by V Clifford
She could feel and smell his rank mouth close to the side of her face. It triggered a memory. Nothing good. She tried again to pull her arm away. He darted his free hand between her thighs and grinned, exposing perfect white teeth. She pulled her lower half away and to her own astonishment gifted him with a Glasgow kiss. She’d connected her forehead with his nose and it was enough to cause a trickle of blood to escape onto his lip. He grinned again, his face reminding her of Jack Nicholson on a bad day. Suddenly he started roughly pulling at the zip of her trousers. She kicked and elbowed and although he dropped the scalpel, her aggression seemed to make him more determined, frenzied, aroused.
‘Bitch! Hold still!’ He fumbled with his own trouser zip. ‘I’m gonna give you just what you need.’
This man had lost the plot. Then out loud, ‘Like fuck you are.’ She punched his jaw beneath the chin. His teeth clashed and he yelped. Viv stopped abruptly with her fist in mid-air, and glared at the woman, taunting her, willing her to do something. The woman’s face showed all the right signs of alarm, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. Viv knew she had to choose her next words carefully. Almost in a whisper, she said, ‘So was rape part of the game plan?’ Viv never took her eyes off the woman, and watched as fear flitted across her face. ‘You going to stand by and watch while he rapes another woman?’ With each question she lowered her voice for the word ‘rape’.
The woman slowly stepped away from the door.
He yelled at her, ‘Don’t you dare!’
The woman’s face flashed with anger. And she took another step. ‘Let her go.’ Her voice unequivocal.
Viv gently gathered her breath. His grip gave slightly. He was obviously astonished to be addressed in this way. Viv remained still as he screwed up his eyes, and removed his hand from his flies.
He tightened his grip on Viv’s arm. ‘She needs to be taught a lesson.’
The woman snorted. ‘I don’t think so. She’s right, this . . .’ she nodded at his groin, ‘wasn’t in my game plan. Let her go.’ Her voice remained steady.
This was more than Viv could have hoped for. And she was able to think while the secretary did her work for her. Sanchez suddenly punched Viv’s shoulder again, and she almost fainted with the pain. She felt her colour drain and again bile rose. Huge though he was, between them they might be able to overcome him, although if she managed to get herself loose, her injured shoulder would prevent her doing much.
As if she had read Viv’s mind, the woman stepped forward again and with a smooth sweep grabbed a Big Bertha from the bag of clubs and took aim at Sanchez’ shins. She was no golfer but who was watching?
He screamed. ‘Nooooo!’
But she was well past the point of no return, and as she made contact with his thigh-bone he went down squealing like a pig, releasing Viv in the process. Viv staggered to avoid him and almost fell, but the woman, breathing as if she’d fought a prize fight, caught Viv’s elbow so she remained upright. Viv hobbled round to the telephone and dialled 999. The woman headed to the door, still holding the club, so Viv wasn’t inclined to pursue her. Viv shouted into the phone, ‘Police emergency at the Knightsfield golf pro shop!’
At first the woman struggled to undo the catch on the door but as soon as she managed, she glanced back at Sanchez, who ashen and breathless still squirmed on the floor. ‘The way you said ‘secretary’ − such contempt. I hadn’t heard that tone since I was at school.’ She nodded towards Viv. ‘She’s right. I was only a puppet to you.’
He gasped but nothing more came out and he fainted.
Rage rose up from the base of Viv’s spine and she stepped round to where he lay and sank a brutal kick into his groin. Where he was going he wouldn’t be needing those.
Chapter Twenty-Five
There was something honourable about the fact that the woman had left the Big Bertha propped neatly by the side of the door. Not exactly the work of a hardened criminal. Viv plonked herself down on a tweed-covered chair, designed for people buying wildly expensive golf shoes, and put her head in her hands. There wasn’t a muscle in her body not smarting. She wondered what their relationship had been; if it had been a tempestuous affair, or if that was what he’d been hoping for. The woman had had competition, what with Geraldine and the wife. A siren wailing in the distance was such a welcome sound that she felt her eyes daring to fill. When the door opened an officer ran in, and immediately knelt by Sanchez.
