"What is it?" I asked, curious about her gift. She rummaged inside her bag for a few seconds before taking out a beautiful blue denim bikini top. "Here, I found it this morning I used to wear it last year, it's very comfortable, but it's a bit small for me now," she said, indicating her well developed boobs. Eyewitness Part 1 by Alys

---

Part 1
 

I dropped my bag on the soft sand and, after spreading my towel out carefully, lay down and stretched in the warm, early morning July sun.

"You and your early bus!" I said to my girlfriend Rachel, sat next to me, slowly massaging her sore feet," that mile was so far in flip-flops."

"Hey Josie, it's not my fault the stupid driver decided to stop in the village not the beach," she responded while throwing a few grains of sand on my legs.

"I know,..was only kidding," I said as I gently caressed her leg," and anyway, there's one good thing about being with a hot girl on an empty beach at half past seven."

"Um, I wonder what that could be?" she said, smiling while holding her chin in her hand as if she was engaged in deep analysis of a serious problem.

"You know what I'm talking about, you tease, why else would I've got up at six?" I replied.

"Could it be this?" Rachel said suggestively as she lay down on her side next to me, snuggling her body close to mine before bending her gorgeous neck and kissing me gently on the lips.

I responded by pulling her down towards me and returning her kiss with interest as our embrace released the tension of days of stifled mutual longing.

Some little time later, our passions briefly sated, we lay entwined on my towel with my head resting on her arm and my hand idly caressing her tummy.

"I love you so much Josie," said Rachel softly, " I wish I could have helped you find your true nature earlier."

"I love you too," I responded," you know I wouldn't have accepted myself without your help."

"Ready for round two?" she asked as she gently maneuvered herself to lie on top of me.

"Wait," I said, using my hand to stop her complete her movement," we're not alone any more."

"Damn!" she said a little angrily, as she moved back to sit upright on the beach.

We both watched as the two young men wearing wetsuits and carrying surfboards made their way down to the water.

"What the hell are they doing here?" asked Rachel," they must know there's no surf in Wembury."

"It's odd, I thought all the surfers went to Newquay," I responded, puzzled at the unexpected arrival.

Within a minute the mystery was solved as the two men ran back to their cars to fetch their masts and sails. They then paddled out on their boards before setting their equipment up. Soon the two colourful windsurfers were moving quickly across the bay.

"Looks like the place is beginning to fill up now," I said as I noticed a few cars coming into the distant beach car park.

"We'd better change then while we still have some privacy," said Rachel," and I've got a new bikini to show you."

"I guess I'm stuck like this," I said indicating my t-shirt and shorts.

"Hey, no, I've got you a prezzie, you'll love it," Rachel said as she slipped out of her denim skirt and panties and put on her yellow bikini bottoms.

"What is it?" I asked, curious about her gift.

She rummaged inside her bag for a few seconds before taking out a beautiful blue denim bikini top.

"Here, I found it this morning I used to wear it last year, it's very comfortable, but it's a bit small for me now," she said, indicating her well developed boobs.

I took the skimpy garment, and leaned forward to hug my sweet Rachel.

"Thank-you sweetie, it's lovely," I said as I fingered the smooth material in my hand.

"I think so too and it'll look great with your shorts," she responded enthusiastically.

"But you know I can't wear it," I protested," I'll get tan lines."

"Please Josie just for a little, before the sun gets up, I so wanted to see you in it," she pleaded.

"OK, how can I resist you," I said, smiling back at her.

We quickly took off our t-shirts and folded them in a neat pile.

"I wish mine were as nice as yours," I said, as I compared my fried eggs with Rachel's beautifully well formed boobs, before tying my bikini in place.

"Don't worry, sweet," Rachel responded as she finished putting her own bikini on," I'm sure you will be soon enough, it's just, I guess we could call you a late developer, your mother's big enough isn't she?"

I nodded my assent before we walked slowly, hand in hand, down to the water's edge. We paddled for a few minutes in the sea but soon the morning low sea temperature was too much to bear and we made our way back to our belongings.

"Too cold to swim yet," I said after we had sat down.

"I fancy a bit of sun bathing, can you do my back?" asked Rachel.

A few minutes later I was rubbing the remainder of the sun protection cream to my face while Rachel lay on her towel with a contented look after my oily massage.

I leaned over to pick up my t-shirt.

"You could sunbathe too," she said.

"How could I do that?" I asked in puzzlement.

"If you undo your bikini and lie on your front you can get a complete tan without lines," she explained, smiling," and I can return your favour and do your back."

I lay forward, untied my bikini top and was soon being relaxed by Rachel's gentle massage as she rubbed in the creamy liquid. Within a few minutes the gentle stroking on my back had combined with my lack of sleep, from getting up so early in the morning, to send me off to sleep.

▲▲▲▲▲▲

I woke with a start as the sand flies buzzed around my face. I wafted them away and glanced over to see that Rachel was smiling and gently, peacefully snoozing. I looked at my watch and saw that it was nearly nine o'clock. My eyes scanned the beach to see that the place was beginning to fill up, with about twenty groups of all different shapes, sizes and ages claiming places on the sand.

The noise of seagulls caught my attention. I looked up to see many birds milling around the cliff edge where there was clearly a small colony. There seemed to be constant movement as they scavenged in the nearby car park bins for any food items before returning to their nests. Suddenly a group that were waddling across the verge scattered into the air in a mad, noisy bedlam of movement and sound. A larger, dark bird cast a brief shadow over the ground before rising on the updraft to prepare for another attack.

I wondered what sort of bird of prey it was. I knew very little of birds but I guessed it was some sort of hawk. I watched it a few times, climbing and swooping, as it unsuccessfully sought to capture a seagull. I took out the mini-binoculars that I had in my bag to try and get a better view of the bird so that I could look it up later when I got home.

Suddenly my field of view was filled with a large black car pulling up into a very isolated corner of the car park. There was something strange and unusual about the sleek, expensive looking vehicle and so I decided to continue watching it to see what sort of person would drive it.

To my surprise two large men in dark suits and sunglasses opened the doors and stood for a few moments as if checking out the immediate vicinity. Then they moved to the large boot and took out what seemed to be a very heavy carpet. The carried this, on their shoulders, to another car, much older and in much worse condition, before depositing what seemed to be something large and wriggling inside it.

Within a few seconds they had returned the carpet to the original car, one of them had sat in the second car and started the engine. To my surprise the two men then went to the back and started pushing. Slowly the old vehicle started moving forward and then, as it gathered momentum down the slope, its velocity increased.

I watched in horror as the car, now bucking as the person trapped inside desperately tried to free themselves, made its way inexorably towards the edge of the cliff.

Travelling quite fast it brushed through the restraining wooden fence flying a few yards into the air before falling rapidly.

There was a loud bang as the car hit the rocks below followed by an even louder noise of an explosion as the punctured fuel tank released fuel onto the engine. Finally the burning vehicle slid into the sea generating huge clouds of steam.

