The Wishing Well

by Jilly Bowling

  “We haven’t found anything.”

  “Now look, I don’t want to hurt you, but Bert’s got a grudge against that fellow of yours, so...,” he shrugged as Jakeman put his gun down and walked towards her leering nastily.

  * * *

  Luckily the weather had stayed fine and the groups of men had covered a lot of ground but so far they had found nothing out of the ordinary. As he studied the detailed map in front of him Roman was trying to think like Bert Jakeman. It had to be within easy reach of the cottage but isolated so nobody knew he was there. There were a few derelict cottages dotted around the moor but none in the right vicinity. As he was mulling things over the radio squawked. “Hello Phil.”

  “Roman we think we’ve found something. There’s a slight smell of woodsmoke near one of the holiday homes and as far as anyone knows the owners aren’t down this weekend. Haven’t been down since last autumn. It’s the Stowes cottage.”

  “Right let the swat team know the coordinates and don’t do anything, we’re on our way.”

  * * *

  The swat team burst into the cottage shouting “Armed police, put your gun down and your hands on your head.”

  Then there were shouts of `Clear` and the leader of the team said over the radio “We’ve found a woman, tied to a bed, no one else in the house.”

  Roman followed Inspector Greaves inside and up the stairs to discover Louisa being released from the ropes that tied her to the bed. She was in tears and when she saw Roman she flung herself at him sobbing “They’re coming back to kill me.”

  He shook her gently and said “Who?”

  “Bert Jakeman and that little weasel Hawkey.”

  “But why do they want to kill you?”

  “Because I know what they do.”

  “What’s that?”

  “ColinHawkey deals in under the counter gold and silver, no questions asked, and he’s got a side line in dealing cocaine.”

  “But what’s that got to do with Wishing Well cottage and Bella?”

  “I don’t know apart from the fact after Lucy died they used the cottage to store stolen goods and cocaine.”

  “Where are they now?” Roman asked, a cold feeling stealing over him.

  “Gone to the cottage to search for something.”

  Roman handed her over to Inspector Greaves and said “Thank god I took her to The Manor this morning.”

  “Right,” Greaves said, “call the men off the search and you men come with me.”

  “I’m coming too,” Roman said following Greaves and the swat team out.

  Greaves didn’t argue as they hurried to follow the quickest route to Wishing Well; the moor didn’t allow for much speed, unwary walkers often broke a leg or ankle on its treacherous terrain. When they drew within sight of the cottage Roman said “They’re here, that van must be theirs.”

  The swat team deployed around the cottage and one of the black clad figures crawled to the front window and stuck a small transmitter to it. As he crawled away he whispered into his radio that there were two men and a woman in the front room. Roman went to run forward but two of the men grabbed him while Greaves said “Don’t be silly son, leave it to the experts.”

  “But it could be Bella.”

  “She’s at The Manor, just take it easy and let the swat team do their job.”

  Then his radio squawked and eh answered it walking away from Roman as he did so, then he swore violently.

  Roman grabbed his shoulder “What?”

  “Some of the men who were searching have got back to The Manor. Hamish was barking hysterically so they went in to see what was wrong and found Mrs. Bainbridge gagged and tied to a chair, but otherwise unhurt. “Jakeman and a man named Hawkey have got Bella,” as he finished he waved two of the swat team forward and said “make sure Mr Cowle doesn’t do anything stupid.”

  * * *

  In the cottage Bella was becoming more and more frightened. Jakeman had put his gun down taken out a knife and was holding it to her face.

  “Roman Cowle won` want yow no more once I mark yow up proper,” he said his foul breath making her gag.

  Colin Hawkey too had put his gun down and was standing behind her holding her head still “Now look here girl, that treasure is mine by rights. Been searching for it for years, then that Lucy and Maurice found it and brought it to me to sell. I know there’s a lot more, you see it was my ancestors who stole it and the story has passed down from generation to generation about how big a haul it was.”

  “Look, I haven’t found anymore. I mean, I was down that well for hours and all that’s in there is silt.”

  “Lucy got the lot out. I know. Knew they were trying to cheat me, it’s here somewhere and I intend to have it. Tell me where it is or Bert will cut you.”

  Jakeman grinned lasciviously at her. “Then I might have a go at what Roman Cowle’s `ad a taste of.”

  The knife touched her cheek, there was a loud explosion which blew in the front door, knocking Hawkey off his feet and Bella kicked Jakeman in the genitals as hard as she could, causing him to double over screaming like a pig.

  Black suited men with guns rushed through the kitchen and into the living room, and within seconds Hawkey and Jakeman were handcuffed and lying spread eagled on the floor, Jakeman still screaming at the agony between his legs. Bella was untied and led outside, where Roman shrugged off his guards and rushed to her. “Are you alright, do you need medical attention?”

  “I’m ok,” she said as she relaxed into his arms.

  Later they sat in the kitchen at The Manor and Bella and Molly Bainbridge gave their statements.

  “So you’ve no idea what he was looking for?” Greaves asked.

  “I assume it was more coins like the ones Aunt Lucy found all those years ago.”

  “And you’ve never seen any of them?”

  “No, to be honest I don’t even know if they exist.”

  “But your Aunt found some and sold them through Colin Hawkey.”

  “From what her last letter said, yes.”