Viv could see how the situation looked and how easily it would be interpreted as her fault.
‘What’s been going on here?’
A second officer stood on the threshold with the door half open and spoke over his shoulder to the grounds-man outside. They seemed familiar with each other and Viv saw the officer squeeze the grounds-man’s hand. More than chums. Viv smiled.
The first officer spoke into his headset. ‘We need an ambulance here at Knightsfield. Asap. One male unconscious.’
Viv ‘s anger began to bubble. ‘He’s probably faking it.’
The officer shot her a look, which said, ‘I’ll get to you in a minute, lady.’
‘Look at me. D’you think I did all of this to myself?’
As he was about to answer a bulky shadow appeared in the doorway. DS Sandra Nicholson strode in, wearing civvies.
The officer said, ‘And who might you be?’
Red, as she was known to Viv, flashed her ID, and the guy nodded. ‘You’re looking a bit the worse for wear, Doc. Maybe you shouldn’t be allowed out.’
Viv’s eyes filled again. Never had she seen such a welcome sight. Choking on her relief she said, ‘How did you . . .’
Red grinned. ‘Marconi’s still playing the wild man. He called, said you might be needing help.’
‘But how could you know where . . .’
Red nodded to the grounds-man outside. ‘He phoned in to the local station and gave the registration of a car that Marconi had tagged. The rest as they say is . . . just the beginning. But let’s get you sorted. That shoulder’s not looking too cocky.’
When Viv went to stand up her legs gave way and she staggered back onto the chair.
‘Whoa there, Doc. You stay put. I’ll get you an ambulance.’
‘I’m not going anywhere with that.’ Viv pointed at Sanchez, who was coming round.
‘Feeling’s mutual, you filthy bitch.’
Red stared from one to the other.
Viv watched as comprehension flitted over Red’s face. Sanchez’ zip was still undone and Viv’s shirt and trousers were dishevelled.
Red raised her eyebrows in a question and Viv nodded. ‘There was another . . .’
‘Yes, we got her as she was racing up the drive. She was in the tagged car.’
‘She tried to . . .’
Red’s tone softened and she positioned herself between Viv and Sanchez. ‘Don’t worry. We’ll get to the whys and what fors. You just chill.’
A young female PC was instructed to sit with Viv while Red took over the admin. Another siren marked the arrival of the ambulance. Sanchez wasn’t moving anywhere with his mashed thigh, but it didn’t stop him from making promises of retribution through gritted teeth. The sooner they got him removed the better for his own sake, since he was digging his own injudicious grave where he was.
Wrapped in a blanket Viv was accompanied by a female paramedic to the ambulance.
Red nodded to her and said, ‘You going to be okay?’
Viv stared back and bit her cheek. Red threw her car keys to a PC and said, ‘Follow the ambulance.’ Then she crouched in beside Viv on a bench that wasn’t intended for people her size. Red was all muscle and stood almost six feet tall, a mane of dark ginger curls was held neatly at the base of her occipital bone by a bronze clip. A fine-boned freckled face seemed incongruently pretty for her size. Viv imagined a more horsey face for that body.
‘Thanks, Red. How many times is it now?’
Red winked. ‘Getting to be too many to count, Doc. People do all manne
r of things to get my attention, but I’ve got to give it to you girl for creativity.’
She rubbed Viv’s hand and Viv put her other hand over the top. ‘Thank God that woman, the secretary, decided to switch teams . . . although it’d take a certain kind of psycho to stand and watch another woman being raped.’
‘Don’t you believe it. I’ve seen more than my fair share of women who’d do worse things than any man.’ Red shook her head. ‘D’you think he’d have gone through with it?’
Viv thought for a minute. ‘He’d got himself into a frenzy. A state where his rage had become sexual.’ Viv pulled her little pick out of the heel of her boot and held it up. ‘This was all I had left.’
Red took it and touched the point of it with her index finger. She immediately drew blood. ‘What had you planned to do with it?’
‘The only place I know where it would make a dramatic difference would be his eye.’
Red squirmed and handed it back. She sucked her finger and nodded. ‘Yep, I can see that working.’
