Radio Gaga (17 page)

The windscreen wipers broke with a crisp twang of snapping metal and Neil sailed sideways onto the road. I crashed the gears sending a judder along my arm as I sped off down the road leaving Neil in a crumpled heap. The sound of sirens filled the air and a police car appeared in front of me, swiftly followed by a second. I slammed on the brakes and waited. Overhead the heavy whirr of a low flying helicopter sent dust plumes whirling around my car. Thank God, it was over.

The next bit was all a blur of police, ambulances, police dogs and the helicopter. An ambulance took Neil away, accompanied by the police. They said they thought he’d broken his leg and had a concussion. Whether that was from where I’d biffed him with the lantern, or from where he’d landed on the tarmac, it was impossible to tell. A nice policewoman was assigned to take my statement after the paramedic had given me a quick check-up to see if I was okay.

I’d just refused a trip to Accident and Emergency when a dark blue van with a ladder on the roof screeched to a halt behind the police car. Shelly emerged from the passenger side followed by a very good-looking man from the driver's side.

“Chloe!
Thank goodness. Are you okay?” She stumbled towards me on her heels, tears streaming down her face.

Much to her annoyance and mine a policeman prevented her from rushing in to give me a hug.

“Miss Lark is about to leave for the police station and I have to ask you not to enter the crime scene.”

Shelly’s dark-haired companion placed his arm around her waist as I was led to the waiting police car.

“We’ll follow you to the station and wait for you,” Shelly called.

I waved back at her and wondered how she’d managed to find me.

My mother was at the police station with a change of clothes for me, apparently the ones I was wearing might be needed for evidence. She appeared to have aged twenty years since I’d last seen her. I was whisked away to change and informed that my car had also been impounded for tests.

“How am I going to get to work?” I stared at the policewoman breaking the bad news to me.

“In the boot of your car, we found a weapon, rope, plastic bags and a take away meal,” her voice was gentle. She didn’t need to spell out the implications of Neil’s preparations. He’d set everything up for a last meal, presumably with me wearing the tacky undies. Then, it looked as if it would have been 'Bye-bye Chloe.'

“What’s happened to Ben? Have you released him?”

It seemed either she didn’t know or wasn’t prepared to tell me. She finished her questioning and then I was allowed to join Shelly, my mother and Shelly’s boyfriend in a small room just off the lobby of the police station. My mother stepped forward and hugged me.
Properly hugged me.
Tears streamed down her cheeks wetting the shoulder of my tee shirt.

“I thought you were dead. I’ve never been so scared in my life.
Oh, Chloe.”
Her voice broke and she tightened her grip. Everything was still unreal, like a dreadful nightmare that I couldn’t shake off. I wished I knew what had happened to Ben.

 
Merv appeared at her side. “Lark, we need to get you out of here. It’s mad outside. There are press and cameras everywhere.”

My kidnapping had somehow become big news. Merv had donned one of Live it Up’s hideous yellow sweatshirts and I guessed he intended to try and get his face in front of the news cameras.

“I’ll talk to the media and see if I can hold them off,” he said.

“I’m used to dealing with the press. I’ll come with you.” My mother gave me another hug before tagging onto Merv.

“There’s a side door, we can get out that way.” Shelly grabbed hold of my hand. The police allowed us to leave through a small door at the side of the building.

“What’s going on? Where did all those people come from?” I clung to Shelly’s arm as her boyfriend hurried us out to his van. My mother, accompanied by Merv, had gone out of the front of the building to talk to the paparazzi. Heaven only knew what she was saying, but the warm feeling from her hug stayed with me as I made my escape.

Carlos got us into his van and we drove away leaving the madness behind.

“That was mental.” Shelly shook her head.

“What’s been happening? How did you know Neil had kidnapped me?” The police had told me nothing and I couldn’t work out how anyone could have known there was something wrong.

“Kevin, that kid from the nightclub, saw someone hiding in the back of your car when you left the radio station. He tried to flag you down to warn you but you drove off.” Shelly explained.

