Fear Has Long Fingers

by Jeanette Taylor Ford

  Julie Coombs went in the ambulance with Stephanie and Dan sent Johnson and Tanner with Lucian Avery.

  The Welsh Inspector said he would thank the farmer and his wife and let them know it was all over.

  It was a very tired couple of detectives who carefully traversed the winding roads back to Hereford but they were well satisfied with the night’s work.

  Chapter 40

  Alex Townsend was sleeping fitfully, unsettled and worried about Stephanie. When his phone rang he came to with a jump and peered at the clock. One o’clock in the morning.

  “Hello? You have Stephanie? Oh, thank God.” He sank into the bed, his hand shaking.

  ‘We are sending a car to bring you to the hospital, sir. Someone will be with you shortly.’

  “Thank you.”

  When the car arrived, he was ready and came out immediately.

  “I’m Police Constable Conrad, sir, and this is WPC Jones. I must warn you that your wife is in a bad way and is in Intensive Care. We want you to be prepared.”

  Alex’s heart did a thump. Although deeply frightened he couldn’t wait to see her. The car sped through the darkness, its blue light flashing. They reached the hospital in record time and hastened through the corridors to ICU. A police officer helped him put on a white gown and he was admitted.

  In spite of the warning, he was shocked at the sight of her. He gasped in dismay as he took in her cut and bruised face, her shorn hair, her stillness and all the tubes attached to her.

  “Oh, my darling, what did they do to you?” Tears flowed as he gazed at the still face. Not a flicker came from her; the only sound in the room the quiet bleeping of the monitors.

  Someone came in. It was hard to tell who it might be, as he/she wore a white gown, hat and mask.

  “Mr Townsend? I’m Doctor Roberts. May I speak with you, please?”

  He joined her outside the room.

  “I’m afraid your wife is in a seriously bad way. We don’t know the full extent of her injuries yet but she certainly has a broken wrist,some crushed ribs, a couple of broken fingers and multiple stab wounds although they are mostly surface. We are going to operate soon, theatre is being prepared now. She’s been severely tortured, beaten, and sexually assaulted. In fact, I’ve never seen anything like it and am extremely surprised she is still alive. I have to warn you that she may not survive, but we will do everything in our power to make sure she does. You can’t hold her hand because both hands are injured but if you can find somewhere you can make contact, perhaps an upper arm, please do that. And talk to her. We’re going to operate and theatre is being prepared now.”

  The words brought more tears. The doctor put her hand on his shoulder and then indicated for him to go in. He kissed the bruised and cut lips.

  “I love you, Steph. You are my life, please don’t leave me. I don’t care what happened in your past before we met, it’s now that’s important. Please fight it. You’re a strong woman, don’t give in now, I beg you,”

  He stroked the shorn head, feeling the short tufts of hair and the bald spots too. His heart as though it would burst with love and compassion for her. What terrible monster did this to his sweet love? Alex wanted to kill him, whoever he was. He hoped that the police had him and that he would spend the rest of his life in prison and be beaten up by his fellow prisoners.

  ‘I’m sorry it’s not a very charitable thought, God, but I’m just so, so angry about what the man or men have done to my Steph. Please punish him and please forgive me for my bad thoughts,’ he prayed. He sat down next to Stephanie and put his hand on her shoulder as the rest of her arm was encased in a splint. Her other hand was bound too. The rest of her he couldn’t see.

  He didn’t have long with her before they came to take her to the operating theatre. He went to sit out in a waiting area. It was a long wait. He dozed fitfully, uncomfortable but his body was desperate to sleep. She was in theatre four hours. He came too as they wheeled her back to her place. He went back in to sit with her and to pray that she would pull through and wake up.

  **********

  In spite of being tired when they returned to police headquarters, the job was not over. The youngsters had to be seen by the police doctor, who gave each of them the all clear. They were to return in the morning to give their statements. Sarah was able to go home with her dad, Mick. Every mother had been notified, under relayed instructions from Dan and officers had been dispatched to bring the mums to collect their offspring. The only one who wasn’t there was Wiggy. Gloria shrugged, it was likely that her mother was probably already in an alcoholic haze. Rowena would join her family in the morning.

