Safe Zone (Book 1): The Greater Good

by Sussex, Suzanne

  She shrugs, “I don’t know really. It doesn't feel real. I keep expecting her to come through the door any minute now.”

  “Well, if Sam didn’t do his job properly, she still might,” I say, the words coming out before I can stop them. “Shit. Oh, my God. I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I said that.”

  “It’s okay,” she reassures me with a weak smile. “Have you seen Sam since…?” Her words trail off, but I know what she is asking.

  “No, but I’m sure he did what he needed to do.”

  She nods, “I can’t imagine how he is feeling. To have to watch… then to…” She trails off, unable to say the words.

  “No, me neither,” I say.

  A creak on the stairs indicates someone else is up; I look expectantly towards the door. Sam and Sally enter the kitchen together.

  “Coffee?” I offer them.

  “Yes please,” they reply in unison.

  I go back to the stove and the pan of boiling water. As I start to make them coffee, I turn to Sally and ask her if she has seen her dad yet.

  “No,” She pauses, head tilted as though in thought, “I've not seen him since yesterday morning, in fact… has anyone seen him since then?”

  “Last I saw,” Said Sam. “he was going into the room next to the lounge.”

  “That's his office,” Sally replied. “I’ll go check.”

  Sally heads out of the room, and I give Sam his coffee.

  “How are you feeling, Sam?” I ask.

  His shoulders sag, “It was hard, ya know.”

  “Did she look like she was in pain?” Lex asked quietly.

  “Nah.” Sam shrugs, “I think she was unconscious when she died.”

  “And did you…” Lex asks. Sam nods, his eyes filling with tears at the memory. Lex quickly stands and approaches Sam. He turns to her, and Lex embraces him, “Thank you,” she whispers quietly, then releases him and returns to her seat.

  Sally comes back into the kitchen, a full mug of coffee in her hand, “Dad is in his office, but he doesn't appear to be in a good way,” she says, pouring the fluid down the sink.

  “Why?” I ask, my tone harsher than I intended.

  “I don't know,” says Sally “It's hard to explain. I’ve not seen him like this before. I think he slept there and now he is just muttering stuff. I couldn't really understand him. He was saying things like it's all pointless, meaningless, how it's all gone.”

  “What? What's gone?” I ask.

  “I don't know. It was weird, it was like he didn't really know I was there.”

  “Sounds like he's gone mental,” Sam says. I shoot him a look.

  “Chloe… would you mind going to talk to him?” Sally asks. My first reaction is to say no, let him wallow in his own misery, but I see the look on Sally’s face and agree.

  Out of habit, I knock on the office door. There is no response, so I push the door open.

  “George?” He does not respond to me. “Er, George…” I say again. Not only does he stay silent, but it is also as though he hasn’t even acknowledged my presence. I stand in front of him, but he just stares blankly at me. Shit, Sally is right. While I don't like the man, it is strange to see him like this. He’s usually so brash and confident, and now he looks, well, broken. He’s muttering to himself, the words nonsensical.

  “George.” I try again and shake him on the shoulder. It seems to stir him from whatever recess of his mind he was lost within. He looks at me, but I don't recognise the man staring at me. His eyes are wild with an almost childlike manner about them.

  “Chloe,” he says, his voice pleading. “What have I done?”

  “Er… I don't know. What, er… have you done?”

  “I missed them. All of them.” his eyes frantically scan the room, as though looking for something.

  “What? Missed who?”

  “The plays.”

  “What plays? George, what are you talking about?”

  “And the parents’ evenings,” he continues as though I hadn’t spoken. “I don't even know what her first words were.”

  A big fat tear rolls down his cheek.

  I am beginning to think that Sam was right, I think George has lost it. I have no idea what to do, and no experience in mental health issues. I'm at a loss, and if it weren't for Sally, I would happily close the door and just walk away. Instead, I choose to lie. “It was dada,” I say, “Sally's first words were dada.” I have no idea what her first words were, but I don't think a little white lie at this point will hurt. He looks at me with joy in his eyes. He takes my hand in both of his and shakes it vigorously up and down.

