Christmas in Peppercorn Street

by Anna Jacobs

  ‘No. During the past two years I’ve learnt to be careful what I do.’

  ‘Did you recognise anything about the man?’ Eric asked.

  ‘It could be Martin. You’re right. He does stand like that. Only I can’t be absolutely sure it’s him because it’s not fully light enough yet and he’s got his face covered. If he’s trying to keep out of sight, he’s not doing a good job of it. Martin gets restless, hates standing still or having nothing to do.’

  The dog nudged her and whined. ‘Look, Helly urgently needs to go out. I can take her out on the lead at the front of the house. She’s usually very quick in the morning. I’ll bring her straight back in, I promise.’

  Eric had a think, then nodded. ‘As long as I can see this chap, whoever it is, you should be safe enough, Claire, but be as quick as you can, and try to keep quiet. In the meantime I’m going to phone the police. Luke, if you stand by the front door, I’ll shout if he moves and Claire can come in.’ He did not like guns, or the people who used them.

  A couple of minutes later, Claire came back inside with Helly. She passed Eric on the landing on her way up. ‘I’d better go up and wake the girls, tell them what’s happening. They could sleep for England, those two could.’

  ‘Tell them not to put any lights on.’

  Luke followed her and they both stopped at the top as Dee came out of her bedroom.

  ‘I heard voices. Is something wrong, Dad?’

  ‘Don’t put any lights on.’

  ‘Why not?’

  She stared in horror as they explained about Martin lurking outside and what they thought he was intending to do.

  ‘Kill our dog? He can’t. You won’t let him hurt Helly, will you, Dad?’

  ‘Of course not.’

  Eric said in a low voice from where he was still keeping watch at the landing window, ‘The police are on their way. This is a matter for them to deal with. I certainly don’t carry a gun. I think we’d better phone Angus and warn him to stay inside his house as well. Do you have his phone number, Luke?’

  ‘Yes. Actually, I know it by heart. I keep meaning to put it on my phone, but it’s so easy to remember that I’ve never got round to it.’ He recited the number and Eric keyed it in and quickly outlined what was going on to Angus.

  When he’d finished the call, he said, ‘You people should wake Gabby and it might be better for you all to wait in one of the front bedrooms. We don’t want any stray bullets hitting you.’

  ‘He wouldn’t fire at the house, surely?’ Luke asked.

  ‘If he’s on drugs, who knows what he’ll do? Depending on what he’s on, he could be hallucinating big time. And keep the dog with you. We don’t want her getting hurt either.’

  Dee immediately grabbed Helly’s collar. ‘Your bedroom, Dad?’

  ‘Yes. You go in. We’ll fetch Gabby.’

  When they were all there, Luke shut the door of his bedroom to make sure Helly couldn’t get out. She kept looking from one person to the other, as if uncertain what was going on, instinctively aware that it wasn’t good.

  He gestured to the bed. ‘Why don’t you girls get under the covers and keep warm? I’d turn up the central heating sooner than it’s programmed to start, but the control box is in the kitchen and I think we’d better stay put here.’

  The girls did this, sitting close together in the middle of the bed.

  He flourished one hand at Claire. ‘How about you and I get in at each side of these two? It’s a six-foot wide bed. We’ll all four fit in if we don’t mind cuddling up, and I for one enjoy a good cuddle. But no tickling.’ He waggled his eyebrows at the girls, who both giggled.

  And, Claire thought, if we’re at the outer edges of the bed, that’ll also make sure the children can’t get out easily. Great organisation, Luke.

  She quickly went to the nearest side of the bed and slipped under the covers, then realised that she was next to Dee, not her own daughter. Smiling at the girl, she blew a kiss at Gabby across her as she pulled the covers up round their bodies.

  When Luke got into the other side, he drew Gabby into a close cuddle and she went to him willingly.

  That man was full of love as well as kindness, Claire thought. From what he’d said, he must have been very lonely. So had she, in spite of having Gabby to look after.

