The Weekly Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3350 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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I went to the bedroom doorway and listened, there were definitely sounds coming from downstairs, then suddenly, they were coming up the stairs. I looked around me for something to use as a weapon. The steps came closer and I swung back the old vase ready to bash anyone on the head with it, when mumbled, "It's a sair fecht,' just saved me bringing it down hard on the head of anyone coming up the stairs.
Just then a couple of police cars burst into the drive and there were sounds of a scuffle outside. "Daddy, I could have killed you."

"For why wud ye hae killt me? I fell asleep in ma study."

"I thought you were up in bed?" There were definite noises off, so I sllpped passed him and ran downstairs, I opened the back door as two coppers were restraining a complete stranger.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Oh, hi Cathy, look whar we found trying to gain entry into your house," came Toby's reply.

"What? I just discovered the noise were my father coming up the stairs, not wishing to wake anyone he didn't put the light on, and crashed about like a wounded elephant."

"A few more minutes and you'd have had an intruder, we suspect it's the bloke who broke into the university. He's ex Russian secret service, so MI5 will enjoy talking to him."

"I thought he would have had lock picks and so on?"

"If he had any, they've probably been turned into bombs by now and dropped on Ukraine, but let's not start down that road," said Toby.

I invited him for a cuppa and the other officers, they'd take it in turns to watch the prisoner or drink them outside. While the kettle boiled, he asked me what was the man after. I pretended I didn't know, but it was locked in a safe, in a rather obscure part of my study, behind the faux fireplace, but that was between Jim and me, I told nothing of our find to Toby, it was too dangerous. So how did this Russian agent find out?

The police went on their way and I went back to bed thought I was anything but sleepy. I tried to puzzle out how he knew there was something to take to risk breaking in for? Only James and I knew and I'd told no one, so they must have 'I can look after myself' Beck. I eventually rung the police station and discovered that Toby had gone home again. I tried hi home number.

"What is it now, flying saucer on the roof? You realise this reducing my beauty sleep?"

"I think they might have James, I tried phoning him and he doesn't answer."

"Maybe he's actually got to sleep?"

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"Sorry, we don't send out patrols for those, only for good feelings."

"We found some more papers."

"Where?"

"In Alison's office."

"Why weren't we told? You wanted to DIY it, didn't you? You and bloody Beck. Then when you've messed up, then you call for the professionals to sort it out."

I resisted the urge to tell him that none of them could find socks in a drawer, "Look I am worried about James."

"So am I, his interference usually costs us time and money, it's about time he got his comeuppance."

"I see so I have to find and rescue him by myself?"

"That isn't what I said Cathy."

"Isn't it? Prove me wrong."

"All right, I'll send a car out to his house and see if he's there."

"He's not, he's near here, I can feel it. You should be searching near here not bloody Winchester."

"Do you realise what that would cost?"

"Do you realise what law suits cost? I asked him.

"You'd have to prove negligence first."

"Oh, I think Jason could do that, or enough to swing a jury."

"You've already spoiled my sleep, I'll come over again and we can look in a few places. Get dressed and be ready for half an hour."

Damn, he makes me work harder to get what I want, why? He knows that I always win in the end, pity those wretched Russians don't. I dressed in a thin black top and trousers and had a ski mask in my pocket. I also packed one of the multi-tool things in my pocket and I had some climbing rope coiled about my waist.

I saw the lights of his car come into the drive and after locking up walked out to meet him, except i wasn't him. I dashed off into the orchard with someone close behind. I ducked behind a tree and he went rushing passed. I saw the moonlight glint on his gun. I pulled on the ski mask over my ponytail and disappeared into the shadow of a a big oak tree. I scaled up the trunk and looked down on him walking underneath. Just then Toby came into the drive, I saw the lights of his car. The stranger walked stealthily underneath me, a few moments later, he was laid-out and unconscious, he hadn't looked up and didn't appreciate how fast I can climb if I see a gun.

