The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2879 by Angharad Copyright© 2016 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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I was almost dreaming of cottage pie when I was disabused, it was steak and kidney pie—I don’t mind, especially as David’s pastry is to die for. Danielle wasn’t impressed, complaining it would make her fat. She ran off before I could suggest if she ate less of it, it wouldn’t increase her waistline—actually, she has a lovely figure which is very slim.

I glanced at Jim’s text again and realised it was from his old phone. Had he got it back? I tried calling the new number but it was unavailable—he could be driving, so it might be innocent. I had spoken to Daddy and he sounded fine, so what was going on? I tried calling Simon but he was also unavailable, probably on a train somewhere and either in a tunnel or a cutting.

I began to puzzle over the phone thing again. When they caught him, did they take his car as well? He was in a friend’s 4x4 when I saw him last and I didn’t ask if the Boxster was safe or not. I hoped so, I had some good memories of that car as well as the traumatic ones—like driving home covered in his blood.

David called us to dinner. It was six, Si should be here anytime and depending upon which part of Devon they were travelling from, Daddy and Jim might be here soon. If Simon only had one portion and I just had the vegetables with some gravy, there’d be enough for them too.

David was dishing up and I realised he’d made a huge pie, with just a top crust, there would be plenty for everyone, including Amanda. He said he’d take some dinner home for himself and for her if that was okay with me. I could hardly refuse and it smelt delicious and I was salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs.

David took his dinners and the rest of us sat down to eat, leaving four portions in the oven, for Si and Sammi, Daddy and James. We’d just started when we heard a car pull into the drive and assumed it was one of the expected arrivals. We continued eating, me trying to get as much into me before I had to stop eating and sort out the others. Unfair?—I know, but such is the lot of women.

When the door burst open and Daddy and James were pushed into the kitchen with O’Connor and another man behind them holding guns, I think I can safely say I was astonished. There were gasps rather than screams, despite the table being full of females.

“It’s customary to knock before entering someone’s house,” I said disapprovingly.

“So sorry, in a bit of a rush. I have to kill these two and you.”

“I had some chap referred to me this afternoon by your secretary—wanted to know where his son is.”

“So, what d’ya tell him?”

“I didn’t know.”

“I’d have thought you’d have been a little more inventive, Cathy, you are a disappointment.”

“We have a silent alarm here, the police are already on their way and you’re being filmed. You can’t escape, so surrender now.”

He roared with laughter. “You certainly have balls, Cathy—well okay, you used to have—surrender, I’m going to kill you. That means you’re going to die.”

“D’you mind if I finish my dinner first, I’d hate to die on an empty stomach.”

He laughed again, “Stop trying to prevaricate until the police get here and move away from the children. I wouldn’t want to hurt one of them now would I?”

As I moved away from the table, I saw Trish and Danni moving their cutlery and looking at me. It might work but they’d also be taking a risk. I pretended to trip and four of them let fly with knives and forks. I think Danni actually hit O’Connor in the face with a knife. He flinched and moved away, giving me time to roll away and kick a chair at him. James got in on the action and head butted the other guy in the face and then kicked him.

Danni threw a plate like a Frisbee and it hit O’Connor in the face before smashing on to the floor. James shouldered him from behind and I flew at him, however, despite blood running down his face, he managed to push me away and went to run for it when Danni hit him again with a plate, this time on the back of his head. He turned round, slipped on some of the food on the floor. As he fell the gun discharged and he lay dead still.

By this time, Trish had released the cable ties on James’ wrists and on Daddy’s. James went to look at O’Connor and I went to hug Daddy. He was trembling, mind you, so was I.

“Where are the police?” asked James.

“I’ll call them now.”

“That was all bluff?”

The other man groaned and James kicked him and told him to be still. “He’s dead,” he said, pointing at O’Connor.

“I know.”

“How, d’you know?”

“Shall we say I saw something leave him.”

“What? Like his soul or whatever?”

“Yeah, his whatever. He was shot through the heart, wasn’t he?”

“I think so.”

“Everybody, just sit down until the police arrive—this is now a crime scene, so stay put please.”

Simon arrived with Sammi just as the police got here. I explained what happened to him and the police. As he wasn’t a material witness he and Sammi went off to the local chip shop to get some food while everyone else had to give a statement to the police.

I’ve done it so often I probably know the procedure better than they do. After it was over, I asked the girls why they didn’t seem frightened. “Oh that’s easy,” said Livvie, “We knew if we got you a couple of seconds you and Jim would sort him out.”

“So who thought of throwing things at him?”

“That was me, Mummy,” said Danni. “I knew I could hit him somewhere hard after playing cricket and the plates were like Frisbees.”

“They’re twenty pounds each, you know,” I said pretending to be upset at them breaking my crockery.

“Okay, I’ll buy you one for your birthday for the next three years.”

I laughed and hugged her. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” she said smirking. “Actually, it was kinda fun.”

“He could have killed someone.”

“Uh, Mummy, he did.”

“Doh, I know that, but he could have killed me or you or anyone.”

“No chance. He was an amateur, a real killer would have walked in and shot everyone to leave no witnesses.”

I was astonished at her analysis of the situation. “So that’s why you attacked him?”

“Yeah, just in case after he shot you he changed his mind and killed the rest of us.”

“Well done, I’m quite impressed with you, young lady.”

“Does that mean I’m excused clean up duties?” She smiled and danced out of the kitchen.