I had stood up as the car fell to its final fate and as soon as I saw the entry into the water I trained the binoculars back on the cliff. The two men were standing on the edge, having removed their sunglasses to obviously admire their handiwork.

As the last sign of the car disappeared I watched as they shook hands and made their way back to their original car. Slowly, as if nothing untoward had happened they slowly pulled away, I strained to read the plate and once I was sure of it I leant down to write it in some nearby damp sand.

"Whassup," slurred Rachel as she was dragged out of her slumbers by the commotion.

"Come on Rachel, I think some-one's been murdered!" I blurted out to my girlfriend.

---

To Be Continued...
 
End of Part 1

"Josie, you must do this, you're an eyewitness to what happened," Rachel insisted as she followed me," please promise me you'll phone." I picked up my shoulder bag and then turned to face my beautiful girlfriend. "Of course I will my sweet," I said, as I pulled her towards me kissing her tenderly, at first, and then with more passion. Eventually I broke away. "I'm sorry I'll have to dash, I'll phone you later," I said.... Eyewitness Part 2 by Alys

---

Part 2
     

"Could you pass the gravy, please Mrs Hollins?" I asked Rachel's mother after we had settled down for our evening meal.

"Here it is, Josie," she said as she held up the small china container," but I thought I'd told you to call me Christine? Mrs Hollins sounds so formal."

"Sorry Mrs Hollins..um Christine," I replied, a little unsure about being too casual, even though Christine could easily pass as my girlfriend's older sister instead of her mother.

"And Josie," said Rachel innocently.

"Yes?" I struggled to say, with a mouthful of delicious lamb chop in my mouth.

"You don't have to call me Miss Hollins either," she said with a wide grin on her face," Rachel is fine."

I finished chewing and swallowing and then poked my tongue out at her. She laughed and returned the favour.

Christine smiled indulgently and then mildly admonished us," now girls, manners at the table."

We resumed eating our sumptuous tea.

As I savoured the delicious meat and various vegetables I thought over the events of the day so far. Being a witness to the murder in the morning had shaken me to the core. It was one thing to see it in the media, on TV programmes and films, but altogether a much harsher event in real life.

We had watched for quite a while hoping to see if the person in the burning, sinking car would be rescued alive. Within a few seconds the two men in wetsuits, we had seen wind-surfing earlier, had plunged into the still steaming water but were unable to locate anyone in the tangled, hot mess of metal and plastic that had sunk to the bottom of the shallow bay.

Eventually, after the police had arrived, some men with proper diving equipment had brought out the charred remains of the poor unfortunate. At which stage both Rachel and myself had run to the toilets to be violently sick.

I paused in eating my meal as I remembered the unpleasant experience.

"Anything wrong?" asked Christine.

"Sorry I was just thinking about what happened on the beach this morning," I explained.

"It's a shocking thing really," reassured Rachel's mum," but there's nothing you can do about it. Come on and finish your food, I've got your favourite dessert for afters."

"Oh Mum, not strawberry cheese cake?!" exclaimed Rachel with enthusiasm.

"The very same," replied Christine, smiling at the both of us.

Sometimes I had to pinch myself as a reminder that this easy acceptance of me in the Hollins' family home hadn't always been the case. There had initially been significant hostility to my relationship with Rachel. However, over time, her parents had come to the conclusion their daughter's happiness was more important than any other considerations. The support from Mary, Rachel's elder sister away with her father playing in a badminton tournament, had also been very helpful.

▲▲▲▲▲▲
     
The closing music from the final programme in the latest series of Doctor Who* slowly faded on the TV screen.

"Wow I would never have worked that one out," I said to Rachel, cuddling next to me on the sofa, where we had been enjoying each others' company while Christine had gone to the railway station to collect her husband and her daughter.

"Yep, me neither," she replied," that Russell T. Davies is such a sneaky writer, fancy using the hand like that"

"Shame about Catherine Tate though," I said," I'll miss her, she was such a breath of fresh air to the series."

The advert for the next Doctor Who programme was suddenly interrupted to be replaced by the anchorwoman of the local news programme.

"This is Spotlight and we break into this evening's programmes on BBC1 to go live to a press conference being held at Plymouth Police Headquarters." she announced, before her image was replaced by that of a tubby, middle aged police inspector sitting at a table in an anonymous looking room.

On one side of him sat a young policewoman who was clearly trying to comfort a distraught woman, in her thirties, who sat at the end of the table.

".....we can confirm that the body found this morning in Wembury this morning has been positively identified as being that of Stuart Donning who worked at Rodericks Home Furnishing in Plymstock." said the policeman before pausing to look at the two women. He exchanged a glance with the other police officer who nodded in response before she moved the microphone across the table.

The crying woman looked up and then after wiping away some tears and then put out her hand to pull the mike a little towards her.

"Please...please if anyone knows what happened to my husband....to Stuart...please contact the police..please someone help me to find out.....what will Jenny and Philip say when they find out, oh god I can't do this anymore.........," she said hesitantly, her voice sounding like it was about to fail at any moment. Finally she stood up, in mid-sentence, and walked away in distress, the policewoman following.

The Inspector regained use of the microphone," Plymouth Police are now treating this death as a murder enquiry and let me reiterate Mrs Donning's appeal. This dreadful deed was committed in broad daylight, if anyone has any information please contact us, anonymously if you need to, on the number you should see on the screen now...."

Rachel quickly grabbed a pen to write down the digits that were flashing on the bottom of the screen. Then she turned the TV off with the remote control and handed me the piece of paper.

"Josie, you have to phone them and tell them what you saw," she said as she wiped away the tears in her eyes.

I sat there, similarly affected, before standing up and moving towards the entrance hall.

"I've got to go or I'll be late for work, Rachel," I said," I'll try and call later."

"Josie, you must do this, you're an eyewitness to what happened," Rachel insisted as she followed me," please promise me you'll phone."

I picked up my shoulder bag and then turned to face my beautiful girlfriend.

"Of course I will my sweet," I said, as I pulled her towards me kissing her tenderly, at first, and then with more passion. Eventually I broke away.

"I'm sorry I'll have to dash, I'll phone you later," I said and then turned to open the door.

"Josie," said Rachel softly.

"Yes?"

"I love you so much," she responded with the emotion shining in her eyes.

"I love you too, my darling Rachel," I said before stepping back to give her a last quick kiss. Then I was rushing down the pathway, while waving frantically to my sweetheart, before turning and running down the street to the bus-stop, making it with seconds to spare.

▲▲▲▲▲▲
     
Some twenty minutes later the bus pulled up at my stop near the naval base in the city which, despite the recent renovation projects in the area, still looked somewhat dilapidated. There were very few pedestrians at that time of night, since there was little residential accommodation nearby.

I had always found the almost empty streets a little frightening, although less so in the summer, so I walked quickly towards my destination and my evening of washing drink glasses and hopefully something more interesting too.

Five minutes later I was about to turn the corner into the street where the Jolly Sailor was located when I saw one of those strange sights in cities, a working payphone.