  It was now light enough to see the little girl look up at him with such adoration that Claire got a lump in her throat.

  Gabby sighed happily and brought tears to her mother’s eyes by adding, ‘This is just like being a real family, isn’t it?’

  Dee smiled at Claire, then turned the other way and winked at her father. ‘Yes. It is. I like it.’

  ‘So do I,’ Luke said.

  His next sigh wasn’t a blissful one, though. ‘I hate to spoil this love-in, but I think we’d better keep quiet and listen to what’s going on.’

  But nothing seemed to be happening and after a few moments, Gabby sagged sideways against Luke and closed her eyes.

  Soon she was breathing slowly and deeply.

  The sight of her innocent face against Luke’s pyjamas twisted Claire’s heart strings. She saw him look lovingly at his daughter, on the other side of Gabby. Dee was now snuggling against Claire.

  The whole thing brought a lump to Claire’s throat. As her daughter had said, it felt as if they really were a family. She couldn’t help longing for this to continue.

  Did she dare hope for that?

  Or would Martin spoil things for them again?

  Did Luke really mean it about developing feelings for her? The last thing she wanted to do was take advantage of him if all he felt was general kindness and an obligation to help people in trouble.

  The thought of Martin bringing a gun and staking out the house made her shudder and feel sick inside. Surely he wouldn’t use it?

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Outside Martin shivered and cursed under his breath as he waited for the people in Number 4 to get up and let that damned dog out for what he intended to be its last ever attempt to ‘be a good girl’ – of all the stupid phrases to use.

  He looked at the house sourly. Why were they still in bed? Lazy devils. He wanted to get this over and done with before other people were about.

  But when he looked at his watch it wasn’t yet eight o’clock, which accounted for the poor light. Perhaps it would be better if they didn’t let the dog out till he could see more clearly. He didn’t want to miss.

  He began to practise his calming breathing, but it didn’t seem to work very well today, because he’d taken some stuff and was all hyped up. Well, he needed to be fast on his feet to be sure of killing that dog and getting away without anyone seeing him.

  But the slow minutes passed and no one appeared or let the dog out. ‘Come on!’ he muttered. ‘Come on, damn you.’ He was ready. After that, he’d wait a few days and make preparations for snatching his daughter. He’d take her somewhere no one would ever find her again.

  He glanced round. No one had seen him this time, because he hadn’t come up through the grounds belonging to that nosey, interfering sod at the big house. He’d parked his car in the next street, which ran parallel with Peppercorn Street and had an alley connecting the top end of both streets. It ran along the side of Number 5 and didn’t look as if it got much use. The paving was all cracked and there were dead weeds along the edges. The local council ought to keep their footpaths in better condition.

  Pity he hadn’t noticed the alley before. He should have studied the street map more carefully.

  He wouldn’t make that mistake again. He never made the same mistake twice. He was a better learner than anyone he knew.

  He thought he’d heard a car draw up a while ago in Peppercorn Street somewhere near the top, but as there was still no sign of activity in the house he was watching, he’d relaxed again. Someone going to another house.

  It meant people were starting to get up, and about time. He was cold and fed up of waiting. ‘Come on!’ he repeated.
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br />   ‘What is Eric doing at that house anyway?’ Hilary muttered. ‘Apart from that woman letting her dog out just after we arrived, there hasn’t been any sign of movement there.’

  ‘Who knows? He’s probably waiting for the police to arrive and just keeping watch.’

  ‘I should try to find Martin. I’m sure I could talk sense into him more easily than anyone else. I will if something doesn’t happen soon. You know how impatient he gets.’

  Tom didn’t say anything but he clicked all the door locks on.

  She jerked her head round to stare at him. ‘What did you just do?’

  ‘Locked the car doors. You’re not getting out of it till the police have sorted everything out.’

  The look she threw at him would have curdled milk. ‘Even if I could help Martin to calm down?’

  ‘Especially so.’

