A Time of Peace (14 page)

Her eyes began to close, so she forced them open. She had to find a way of either escaping or alerting someone to her plight.

‘Think!' she shouted at herself. ‘Don't just sit here, do something!' This was not the time to size up the options in her usual careful way – this was a time for action!

She made her legs move and went over to the window. The wooden frame was rotten and she began to pick away with a small piece of broken china she'd found, loosening one nail after another until they were all out. The sash on the window was broken and it took a great deal of effort to open it, but she eventually managed to push her head through and have a better look at her surroundings. What she saw made her groan in despair. Although she was only on the second floor, there was a huge crater below the window, making the drop twice as far.

She was about to close the window again when a
movement caught her eye. There were some children playing in the ruins of another house, but they were too far away to see or hear her, even though she shouted as loud as her bruised throat would allow. Perhaps the place wasn't as deserted as she'd first thought. She leaned right out and looked sideways, first one way and then the other, but there was nothing but ruins.

She was thoroughly chilled by now, so she closed the window. That line of action was obviously useless. She'd have to find another way. If she could throw the mattress out of the window it might cushion her fall, but the window was much too small to push the bulky mattress through. Another useless idea!

The only thing that might help her family was the camera – but would anyone find it? Her mother was well known in London, and it would have a chance of reaching her. Providing Derek Howard hadn't taken her out of London of course. Her head bowed as she sent up a silent prayer, hoping that there was someone up there who was listening to her plea, because she just didn't know what else she could do. Kate wasn't used to feeling helpless, but she did now. She felt utterly alone and very frightened.

That was all she could do for the moment. She must sleep now; she was exhausted.

‘Why don't you try to get some rest, Bill?' Rose told her husband. ‘I expect James and Pete will soon be back. I'll wait for them and wake you if there's any news.'

Bill turned away from the window, looking haggard and every one of his sixty-seven years. ‘I feel so bloody helpless, Rose!'

‘So do we all.' She clenched her hands. ‘I swear that if I could get hold of that man at this moment I'd knock him into next week.'

‘I couldn't be responsible for my actions either.' Bill ran a hand over his eyes. ‘Howard's hit our family in the most effective way by targeting Kate. He must have known that was how to hurt us the most.'

Rose was incandescent with rage and sick with worry about their daughter, but she mustn't give vent to her anger. It had been a long night, and Bill was liable to have a heart attack if he didn't rest soon. She wouldn't add to his burden by erupting like a volcano.

‘Go to bed, Bill,' she ordered in a firm tone. ‘We can't do any more at the moment. We've given the police all the details. They'll have more chance of finding Kate than us.'

He sighed and dropped into an armchair. ‘You're right of course. I'll rest here until the others return.'

Rose watched in concern as his eyes closed; he looked so ill. She allowed her mind to drift, remembering all the years they had been married, and she thanked the Lord for every one of them. Bill was a quiet placid man, but could be tough when necessary. But this disaster was tearing him apart.

She sat in another chair and rested her head back; eyes wide open, remembering the attack on herself when she'd been only fourteen. She hadn't given it a thought for years, but now she prayed that her daughter wasn't suffering the same fate. If that man Howard raped Kate, then she would see he spent a very long time in prison!

She didn't dare consider that he might have already killed her.

Eddie ran over to the window for the umpteenth time, peered out and then came back to sit in front of the fire again. He was more dejected with every visit.

‘What are you looking for?' Jon asked him.

‘She said she'd come and see me today.' The child appeared to be utterly dejected.

‘Who?'

‘The pretty lady.' Ed's bottom lip trembled. ‘She promised she'd come this morning, but it's nearly dark now. I've drawed her a picture and I wanted to give it to her for Christmas, but she don't care about me any more.'

‘I'm sure that isn't true, Eddie,' Mrs Green told him. ‘She's very busy and I expect she's been delayed.'

‘Who are you talking about?' Jon asked Mrs Green. He'd only arrived back from the Congo last night and was puzzled by Ed's distress. He was usually excited when he came home, but when he'd arrived this afternoon Eddie had been too preoccupied to show much enthusiasm. And that wasn't a bit like him!

‘Mrs Freeman's daughter, Kate, she's been coming regular to see the twins and talk to the rest of the boys. Eddie's become very fond of her.'

‘I didn't know Rose Freeman had a daughter.' Jon was trying to picture her in his mind. ‘Is she anything like her mother?'

‘Oh, yes, she's a lovely girl. She isn't quite as tall as
her mother, but she has the same dark colouring.' Mrs Green warmed to her story. ‘She used to work for your newspaper as a photographer.'

‘Really?' Knowing Andrew Stevenson's dislike of women, Jon found that hard to believe.

‘She didn't stay long, though,' Mrs Green continued, ‘because she had trouble with the boss. And when he refused to print a story about Standish and Wilkins that her and her mother had worked on, she left.'