Remembering my promise to Rachel I opened the door into the all glass box and, after taking out the piece of paper crumpled in my shorts' pocket, dialled the number.

Within a few seconds I heard a bored sounding female telephone operator.

"Hello, Plymouth Police Crime Line, how can you help us?"

I hesitated before replying, not sure how to phrase my comments.

The woman at the other end was clearly annoyed by my silence.

"If you are making a nuisance call you have five seconds to hang up before I direct a duty officer to your phone box," she said angrily.

"Please wait, I know something," I blurted out.

"About what exactly?" interrogated the operator.

"I know about the murder in Wembury, I saw it," I said quickly, intimidated by the tone of the woman.

"Can I take your name, please?" she asked in a slightly more friendly way.

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you," I responded, not wanting to make my life even more complicated," but I also have the number of the car of the men who did it."

"OK, please tell me that and then I'd like you to stay on the phone for a few seconds while I put you in touch with one of the investigation team," said the operator, calmly but firmly.

I recited the number from memory, how could I forget, and then there was the sound of a few clicks.

"Hello this is Inspector Lee, the number plate details sounds like a good lead," said a deep male voice, " can you tell me what you saw?"

I gave the policeman a brief account of what I had seen on the beach, he asked me a few questions and I tried to give him as clear a picture as I remembered of the incident.

"This is very interesting, can you come down to the station to make a statement?" he asked.

I almost dropped the phone at the suggestion of exposing myself even more, I quickly thought of an excuse.

"Sorry I'm off to work and I'm late as it is," I lied.

"OK, tell me where your work is and I'll come to you," Inspector Lee countered, clearly not going to give up that easily.

I considered my options and then with a stroke of inspiration I gave the number of the pub before concluding," phone there after nine and ask for Karen, she'll know where I am."

I put the phone down quickly, before the persuasive detective could get me to do anything else that I would regret. I quickly walked towards the end of the street before turning into the lane where Plymouth's most famous gay/lesbian/transgender bar was located.

I was stopped in my tracks by the scene fifty yards in front of me.

Three tall, overweight men were standing in front of the building that was my workplace for the evening. This wasn't an unusual situation given the mainly male clientele of Saturday's events there.

The unusual aspect was the clothes the three men were wearing. Each of them had a leather jacket on with a small white armband with the letters EPP in red letters attached.

I shivered and backed into an empty doorway. The EPP (or English Popular Party - although it was not very popular and not very English having a mostly expatriate South African leadership) was a small strongly homophobic, racist group full of violent thugs.

They were obviously very drunk and were taking it in turns to harass a slim, effeminate man standing in the entrance to the Jolly Sailor.

"Come on you little queer we want a drink in your batty pub" said the fattest of the EPP armband wearers.

"I'm sorry you can't come in this is a members' only club," responded the security officer.

"And what if we want to come in anyway, girlie?" another of the thugs sniggered.

"I can't let you come in you'll upset our clientele," responded the slim, gay man.

"How you going to stop me you fucking stupid queen?" sneered the third of the drunkards.

"Everything OK there Johnnie love?" came a high pitched voice from inside, "need some help?"

"I wouldn't try anything now. You'll regret it?" warned Johnnie as he bravely faced up to the thug standing nearest him.

"And who's going to stop me then, your bumboy? What's he going to do, hit me with his handbag?" smirked the first thug as he stepped forward and punched Johnnie hard in the stomach who doubled up with the blow, yelled with the pain and fell to the floor.

"Come on boys, let's trash the batties." shouted Johnnie's assailant.

From my vantage point on the street corner I winced when Johnnie was hit even as a smile flickered across my mouth with my knowledge of the surprise in store for the homophobes.

"Actually I wouldn't want to mess my handbag up with your filth' said the high pitched voice as Johnnie's boyfriend stepped forward.

"Fuck!" exclaimed the first thug, as he looked up at probably one of the biggest men he had probably seen in his life, six foot eight and eighteen stone of solid muscle with not an ounce of fat on his magnificently toned body, moving gracefully towards them with a poise that implied great speed allied with vastly superior strength.

     
     
*A reference to the end of the latest series of Doctor Who (www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho) broadcast first on the BBC on July 5th 2008

---

To Be Continued...
 
End of Part 2

There was a some loud applause and then the hypnotic intro to 'Can't get you out of my head' started. I danced on the stage, moving my body in rhythm to the beat while taking the mic from Karen and launching into the song. 'La..la..la.....' I began and soon everyone joined in," la...la...la..la..la...." Eyewitness Part 3 by Alys

---

Part 1
 

"Now I'm sure you'd all like to apologise to Johnie, WOULDN'T YOU?" stated Billie in his slightly incongruous, high pitched voice.

There was the sound of some mumbled comments from the three neo-fascists.

"I don't think Johnie heard that, did you love?" asked the doorman's eighteen stone, muscular boyfriend as he squeezed the throats of the two thugs he held effortlessly, hard against the wall. while pressing his foot down on the other one's shoulder.

"Sorry Johnie," was the louder reply in a ragged unison.

As I covered the final few yards toward the Jolly Sailor I marvelled at how the tableau in front of me had been transformed in a few seconds. The aggression and bravado of the racists had evaporated as soon as Billie's rapid and graceful movements had overcome their feeble opposition to his superior strength.

"Hi Johnie, you OK?" I asked as I reached the entrance, touching his shoulder gently as he stood by the door still holding his painful midriff.

"I'm ok now, I guess, thanks Josie," he replied.

"Hey Josie, you singing tonight?" asked Billie, as he turned his head to greet me while maintaining his vice like grip on Johnie's assailants.

"Yes, 'bout fifteen minutes," I replied.

"You doing my fave tonight?" Billie asked.

I smiled at the gentle giant before replying," of course I am, I know how you all love that song."

"Great, can't wait," he responded, " now, just have to sort out these wastes of space."

He turned his attention back towards his victims.

"Now you scum this is what's going to happen," Bille began, giving an extra squeeze and a stamp for emphasis," firstly you're going to put your wallets and mobiles in Johnie's nice pink bag. ANY legit cards or phones we'll post back, cash is a donation to the Jolly Sailor."

He waited for a few seconds as the three EPP members fumbled with their belongings.

"Now, drop your trousers and pants*," stated Billie forcefully.

The strangled opposition was instantly snuffed out by further squeezes and before long a little pile of clothes had been collected by Johnie.

"Now listen carefully you scum," began Billie, speaking with menace in his voice," when I let you go, you're going to walk away from here, without looking back. You're not ever coming back because if you do me and my friends will give you a good fisting. You understand?"

There were muffled sounds of assent before Billie dropped the first thug on the floor and gave him a push along the road. He was followed by the other two in quick succession and soon the three sorry looking men were waddling as quickly as they could away from the club with their hands covering their groin area.

The three of us laughed at the predicament of the humiliated members of the 'master race' before turning back into the club.

"Thanks love," said Johnie as he put his arm around his boyfriend's waist," I thought I was going to get really hurt there."