  “Thank you,” he says, “thank you.”

  I extract my hand from his.

  “George, come out with me to the kitchen. Let’s get you a coffee. You’ll feel better after coffee.” Another white lie.

  He shakes his head. “I’ll stay here. It’s safe here.” Again, his eyes search the room.

  I can see that no amount of cajoling is going to get him to move. “Okay. How about I get you a coffee and bring it to you?” He nods his head with childlike enthusiasm.

  I return to the kitchen. Sally is looking at me expectantly, but I shake my head, “I think he’s in shock. I ‘ll take him a coffee, perhaps that will help.” Sally seems to accept this as a reasonable solution, but I see Lex looking at me suspiciously. I avoid meeting her eyes and busy myself making yet another cup of coffee.

  Once it’s made, Sam surprises me by offering to take it out to George. I’m not sure of his motivation, but after a moment’s thought, I realise that I don’t care. I hand the coffee to him.

  Once he’s left the room, I turn to Sally, “So…” I say, “Sam?” I grin at the blush that creeps up her cheeks.

  She looks at me coyly, “We didn’t do anything.”

  “What, when?” I ask confused.

  “For the last two nights. We kissed a bit, but last night… well… last night we just cried together.”

  I laugh, “Did you think I was asking you about spending the night with him? I wasn’t even aware that you had. Other than Alicante of course.”

  “Oh,” she blushes. “What were you asking?”

  “I was just wondering what was going on.”

  “I don’t know. I think I like him and I think he likes me.” She blushes. “I know he was a bit of a dick early on. But he’s changed.”

  I think on this. She’s right; Sam does seem to have matured in the short time I’ve known him. “If he makes you happy, then go for it. Times have changed.”

  Lex, who’s been observing the conversation with a neutral look on her face, nods, “I suggest taking happiness where you can find it.”

  Sally nods happily, pleased to have our blessing.

  “Actually, there is something else I need to talk to you about,” I say. They look at me expectantly, “I need to go and find Steve.”

  Lex shrugs, “Okay. When shall we leave,” she asks.

  That was not the response I expected. I thought they would beg me to stay. Not that they would assume I was taking them with me. “We?” I ask. They both nod back at me.

  “Yes,” Lex was firm in her response. “We need to stick together. There’s no way we would let you go alone.”

  “But you’ll be safe here.”

  “For a time, yes.” Lex concedes. “But what happens when we run out of food? If someone gets hurt? This house is a good place to hide out for a few days, but it’s only a temporary solution.”

  “I agree,” nods Sally. “From now on we stay together.”

  “It will be dangerous getting there. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

  “It will be safer together,” says Lex, fire burning in her eyes, “Besides. You don’t know where ‘there’ is do you?” Damn, she’s smart.

  “No,” I admit.

  “So basically, you want us to let you go out. Alone. To wander the country looking for your boyfriend?” Sally asks. She’s smirking, because she knows that
they have already won the argument, “Would you let any of us do that?”

  I don’t answer. I don’t need to, because we all know I wouldn’t. There we have it, they’re coming with me.

  “Okay,” I finally say. “I want to leave in the next hour or so.”

  “That’s fine, but where are we going to start?” Lex says. There’s a glimmer in her eyes, and the innocent tone of voice gives me the impression she’s holding something back.

  “I was going to try Amesbury first. It’s closest. If he is not there, I’ll keep going until I find him.”

  “Mmm,” Lex says thoughtfully, “That’s a good idea. Or you could just go straight to Linthem.”

  “What? Why Linthem?”

  “Because I think that’s where he is.”

  “Why would you think that?” I look to Sally. Her brow is furrowed, she looks as confused as I feel.

  “When we got here the other night, George mentioned that he was told about the military setting up safe zones,” Lex explains, “then he told us that he got a text on Friday from a number that wasn’t in his contact list. The text said to go to Linthem.” She paused and took a sip of coffee.

