The Beast of Bracksley Woods (2 page)

“Ah!” she said trying to sound cheerful and confident, “I can hear the ambulance coming now. They’ll soon get you sorted. The few minutes it took for the ambulance to turn into the lane at the top seemed like a lifetime to Debbie. We’ll have you tucked up in the warm in no time” she told him.

As soon as the ambulance stopped the medics sprang out. “Hello snow lady,” the first to approach called cheerfully, “Let’s have a look and see what we’ve got here.” Debbie moved aside as the medic bent over to take a close look at Greg. “Do you know him, madam?” he asked.

“I only know him by sight,” she answered. “His name is Gregory turner and he lives on Broadmead Farm.” “Okay, that’s something then. It’s helpful to know the name,” he added then calling to his colleague he said. “Bring the stretcher Ken, we are going to have to carry him into the ambulance.”

“I’ll better bring the oxygen as well. It looks as though the poor chap’s in a bad way. The police will be here soon my dear. Let’s hope that don’t keep you waiting too long. It’s bitterly cold and you look frozen,” he said as he started to help his colleague deal with Greg.

“I’d better pick the shopping up while I’m waiting,” Debbie said wanting to move and do something useful.

“I shouldn’t worry about it, my dear”, one of the medics told her, “The police will sort that out when they arrive and make sure Greg gets it all back.”

“Oh, yes I suppose they will. I’ll follow you to the hospital to see if there is anything else I can do then,” she said.

I think you ought to wait for the police to arrive before you come on to the hospital. They’ll want to know just what happened.” The medics said. “Let’s just get this gentleman into the ambulance and I bet the police will have arrived by then they’ll need to ask you a few questions but that shouldn’t take a minute. You could always follow up to the hospital a little later because I expect they’ll want to know how you came across him, and several other questions I daresay,” Ken chipped in as he brought the stretcher to where Greg now lay wrapped warmly in extra blankets. Debbie watched as the two medics gently lifted Greg onto the stretcher and placed an oxygen mask on his face. Carefully and gently the two medics moved Greg towards the ambulance. Debbie followed not wanting to stay on her own. She was freezing cold and didn’t relish waiting round for the police. Just as Greg was lifted into the ambulance, Debbie thought she heard him give a groan. “I think he’s coming round,” she said hopefully. As they slid him into the vehicle and spoke to him quietly telling him just what they were doing Debbie heard a slight groan coming from Greg. “I believe your right, love,” Ken said. “It might be a good idea if you did follow us to the hospital, the police will know where we are and in any case, we can always tell them.”

“Aha, No need now,” Ken said looking over his shoulder as a police car turned into the lane. “There we are. “Just in time. They won’t keep you too long, my dear. We’d better have a quick word before we move off though,” he said.

“Our patient has not regained consciousness yet,” Ken told the first policeman as he jumped out from his vehicle, “We are just leaving for the hospital but this lady found the man so you better have a word with her and come and find us at A and E, because that is where we will be taking the patient.” He turned to his colleague saying “You’d better ride with the patient Bill. We’re short of a nurse and we need to keep an eye on him with the oxygen.”

Bill climbed into the back of the ambulance and Ken shut the doors with a bang. He quickly walked to the front and jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off down the lane leaving Debbie on the side of the road. One of the policemen came over to her and asked “Would you like to sit in the car while we have a little chat. You must be frozen, you poor thing,” he said sympathetically. Debbie brushed the snow from her coat and accepted his offer immediately. She was so cold that her teeth had begun to chatter.

Debbie soon filled the few details of how she had come across Mr Turner. She asked what to do about his bike and the shopping. The other policeman told her not to worry about them, “We’ll pick them up and take them to the station until we know what the gentleman wants us to do about them.”

“That’s fine.” Debbie said. I think I ought to go to the hospital and see if there is anything I can do for him,” she said. “I would rather take my own car, otherwise it will mean I will have to come back for it.”

“Is that your car over there? That’s a beauty he said admiringly. Debbie nodded. “Okay, that’s fine. I think you have told us all we need to know at this stage. If we need to get in touch with you again, we have your address. You just drive carefully now because it looks as though the snow is settling in for the night,” he said cheerfully.

