‘Thanks, Martin,’ I said, and I meant it. I was beginning to wonder if he was the only decent person in any of this. He’d been nothing but discreet, supportive and a good friend. And I’d got him so wrong.
A phone rang. It was somebody’s mobile. We looked at each other. I didn’t recognise the ringtone at first. It was Jem’s phone, ringing in my pocket.
Shit! It was Sally. I answered the call.
‘Sally?’
There were no pleasantries.
‘I’ve got your slut of a wife here, Pete, and my bastard of a husband. I’m trying to get to the bottom of what they’ve been up to. I’ve put a few bullets into Jem, but he doesn’t seem to want to share very much. I’ve got about six shots left. I’m saving them for Meg. I think you might want to hear this.’
‘Where are you, Sally? You’ve got this wrong, Meg is nothing to do with this—’
‘Shut up!’ Sally screamed down the phone. It shocked me, she sounded like a toddler who can’t control their tantrum.
‘If you bring anybody – anybody – Pete, I swear I’ll slit her throat. We’re going to sort this out between us. It ends tonight.’
‘I won’t bring anybody, Sally, I promise. Just don’t hurt Meg, there’s an explanation for all of this. Where are you? Tell me where I can find you.’
I heard Meg shout something towards the phone.
‘Be careful, Pete—’
There was the sound of a shot. I heard Meg scream, then crying.
‘What are you doing to her, Sally? Leave her alone, your bloody husband is to blame for all of this.’
‘Just shut up, Pete. You’re all so used to gobbing off on the radio. Well, listen to me. I know Meg is pregnant. For all I know, it’s Jem’s baby. You get here fast and don’t bring anyone with you. You do, and my last pellets get shot into your slut’s stomach. You understand me?’
The baby! Oh, for God’s sake, don’t hurt the baby!
‘Jesus, Sally, leave Meg alone! You’ve got this wrong ...’
I could hear my wife sobbing in the background.
‘Come to the cathedral. We’re in the bell tower. Shout when you get here. You bring anybody with you, and it’s over.’
Sally ended the call.
‘What did she say?’ Ellie asked.
Sally’s got Meg over at the cathedral. She wants me to go over there now. She’s threatening to shoot her stomach. Meg’s pregnant ...’
Martin looked guilty, I saw it in his eyes as soon as I said those words.
‘What?’ I asked. ‘What aren’t you telling me?’
‘I’m sorry. I told Sally that,’ he said, not looking me in the eye. ‘She forced it out of me. That’s how I got these wounds.’
I couldn’t blame Martin. I’d shit bricks if Sally was waving a gun at me, even if it was just an air pistol.
I had to get over to the cathedral. I knew why she’d gone there. It’s where they’d got married. Sally was one of the bell ringers there. Or she had been before she got tied down with the kids. It made perfect sense that she would go there to try to figure out who had ruined her marriage and her life.
‘I need to use your car, Martin,’ I said. ‘You do have a car?’
I’d had my fill of bad news that weekend.
‘I’m sorry, Pete, there’s no car.’
‘For Christ’s sake, the cathedral is right across the city. I need to get there fast.’
‘How about a taxi?’ Ellie suggested. ‘You’ll get one fast now the clubbers have all gone home.’
‘No taxi,’ I replied. ‘I did a runner from the police, I daren’t take a taxi now.’
‘There is something I can offer,’ Martin said, sheepishly. ‘It’ll be faster than walking ... if you want it?’
‘Go on ...’
‘It’s a Brompton. I keep it here so that I can take exercise during my lunch breaks.’
‘What on this planet is a Brompton?’ I asked.
‘You know. It’s a bicycle. It’s a folding bicycle.’
I wondered if this man could do anything in a straightforward manner.
‘If it’s the best we can do,’ I said, trying not to show my exasperation with him.
‘Where is it?’
‘In the storeroom downstairs, behind the reception desk. I’ll help you if you want?’
‘No, it’s fine. When you see me leave the building, call a taxi, get yourself looked at in A&E.’
