CHAPTER 10.
It took a moment for Dippy to realise what was going on.
Oh my god…this is him! This is Jonathan Bell. He could be the guy who tried to kill my brother.
Dippy was terrified. Lucinda was convinced that her brother hadn't shot anyone, but why had he broken into the Consulate?
He's looking for more Mounties to hurt…and he if can't find Mounties maybe he'll hurt someone else instead? Like me…or Katy.
Dippy took a deep breath. "Hey, so, er, like, can I get you a coffee?"
The man looked at Dippy suspiciously. "Coffee?"
"Yeah, or, er, bark tea? Water maybe?" Dippy offered. "Or there's chamomile tea. I like that, it tastes kinda weird the first time, kinda like flowers, but then I guess that's what it's made of, right? It's good for you, though. Bark tea is just weird. I've never liked that. Back home my mum used to make…"
"Will you shut up!" yelled Bell.
Katy suddenly tensed and pulled away from her uncle. She'd never heard him shout like that before and it frightened her.
"Oh, hey, I…I…didn't mean to scare you, honey," said Bell. He held his arms out for her, but Katy backed away.
Bell hung his head. "I…I…shouldn't have come here," he said. "I didn't know you were here, honey." Then he paused and thought for a moment. "Why are you here?" he asked her. "Mounties live here. There are Mounties here, Katy. You…you have to get out of here. Come with me, hurry."
"No," replied Katy defiantly. "I like Mounties now, Uncle Jon. A Mountie saved me from getting hit by a car. He's a really nice man."
Dippy slowly walked over to Katy and put a protective arm around her shoulders.
Bell's eyes grew wider and he looked from Katy to Dippy. "What is she saying?" he asked. He was becoming more agitated as he tried to make sense of the situation. "Who are you? What have you done to Katy? You're one of them aren't you…a Mountie. You lied to me!"
"No, no!" insisted Dippy. "I'm not a Mountie. I'm not. Please, sir, you're, like, totally scaring Katy."
Dippy desperately wanted him to leave, but at the same time she realised that she had to keep him here. Ray and Fraser were on their way, they would be here any minute. She knew she had to keep Jonathan Bell here until they arrived. If she let him go they might never find him again and even if Lucinda was right and he hadn't pulled the trigger, he was somehow involved in the shootings. Dippy looked into his eyes, but all she could see was fear.
He's more scared than me…
Bell was breathing heavily. His head was spinning and he couldn't make sense of anything anymore. "It's all gone wrong…" he muttered and he started pacing up and down. "This…this wasn't how it was meant to happen…what do I do? What do I do?"
"Um, we made cookies," said Dippy trying to keep her voice from trembling. "Do you like cookies? I do and Katy put extra chocolate chips in so they're, like, totally chocolatey now."
"What…what…what do I have to do now? What…what did he say I had to do?" Bell wasn't listening to Dippy at all, he was still mumbling and he'd started tapping the side of his head with his forefinger. "This is wrong, this is all wrong…wrong, wrong, wrong…"
"I like raisin cookies too, but Katy went for chocolate," Dippy continued. "I'll go get them and we can, like, hang out for a while."
"I don't want cookies!" yelled Bell suddenly. He tried to slow his breathing down with some deep breaths.
There was a scratching noise at the front door and Dippy suddenly remembered that Diefenbaker was outside.
Bell's head snapped round. "What was that?" he said. "I heard a noise. What…what was it?"
"Um, that was my wolf," replied Dippy.
"Wolf!" exclaimed Bell and started to back away from the door towards the kitchen.
"Dog," Dippy backtracked. "My…my dog, er, Wolfie. That's his name, coz he kinda looks a bit like a wolf so I figured that was a better name than Billy, or Fluffy, or…or… So, er, I'm gonna let him in, or he'll totally freeze out there."
Bell watched nervously as Dippy opened the door. Dief realised something was wrong immediately and as soon as he saw Bell he tried to run towards him, but Dippy jumped in front of him.
"Hey, Wolfie!" she said, flinging her arms around his neck. "Did you, like, have a good, er, pee?" she asked.
Dief yapped a reply and growled.
"No, it's fine, this is Katy's uncle," said Dippy. She took Dief's snout in her hands and mouthed as clearly as she could.
Too dangerous… Follow my lead…
Dief barked a reply.
Dippy shook her head.
No. Not in front of Katy… She mouthed.
Reluctantly, Dief agreed to resist the urge to bite the man. He didn't like it, but he had no choice but to trust Dippy.
"Your dog doesn't like me," said Bell.
"Sure he does," replied Dippy getting to her feet. "He's just hungry. So how about I fix some sandwiches?"
