Drew Goes South Chapter 17 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 Angharad

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(title picture Andrea Piacquadio

Drew arrived back at the bike shop knowing he'd have to wait a little while for the other two to arrive. He called the police on his mobile, and much to his astonishment spoke to PC Ben Martin. “Hello PC Martin, it's Gaby Bond.”

“Hello Gaby, what can I do for you?”

“I just thought I'd let you know we passed Cheeseman skulking around the reserve at Radipole. After he left we had a look in the hide and there was something put in the hidey-hole. We couldn't see what it was, there were bird watchers there.”
*

“Thanks for the information. Don't worry, we know he's been around the place. We have someone doing surveillance who also happens to like birds, the feathered variety! We'll get him if he's up to no good.”

“Okay PC Martin, we'll leave it up to you, then.” said Gaby, not entirely reassured.

“I would young lady. If it's drugs, some of these creeps can cut up rough. I'd hate to see you get hurt, especially as you've been such a help to us.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

“That's okay. Tell your mum thanks for the photo.”

“ ‘kay.” Drew then rang off. 'I suppose the police know what they are doing, and some of these drug gangs can get violent. Maybe it's just as well if we leave it to them. So why am I not happy about it? I don't think they seem to be taking it entirely seriously.' He said to himself.

As these thoughts were going through his mind, someone flashed past on a bike, it was Cheeseman. Without a thought of Tim's stipulations about the bike, Drew flew after him. He stayed back far enough to observe without being seen. He had a plain top on, and a different helmet to the one in which he'd raced. He hoped if he was seen, he wouldn't be recognised.

Cheeseman headed towards the reserve. Drew watched from a vantage point nearby. He was definitely going into the reserve. Drew headed off along the relief road, which ran nearly alongside the path to the hide. He got to the spot quicker than Cheeseman, so was able to hide himself and observe. As expected, Cheeseman headed for the hide. A few minutes later he was riding back again with a happy look on his face.

This time he came out on the relief road, Drew, hoping he wouldn't be seen hiding in the bushes, froze. Cheeseman set off towards Weymouth. A minute later Drew followed.

Cheeseman rode up the old railway track, now a footpath and cycle-way. Drew had to hang back to avoid being seen. After five or ten minutes, Drew followed him off the path to a row of houses opposite the Asda supermarket. He watched from a distance as he went to one of the houses. A few minutes later, he came out again putting something in his pocket, then he rode off. Drew cycled past slowly noting the number of the house and the street name. He noted the time, then he made his way back to the shop.

Tim was not very pleased. “Just where have you been young lady?”

“I extended my ride up and down Weymouth Way. I thought I'd be back before you got here.”
*
“I thought we had an agreement about this bike.”

“I'm sorry.” Gaby looked sufficiently contrite for Tim to let her off.

“Okay, this time I'll let you off. If you do it again I shall tell Matt. He'll be furious and may even reconsider allowing you to race it. So don't do it again. UNDERSTOOD?”

“Yes Tim, I am sorry. It's such a lovely bike I didn't want to stop riding it.”

“Right, put it in the back, I'll readjust your saddle.” Gaby did as she was told and Tim adjusted the saddle of her bike back to its normal height. Harry would have to ride his own bike again.

“Thanks for the ride. I'll give Matt a ring tomorrow.”

“Okay Gaby, ride safely. 'Bye Harry.” Called Tim as they left.

“Where did you go, he went spare when he found you weren't here?” Said Harry as they rode slowly away.

“I saw Cheeseman.” Said Drew.

“You saw Cheeseman?”

“That's what I said, do you have to repeat it?”

“No. Where was he?”

“If you let me tell you, you'll find out.”

“Sorry.”

“I followed him to the reserve. He went to the hide. He was only there a couple of minutes, then he came out looking pleased with himself. I followed him and he went to a house. He wasn't in that more a few minutes. He came out shoving something in his pocket. Then he took off and I came back to the shop.”

“Did you make a note of the house?” asked Harry.

“No. Why should I?” said Gaby rolling her eyes to the heavens. “Of course I did. What do you think I am, as dumb as you?”

“There's no need to be rude about it.”

