A Time of Peace (15 page)

‘I'll see the Freemans back in the gutter they came from.'

Rose surged to her feet. ‘My God, he's taken her to Bermondsey! And I think I know the very place.'

She scribbled the location on the back of the photograph and thrust it at James. ‘Take this to the police station. Kate might be there.'

James left at a run. Bill and Pete were scrambling into their coats when Rose stopped them.

‘We are going to let the police handle this. If we go storming in, he might panic and kill her.'

That warning was enough to stop everyone, and they waited.

James was soon back. ‘The police are mounting a raiding party. They've asked that we keep out of it.
Oh, and by the way, they've found the Wolseley in St Albans.'

Bill's mouth was set in a determined line. ‘I'll leave it to the police, but I'm going to be right behind them.'

The waiting was terrible. It was dark again and Kate shivered. She had done her best to keep her circulation going, but now it was an effort to move. All she wanted to do was sleep. Derek Howard hadn't come up here for a long long time. Night had come, then morning, then night again. How many days was it? She couldn't remember. Time seemed to have stopped for her. She was past feeling hungry, but was glad she'd rationed herself to a couple of sips of lemonade now and again because she needed the liquid. Fear gnawed away at her as she vacillated from praying that he wouldn't come, to fear that she might be left here to die. Suppose he'd been arrested and wouldn't tell them where she was? How long could she stay alive without food and water? And yet, if he came, she would die for sure. What a choice!

She leant against the wall. It was so quiet she had the feeling that the world no longer existed and she was the only person left alive. She was even pleased to see a mouse, which turned up now and again. It was quite unafraid of her and she watched as it foraged around, feeling sad when it disappeared through a tiny gap in the floorboards. Her slim hope that the camera would find its way to her family had evaporated. It had been a crazy idea anyway. Had James been contacted, or was Howard trying to make him sweat by keeping him in the dark?
She gave an uncontrolled giggle. She was in the dark all right!

Her mind was starting to play strange tricks. She tried to work out again how long she'd been here. Was it two days … or three? Maybe more, she'd lost track of time. Was it two days ago Howard had tried to strangle her, or was it the day before that? Perhaps it was Christmas Day now? Kate realized she was confused and had tried hard to keep alert. She had sung all the popular songs she could think of, recited poems and her favourite Psalms from the Bible. But she really couldn't seem to concentrate now …

She drifted off to sleep, seeking release in oblivion.

The sound of heavy footsteps running up the stairs snapped her awake. She scrambled off the bed with a startled cry. Howard was coming for her, and he was in a hurry. She'd been asleep. Dear God, she'd been sleeping when she should have been trying to escape. She began to shake in terror; she didn't want to die! Panic ripped through her. He was almost at the door now. He would kill her this time!

The door burst open and with a scream of terror she squeezed herself behind the bed. A bright light blinded her and she heaved the mattress up, standing it in front of her for protection. He was saying something and trying to pull the mattress away. She was going to die!

‘Steady, miss.' The man's voice was gentle. ‘I'm a policeman. You're safe now.'

It was a trick. She was gulping in air.

It was bedlam as more people came into the room.
After the silence of a short time ago Kate became frightened and even more confused.

‘Quiet!' someone ordered. ‘She doesn't know what's happening.'

‘Miss Freeman, I'm Detective Andy Green. We've caught Derek Howard and he's now in custody.'

She cautiously peered around the mattress she was using as a shield. They looked like policemen …

‘It's all right, miss,' one of them said gently, reaching out for the mattress. ‘Let me have that. You don't need it any more.'

She let it drop and stood there shivering, her mind not being able to grasp what was going on.

‘Where are the ambulance men?' Detective Green asked. ‘She's hurt. And let her family come up. She needs to see a familiar face.'

After the isolation, the room full of people was disorientating. She was dry-eyed but inwardly she was screaming in terror. It took every ounce of self-control she had to stop herself passing out. Was it over? Or was she hallucinating?

‘Kate.'