  “So? What’s that got to do with Steve?” I ask impatiently.

  “I’m getting to that…” she’s enjoying this.

  “Well let’s say things got quite heated after George showed us the message. George wanted to leave straightaway. Without you.”

  “Wanker,” I mutter, then turn to Sally. “Sorry,” She shrugs, not offended.

  “It didn’t occur to me until I was in bed later, that anyone who would possibly have any interest in George’s well-being must surely be someone who either owes him a favour or would want something from him.”

  “Makes sense,” I nod and take a sip of my coffee.

  “Well, what could George possibly do for anyone now?”

  I consider this question. George’s influence comes through playing political games. Treating MPs and CEOs, alike, as though they were pawns on a chessboard. There is simply nothing he can offer now.

  “Nothing.”

  Lex smiles, “Exactly, so that leaves someone who owes him a favour. Agreed?”

  I nod, eager for her to go on.

  “So, if someone owed George anything, I would bet that they would be in his contact list.”

  “Yes definitely. One of my jobs was to make sure his contact list was up to date, so if he needed to call in a favour he could.”

  “Right. But the number wasn't in it. So… if we agree it wasn’t someone who wanted something, and it wasn’t someone that owes him something, what does that mean?”

  I stare at her blankly. I have absolutely no idea where she is going with this.

  “Um,”

  She smiles patiently at me, “It means the text wasn’t intended for George. At least not directly. It was for someone that was with George,” she sits back in her chair as though the answer is obvious.

  “Who was it meant for?”

  She groans, “You, obviously.”

  “But I wasn’t with George when he got the message,” I say. I have not had another coffee this morning, and it sounds like Lex is talking in riddles.

  “No, but you were supposed to be, weren't you?”

  Ah, she has a point. Steve told me on Thursday to get to George’s. As far as Steve knows, I drove straight here. Still, something doesn’t make sense.

  “Why wouldn’t he text me?”

  “When did you last check your phone?”

  I think back. My phone ran out of battery on Thursday night when I got to the airport. Steve is practical. He could well have text both me and George, just in case. I know he has George’s details, as I gave them to him for emergencies, but I’ve never put Steve’s number in George’s phone. I never trusted him not to contact Steve if he couldn’t get hold of me.

  Lex is right. My heart leaps. Steve could be at Linthem. “Lex, you are a genius.”

  Her face lights up with the first genuine smile I’ve seen in the last couple of days.

  “So, we’re going to Linthem,” she states.

  “Yep. Sally, is that okay with you?” I ask.

  Sally seems distracted, she is staring at the kitchen door. “Sally?”

  “What? Yes, of course,” she turns back to the door. “Do you think Sam seems to be taking a long time giving my dad his coffee?”

  I’ve been so caught up in the conversation with Lex that I’vee completely forgotten about Sam. She’s right, he has been a long time.

  “Do you want me to go and find him?” I ask.

  She thinks on this before replying. “No. Whatever he’s doing in there, let’s just leave him to it.” Does she think that Sam is buttering up her dad, now that he is forming a relationship with her?

  I suppress the smile, as I imagine the how that conversation would go.

  “Okay. Right, I’ll make another coffee, then let’s work out what we need to do in order to leave.”

  “I’ll make them,” Lex offers. “Do you want to work out how to get to Linthem?”

  “Good idea. Sally do you have any maps or road atlases?”

  “Yeah, I think so,” she leaves the room, and I hear her bounding up the stairs.

  Before Sally returns, Sam comes back into the kitchen.

  “George will be here in a minute.”

  “Don’t you mean Mr Carlton?” Lex asks with a grin.

  “Nah, we’ve reached an understanding now.” Lex and I turn to look at him. He’s grinning and looking rather pleased with himself.

  “What did you do?”

  “Well… he wasn’t making any sense… So I punched him.”

  “What?” I exclaim. I bet George has never been hit before. The image of this young lad giving him a good wallop is surprisingly pleasing.

