Bromington Heights

by Trisha Kelly

  By now, Jane’s face was almost touching Mildred’s. Never in her life had she ever been this angry.

  “You heard her. I don’t think you’ll be needing this,” said Izzy, who was leaning menacingly with her foot against the wall. Neither had heard her come in to the toilets. With that, Izzy snapped the walking stick clean in two across her shin. “You know the way out.”

  “Could you get me a cab? I don’t feel at all well,” Mildred gasped to a passing waiter when she finally left the ladies toilet. All she saw on the way out was Walter, Jane, Anna and Rosie sharing a group hug among much laughter and chatter. Nobody even looked in her direction. She was a nothing.

  Michael, oblivious to any of it, managed a few mouthfuls of his rib-eye steak before the taxi pulled up outside.

  “We have to leave – now. I’m not well.” Mildred put her coat on and couldn’t wait to get outside.

  “No doubt it was your fish,” Michael spat out to the manager who assured him their food was only of the highest standard but insisted on waiving all charges as a gesture of goodwill.

  “Excuse me, Sir. There’s a call for you.”

  “For me?” Matt was puzzled.

  “You are a policeman?”

  “Yes.” Matt stood and walked to reception. Hello?”

  “Albert Winston is hiding in the bushes to the rear of the conservatory. He has a bottle of cyanide.” The phone clicked dead.

  “We have a dangerous situation, sir. I’m going back to get my fellow officer. Can you lock the conservatory doors, inner and outer? We have to go into the gardens. In fact, lock the building, all doors and wait for us to return.” Matt shot off to get Bradley and the staff did his bidding at full speed. The Manager was very good with the instructions Matt had given him.

  Matt briefed Bradley and they went their separate ways. One to the left, the other to the right. They crept around the grounds looking for Albert Winston. Matt had no idea who had been on the other end of the phone, or if they were walking into a trap.

  When Albert heard the faint rustling in the nearby bush, he thought it was the stranger, and about time too. He stood back from his hiding place, stepping onto the grass.

  Bradley was quick, skilled and used to trouble. He floored the old man, took his legs out from under him and had his knee in the small of his back. Matt was quick to assist him.

  “Well, well, well. Who do we have here then? I understand you have something about your person, Albert Winston. It’s all over. You won’t be killing anyone here tonight, or any night.” Matt read him his rights.

  “Can we get some of the local boys here, Matt? I was rather looking forward to my lamb shank.” Bradley smiled.

  “He certainly won’t be spoiling anyone’s night, least of all ours.” Matt replied.

  “I’ve got cuffs, they’re in my jacket. Let’s get him inside and empty his pockets.” Bradley yanked Albert up by his arm and Matt kept a tight hold of his other one. They practically dragged him around the building, his feet dragging in the damp grass.

  “I’ve got evidence bags, Nick. After all, we knew this was coming!”

  The sound of police sirens a few minutes later alerted two people. The ex-con knew the arrest had been made and Michael Smith had a horrible gut feeling something was going on. Now, he could see flashing blue lights in the distance. He didn’t know where or what, but he was sure it was something to do with the prisoner and quite possibly his sister. For once, he did the right thing. He sent her a text.

  “Earlier today when I was driving along, I saw someone on the roadside. I’ve no idea what he was doing in this area, but it raised my suspicions. He shared a cell with me. He is dangerous, a burglar, a conman and a thief. It could have been him who sent you the letter, forged mum’s signature and got your phone number somehow, with a phone he bought in my name. I could be wrong. Anyway, his name is Eric Doyle. Middle-aged, bad combover, short and broad. Watch your back. Thanks for helping Mum. I’m off to Australia next week, no hard feelings… about everything, Michael.” He pressed send. Now they were quits in his book.

  The rest of the meal was eventually resumed, and Albert Winston was led away. He did have a bottle which was handled carefully and would go off to the lab, he also had another copy of that book about his person. Nobody was listening to his plea that he wasn’t working alone. He swore he had an accomplice and the poison belonged to that person. His whinging fell on deaf ears with the police who took him away.

