Summer of Love

by Marie Ferrarella

  ‘Talk! I’ve talked till I’m blue in the face and no one’s listened to me.’ Harold’s face flushed with anger. ‘No, it’s actions that will get their attention, nothing else.’

  Daniel opened his mouth to try again to make him see sense when the telephone rang. Harold Dawson lifted the receiver off its rest. Daniel could tell from what the old man was saying that it was the surgery phoning and guessed that Ruth must be checking up on his whereabouts. He was tempted to shout out that he was there but Dawson must have realised he might do that and swung the gun towards him.

  ‘No, the doctor left a while ago. No, I don’t know what time it was. I’ve better things to do than keep a check on folk’s comings and goings.’

  He went to slam the receiver back on its rest at the same moment that Daniel’s mobile phone rang again. He let it go to voice mail once more, knowing it would be foolish to try and answer it. Dawson’s mood was far too volatile to risk upsetting him any further. He glanced at Alistair and saw the fear in the younger man’s eyes.

  ‘What are we going to do?’ Alistair mouthed desperately.

  Daniel shook his head. Reasoning with the old man obviously wasn’t going to work and using physical force was out of the question when Dawson had that gun. All he could hope was that Emma would call the police when he failed to turn up. So long as she didn’t try tracking him down herself, of course.

  The air seemed to lock in his lungs at the thought of her following him to the farm and placing herself in danger. He knew if that happened he would have to do something, no matter how risky it was.

  He took a deep breath and his mind was suddenly crystal clear. He would give up his life to protect Emma because he loved her.

  It was seven o’clock before the last patient left. Emma hurried through to Reception, not needing to ask if there was any news when she saw the worry on Ruth’s face. ‘Still nothing,’ she said helplessly.

  ‘No. I just don’t know what to do next, Emma.’

  ‘You’ve called everyone who’d requested a home visit?’

  ‘Yes, and they all said that Dr Kennedy had left ages ago.’ Ruth shook her head. ‘Most of them were able to tell me almost to the minute what time he left too. It was only old Harold Dawson who refused to say what time Daniel left his farm but that’s typical of him. A really awkward old devil, he is.’

  ‘Harold Dawson from Niths Farm, you mean?’ Emma queried.

  ‘That’s right. He’s always been difficult but he’s got worse since his wife died. He doesn’t have any family and I doubt he’s got any friends either.’ Ruth paused and frowned.

  ‘What?’ Emma said quickly. ‘You’ve obviously thought of something.’

  ‘It’s just that when I was hanging up the phone after speaking to him I could have sworn I heard a mobile phone ringing in the background.’ Ruth shrugged. ‘It just seems odd. I wouldn’t have thought old Mr Dawson would be the sort to bother having a mobile.’

  ‘Maybe he had somebody visiting him,’ Emma suggested.

  ‘Could be, although I doubt they’d get much of a welcome. He’s not one to mix, believe me.’

  Emma sighed. Although it did seem strange, it had nothing to do with what had happened to Daniel so there wasn’t time to worry about it right then. She came to a swift decision. ‘I’m going to phone the police and report Daniel missing. I’m not sure what they can do but we can’t just sit here, wondering what’s happened to him.’

  ‘I think you should call them,’ Ruth agreed, looking relieved. ‘Daniel would have let us know if his car had broken down or if he’d had some sort of minor accident.’

  Emma bit her lip as she reached for the receiver. Ruth was right. Daniel would have contacted them—if he could. She put a call through to the police station and told them what had happened. They promised to check with the various agencies in case Daniel had been involved in an RTA and get back to her. Ruth insisted on staying while they waited for the police to phone back and went off to make them a cup of tea. Almost as soon as she’d gone, there was a loud banging on the surgery door and Emma felt her spirits soar in relief. That had to be Daniel!

  Hurrying to the door, she swung it open. ‘And about time too—’ she began, then stopped abruptly when she found Mike Harding standing on the step. ‘Sorry, Mike. I thought you were someone else.’