  “He just kept going on, blabbering away to himself. I watched a film once when someone was in shock. They slapped them, and it seemed to bring them around. I thought I’d give it a go.”

  “Except you punched him.”

  “Well yeah,” he looks sheepish, “He was in a lot of shock.”

  Lex and I burst out laughing at this. I don’t approve of violence in ordinary circumstances. But this is just too funny. The innocent way in which Sam’s mind works is endearing.

  “Did it work?” I ask, wiping a tear from my eye.

  “Yeah. I mean, he cried for a minute. But when he realised I wasn’t going to hit him again, he seemed to come round a bit.”

  “You made him cry?”

  “I didn’t mean to,” Sam says defensively, “I was just trying to help.”

  “Don’t worry, Sam. I think you did exactly the right thing.”

  “Yep,” says Lex. “Especially after he made us tie Claire up yesterday.”

  Her comment seems to sober us up, and the laughter dies away. Sally returns to the room, carrying a bundle of books, maps, notepad and pens.

  “Is my Dad okay?” she asks Sam.

  “Yeah, he’ll be here in a minute,” Sam says, keeping a straight face.

  “Great, thanks, Sam,” she beams at him.

  I buried my face in the maps, concentrating on stopping the fresh bubble of laughter that’s trying to escape.

  “Are we going somewhere?” I get the sense that Sam’s trying to change the subject. It’s not the best move to tell your new girlfriend that you just punched her dad.

  Lex gives us the coffee and explains the plan to Sam.

  He doesn’t offer any objections, so she takes the notepad from me and starts making lists about what we will need. Having a purpose and being busy seems to help her. The colour returns to her cheeks, and she appears more animated than she has been over the last day or two.

  The route looks relatively straightforward. The camp should be about fifty miles away. The quickest route in normal circumstances would take us directly through Swindon. I rule out this as an option. Swindon is a big over-populated town. The A34, however, is longer, but bypasses the
towns. I choose this as our primary route, but mark out a few other options. Just in case. Lex sends Sam and Sally to fetch various bits and pieces that we might need on our journey, while she busies herself, emptying the kitchen cupboards.

  George skulks into the kitchen. I can’t help but grin at the rosy red mark on his cheek.

  My opinion of Sam is increasing rapidly. Lex turns on hearing him enter, a look of guilt on her face, because she’s just been caught going through his cupboards. He looks at her, but makes no comment as he takes a seat at the kitchen table.

  “We’re making plans to go to Linthem,” I tell him. He looks back at me, but stays silent, “We’re just getting supplies.” Again, no response. “Would you like to make yourself useful and help Lex?” I ask.

  He stays quiet, but gets off the chair and joins Lex at the cupboards. He stands there as though waiting for instruction.

  “Um… you could put those tins in a bag for me?” Lex suggests, gesturing at the canned food stacked on the side. Meekly, George collects a carrier bag from under the sink and starts loading food into it.

  George Carlton has just taken instruction from a nineteen-year-old girl. I never thought I would see the day.

  Okay, I never actually thought about it, but if I had, I would never have said he would take instruction from anyone. But then I never thought I’d see zombies strolling around either. Just goes to show that you can’t assume anything.

  Sam comes back into the kitchen, holding a jerry can in one hand, a long hosepipe wrapped around his arm, and his other hand holding an axe.

  “Will these do?” he directs his question at Lex.

  “Perfect. Although… do we need the hose to be that long?”

  “Nah. I was going to cut a piece off.”

  It took me a while to realise that the hose is for syphoning fuel if we need to. Good thinking. I hope it won’t come to that, but it’s better to be prepared. I hadn't thought about the logistics until now. There are five of us.

  We could all fit in one car, particularly as George has a large Range Rover but judging by the amount of food on the sides we are going to have a lot of supplies. Also, doubling up on transport like we did yesterday gives us a backup plan if something goes wrong.

  “Sam, can you cut two pieces? That way we can have one in each car.”