"Sandwiches?" Bell screwed up his face at her words. "I don't want sandwiches and I don't want cookies and I don't want tea, got it?" He opened his eyes and stared at Dippy.
Dippy nodded.
"Why are you shouting?" asked Katy innocently.
"I'm not shouting, honey," said Bell, trying to keep his voice down. "I'm just…just…I'm confused. That's all. I…I…I just…" he trailed off and ran his fingers through his wild hair.
"I get confused all the time," said Dippy. "Like, sometimes I start doing something and I, like, totally forget what I was going to do and then I start doing something else and it all gets muddled in my head. So then I just give up and, like, start something completely new instead. Like this one time I was out with my mum tracking a mountain goat…did you know by the way that mountain goats are more closely related to deer than regular goats? I don't know why they don't just call them mountain deer."
Bell tried to say something, but couldn't get a word in edgeways. This crazy woman babbling on about goats was making his head hurt even more and he couldn't form any cohesive thoughts.
"Anyway, we were tracking this one goat over the pass and I really wanted to, like, see a baby goat because they are totally cute," Dippy continued. She slipped her hand into Katy's as she spoke and slowly walked backwards with her towards the door to the reception room. "So it turned out me and Mum were following different tracks and they, like, went in opposite directions, so then we didn't know which path to go down, but we saw a baby fox hiding under, like, this old tree and…"
Dippy paused briefly as she heard the noise of a car pulling up outside.
Please let this be Ray and Fraser…
She couldn't be sure if Dief had heard it too, but she knew he'd be able to sense Fraser. She glanced at the wolf who gave a reassuring yap and trotted towards the kitchen door, blocking Bell's exit.
Bell hadn't heard the car. Instead he'd started to pace again. He put the rock in his jacket pocket and twisted his hands into tight fists.
"And we figured he looked kinda cold, the fox I mean, so…" continued Dippy.
"Stop talking!" screamed Bell. "Just stop!"
"Oh, don't you want to hear about the fox?" asked Dippy, putting on her best hurt face.
"Well I don't," snapped Bell. "I want to leave this crazy place. OK? I'm leaving. Open the door."
"But…but…" stammered Dippy. She had to time this exactly right and she looked to Dief for a cue.
Dief made a low growling noise.
OK, not yet…
"Let me out of here now, or I'll….or I'll…" Bell's nostrils flared as he spoke. The threat was empty and had come from nowhere, but he shocked himself with the level of anger this situation had invoked in him. "NOW!"
Suddenly Dief started barking loudly taking Bell by surprise. He covered his ears with his hands and tried to push past the wolf, but Dief wasn't going to let him go that easily.
Katy started screaming.
"It's OK," said Dippy reassuringly. "Stay in here," she added and gently pushed the startled girl into the reception room, closing the door behind her before lurching for the front door, pulling back the bolts and opening it.
The commotion was too much for Bell and he backed himself up against the wall. He still had his ears covered, trying to block out all the noise so he could think and he had his eyes screwed tightly shut, but it was no use. "Shut up! SHUT UP!"
"Hurry, he's here," said Dippy as she flung the door open.
Ray and Fraser didn't know who she was talking about, but they soon realised as Lucinda caught sight of her brother.
"Jonny!" she exclaimed.
Bell was completely disorientated now and the next few minutes passed in a blur. "What? What the…?" There, in front of him, stood the epitome of everything he hated…a Mountie.
A Mountie!
And his sister…
Luci, get away from him!
He couldn't speak. His world was crashing down around him and he couldn't do anything to stop it. In a split second he grabbed Lucinda and pulled her into a hug. He squeezed tighter and tighter as if she was the only thing that could hold him together.
"Jon…Jonny, you're…you're hurting me…" gasped Lucinda.
Immediately, Ray pulled out his gun. "Let her go, Bell," he warned.
"Ray, no!" shouted Fraser, but it was too late. Bell had seen the gun. He let out a loud, gut wrenching scream and released Lucinda.
Dippy grabbed her hand and quickly shoved her into the other room to be with her terrified daughter. Dippy tried to follow Lucinda, but somehow she tripped over her feet and stumbled to her knees.
In a split second Bell lunged at her pulled her into his clutches. With one arm around her throat and the other hand pulling her arm tightly behind her back, there was no way she could wriggle free. The more she struggled, the tighter his grip became.
"Please release her," urged Fraser, stepping between Ray and Bell. "Detective Vecchio is going to lower his weapon." He turned to Ray and raised his eyebrows in a pleading gesture.
Bell snarled at Fraser. "I'm…I'm…I'm not listening to you. You're a Mountie."
"Yes I am," replied Fraser, proudly. "My name is Constable Benton Fraser and this is my partner, Detective Vecchio, who is about to put his gun away. I hope." He turned and glared at Ray again.