"My pleasure my darling," responded Billie giving Johnie a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"That was awesome Billie," I said," got to rush and get ready now, see you later boys," I said before walking off down the dark corridor into the slightly gloomy club.

There were already about fifty mainly male, customers present, some by the bar, some in the lounge area with a few dancing to Angela who was lip-syncing to Madonna's 'Hung Up'.

"Hey Josie," shouted Karen, the middle aged, tall, plump, cross dresser who owned the club," just in time, you got ten minutes hun."

I followed her to the back of the stage to the small changing room. I quickly stripped down to my panties and then put on my push-up bra from my bag. Karen then helped me into the tight, slinky white dress and added some extra touches to my make-up. While she completed my look I told her about my phone call to the police earlier.

"You sure you want to get involved with this hun?" she asked," you know, with all your other issues you don't really need any more complications."

"Dunno Karen, it's all a bit scary really, but I promised Rachel," I responded.

"OK, love, well you let me check him out when he phones and I'll only let him talk to you if I think it's safe," she reassured.

The Madonna songs came to an end and it was time for me to take Angela's place.

Karen walked out to stand in the spotlight.

"Thanks Angela sweetie you were wonderful," she said before she hugged the glamorous drag queen who then left to change after acknowledging the applause.

I looked out at the increasing number of shadowy shapes behind the glare while Karen began her introduction.

"...glad to see the return of our very own Josie, only the two songs again tonight, sorry," she said, pausing for a few groans to die down," but the good news is in a three months she'll be sixteen and can do more singing and less washing of glasses!"

There was some good natured shouts.

"Go Josie!"

"Ditch that washing!"

"We luv ya!"

"So here she is, let's hear it for Josie....."

There was a some loud applause and then the hypnotic intro to 'Can't get you out of my head' started.

I danced on the stage, moving my body in rhythm to the beat while taking the mic from Karen and launching into the song.

'La..la..la.....' I began and soon everyone joined in," la...la...la..la..la...."

"I just can’t get you out of my head
Boy your lovin’ is all I think about
I just can’t get you out of my head
Boy it’s more than I dare to think about, "

As I sang, I gestured to everyone in the heaving crowd in front of me.

I lost myself in the buzz of the performance as everything that had been on my mind throughout the day was blanked out.

Too soon the song finished. I stood still, a little drained, for half a second before loud applause echoed around the room.

"Thanks, hope you enjoyed that one," I said, beginning the introduction to my next song. I noticed a man, so obviously a policeman, even in civilian clothes, talking to Karen by the bar.

"Sorry I can only do one other one tonight but I'm sure you'll love it."

The weather girls backing track started up and I launched into the first verse of one of the favourites of the club's customers.

"Humidity is rising - Barometer's getting low
According to all sources, the street's the place to go
Cause tonight for the first time
Just about half-past ten
For the first time in history
It's gonna start raining men.

It's Raining Men! Hallelujah!..."

The sound of almost everyone in the club singing along to the chorus was amazing. I was really enjoying the performance and the feed back from the audience and I was even happier to notice that the busy-body policeman had already been propositioned more than once since he'd been in the club, to his obvious discomfort.

"Thanks and good night, see you all next week," I yelled, before handing the mic back to the hostess and making my way back to the changing room.

"Hugs, Josie, we'll all be counting the days to your next performance," Karen commented before she introduced the next act.

I quickly changed, hanging my dress carefully in the little wardrobe and putting the bra in my bag to give to Rachel to wash later. I made my way back to the kitchen. I was still feeling euphoric after my ten minutes on the stage and so I hardly noticed the time while I filled the industrial dishwasher with glasses and plates from the earlier meals.

"You sounded great and you looked gorgeous tonight, hun," said Karen when she came into my work area about half an hour later," I wonder if the contents of the parcels I've given you are having an effect?"

I smiled at her comment as she handed me another precious package.

"Let me do your bloods," she instructed.

I sat down on an upright chair and pulled up my sleeve on my right arm, exposing a vein. Karen, with the expertise of the twenty years in her former nursing job, quickly filled two sample bottles before pressing some cotton wool on the puncture point.

"There you go, all done, I should have the results next week," she said a minute later as I pulled down my sleeve over the smallest possible mark in my skin.

"Great, thanks Karen, I don't know how I can ever repay you for your kindness," I said.

"Pfff, don't be silly, your singing brings in more and more customers every time, it more than pays any expenses I have." she responded.

"Now listen," she continued," I've spoken to your Inspector and he seems cool so if you want to talk to him I'll being him in."

There was a pause as I considered my options.

"It's up to you, I can tell him you've already left," she reassured me.

I thought about my promise to Rachel and the image of the poor widow on the TV. I made my decision.

"I think I'd better see him, Karen, it was a horrible thing that happened," I said in a quiet voice.

"Well if you're sure, hun?" she asked.

"Yes," I responded firmly.

A few minutes later the athletic looking inspector came into the room.

He held out a hand and introduced himself," hello, I'm Inspector Lee, we spoke on the phone I believe."

"Hi," I said a little shyly, touching his hand lightly in response.

"Hey, you're Josie the girl who was singing when I came in," he said as he recognised me despite my change of clothes.

"Yes," I responded.

"You were really good," Inspector Lee complimented.

"Thanks," I said.

"OK, Josie I won't keep you long, I've uploaded the most likely suspects who fit your descriptions onto my phone," he explained," I'd like to see if you recognise anyone."

He sat next to me and quickly flicked through about thirty photos on his IPhone.

"Any of these look like the killers?" he asked.

"Yes, definitely" I said, having easily recognised the two.

"Oh," he responded, obviously a little surprised at my confidence.

He handed me the phone," can you show me?"

I quickly slid my finger over the touchscreen, bringing up the pictures of the two murderers and showing them to the Inspector.

He looked a little surprised and there was a few seconds pause before he spoke again.

"Josie these men and their associates are extremely dangerous," he said, slowly and carefully," I'm afraid you won't be able to go home tonight. We're going to have to take you to a safe house."

*pants = underpants in UK

---

To Be Continued...
 
End of Part 3

'OK, why do you have to go to a safe house?' 'Those guys I saw are psychos' 'OK, I see, let's talk tomorrow, I need to sleep now, Josie love, be safe.' 'It's OK, I'm in good hands, sleep well, Rachel sweetie.' Eyewitness Part 4 by Alys

---

Part 4
 

"Are you OK?" asked the Inspector as he drove carefully through the busy evening city traffic, "you're very quiet."

"Been a long day," I responded quietly as I sat there wondering what I had got myself into by phoning the police.

"How come?" he enquired a little absentmindedly as he negotiated his way around the busy 'Charles Cross' roundabout.

"Well, doh, I was a witness to a murder this morning, just a little stressful," I responded a little angrily, "and now you tell me I'm in danger myself and need to go to a safe house."

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry you've had a very difficult time, but believe me there was no other option after you identified the suspects," the inspector explained.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"They are extremely dangerous, their names are Jon Van Deer and Kronje VerMeel. They were members of the Afrikaner Volksfront in South Africa, they left after the fall of Apartheid and found their way to the UK via Israel," Inspector Lee stated, "they were known to be responsible for a series of racist murders."