‘Should I still call the police?’ Ellie asked. ‘Do you think it will make things worse?’
‘I just don’t know.’ I was weary, both mentally and physically exhausted. ‘What do you think?’
‘I think we need to alert them, Pete. In case things turn bad. They can have an ambulance ready. She’s really angry, Pete. Take care with her.’
‘Okay Ellie, call the cops, but tell them not to go into the cathedral. Tell them what Sally said she’d do, let them know that Meg is pregnant. And yes, tell them to get an ambulance over there. No sirens, though, they’ll just make the situation worse.’
Ellie nodded.
‘I’ll catch you later,’ I said. ‘Let’s get this sorted now. Only call when I’m clear of the building, I need to get out first.’
I rushed down the stairs to the reception area and immediately found the storeroom that Martin had been talking about. I looked around. I didn’t see a bicycle. Had he been mistaken?
I turned on the light to get a better look.
‘For God’s sake, Martin!’ I shouted aloud. It was one of those folding bikes. The type that you see middle-aged men taking on trains. The type of middle-aged man who thinks you can only ride a bike if you’re wearing a ridiculous pair of shades and uncomfortably tight Lycra.
I picked up the folded contraption and began the process of assembly. Out came the handlebars, I tightened the nut. So far, so good. Move out the front wheel, tighten the nut. It was beginning to look like a bike. A wanker’s bike mind you, but a bike nevertheless. I couldn’t figure out the back wheel. How did the back wheel move into position? I messed around, pushing it, pulling it, trying to figure out how it moved into place. I got it eventually and tightened the nut. The seat was way too low, I moved it up and made sure the bolt was tight. I was good to go. Precious minutes lost because Martin Travis couldn’t just buy a regular bike like everybody else rides.
I shouted up the staircase, not sure if they’d hear me.
‘I’m off now!’
The doors opened easily from the inside, I wished it had all been that simple on the way in. I wheeled the bike away from the building. Ellie and Martin were looking through the blinds. Ellie waved to acknowledge it was safe to call the police.
I rode off into the night, wobbling at first because the Brompton took some acclimatisation. I must have looked crazy, it’s a wonder I didn’t get stopped. I was cycling as fast as I could, dressed in trousers and shirt that were too big for me and a sports cap that had seen better days, powered by a pair of too-small women’s plimsolls, rushing to save the wife I loved from a mad woman. In all my years reporting on the bizarre and unusual, I’d never covered a news story quite like this one.
The cathedral was some way away, of course it was. I cursed the Brompton’s smaller wheels, why do people ride those things? I thought through the scenario in the bell tower. I’d been up there a few times reporting on stories for the radio station.
Once it was a retiring bell ringer who’d been ringing bells there for fifty years. A great guy. The second time was to talk about how one of the bells was being removed and replaced. They were massive, really heavy. The bell tower itself was amazing, it was quite something to look around. It was high too. Not scary high, but you had to climb a ladder or two to get up there.
What was Sally up to? I was damn angry with Jem too. I wanted to punch the git. If Sally didn’t get to him first, then I might do that. I wanted to hear what he’d done from his own lips.
Who knew what Sally was doing, what twisted scene was playing out
in the bell tower? It took me about ten minutes to cross the city. I stopped outside the cathedral doors and threw the Brompton to the ground. In the distance I could hear police sirens. Was that Ellie? Was it some other incident? Either way, the police would be at the cathedral soon. I had to get to Meg. I had to set Sally straight. The police could take care of Jem.
The cathedral doors were open. I’m not sure how Sally pulled that one off, maybe she had a key. Then I got my answer. The verger was out cold on the floor. Some gaudy bit of church gold had been discarded on the ground next to him. He’d been hit over the head but he was still breathing.
Which way to the bells? I’d forgotten where to go. There was blood on the floor, not much, but enough to give me a direction. I remembered that the door to the bell tower was tucked away at the back of the building. You had to walk along a gallery to get to it, then up a further two levels. The drops of blood helped me to navigate. Perhaps it was nothing serious, it looked like a nosebleed or something like that. It was fresh though, still wet.