Ray realised his mistake immediately. The sight of a gun had completely freaked out Bell, just as Lucinda had described.
Bernard Wilson was right, this guy's a nut job… His eyes were wild and staring.
Ray had no idea what Bell was capable of and, much to Fraser's frustration, decided that putting his weapon away now would be a really bad idea. Bell held all the cards, or, more accurately, he held Dippy.
Dippy let out a strangled noise and tried again to get away from her captor, but he just tightened his grip on her arm. Tears started welling in her eyes, but she was determined not to let him see her cry.
"Let her go," said Fraser, taking a step closer.
"Stay back!" yelled Bell. "I'll…I'll break her neck. I will. I'll do it."
Fraser could tell that he meant it and that he was fully capable of carrying out his threat. Bell had positioned his arm in such a way that one quick twist and Dippy's petite neck would snap. Military training, Fraser realised.
"Ray, I really think you should lower your weapon, if you'd be so kind. Please. Now," said Fraser, without taking his eyes off Bell. "And when he does, will you agree to release the young lady?" he asked Bell.
"I'm not agreeing to anything you say, Mountie," he spat.
"We can help you," said Fraser in a gentle voice. "We know about McGarratt."
Bell flinched at the sound of that name. He started to shake his head wildly in a desperate attempt to clear the fog. "You…you know?" he asked.
"Yes," confirmed Fraser. "We know that he manipulated you into helping him. We know he used your gun."
"He didn't listen to me!" exclaimed Bell. "I…I told him not to do it, I told him, but he didn't listen to me."
"I will listen to you, I promise," replied Fraser, earnestly.
Bell was so confused. This Mountie wanted to help him? It made no sense. Mounties are not to be trusted, he reminded himself. "No!" screamed Bell. "You're a Mountie! You can't help me."
"Come on, pal," said Ray. "I'm not a Mountie. I'll drop the gun if you let her go. Deal?"
Ray waited for a reply. He couldn't see any other way out of this right now; he didn't have a clear shot, not with Dippy so close.
"Have you ever killed a kid?" asked Bell.
Ray was stunned at the sudden question. "Er, a child?" he asked.
"I don't mean a little kid," replied Bell. "I mean a kid with a gun. They…they…they have kids in the army over there. Like thirteen, fourteen years old. Younger sometimes. I had no idea. I…I…I didn't mean to. I mean, I didn't know. We were supposed to blow up their base. That's all. No casualties. In and out, that's what they told us. Except…except I was the only one to get out. The army shrink told me I have PTSD, that's why I'm crazy. Brannigan, McLaine, Ozzi, they…they didn't get out. But I shot a kid in the head and I got out. Is that right? Tell me, Mountie, is that right?"
Fraser was speechless. This was the incident in Iraq that Bell had been unable to talk about, he realised.
"And then…then you killed my son!" screamed Bell.
"No, I didn't," replied Fraser calmly.
Dippy squeaked as Bell tightened his grip again. He looked at Dippy's terrified face and suddenly realised he had no idea who she was, or why he had his arm around her neck. He relaxed his grip slightly, but wasn't about to let her go until the gun was safely away.
"Please," urged Fraser. "I know you don't want to hurt her. I know you don't want to hurt anyone else. I'm so sorry about what happened to your son, but this young woman had nothing to do with it. Please let her go."
Bell thought for a moment and looked deep into Fraser's eyes. Maybe he could trust this man after all? Maybe this Mountie could help him like he'd promised?
"OK," he said quietly.
"Thank you," smiled Fraser. He turned to Ray. "On three," he nodded.
"On three, or after three?" asked Ray. "Coz last time you did this I went on three and you didn't."
"On three," replied Fraser. "When I say three. Understood?"
"Yep. Gotcha," confirmed Ray. "So it's one, two, three and I'll put the gun away."
"Precisely."
"Greatness."
The exchange, of course, had been a time wasting tactic and Bell hadn't noticed the two men and a wolf carefully getting themselves into position. They weren't taking any chances. Bell was clearly unstable and his actions could not be predicted.
"One," began Fraser, with a glance at Dief. "Two…three."
It was all over in a split second. Ray did, as promised, re-holster his gun and Bell released Dippy. Fraser pulled her to safety, but as he did so Bell grabbed the rock from his jacket pocket and in a desperate attempt to escape he hurled it at Fraser.
Ray yelled a warning, but Fraser had already seen it coming and ducked out of the way, pushing Dippy to the ground as he did so. Before Bell had time to do anything else, Dief jumped on him, pinning him up against the wall. Bell looked terrified as the wolf snarled in his face.
