Babs’ New Year’s Resolution 76 © Beverly Taff March 2021.

List of Characters.

Lola Smith Bab’s adopted trans daughter.
Callista Denton (Callie). Transgendered Duchess of Denton.
Margaret Denton (Maggie). Callie’s wife.
Molly Denton Callie’s grandmother
Ellie Denton Callie’s mother.
Bab’s Barbara Smith. Lola’s adoptive ‘Nana’
Olivia Smith Bab’s adopted daughter. (Excellent Artist.)
Angela Smith Bab’s newly adopted daughter
Erica Bab’s foster daughter.
Sergeant Bridie Davies Lady Police detective protecting the girls.
Sergeant Brian Davies. Bridie’s twin brother.
Inspector John, Heading up the anti-rape-gang operation.
Gareth Jenkins, Police office trained in firearms and protection.
Belinda Harrington Lola’s university girlfriend.
Aaron Talbot Surgical registrar – married to –
Shirley Talbot Lecturer at Local university.
Mickey Talbot Aaron and Shirley’s oldest son.
Jessica Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s middle daughter.
Bianca Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s youngest daughter.
Henry Denton Callie’s only son.
Charlotte Denton Callie’s only daughter.
Beverly Callie’s maternal great aunt (Ellie’s paternal aunt)
Wendy Smith Beverly’s Operations Manager for Hull
Louisa Wendy’s Daughter
Griselda & Mia Wendy’s younger twin daughters.
Susan Harvey Prosecution counsel advocating for Erica in court.
Han’s The German policeman’s son whom Erica really fancies.
Uncle Phillip CIA Agent.

Chapter 76

Erica had hoped for a long ‘lie-in’ on the Saturday morning but her dozing was cruelly disturbed by a mobile call from Hans’. From under her duvet Erica grunted irritably.
“Unngh!”

“Hello. Erica?”

“Eh! What? Oh hello Hans.”

“Aren’t you up?”

“Mmm. No.”

“Well get up. I’ve got an outing organised.”

“I was sleeping; it’s been a long few weeks!”

“Don’t you want to come out; another walk in the mountains perhaps?”

“I’m tired, maybe tomorrow.”

“But it’s all organised.”

“You didn’t organise it with me.” Erica growled.

“Are you angry?”

“No! As I said, I’m tired.”

“It’s nine, o’clock. You should be up!”

“You mean it’s nine o’clock and a teenager should still be in bed. Least-ways this teenager should be.”

“So you don’t want to come out?”

“Call me at one o’clock and I’ll see how I feel.”

“We’ll be out by then.”

“Well call me when you get back, I want to sleep.”

Erica heard Hans lamenting to his mother, - ‘She says she’s tired’.

“I told you she would be. Don’t be angry. While you were attending college, she had to sit all through those days and weeks in court. I got tired just watching from the public gallery on Thursday and Friday. Let her sleep, don’t forget, she’s on all sorts of tablets.”

As Hans returned to his phone Erica had pre-empted him.

“I heard that. Listen to your mum, I’m tired.”

“Alright, I’ll call you when we get back.”

Erica forgot to shut her phone off and she briefly heard Hans’s mother scolding him mildly.

“I told you she’d be tired. Give the girl a chance.”

Erica smiled sleepily and curled back under her duvet.

‘Got an ally there.’ She concluded as Hans’s phone finally went dead.

It was two o-clock before Erica was finally sitting up and feeling for her slippers with her toes. She was yawning just as Babs’ tactfully tapped on Erica’s door. Erica recognised the two plus three code and called out.

“Come in Nana! I’m up.”

“Finally!” Babs’ grinned as she locked the door behind her.

For reply, Erica simply stretched again then reached out to hug. Babs’ responded then finally Erica made a move for the bathroom.

“I suppose you’ll be seeing Hans’ later.”

“He’s gone hiking; said he’d call when he gets back.”

“D’ you fancy a stroll down the shops?”

“Are the others up for it?”

“They’ve gone hiking with Hans.’”

“Bugger! He didn’t tell me that.”

“No matter it was mainly his family and a few friends of his father’s. They said they’ll be back before five. We’ve got a couple of hours to kill on our own.”

“Shopping it is then,” Erica concurred.

When the hiking party returned, Babs’ daughters looked enviously at Erica’s shopping haul but Erica was oblivious as she squeezed tight into Hans’s arms.

“So, are we eating out again tonight?” Hans’s father inquired.