The other car disappeared when Toby drove up to the house and because it tried to drive off with no lights on, of course, Toby followed it. Well, he did for as long as he could, but he isn't a pursuit driver and his ageing Saab wasn't quite up to it. By the time he came back, the one I'd disabled was trussed up tighter than an oven-ready turkey.

"Where'd he come from?" he asked getting out of his car.

"Oh, this was one I made earlier," quoting the famous Blue Peter line. "I saw the car headlights and thought it was you, it wasn't but he was looking for me on the ground and I was up a tree. I quite hurt my knees hitting him on the back of the neck."

"God, he's all tied up and you like a Ninja, what did you call me for, it looks like you have it all under control?"

"He had this," I handed him the gun.

"Glock, eh? at least they have decent guns not some horrid Russian thing."

"As far as I know they still kill people."

"Yes, but these do it more style," he checked the balance of the pistol. This what they issue to the force."

"Oh, I thought you had catapults and pea-shooters."

"Nah, that's the cadets, us hardened coppers, get to use real ones now and again."

"What shall we do with him?"

He walked off phone in hand then minutes later he returned, "They are sending a car."

"Will I have to explain?"

"Not tonight."

"What does that mean?"

"As soon as they come, we can go look for Beck, bloody amateurs."

I ignored his remark and an unmarked car came into the drive, they loaded the still unconscious stranger and drove off. "Okay, I had to buy some petrol but we're good for a few hours if necessary." I got into the Saab and buckled up. "Which way, Kemosabe?"

I closed my eyes and the blue light told me left, "You sure, 'cause the other one went right?"

"Go left," I repeated and he followed my instructions. The light steered me to an old industrial site. "Stop here," I said.

"What for, there's nothing here?"

Instead of answering I got out of the car. "Simon and I once caught a murderer hereabouts."

"He'll have to get a move on," joked Toby.

"No, I'll make do with you."

"Aw, you're so kind. Hey, wait for me," he called as I walked towards a derelict factory. "If anything happens to you, Simon will probably invade Russia."

"They're in there somewhere, come on." As we walked in silence we heard voices, we had found them.

"Where is the paper, Mr Beck, we know you found it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." There was a sound of someone being hit, several times, and my blood ran cold. I pulled on the ski mask and Toby started to snigger. Two minutes later he was frantically searching for me hissing my name, that he'd walked past me twice didn't occur to him, neither did he notice when I took his gun. I tucked it in my waistband and pulled my top over it. He didn't know I was walking behind him till I tapped his shoulder and signed that we should get down.

A moment later, one of the Russians walked out and shone a torch about, there was gun behind it. He walked stealthily past us and dropped like a stone when Toby hit him on the back of the head, dropping his gun. He began feeling for the one I had given him earlier and then cuffing the man with his handcuffs, his arms behind him, he gagged him with his hanky and the man's belt. "If he wakes up he won't be able to alert them," he whispered.

We crept onwards and we saw two cars and a group of men, one of whom was strapped to a chair and another was shouting at him and punching him. He'd pay for that.

I'm calling for back-up. Fortunately, any wind that was blowing was coming towards us and after Toby had finshed and pocketed hi phone I spotted a old scaffolding pole. "Cover me," I said and marched into the group of men and hit the one who was punching James across the face with my pole, he went one way and I think his teeth went another.

"I managed to hit another with my pole and just as one of them drew his gun to shoot me, Toby called, "I wouldn't do that, old boy, if I were you." They dropped their weapons and the one who'd been beating up James lay groaning and rolling on the floor. As I was untying James he stopped groaning and drew a gun James grabbed my pole and threw it like a spear at the writhing man and it went straight through his head. Unsurprisingly he stopped writhing.

As we sat and waited for the police, Toby said, "We're are in the caca for this, Cathy."

"As it is I think we did quite well, though I lost my bashing pole."

When reinforcements or was that three and four pence, did arrive we were immediately arrested and taken off for questioning. They'd come about four o' clock and I got home after eight, they were still eating breakfast.

"Where've you been?" I groaned it was going to be long story and I still didn't know what happened to Alison, but I was going to do my damnedest to find out.