“Well don't ask silly questions then.”

“Where was it?” said Harry, blushing and feeling very intimidated by this slip of a girl.

“Come on I'll show you.” With that she led him to the road and indicated the house as they passed it.

“Ring any bells with you?” she asked after they were a safe distance away.

“No, but I have a friend who might know. Come on let's go and see him, if he's in. He plays a lot of football.”

“But it's summer,” protested Gaby.

“Doesn't make any difference to him. He's footie crazy.”

“He's what?” asked a bemused Gaby.

“He's totally mad about football. A bit like you and bikes.”

“I beg your pardon,” said an indignant Gaby.

“Look don't deny it, you come alive when you're talking about bikes or cycling. Other girls talk about boys and fashions, with you it's bikes.”

“So?”

“So nothing. I'd rather talk about bikes and cycling than boys and fashion,” said Harry tongue in cheek.

“We can talk about those things if you like,” said Drew, but it was brinkmanship.

“Okay,” said Harry, “What do you go for in a boy?”

'Shit!' thought Drew. 'I won't try that again!' “Honesty, sense of humour, good looking I s'pose. Prefer one who likes cycling. Likes the same sort of things as me. I dunno, what am I supposed to say?”

“Nothing especially.”

“What do you look for in a girl?”

“She has to be kind, good looking, sporty – preferably cycling nut. Has to have a funny accent, and like Discworld.”

Drew went pale. “Do you read Terry Pratchett books then?”

“Yeah, course I do. You do too, don't you?”

“How did you know?”

“I have to confess, Maddy told me.”

“How did that come about?”

“I asked her before the dance what you were interested in? She told me Discworld, amongst other things. So I knew we had something in common.”

“Oh!” said Drew, completely staggered by this info. “Maddy never said anything about it.”

“I expect she's forgotten.”

“Maybe.”

“Here we are. I'll go and see if he's in.” Harry leant his bike against the front wall of a house and ran in. Drew waited in the road. He heard the doorbell ring and then voices. Moments later, Harry trotted out. “He's probably down the rec.”

“Where's that?”

“Down the road” he set off and Gaby followed.

They arrived at Weymouth Rec, or Recreation Ground, to give it its full name. A municipal park with a few football, rugby or cricket pitches on it and a small block of changing rooms. Harry scanned the horizon for a few minutes, then pointed. “There he is.”

They dismounted and walked towards the group of seven boys and two girls, who were all playing football. One of the boys waved to them, Harry waved back.

“Peter, can we have a word a minute?” called Harry. The boy who'd waved moved towards them.

“Hi Harry, who's this, your girlfriend?” said Peter, smiling at Gaby.

“Uh yeah. Sorry, this is Gaby.” He pointed at Drew, then looking at him and pointing at his friend, said,” Gaby, this is Peter King. football nut meet cycling nut.”

“That's not a very kind way to introduce your girlfriend. If you're not careful someone with much more sophistication might just take her off you,” said Peter to Harry, then to Gaby: “I like to cycle as well as play soccer, maybe we could get together some….”

“For sophisticated, you're way too obvious. Forget it Pete, she's mine.” At this Drew bit his tongue. 'I am no one's except Maddy's, stupid boys!' he thought.

“Come on. Gaby, give me a chance. A classy girl like you going out with this bozo. You deserve better,” was Peter's retort.

Drew looked at the boy. He was about the same size as Harry, with mousy hair and freckles. He had large brown eyes, which were his best feature. He was quite good looking in an average sort of way.

“How about I get my bike and we go for a ride?” offered Peter. Harry was about to respond with something cutting when he kept quiet instead. “I'll just run back for it, be back in a mo,” he trotted off towards his house.

“Don't show him any mercy,” said Harry to the wunderkind.

“I thought we only came here to ask him something, not start a bike ride.” Drew was feeling more than a little angry. This playing the girl thing was getting out of hand, and now they were in open competition for someone who didn't really exist. “If I do put on some pace, how are we going to find out who lives at that house?”

“We could go past it to start with, and I'll ask him.”

“Okay; then what? If I up it what happens to you? What if he stays with me and you can't?” asked a concerned Drew.

