverly that Beth could see no way out. She didn’t want to risk bringing Lou
into this mess; it would ruin her. She needed to keep her safe at all costs.

  How the hell Vanessa had managed to hide the diamonds in Lou’s bag was a mystery that only went to prove how devious and clever the woman had been.

  In frustration Beth started pacing the room. What the hell am I going to do? I need a plan.

  Quickly she sent Lou a text asking her not to come to the airport, saying she would find it too distressing, but that she had left her a letter.

  She found pen and paper and started to write:

  My darling Lou,

  I need for you to be strong and calm. PLEASE CALL LINDSAY. Tell her H has left me with no choice but to fly into Edinburgh airport to meet her. Unless she’s changed her plans, we will go to her home near Aviemore. Linz will know what to do. I love you.

  Beth xxxxx

  Chapter 53

  Lou had not known a moment’s peace because she had been unable to get to the airport to see Beth board the plane back to the UK.

  The director had wanted the scene wrapped in one, but uncharacteristically her co-star kept fluffing his lines. His apologies didn’t stop the clock ticking and Lou watched in agony as precious minutes slipped away. Finally the scene was completed but only by the time that Beth would have been well on her way home.

  Tired, Lou fumbled with the door key trying to turn the lock and let herself into the house. She could hear the loud ringing of the telephone echoing from the hallway. Gutted at not being able to say goodbye to Beth and exhausted from the strain of the days filming she crossed the hall. Who on earth is pestering me at this hour? Dropping her bag onto a chair, wearily she picked up the receiver.

  ‘Lou, this is Lindsay. I know you’ve just got in because I’ve been trying to contact either you or Beth for hours, but both of your mobiles are switched off. I know it must be the middle of the night over there, but I have several urgent messages to ring Beth.’

  ‘Have you?’ Lou said, switching on her mobile phone. ’She’ll be on her way home now. Just let me check my messages. I have a text here telling me not to go to the airport, but I couldn’t anyway because the filming took longer than expected. Hang on a sec, she’s left an envelope. Let me open it and see if there’s a message for you.’

  Lindsay waited.

  ‘Oh my God!’

  ‘What? Come on, Lou. Hurry up!’

  White faced, Lou read the letter to Lindsay.

  ‘Keep calm. I’ll meet them at Edinburgh Airport and let you know as soon as I have anything to tell you. I won’t let anything happen to Beth.’

  Lou replaced the receiver, walked into the living room and poured herself a very large drink. Her beautiful Beth was in danger and here she was hundreds of miles away stuck in Los Angeles unable to do anything about it. Keep calm, Lindsay had said. How the hell could she keep calm?

  Several hours later Lindsay rang again. Lou was sitting outside beside the pool wrapped in the bathrobe Beth had worn during her stay, wide-awake as she had been since Lindsay’s first call. Try not to worry, Lindsay had insisted. There was a full police operation in progress. She promised she would keep her informed.

  Was Lindsay crazy telling her not to worry?

  Later that day Lou learned more about the Amethyst Group from the CNN newscaster. Horrified she rang Lindsay yelling across the Atlantic demanding an explanation. Why hadn’t Lindsay told her the full story, just how much danger was Beth in?

  Lindsay told Lou just enough to fill her in without breaching police confidentiality, realizing that if she didn’t, Lou would be on the next plane out of LA and the shit would really hit the fan. It satisfied Lou somewhat.

  ‘Lou, listen carefully.’

  ‘Haven’t I just been doing that for the past half hour?’ came Lou’s icy reply.

  ‘We’ve arrested Vanessa.’

  ‘How is she involved?’

  ‘I think you should check out your luggage.’

  ‘Why? What am I looking for?’

  ‘Go over all the luggage you had in London with a fine-tooth comb.’

  ‘Are you taking the piss because if you are, you are failing to be funny.’

  ‘No, neither. Sorry love, I am very serious. I want you to search every bit of your luggage, handbags the lot.’

  ‘And just what am I supposed to be looking for?’

  ‘Diamonds.’ Lindsay heard Lou’s gasp before she answered, soberly now.

  ‘I’ll go and do it now.’

  ‘Ring me straight back.’

  ‘Right.’

  Lou searched, prodded and poked every square inch of her bags. She didn’t find anything, except a tear in the lining of her Prada bag. Lou felt sick.

  ‘Lindsay. I’ve found nothing, but my Prada bag the one I had with me that night in London, has been tampered with. It has a tear in the lining.’

  ‘Beth must have searched and found them, and taken them with her. Vanessa planted diamonds on you. She’s confessed.’