I made my way up the spiral staircase and walked along the gallery. The last time I’d made that trip I’d been laughing and joking, recording equipment in hand, fascinated by the free tour that I was getting. Now I was terrified of what I might walk into. I’d heard Sally on the phone. She’d lost it, she was unhinged. She was a woman who’d been pushed too far. Whatever I did, I’d have to stay calm. I’d have to keep her calm too.
I approached the first of the ladders. I was sore, aching, still out of breath and my head hurt like crazy from the earlier fall. My nose felt like it had exploded on my face.
In the distance outside, I could hear the far-off sound of a helicopter. Surely not the helicopter? Ellie must have mentioned Sally’s gun – they’d deploy the firearms officers if any kind of gun was involved. A helicopter was all we needed.
I gave a shout, anxious not to startle Sally.
‘Sally! It’s me, Pete. I’m alone. I’ve come to talk.’
No answer.
‘Sally? It’s Pete. I’m coming up.’
Cautiously, I started to climb up the stairs. As my head came level with the wooden flooring, I paused a moment. I was nervous of that gun.
‘I’m coming up, Sally.’
There was nobody there. Just a circle of ropes, all tied up, ready for the ringers. No, there was one that had been cut off. It was a rough cut, Sally’s knife probably.
They must have moved up into the bell room itself. I headed for the door, calling up the narrow passageway. We were back to a short spiral staircase now.
‘Sally! I’m coming up!’
I could hear a sound above me. It was a muted sobbing. Jem’s voice. No sound from Sally or Meg. I stepped out into the bell room. The bells were massive, heavy metal objects each one attached to a huge wheel. When the bell rang, the wheel would rotate to almost full circle and back again.
I didn’t see him at first. It wasn’t very well lit, and it was the sobbing that drew my eyes. It was Jem. Bloody, broken and with his head and arms pulled through one of the wheels. His hands were tied. He was stuck and secure.
‘Pete! Pete! Thank God you’re here, she’s gone crazy! She won’t listen to me—’
‘Shut up, Jem!’ I shouted. ‘Where’s Meg? What’s she done with Meg?’
‘Help me, Pete. If these bells ring, they’ll take my head with them—’
‘I don’t give a shit about you at the moment, Jem. As far as I’m concerned, you’ll get what you deserve. Where are Meg and Sally?’
‘They’re up on the roof, Pete. She’s really angry. Tell her Pete. Tell her she’s got it all wrong!’
I looked at Jem’s mobile phone. It was almost 7am, the bells would ring soon, silenced through the night but summoning the great and the good to worship for the first service of the day.
There was no time to release him. I had to get to Meg.
Without knowing exactly what was going on in the cathedral grounds below, I was aware of cars arriving, doors slamming and voices giving instructions. They were distant sounds, we were high up, and it was windy and exposed out on the roof. It would be the police, called by Ellie. But I knew that this situation had to be played out between the three of us.
I stepped out into the night. The helicopter was buzzing round the tower. I could hear Sally’s tense voice.
‘Sally, it’s me, Pete. Come on, we need to talk about this. It’s not what you think!’
Sally had Meg precariously perched on one of the turrets. She looked scared out of her wits. There was so much blood, both women were covered in it. Their hands, their clothes, their faces.
‘Meg! Look at me, Meg! This is going to be over soon—’
I rushed towards them. It was too much too soon. Sally raised the pistol and shot. It hit me just above my eye. I could feel the blood running, blocking my vision.
‘Okay, okay Sally! It’s okay.’
I held up my hands and stepped back. She kept looking up at the helicopter, and she was aware of the activity on the ground below. She knew her time was nearly up, she had to decide what she wanted to do.
‘Sally, I can explain. You’re not the only victim here. Meg is a victim too—’
‘Piss off, Pete. You’re bound to take his side. Both of you have screwed young reporters in your time, you’re like a bloody double-act!’
‘Sally, it’s alright, you’re right to be angry. I knew about Jem and the young reporters, but this is different—’
‘You’re bloody right it’s different! Do you know she’s pregnant? Do you know that, Pete? Not content with humiliating me, he’s now made this slut pregnant!’
