Wuthering Dormice (aka Bike) Part 795 by Angharad

We stopped about a quarter of a mile from the house, pulled into a field and parked discreetly behind a hedge. The various teams then broke up and after a quick briefing, set off at a trot to take up their positions. In case the enemy had radio scanners, a number of preset signals had been agreed beforehand.

The surveillance team came and reported to the superintendent. “There is no sign of life at all, except possibly a dog around the back of the house.”

“Is there a dog?” asked the Superintendent.

“Yes, a cocker spaniel, she’s very good, if you want I’ll go in with your men to collect her.”

“I told you to stay here, we’ll bring the dog out to you.” He fixed me with a stare that would melt iron and I squirmed in my seat. I had after all asked him for help. His mobile rang and he snapped an answer, “That’s no bloody good, I need chapter and verse.” He clicked his phone off, “Bloody spooks.”

His phone rang again, “Okay, hit it both sides at once, watch out for booby traps and collateral damage.”

“You think they’ve either been killed or moved, don’t you?” I asked feeling very small and afraid.

“I’m only thinking what we need to do, I don’t know what has happened any more than I know what will happen. Now if you’ll let me get on with my job.”

The Range Rover screamed out of the field and I knew the armed response unit was going in first. I felt the tears start and tried not to show my weakness. I failed because he passed me some tissues. “Look, I didn’t mean to shout at you.”

I sat nodding at him like one of those dog things you put in the back of your car. “Sorry,” I sniffed, inwardly cursing my weakness.

“It’s okay, it must be a very worrying time for you.”

I nodded again, “Yes, if they’ve harmed any of them, I’ll kill them all.”

“Hey, that’s fighting talk and not wise to say in front of a police officer.” His phone bleeped and he answered it, “They’re in, so far so good.”

I sat wringing my hands as I listened to his step by step narrative, tears pouring down my face and my heart racing. I felt very sick and once had to get up to puke. This was so hard.

“It’s clear, there’s no one there.”

“Where are they then?” I cried feeling a mixture of relief and anguish, I hoped that they’d managed to get away somehow, but I had my doubts.

“I don’t know, we’ll go and take a look as soon as it’s been checked for safety.” The minutes dragged by and it seemed like hours before we received a call and the van started up and drove to the house.

“Is there anything that looks different?” they kept asking as I looked around the house. There wasn’t. The Mondeo was missing, otherwise there was no one around. A locksmith was summoned to fix the broken doors and secure the house.

The phone was still dead, but at least I could call Henry on a mobile – he was in a meeting. Sadly, they wouldn’t tell me with whom, nor would they tell the superintendent. I was furious.

“So we don’t know if they have the family and Simon?” I said feeling as helpless as a baby.

“Not yet, but we will.”

“How can you be sure?” I asked

“They’ll call with their ransom demand.”

“That might be difficult, they cut the phones.”

“Won’t take long to fix.” He was called outside the house and I sat in my kitchen feeling so alone. My amusement over the next hour was watching the locksmith as he fixed both doors. He was very good and he handed me the replacement keys and left.

The phone tinkled and I picked it up, there was no one there but at least I had a dialling tone. I knew the police would have an intercept on it, but so would the Russians.

“I’m arranging for two officers to stay with you, including a liaison officer,” said the superintendent. He introduced a man and a woman police officer to me.

“I’ll be okay on my own,” I said, just wanting to be alone with my grief. Even if the loss was temporary, it was still a loss.

The phone rang and he nodded for me to pick it up, I did with trembling hand. “Hello?” I said in a wavering voice.

“Hello, Cathy.” It was Henry.

“Henry, is Simon with you?”

“No, they’ve got him.”

“Oh no,” I screamed and nearly dropped the phone, my nightmare was still happening.

“I was in talks with the security services, I might have to give them the bank, what’s money compared to flesh and blood.” I couldn’t speak, I was so consumed with grief and shock. “You’re all alright?” I couldn’t answer him and handed it to the superintendent who took it and introduced himself. He brought Henry up to date and the realisation that the Russians could have both his children and his natural and adopted grandchildren.

I knew what he was feeling, a pit of emptiness that was consuming my whole body. We had no bargaining position, they had all the aces and had to hope they would honour any agreement we made, at the same time we knew they could do anything they damn well pleased.

I wanted to feel angry, to mobilise myself to go and look for my missing children and lover. I wanted to find the energy to get up and go seeking vengeance, killing as many of them as I could. All I could actually feel was a nothingness; my body was numb and my brain refused to engage and do something useful. I felt like I wanted to die to ease my pain, it seemed unbearable at the moment.

My mind was drifting, I picked up some of the girl’s toys and held them to me. I might never see them again. I felt so sad but my eyes refused to weep, they were dry and red. Some stranger was brought to me, he said he was a doctor. He gave me some pills to help me sleep and then an injection. I was left to lie on the couch in the lounge and did sleep.

It was dark when I woke, the clock was striking three. I had no idea how long I’d been asleep or even what day it was, but my throat was dry and I needed a drink. I staggered into the kitchen and one of the two coppers came to see I was alright. He offered to make me a cuppa, so I let him, flopping down in the chair.

“Any news? “ I croaked while we waited for the kettle to boil.

“Not as far as I know,” he continued making the tea and produced a reasonable mug which I sipped while it was too hot and burned my tongue.

“Could they have got away?” I mused out loud.

“Dunno,” he replied, “If they did, why haven’t they contacted the police?”

“Dunno,” I said, feeling tears start again.

He reached across the table and held my hand, “Hey, we’ll find them, okay.”

“Promise?” I asked back.

“Promise,” he smiled back, “for a pretty girl like you, a double promise.” He smiled again and I burst into tears sobbing uncontrollably for several minutes.

“I should have stayed, I should have been with them.”

“You escaped to try and help them, if you’d stayed what could you have done?”

“At least been with them, comforting my children. I failed them.”

“You did what you thought was best.”

“It wasn’t though, was it? I should have stayed.”

“No, you can help us.”

“How can I help you, I can’t even help my children. I failed them.”