"So why aren't they in prison?" I asked.

"They were given amnesty by the 'truth and reconciliation commission'," he explained.

"They were lucky I guess," I said, wondering what sort of commission would let murderers get away with it.

"Yes, very much so and I wasn't too surprised when you recognised them from the pictures, they are psychos. By the way Josie do you want to use my mobile to contact your mum?" he asked.

"It's OK I can use mine," I said, taking it out of my bag to show him before putting it back again.

He paused for a second and I thought I detected a smile on his face before he responded, "you're a devious girl, so the phone box was to avoid being traced in case you didn't want to get further involved?"

"Something like that," I said, smiling myself.

There was a silence between us as Inspector Lee manoeuvred into the police station car park. He switched the engine off and turned to me.

"Come on Josie, it's late and I bet you'd like to get to bed, we'll do this as quickly as possible," he said.

I followed him into the station, there seemed to be a lot of people milling around. I noticed two drunken, bloodied men, early casualties of the usual Saturday night city mayhem, being dragged in by four large policemen.

After a couple of minutes walking past 'indentik' offices Inspector Lee finally stopped, opened a door and let us into a small sparsely furnished room. A plump, middle aged woman with striking bleached blonde hair was on the phone, she acknowledged us and quickly finished her conversation.

"Yes sir as soon as possible," she said before putting the handset down.

"Was that the chief?" Inspector Lee asked.

"Yes..yes it was," the policewoman replied hesitantly, "he's under a lot of pressure. This is a high profile case after the news conference this afternoon. Who's this then Frank?"

"This is Josie, she's some important information for us," Inspector Lee replied, "Josie, meet my deputy, Sergeant Francis.

"Call me Melanie, Josie," said the policewoman, smiling, "we don't stand on ceremony here."

"Hi Melanie," I said before sitting down heavily on one of the chairs and putting my head down on my arms on the desk.

"You look exhausted, dear, I'll get some coffee, you want some Frank?" asked Sergeant Francis.

"Thanks Melanie that'd be great," he replied.

While the policewoman busied herself with the kettle, Inspector Lee logged onto his computer and downloaded the statement he had typed and emailed himself in the Jolly Sailor. Within a few seconds he had printed it on official police stationary for me to sign.

Sergeant Francis brought the refreshments over, as she put mine down on the desk I noticed the small tattoo on the top of her left breast, a circle and a cross combined, which looked strangely familiar.

She gave Inspector Lee his coffee and picked up the statement. She read it intently before commenting, "Frank you've done it!"

"It's pretty strong evidence, all we have to do is to keep Josie and her family safe for the next few days," he responded before briefly explaining the plan.

"So if you can go and pick up Josie's Mother and bring her along we can meet you there, is that OK Melanie?" he asked.

"No problem at all, see you later Frank, bye Josie," she said before leaving.

"Do you think you could phone your Mum now, Josie and tell her a policewoman will be coming round in about half an hour or so," he said.

"What can I give her as a reason?" I asked.

"Tell her.....no maybe it's better I do the explanations," he replied.

I pressed speed-dial two, one was Rachel of course, the phone was answered after five rings.

'Hello'

'Hi, Mum'

'Who is it? Is it you Phillip, why is your voice odd?'

I cringed at the sound of my male name, Inspector Lee looked at me strangely.

'Mum, I'm in a police station and there's an Inspector who wants to talk to you.'

'What have you done now, you idiot!'

I handed the mobile to Inspector Lee.

'Hello Mrs Murphy, your 'son' hasn't done anything wrong, but both of you are in danger.'

'What!'

'Please listen carefully, we are putting you and 'Phillip' into a safe house for a few days. I've just sent a policewoman to pick you up, can you be ready with a few days clothes for the two of you. I'll explain more when I see you there," he said.

My Mother gave into the natural authority of the Inspector and then rang off. I was handed the phone back.

"So, 'Phillip', I think I deserve an explanation!" he said sounding a bit annoyed, "I hope it's a good one and means I don't have to retype the statement."

I looked down at the floor trying to think what to say.

"I'm waiting 'Phillip'," Inspector Lee stated.

I was at a loss for words and then overcome by the stress of the day, and the pressure of the moment, I began to slowly sob.

"Don't cry, I'm not trying to be nasty to you, I just don't understand why you are dressed as a girl," he said in a more measured tone.

I looked up at him before slowly, deliberately taking my jacket off, then my blouse and finally my bra, "is that enough of an explanation?" I asked.

He stared at my small boobs for a few seconds before responding quietly, "I think you've made your point Josie, can you get dressed now or I'll be in trouble."

A few minutes later I was following Inspector Lee out of the busy station, with more drunken revellers arriving as we walked out.

"Josie you're going to have to sit down with your Mother tomorrow and go through your sex change issues, you should have plenty of free time over the next few days," he said, as he drove the car out of the station car park, sounding quite paternal.

"'pose so," I muttered, with my eyes half closed, I was really looking forward to laying my head on a soft pillow in a nice comfortable bed.

My phone rang, I took it out of my bag, noticed it was Rachel and answered.

'Hi Rach,'

'Hi Jose, you OK?'

'OK, but the police are taking me to a safe house, how's you?'

'OK, why do you have to go to a safe house?'

'Those guys I saw are psychos.'

'OK, I see, let's talk tomorrow, I need to sleep now, Josie love, be safe.'

'It's OK, I'm in good hands, sleep well, Rachel sweetie.'

"Was that your girlfriend?" asked the Inspector.

"Oh yes," I responded a little dreamily as I imagined Rachel in her bedroom, wishing I was there in her warm embrace.

"Does she know?" asked the Inspector, breaking through my beautiful image.

"'course she does, you think I'm that stupid!" I responded.

"Not at all...........that's funny I'm sure that car has been behind us all the way from the city centre. Oh well there's one way to find out, hang on, this could get a bit hairy."

The Inspector turned suddenly off the main road, the A379, into the suburb of Plymstock, there followed a series of quick turns down minor roads before, some minutes later, we returned to the road we had been on previously.

"Damn they're still behind us," the Inspector said, "oh well it's time for the blue light I guess, cover your ears this could get a bit noisy."

Ahead of us there was a line of stationary traffic waiting for the signals to change colour. The inspector turned on his siren and lights and like Moses parting the Red Sea, an avenue opened for us to go through while closing behind to form a barrier for our pursuers.

A few minutes Inspector Lee was still grinning with self satisfaction as he turned up towards Staddon Heights Golf Course.

"The house is on the other side of the golf course, Josie, you'll be perfectly safe there, they have armed guards and state of the art surveillance...what the hell!" he exclaimed in mid-sentence as the two cars blocking the road ahead of us turned on their full headlights, blinding us.

The bullets struck the front of the car first, with loud staccato thuds before the windscreen disappeared into a shower of blunt glass fragments.