Debbie sat on a chair in A and E waiting for the nurse to come back with news of Mr Turner. She was grateful for the warmth of the place as she wrapped her hands firmly round the cup of tea she had got from the machine which was warming her inside. She gazed round at all the activities going on in the Department and hoped she wouldn’t have to wait long. She gave a deep sigh as she took in the familiar sights and smells of the hospital. Judging from the activity in the department, it was going to be a very busy night. Okay, she might have to wait a little while but her time was her own and after all, there was nobody sitting at home waiting for her. Her thoughts went back to Mike. She was never going to love anyone again like she had loved Mike. They had been so happy together in the early days of their marriage. Mike had been a tennis star and Debbie had been enormously proud of him. He was so handsome. He looked every bit an athlete as she watched him dart about the tennis court as he challenged his opponent. She cherished those memories. It broke her heart afresh every time she tried to forget all those hours she had spent at his bedside willing him to get well. Yet here she was again sitting waiting in a hospital. If only she could get rid of the awful emptiness within herself, she sighed. The thing to do was to keep as busy as she could and not give herself time to think. She had already been waiting over an hour and she was beginning to feel quite hungry so she breathed a sigh of relief as she spotted a nurse making her way towards her. “Mrs Turner?” the nurse asked.

“Oh no! I am sorry, my name is Mrs Richards,” Debbie answered.

“My mistake. Well, you will be glad to hear that the patient has regained consciousness. We will of course be keeping him in hospital for a little while because of his injuries. He has a broken leg and a broken arm, you see. By the way Mr Turner was carrying on, I thought you must be his wife. He has been asking to see you ever since he came round and we told him you had rescued him.”

“I don’t even know the gentleman really. I only know him by sight. He lives in the same village near me,” Debbie explained. “I just happened to find him and I stopped by to make sure he was okay. I wondered if there was anything else I could do for him,” Debbie finished.

“Well, as Mr Turner has regained consciousness now and seems pretty keen on meeting you. We thought it might put his mind at rest if you saw him for a minute before we take him up to theatre for surgery. His leg and arm will have to be set of course. Please come with me. I am afraid I can only allow you to stop for a few minutes because Mr Turner is still quite confused,” the nurse finished beginning to lead the way. Debbie followed wondering what the old gentleman could want.

As soon as she entered the ward Debbie felt a lump in her throat as her gaze fell on Greg Turner’s white face.

Suddenly, it wasn’t an old man lying there in the bed, it was the image of Mike As he lay unconscious before finally dying. She looked away quickly and swallowed hard so that he did not see the tears that threatened to overflow. The whole aspects of hospitals seemed to overwhelm Debbie. She should be given all her sympathy to the poor man lying on the bed, she admonished herself, not thinking of past experiences she could not change. Making a big effort and taking herself firmly in hand she faced Greg and said cheerfully, “Hello Mr Turner. My name is Debbie Richards and I live near you. I wondered if there is anything more I can do for you.”

“Oh my dear young lady,” Greg said in little more than a whisper, the minute he saw her. “Thank you so much for your assistance. I am so grateful to you. It was that big dog that did it. It knocked me clean off my bike.” Debbie stepped closer to the bed in order to hear him properly. It was immediately obvious that speech was a tremendous effort to him. He was struggling for breath but he bravely went on anxious to tell her what it was that was worrying him. Debbie looked at his drawn white face and her heart went out to him. “I wondered if I could ask you to do me a tremendous favour. You have been so good to me I really don’t know who else I could ask. If you agree, you will be doing me a great service and I shall always be in your debt my dear.” He paused for a moment to catch his breath and then went on, “I have no family left me and my friend Kevin is away until next week. My poor little dog trigger is at home and needs to be looked after while I am unable to care for him. There are one or two cats about the place but they can look after themselves. No need to worry about them. If I gave you my key, do you think you could feed trigger and walk him for me.” He looked at Debbie with a look of sadness in his eyes before taking another breath and saying, “I am sure he would make a good companion for you if you are on your own and haven’t much to occupy you at the moment. Trigger would be much happier if he was with someone rather than being left alone in the house all day. You see, normally I would have asked my friend Kevin to look after him if he was available but of course, he is not. Kevin is the local RSPCA Inspector, you know. The nurse will find the key for you if you agree,” he murmured clearly tiring.

Debbie could see that he was in a great deal of pain and finding speaking difficult. Without hesitating she assured him, “Of course I will. I had better take the little dog home with me.,” Debbie said impulsively, “The poor little mite won’t know what has happened to you but at least he will feel safe in a warm home with me for a day or two.”