The voice of her father was nearly her undoing, but when she saw his haggard face she knew it really was all over. She wrapped her arms around him, giving a dry sob. This was no trick of the mind. He was here. He was solid. Neither spoke. There was no need for words.

Rose appeared. ‘Are you hurt, Kate?'

She stepped away from her father and hugged her mother. ‘I'm all right.' In the torchlight she didn't miss the look of anger and concern that swept over her
mother's face. Then James gathered her in his arms, his face wet with tears.

‘I'm so sorry … I'm so sorry.'

‘We caught the blighter,' the policeman informed her. ‘You've got nothing to fear now, miss.'

‘Thank you.' She swayed and her mother took hold of her arm to steady her. ‘Can I go home now please?'

‘You must go to the hospital for a check-up first.' A police officer beckoned the ambulance man over. ‘Take Miss Freeman now.'

‘Can you walk, miss, or would you like the stretcher?' He wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.

‘I can manage,' she told the ambulance man, and hoped she was telling the truth, because her legs didn't feel as if they would hold her.

Kate sat on the edge of the examination table, her head bowed as the doctor wrote his notes. The check-up had been thorough, painful and embarrassing. The police had wanted photographs of her injuries. She hadn't realized how badly bruised she was after Howard's attack on her. But it was what that beast had done to her mentally that would be hard to get over.

‘I'll give you a full medical report in the morning,' the doctor told the policeman, who had stayed the other side of the screen all the time. Then he turned his attention back to Kate. ‘I would like to keep you in overnight.'

That made her look up. She wanted the sanctuary of her own room. ‘No, I'm going home.'

He studied her for a few moments, then nodded. ‘Very well, your parents are waiting outside for you.'

Kate awoke from a deep sleep feeling bewildered. For a few seconds she thought she was still in that cold dark room. She sat up with a cry of alarm.

‘It's all right, my darling.' Her father sat on the edge of the bed and took hold of her hand. ‘You're safe now.'

As she gazed at his face, her eyes clouded, but not with tears. She was so angry. Her father had suffered, and that odious man had no right to inflict such pain on him or on the rest of her family. She remembered James's tears and hoped Derek Howard burnt in hell for what he'd done. She had never before wished harm on anyone in her life, but now she did …

‘Are you feeling better?'

She did her best to dampen down the fire of revenge raging inside her and smiled. ‘I'm fine, Dad. What day is it?'

‘Christmas Day.'

Kate laid her head back and wallowed in the luxury and warmth of her own bed, knowing that her family were all around her. ‘What's the time?'

Bill glanced at his watch. ‘Ten in the morning.'

Her gaze rested for a moment on the pile of presents in the corner of the room and she sat up straight. ‘I was supposed to visit Wilkins House yesterday!' Or was it the day before? Damn, damn, damn! She couldn't think clearly. Her mind was skittering about all over the place.

‘That can wait. We'll send someone round with the gifts.'

‘No, no.' Kate shook her head. ‘Eddie and the boys will be so disappointed if I don't turn up. I ought to pop into Standish House as well to wish them a happy Christmas.'

‘Your mother's already done that, and we've sent each home a large Christmas tree and hampers of goodies.'

‘That was a lovely idea.' Kate smiled warmly at her father. ‘But I must go to see Eddie.'

‘You're very fond of that child, aren't you?'

‘Yes. He's a lovely boy and he yearns for a proper mum and dad.' Kate's expression was troubled. ‘They all do.'

‘You get yourself ready and I'll take you – after you've had some breakfast.'

‘Thanks, Dad.' She watched him leave; he had aged ten years since she'd been kidnapped and she didn't think she would ever be able to forgive Howard for doing that to him.

She'd had a bath and washed her hair last night, but did the same again now. After the filth of that room it was lovely to feel clean. She chose her best suit, which was a lovely cherry-red, brushed her hair until it shone blue-black, tucked a silk scarf around her neck to hide the marks, then put on shoes with the highest heels in her collection. Now she felt ready to face the world, outwardly at least, but she knew she was going to have to give the performance of her life to fool everyone.