“Don't worry he won't.”

“You don't know that.”

“No I don't, but I'll try and outstay him. See you back at yours, after?” said Harry, feeling that his cycling fitness had improved significantly over the last ten days.

“Just make sure we know who lives in that house. I hope you're up to this. Here he comes.” Said Drew, while thinking; 'How do I get into these situations and how the hell do I get out of this one?'

Peter arrived on a Diamondback MTB. It was grey-black in colour with knobbly all terrain tyres. He came riding over the grass, with little effort. Harry took a deep breath, Peter's bike was better than his. Now he could be in deep trouble. He really needed to speak to his father about getting something better, and soon.

“So where're we going then?” asked Peter as he arrived.

“Shall we let Gaby decide?” said Harry, with a nonchalance that he hoped would cover his anxiety.

“Okay. Take her away. Gaby,” called Peter, showing off.

Drew pushed his bike back to the path, and then mounted it, the two boys followed closely behind. The situation was farcical, sort of 'Charley's Aunt,' except this was real and Drew had never heard of the stageplay.

He led the group slowly past the street in question. Then stopped pretending there was something wrong with his bike. Both boys came to assist the damsel in distress. “Peter, do you know who lives in that house; number 27.The one with the black door?”

Peter took a surreptitious glance. “I hope you're not friends of theirs, ‘cos if you are I'm off.”

“Pretend to tighten this for me,” said Drew, pointing at a nut on the handlebars. “If they were friends, I'd hardly need to ask you their names would I?”he hissed at Peter.

“Okay, okay, I believe you. Let's go, I'd feel safer.” He got back on his bike. The group cycled off and around the corner, where Drew stopped and the others came alongside. “The house is owned by the Meadows, a bunch of real thugs.”

“It didn't look obvious from the outside, although the net curtains were a bit OTT,” said Drew, trying to maintain the girly role play.

“Didn't one of them get done for murder?” asked Harry, searching his memory banks.

“They couldn't prove anything apparently, so he got off. Everyone knows he did it though, including the police. They really are bad news,” offered Peter.

“Do they know Cheeseman?” asked Gaby.

“What Ronnie ‘I'm a thug' Cheeseman?” said Peter, indicating inverted commas as he spoke.

“I doubt there are two of them,” replied Gaby.

“What are you mixing with him for? He's psycho,” said Peter looking concerned.

“It's a long story, but Harry and he had a run-in, hence the shiners” said Gaby, and Peter looked at Harry's face, Harry obligingly removed his sunglasses.

“Oops!” said Peter, smiling.

“Then I beat him in a bike race, and he got spiteful at me,” continued Gaby.

“You shoulda seen it, Pete, she smacked him one. Right on the conk. It was brill,” said Harry, while Gaby blushed gently.

“You hit Ronnie Cheeseman?” asked Peter, to which Gaby nodded, “I'm impressed!” he said, then he added, “You beat him in a bike race?”

“Yeah, but it was only a twenty-five,” said Gaby.

“Like twenty-five miles, like uphill and so on?” asked a now very impressed Peter.

“Yes, why?” asked Gaby as surprised as Peter seemed to be.

“Well, I hear Cheesy is quite a good cyclist, and how can something … I mean someone, who looks like a hot chick, beat him?”

“Gaby's mum is the world champion,” said Harry, puffing out his chest.

“You're shitting me?” said Peter, looking incredulously at Harry.

“No he's not,” said Gaby, “My mum's Jenny Bond, women's world champion road racer.”

“Wow, that's kewel,” said Peter, “So like mother like daughter?” He added.

“Something like that, can we get back to the story?”

“Yeah, shoot, I'm all ears, World champion, well cool,” said Peter, the latter almost to himself as he shook his head in disbelief.

“Harry took me to the village disco, and some kid was dancing like he was possessed, then he collapsed. We think he'd taken some ‘E'. We also think Cheesecake might have supplied the drugs.”

“It wouldn't surprise me,” chipped in Peter.

“Nor us, we saw him at the bird reserve…”

“What Radipole?”