  “I think we’ll leave it there, Grant,” said Dan. “All the prisoners are safely tucked up in cells. I’ll take these two girls home for the night. Linda will look after them. I’m bushed, and I’m sure everyone else is.”

  Just then the phone rang. “Cooke. Ah, hello Julie. Right, thank you. You get yourself home now. ” He put the phone down. “Lucian Avery died in the ambulance. Mrs Townsend is in ICU and her husband is with her. That’s definitely all we can do for now. Come on, you girls. Let’s get you home so we can all get some rest.”

  Linda greeted the girls with a hug. They’d each been given a drink at headquarters, so they said they would just like to sleep, please!

  “Do you mind sleeping in the same bed because we only have the one? Or one of you can sleep on the settee, it’s quite comfortable.”

  Linda lent them each a t-shirt as nightclothes and left them to share the bed.

  They fell asleep holding hands, having become firm friends during their imprisonment and now they could sleep peacefully without fear. It felt good.

  Chapter 42

  “I’ll take you girls to the station to give us your statements, then I’ll take you home first, Gloria, and then take Rowena to her family.”

  “Let the girls have their breakfast, dear.” Linda said as they sat down to eat. It was a happy meal, the girls so relieved it was all over and they were going home.

  Statements all done, the girls set off in the car with Dan and Grant. Rowena stayed in the car with Grant while Dan took Gloria in. She hoped Gloria and her mum were having a happy reunion.

  Dan came out after about ten minutes and they set off on the drive to Shropshire.

  “So, how did Ruby react when you took Gloria in?”

  Dan shrugged. “You know Ruby, Grant. She threw her arms around Gloria and they hugged and she cried a bit, then she asked her how long would she have to wait for her breakfast!”

  The men laughed and Rowena smiled. She and Gloria had talked a lot and Gloria had told her about her life with her mum. Being philosophical, she had simply said, ‘I’m used to it. She needs me.’

  In the way that kids have, Rowena accepted Gloria’s lifestyle and dismissed it from her mind as she watched the countryside scenery speed by. They drove for about an hour until they came to some large, solid gates. Grant spoke into an intercom and the gates slid open. They drove up the drive to a large house, where two figures were standing in the doorway.

  “Mum! Mum! Harry!” she bounced up and down, eager to get out. The minute Grant pulled to a stop, she flew out the door and into her mother’s arms and Harry put his arms round them both and they stood, laughing and crying.

  *****

  Dan and Grant followed at a more leisurely pace and shook hands with Margaret and Dave Blackwood, who were standing behind the group.

  “Good to see you again, Inspector Cooke and Sergeant Grant,” said Dave. “Come on in.”

  “Thanks. We can’t stay long, we have interviews to conduct back at headquarters. But we wanted to bring this girl to you personally for a couple of reasons. One, she’d been told her family were dead, and two, we thought it would be good to see you and your lovely wife again.”

  “You’ll stay long enough for a cup of tea?” said Margaret.

  “Oh yes indeed. And how is the invalid?”

  “He’s doing we
ll. Come and see him.”

  George was in a downstairs room that had been converted into a bedroom. Dan was glad to see the man sitting up in bed, looking bright.

  “Mr. Thompson, I’m so glad to see you looking so much better.” Dan walked up to his bed.

  “I am indeed. I’m being well looked after here. I’ll soon be up and about.”

  “Dad!” Rowena rushed over and threw her arms around his neck.

  “Oh, Rowee, Oh, I’m so glad to see you! How are you? Did they hurt you?”

  “No, Dad, they didn’t hurt any of us. They fed us nice food and everything except we were kept locked up.

  “All the kids are rescued?”

  “Yes, everyone is safe.”

  “And, and Sally?”

  “Well, we found her too. She is alive but very poorly, I’m afraid.”

  “He’s evil. I always hated and feared him, even though he was my step-brother. I hope you got him, Mr Cooke?”

  “He’s dead, George. He was killed during the rescue.”

  “I’m glad. God forgive me, I’m so glad! He can’t hurt anyone else now. He’s done terrible things.”

  “I’m sure we’ll find out about it all. Oh, thank you, Mrs Blackwood, much appreciated.”

  Margaret had come in with a tray laden with mugs of tea.