  He was regretting following Eric now, whatever she’d threatened. He should just have driven her home.

  They heard the occasional sound of cars further down the street, presumably people leaving for work. Then a large black vehicle drove slowly to the top and stopped in front of the house, followed by a police car.

  Tom whistled softly at the sight of the occupants of the unmarked vehicle. ‘It’s an armed squad. Martin must be threatening to use the gun.’

  ‘He won’t do that. It’s just bravado.’ But Hilary’s voice quavered and she looked at him as if pleading for him to agree with her.

  He couldn’t. Because he thought Martin must be in an agitated enough state to do anything if he’d gone to the trouble of acquiring a gun. Tom had never even touched a gun and he didn’t have a clue how you got hold of one apart from visiting a gun shop.

  Officers in dark outfits and what looked like bulletproof vests got out of the first car, their faces grim and determined. Two of them ran to the top end of the cul-de-sac and disappeared down what looked like someone’s drive.

  A police officer got out of the second car and came across to them, so Tom wound down his window.

  ‘I wonder if you’d mind leaving the street, sir. We have an incident going on and we don’t want anyone to get hurt.’

  Hilary answered before Tom could stop her. ‘I think it’s our son who’s involved. I could talk to him for you, persuade him to give himself up.’

  The officer took out her phone and relayed this information to someone, then put it away again, shaking her head.

  ‘We’d rather you stayed out of it, madam. The man in question is in a very unstable state of mind, I’m afraid. I have orders to take away your car keys, sir. Please stay inside the vehicle.’

  Tom took the keys out, handing them over, then closed the window. He turned in his seat to keep an eye on Hilary. He wasn’t giving her any chance to get out and do something rash.

  She sat scowling first at him then at the officer, who was still standing nearby as if guarding them.

  Martin wasn’t the only one in an unstable condition, Tom thought. He’d never seen his wife so upset. He’d better be ready to grab her if she tried to get out.

  Caitlin, who was watching the street from the front of the house, saw the police cars stop and two dark-clad officers walk up to the top of the cul-de-sac. After a few moments, two others came towards the house, accompanied by a sergeant in uniform. They had guns in holsters. She called out to let Eric know they’d arrived.

  ‘I’ll go and let them in, Caitlin. You keep watch on the back.’

  He opened the front door and let the officers come inside.

  ‘Can you show me the intruder without him seeing me?’ the female officer asked. ‘And we need to know how to get out into the back garden.’

  Caitlin took the male shooter and a uniformed officer downstairs while Eric showed the female up to the landing window, then waited nearby in case he could be of further assistance.

  The officer stood watching what was going on outside, using her mobile to tell someone exactly what she could see.

  She stayed on the phone, not speaking till he heard the faint sound of someone at the other end. ‘OK. We’ll do that.’

  She put the mobile away. ‘The other squad has got round to the back via the drive and is now behind him in the gardens of the big house. They’re closing in on the guy as quietly as they can. He’s not holding the gun at the ready and doesn’t look as if he’s used to handling guns, so hopefully their main job will be to keep him from escaping. I’m going downstairs now in case I’m needed.’

  She paused to ask, ‘Just one thing: where are the people who live here? We don’t want them getting caught in any cross-fire.’

  He explained about sending them into the front bedroom and telling Janey next door to make sure she and Winifred kept to the front of the house as well.

  ‘Well done.’ She peered out of the window again. ‘If you ask me he’s very jittery. I bet he’s high on something. What’s his wife like?’

  ‘His ex-wife. Nice woman, nice kid, surprising that she’s his child. There’s a dog as well, but it’s shut in the bedroom with the family.’

  ‘Good. Let’s hope they have the sense to stay there.’

  ‘They will, I’m sure.’

  ‘Well, let’s go downstairs and get it over with.’

  Hilary couldn’t stand the waiting any longer. She watched the uniformed police officer pacing to and fro in the street. She’d wait until the woman was at the furthest point from their car before she made her move.

  She picked up her handbag, trying to seem casual.