  “You’ll need to inform the liaisons officer and the coroner,” Greaves told her, “It’s illegal to sell treasure trove without their knowledge.”

  “I didn’t know,” Bella bit her lip.

  “Don’t worry about it love,” Roman said “It’s got nothing to do with you. I’ll get my solicitor onto it.”

  “Yes, you must have been a child when it was found. As long as you’re up front now there should be no problem.” He got up to leave, “well I’ll leave you folks to settle down.”

  “By the way,” Bella asked “What’s happened to Louisa?”

  “She’s been taken back to the clinic,” Greaves shook his head, “evidently Hawkey told her Roman had sent him to bring her home. It was her that initiated the first few things that happened here, then Jakeman got mixed up with Hawkey, and in the end they worried that she knew too much. They were going back to kill her and Jakeman had, um, assaulted her. Her trustees are taking her back to the clinic, evidently she kept crying for Daisy.”

  “What a mess all round,” Bella sighed.

  “Mmm, and all because Lucy didn’t report her find. She’d have got a fair finders reward you know.”

  “She was old and naive,” Roman said, “and desperate to help her niece, Daisy.”

  The inspector stood up, shook hands with Roman and patted Bella’s shoulder “Don’t worry, there will be no blame fall on you.”

  After he left Bella turned to Roman and said “They’ll take Daisy’s trust fund away won’t they?”

  “I don’t know love, but don’t worry we’ll make sure she’s alright.”

  Bella shook her head “Just when things seem to have settled down, something else happens. Now the cottage has no doors and all m
y work there’s been wasted.”

  Roman hugged her “No it hasn’t, I’ve sent some men up already to fix the doors and tidy up. That swat team knew what they were doing, there’s hardly any mess inside. I’ll take you over tomorrow to see what else needs doing.”

  * * *

  When they arrived at the cottage the next morning Bella was relieved to see that Roman had been right. Apart from the doors and a few score marks along the old stones by the front door the cottage was as it had been before the door had been blown in.

  Charlie and his team were making great headway, some of his men were putting up the A frames for the roof while others started to take up the old flags.

  “Bit of a shock when I arrived this morning,” Charlie said, “you’ve had an interesting weekend.”

  Roman blew out a breath “Don’t want any more like it I can tell you. I’d like a peaceful life from now on.”

  “So, Bert Jakeman was behind all your troubles?”

  “Yes, along with some others.”

  “Heard that Louisa Patterson was mixed up in it. Locked up again so they tell me.”

  “She’s in a clinic again, needs some more time to get better.”

  Charlie nodded knowingly “Let’s hope nobody fills the gap left by Hawkey. We don’t want any more local kids getting messed up by the likes of him.”

  “No, that’s true.” Roman said, “right how far have you got and are there any problems?”

  “No, things are going sweet as a nut, so far. But say no more, don’t want to jinx the job.”

  They went off to look at what was being done and Charlie pointed out how well the flags were coming up. “We’ll be able to use them again, no trouble,” he said.

  While they were watching the men, one said “What the hell is that?” And they went to have a look.

  The workman had struck something metallic with his pick and as he pulled the slab out of the way a metal box could be seen nestling in the soil. Roman went and picked it up and lifted it out into the open. When he opened it there was a gasp from the men who’d gathered round to see what was happening. Gold and silver shone in the spring sunshine, the box was full of old coins.

  Seven Months Later

  Bella sat in the warm early October sun, nursing her baby, while looking out over the garden that Roman’s men were putting the finishing touches to. Lucy’s old vegetable plot had been made into a sunken rock garden and the old well stood behind it, fully repaired. She was sitting on a flagged terrace made from the old flagstones, at the back of her wonderful new home.

  The barn conversion was a triumph of architecture, blending old with new seamlessly. Giant windows stood in what had been the gap between the two old barns, and the space in between was a delightful light dining room. A modern kitchen gleamed through an archway to the right, while still looking very comfortable and countryfied. The sitting room and four bedrooms, all with ensuites, were to the left with small windows to the front, to stay in keeping with the old barn, but at the back large windows, which looked out over the moor, made the whole place light and airy.

  Bella and Roman’s son, Lucas Carrington Cowle had been born three weeks earlier, at home with no fuss at all, and they couldn’t be happier.Their wedding in July had been a joyous affair for the whole neighbourhood, with dancing in the marquee, set up at The Manor, going on until the early hours of the next day. People were still talking about how fantastic the whole day had been. Now they were planning the christening which would take place in the church in Widecombe, and they had no doubt that the whole neighbourhood would be there once again.

  The inside of Wishing Well cottage was being gutted, ready for when Bella started making things again, but for the moment she was happy to simply be a mother.

  Lucas was a good baby sleeping well and quite happy to take in everything around him when he wasn’t.

  The Manor hotel and events venue would be open in December and bookings had been flooding in for weeks, thanks to the brochure Bella had designed about its history and the smugglers tunnel.

  Lucy’s treasure trove was in the hands of the Treasure valuation committee and they were waiting to hear whether they owed the treasury money and if Daisy’s trust fund would be untouched.

  She heard the noise of Roman’s land rover on the drive and smiled as he came round the side of the house. He made a beeline for Lucas saying as he picked him up “And how’s my little soldier today?”

  “As good as gold as usual.”

  Roman sat down in one of the rattan chairs next to her and leaned over for a kiss. “Then all’s right with the world.”

  Also Available