(aka Bike) Part 1600 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad
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I hadn’t long precipitated the conversation with the family about Stephanie when the phone rang again. Stella joked that it would be Steph again saying she’d coughed and the baby had popped out.
“Hello,”
“Hi, Cathy, it’s Jim.”
“I was wondering when you’d come back to me.”
“I intended to as soon as I got some answers.”
“Does this mean I get my money back?”
“Afraid not, if anything it’s going to cost you more.”
“And pray tell me why that is?”
“No one appears to have ever heard of Irena Popova.”
“But you ran checks on her.”
“Yeah well all that tells us is if she’s known for anything criminal. She isn’t. I went to the flat and they’ve never heard of her. I checked with neighbours, even went down the local shop and library. No one recognised the photo nor the name.”
“So who was the woman who came here?”
“I have no idea.”
“Was she casing the joint?”
“It’s possible.”
“I didn’t understand why the advert only brought one response.”
“Could have been arranged–contact on the local paper.”
“But why?”
“I don’t know, but I’d check your alarms are all working and count the children every morning.”
“D’you think someone could be planning an abduction.”
“They do happen, and you are plugged into a very wealthy family.”
“You’re beginning to scare me, Jim.”
“Good, I needed to. Now I’ve got two friends arriving, should be in five minutes, they’ll introduce themselves as Chas and Dave.”
“I take it that isn’t their real names?”
“You’d probably be about right. Do exactly what they tell you.”
“What are they, Jim–some sort of bodyguards?”
“Got it in one.”
“Are they armed?”
“Let’s just say they’ll be able to deal with most things.”
“I hope so.”
“I know so, so keep all doors and windows locked when not using them.”
“And it’s Chas and Dave?”
“Yeah, if I have the answers to the queries I’ve left in various places I hope to be there myself sometime tomorrow.”
“What if you haven’t?”
“Chas and Dave stay until I resolve this.”
“How much is this going to cost?” I began to wonder what I’d started.
“How much are your children worth?”
“Oh shit.”
“Exactly. Be very careful taking them to school and back, don’t let them out of your sight when you take or collect them or when they’re home. Advise adults to hurry to and from their cars and to lock the doors at all times. Check boots and the back of cars when you get in them, every time you get in them. Don’t be tempted to do anything on your own away from home.”
“How am I supposed to do my shopping?”
“Do it online, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose deliver.”
“I’m going to go stir crazy.”
“Tough, but at least you’ll be alive.”
“I’d feel safer if you were here.”
“Chas and Dave are very good, you should be perfectly safe.”
“Should be?” I almost felt my hand shaking as held the phone.
“There are no certainties in this game, Cathy.”
“Okay, hope to see you tomorrow then?”
“I hope so too.”
“Jim?”
“Yeah,”
“Who are we dealing with this time?”
“That’s the sixty four dollar question.”
“So you don’t know?”
“Let’s say not sure–I’m waiting on a return call from a friend in the CIA–it might tell me what I need to know.”
“Oh, okay–red alert then.”
“Nah–it’s amber–we only go to red if something starts.”
“That’s so reassuring.”
He rang off and I went back to the table and the assembled throng. “That was Jim.”
“Oh, what did he want?” asked Julie.
“It appears we have a situation.”
The adults looked at me in disbelief. “Okay, let’s have it.”
“The doors and windows...” I repeated the advice given to me by Jim.
“Does that mean I can stay home from school, Mum?”
“No, Danny, you eat too much.” He laughed and the others sniggered.
“Someone will have to take you to school tomorrow and bring you home.”
“Kewel,” he said and smirked.
“It won’t be if you get yourself abducted.”
“That won’t happen, I can run too fast.”
“Danny, we don’t know who we’re up against yet. If they’re professionals, you won’t outrun them or outfight them. Make sure you all have your mobile phones with you at all times.”
“We have swimmin’ tomorrow, Mummy.”
“Okay, but the rest of the time. Be aware of anyone acting suspiciously or if it looks like you’re being followed. And children, don’t go off with anyone you don’t know, no matter what they tell you.”
“We won’t do that anyway, Mummy.” Trish sounded confident.
“What if someone tells you they’re police and your mother or father has been hurt and for you to go with them to see them?”
“I wouldn’t go,” she said almost with bravado.
“They would sound very convincing. You could easily be fooled.”
“I won’t go, Mummy,” Mima said and I knew I could trust her to do exactly what I said, Trish was always a bit of a loose cannon. If she thought she could sort something she’d go off to try and do it.
“I won’t go either,” said Livvie.”
“I want you all to stick together when you’re not actually in class. If anyone claims to be police or anything, call me or Daddy. They might even be clever enough to fool the school, just double check with me or Daddy.”
“I feel frightened, Mummy.” Livvie looked quite pale.
“I’m sure we’ll be alright. Jim is sending two men to guard the house.”
“Where is he, shouldn’t he be here himself?”
“He’s trying to sort out a few things, hopes to be here tomorrow.”
“That girl was Latvian, is she involved in all this?” Stella had put two and two together.
“I don’t know, Jim can’t find any sign of her anywhere.”
“And she’s been all over the house,” Stella sounded very anxious. “For all we know she’s filmed it all, she could have had one of those mini video cameras.”