Sally looked absolutely broken. I could have cried for her if Meg had not been standing so dangerously at the edge of the building. If she fell, I was certain that she’d die. It was too high to escape with a broken neck. If she fell, she was dead.
‘Sally, I didn’t know what he was doing with those girls. If I had, I’d have stopped it.’
She looked away from the helicopter, which was buzzing above us like an annoying fly. Would they have a marksman in there? Sally had a gun, it was quite likely. It looked like a proper firearm.
‘Sally, why don’t you put the gun down? There might be armed officers in the helicopter, I don’t want you to get hurt.’
‘Don’t you come over all concerned now, you wanker! You might have thought more about me and the kids while you two were off shagging in the office.’
Meg looked at me then, doubtful for a moment.
‘Meg, it was before I met you. You know what I used to be like. I haven’t done anything since you and I got together ...’ Only I had. The night before. With Ellie. Did she know? Had she worked it out?
‘Sally, listen, even Meg doesn’t know the situation yet. I only just worked it out myself. Jem has been drugging women. Meg didn’t sleep with Jem. He drugged her. She went to him to try and get some advice to save our marriage. We’ve been going through a rough time recently. Did Martin Travis tell you that?’
Meg looked at me, searching my face to see if I was telling the truth. This would be the answer she was seeking, if what Martin had told me was right. Sally was watching me too. My face was bloody, I was finding it hard to see. All the time we could hear the helicopter in the distance.
‘Is it true, Pete? Did he drug me?’
‘It’s true, Meggy. I found a pill in his pocket this evening at the house. It all makes sense. We did some reports on it on the radio years ago. He’s been drugging and raping girls, Meg. Sally, listen to me. Meg is a victim in this. It’s Jem who’s the guilty party here. He’s the one that the police need to talk to.’
Sally began to cry, the gun lowered in her hand. Meg kept looking between me and Sally. The helicopter seemed to be getting nearer, I could sense the activity on the ground below us, even though I couldn’t see it. Where was the knife? Did she still have the knife?
‘Sally, it’s alright, you’re not to blame. This is Jem’s fault. He hurt y
ou, and he hurt Meg. He’ll get his punishment. The police are here now. Put the gun down and let the police know that it’s over. We can end this now.’
She looked so tired, so worn out. She stepped away from Meg. Meg looked at me, watching for a sign that it was okay to step down from the turret. I held out my hand, signalling to her to stay still. I didn’t want to spook Sally, she seemed to be listening to me. Her hand tightened around the gun, she started to wave it between me and Meg.
‘What about the baby!’ she screamed. ‘Is that his?’
She spat out the words as if she was trying to get poison out of her mouth. Her eyes became wild again.
I looked at Meg. Was it our baby? It had to be. How pregnant was she? Meg held my gaze for a moment, then looked away. Did she even know whose baby it was?
‘Whose baby is it, Meg?’ I asked. She looked up towards the helicopter, which was creeping closer in response to Sally’s waving of the gun.
‘Sally, you need to put the gun down. They don’t know it’s only an air pistol. If they think you have a gun, they might shoot you—’
‘Fuck them!’ she screamed. ‘Let them shoot me. I don’t care anymore. I want to know if it’s his baby ... is it, Meg? Is it his?’
Meg hesitated. She should have just spat it out, said ‘No’ and given Sally the answer that she needed to hear. Instead, she paused. Maybe she didn’t even know herself. She should have lied.
The helicopter moved in closer, Sally looked frantically between me, Meg, the helicopter and the turrets. I sensed it before I saw it. She raised her gun towards Meg and fired into her stomach. Three times. I rushed towards her. From the helicopter I saw a weapon raised, pointing directly at Sally. She just stepped up on the turret and jumped. The police officer never made his shot.
Meg stumbled on the turret, shocked by the sudden pain of the pellets. Her foot slid on the wet stonework, I watched her disappear over the edge.
Don't Tell Meg Trilogy Box Set Page 22