Authors: Patricia Scott
At last he heard the aircraft approaching
, the vans arriving and Freddie’s Bentley rolling up smoothly to meet it. Time for him to move out quickly. It was entirely up to the police now.
Rachel Sherwood sat in the long hospital corridor with her husband who was pacing up and down.
‘Where is she, Don? It’s not like Mel to do this. Not as far as Jack is concerned. Nick Farmer hasn’t seen her either. Why did she lie to us?’
‘Look, love. She must have had her good reasons to do it. Mel is not irresponsible.’
‘Aunt Laura hinted that Mel was trying to find out more about Linda’s death. Could she be mixed up in something tonight she’s not told us about?’
‘You have done everything possible to get in touch with her. She must have had her reasons, love.’
‘I think that Inspector Farmer will find her. He sounded really worried about her. If she is in trouble he’ll do his best to reach her.’ She smiled. ‘I think that there is something more than just the case going on between those two, Don. She has a wicked sparkle in her eyes when she mentions his name.’
A door opened and a nurse came out and addressed them, ‘Mrs Sherwood? Is there any word yet from Jack’s mother?’
‘So sorry, there isn’t. We think the police are looking for her. We’ve informed them.’
Don gripped hold of her hand squeezed it held it tight. ‘I know what you are thinking, love. Our girl is going to be all right, DI Farmer is sensible chap, and he won’t let anyone hurt her. Not if he can help it. You’ll see.’
‘I hope you’re right, Don.’ She sighed. ‘I would like to see her walking down this corridor right now.’
Farmer was speaking quietly to Calder on his mobile. ‘At last! Are you in position with Trask? Why couldn’t we get hold of you? Where were you? They said you were in the park earlier.’
‘My car broke down. Had to get a taxi in to the station and a lift from there in one of our cars with Trask.’
Their call was interrupted by the sound of the aircraft coming in along the runway.
‘Everyone here is in position,’ Peterson said to Farmer. ‘Wait till those women are out of the aircraft and they’re loading them in to the vehicles. Fix on Freddie Kaufman. He’s in the Bentley. He has his men with him, don’t forget. And they’ll be armed. The firearm team are in position.’
The small aircraft landed quietly on the lighted landing strip and opened up it’s door just as the heavens opened above them; lightening flashed and zipped across the sky and thunder crashed and rolled overhead
, terrifying the girls stepping out of the craft.
Shots rang out in quick succession as the police cars drove out of the hangers, bringing the firearm team into the action. In the pouring rain uniforms closed in around the plane to protect and take charge of the frightened girls.
As the bullets hit targets amongst his men, Freddie Kaufman made an attempt to drive away but he was hit at the wheel.
Kaufman’s car skidded and ploughed into a figure that ran out in front of the Bentley
- the vehicle swerving erratically smashed head first into the side of hanger.
‘One of our officers has been hit!’ Peterson said on her mobile to Farmer. ‘Looks like Kaufman’s tried to make a getaway. The bugger’s still in his car. Get to him quick before he does more damage to anyone else.’
Farmer and Trask ran out across the wet airfield to take charge of the injured Kaufman slumped heavily in the driving seat. Police officers put the girls into police vans. Two waiting ambulances with paramedics drove in swiftly and uniforms attended to the inert body lying out on the wet tarmac as the rain sheeted down.
Kaufman was lifted out from the car with medics assisting.
Brian Calder was picked up carefully off the wet tarmac by the medics and moved out of danger as the Bentley burst into flames despite the rain.
Kaufman’s men were taken into custody along with the pilot taken from the light aircraft before he could take off.
‘Six in all of Kauffman’s men taken. Two ambulances were needed. Kaufman shot trying to get away and one of ours; Calder, hit and knocked down by Kaufman’s car in a brave attempt to stop it. Looks like he tried to be a hero and caught it trying to stop Kaufman.’
‘Is he badly hurt, ma-am?’
‘Yes, by the look of it. He’s on his way to hospital.’
‘No sign of Kaufman’s brother, Erik, by the way.’
‘No. What’s this I’ve just heard from Trask about the journalist, Mel Goring? She’s gone missing apparently.’
‘That’s right, ma’am.’
‘I heard that her mother’s been in touch trying to trace her. Her son is ill in the hospital and she can’t find her. Do you know anything about it?’
Farmer watching the ambulances taking away the wounded. ‘Sorry ma-am, I should have mentioned it before. I didn’t realise she was getting so involved.’
‘Come on let’s be having it, Nick.’
He related quickly about Mel’s intended date with the Virgo man that evening.
‘So Mel Goring has been trying to step in on our case. I thought you at least would have known better. It should have been one of our women officers,’ she said as they got into the police car. ‘Not a civvy. How could you let her get involved?’
He shook his head. ‘I couldn’t feel worse than I do about it. She told me something quite different about her arrangements for last evening. That’s
why I drove over to Bexhill.’
‘How she was going about it? She must have given you a clue about what she was working on.’
‘She was thinking along the lines of getting a blind date with the Virgo man - the one Ellie Cooper met, ma-am.’
She swore. ‘And you don’t know whether they actually met
, or where he took her afterwards? Mel Goring struck me as a level headed young woman. She must have known how dangerous it was to meddle with a suspect in a murder case. You’re both equally to blame here.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
Why hadn’t Mel confided in him? Even though they had shown how they really felt about each other at last it hadn’t been sufficient for her to trust him.
Rachel Sherwood sipped her third carton cup of coffee. ‘Sit down, Don, please. It’s not helping.’
He stopped to lean over the table now looking desperate. ‘Where the hell is she?’
‘We’re bound to hear something soon.’
At that moment Farmer came into the room. He looked
worried.
‘I’m glad I’ve found you here, Mrs Sherwood. Mr Sherwood. Any news yet of Mel? Is she here?’