  But some were listening. Who had made the phone call? This case was far from over. Behind the forced smiles at the table, several people were aware the danger was still imminent. At the end of the evening the dinner party went home together. At least, some of them did. It was decided Sybil and Derek were safe enough, as were Izzy and Sandra. Although Matt took the precaution of setting a watch next to their properties just to be safe.

  The B & B had a couple of spare rooms and James and Bradley were more than willing to take up the hospitable offer from Rosie and Anna. Walter was staying with Jane. Matt was staying with Rosie and Anna was happy to take Bear and Bumble up with her for the night. Both houses were secure. They had window locks. Solid door locks and security lighting. Not to mention one of the best alarms.

  The ex-con had made the right call. He was waiting in the shadows across the road to the B & B. People were so predictable. He also saw them go into two buildings. The millionaire went into the one on the right, together with a younger man. An hour later the younger man went into the building on the left and pressed one of the buzzers. The millionaire was alone. The lights only came on when you walked up the path. He scaled the wall instead and jumped into the tree. Heading for the one of two rooms which had turned on a light an hour ago. Only one was left on. He sat on the branch and waited for it to go off. He kept waiting. Thirty minutes later he was inside. Standing over James Sallow, with a knife pressed against his throat.

  An hour later they were together, inside Bromington Heights, standing beside a safe which was practically empty. Useless papers, deeds and just a few hundred pounds. Things were about to get a lot more serious.

  “Call her. Do it now. Tell her to come alone and bring the money we both know is in her safe. Don’t dally, Mister or I will cut you from ear to ear.”

  James made a decision and he rang a number. “Rosie, you are to empty your safe, bring all the money and all the takings, anything of value. Come to Bromington Heights. Do it now, come alone. I’m being held at knifepoint.” He hung up before anyone could answer.

  Bradley stared at his phone and jumped out of bed. After spending an hour or so chatting with Anna he’d done the decent thing and gone back to his own room. He knocked on James’ door. No answer, he pushed it open. Empty. Throwing on his clothes and shoes, Bradley ran downstairs and pushed the bottom buzzer next door. Matt answered. “Who is it?”

  “Bradley. I just got a call, let me in. Someone’s got James.”

  Matt stood in the kitchen listening, forming a plan. Rosie hid in the front room, eavesdropping. She picked up her phone and that’s when she saw it, the message from Michael. He’d just confirmed her theory. Only now, Bradley and Matt knew too. She’d need help, so texted Anna, they’d think of something on the way. She had wanted to go alone, but now, that wasn’t possible. “Matt… look!” she showed him the text.

  Matt locked into the police system and soon found their man. “It must have been him, the one who rang the restaurant. Maybe he’s masterminded the whole thing. Whether or not Albert would have ever been involved in anything of this magnitude is doubtful. Though, I could be wrong.”

  The door opened and in walked Anna. Fully dressed and ready to go. She’d read Rosie’s text and totally agreed. “Rosie has to go, or James will be killed. He has CCTV at the front door, it has to be her and I’m going with her.”

  “You most certainly are not!” Bradley interrupted. “Rosie has a stab vest, so do we and if James has any sense, he’d still be wearing his.”

  �
�Stab vests, why?” Anna gasped.

  “I don’t know why.” Rosie answered. “I just knew we had to have them… call it other-worldly intervention.”

  “But you are in grave danger, Rosie. I’m sorry but I know. Mum knows, James knows. We’ve been trying to keep it from you.”

  “You did a rubbish job at that,” Rosie smiled. “I’m going. I have money in the safe, we can work the rest out on the way.”

  “She doesn’t go anywhere without me! Can I have a vest?” Anna was blocking the way until Matt caved in.

  “In the wardrobe,” he sighed.

  Bromington Heights overnight

  Before the four got to the Bromington Heights approach they turned off to the side.