As soon as Kate walked into the kitchen, her gaze fixed on Rose's face, and she realized with dismay that her mother was also showing the strain. Kate had always considered her mother to be the tough one of the family, but this had caused her much anguish.

‘You look better.' Rose smiled at her daughter. ‘What would you like for breakfast?'

Kate thought for a moment. She hadn't wanted anything last night except a cup of hot cocoa, but now she
was hungry. ‘A fried-egg sandwich please, and a strong cup of tea.'

‘I'll have the same, Mum.' James strode in and squeezed Kate's shoulder, then he sat next to her. ‘I'm so sorry, Kate. I should have handed Howard over to the police as soon as we had any suspicion that he was involved in defrauding the company. I was too bloody soft on him!'

‘It wasn't your fault.' Her smile was forced. ‘As you can see, I survived.'

‘Thank God, but it must have been a terrible ordeal for you.'

She wasn't going to let him blame himself. ‘I'll get over it. How did you find me and what's happened to Derek Howard?'

‘Your camera found its way to us, though it wasn't much use, but it was good thinking, Kate. When Mum realized that Derek Howard was talking about Bermondsey, we alerted the police and they got there just before Howard arrived. They arrested him at once.'

‘After being kept so isolated, I was confused when the room was suddenly full of people and bright lights.' She grimaced at the memory, ashamed once again of the terrible fear she'd fought with all the time. ‘Howard said he was going to demand that you dropped all charges against him. Did he do that?'

‘No. He sent us a photograph of you but no demand.' James pulled the picture out of his pocket. ‘If he had done so, we would have carried out his instructions immediately.'

‘I know you would, but I don't believe he would have let me go anyway,' she admitted, picking up the photo.
There was something in James's voice that hinted he wasn't telling the whole truth. It was probably her imagination, though, and she immediately dismissed the notion. ‘He's a terrible photographer, isn't he?' She was relieved to hear her family laugh at the comment.

James put the picture back in his pocket. ‘I think I'll have this framed. It's a fetching pose. I've brought your car from the shop; I thought you might need it over the holiday.'

‘Oh, thank you.' She turned to her father. ‘I can drive myself to see the boys now, and after that I must visit Pete. I know he was at the hospital last night but I was too confused to thank him, and all of you for what you'd done.'

‘I can still take you,' her father insisted.

‘No, Dad.' She spoke gently. ‘I'm feeling fine. I need to get my life back to normal as quickly as possible.'

‘I understand.'

Kate bit into the sandwich and rolled her eyes in pleasure as the egg yolk oozed out. As children they had always loved these, but she hadn't had one for years. ‘I've never tasted anything so delicious. Now tell me where everyone is.'

James swallowed the last of his sandwich. ‘Annie and Reid are spending Christmas Day in Thatcham with his parents and then coming to us on Boxing Day. Will and Dora are coming this afternoon. I've already sent Charlie and Madge a telegram with the good news, and Sam of course.'

‘What about Beth? I was supposed to go out with her.'

‘We've told her you're safe,' James said. ‘She's spending
Christmas with Steve's family, but she'll see you after Christmas.'

‘Do you want a party tonight?' Her mother looked doubtful. ‘Or would you rather keep it quiet for a couple of days?'

‘Definitely a party.' Kate knew she'd said the right thing when some of the worry left their faces.

‘Right.' Bill grinned. ‘We'll throw the best damned party we've ever had.'

‘I'll look forward to that. A bit of noise is just what I need.' She stood up. ‘Now I must go and see the boys. They'll be wondering where I've got to.'

James helped her carry the parcels out to the car. ‘You sure you want to drive yourself? I could take you.'

‘I must do this,' she told him, her mouth set in a determined line. ‘Mum and Dad must believe I'm coping, and the sooner I start acting normal the sooner they'll stop worrying.'

‘It isn't going to be easy, though, is it?' he said perceptively.

‘No, but that's just between us, James.' She clenched her fingers around the car keys until it hurt. ‘I won't have them worried any more.'