The car veered crazily off the road before crashing into some gorse bushes and coming to a stop, throwing my body hard into the seat belt. A sharp pain went through my whole body and then the pressure was released as I fell back into the seat. I looked over to my companion. In the light from the cars ahead I could make out trickles of blood streaming down his head.

"Josie run, get out........" he mumbled, "they got me, you escape."

I looked up to see two figures silhouetted in the dazzling light making their way towards the car. I considered my options for a second and then realised that survival was my only choice. I unfastened the seat belt, slipped down into the foot well, opened the door slightly and then crawled out of the car. Luckily the side where I had been sitting had been turned away from the advancing attackers.

I made my way to the back of the car, keeping it between me and the people walking towards the car. I carefully made my way into the darkness of the golf course and lay under a bush.

"There's only the stupid pig here, she said there would be a girl too," said one voice with an obvious South African accent.

"Maybe she got it wrong," responded another South African.

"What about him?" asked the first.

"Do him," replied the second.

I watched in horror as the first gunman raised his bare arm, pointed his weapon and with three quick shots murdered the Inspector. I held my hand to my mouth to stop myself throwing up with the horror of what I was witnessing. As he turned his arm away from the dreadful deed I noticed a tattoo on his forearm.

It was the same circle and cross I had seen on the Sergeant's breast earlier! I suddenly remembered where else I had seen it. On an anti-fascist campaigning website. It was a Norse Rune, a favoured symbol of fascists, one of whom was at this moment on the way to get my Mother. I had to warn her!

The two psychopaths walked back to their cars. Once their steps were out of earshot, I got up an ran in the opposite direction for a good few minutes until I could no longer even see their headlights.

I took out my phone and pressed speed dial two. The phone rang for a while and finally was lifted up.

'Mum, mum, you've got to get out of there before the police do, they're.....'

'Too late you freak, we got here first and when we find you I might let Jon and Kronje play with you first.'

---

To Be Continued...
 
End of Part 4

I quickly stripped off my clothes, apart from my panties and bra. I slowly got up to my feet and walked with the pretence of being a bit inebriated towards the light, the rest of my clothes hanging from my hand obscuring my groin area. "Hey you guys, you seen my boyfriend, (hic)?" I said sounding as drunk as I could, " he's run off." I was almost instantly illuminated by the four nearest beams, they flashed over my body and face before lingering on my boobs. Eyewitness Part 5 by Alys

---

Part 5
 

“That stupid police bitch said it's a boy, we're looking for, not a girl,” said a guttural South African voice from the road near to where the body of Inspector Lee lay in the bullet ridden car.

I crept deeper under the gorse bush where I had fled after the attack.

“What you talking about Kronje?” asked another unpleasant sounding South African.

“It's what she said just now, Jon, when I told her about finishing off the nosey Inspector. Said she's got the mother and we'll see her tomorrow.” replied Kronje.

“Why she say a girl before then?” asked Jon.

“No idea, come on lets have another look for the little bastard,” commanded Kronje as the sound of heavy feet trampling through the undergrowth.

A few minutes later I heard my pursuers pass within ten metres and I felt my heart beating so loudly that there seemed to be no way they couldn't hear it.

For what seemed an eternity the two men blundered about in the darkness, sometimes getting closer, other times moving further away. Finally the noise of the searching receded and I closed my eyes with relief as I felt the exhaustion of the day overcoming me

**********

I woke with a start, the air was much cooler now. I shivered in the cold summer night air. In the distance I could hear some shouts so I looked up and my heart jumped in my chest at the sight before me.

There was a row of men walking towards me, each of them carrying a very powerful torch. They were walking carefully forward, systematically sweeping the space between and in front of them and examining each bush very carefully.

I felt panic rising within me. There was no way they wouldn't discover my hiding place. I wondered if they would kill me here or take me somewhere else and torture and finally kill me. I looked around desperately for some escape route.

I heard voices shouting as they co-ordinated their movements. After only a few minutes they were within earshot.

"How long do we have do this?" asked a voice I identified as Jon from earlier, from one end of the line .

"She said as long as it takes, he can't be far away," replied the voice of Kronje, from the other end.

"Let's find the little fucker soon enough," shouted an unfamiliar voice with a local accent, "I was on the last stage of GTA when you phoned."

"Get a life you arsehole, only kids play Xboxes, you should have come to the club, I had one with really juicy melons dancing, god she was hot." said another of the searchers.

"Shut up about your strippers and your stupid game, you're both getting paid enough, concentrate on finding the little shit. The bastard gave a statement." responded Kronje.

There was a chorus of profanity from the assembled thugs, meanwhile a germ of an idea formed in my head.

I quickly stripped off my clothes, apart from my panties and bra.

I slowly got up to my feet and walked with the pretence of being a bit inebriated towards the light, the rest of my clothes hanging from my hand obscuring my groin area.

"Hey you guys, you seen my boyfriend, (hic)?" I said sounding as drunk as I could, " he's run off."

I was almost instantly illuminated by the four nearest beams, they flashed over my body and face before lingering on my boobs.

I held up my hand to my eyes to indicate that I was actually dazzled

"Hey guys don't shine it in my eyes....so you seen 'im, he's tall I think and 'ad a biggun," I said with a high pitched giggle

"Fuck off home you stupid slag!" Jon shouted in his harsh South African accent

"Or you can stay here and let us do you later, I've got a biggun too," shouted another with a London accent

"Can't ssh-top got to go work 'morrow, have to get a cab.." I mumbled as I staggered slowly between them," byee boys..."

One of them followed my 'drunken' progress, every second of which I was waiting for a challenge, with his torch for a few seconds before he joined the rest of his companions who had already lost interest in me and were continuing in the careful search of the headland.

As soon as I was out of sight I stopped meandering and moved as quickly as I could towards the road.

As soon as I reached it I stopped and put the rest of my clothes on. As I did I began to shiver with nervous tension. I didn't know how I had had the presence of mind to pretend to be a drunken girl.

"Get a grip, Josie," I muttered to myself before walking down to the Inspector's bullet ridden car.

I carefully looked for my bag on the passenger side. After a few seconds I had located it and quietly pulled it out of the car.

There was a sudden gentle moan.

I looked across the car at the figure of the Inspector slumped in the driver's seat. I noticed his chest rising and falling slightly. I didn't know how he had survived Kronje's three shots to the chest at such close range but it was obvious he was still alive, even while obviously unconscious.

This new discovery made my immediate future much more complicated. Now I had not only to make sure I escaped the murderous clutches of the South African Nazis but also try and ensure Kronje didn't have another opportunity to kill Inspector Lee.

I stood back and considered the situation.

I could call the police but there was no guarantee they would arrive before Kronje, Jon and the rest of his psychopaths returned from their search.

There was no way I could drag the Inspector out of the car and carry him away. In any case moving him could possibly prove fatal if he had, as I assumed, sustained serious internal injuries from the bullets, although there didn't seem to many blood stains on his shirt, so I wondered if he had worn some sort of protection underneath it.

There seemed to be only one answer. Somehow or other I had to get the car away somewhere out of sight, but I wasn't sure how to do it.

