Thanks as ever for the kind reviews, and for sticking with this one. I had very little idea where it was headed when I started, but luckily the muse has hung about!
Anyway, on with the penultimate chapter …
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Chapter 14
After Wendy had slipped quietly away, Gene waited a minute or two and then opened the door and stepped tentatively outside, half expecting the whine of a sniper's bullet again. When all remained quiet he let out the breath he'd been holding and turned back in some relief.
"Bols?"
She stood in the middle of the room, a wistful expression on her lovely face.
"This place has been such a wonderful refuge, Gene. I know we have to leave, but I'm not sure I'm ready to face the outside world again …"
His heart contracted and he moved to take her in his arms, nuzzling into her hair.
"I know, luv. I promise I'll bring yer back here one day, though. And shag yer over every available piece of furniture."
She giggled against his chest.
"I'll hold you to that, Guv."
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"When? How? …"
Alex gazed at the sleek, dark car for a long moment before sliding into the passenger seat next to Gene.
"D'yer like her? Not quite the mighty Quattro, but she'll do."
He grinned at her like an over-grown schoolboy and she shook her head in disbelief, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Very nice, Gene. Although I'm not sure the Commissioner will approve."
He shrugged.
"He's not the one whose life's bein' threatened. Now, let's fire up the Coupe, shall we?"
She rolled her eyes as he turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking space.
At the end of their lane he hung a sharp left and then followed Wendy's instructions, heading along a narrow country road that ran between open fields. Soon the outskirts of the village came into view and as they approached the centre Gene turned right at the green, cursing under his breath at the unwelcome sight of a bus and a tractor attempting to navigate past one another in the narrow space between two rows of parked cars.
"Jesus, who'd live in the country? It's worse than the bloody London rush hour …"
He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and Alex leaned forwards to fiddle with the radio.
"I'll see if I can find us some nice calming music, shall I?"
Gene huffed, his gaze wandering idly over the red phone box and then onwards to the adjacent bus shelter. Suddenly he tensed, his mind instantly on high alert as all his coppers instincts kicked in. There was something about the tall broad-shouldered bloke lurking inside, ostensibly reading a newspaper, that made all the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. The man's eyes constantly flicked up from the page to dart about, waiting, watching and his pose was anything but relaxed. He was suited and booted, with a sharp street-wise air, and everything about him screamed 'out of place'. If he's waiting for a bus then I'm a Chinaman.
Gene's heart began to pound erratically.
"Alex, get out of sight. Now."
She turned wide startled eyes towards him and opened her mouth to protest, but one steely glare had her pushing her seat back and sliding to the floor where she hugged her knees to her chest, shivering with fear.
"Gene …?"
He heard the rising panic in her voice and gripped the steering wheel even tighter, keeping one eye constantly on the bus shelter and its occupant.
"Stay calm, Bols. Just sit tight and we'll soon be out of here."
Up ahead the bus had almost cleared the tractor, but every second seemed to stretch into an hour for Gene as the Audi trailed along behind at a snail's pace. He could only hope he was on the right side of the vehicle to avoid detection, especially with the sun glinting off the windscreen, but as it happened the stranger showed little interest in the queue of traffic, his attention focussed almost entirely on the phone box.
The bus ground to a sudden halt, and Gene realised with a jolt that the driver had stopped to pick up the passenger. All his suspicions were confirmed when the man shook his head in dismissal and indicated for the bus to continue on without him before taking refuge behind his newspaper again. Slowly the single decker began to trundle off, and not a minute too soon. Parked up ahead was a blue saloon with another bloke occupying the driver's seat, and Gene held his breath as they passed by, pretty sure it was the car he'd spotted leaving the inn the previous day. As they picked up speed and finally made it out of the village he glanced constantly at the driver's mirror, hardly daring to believe they'd got away until twenty minutes had passed without any visible signs of pursuit.
"Gene, I think I'm going to be sick …"
He started guiltily, realising how uncomfortable she must be.
"Sorry, Bols. You can sit up again now, I think its safe."
She scrabbled back into her seat and opened the window in some relief, filling her lungs with fresh air before turning to face him.
"What the hell was that all about?"
He spotted a lay-by and pulled over, cutting the engine before blowing out a long unsteady breath.
"Two of McCauley's men were waiting near the phone box all ready ter ambush me. Mad Malc's traitorous bastard of an insider must've managed ter trace me calls the last couple of days. That's how they knew where ter find us …"
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"I led 'em right to us, Bols. Can't 'ave been difficult ter guess where we were stayin', seeing as it's the only place in the vicinity."
"Gene, you mustn't blame yourself. It's not your fault we're in this position, and once again you came to my rescue and got us out in one piece. My hero."
She leant into his chest as he blew out a long column of smoke, one arm draped loosely around her shoulders, steadying them both against the passenger door. He dropped his cigarette butt to the floor and scrabbled around in his pocket, pulling out a hip-flask.
"Don't know about that but I think we've earned a drink, don't you?"
She took a grateful swig and passed it back, feeling it coil its way gradually down into her stomach, warming and soothing her from the inside.
"How's the legs?"
"Still a bit shaky, I must admit." She managed a watery smile. "So, Guv. Where to now?"
He took another mouthful of whiskey, grimacing as it hit the back of his throat, and then pouted down at her.
"Don't know about you, luv, but I think I've had enough of Cornwall fer now. Let's get out of here, shall we?"
Clutching his lapels, she stood on tiptoe to kiss him, the familiar reassuring taste of whiskey and Gene calming her frayed nerves. Reluctantly, she broke away.
"OK, fire up the Coupe and let's see what this baby can do."
He chuckled, raising a quizzical eyebrow.
"You surprise me, Lady Bols. Encouragin' me ter break the speed limit when I thought I'd be due a tongue-lashin'?"
She gazed into his captivating blue eyes, licking her lips suggestively.
"Actually, I can think of far better things to do with my tongue."
His groan was eloquent.
"Bloody hell, Alex. I'll be beatin' it down with a big stick fer hours now …"
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Gene paused at the first garage they passed, waving his warrant card under the nose of the bloke behind the counter.
"Need ter use yer phone, its important."
The other man shrugged, showing him into a small office in the back and leaving him alone. Gene dialled a number and made himself comfortable with his feet on the desk, waiting for the call to connect.
"DS Carling."
"Who told yer you could use me office in me absence, Raymondo?"
There was a sharp intake of breath at the other end of the line.
"Bloody hell. Guv? Are you OK? Where are yer?"
Gene smirked.
"Fine, ta muchly, bar a minor shoulder injury. And it's probably better if I keep our present location a secret. Yer never know who's listening in nowadays, it seems."
Swiftly he brought Ray up to speed with the events of the previous few days, knowing he could rely on him to act quickly.
"I'm on it, Guv. With a bit of luck they'll still be hangin' around waitin' for yer when the local boys turn up."
"Thanks, Ray. We'll be in touch."
They said their goodbyes, and Gene headed back to the car. Alex raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he slid into the driver's seat next to her.
"Everything alright?"
He turned the key in the ignition, and the engine began to purr like a contented cat.
"Not yet, Lady Bols. But I've got a feelin' it soon will be …"
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