There was a rush to agree and preparations quickly followed. By eight o’clock everybody was gathered in the hotel foyer.

ooo000ooo

The following week Olivia and Angela returned to England and Canal cottage, but Lola decided to stay back in Germany with Erica to await the verdicts. They came as expected but the subsequent sentencing proved to be somewhat disappointing for several of the girls who had witnessed the murders. It was not just Erica who had seen friends actually executed before her very eyes. Several of the other girls had witnessed similar traumas.

To see the executioners get away with twenty and twenty five year sentences left a bitter taste in those girl’s mouths.

“It’s a pity Germany doesn’t have the death sentence anymore.” Erica declared through frustrated tears of rage.

Babs’ kept her counsel. She had never believed in the death penalty but this case had really tested her beliefs. Now she was having a hard time reconciling her humanity with her own suppressed rage. Lola however, agreed with Erica and felt the killers should have been executed. –

“Or at least received life sentences to mean life.” She declared to Babs’.

“There’s hopes yet.” Susan advised them.

“How come?” Erica pressed.

“The ones who strangled the girls in Turkey, have still to face an American court. They are believed to have done the same over there before arriving in Europe.”

“Do the Americans have the quality of evidence that we’ve had over here?” Erica wondered.

“Quite probably.” Lola offered.

Babs’, Erica and Susan fell silent and stared questioningly at Lola.

“What do you know that we don’t know?” Susan asked suspiciously.

“I have my suspicions as to who the deep throat is. The one who seems to access all this video evidence that keeps appearing so conveniently for the prosecution.”

“Do you?” Susan squinted as she pressed. “And would you be prepared to tell us?”

“No, it’s just my suspicion. I’ve no hard proof.”

“Would you be prepared to elaborate?”

“No.” Lola refused point blank. “Speculation can lead to rumours and these days rumours can spread like wild-fire on t’ internet. My lips are sealed.”

A look of mutual disappointment spread across all three faces but Lola was not to be challenged.

“Sorry everybody.”

ooo000ooo

After the case was completed in Germany, Lola, Erica and Babs’ returned to Canal cottage while Susan returned to her chambers in London. Lola was back at university while the younger girls were attending sixth-form college in Bristol. In the November of that year, Babs’ received a letter inviting Erica to cross the pond and discuss what had been decided by the prosecuting American lawyers. She immediately informed Erica and Lola who then, in turn, contacted Callie.

“”Have you been able to dig anything up?” Lola asked the Transgendered duke of Denton.

“I haven’t been looking to tell the truth.” Callie confessed. “Running the estate takes up a lot of time at the moment because my land agent has been ill.”

“Was he that old guy who looks after the woods were the pine martens live?”

“No that’s the game-keeper. The land agent is responsible for the upkeep of the cottages and buildings on the estate. He runs the rental accounts and assists with the estate manager in the operation of the whole enterprise, rents, tourism, shooting, fishing, you name it.”

“Sounds bloody medieval,” Lola chuckled.

“Truth to tell, it is a bit,” Callie confessed, “but it works and most people working on the estate these days prefer it to working in an office with some large nameless corporation. At least they get to meet the boss most days and the cottages are all up to date.”

“So you’re busy then.”

“Not for much longer. The land agent’s daughter is being groomed to replace her father. She’s in her final year doing economics and law.”

“Keeping it in the family then.”

“It’s how estates work babes,” Callie explained. “She’s been born to the job; we know her well and she’s getting the proper qualifications. Her older brother’s in the army and not interested in estate management so she’s cock’ a hoop to get the job.”

“Well enough of estate business. The main reason I’m phoning is because Erica, - you know the girl that was trafficked and abused, - well she’s needed to bear witness in the USA against the kidnappers. She was a witness to some of the murders in Turkey and the perpetrators have to face more charges for murders they committed in the USA and also Mexico they think.”

“That could mean the death penalty if it’s the States.” Callie observed.

“Frankly, that’s what Erica and some of the other girls are hoping for. These traffickers are evil.”

“So you were wondering if I would, -“

“Don’t say it babes. Phones have ears.”

“Okay. I’ll see what there is out there.”

“Thanks, I knew you wouldn’t let me down. Hopefully, I’ll visit you at Christmas. Belinda’s dying to renew old family bonds.”

“Bring the girls if they want to come. I can hook up with my uncle and check stuff out. He’s always pleased to hear from me.”

“Is he really a spy?” Lola giggled.

“No names, no pack-drill babes. See you at Christmas, or if I’ve got any info for the girls.”

“Thanks Callie, give my love to Maggie and the family.

ooo000ooo