  “Now Rosie, listen carefully. Give us time to get around the back of the building. We are going to try and find a way in. Don’t do anything silly, just keep him talking. Reinforcements will be here soon. Armed men will surround the grounds if we need them. This could well turn into a hostage situation if things go wrong.” Matt was insistent.

  “I’m sure I can turn things around for me and James. After all, I’ve got a wedding to go to in two weeks.” Rosie sounded much braver than she felt. She only had one plan and if that went wrong, they were all in trouble.

  ~

  “Jane, Jane, wake up, wake up,” the persistent voice became louder and louder. “Jane!”

  “What, who, what?” Jane’s eyes opened and she tried to focus in the dark room.

  “They’re in trouble, hurry. Go to Bromington Heights.” Dorothea urged. “You’re needed.”

  “Walter, Walter, wake up, come on.” Jane shook her husband to be, rudely awaking him from his slumber. “They’re in trouble.”

  “Who? What? How?”

  “Never mind all that, get up and get dressed. Hurry.”

  Jane took out her phone, they needed all the help they could get. “Our girls are in trouble, will you come, can you help? I’ll explain all when you get here. We need you to drive us somewhere.”

  “I’ll pick you up in five minutes,” came the prompt reply. A few minutes later she skidded to a halt at the B & B car park.

  “Where are we going?” Izzy asked.

  “Bromington Heights,” Jane replied. “They’ve all gone. Rosie, Anna, Matt and his constable.”

  “Huh?” Izzy was still half asleep.

  “Oh, never mind. Walter, what have you got there?”

  “A truncheon. Nobody hurts our girls and gets away with it, put your foot down, Izzy.”

  The coppers had one car outside the hairdressers. One woman had gone out and one had stayed behind. Not sure what to do they stayed where they were, under orders.

  “I didn’t know who else to ring,” Jane explained. “And after seeing what you did earlier… well!” Jane went on to tell Izzy everything that was going on.

  “Ring Rosie and do it now.” Izzy ordered.

  Jane took out her phone with slightly shaky hands. She pressed the number. Rosie answered on the first ring.

  “Jane?”

  “Stay where you are; where are you, exactly?”

  “In Anna’s car, just about to go to the front door of Bromington Heights.”

  Izzy grabbed the mobile.

  “Rosie, this is Izzy. Listen to me, don’t do what you’re about to do – I have an idea.”

  “What idea? Will it work?”

  “Put it this way, I have a much better chance at pulling it off than you do – from now on, I’m Rosie Wodehouse. Keep yourselves hidden.”

  Without a minute to spare, Izzy turned her car lights off and freewheeled with her engine off down the slight hill towards Bromington Heights.

  “You’ve done this before!” Walter was impressed.

  “Rosie is lovely and all, and Anna, well, she means well, as do both of you, but in a situation like this you need a pro.”

  Jane raised her eyebrows.

  “I’m a black belt, trained to kill. I can overpower anyone who might be armed. My karate chop is lethal. I can read body language, which is why I followed you into the toilet earlier. If looks could kill! Good job, by the way!”

  Rosie and Anna were hiding behind their car when the dark vehicle pulled up to the left of them. Izzy got out. “Tell me the score,” she demanded. “Then get yourselves back into safety. Stay with your parents.”

  Two minutes later, Izzy stood at the front door to Bromington Heights and rapped on the knocker. A camera flicked into life. “It’s me, Rosie.”

  Eric stared at the screen his end. “Why has she not got red hair?”

  “Red one day, white the next, blue another. She’s young, what can I say?” James lied.

  “Get on the intercom, tell her to hold the bag up where I can see it.”

  “Rosie, dear. Would you mind holding the cash bag up, perhaps it would be a good idea to take some money out too?”

  Izzy held up the bag, opened it and carefully removed a couple of thick wedges of notes. The door buzzer gained her access inside. The door was on a soft, slow, closing mechanism. Walter snuck up and placed his foot inside, wedging it open. What sort of man would he be leaving a poor, defenceless… well, a female, alone?