  “I feel for poor Sally,” continued George. “She had such an awful life with him. In the end she faked her death and escaped. I helped her by putting on a blonde wig and her glasses and hat and driving her car and sending it over the cliff. Some time afterwards I left Lucian’s employ and made my own way in life. I met Netta and we got married. We were fine until Harry’s accident. If that hadn’t happened, Lucian would never have found out where Sally was. Everything is my fault.”

  “No. It was an accident. Don’t spend your life berating yourself over it. In some ways, it’s good that it’s happened, because now he’s gone.”

  **********

  “I am going to interview the two women. Flora first. Set it up, please, Grant. Then I’ll see Karen.”

  “Right away.”

  Dan walked into interview room one where Flora sat nervously at the table. Grant took up position by the door.

  She was clearly frightened, her hand shook as she picked up her cup of coffee.

  “Don’t be frightened. I just want you to tell me about the events that brought you to this area. Can you do that?”

  She nodded.

  “For the tape, please.” Dan said, gently.

  “Yes,” she said. One day a couple o’ weeks ago, the Boss tol’ me an’ Karen that we ’ad ter get ready cos we were goin’ on a journey and were ter ’elp him wiv a job. We ’ad no idea what it would be or where we was goin’. Jake and Butcher drove us with The Boss to that place in Wales. It were a big place and most of it was derelict but some parts had been made liveable. Some guys were already there and ’ad fixed up the kitchen and put bedrooms in it.

  When the kids started to arrive, Karen and I were upset. We were told not ter ask questions but ter feed ’em and look after ’em. We were given masks we ’ad ter wear so they wouldn’t see our faces and told not to speak ter them at all.”

  “Didn’t you question it? Didn’t you try to get them to free the children?”

  “Ya don’ question The Boss, Sir, ’E’s a sadistic monster. And Jake and Butcher are the same. Ya don’ step out o’ line wiv them.”

  She rolled up a sleeve to show a long, purple bruise on her arm. “This is what Jake did ter me jus’ because I argued wiv him.”

  “For the tape, Mrs Smith is showing me a large bruise on her arm.”

  “He’s dead, ain’t ’e? Jake, I mean.”

  “Yes, I’m afraid so. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not! I’m glad. ’E were a brute, I ’ated bein’ married ter ’im. The Boss made me marry ’im. Mind you, it didn’t stop ’im doin’ what ’e wanted ter me. Jake didn’t try to stop ’im. ’E din’t care. I don’t fink ’e wanted ter be married ter me, no more’n I wanted ter be married ter ’im.”

  Dan nodded slowly, his sympathy for this woman accelerating.

  “So, you looked after the youngsters but were not allowed to speak to them?”

  “Tha’s right. I often wanted ter speak ter ’em, you know, try ter comfort ’em. But I weren’t allowed, Jake and Butch was with us all the time when we went ter take ’em food.”

  “We?”

  “Yeah, me an’ Karen. ’Er’s married to Butch, poor fing. ’E’s even worse’n Jake. ’E ent dead, is ’e?”

  “No.”

  “More’s the pity. Wish they’d bof got shot. Karen would ’ave bin ’appy about that.”

  “He’s likely to go away for a long time.”

  “Good. Me ’an Karen, we can tell yer all sorts about ‘im and about all the illegal fings the Boss ’ad ’is sticky fingers in.”

  “Thank you, we may well get around to that, although I’m sure Scotland Yard will be most interested. Now, let’s get back to the happenings at the old school. So, you and Karen fed the young captives and washed their things and so on?”

  “Yeah, we did that.”

  “Were you told anything about them?”

  “Not really. Although Jake tol’ me one night that The Boss weren’t keepin’ ’em, they were goin’ ter be released. That was why we ’ad ter wear the masks, so’s they wouldn’t be able ter identify us. We was orlright wi’ that, we was ’appy they were goin’ ter be released.”

  “When did you start being suspicious that they weren’t going to be let go after all?”

  “We dint really. Not til that last evenin’ when we was told ter feed the kids an’ git ’em ready ter take ’em back ter London. Thas wen me an’ Karen started getting’ worried and tryin’ ter work out what ter do. We was also upset about Sally. What the Boss did ter ‘er was terrible, jus’ terrible. Karen was made ter cut all ’er ’air orf an’ then we could ’ear Sally’s screams when that sadistic monster was doin’ terrible fings ter her. I wished I could stop ‘im but I nu I’d be beaten meself, mebbe kilt. I wos terrible afraid.”