“Yes, we searched a hide after he'd been there and found two hundred and fifty pounds hidden away,” Peter's jaw dropped. “He's been there a couple of times since, and there was something else tucked in the hidey-hole. We couldn't see what it was though,” continued Gaby.

“It was full of birdbrains, and you should have seen Gaby, she….” Harry was stopped in his tracks by the look Gaby gave him.

“The last time he went to the hide, we think he might have got what he wanted and he went round to that house. He wasn't there two minutes before he left, putting something in his pocket as he left.”

“Have you checked the hide?” asked Peter.

“Not yet, we wanted to know who lived at that house, so we came to you,” said Gaby.

“Kewel, Barbie meets Miss Marple,” said Peter.

“What?” snapped Gaby irritated by such a sexist remark.

“Sorry,” said Peter rather quietly, “I mean it isn't exactly a girly thing is it?”

“Neither is road racing,” said Gaby, stiffly.

“Let's go and look at the hide,” said Harry, attempting to pour oil on a gathering storm.
*
They agreed and went off to Radipole and the hide. Harry stayed behind with the bikes, while Gaby and Peter went to search. They opened the door of the hide and it was empty. She pointed to the hiding place, and Peter pulled up a bench and scrambled on top of it. He found the hole, but it was empty. They put the bench back and left.

“There was nothing there,” said Gaby as they got back to Harry, “So I think we can assume our little friend got what he was after.”

“Looks like, just as you suggested,” said Harry to Gaby.

“What do we do now?” asked Peter, “I'm rather new to this detective stuff.” Looking at the computer on her bike, Gaby said, “Well I'm going home, it's well past my lunch time.”

“Lunch time, it's half-past three,” said Peter.

“I thought my stomach was trying to tell me something,” said Harry.

“You can come back to mine if you want. I'm sure my mother would do you a sandwich.”

“No thanks, I need to get back,” said Gaby, “Come on Watson,” she added, to Harry.

“Let me know how you get on. Be careful with the Meadows and Cheesy, neither of them is very nice,” said Peter, as they parted at the exit to the reserve.

“That's the one,” said a woman in a four-wheel drive to her companion, “Barbie on a bike.”

“You sure?” said her companion.

“Pretty sure, three times I seen her come past the ‘ouse, twice she stopped and ‘ad a good stare. I'm sure she seen Ronnie leave too.”

“What do you want me to do Mum?” said Rodney Meadows to his mother.

“Frighten her.”

“What like knock her off her bike?”

“Yeah, that'll do.”

“Why don't we follow her and see where she lives, then we can get her any time?” said Rodney to his mother.

“Good idea Rod, but if the opportunity comes now, we take it, alright?”

“Yeah okay. I don't like hurting women though.”

“If you don't, she may be a copper's nark and cause us more trouble.”

“Yeah; I suppose you're right.”

“Just listen to me and do as I say.”

“Okay ma, okay.”

The two cyclists were riding up the cycle path on Radipole Park Drive, Gaby some thirty yards ahead, when she heard a diesel engine speed up and seem to come closer. Simultaneously Harry screamed, “Look out Gaby!”

With no alternative, she rode her bike straight over the side of the pavement and into the lake. The 4x4 screamed away.

Drew heard the noise of the car approaching and the bumps as it mounted the kerb. He caught sight out of the corner of his eye and heard Harry scream, he steered his bike for the only safe place, the lake. As he became airborne he managed to free his feet from the pedals, and the bike and he landed in the cold water a few paces apart.

Two cars who'd witnessed the attack stopped to help. Drew was hauled out by Harry, who had jumped in moments later, returning to get the bike.

“You alright, love?” asked a woman as Drew was helped up on to the pavement.

Drew was shaking with cold and shock, “I don't know.”

“Best get up the hospital, let ‘em check you over.” said the woman.

Thinking about being discovered and the complications it would cause, Drew shook his head, “I'm okay. I'll be okay.”

“I think the bike's alright,” said Harry looking as if he knew what he was doing. “How about you?”

“It was deliberate, wasn't it?” said Gaby shaking.

“Dunno, could have been,” replied Harry. “You alright?” he said hugging her and she burst into tears on his shoulder.

“Someone just tried to kill me,” she howled, while Harry hugged her and rubbed her back.