"Dief," said Fraser in a low voice.
Reluctantly, Dief released his prize. Ray spun the man around to face the wall and kicked his legs apart. "Hands on your head, you're under arrest, pal," he said.
Fraser quickly helped Dippy to her feet and then stepped forward to assist Ray as he patted down his prisoner.
No weapons. Hardly surprising in the circumstances, thought Ray. He glanced at Fraser. Maybe he should have put his gun away sooner? Maybe he should never have drawn it in the first place? If Fraser didn't agree with his decision, he wasn't showing it. But then, he never shows it, thought Ray. He's probably mad with me. "I had to be sure, buddy," he said.
"Understood," nodded Fraser.
Yeah, he's mad with me…
As Ray snapped his handcuffs around Bell's wrists a quiet voice came from across the hall.
"Ray…Fraser…" It was Dippy. Her voice was trembling and Fraser was immediately concerned.
"It's alright, it's over," he said.
"But…but…" stammered Dippy. "I…I can't see," she said. "I can't see!" she repeated, panic rising in her voice.
For a second, Fraser thought he'd misheard her. "You can't..." he began.
With a quick glance at Ray, who nodded to confirm that he had Bell under control, he ran over to her.
"I can't see!" repeated Dippy. "Oh my god!"
"Alright," Fraser tried to calm her. He took her gently by the hand and led her over to the chair. Dippy waved her other hand out in front of her as she stumbled across the room.
"Help me!" she wailed.
"Sit down here," urged Fraser and he guided her safely down. "What happened?" He couldn't work out what might have caused her sudden predicament. "Did you hit your head?" he asked as he gently brushed her hair from her face. "Did you get something in your eye? Let me take a look."
Dippy's eyes were firmly shut and she rubbed them hard with her fists. "I don't know," she replied. "I don't know! I totally can't see."
"Sshhh," Fraser tried to soothe her. "Don't rub at them like that. Try to relax." He looked over to Ray with concern.
Lucinda slowly opened the door and peered out. She gasped as she saw her brother in handcuffs.
Then Katy pushed past her. "Dippy, are you OK?" she asked.
Lucinda pulled her back. "Everything's fine now," she said, unconvinced.
"But Dippy's hurt," whined Katy.
"I'm fine, sweetie," lied Dippy and, with a quick glance at Fraser, Lucinda dragged her daughter back into the other room. Katy had witnessed enough in the last few days, she didn't need to see any more, Lucinda decided.
"Fraser, where are you?" Dippy asked in a shaky voice. She waved her hand in front of her and Fraser took it in his and squeezed it supportively.
"I'm right here," he replied gently. "Now, let me look at your eyes. The fall may have caused an injury."
"I'm scared," whispered Dippy.
"I know," replied Fraser. "Serendipity, listen to me. I remember reading in a book in my grandparents' library about a neurological condition known as hysterical blindness."
Dippy nodded. "But I'm not hysterical," she replied as calmly as she could. "I'm just, like, totally freaking out!"
"I know, I know," said Fraser with half a smile. "It's the brain's way of coping with an excessive amount of stress. With no obvious physical cause there's a possibility that is what you're currently experiencing and if it is then rest assured it is a temporary condition. But will you please allow me to examine your eyes just to make sure."
Dippy nodded and Fraser began by gently prising open the eyelids of her left eye with his thumbs. He couldn't see any obvious damage or any debris. Then he moved to the other eye, but Dippy backed away.
"Let me see the other one," he said.
"No, it's OK," muttered Dippy.
"We don't know that for sure," replied Fraser. "Just let me look."
"No, I mean, like, it's OK I'm not blind," said Dippy, the corners of her mouth slowly forming a smile. She blinked deeply and opened her eyes wide. "I can...I can see after all!"
"You can?" Fraser was bewildered.
"Yeah," replied Dippy, bashfully. "I guess I just, like, had my eyes shut."
"What?" exclaimed Ray. "Jeez, Dippy!"
"Sorry, guys," she said getting to her feet. She felt really silly for having worried everyone. "You know, I've always wondered what it would be like to be blind and now I guess I know. Well kinda, anyway. It's pretty scary. I think blind people are like, totally amazing! I have no idea how they don't, like, get totally lost the whole time because I get lost all the time and I can see where I'm going. Unless it's dark and I've lost my flashlight, which kinda happens a lot I guess. So, Ray, shouldn't you, like take this guy to the station for processing now?"
Bell looked at Ray. "Does she ever stop talking?" he asked.
Ray shook his head. "Nope," he replied.
"What are we going to do with you, Serendipity Turnbull?" Fraser asked with a smile.
Dippy smiled back and shrugged. For one very rare moment, she had no answer.