The Beast of Bracksley Woods (14 page)

“I also need to talk to you Paul,” Debbie said.

Before following him upstairs, Paul showed her where to wash her hands. When they reached the sitting room he pointed out the bathroom “In there if you need the loo and a tidy up. I’ll go and make some tea. As soon as you’re finished find a comfortable chair and I will bring the tea tray through.” He vanished through another door as she made her way to the bathroom. As soon as she returned to the sitting room and found herself a chair she began to rehearse in her mind what she was going to say to Paul. As hard as she may find it, she was going to have to tell him that she was pregnant. At least, she would know without doubt what to do. Paul came back with the tea tray and placing it on the table sat in an armchair directly opposite her. No comfortable sofa tonight, Debbie reflected.

“Did you run away after our night together. Did you take fright or were you regretting what we did? Why not stop tonight. We could do it all again. Don’t you know that I am in love with you? It was the most wonderful experience of my life. If I have hurt you in any way, then I want to make amends. Please tell me. Don’t keep running away from me. My heart is so sore,” he said His eyes taking on the forlorn expression of a dog and his voice sounding so sad.

“No. It wasn’t a bit like that. I haven’t been running away. Surely, Kevin must have filled you in with some details by now.”

“I am afraid I haven’t seen anything of Kevin lately. We certainly haven’t been able to talk. All I know is that I have been getting very funny text messages from you telling me you have found a new boyfriend and will be getting married soon. That cut me to the heart,” he said dramatically clutching at his heart. “That is why I had to make up my mind to go away. I couldn’t stand seeing you with another man like Angela was saying all done up to the nines in a flashy car, especially after those text messages as well. I’ve been trying to pluck up courage to speak to you but never seemed to find the right opportunity to tell you that I don’t hold anything against you and that I wish you all the luck in the world.” He paused. There was silence between them as Debbie tried to make sense of what he had said.

Debbie took a deep breath before saying, “So Angela told you all this, did she? I haven’t the faintest idea why she should think I was courting anyone but whatever she has said is nowhere near the truth. I only sent you one text message telling you I had to go away. I got a message back telling me not to contact you again. I believe Angela has been playing nasty games. So, clearly, in spite of my messages which Angela must have intercepted, you had no idea that Sheila died suddenly and I had to go away urgently because Jeff needed help,” she said shakily.

I don’t know what her game is but I do know she doesn’t like me. It looks as though she has certainly been busy making mischief between us. I saw you coming out of a restaurant a couple of weeks ago and she seemed to make a point of waving to me and smiling. Then I saw you again coming out of a pub. Can you blame me for thinking you had found someone else. Now, in spite of thinking I am about to marry another, you have the cheek to ask if we could repeat the experience and stay the night. Well. I don’t think so, thank you.”

Paul ignored Debbie’s angry tirade. “What! Sheila died? What Message? I haven’t received any message. I am so sorry. When did it happen? How absolutely awful! Nobody has said a word to me about it. I think we had better start from the beginning. Something doesn’t make sense here. I saw you leave the cottage with a strange man with my own eyes and you were in a very smart car,” Paul said accusingly. “You went straight past me and didn’t even look in my direction. Why shouldn’t I have believed what Angela told me.”

Debbie gulped at the sheer hard edge in Paul’s voice.

“You put the wrong two and two together Paul. You chose to believe what Angela was telling you. She must have been messing with your mobile. I came back to Bracksley to collect some clothes and it was Mike’s cousin you saw who was good enough to drive me over. Actually, I didn’t see you at all. You obviously can’t trust me very much otherwise you would not be spying on me let alone believe that of me especially after your big performance in the bedroom,” she accused in her turn her face reddening in embarrassment and anger.

“My big performance. I like that!” his voice rising in anger. You were begging for it,” He laughed and Debbie slapped his face. As she ran downstairs, tears of humiliation blinding her as she picked up her coat and bag she heard Paul call after her, “You can’t spend your time living with a ghost, grow up and move on, that’s my advice to you.” She slammed the door as she rushed out of the surgery. When she got to the corner of the street she stopped to draw breath. Sanctimonious bloody vet, she muttered through her sobs as she called a cab from her mobile.