I stood there for a few moments considering how I could move the vehicle without attracting the attention of our pursuers. A possible solution came to mind and so I moved over to the driver's side, opening the door and the side window. I released the handbrake and putting my left hand on the steering wheel, turning it to full lock, I began to push against the door frame.

The car began to very slowly move, but backwards into me!

I pushed harder using all the strength in my tired, aching body and somehow succeeded in arresting the reverse movement. I felt the pains shooting through my legs and shoulders as I resisted the natural momentum of the car.

For a few seconds there was a stalemate between my body and the force of gravity as I gathered all of my strength for one great effort, probably my last one, to change the direction of movement of the stubborn machine.

Suddenly there was a flash in the sky. I looked over to my right and to my alarm saw the lights of my pursuers' torches coming in my direction!

From somewhere I felt a burst of new energy and immediately the car yielded to my efforts and began to roll forwards and turn to the left towards the downwards slope of the hill.

I quickly jumped in the front of the car and crouched behind the steering wheel, managing to avoid touching the comatose Inspector, in the seat immediately behind me.

The car quickly accelerated the wrong way down Jennycliff Lane and I hoped there would be no traffic using it at this time of night as my unlit vehicle quietly moved along the tarmac, while I stretched to put pressure on the footbrake to moderate our speed.

Within seconds we had turned a corner and I looked around for a lane or other secluded spot as a temporary refuge. I noticed a narrow turning to my left, partly obscured by gorse bushes. I quickly manoeuvred the car into the opening and let it run for as long as it would up the slight rise in the road.

We came to a stop and I quickly secured the handbrake, while I heard the inspector make a quiet moan.

I got out of the car and looked behind me and noticed to my satisfaction we were completely hidden from the main road.

I knew there was still a great danger of the gunmen trying to find us in their cars and so I took out my phone and dialed 999.

'Which emergency service do you require?' asked a dispassionate female voice.

'Police and ambulance, quickly please," I replied.

'What's the nature of the incident?'

'I'm with Inspector Lee and he's been shot by gunmen, hurry please'

'Please be calm and tell me your name and your location, I'm alerting the police and ambulance now'

I gave the woman the details and within five minutes two police cars arrived followed closely by and Armed Police Unit and an ambulance.

For the next quarter of an hour there was a whirl of activity around me as the paramedics worked to stabilise the Inspector and then to transfer him to the ambulance, while the armed police went off to try and locate the gunmen.

The good news about the Inspector Lee was that his injuries, while serious, were unlikely to be life threatening and feeling quite positive for the first time since the ambush I gratefully got in the back of one of the police cars to continue my journey to the safe house.

The warmth of the car and the comfort of the blanket wrapped around me soon started to induce drowsiness and I was almost asleep when I heard the sound of my phone and felt it's vibration indicating a message.

I clicked it on and noticed I had received a new mms, I clicked to accept it and watched the slider indicate it downloading.

The file opened and I saw the face of my Mother, squinting under what must have been the glare of the camera's lights. She had what looked like a noose around her head.

"Phillip, they're going to kill me unless you contact them by noon."

---

To Be Continued...
 
End of Part 5

My girlfriend turned to look at me, "So 'fess, Josie, how'd you end up here last night and why're you so, well how do I say....." "Looking such a mess?" I ventured, to complete Rachel's sentence. "Yep, 'fraid so, so what happened?" she asked. Eyewitness Part 6 by Alys

---

Part 6
 

"Hello," said a very sleepy low voice, after the phone had rung for a long time.

"Karen? It's me," I said softly into the phone held close to my ear, as I pulled the sheet tighter over my head, trying not to disturb the two other girls sharing the bedroom in the safe house.

"Who's this, you know what time it is?" Karen responded.

I looked guiltily at the display on my watch, it read three-twenty, "Karen, it's Josie, I'm so sorry 'bout the time,"

"'S'oreit hun, what's up?" said Karen, sounding a little more awake.

"I'm in big trouble Karen," I explained, trying to avoid my voice wavering too much with my fear.

There was a pause and the sound of a cigarette lighter being clicked, "OK, love, don't worry just tell me what the problem is."

I hesitated, not knowing where to start with my tale of woe.

Karen seemed to sense my uncertainty and spoke reassuringly, "Just take your time, Josie, or at least as long as it takes for me to finish this fag."

There was a few more seconds of the sounds of Karen smoking

"Mum's been kidnapped!" I blurted out.

"What? Did you say kidnapped?" asked the voice at the other end of the call.

"Yes, it's all my fault I called her too late, they got to her, it was that racist policewoman, what am I going.........." I responded in almost a pure stream of consciousness as the stress and tiredness of the last twenty hours threatened to overwhelm me.

"Whow, slow down, hun, tell me what happened, one thing at a time," said Karen, "was it that cop who came to see you, I thought he was a bit flaky."

"No, it wasn't Inspector Lee, they tried to kill him, it was his deputy, she's a Nazi," I explained before giving Karen a precis of the events since I'd left her in the club, earlier.

"Umm, that is some complicated situation you're in," responded Karen before pausing.

I heard the sound of a lighter being flicked on before Karen continued," sorry, love, had to light another cancer stick. Dunno what me Mum will think, I told her I was quitting last month."

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Don't worry yourself, me dear, 's'not your fault if some psychotic fascists have infiltrated the 'fine Plymouth constabulary'." reassured Karen with a strong sarcastic tone in her voice.

I lay with the phone against my ear, not sure how to respond to Karen's comments.

"Listen love, I'm getting the germ of an idea, let me make a few calls and I'll see what we can do," she said after about half a minute of silence, punctuated by the sound of her drawing on her cigarette.

"OK," I said.

"Now can you send the bastards a text saying you'll meet them in the Sainsbury's car-park, you know the big one near the Novotel," she directed, "by the way, you know anyone your Mum might know well enough to jump straight into the car with them without question?"

"Not sure.......oh yes, she knows my girlfriend's Dad," I whispered back.

"Great, you contact them as well to meet us in the car-park, if they can, and then get some sleep, Josie hun," Karen said

"Good night Karen, and thanks," I said.

"No problem, dear, I'll call you at ten, night." Karen responded before disconnecting.

********************

I slept fitfully for the next few hours. I would drop off for a while but then be plagued with dreams of my trauma on the shore land and the attempted murder of Inspector Lee. Then I would wake up and lie there thinking about how I could possibly get my Mother from the kidnappers. I also was worried if my hidden transition was about to be exposed. The fascist policewoman must have worked it out after seeing me in 'girl-mode' in the police-station. My other concern was the need to possibly put Rachel and her Dad in danger.

Eventually at about seven I slipped out of my bed, picked up my clothes, phone and purse and made my way quietly out of the large bedroom.

I stood on the landing for a few seconds getting my bearings. The large, detached Edwardian town house was eerily quiet and quite dark even though the early morning sun was shining brightly through the uncurtained bay window directly opposite me.

