by Gait, Paul;
He immediately pulled out his mobile and started peering at it to do as he’d threatened.
‘I’ve only just arrived myself,’ Ben added.
Ben was gutted that anybody could even think of accusing him of damaging his friend’s grave and irrationally picked up his bike.
‘Don’t even think about it. You’re going to stay here until the Police arrive. I’ll set the dog on you if you try and run off.’
Ben needed to escape, he couldn’t think. The hurtful accusation was crushing his rational thinking. But Andy would vouch for him. What if Andy went to work instead? Surely his police record would go against him.
His irrational conclusion was therefore to run. Assessing the fat pooch’s ability to attack him, he decided to risk it. Quickly turning his bike around, he ran back towards the black metal kissing gate, while the man was still fumbling with his phone.
Deftly he manoeuvred his bike over the top of the gate and leaping on to it, he hurtled off down the same steep track that Sue had puffed her way up the previous afternoon.
The track would take him to the road, where he could intercept Andy on his way up to the burial ground and warn him about the dog walker’s allegations.
Behind him he could hear the dog walker shouting.
‘Come back you little sod. I know who you are, you won’t get far. The Police are on their way.’
His hectic flight from the burial ground took him past the ancient church, down a flight of narrow stone steps. He dismounted to go through the small wooden ‘kissing gate’ and waited for a few, seemingly endless, minutes until he could hear the distinctive throaty roar of Andy’s approaching Mercedes.
Hopping on to his bike again, he descended the steep muddy path, weaving left and right, avoiding the wooden steps that Sue had struggled up. Rapidly, he slipped and slithered his way down towards the road. He needed to get there first to flag Andy down.
He heard the car slow for the first sharp bend in the narrow lane and split seconds later the second. There was only one more corner before he would be on the straight. Time was running out.
As he manoeuvred the final bend on the track, Ben spotted a problem. He had forgotten the line of stout wooden posts erected across the junction with the road; cut down telephone poles had been installed to prevent motorbikes using the track. The gaps between them were only wide enough to allow pedestrian access. But he was going too fast to stop. He made a rapid decision to carry on his downward flight rather than deliberately falling off to try to halt his hectic descent.
Quickly he identified a marginally wider gap between two posts and aimed his bike there. As he sped towards it he suddenly realised that even this gap was too narrow for his handlebars to go through. He was about to smash his hands into the posts, which would somersault him into the road, straight in front of Andy’s accelerating car.
But it was too late to stop, he was committed now. In a desperate gamble he pulled a high speed ‘wheelie’ to lift the handle bars over the top of the posts.
Balanced on his rear wheel, he hurtled through the gap, his gloved hands just brushing the tops of the posts, one pedal scraping against the bottom of the post.
Relieved to have survived the stunt, he realised the danger was not over yet, for in his peripheral vision he could see Andy accelerating towards him. Instantly he dropped the front of the bike back down and in a split second slewed the back wheel around into the width of a narrow ‘pull in’ place edging the road.
He hoped he’d got his timing right, otherwise he would emerge directly at the point where Andy’s car was going be.
As his front wheel touched the tarmac, he frantically leant the bike over and turned right, uphill, the same way that Andy was going.
He hoped the car was going to be on the far side of the narrow single track road in order to miss him.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t taken into account the icy road conditions and as his rear wheel dropped onto the frost covered tarmac, it skidded out from beneath him.
Ben managed to unclip his right foot and planted it down which saved him from falling off, a trick he had mastered during many mountain bike races.
But now the Merc was at the same point on the road.
Andy’s reaction was like lightning. Yanking the steering wheel over to the left he avoided colliding with Ben’s errant rear wheel by fractions, instinctively flooring the brake and allowing the sophisticated traction control to bring the car to a slithering halt.
Had Andy not slowed down for the third ninety degree bend the outcome would have been very different.
‘You stupid idiot! ‘Andy shouted, as he opened the car door, ‘I could have killed you. What the hell were you thinking of?’