Later that night when she was safely at home she took out a bottle of red wine. Pouring a full glass of the rich liquid out she turned on the gas fire to warm herself and sank into her comfortable armchair. what with the warmth of the fire and the inner warmth the wine gave her, she calmed herself enough to turned the events of the night over in her mind as she slowly relaxed. Debbie desperately tried to make sense of what had been said and all that it might have implied. First of all Paul had seemed so hurt at what he presumed was her betrayal, then apologising for any hurt he may have caused without knowing. Then suddenly, He’d implied that she had seduced him. She was so angry at the thought that she gulped back the wine and refilled her glass. She felt so tired. What with the combination of warmth and wine and the stresses of the day, she soon sank into an alcoholic soaked sleep

The sleep was fuelled with terrifying nightmares of Mike playing tennis somewhere very hot. Mike was waving a tennis racket about and dashing around the court. He was shouting at her to catch the balls. Tennis balls were coming at her from all directions and they were spinning and dancing crazily in the air just out of reach. Mike was leaping into the air batting balls shouting to her.

She could hear him telling her to catch the balls but every time she tried she just couldn’t reach them. His voice was in her ears telling her not to gag him. “You must move to the right to catch the balls,” his voice called. Then horror – of horrors — the big dog appeared. It started chasing the balls and as she watched it jumping into the air as it tried to catch each one it seemed to be bouncing in its turn. Mike’s voice again, “Don’t let the dog get the balls, it will burst them and we will all be done for.”

Another figure appeared. This time it was Paul and he had the snake round his neck pointing at a notice on a lamp post. This way to Broadmead Farm to see the zoo. The big dog bounced along in front of Paul as he trudged down the lane. Debbie screamed as they came towards her. Sheer fright woke Debbie. She found herself on the floor. She was soaked with perspiration. She could feel it running down her back. Her hands felt clammy as she reached into the air for a tennis ball that wasn’t there. Gradually, consciousness began to take over as the dream receded. It took a moment for her to realise why she felt so hot. She was lying on the floor in front of the gas fire. Slowly she rolled onto all-fours and For several minutes she stayed still where she was allowing herself time to focus. She was trembling with fright and gasping for air. As soon as she could move she sat up then pulled herself up onto the armchair and bravely stilled her trembling limbs while taking deep breaths. It took a moment or two before she dared risk standing up to cross the room to open the window. The chill night air flooded into her face and she gulped it down gratefully. Leaning forward she vomited out into the night and shut the window as she withdrew into the sitting room again.

Making her way to the kitchen she drank cold water and splashed it into her face. Feeling a little better she went to bed. Sleep overtook her again but this time with no nightmares. When she woke in the morning the familiar feeling of sickness caught her unawares. She had forgotten about the baby. Now she remembered that she had not told Paul. Breathing a sigh of relief she resolved that she would never tell him now.

Sunday was Debbie’s day off but in spite of feeling ill she got up and showered trying to wash away the memory of the nightmare of her drunken dream. Then she went downstairs to make coffee and feed her two young feline companions. As soon as they were fed they started a rampage through the cottage. High spirits sent them leaping and racing through the house scattering anything in their wake. Debbie made a comforting cup of coffee and sat with her eyes closed as the kittens whizzed round her as though they were driven by invisible springs. The telephone rang. When she answered it was Kevin telling her that the police had got a line on the poacher’s van. It had been traced over to Hitchin and he was going over there to investigate. Paul had phoned to say that Danny was doing okay and he would be able to collect him later in the day. He promised to be back later and let her know how things stood. Greg was holding the fort at the farm with the volunteers so she need not worry. “You have a rest today,” he said “Save all your energies for tomorrow. I am expecting a good turn out,” He said cheerfully. A brisk walk down to the shop and a chat with Mrs Harrison should see her right, Debbie thought as she picked up her coat and bag and stepped out into the bright sunny spring morning.