‘Thank God Big Bertha came to the rescue. It would have taken every cell of hatred in my body to stick that in someone’s eye.’ She grinned. ‘I was close, though. The odd thing is that when you’re in the middle of an attack, you’re not quite convinced that it is really happening. It was as if I was having an out-of-body experience. Sure, he’s hauling at my zip and then at his own, but it seemed unreal. Almost farcical.’
Red nodded again, ‘You’ll not be the first woman who has shut off her reason when being attacked.’
‘No, no, it wasn’t like that.’
Red interrupted. ‘Yeah, and you’re not the first to say that either. Let’s wait until we’ve had you sorted before we get down to details.’
From that area of East Lothian, the Royal Infirmary was easily accessible, a quick journey. Viv was taken straight to A&E. There were no smokers outside the building, and the waiting area was quiet. She saw no sign of Sanchez and was grateful for it.
The first doctor to look at her shoulder was a slightly built Asian man. ‘It’s dislocated. I can reset it without anaesthetic but it will hurt.’
Viv looked at Red, but Red turned away, obviously squeamish at the thought. ‘Go ahead. It can’t be much more painful than it is now.’
‘Oh, you’ll be instantly relieved,’ the doctor reassured her.
‘Okay, go for it.’ She clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes tight shut.
Red took Viv’s other hand as the doctor pulled and turned Viv’s arm in ways that seemed impossible for any human body. Then he did a manoeuvre so quickly that neither Viv nor Red could believe it was over. The relief was instantaneous.
Viv looked at her shoulder, back in its normal position. ‘Wow. Is that it?’
The doctor made a tiny bow with his head and gave her a slight smile. She could see he was chuffed with what he’d done. ‘Well done. I didn’t feel anything.’
‘You might later.’ He nodded and left.
A nurse bustled in and began to clean up her cuts and bruises. This was excruciating and she winced with each gentle stroke.
Red laughed. ‘Man up, Doc. I thought we’d be peeling you off the roof with what he’s just done. I couldn’t even look.’
Red’s phone rang and the nurse shot her a side glare. Red held it up and said, ‘I’ll have to take this.’ And headed into the corridor. When she returned she was blowing out a long breath and shaking her head. ‘You gotta give it to some of these guys.’
Viv’s brows furrowed in a question.
Red gestured to the right. ‘Our man is still yelling that he’s going to sort you out.’ She tutted. ‘Cuffs not making a single bit of difference. I think he’s suffering from God syndrome. What did you do to him?’ Then she raised her hands and batted Viv’s potential answer into submission. ‘Later. Later. I’m guessing he’ll end up in a psych ward.’
‘That’d be ironic, famous neuro-psychologist on the wrong side of the door of a locked ward. Don’t suppose he’ll be the first. Fine line between sane and insane.’
Once the nurse was finished Viv thanked her, and she and Red made their way to the front entrance. How extraordinary it was that hospitals dealt with the beginning and end of life and everything in between. Within a few seconds Red’s car pulled up with the PC at the wheel. He leapt out to open the door.
Red waved him off and opened the back door for Viv. ‘Chill, you can drive us back to St Leonard’s. I’d like to find out more about our lunatic professor. He can’t possibly be what he says he is.’ She grinned at Viv. ‘Unless you want to go straight home?’
‘No chance.’
Red rubbed her hands together. ‘I thought as much.’
Viv was shattered but desperate to find out what, if anything, Sanchez had been up to. ‘Sure, I’m up for that. A few Paracetamol will do the trick.’
‘Absolutely sure?’
Viv nodded. ‘Yep. I’ll let you know if I’m done in.’ She tried to stretch her arm and wondered how long it would be before she’d be able to cut layers again. She imagined herself in the shower, but felt queasy at the idea of water gushing through the gash on her head. She tried to recall the worst of the attack, starting in the car. She must have pushed her elbow up to protect her head from the crow bar, or whatever metal pole he’d been wielding. If she hadn’t reacted so quickly, he could easily have killed her. But that didn’t make sense, he’d needed her alive.
‘You okay, Doc?’ Red looked concerned.
‘Sure, just feeling manky, but no worries, an extra hour won’t kill me.’