‘They did a write-up on the homes?'

Mrs Green smiled and nodded. ‘Yes, did a lot of good as well. Kate and Mrs Freeman came one day, took loads of photos and put it in the paper, asking for volunteers to give the children a bit of their time.'

‘Which paper did it go in?' Jon asked.

‘Oh, yours, she won in the end.' Mrs Green stood up as one of the boys called her. ‘Such a nice girl, and very determined.'

‘She's ever so kind,' Eddie said.

‘Ah,' Jon turned his attention back to the solemn-looking boy. ‘You like her, do you?'

Eddie dredged up a small smile. ‘I asked her if she'd be my mum when she gets married. She said she'd think about it – serious like,' he added.

Tom came and joined them, sitting on the floor next to Eddie. ‘You can't take any notice of what people say. Nobody bloody wants us, you ought to know that by now.'

‘Why?' Eddie spun round on his bottom to face Jon. ‘Why don't nobody want us?'

Jon gave Tom a quick clip around the ear. ‘Don't tell Ed lies, and watch your language. Mrs Green wants you,
I want you, and everyone who works here wants you.'

Tom rubbed his ear and scowled at Jon. ‘Nobody adopted you and you're clever. He ought to see that a posh lady like that won't adopt him.'

‘She would too!' Ed was angry now and Jon had to keep the two boys apart before they ended up in a fight.

Jon thought it was time to change the subject, as he knew the hopeless anger these boys were suffering. ‘Will you show me your drawing, Ed?'

He scrambled to his feet, tore up the stairs, and, after much thumping of feet and banging of doors, reappeared with a sheet of paper in his hand.

Before looking at the drawing Jon gave Tom a warning glance as the kid started to snigger. Then he examined the childish drawing. ‘This is very good, Ed.'

Eddie squirmed with shyness at the compliment. ‘It's Kate.'

‘Miss Freeman.' Mrs Green corrected him, coming back to join them.

‘She said we could call her Kate,' Tom informed them.

‘Oh, that's all right, then.' Mrs Green left them again to see why one of the babies was crying.

Tom sloped off as well, and Ed came and sat beside Jon on the battered old sofa. ‘Do you think she'll like it?'

‘She'll love it.' He studied the picture carefully. It really was rather good, except for one thing. ‘Has she got wings?'

The boy giggled. ‘ 'Course not, but she's pretty enough to be an angel, so I drawed her as one. She's ever so kind and makes us laugh. I've got a special present for you on Christmas Day.'

Ed was about to go and look out of the window again but Jon stopped him. ‘She'll come as soon as she can. Now, what's this present?'

‘I'm not telling! You'll have to wait and see.'

He was pleased to see that the boy was brighter now, but
he
was angry with this woman for breaking her promise. Didn't she realize that these children had so little in their lives that every treat or visit was waited for with much eagerness? She couldn't be much like her mother, he thought. He was certain that Rose Freeman would never let anyone down.

Rose showed the two policemen out, closed the door and bowed her head as fatigue swept through her. There wasn't anything else they could do. It was the third day since Kate's kidnapping, and all their efforts to find her had proved fruitless. It was now up to the police.

She straightened up and walked back to the lounge, strain etched on her face. Christmas Eve was usually a happy time as they looked forward to the festive season, but not this year. It had been a job making the entire family stay away, but Rose hadn't wanted the house filled up; it would have only caused Bill more agitation. She was sick with worry for her daughter and her husband's health. She knew everyone was holding their breath waiting for news, and praying that Kate would be found soon, and alive!

Bill and James were staring at a photograph as if mesmerized. The picture had been found on the reception desk of Grant Phillips just before the offices closed last night. No one had seen who had left it there.

‘That tells us she's still all right and in good enough
spirit to ham it up in front of Derek Howard.' Rose spoke briskly. Since receiving the photos, she found her admiration for her daughter had risen markedly. Of course she'd always loved her, but had worried that she might not be able to take the knocks life handed out from time to time. Now she knew her daughter could.

‘Why's she got a piece of sack tied around her head?' Pete wanted to know. He had refused to go home until Kate was found, so he'd been living with Rose and Bill.

‘I don't suppose there's any heating where he's keeping her and she's trying to keep herself warm.' Bill's voice was husky with tiredness and worry.

‘James,' Rose turned to her son, ‘why didn't anyone see who delivered the photos to Grant Phillips? You always have someone on duty in reception, surely?'

‘The receptionist left her desk for only a few minutes to take a visitor up to the drawing office. The envelope was there when she returned.'

‘You sure this is the only message with the pictures?' Bill asked his son.

‘Yes, all it says is – I'll see the Freemans back in the gutter they came from.' James ran a hand over his eyes. ‘Mum, let's cook a proper meal, and then we must try and get some rest. We've done all we can.'

‘Can I help?' Pete asked. ‘I'm good at peeling spuds.'