Her parents looked at one another. ‘You’ve not heard from her yet either then, Inspector?’
‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘Sorry. Been held up. A call out on police business.’
Trask came in and smiled when he saw Mel’s parents. ‘Mrs Sherwood - Mr Sherwood. I heard just now that Ms Goring was definitely in the Victoria Park this evening, guv. Bennett saw her there. He doesn’t know where she went afterwards though. Could have gone for a drink perhaps.’
‘Not on her own.’ Her mother shook her head. ‘She would never have done that.’
‘Who else might have seen her then?’
‘Calder, perhaps. He went off somewhere afterwards. How is he? Anybody heard yet?’
Farmer looked grave and shook his head. ‘Not good. He’s gone into theatre. Peterson is still about - she’ll know something I expect. Freddie Kaufman‘s survived. The devil looks after his own. How is Jack, Mrs Sherwood?’
She sighed. ‘We don’t know. I hope we acted fast enough. We’re praying it’s not meningitis. He’s such a dear little chap.’
‘Must go. Mrs Sherwood, I hope your daughter turns up soon,’ Trask said. ‘Can I drive you home, Nick?’
Farmer frowned shook his head. ‘Can’t leave yet.
We’ve - I’ve - got to find Mel,’ he said his eyes on Rachel Sherwood. ‘She can’t have just vanished after she was in the park. She was doing something pretty risky and I should have tried much harder to stop her.’
The door opened and a doctor came in. ‘Mrs Sherwood? Mr Sherwood?’
‘Yes - how’s Jack? Can we see him please, doctor. He must be so frightened.’
‘A few minutes only.’ He smiled and Mrs Sherwood sighed with relief and stood up. ‘He is sleeping now and comfortable. We believe that we have caught the meningitis in time before any brain or organ damage has been done.’
Leaving the Sherwood’s at the hospital visiting room Farmer returned to his flat. It looked little different since he’d left it the evening before. Squib welcomed him noisily as
usual.
Mel was God only knows where at that moment, she wasn’t answering her phone. She could be dead by now. And it was his fault.
If anything had happened to her... he knew he would never be able to forgive himself. How could have been so damn naive as to expect Mel to listen to him when he tried to caution her. Why didn’t he read the warning bells he was receiving when she first broached her intentions to him?
He glanced at the time: five a
.m. He must try to think sensibly. Where could she have gone after leaving the park? Had she been alone, or with someone? Would she have gone for a drink with her blind date?
He
ate a quick breakfast and took off to the park. He would do his own reconstruction working from there. It wouldn’t be open yet, but at least it would be a start.
He thought about the
local pub close by to Victoria Park. Ideal if she wanted to be seen by plenty of people. The Hole In The Wall wasn’t a bad place. It sold good beer, and decent food. He’d been in there several times when he’d explored the town on first arrival.
He
drove down the Park road and stopped outside. It wasn’t usual to find anyone stirring so early but he spotted a man outside the pub clearing the cigarette butts out of a sand filled pot by the tables outside. He got out of his car. The man looked up. ‘Sorry, sir. We’re not open yet. Can I help you?’
‘Police,’ Farmer said showing his card. ‘DI Farmer. Are you the landlord? I’d be glad of your assistance.’
‘Yep, I’m Nat Matthews, the landlord. What can I do for you?’
Farmer showed the chap a photo he had on him that he had taken with Mel on the pier the other day. ‘This is Ms Goring, a friend of mine. A journalist from the local
Observer
newspaper.’ He cleared his throat. ‘She’s missing. Could you recall her coming in here last night after the Firework display? You must have got quite a crowd.’
Matthews nodded. ‘We
did - that’s usual. We’re the nearest drinking place. And we put on a good ploughman’s too.’ The landlord studied the face of the pretty young woman that Farmer showed him. ‘Yeah, I’ve seen her recently.’
‘You have? When was this?’
‘Last evening, I think. She came in with another of your officers. A young chap.’ He scratched his head. ‘Let me see now. Yeah - his dad comes in here sometimes. Calder’s his name.’
Nick looked startled. ‘Calder you say. What did they have to drink? Do you remember? How long did they stay?’
‘Let me think now. He bought a glass of wine for her and lager for himself. She was very attractive. He looked as if he was enjoying her company.’
Farmer chose to ignore this. ‘Did they stay long? Can you remember? It’s most important.’
Matthews shrugged. ‘Half an hour or so. They seemed pretty friendly. After their first drinks they had a couple of fruit juices. Didn’t stay too long after that. Why are you asking all this?’
Farmer insisted, ‘How come you remember them especially?’
‘Can’t usually as a rule but it’s the wife, you see. Irene noticed the young woman looking a bit shaky - a bit unsteady on her feet and said to me afterwards she didn’t think she was feeling especially well. It worried us a bit afterwards. But she was in good company. So we thought she’d be okay.’
‘Not feeling well? Why do you think that
was?’
‘She could have had a gippy tummy. Those hot dog stalls have a lot to answer
for - it’s a bit dodgy some of their food in this hot weather we’ve been having.’
‘She didn’t say what was wrong with her?’
‘No. My wife said she seemed a bit wobbly on her pins in the ladies when she went in there. She only had one glass of wine in here. Unless she was making a night of it of course. Didn’t seem the type though.’
‘You don’t happen to know what time they left?’
‘Nearly closing time. He was helping her out, looking after her like a gentleman. I think she’ll be feeling rough this morning. Heard him say he’d give her a lift home in his car. The best thing I thought at the time. Her car’s still here in the car park. I saw it just now. It’s the only one left.’
‘She hasn’t been in touch with you yet this morning?’
‘No. Sorry, can’t tell you anymore.’
‘Thanks, Mr Matthews. I might want to speak to you again later.’