Chapter Twenty-Six
As they pulled into the car park at St Leonards, Mac stood leaning on the roof of his Audi with a mobile clamped to his ear. When he noticed Viv he cut the call and marched round to open the car door for her.
She put her good hand up to stop him from speaking. In the past when Mac had turned up to rescue her she’d started to bubble and here was certainly not the place for that caper.
‘I’m fine. On a scale of one to ten I’m probably at five, six at a push. So whatever you do don’t be nice to me.’
Red flashed him a look, which Viv caught and understood to be a back-off-for-now gesture. The four then entered St Leonards with Viv, Red and Mac making their way through the busy reception. Once beyond a set of secure doors they took the stairs up to an office with a conference table, chairs, a coffee machine and a bank of windows facing onto the main road.
Viv collapsed into a chair. ‘Right, let’s get this done.’
‘D’you need coffee or something to eat?’
Viv glanced at the machine. It was still early enough in the day for the brew to be drinkable. ‘Why not?’
Just then the PC knocked on the door and brought in a plate of pastries. Viv spotted one with custard in it and pointed. ‘I think that one’s got my name on it.’
Red shook her head. ‘What are you like? I’d be feeling like rolling into my own grave if I’d been through what you have.’
Viv threw her a weak smile. ‘Stamina’s not what it might be, but still I couldn’t overlook a custard pastry.’
Mac said, ‘Look, we need to rule Sanchez out of all the stuff that happened up in Doune. It’s bad enough with the beating, kidnapping and attempted rape; but we’ve got all the attacks on you and the property, not to mention the dog.’
At the mention of Moll, Viv welled up. Instinctively her hands reached for her face. She winced and with her good hand she rubbed the bits that she could.
Mac continued. ‘You sure you’re okay to do this? It could easily wait.’
Red glanced at Mac and shook her head. ‘The sooner we get this over the better.’
So with a recorder on and Red with a pen poised, Viv began to tell all that she could remember; from the first attack on the drive at Sal’s, through the stone toppling on Inchmaholme, the slashed tyre, the next attack at Sal’s, being driven off the road on her way home from doing Gail’s hair, and finally the kidnap. ‘By the way, w
hat have you got on the guy that was found in his office? Who was he?’
Mac said, ‘Whoever he is, he’s related to Sanchez.’
Viv nodded and continued. ‘Makes sense . . . But listen, I don’t think the incidents up at Inchmaholme had anything to do with him. I think whoever did those intended a malicious attack on the police. It wouldn’t surprise me if Mr Byron Ponsonby was responsible for those. Sanchez’ attacks were personal. He’s totally homophobic. I mean we are talkin’ pathologically homophobic. And I think we’ll find that he was, or still is, married to my ex Dawn’s sister. ’ She saw Red glance at Mac, who said, ‘You know about Dawn, right?’
Red replied slowly, ‘Well, I knew that there had been someone.’ Unable to find the right word she hesitated. ‘Significant.’
Viv smiled. ‘You could say that. But she’s proving to be more significant in death than when we were together. Sanchez got it into his head that the family, i.e. him, should have inherited Dawn’s legacy. Nerve. He’s not even related. His wife is but not him, and as far as I know he’s no longer with the wife.’ She shook her head and instantly regretted it.
Both Red and Mac raised their eyebrows in a question. Red said, ‘And?’
‘And nothing. Dawn left everything she owned to me. If I’d known just how much hassle it would be I’d have refused . . . come to think about it I did refuse, but the solicitor was having none of it and set up the trust. Told me to forget about it.’ Her eyes rose towards the ceiling. ‘I wonder.’
Mac said, ‘What do you wonder?’
‘I wonder if the solicitor has anything to do with this. Given that it was so easy for Sanchez to get into his system. Aren’t they supposed to have all kinds of protection? Actually forget that. I’m just thinking out loud. Sal’s solicitor’s account was also hacked. Funnily enough Sanchez doesn’t strike me as a guy with enough endurance to be a hacker.’ Then she smiled. ‘It’s probably the secretary.’ She nodded. ‘Yep. He’ll have exploited her skills and fed her a line about . . .’