  Mike grimaced. ‘And I’m sorry to turn up like this too but I noticed the lights were still on as I was passing.’ He held up his hand, which was covered in a blood-soaked bandage. ‘We’ve been out on a training exercise tonight and I managed to get my thumb caught in one of the ratchets we use to haul people up the hillside. It needs a stitch or two and I was hoping you might do it to save me having to trail off to the hospital.’

  ‘I … um … yes, of course. Come in.’ Emma led the way inside. ‘Come straight through to my room while I take a look at it.’

  Mike followed her along the corridor, glancing round when Ruth came rushing out of the staffroom. He must have seen her face fall because he grinned. ‘Obviously, I’m not the person you hoped to see either.’

  ‘No, you’re not,’ Ruth said bluntly.

  Mike’s smile faded as he looked from her to Emma. ‘Is something wrong?’

  ‘Daniel failed to turn up for surgery this evening,’ Emma explained as she ushered him into her room. ‘He hasn’t phoned and he isn’t answering his mobile either.’

  ‘That’s odd.’ Mike frowned as he sat down and unwound the bandage. ‘I wouldn’t have thought there was a problem getting a signal in that part of the Dales.’

  Emma stopped and stared at him. ‘What do you mean, that part of the Dales? Have you seen him?’

  ‘Yes, well not him but I’ve seen his car. It’s parked outside old man Dawson’s place—Niths Farm. You know.’

  ‘What time was this?’ Emma demanded.

  ‘Oh, around six-thirty, give or take a few minutes.’ Mike shrugged. ‘I did my hand in soon after that so it can’t have been much later.’

  ‘But Ruth phoned Harold Dawson way before then and he told her that Daniel had already left!’ Emma exclaimed.

  ‘Well, it was definitely Dr Kennedy’s car. You don’t get many fancy motors like that round here and certainly not at Dawson’s place. There was another car there too, now that I think about it, a site vehicle from that wind farm they’re building on the edge of Dawson’s land.’ Mike looked worried now. ‘Why on earth did Dawson say the doc wasn’t there when he was?’

  ‘I don’t know but it needs checking.’ Emma picked up a dish and filled it with saline then gently bathed Mike’s thumb. She frowned when she saw the deep gash at its base. ‘That looks nasty. It’s going to need three or four stitches by the look of it.’

  She numbed Mike’s thumb with an injection of local anaesthetic then set to work. It only took her only a few minutes to complete the job and Mike shook his head in admiration. ‘That was quick work. You’ve done that a time or two, by the look of it.’

  ‘Just a couple of times.’ Emma summoned a smile but it was hard to concentrate. She had a nasty feeling about what Mike had told her and wouldn’t rest until she had paid Harold Dawson a visit to see what was going on.

  ‘Dr Haynes told me that you’d gone into surgery.’ Mike smiled at her as he stood up. ‘He’s every right to be proud of you.’

  Emma merely nodded, her mind too busy churning over possibilities to focus on the compliment. She looked up when Mike sighed. ‘If it’s hurting I can give you some painkillers,’ she offered, feeling guilty for neglecting her patient.

  ‘It’s fine. No, it’s obvious that you’re worried sick about Dr Kennedy, aren’t you? ‘

  Emma flushed. ‘It just seems strange that he hasn’t called us,’ she demurred.

  Mike gave her an old-fashioned look. ‘Hmm. It does. Why don’t we drive over there and see what’s going on? It’s the least I can do after you’ve saved me a long wait in Casualty.’

  ‘Oh, I couldn’t expect you to do that,’ she b
egan, but Mike shook his head.

  ‘Of course you can. In fact, I’m going to get onto the rest of the team and tell them what’s happened. If the doc’s out there, we’ll find him. That’s a promise.’

  He put a comforting arm around Emma’s shoulders and she sagged gratefully against him. ‘Thanks, Mike,’ she murmured huskily.

  ‘No sweat.’ He gave her a brotherly hug then went to the door. ‘I’ll put through that call and see you outside. OK?’

  Emma nodded then hurried to find Ruth and tell her what had happened. They agreed that the police should be informed that Daniel’s car had been seen, although whether they would act on the information was open to question. Mike had the engine running when Emma hurried outside and as soon as she got into the Land Rover, they set off. It was a good thirty-minute drive to Niths Farm and Emma was on tenterhooks all the way. If Daniel had left the farm, she had no idea where to start looking for him.