‘Sorry, I wanted to see you before you got up to the burial ground.’
‘You nearly gave me a heart attack.’
‘There’s a bloke up there who thinks I’ve done it,’ Ben shouted, interrupting. ‘He’s called the Police. Sorry, I panicked.’
‘Well we’d better get up there and sort this out then. I haven’t got much time or I shall be late for work, especially as the roads are so busy this morning.’
‘I’ll go up the track, by the side of the stables, and meet you at the top by the church car park.’
‘Right, well be careful for crying out loud.’
‘I will, don’t worry’ said Ben, clipping back into his pedals and pushing off.
Andy drove up the steep winding road, his tyres leaving black tramlines over the frost covered road. As he pulled into the car park, the dog walker and his overweight Labrador waddled over to him.
‘Here, have you seen a kid on a bike?’ the other enquired. ‘I caught the little bugger vandalising a grave. He had kicked all the flowers all over the place.’
‘I’m sorry, but I think you’ve got that wrong.’
‘What do you mean I got it wrong? What do you know about it?’ the other replied angrily. ‘You weren’t here to see him.’
‘I know the kid. He wouldn’t do that. The person in the grave is a friend of his.’
At this point Ben arrived at the top of the track and seeing the discussion between Andy and the dog walker, he stopped and listened, keeping out of sight.
‘Oh, so you know all about it do you? I supposed he lied to you as well.’
‘No, that’s not….’
‘These kids are all the same. Bloody troublemakers,’ the dog walker continued, not listening. ‘They ought to bring back National Service, that would soon sort the little buggers out.’
Andy listened patiently to the much overworked belief that army discipline was the answer to all the ills of miscreant youth.
‘I can assure you that this young man isn’t a trouble maker.’ Andy said, firmly.
‘What do you know about him? Are you his father?’
‘No, I’m his Scout Leader.’
‘Oh yes,’ the dog walker said, knowingly. ‘You’re one of them eh?’
‘If by that, you mean I’m a volunteer, I give a lot of my time to help young people become better citizens, then you’re right. I am one of them.’
‘Volunteer! You Scouts are all part of a government con, I reckon.’
‘A government con? Well, that’s new one on me. You’re obviously involved helping as a community volunteer yourself then, are you?’ Andy said, getting uncharacteristically angry.
‘No.’
‘I thought not. It’s the old story. Those that can, do; those that can’t, talk about it.’
‘What are you on about?’ the other said, confused.
Ben could hear the raised voices and not wishing to be embroiled in the argument decided to stay where he was.
As the heated discussion between Andy and the dog walker continued, Ben heard a car approaching in the lane. Shortly after, it drove into the car park. The Police had arrived.
Two Police officers emerged from the patrol car. Ben could see they were cocooned in thick black stab-proof vests, which were festoon
ed with various paraphernalia of the job; radio, handcuffs, pepper spray canister and collapsible truncheon.
As he watched, they walked over to Andy and the dog walker.
‘Coo, you were quick,’ the dog walker said, at their approach.
‘Yes we’re only stationed a few miles away, just off the motorway by the A40. We can’t take too long, last night’s smash and subsequent closure of the Motorway mean’s we’re a bit busy. Somebody report a case of vandalism?’
‘Yes,’ said the dog walker. ‘It was me.’
‘Ok would you mind showing us the damage please?’ the female Police officer asked.
The dog walker led the small group to Geoffery’s desecrated grave. Ben could no longer see or hear what was going on, but decided to stay where he was; for the Police force and he had a ‘strained’ relationship.
‘Here it is,’ said the dog walker, gesturing at the messed up grave. ‘I caught a kid doing it.’
‘No you didn’t,’ Andy said, quickly.
‘Sorry sir, but who are you?’ asked the Policeman, mildly annoyed at Andy’s intervention.
‘I’m the young man’s Scout leader. He called me when he found the mess.’