My face heated as I recalled my escape from Kevin. “So that was why he waved at me.”

“He ran after you and spotted Neil pull the knife when you paused at the junction at the end of the road.”

I groaned.

“He didn’t know what to do so he ran back to the radio station. Merv was in reception and he called the police.
Live it Up
put out an alert on your car registration plate and description which is how I heard about it.” Shelly explained.

“She called me and asked me to look out for you while I was at work cleaning windows.” Carlos stopped the van at a red light.

“He saw your car go past him and called the police.” Shelly beamed at her boyfriend.

“Was that you?
The man up the ladder?”
I remembered the window cleaner I’d passed when Neil had forced me to drive out of town.

“Yes, I hurried after you to try and catch you up. I followed you for a while but lost you near the industrial estate.” Carlos said.

“When did they find out where he’d taken me?” My mind reeled. I couldn’t believe it.

Shelly squeezed my hand. “They picked up your car again when Neil took it and stopped to get a takeaway. The man in the restaurant spotted your car number plate and called the police. They scrambled the helicopter and the squad cars.”

Carlos swung the van into the parking space in front of my flat where I usually left my car. “I think the papers and TV will come looking for you here. They won’t be far behind us. You need to get your things and lie low for a while.”

“What about Mum? She’s trying to hold the press off back at the police station.”

Shelly jumped down from the van and accompanied me to the front door of the house. “She feels very guilty for not listening to you about Neil.”

“My mother?
We are talking about the same woman?” My hand trembled as I placed my key in the lock. Shit, I wanted to break down and have a good cry. This was the woman who only the day before had still been trying to get me back together with a maniac.

“I know you and your mum have your differences but despite everything she does love you, in her own way. She was out of her mind with worry while you were missing.” Shelly took the key from me and opened the door. Before I would have had trouble believing her but the emotion I’d seen, and more importantly, felt from my mum at the police station made all the difference. Despite her criticisms and her thoughtlessness I knew now that she loved me. That made all the difference.

We walked into the lobby and Shelly opened the door to my flat. “There’s someone waiting to see you.” She squeezed my hand.

The door opened and Ben was there with stubble dark along the line of his jaw and deep blue-black shadows under his eyes. A funny choked-up sob escaped me. Shelly dropped my keys into my pocket and she and Carlos slipped discreetly away.

“I asked about you at the police station and no one would tell me where you were.” My words were barely
intelligible,
I was so choked with emotion.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed and his eyes pinked. “I was only released an hour ago. I hung around until I heard that you were safe and I came straight here. I wanted to wait for you at the station but there was a feeding frenzy of press and I didn’t know when they’d let you get away.” He closed his arms tight and around me and I melted into him revelling in the support of his hug. He rested his cheek against my hair.

“It was awful, Ben.”

He kissed the top of my head and steered me towards the sofa, pulling me close to him as we sat. “I’ve been out of my mind with worry. I knew when the police took me in that something bad would happen. No one would listen to me.”

I stroked his cheek feeling the tension in the muscle along his jaw. “I was so scared. I wanted to go to the police to try and get you out but Merv said it wouldn’t be any good. He thought that they were blaming post traumatic stress disorder and that you might really be guilty. I knew it wasn’t true.”

Ben muttered some choice swear words. “They weren’t going to tell me you were in trouble. I only found out when someone bought a message into the room where they were questioning me and they said I was free to go. It wasn’t until I got outside the police station and there was a journalist waiting that I found out what had happened.”

I caressed his mouth with the pad of my thumb before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. “I kept thinking that if the press heard you were being questioned about Steph’s poisoning and the notes that it would trigger everything you’ve spent the last half of the year trying to avoid.” Hot tears spilled down my face.

“All I could think of was that you were in danger and I couldn’t protect you.” He closed his eyes as if trying to shut off the memory. “It was too much like being back in the army.” His arms tightened around me. I knew the ghosts of his past were sitting on his shoulders again.