“Thank you so much. That is a great deal off my mind,” Greg murmured again. He was interrupted by the nurse who came into the cubicle saying that they were ready for Mr Turner upstairs now so she would have to be moving him. “Please give the lady my keys, nurse. She is going to look after my little dog. You will find the dog food in the kitchen my dear,” Greg told her quickly. The nurse turned to Debbie saying “Just wait there a few minutes and I will get the keys for you. I’m sure Mr Turner will be feeling so much better tomorrow when we get him sorted out. Perhaps you could call in again.”

Agreeing gladly Debbie settled down to wait as Greg Turner was wheeled away. Ten minutes later the nurse was back with his keys. Thanking her Debbie left the hospital and went out to the car park.

As she climbed into the driving seat and made herself comfortable Debbie reconsidered what she had just let herself in for. She had agreed to look after a dog she had never met for an unspecified length of time for a man she had never spoken to until tonight. This was one of those impulsive actions she always seemed to take. Sometimes they worked out but on several previous occasions she had bitterly regretted agreeing to certain actions. She reflected now that although she quite liked animals, she had never had much to do with any of them. At some time in her childhood there had been a family cat but Debbie could not remember what had happened to it. Now she had agreed to look after a dog and she had to admit that she had no idea how to go about this.

However, she was not one to be deterred. As soon as she got home, she would have a quick look on her computer where there would be no end of tips. That ought to keep her going until she could find out more from Mr Turner as soon as he recovered enough to advise her. Starting up the car and putting the heater on Debbie drove out of the car park and made her way to Broadmead farm.

Fortunately, she knew her way to the farm from the hospital. It was not far and despite the snow which was now falling in earnest, she managed to recognise the gates that gave way to the short drive leading to the house with very little trouble although the night was pitch dark. Leaving the car lights on Debbie found her way to the three steps leading up to the front door which was even now covered with snow. As soon as she managed to open the door and step inside, she heard whimpering coming from where she presumed was the kitchen. Groping for a light switch on the wall presented no trouble and the hall came to life as she thankfully shut the front door and made her way to where she could hear the sound of the dog who was now not only whimpering but scratching at the door frantically. The minute the door was opened, the dog shot out. It began bouncing about leaping into the air, jumping up at her and barking for joy. “Okay, CALM DOWN Trigger,” Debbie said in some alarm, “I’m sorry I’m not your master. He’ll be back with you in a few days,” she said, “In the meantime, you’ll have to put up with me. How about a little ride in my car?” she asked conversationally as she took a quick look round the kitchen for dog food and a collar and lead.

How was she going to get a lead on the demented animal? She turned round nearly falling over the dog as he leapt once again at her. She need not have worried. As soon as Trigger spotted the lead, he grabbed the other end with his teeth and proceeded to tug. Debbie’s hand shot out and caught him. She managed to slip the collar over his head quite easily and congratulating herself on a good job so far, she attempted to rescue the lead from Trigger’s paws. Trigger evidently thought that this was enormous fun and started tugging harder. In desperation She happened to spot of bag of dog biscuits sitting on the worktop and as a temporary diversion she grab one and held it under Trigger’s nose. The effect was immediate. Trigger dropped the lead and Debbie was able to seize the opportunity and attach the right end to the collar. As soon as she had him anchored firmly, she shut the kitchen door but immediately she started towards the front door, trigger shot forward almost pulling her off her feet. She pulled him back and held on like grim death while she opened the front door. “Bloody hell,” she muttered softly to herself, “Slow down buster. That’s quite enough of that!” As the cold air hit them the sight of the snow momentary must have surprised the dog. He stopped dead on the doorstep and sniffed loudly. Grabbing the lead firmly in her hand Debbie Gingerly took a step forward mindful of slipping on the steps and afraid that Trigger might pull her once again. The dog followed cautiously as they negotiated their way carefully down the three steps that led from the front door. Just a couple of steps further and they would be at the car. With nose on the snow Trigger followed. Relieved, Debbie opened the back door and trigger scrambled onto the back seat. Oh well, the car needs a good clean out and I’ll do it when I get time, she mused grimly. Dirty paw marks on the back seat were the least of her worries at the moment, they’ll wide off easily enough.