‘You've got yourself a job.' Rose gave him a studied glance. Kate had been right to help him. It was already evident that there was something special about Pete. Her daughter would have seen that of course, she had an uncanny knack of seeing beneath the outward appearance of people. Her insides clenched painfully, praying
that Kate was putting that talent to good use. It might increase her chances of survival.

Rose was about to go to the kitchen when there was a knock on the door. ‘I'll get it.'

Standing on the doorstep in the fading light of dusk was a man of about thirty-five, holding firmly on to a girl of no more than nine or ten years old. She'd been crying and didn't look as if she wanted to be there.

‘I'm looking for someone called Freeman.'

‘That's me,' Rose said, trying to keep a weary note out of her voice. People had the habit of coming to her when they had legal problems, but she wasn't capable of dealing with anything at the moment. She had enough trouble of her own.

He held out a package. ‘My daughter came home with this a while ago, and I think it belongs to you.'

Rose pulled aside the paper and saw a small camera. Although she didn't recognize it, Kate and cameras went together … ‘You'd better come in, Mr …?'

‘Sanders,' he told her, ‘and this is my daughter May.'

She took them to the sitting room, introduced them, and held out the camera to Pete.

‘That's Kate's!' he cried, taking it from Rose. ‘She put it in her pocket when Derek Howard came for her. She never steps outside the door without a camera of some sort.'

Suddenly they were all on their feet talking at once.

Clearly frightened by the turmoil in the room, May peered from behind her father, eyes brimming with tears. ‘I didn't steal it!' she shouted in panic. ‘I didn't do nothing wrong! I want to go home, Daddy.'

Bill stooped down in front of her and smiled. ‘We know you didn't do anything wrong, May. We have a daughter and she's in terrible danger, so could you tell us where you got the camera?'

May was calmed by Bill's gentle voice. ‘What's happened to her?'

‘A man's hidden her somewhere. That's her camera and we need to know where it was found.'

‘I don't know, honest!' The girl was becoming agitated again and cast her father a beseeching glance.

‘Tell Mr Freeman where you got the camera, May. No one's blaming you for anything.'

‘I went to the shops for Mum. She'd run out of flour, and I met two girls and they had it. They said it wasn't any good but I liked it, so I swapped a film star magazine for it,' she informed the room. ‘I'd just bought the new
Photoplay
with my pocket money.'

‘Who were these girls?' James asked.

‘Dunno. They said they didn't live in Hammersmith. Their mum and dad was doing some shopping for Christmas and told them to wait outside the shop.' May stopped and looked anxiously at Bill. ‘They said it wasn't pinched; they'd found it where they play.'

‘Did they say where that was?' Rose prompted.

The girl shook her head. ‘I didn't have time to talk no more because their mum came out of the shop.'

‘Thank you, May.' Bill stood up, his disappointment clear for anyone to see.

‘I'm sorry I don't know any more.' May was looking more composed now.

‘Mr Sanders, we were about to have dinner – would you like to join us?' Rose asked.

‘Thank you, Mrs Freeman, but we must be getting back.'

‘It was kind of you to return the camera,' James said.

‘I couldn't do nothing else when I saw it was quite valuable. We don't want to be accused of stealing.'

Bill took a five-pound note out of his wallet and gave it to May. ‘That's for bringing us Kate's camera.'

May's eyes opened wide when she saw the small fortune. ‘Thank you, sir, but I didn't want to come. My dad made me,' she admitted.

‘I hope you find your girl safe and well, Mrs Freeman. I'm sorry we couldn't be of more help.'

After Sanders and his daughter left, Rose and Pete went to the kitchen and set about preparing a quick meal. They worked silently, their thoughts and prayers with Kate.

Dinner was ready and Rose made everyone sit down. All they'd eaten during the search were sandwiches. They'd chased every lead, however flimsy, but to no avail. It was a silent meal, with everyone lost in their own thoughts.

James let out a ragged breath as he pushed his plate away, his appetite evaporating as he gazed at the photograph of his sister.

‘Show me those pictures again,' Rose ordered, taking them from her son.

Bill leant towards her. ‘That's obviously a room in a derelict house. Where can it be, Rose?'

She frowned. ‘It isn't one of Grant Phillips's building sites, is it?'

‘No, Mum, we've checked all of those,' James said. ‘Howard wouldn't be daft enough to take her to one of ours.'

‘The police haven't found the car yet,' Bill said, ‘but that's hardly surprising. Howard would have dumped it miles away, if he's got any sense.'

Rose returned to studying the pictures. Her mind went over all the building developments taking place at the moment and she cursed silently. There was a time when she'd have known every one of them, but she was out of touch now.

‘Rose.' Bill sat beside her. ‘Isn't there any clue in the photos?'

She closed her eyes trying to visualize places where Kate might have been hidden, but there were hundreds of suitable sites in London alone … And then it came to her! ‘James show me the note again!'