  Tears rolled down Flora’s cheeks and she tried to wipe them away with her sleeve. Grant brought over some tissues and she nodded her thanks. Dan waited a few moments to let her settle.

  “You mentioned that you were upset about Sally. Did you know her before?”

  “I nu ’er years ago wen I wos a kid. Me an’ Karen both nu ’er. Sally was kind to us kids. She wos kind ter our mums too. They was bof pros, workin’ fer The Boss. He’d tek them when they wos teenagers, no older than them kids we was lookin’ after. They ’ad me an’ Karen while they wos workin’ fer ’im. Then, when we was about those kids’ age, ’e took us too, then made us work fer ’im. ’E made sure that none of us got away wif his hired heavies, then ’e made me marry Jake and Karen to marry Butcher. We ’ad no say in it. Sally did what she could fer all of us, but she weren’t no better off than us. ’E treated ’er so badly, I’m not surprised she got brave an’ ran away. We was very sad wen we ’eard she’d died, but we fortt that she wos better orf dead. We fought she must ‘ave fortt the same, that she’d be ‘appier dead. Then, last year some time, ’e found out she weren’t dead at all. So, ’e ’atched this plot ter get at ’er an’ punish ’er, although me an’ Karen dint know that until Jake told us the ovver day. I got upset and tha’s wen Jake give me that bruise.”

  “So, all this was a plan just to get back at Sally?”

  “Yeah, tha’s right.”

  “Why the kidnapped teenagers?”

  “Well, tha’s how ’e gets ’em – you know, the pros that ’as ter work fer ’im. ’E likes ’em young and ’e ’as customers ’as likes ’em young an’ some likes boys. ’E took Sally wen she was young like them. He wanted ter frighten ’er good afore ’e took ’er.”

  Dan felt sick. He was sorry that Lucian Avery was dead. For a mad moment, he would have liked to give the man a very slow, very painful death. Getting stabbed and br
ained with a heavy weight from a set of scales was too good and too quick for such an evil b*******. May the man burn in hell for eternity and that wasn’t long enough in his opinion. He came back to the job in hand and cleared his throat.

  “What about the other girl? Rowena Thompson?”

  “Well, she was different ter the ovvers. When she wos brought in, she was locked in a room near Sally’s. She wasn’t wiv the kids.”

  “But she wasn’t treated badly?”

  “No, we fed ’er jus’ the same as the others. But me an’ Karen wos worried about ’er. We nu who she was, see.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Well, Jake an’ Butch allus talked about fings in front of me and Karen. They said The Boss intended ter keep Rowena cos she wos Jimmy’s kid and ’e’d keep ’er ter punish Jimmy fer ’elping Sally.”

  “So Lucian Avery knew that Jimmy had helped Sally to escape?”

  “Yeah. I dunno how ‘e nu, ’e must ‘ave worked it out.”

  “So, Rowena was going to be kept but the others were to be set free?”

  “Yeah, the plan was they was goin’ ter be dumped somewhere. But then the plan changed. We wos told the Boss ’ad changed ’is mind and all the kids were being taken ter London. Jake and Butcher was laughin’ an’ bein’ crude about what would ’appen ter ’em wen we got back. It made me sick. I ’ated wot ’appened ter me an’ so did Karen. We wanted ter save the kids.”

  “So, what did you do?”

  “When the men weren’t around, we checked the batteries of the phones belonging ter the kids. We found one that ’ad some charge left so we put it in a plastic bag and put it under the pile of sandwiches. We’d bin told we dint ’ave ter wear the masks no more cos the kids were goin’ wi’ us. We were told ter tell the kids ter eat up cos they were bein’ moved out later that night. We wrote down where we was on a slip o’ paper and put it under the phone. We ’oped ’ooever the phone belonged to would find someone ter send a message to. It were all we could do and if we’d bin found out, we’d’ve bin beaten. But we ’ad ter try, to save the kids. We dint know if Sally was still alive but at least we ’oped ter save the young ones. We dint want them ter ’ave the kind o’ life we ’ad.”