‘I saw him doing it,’ argued the dog walker. ‘He was holding some flowers in his hand and he was covered in mud. It was obvious he’d done it. Typical of young kids today, no respect. They ought to bring back flogging. That would sort them out.
‘You might have seen him with something in his hand, but I can assure you officer, the young man wouldn’t have done it. He was a very good friend of the man buried here only yesterday and he’d come to pay his respects.’
While Andy and the dog walker were arguing over whether Ben had been the culprit or not, the female Police officer had left the group and was looking around for any possible clues. Returning after a few minutes, she called to her colleague.
‘Jeff, we got more than vandalism here. We need to call in the troops. We’ve a body over there.’
‘You sure?’
‘Yes. It looks like he’s been dead for some time. He’s covered in frost.’
‘Oh my god,’ said the shocked dog walker. ‘So the kid not only vandalised the grave, but he killed somebody as well. See I told you he should be locked up.’
‘Don’t be so stupid. The person has obviously been dead for a long time, if he’s covered in frost.’ Andy said. ‘Would you like me to have a look? I’m a nurse.’
‘I’m afraid this poor fellow is gone past needing your skills. But thanks for offering. We also need to preserve the possible crime scene, too.’
‘I bet it was the kid.’ the dog walker added, maliciously.
‘Ok you two, that will be enough. Right, while my colleague calls this in, let’s have some names. Let’s start with this young man shall we?’ The Policeman said, getting his notebook out.
‘OK, if you insist. His name is Ben Bird, he is fourteen,’ volunteered Andy.
‘Ben Bird…Ben Bird, I know that name from somewhere,’ said the Policeman, frowning. ‘I’ve got it. He was the one that went missing after assaulting an old man wasn’t he?’
‘See I told you,’ said the dog walker, smugly. ‘A troublemaker, through and through.’
‘It wasn’t like that,’ Andy replied, defensively.
‘Well, we’ll certainly want to see him to eliminate him from our enquiries anyway.’
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
24th December
As the group walked back to the Police car, the dog walker spotted Ben waiting by the Church gate.
‘There he is. That’s the vandal over there, look,’ he said, pointing.
The Policeman followed the dog walker’s indication and started walking towards Ben.
‘Excuse me young man. I’d like a word please.’
Ben hesitated for a moment, unsure what to do and then turned his bike around and bounced off down the track, as fast as he could go.
‘Bugger,’ said the Policeman, reaching for his radio.
‘Let me sort this,’ Andy said, running towards the Policeman. ‘Ben,’ he shouted at the departing figure, ‘Ben. It’s OK. Ben, come back.’ Turning to the Policeman, he said. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll get him and bring him back. I know where he’s staying.’
‘What did you say his name was?’ the Policewoman quizzed.
‘Ben…Ben Bird.’
‘Oh, he’s the one we had the helicopter up for a few months ago,’ she revealed. ‘Oh yes, that’s him. The runner.’
‘See, I told you, it was him that did the grave,’ the dog walker, smirked.
‘No he didn’t, I tell you. The helicopter thing was all an overreaction to a minor incident,’ Andy said, quickly. ‘The boy bumped into somebody whilst riding on the pavement that’s all.’
‘Not the way I heard it,’ said the Policeman. ‘Ok. We’ll leave it to you to take him to the Police Station in Gloucester or Cheltenham. Say, by five o’clock this afternoon or he’ll be on our wanted list, again. Right, let’s have some details from you two.’
Meanwhile, Ben had ‘flown’ down the steep muddy track, fearing any moment to hear the Police car chasing after him down the road.
He took short cuts down all the alleyways and quickly got to his Grandad’s house. Kicking off his muddy shoes he raced inside, hastily packing things into a bag.
He was just putting his shoes on again and on his way out through the front door with the bag when James arrived.
‘Hello Ben, old chap. Going somewhere?’ James asked, smiling.
‘Yes I’m…I’m having a sleep-over at my friend’s house. Can’t stop,’ Ben said, climbing on to his bike, looking furtively.
‘So long as you’re not running away,’ James said, jokingly.