  “Up here,” a gruff voice shouted through a speaker. “First floor.” As Izzy made her way towards the lift, Walter got inside, before he could close the door, three bodies shoved him further inside. Jane, Rosie and Anna were all in the building and Rosie was armed.

  James closed his eyes, it was very hard trying to focus with a blade against your windpipe. He had indeed gone to bed in his stab vest, underneath the supplied dressing gown. Fat lot of good it was at the moment. Using the power of his powerful mind he was summoning many spirits to come to his aid. Quite what they could do, or how advanced their powers may be, he had no idea. Ideally a poltergeist with a bad attitude would be ideal. He didn’t hold out much hope.

  Bradley and Matt had no problem scaling the back fence. The house was in darkness downstairs and upstairs. The action was happening on the middle floor. Their luck was in, someone had left the back door unlocked and they entered through the pool room. They stopped walking and listened. Everything was quiet. Too quiet.

  “Do you take me for some sort of idiot?” A man shouted. “Where is the real safe?” James was thrown to the floor. “Throw the bag over here, now,” he yelled to Izzy. Using both hands he rifled through it. Taking his eyes off Izzy as he did. It was all she needed. With a flying leap she attacked, her right leg raised, parallel to his chin. Eric flew backwards, landing in a heap as he slid along the floor. The knife spun in circles and James grabbed it. At the same time an expensive vase flew through the air and crashed on the floor, causing more chaos.

  “No, no, not my Ming,” James wailed.

  The lift door flew open and Walter ran over to the man on the floor, bashing him about the body with his wooden baton. Matt and Bradley ran into the room and pulled Walter away. Rosie had hidden behind a plant behind Eric Doyle. She had a plan if things went wrong.

  “Look out!” Izzy shouted. Too late, Eric was armed, he pulled a gun from his pocket and rested up on one arm.

  “Open your other safe, the one with the real money,” he demanded. “Do it now, Sallow, or this man gets a bullet in the head.” His gun was trained on Matt.

  Izzy was annoyed with herself, maybe she should have just snapped his neck instead.

  Bradley assessed the situation in his mind. He slowly crept in front of Anna and Jane, edging them backwards. Judging by the depth of the lift doors, they were bullet proof. He wanted to at least get them out of harm’s way.

  James walked over to the far wall and pressed a secret button in the bookcase. All eyes were on him. Izzy and Walter edged backwards too. They were making their way little by little towards the lift. Walter must protect Jane. He knew Rosie had managed to hide herself behind a plant, she was now at the rear of Eric.

  Matt wasn’t close enough to the ex-con to disarm him, all he could do was play for time.
>
  “You know the building is surrounded, don’t you? There’s no way you’re getting out alive,” Matt said.

  This was met with a shot blasted into the ceiling. “You think not? I’m taking you with me, as a hostage. Hurry it up with the money. What are you doing, Sallow?”

  The lift doors closed, drowned out by the noise of gunfire. Four of them were out of harm’s way although Walter fully intended to go back in a minute, for Rosie. Bradley used the distractions to edge his way around to Rosie who was hiding behind a massive cheese plant.

  “Fill it up, come on. Move it.” Eric Doyle shouted. He could not see what James was doing.

  Matt watched in sheer horror as he saw his fiancée come out from her hiding place and creep up behind Eric.

  “James, just do as he says. Put it all in and do it now,” Matt shouted. Dear God, what was she doing? Matt froze, as did Bradley. He daren’t move a muscle, her life was in danger if this man saw her.

  It could be the distraction he needed if he did. He had one chance to disarm him if Eric Doyle heard Rosie.

  Rosie stretched out both her arms at full length and pulled the small trigger on the taser gun. She zapped Eric across the back of the neck. He slumped backwards and the gun dropped from his hands. Rosie was wide-eyed and shocked by what she had just done.

  Matt didn’t waste a second, he kicked the gun away and Bradley cuffed the man who was shaking uncontrollably. It was all over. He read him his rights.

  “Eric Doyle: “You do not have to say anything. But, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”