When the police arrived at Broadmead Farm Kevin gave his account of the happenings that night. He was hopping mad at his failure to apprehend the poacher and upset because it was his dog who had got hurt. It wasn’t often he felt anger towards an animal but this one took the biscuit. He couldn’t help thinking that as far as this particular animal was concerned, it richly deserved what it had got. He was not able to be of much use to the police however because he didn’t get a good look at the van in the dark. They already knew that he had made several reports of this dangerous dog attacking domestic animals in the area. Nobody had been able to come up with any decent description that could be followed up. It was now a serious matter however since a gun had been used. Kevin was extremely worried and pointed out to the police that although they had now managed to catch the dog which the Vet was now examining, the owner was still at large and Kevin badly needed to speak to him.

The large dog had only attacked other dogs but what happens when it eventually attacks a child. The officers told him in no uncertain terms not to be stupid enough to try any heroics and go after the poacher on his own. If he came across any evidence to suggest the whereabouts of the man he should get in touch with them immediately.

Finally, the police left leaving Kevin in a state of frustration at the lack of interest they seemed to be displaying. He was still hopping mad that it was his dog that had got hurt this time. In spite of being warned by the police, Kevin determined to take matters into his own hands. He told Greg that he was going up to Bracksley woods to have another look round up there just in case he came across anything that might lead him to the culprit. “Don’t you think you should take the advice of the police lad?” Greg asked, “Keep your nose out and let them do their job,” Greg advised.

“Sure’un all mate, it’s my duty to make sure that animal is not ill-treated by the owner,” he said by way of excuse “I need to speak to that man seriously. He is obviously mistreating that dog otherwise it wouldn’t be behaving as it is. I ought to remind you that I am the RSPCA Inspector and that is my job,” Kevin answered shrugging his shoulders vigorously and looking more determined than ever.

“Yu don’t fool me,” Greg answered, “It’s because of Danny you’re going looking for that maniac, Kevin O’Sullivan,” Greg said. “Just try not to get yourself into any trouble and land up in casualty again. You know what I think? You are just a typical pig-headed stubborn Irishman,” Greg said with feeling his voice rising in anticipation of trouble to come.

Kevin was as good as his word. He spent an uncomfortable night in the woods until the early hours of the morning. By the time he gave up and decided to go home, he was very stiff, cold and tired. As he climbed into his van his thoughts turned to Danny. He was missing his old companion badly. Paul had phoned to say that Danny was doing alright which meant he didn’t need to worry too much. He trusted Paul completely. For a moment his thoughts focused on Paul briefly. He counted Paul as one of his best friends and the fact that he would soon be leaving the area was news he didn’t want to hear. They had become good friends ever since he took over the practise in Bedford from old Sid Price. He knew he was going to miss Paul when he left. He had always thought that Paul was content to work in a town like Bedford and it was beyond him to figure out the sudden decision to up sticks and not only leave the county but to leave the country. The prospect of Angela taking over did not please him. He did not like Angela. She treated him with the utmost disdain. Furthermore, he suspected that as soon as the coast was clear, she would withdraw the support for the RSPCA that Paul had always given him. Still, one door shuts and another door opens he thought philosophically as he started to drive the short distance to his cottage. It was then that he spotted the van tucked away in a clump of trees well hidden from the road.

Aha, now why should someone be hiding in there? Could it be that he had found me laddo he had been hunting all night? he thought with a feeling of growing excitement. His training had taught him to always be observant taking in all things around him.

No wonder he hadn’t found him during the night. The poacher hadn’t got his dog with him and Kevin knew where his dog was, didn’t he? Had he not been so alert he could easily have missed the van, it had been well hidden.

As luck would have it, the van started to move out onto the road well in front of him. With a growing feeling of excitement, he started to follow staying back allowing it to get ahead but not out of sight. Kevin hoped that the poacher would lead him to where the gang were keeping their dogs. If so he could inform the police of their whereabouts. In spite of feeling cold, hungry and tired, he decided not to put the heater on. That would only make him feel more drowsy and he needed to stay alert. They headed towards the A6 Kevin keeping well behind. They turned off at Barton-in-the-clay and headed up to Hitchin.