Ben was looking in the direction of an approaching car. ‘Sorry I’ve got to go.’
‘Hang on a second. I’ve brought you a Christmas present.’
‘Thanks. Drop it in the hall. I’ve got to go,’ he repeated.
‘Are you in trouble?’ James asked, suspiciously.
‘No, no…I just promised that I’d be at his house, now.’
‘What’s up Ben?’ James said, ‘We might have known each other for a short time, but I know when you’re lying.’
‘No I’m not, honest. I’m sorry you’ve had a wasted journey. I need to go.’
James put his hand on Ben’s handlebars. ‘I recognise a lie when I see one,’ he said, firmly. ‘What is it?’
‘It…it’s the Police, they’re after me,’ Ben confessed, ‘Now can I go?’
‘What have you done?’
‘Nothing. Look can we go somewhere and I’ll tell you. The Police will be here any minute.’
‘OK, you know this place better than I.’
‘Have you got a car?’
‘Yes, it’s a hire car. Tell me where you want to go.’
Ben returned his bike into the house and quickly got into the hire car. As they drove away, they could see Andy’s distinctive white Mercedes approaching them.
‘Look, it’s Andy, shall I stop?’
‘No, no keep going. They might be following him.’
‘OK, duck down,’ James instructed. ‘He won’t be looking for my car.’
Andy drove past them heading towards Ben’s Grandad’s house without recognising James.
‘There’s nobody following him. Let’s go and see Andy to find out what this is all about.’ James said, slowing the car.
‘No, the Police might be here soon.’ Ben said, despondently.
‘So you still haven’t told me what her majesties constabulary is chasing you for.’ James said, watching his rear view mirror as Andy turned into the road they had just left. ‘We’ll wait until Andy comes back and flag him down.’
‘Somebody has vandalised Geoffery’s grave and this bloke called the Police and told them it was me,’ Ben said, in an avalanche of words.
‘What!’
‘I called Andy and he was talking to the Police,
but I bottled it when they wanted to speak to me.’
‘Well if you’ve done nothing wrong, you’ve got nothing to hide.’
‘Yes, I know but…’
‘By running away they’ll automatically assume you’re guilty.’
‘But I haven’t done anything wrong. Why won’t anybody believe me?’ Ben said, desperately. ‘I only went to look at his grave…the cross I made for him, is gone as well. Who would do that to Geoffery’s grave, James?’
‘Could be local vandals, somebody with a grudge. I gather he bought his way into the cemetery, so it might be somebody with an axe to grind about that.’
‘Yes I suppose.’
‘Could it have been an animal, do you think?’ James suggested.
‘No, the flowers were scattered all over the place, his…his name spelled out in flowers was broken…And the cross I made for him was missing too.’
‘Shall we go and have a look?’
‘What if the Police are still there?’
‘I shouldn’t think they would hang around for a case of vandalism, and anyway, Andy has obviously left them, so….
‘Yeah, I suppose.’
‘No I reckon they’ll be long gone. They got more important things to sort out, especially with the motorway still closed.’
‘Why’s that?’ Ben said, half-heartedly.’
‘Didn’t you hear about the big accident on the M5 last night?’
‘No. I think Andy said something about heavy traffic today.’
‘It was pretty bad by all accounts. It was a multivehicle collision. That’s why there was traffic chaos when we left the hotel last night. Everybody was diverting off.’
‘Oh.’
‘Yeah, the whole lot caught fire too.
‘Yes, I thought I heard sirens.’
‘That’s probably what it was.’
‘Well it looks like Andy has gone the other way, otherwise he should have been back here by now,’ said James, studying his rear view mirror.
‘He’s probably gone to work then. He said he was in a bit of a rush when I rang him.’
Andy had, indeed, gone to the hospice and rang the Police from there. He reiterated his earlier belief that Ben wouldn’t have done anything to the grave, because of his close bond with Geoffery. Quite the contrary, he explained, that Ben was genuinely distraught at the desecration.