  ‘Do not think of doing anything except waiting here for the police to sort things out,’ Tom warned her.

  ‘I have to blow my nose, don’t I? Or do you want me to sit here with snot dribbling down my face?’

  She felt in her bag, took out her own car keys and used them to unlock the door, covering the sound with a cough. Then she kept them where she could grab them quickly. As the police officer again neared the furthest point of her pacing, she took hold of the keys and flung them at Tom, followed by the handbag. She was out of the vehicle before he could stop her.

  Then she ran as fast as she could towards the house, yelling at the top of her voice, ‘Get away from there, Martin! Get away!’

  The police officer chased after her.

  ‘Oh, you idiot!’ Tom said softly as he watched.

  She managed to get into the front garden of the house, still yelling at her son to get away, and slammed the gate on her pursuer.

  At the same time as Hilary was preparing to escape, one of the officers creeping up the slope behind the man with the gun trod on a twig which snapped loudly enough for the sound to carry.

  The intruder swung round, gesturing wildly with the weapon at the sight of them and yelling, ‘Keep back! Keep right back or I’ll shoot!’

  ‘Police. Drop your weapon!’ the officer called. ‘Drop it and lie face down.’

  But the man paid no attention and continued to wave the weapon about. ‘No! I’m a crack shot. You back off. I’ll get that dog if it’s the last thing I do.’

  ‘Dog?’ one of them muttered to the other. ‘What the hell is he talking about? Can you see a dog?’

  ‘No. I can just see some nutcase threatening us with a gun. He must be hallucinating.’

  When the first man repeated his call to surrender, Martin fired at him, but missed by a mile, then began yelling, ‘Helly! Helly, come on out. Good dog! Good dog!’

  ‘I reckon he’s high on something. There’s definitely no sign of a dog.’

  The officers dropped to the ground, but Martin stayed where he was, pointing the gun to one side then the other, yelling and cursing at them, threatening what he would do if they came near him.

  Another call to surrender made him raise the gun and aim it at them. A shot ploughed into the ground near one officer.

  ‘That was too close for comfort.’

  ‘He’s not going to give himself up. Better see if you fire really close to him and make him drop the gun.’

  Hi
s companion took careful aim and Martin yelled and dropped to the ground, but didn’t let go of the gun. He rolled over and fired at them again but fortunately the bullet whizzed harmlessly to one side, as the others had done.

  ‘Crack shot indeed,’ one officer muttered.

  ‘He might hit someone by mistake if he goes on firing so wildly. We’ll have to stop him. See if you can hit him somewhere not fatal.’

  His companion took careful aim, this time hitting Martin in the leg which made him screech with pain and roll about.

  A woman’s voice could be heard from the direction of the house, yelling at someone to get away from her.

  The officers ran to the fallen man, one putting his foot on the hand still holding the gun while his companion twisted the other arm behind his back and then took the gun away from him.

  He whipped round in surprise as the yelling started again, only closer this time, and a woman ran across the back garden of the house with a uniformed female officer chasing her. But the officer tripped and fell on the uneven ground, so the woman got out of the back gate and ran towards them.

  ‘Get back!’ he yelled, but she paid no attention and flung herself at them. ‘Leave him alone! Leave my son alone!’

  ‘Hell, it’s his mother. What next? Pink elephants? Get her off me.’

  But she’d seen the blood. ‘He’s hurt. You’ve shot him. Get off him, you brutes!’

  To add to the weirdness of this incident, the woman’s arrival seemed to upset the injured guy all over again and he erupted into action, ignoring the pain and trying to get away from the officer aside.

  He began yelling and screaming at her. ‘Get away from me, you old fool. Get the hell away!’

  ‘It’s me, your mother. Martin, why are you doing this? Stop it!’

  ‘I’d have shot them both and got away if you hadn’t spoilt things. You always spoil things. Why was I cursed with a stupid mother like you? Get away from me.’ And he somehow found the strength to fling her aside.