  They turned down the lane leading to the farm and Mike slowed as they reached the bottom. ‘Look,’ he said, pointing.

  Emma’s heart leapt into her throat when she saw Daniel’s car parked in the yard alongside another vehicle, which bore the logo of the wind farm’s contractors. Obviously he was still there despite Harold Dawson’s assurances to the contrary. ‘What should we do?’ she asked anxiously.

  ‘I don’t know, but whatever we decide we need to be careful.’ Mike’s tone was sombre. ‘Old Dawson is a bit of a loose cannon lately. Folk have seen him walking round with a shotgun. Let’s not go rushing in until we know what’s happening, eh?’

  ‘But Daniel may be in danger!’ she protested.

  ‘Yes. And we don’t want to make matters worse by forcing Dawson’s hand.’ Mike picked up the radio receiver.

  ‘I’m going to call the police and get them over here right away.’

  Emma opened her door and climbed out of the car while Mike made the call. There were only a few hundred yards between her and Daniel but the distance had never seemed greater. The fact that she had no idea what was happening to him was so painful that she felt tears well to her eyes. Maybe they weren’t destined to spend their lives together, as she had once hoped, but that didn’t matter. So long as she knew that he was safe and well somewhere in the world, that was enough. In that moment she was forced to acknowledge the truth. She loved him. She loved him with the whole of her heart and she always would.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  DANIEL heard the sound of a car stopping in the lane and frowned. Was it possible that someone had come looking for him and Alistair? He glanced at Harold Dawson but the old man seemed oblivious to what was happening outside. Dawson had grown increasingly agitated in the past hour. He had placed the shotgun by the back door and started walking around the kitchen, muttering to himself. Daniel might have been tempted to make a grab for the shotgun if it weren’t for the fact that someone could get hurt if there was a struggle. It had seemed safer to bide his time but he might not have that luxury for much longer. He turned to Alistair.

  ‘There’s a car stopped in the lane,’ he mouthed.

  ‘Do you think it’s the police?’ Alistair whispered, hopefully.

  Before Daniel could answer, Harold Dawson swung round and glared at them. ‘Don’t you two start thinking you can get up to anything.’ He grabbed hold of the shotgun and pointed it at them. ‘I won’t think twice about using this, I warn you.’

  ‘And what will that achieve, Mr Dawson?’ Daniel said in sudden exasperation. ‘You’ll end up in prison and the wind farm will still go ahead.’

  ‘At least they’ll know they can’t trample all over me,’ Harold roared. He aimed the gun at the ceiling and pulled the trigger. Daniel ducked as bits of wood and plaster rained down on them. His ears were throbbing from the noise of the explosion so that it was several seconds before he could hear let alone speak.

  ‘Force isn’t the answer,’ he told the old man grimly. ‘The powers-that-be won’t give in because you threaten them. You need to go through the proper channels.’

  If Dawson was listening he gave no sign of it. Daniel realised that he was wasting his breath trying to reason with him. He glanced towards the window, mentally crossing his fingers that it was the police outside and not some other unsuspecting visitor. His heart turned over at the thought that it might be Emma before he realised how foolish it was to imagine she cared enough to try and find him. Emma may have contacted the police when he hadn’t turned up for evening surgery but that would have been all. She certainly wouldn’t be spending her time worrying about him.

  Emma’s heart seemed to stop when she heard the sound of a shotgun being discharged. Mike was speaking to the police on the radio and she saw the shock on his face as he looked up. He hastily finished his call and hung up.

  ‘The police will be here ASAP,’ he told her. ‘They said that we’re not to approach the house and that under no circumstances are we to try and contact either Dawson or Dr Kennedy.’

  ‘But we can’t just sit here,’ Emma protested. ‘Anything could be going on inside that farmhouse. We need to do something!’

  ‘We daren’t risk it, Emma. I know it’s hard but we could make matters a whole lot worse if we go rushing in.’ Mike patted her hand. ‘Let’s wait for the police, love. They know what they’re doing.’