  ‘The bitch! Why?’

  ‘Hyacinth of course, but Vanessa’s too scared to say.’

  ‘Hyacinth wants Beth to herself.’ Lou could never remember feeling so angry.

  ‘Yes, however, we do have a plan and Vanessa has admitted she was paid to set you up. We think that’s the reason Beth went to Scotland with Hyacinth, to save you and protect your reputation.’

  As the enormity of Lindsay’s words hit home, frustration at being on the other side of the world took hold of Lou. ‘That’s it, Lindsay. I’m on the next plane out.’

  Chapter 54

  Beth’s flight touched down in Edinburgh on time. To match the dismay in her soul they had flown in almost constant darkness. Reluctant to leave the plane she remained in her seat until the last minute. She was no closer to figuring out how to deal with her situation. I have to find a way to contact Lindsay to tell her about the vision I had of H watching the man drowning in his car. Beth, much more aware of her psychic abilities now, was fast learning how to embrace her craft instead of turning her back on it. She left the plane, collected her luggage, and walked to the arrivals area, the last passenger through.

  With immaculately styled hair, wearing cowboy boots and a long camel cashmere coat over tight fitting denims and a pale lilac sweater, Hyacinth greeted Beth effusively. Linking arms with her, she said, ‘Welcome home, Beth.’ She waved to a porter to take Beth’s luggage.

  ‘I want a coffee,’ Beth demanded, ‘and take your hands off me.’ She pulled her arm away.

  ‘Of course, darling. We’ll pop into the restaurant before we go.’ H ignored Beth’s hard manner.

  Beth’s bags were loaded into H’s four-track vehicle and the porter was generously tipped before H spoke again.

  ‘I’m so glad you decided to join me. It would have been dreadful if you had made the wrong choice. All that terrible publicity for Lou. She would probably never have worked again, you know, and no doubt you would have been struck off the medical register by the time the press had finished with you. It’s so much better this way. I can promise you a wonderful life, darling: a Scottish winter and then Paris in the spring.’

  Beth didn’t answer.

  * * * * * * * *

  Lindsay watched in disbelief as Hyacinth frog-marched her best friend through the length of Edinburgh Airport unable to do anything because she would blow her cover. Beth passed her so closely she could have touched her.

  Hyacinth led Beth through the restaurant, and into the deserted bar.

  ‘Now, darling, how are you?’

  ‘Are you stupid?’

  ‘Don’t take that attitude with me. Remember I can make your life unbearable if you don’t do as . . . ‘ She stopped mid- sentence while the waiter delivered their drinks then she patted Beth’s hand and pushed a large brandy across the table towards her. ‘This will do you more good than coffee.’

  Beth gulped the amber liquid. She was chilled to the bone. Maybe the brandy would help to warm her up. She stared at Hyacinth, trying to penetrate her mind, ‘I want to
know everything. You owe me that at least.’

  ‘You know everything you need to know, darling. Now don’t push it.’ H held her breath unsure of what to expect.

  As soon as their eyes met today each had tried to scan the others mind, but there was no winner. Neither woman cracked under the others psychic power.

  Beth was seething. At the very least she wanted to scratch Hyacinth’s eyes out and was drawing on every ounce of her reserve to remain calm and collected. Finishing the brandy she spoke again. ‘As I said, H, I want to know everything, now.’

  ‘How terribly dreary of you to insist, darling. There is someone who can explain things much better than I, but we need to be home for you to hear it.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘Darling, the whole world will know about how Penny ran her diamond smuggling ring when they hear the late news tonight.’

  Beth stood up. H was one cool customer, at the moment unchallengeable, but somehow Beth would make her pay for this if it took her the rest of her life.

  H was purring with satisfaction as they left the bar. As far as she was concerned she’d cracked it and Beth was hers for good. Eventually they would live happily ever after. She was sublimely convinced of her ability to make Beth fall totally in love with her.

  A flight had just landed from Majorca. Its passengers shattered the early morning stillness of the airport as they surged through like a noisy tidal wave towards the taxi ranks engulfing the two women.

  Loud and happy after their holidays, one group in particular zig-zagged drunkenly in front of them. If Beth hadn’t been so withdrawn, she might have recognized Lindsay. Right on cue, the group crashed into H and Beth. H was almost knocked off her feet and was forced to let go of Beth. Preoccupied with staying upright, she didn’t see Lindsay push a note into Beth’s hand. It was perfectly choreographed.

  Chapter 55

  Beth read and re-read Lindsay’s note:

  H struck deal, turned Queen’s evidence. P & others arrested. Help coming. Hang in there.