“So, they could access the plans of the house from the local council.”
“You seem to be taking this so calmly.”
“She doesn’t understand the full situation,” said Julie.
“No, the correct answer is: she doesn’t fully appreciate the situation.”
“I think I do, and I trust Jim, so these two blokes he’s sending should be kosher.”
“I don’t care what religion they are as long as they do their job properly.” Stella was going to nitpick everything I said, I hoped she’d be as diligent with locking and looking.
“I dinna understand any o’it,” Tom looked very tired and suddenly quite old.
“Neither do I, Daddy, but we have to take it seriously.”
“But we don’t even know if we’re at risk, do we?”
“Oh I think we’re at risk alright.” I was pretty sure of that.
“How d’you know?” Julie was challenging me.
“Because of the money that the family owns and the influence it has through the bank, we’re always potential targets.”
“Yeah, but why this time?” Julie didn’t seem convinced.
“I don’t know.”
“What if Jim is just taking you for a ride?” Julie was really challenging me.
“I don’t think he would.”
“You’re too trusting, Mummy.”
“Maybe, ah there’s a car driving up, our bodyguards I expect.”
I went to answer the door when the phone rang, Stella walked towards the door to open it for me. “Hello?” I said down the phone.
“It’s Jim, my boys have been held up an accident...” My blood ran cold.
“Shut the door, Stella, that’s not them.”
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Comments
Yes! A cliffhanger!
Wow, 1,600 episodes of Bike. Thank you Angharad and your authoring team.
Reading the current installment of Bike remains one of the more enjoyable things I have to do on a daily basis.
When John in W........ posted his blog entry, my bet was on a cliffhanger for this milestone episode, though I have to confess I didn't expect another story arc with the Russian Mafia aspect.
As long as you keep writing, I'll be here reading.
Prolonged Suspense
Bike Resources
Oops!
More intrigue.
“How much are your children worth?â€
“Oh shit.â€
1600 - not out by a long chalk.
Susie
A more defensible compound
Ya know eventually they must realize they either have to move to a more defensible compound, with walls and such, and real security or they have to create such a thing around their own home.
I know Cathy loves her delusions of being able to live like a 'normal' person would but the reality is that people who are this rich has to have some form of personal security.
Kim
I am in such suspense
Why try and attack the family again now, knowing that past attempts haven't worked?
I just hope the children realize how serious this is and stay together.
Great chapter Angahrad
love the story
Jackie
Its true
the children do seem to be a target again, But what better way is there of getting parents to do your bidding ... Of course what they have not reckoned with is the Tigress Cathy becomes if someone threatens her children... I have a feeling the next few episodes could be painful for for someone, And somehow i don't think it will be Cathy....
On another point congratulations to Angharad on reaching her 4pm episode. only a little over a year to go until the 8pm episode, Will we be still be reading about Cathy then?....i for one certainly hope so :)
Kirri
Hoping it's just Stella's long absent beaux
but suggest that Cathy get the family to safe cover and pull out her arsenal just in case. We haven't seen mother bear / commando Cathy in a while.
Congratulations on 1600
Congratulations on 1600 episodes of Bike. I have read every one of them, and I suppose I will keep doing so, the Good Lord Willing and the Creeks don't rise. 1600 episodes is really quite an achievement and a fine example of stick-to-itiveness. And a Cliffhanger as has been noted already. So, is it the bad guys, the wandering beau de Stella, Simon, or some other miscreant? Sigh. Guess we will have to wait and see. Keep writing, I'll keep reading, the Good Lord Willing and the Creeks Don't Rise (least ways thats what my paternal grandmother used to say when temporizing).
CaroL
CaroL
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1600
Russian Mafia?
May Your Light Forever Shine
Hit 1600 and have to leave us
Hit 1600 and have to leave us with a clif-hanger ..
Looking forward to the next post ..
Ooooh! Another Cliffhanger!!!
I don't know how you keep on doing it, Ang, but I'm SO glad you do!
So this was no. 1600? Another milestone!
x
Yours from the Great White North,
Jenny Grier (Mrs.)
Ho hum...
1,600 episodes and still going strong! Just think - just over a year to go until the big 2k!
It looks as though we're about to enter the perennial Mafia / kidnap plot. Maybe it's time to reintroduce electric gates / an intercom / CCTV at the bottom of the drive to prevent unauthorised visitors approaching by car.
Let's hope that either (a) Stella hadn't opened the door far when Cathy called, or (b) the visitors hadn't finished walking up to the door...
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Oy vey.
Given the earlier comment about things being Koser I don't have a problem using that phrase. It accurately sums things up for us.
If the Latvian lady is NOT on the up and up, it's too bad. I think she'd have been an interesting addition to the mad house. Strange though - that Stella and Cathy'd met her before... Makes me wonder why she did what she did... Did the "bad guys" put her up to it? Was this a really long range plan? Wow.
Guess It's a good thing I don't know how to spell "rich" and am not in a job that has any influence. Wait, my wife has one that might have an issue - a college professor. She might give a Pre Med a bad grade and set something off. Uh, oh... Now I must worry!
Thanks,
Anne
A new twist,
Very interesting (insert German accent here).
Oh, you are mean
a cliffhanger is there at every 200 episodes, at least this time I didn't get to this episode in the middle of the night this time.