  Emma bit her lip. She knew Mike was right but it was sheer agony to wonder if Daniel might be hurt. It seemed to take for ever before the police arrived. She and Mike told them everything they knew, which was very little. When the police insisted that they back up the lane, she protested, but the police were adamant. They couldn’t risk there being any civilian casualties.

  The time dragged after that. The police used a loud-hailer to speak to Harold Dawson, trying to persuade him to let the hostages go. He refused all their pleas, ending the negotiations by firing the shotgun out of the window. Armed police officers were deployed to surround the house and everyone looked very tense. However, by the time midnight arrived, little progress had been made.

  Emma couldn’t imagine what it must be like for Daniel and the other hostage being caught up in such a drama. All she could do was hope that Harold Dawson would come to his senses and let them go. And if he did then she intended to tell Daniel the truth about how she felt. She loved him and she wasn’t going to lie about it, wasn’t going to pretend any more. She would tell him the truth—and hope that it meant something to him.

  Daniel could feel his nerves humming with tension. Ever since Dawson had fired that shot at the police, he had become increasingly unstable. Daniel knew that he was within a hairsbreadth of losing control and had no idea what would happen then. Somehow he had to get the old man talking and hopefully defuse the situation.

  ‘Why exactly are you so against this wind farm being built?’ he asked as Harold made another circuit of the room.

  ‘Because it shouldn’t be there, that’s why.’ Harold glowered at him but Daniel tried not to let it deter him.

  ‘You think it will spoil the countryside? ‘

  ‘’Course it will. Who wants to look at dozens of great lumps of metal? My Mary wouldn’t. That’s for sure.’

  ‘Mary’s your wife?’ Daniel said quickly, wanting to keep the conversation flowing.

  ‘Was. She died six years ago.’ Tears suddenly welled into the old man’s eyes. ‘She loved the view over those hills, did my Mary. There’s a meadow there that’s full of wildflowers in the spring and she always said it was the most beautiful place on God’s earth. Even when she was so ill that she couldn’t get out of bed most days, she’d ask me to take her up there. And now folks like him want to dig it all up and spoil it.’

  He jerked his thumb at Alistair, who blanched. Daniel realised that he had hit upon the real crux of the problem. Harold Dawson’s desire to stop the wind farm going ahead was all tied up with his late wife. He realised that he needed to tread warily.

  ‘No wonder you’re upset about what’s happening,’ he said quietly. ‘It must be
difficult to accept that a place which meant so much to your wife is going to change. But do you think Mary would have been happy about what you’re doing?’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Dawson demanded querulously.

  ‘Keeping us here and threatening us. Shooting at the police.’ Daniel shrugged. ‘What would Mary say if she knew that was what you were up to?’

  Harold Dawson stopped pacing; his expression was reflective. ‘My Mary hated guns. She wouldn’t even let me shoot rabbits when she was alive. Said it was cruel, she did.’

  ‘Then I doubt if she’d have approved of this, would she?’ Daniel held out his hand. ‘Why not give me the shotgun, Mr Dawson. Let’s stop this now before things get any worse.’

  Harold Dawson hesitated then slowly handed over the shotgun. Daniel carefully ejected the cartridges then placed it against the wall and stood up. ‘I suggest we tell the police that we’re coming out.’

  Dawson didn’t try to stop them as he and Alistair walked along the hall. Daniel cautiously opened the front door, shouting out that he and Alistair were coming out. Everything happened at great speed after that. The police came running towards them, some of the officers going straight into the house while others hurried him and Alistair away to safety. People were firing questions at him from all directions and he did his best to answer them, but he had caught sight of a figure standing just beyond the police cordon. Emma was here? She had cared enough to come and find him?

  His heart sang with joy as he walked straight past the policeman who was trying to speak to him. Emma had started walking too, ducking under the tape, so that they met in the middle of the lane. When he opened his arms, she stepped into them and it was then that he knew everything was going to be all right. How could it not be when the love of his life was here in his arms, her heart beating in time with his?

  He bent and kissed her, uncaring that everyone was watching them. He didn’t give a damn who knew how he felt so long as Emma knew it. Drawing back, he looked into her eyes, wanting there to be no more misunderstandings, either deliberate or accidental.