The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1240 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

Trish eventually got introduced to Diana but she was still miffed at me for telling her off at dinner. I got the children to bed, and Jenny did the story, reading from a Gaby book. She went off to her room afterwards to watch a DVD of some chick flick.

I tried to persuade Julie to go as well, which Jenny was happy about, but she stuck to Diana like glue. Eventually, I had to ask her to go to bed to give Diana some space.

She had a glass of wine to end the day and we sat in the lounge while she declared that she really enjoyed meeting my children and it had helped take her mind off her current worries. I told her if there was anything I could do to help, she only had to ask. She thanked me but went off to bed after drinking her wine.

“The polis are daein’ extra patrols alang the main drag, sae we shoould be a’richt.”

“I’m sure things will be okay, that room is virtually inaccessible from outside and I’ve switched the alarms on, except the movement activated ones inside the house.”

“I’d like tae get ma hands on the scunner wha broke intae her hoose,” Daddy made an action with his hands which I suspect might have been used for terminating a chicken’s life. He was more agitated than I’d seen him for a long time.

“Daddy, please take care of yourself, I don’t want you ill again.”

“I’m a’richt: I’m awa’ tae ma pit.” So saying he began to climb up the stairs towards his bedroom.

“He’s taking this very personally, isn’t he?” Simon observed as we lay in bed that night.

“Sir Godrick is a good friend of his and I suspect, Daddy also fancies Di.”

“He’s not thinking unprofessorial thoughts about her of a carnal variety, is he?”

“How do I know?” I turned over on my side ready for sleep, I was absolutely whacked.

“Mind if I read for a bit?”

I didn’t and indicated it, I think I was almost asleep as I heard pages rustling. I sleep quite lightly since I’ve had the children living with me. At about two in the morning, I felt a small hand tapping my shoulder. I woke with a bit of a start. It was Trish–who else?

Simon was busy snoring behind me, “What are you doing out of bed?” I hissed at her.

“I think there’s someone funny in the garden.”

“What d’you mean?”

“I went to look out of the window to see if I could see the moon and I think I saw someone hide in the bushes.”

I scrambled out of bed. “Show me,” I hissed and holding my hand, she led me into her bedroom and to the window.

“In there, the big bush.” She indicated a rhododendron which was certainly big enough to enable someone to hide in it.

I told her to watch it without being seen herself, while I slipped downstairs to find my image intensifier, hoping the battery still had some life in it. I nipped back upstairs and switched it on–it was on half charge. Standing in such a position that I could see out without being seen myself, I scanned as much of the garden as my viewer allowed. There was definitely something odd about that bush.

I crept around the room to view it from another window and saw the small flame as someone lit themselves a cigarette. There was no doubt we had an intruder. What do we do about it?

I called the police, asking to be put through to a senior ranking officer. “Who’s calling?” asked a man’s voice.

“Lady Catherine Cameron.”

“What’s the problem, Lady Cameron?” he asked in a tone which suggested he thought I was calling because one of the light bulbs had gone out and the butler was off duty.

“We have Lady Diana Dawes staying here, her house was ransacked this evening and you should be aware her husband has been kidnapped while on a business trip to India. He’s Sir Godrick Dawes and is Vice Chancellor of the university. We have an intruder in the garden.”

“How do you know it’s an intruder?”

“He just lit up a fag.”

“Okay–I’ll speak to the officer in charge, we’ll call you back.”

“If you call back here apart from waking my children, you’ll warn him off. Call me back on this number and I’ll turn off the ring.” I gave him my mobile number.

“This is exciting, Mummy,” said Trish putting her arm around my waist.

“We need to wake Daddy up–you keep watch, look through here and press that button.” I handed her the image intensifier.

“Ooh, I can see him, Mummy.”

I snatched back the instrument and looked, she was right, he was scanning the house with some sort of handset from the safety of the bush. Possibly, something similar to what I was using.

I handed it back to Trish and went to wake Simon. It took him a moment to come to and a few more to understand what I was saying. “I’ve called the police, they’re ringing back on my mobile–hang on, that could be them.”

“Who else is likely to be ringing your personal phone at this time of the night?” he asked pointedly.

“Ah, wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Lady Cameron, this is Chief Inspector Cowan, can you still see the intruder?”

I went back to Trish’s room and she nodded, she could still see him.”

“Okay, there’s an armed response unit on its way on silent running, so you won’t hear any sirens or see any lights. The helicopter is on standby, but if we fly that overhead he’ll clear off because he’ll know we’re on to him or that you are.”

“Okay, what d’you want us to do?”

“Stay indoors, keep the lights switched off and all doors and windows locked.”

“That’s been done, d’you want me to switch off the alarms and lights?”

“No that’s okay, we’ll send in a couple of dogs first, they shouldn’t set them off anyway.”

“He’s moving about, he’s left the bush he was hiding in, he was scanning us with something?”

“You’ve got good eyesight?”

“I’ve got an image intensifier.”

“Okay, the car is nearly there, where is he now?”

“He’s moving towards the back of the house.”

“Okay, I’ve passed it on. They are actually outside your house, so keep indoors and don’t venture outside until one of our team says it’s safe.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t need to be caught in a crossfire.”

“Hopefully, one of our team will talk to you as soon as possible.”

I thanked him and rang off.

“What’s happening?” asked Simon now clad in jeans and sweatshirt.

“The cavalry have just arrived, they’re out at the front, he’s making off to the back.”

“What if he’s got a gun?”

“We stay in and leave it to the boys with flak jackets. They’ve sent an armed response unit and some dogs.”

“Are the dogs armed?” asked Simon.

“To the teeth,” I replied and he sniggered.

“The battery has run out, Mummy.” Trish handed me back the viewer.

“I’ll put it on charge, Si, can you warn everyone to stay indoors and away from the
windows.”

“Will do,” he went and knocked on Tom’s door, then Julie’s room which was occupied by Diana.

I was downstairs checking the doors and windows when I heard the first shots, some barking and more shots. Then shouts and more shots, finally in the space of a few minutes, the shots gave way to a motorbike being started and roaring off.

Now what? I wondered–