I looked around and eventually found the bathroom. The bath was old with the enamel worn in places around the edges but at least it was clean. I turned the stiff taps, filled the tub, added some of the contents of a cheap looking bottle of bath oil, checked the temperature, took off the rather large nightdress I'd been lent and then slowly eased myself into the hot water.

Soon the heat of the covering liquid, along with my physical and mental tiredness, was inducing sleep. I felt my eyes closing and I began to slide down into a more comfortable position.

A few moments later I got a mouthful of water. I spat out the soapy liquid and sat up with a start.

"What was I thinking?" I said aloud to myself, "Come on Josie, get a grip, Mum's depending on you."

I washed myself as quickly as I could, got out of the bath, dried myself using one of the threadbare towels and then dressed in my rather grubby clothes. I left the bathroom made my way downstairs to the large kitchen and to look around for something to make for breakfast.

************************

Just over an hour later I was waiting in the cool of the morning outside the main door of the safe house. I had managed to persuade the WPC on duty that I would be safe in the care of my girlfriend's family, without mentioning the contact I had had with my Mother's kidnappers. She had agreed reluctantly to let me leave on the condition I called in every few hours with my whereabouts.

"Hi Sweetie," said Rachel through the open passenger door window o her green family car, "get in."

I quickly opened the back door.

"Hello Mr Hollins, thanks for coming to pick me up," I said to the Rachel's tall athletic father sitting in the driver's seat.

"My pleasure Josie," he replied, before putting the car into gear and heading off.

My girlfriend turned to look at me, "So 'fess, Josie, how'd you end up here last night and why're you so, well how do I say....."

"Looking such a mess?" I ventured, to complete Rachel's sentence.

"Yep, 'fraid so, so what happened?" she asked.

I quickly gave her and her father an outline of the previous evening's events after I left them to go to work. By the time I had finished Mr Hollins was pulling into the drive of their house.

"That's a terrible experience Josie," he said as he turned off the car and turned to look at me in the back of his car, "I'm so sorry to hear about your Mum."

While he was talking Rachel got out of her seat in the front of the car and sat next to me in the back, putting her arms around me, while she gently stroked my hair. The warmth of her body next to mine and the sweetness of her perfume slowly began to dissolve the mental and physical numbness.

"My sweet girl, what a horrible night you had," she said in a soothing tone as she used her forefinger to gently trace the outline of my face.

"Rachel," said Mr Hollins, after he had got out of the car in the front and walked round to open the rear passenger door, "why don't you take Josie up to your room and find her a change of clothes. When everyone else is up we can all sit down and see how we could help her get her Mum back."

*********************

Four hours later I was standing on the edge of the Car park in Sainsburys listening to a nearby clock striking noon. My phone rang. I let it ring for a couple of seconds before summoning up enough courage to answer it.

"Hello'" I said a little timidly.

"Are you there yet you stupid fucker," replied the voice I recognised as belonging to the psychotic South African murderers, Kronje.

"Yes, near the entrance off Plymouth road."

"Don't move, we're pulling in now."

I moved behind a large tree as I watched a large BMW with blacked out windows pulling off the main road into the car park.

"I see you, stop where you are," I said as firmly as I could trying to stop my trembling hands from dropping the phone.

"What do you mean you little fuck, we're giving the orders here, you want your bitch of a mother with a hole in her head?" Kronje almost spat down the phone.

"You have to let her out of the car..... before I..I..I.. show myself," I responded with my fear beginning to induce a stutter.

"No way you stupid wank!" shouted Kronje, "I'll shoot the stupid cow myself if you don't come out of hiding."

"N..N..N...No."

I heard the sound of a shouted argument in the background as I waited for a response to what must have been rather an unexpected defiance on my behalf.

".....we don't need her......let's shoot her anyway.....we need the boy..remember the statement Kronje......let her go then........."

Suddenly the back door of the BMW opened and my Mother, looking a little disheveled, was pushed out.

"OK you fucking idiot we've wasted enough time, you can see your precious Mother, but she'll be dead in ten seconds if you don't show yourself."

I moved from behind the tree and waved an arm, "I'm a..a.ahead of y..y..you by the recycling containers."

"Don't move," was Kronje's brief reply before the BMW's rear door

The next few seconds seemed to pass in slow motion as the plan Karen, myself and the Hollins family was put into operation.

As soon as the BMW had moved away Mr Hollins with Rachel pulled up alongside my Mother. I had been very unsure about my girlfriend being put in danger but there had been no other alternative since Mum hadn't met anyone else of the Hollins' family.

The few seconds it took for my Mother to get into the car and for it to turn and leave the car park seemed an eternity as the BMW rapidly closed the distance between where it had originally stopped to where I was standing.

"Get in pfutseke*," shouted Kronje as his ugly head poked itself out of the passenger window of the BMW which was slowing to a stop some ten metres in front of me.

"I don't think so," I said as I turned and ran through the concealed pedestrian exit from the car park and jumped into Karen's car that had just pulled into the bus-stop.

"Let's go!!" I shouted.

She eased the car forward and tried to enter the stream of traffic.

"Oh fuck, there's no gap." she gasped.

I looked back to see Kronje run out onto the pavement, stop look around and then appraising the situation, notice the car and quickly draw his gun.

"Billie he's going to shoot!" I screamed at Karen's employee sitting in the back seat, "get down."

"I don't think so," he said with a laugh, "anyone for cricket?"

With unbelievable grace and speed for someone his size Billie put his arm out of the window and hurled two hard red objects, in quick succession, at the tall South African.

The two cricket balls struck their target with a noise we could hear from twenty metres away. The first on hit Kronje in the stomach causing him to begin to double up and drop his gun, the second struck him square on the temple. He fell to the ground, stunned by the attack.

At last there was a gap in the traffic and Karen pulled away from the immediate threat.

"I knew all that practice for the Jolly Sailor cricket team would come in handy," commented Billie in his incongruous high pitched voice a few minutes later as we sped along the Plymouth road.

"Did you ever play a game?" I asked.

"No, more's the pity," he replied.

"No other clubs wanted to play a team of poofs," commented Karen acidly.

*********************

Less than an hour later we were all assembled in the Hollins family sitting room drinking some reviving tea with some very tasty home made scones and jam.

Luckily for me my Mother was still to dazed by her experience to ask why her son was wearing clothes that could be considered androgynous at best at a cursory glance and clearly over the line towards femininity on closer inspection.

Karen in her smart drab outfit was very much the suave businessman while Billie swapped gym experiences with Rachel's sporty sister.

There had been some general discussion about what to do next while we had waited for refreshments but no-one had made any serious suggestions. It was clear we were all keen to relax for a while after the tension and stress of our rescue mission.

Karen's phone rang.

"Excuse me," she said as she made her way to the hall to take the call.

I was just finishing off the last mouthful of my scone when she returned.

Her face was white.

"Something wrong? Who was on the phone?" I asked.

She paused for a moment for replying.

"It was Johnie. The Jolly Sailor....it's on fire!"

*South African slang for a mongrel dog

---

To Be Continued...
 
End of Part 6