The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2435 by Angharad Copyright© 2014 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

I crept into the driveway and up towards the house, the minibus was missing and the Peugeot had two slashed tyres. Looking into the house I could see no one about, but I was careful passing the windows just in case. Eventually, having crept all round the place, I summoned Trish. Inside we found a note.

“There was some man watching you from a car parked down the road.”

“Did he see you?”

“He musta done, but he drove off before you called me in.”

“What did he look like?”

“Like this.” She showed me a picture of him driving past and another of the car and its number plate. I didn’t recognize him or it, some sort of Toyota. I got her to send a copy to my phone, so I would remember both him and his car.

As we were talking I was aware of something moving in the bushes outside. “I’m going to the toilet, I think you’d better come as well.”

“I don’t need to go, Mummy.”

“I think you should just in case.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“I want you to.”

“What f—oh, okay.” Eventually the penny dropped. I led her to the bathroom and told her to lock herself in until I returned. If that was longer than twenty minutes she was to call the police.

The toilet door locked and I crept out to the dining room and slipped through the French window. I then inched my way almost silently to the front of the house, where I could see a shadow. I got within striking range and nearly injured Phoebe.

“Mummy,” she gasped and burst into tears. “I was so frightened.”

“What happened?”

“Three men arrived with guns, I was in the pool and about to get out so they didn’t see me. They questioned Jacquie about where you were and she said she didn’t know. Then they herded them into the minibus and drove away. I waited in the pool until I started to get cold, then I hid until I saw you arrive and waited until I could see you weren’t followed.”

“Good girl, we can’t do anything until they call so I suggest you get dressed and I’ll make us something to eat and drink.

“How can you eat at a time like this?” asked Phoebe now wearing shorts and a tee shirt.

“When things start to happen, it might be some time before food is available again, so tuck in while you can.” I’d made us tuna and cucumber sandwiches—well I like them. Pouring us each a cup of tea I sat looking at my mobile and the land line in the house. Neither seemed in a hurry to ring. I wasn’t really hungry but forced down both rounds of bread and a cup of tea.

My mobile rang and we all jumped. I didn’t recognise the number, it was probably a disposable phone, use once or twice and throw away, difficult for the police to trace.

“Hello?”

“Mrs Cameron, how nice to speak with you again.”

“If you’re trying to sell me double glazing, I don’t need any.”

“Very funny—I don’t think. Be careful or I shall start killing your family.”

“Don’t you touch any of them or you’ll regret it.”

“I think you misunderstand, Mrs Cameron, I give the orders or make the threats, you just do as you are told and only you will be the one to die.”

I heard voices in the background and he shouted for them to be quiet. You have two hours to get to Cala Mesquida, when you are at the tower there, call and let me know.”

“How am I supposed to get there?”

“That is your problem, two hours or I start killing your little family. No police or they will all die.”

I supposed a taxi could have taken me but I’d have to get to Es Grau to find one, I also needed some sort of weapon. He had a gun or several, I had nothing and little chance of finding anything. I had several knives in the kitchen and I taped a suitable one to my leg and another to the small of my back. I hoped if I was searched they wouldn’t find both. Next we made two small incendiary devices using a couple of screw top jars, candles and some strips of cloth together with lamp oil. I had a disposable cigarette lighter as well. These I placed carefully in a shopping bag.

Next we all walked as quickly as we could to Es Grau and I arranged a taxi to take me to Cala Mesquida and the girls to Mao. They were to stay there until I phoned. If I didn’t by five o’clock, they were to go to the police and explain everything. As soon as they got to Mao they were to call Simon and tell him what was happening and to ask him not to call me to try and stop me. I had some sort of flexible plan now I needed to see if it would work. If it didn’t I would probably be killed, I was hoping none of the others would be hurt.

At Cala Mesquida there is a small point with a Nineteenth Century tower, possibly one the British built in their Napoleonic campaign. Spain was where Wellington learned some of his craft and tactics against the larger and better equipped French army. I hoped I was going to be able to emulate his success against Cortez, because that was who I was surely up against.

I walked up to the tower and called the number I’d been given. I could see most of the settlement down below, a few houses, boats and the odd shop to sell souvenirs to the tourists. I was told to find a house on its own away from the rest of the village, with a fence around it and blue tarpaulins covering part of the fence. I spotted it probably ten minutes walk away. They told me five, I told them to get stuffed, I’d take ten. I heard a scream in the background but refused to run there.

In fact I did run, and spotted a path to the rear of it which was partly overgrown but I managed to squeeze through and lit my devices leaving them by the fence and some gas cylinders. Then I ran back and approached the house down the narrow lane. Amazingly, they weren’t tailing me, oh well more fool them. Mind you, if the propane gas goes up, we could all be fried or killed by shrapnel.

“You took your time, Mrs Cameron.”

“I got here as quickly as I could.”

“You have another girl?”

“What’s it to you, it’s me you want.”

“We saw her out with you this morning.”

“I’ve sent her somewhere safe.”

“There are no police, boss.”

“Where are my family?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“If you’ve hurt them, I’ll...”

“You’ll what? You’ve walked into a trap. Take her phone and any weapons she’s carrying.”

They found the knife strapped to my leg but missed the one in the small of my back. It was now at least ten minutes since I’d lit my fuses, two candles. I reckoned they’d need another five.

“They thought you’d died in Brazil.” I was playing for time.

“In Brazil, it is easy to arrange a body to replace your own, the police are so inefficient or open to bribery, they’ll do anything you ask.”

“You realise that I’m not working alone and I have men stationed outside.”

“Really, and where did you get them from? Your little friend Beck is still in England, so my sources report and I doubt you have contacts in Spain unlike me. I looked at the two men who stood around the room, one between me and the door the other by the window.

“Don’t believe me then, it’s your funeral.”

“Actually, Mrs Cameron, it’s yours we’re about to arrange.”

Just then there was a muffled bang and a large flame appeared round the side of the house. Cortez ran for it, so did one of his helpers. The other he told to kill me.