“At least it’s over now,” I murmured.

His mouth claimed mine and I lost myself for a moment in his kiss. It felt so good to be back in his arms, safe and secure as if I belonged there.

He moved his lips away from mine. “You know the press will be here soon?”

“Mum and Merv were talking to them at the police station.” I knew the news teams would want to talk to me. It’s not every day there’s a full-blown kidnapping in our sleepy little town. Plus, with all the publicity I’d been getting lately the story would be even more newsworthy than usual.

“I need to pack a bag and go stay in a hotel or something for a couple of days till it blows over.” My heart sank at the idea of being apart from him even if only for a few days but I couldn’t allow Ben to get caught up in my mess. It wasn’t right or fair.

“It’s okay. I’ve got somewhere we can go.
A cottage in Snowdonia.
It belongs to an old mate of mine. As soon as I left the police station I came back here and arranged everything. You just have to say that it’s what you want.” His lips grazed mine, his breath warm on my face making my resolve weaken.

“You’d get dragged into all the papers again if they find out I’m with you. It wouldn’t be fair on you or Tash - especially if they find out that Neil tried to run her over.” I felt sick at the thought of what it would do to Ben’s sister if a maelstrom of paparazzi descended on her again.

“Tash is okay. She’s in a much stronger place now and I don’t think they’ll harass her.” He kissed me again and desire fluttered in my stomach. I desperately wanted to say yes, to go with him.

“Ben, there’s something I haven’t told you.” It was no good; I had to come clean about the pilot for the TV programme and what it might mean if it took off. If he’d taken everything else today in his stride then surely he’d understand about the TV show.

I pushed myself away from him and sat a little more upright while I explained. It was important to me to see his face. Ever since I’d been for the interview with the programme makers I’d been turning their offer over in my mind. It was the opportunity I’d been waiting and working for but without Ben it would be a hollow achievement.

I was more scared as I talked to Ben than I had been when Neil had locked me inside the industrial unit. When I’d been kidnapped it had been a different kind of scared. My anger and adrenaline had battled with my fear. Now, my heart and my future happiness were on the line. I’d seen his reaction to the media storm outside the police station and I knew what he’d gone through in the past.

His face was blank as I stumbled through my tale. My pulse roared in my ears as I finally mumbled to a halt and sat waiting for his response. I couldn’t read the expression on his face.

“When did you plan to tell me about this?” he asked.

Nausea rose in my gut. His tone was too quiet. “It happened quite quickly and I wanted to pick the right moment.” I wished I could read his thoughts. Instead of the intimacy and security that had been there a moment ago a chasm started to open between us.

“Did you think I’d try and stop you or talk you out of going to see them?” A frown line formed on his forehead.

Tears prickled the backs of my eyes. “I didn’t know what you’d say. Everything seemed to be going so well for us. I didn’t want anything to spoil it.” How could I explain all my stupid fears and inadequacies? “I’ve never been able to get things right. I’m not especially clever or talented. I haven’t any special skills to get a good job, or even keep a job, and every relationship I’ve ever had has been a disaster. Even with my own mother.” I tried a bit of a joke at the end but my confession had a horrible ring of truth to it.

Ben looked at me for what seemed like forever and I was convinced that this was it. We were through. No cosy cottage in the Welsh mountains for us, not now, not ever. It was asking too much. I braced myself ready for his response and thought I would die from the pain in my heart.

“I love you, Chloe. You are talented, special and sweet. I’d never try and hold you back. I don’t care if your lovely face gets plastered all over billboards or if you end up having to sign autographs and photos wherever we go if that’s what you want.”

I gaped at him. “But you hate all of that.” I couldn’t quite believe what he’d said. Ben loved me.

“Yes, I hate it when it’s me that’s in the limelight. You’re fantastic at it and it makes you happy. I want you to be happy. But, more importantly I want you to be safe, and that’s what I want to do, if you’ll let me, keep you safe.”