Chapter Two
Gladys looks at Malone upset by his reaction to news he all ready 'knew' about.
GLADYS: Neddy, what's wrong?
MALONE: When did we get married?
GLADYS: That isn't funny.
VERONICA: Malone what's going on?
GLADYS: How did you meet this...Veronica, Neddy?
MALONE: She saved my life on the Plateau.
GLADYS: What Plateau? You told me you'd gone to the country.
MALONE: I never said that, we've been gone for a year and two months.
Gladys is near hysterical now much to Veronica's amusement, in spite of the situation.
GLADYS: Whose we?
MALONE: Challanger, Roxton, Marguerite and me.
GLADYS: (Shocked) You actually speak to John Roxton?
VERONICA: What's wrong with Roxton?
She gives Veronica a dirty look.
GLADYS: I don't suppose a woman like you would find anything wrong with him.
Veronica steps forward angry.
VERONICA: Hey!
Malone holds her back.
MALONE: Maybe we should talk about this inside.
* * * * * *
Roxton barges into the room to see Marguerite in the corner of the room obviously worried about something. He turns to Bradly who is sat on the edge of the bed, a pillowcase pressed against a bloody gash on his arm.
ROXTON: Marguerite? Are you all right?
BRADLY: Her! I'm the one who's been bloody shot!
Roxton takes a quick look at Bradly's arm.
ROXTON: Just a scratch.
Marguerite walks to the window and looks out.
MARGUERITE: Someone's watching us.
Roxton stands beside he, he looks at her worried.
ROXTON: We're leaving.
Bradly grabs hold of Roxton by the shoulder.
BRADLY: No, you're leaving.
Roxton pushes Bradly back against the window.
ROXTON: It's not safe here.
BRADLY: We're not safe from you!
MARGUERITE: Listen to him.
Bradly turns to Marguerite, angry.
BRADLY: And when did you become aquainted with John Roxton?
MARGUERITE: Just over a year ago.
BRADLY: (To Roxton) people around here are wary of you as it is, if they found out you were fraternising with my wife you'd be thrown to the wolves.
MARGUERITE: I'm not your wife!
Roxton signals to Marguerite and they walk out of the room, Bradly follows them shortly after and runs down the stairs shouting at the top of his voice.
BRADLY: Police! He's taking my wife, stop him. He tried to kill me!
A doorman runs inside the hotel and stands by the door arms folded and a grim look on his face.
ROXTON: Get out of my way.
DOORMAN: The police are on their way.
They run towards the back of the hotel, Marguerite stops suddenly.
ROXTON: Marguerite we have to leave!
MARGUERITE: They're after you because of me…
ROXTON: I don't like where you're going with this.
MARGUERITE: Go, I'll find you.
ROXTON: I'm not leaving you here.
She steps back.
MARGUERITE: You don't have a choice.
ROXTON: This isn't the time for arguing.
MARGUERITE: (Shouts) he's here1 he's getting away!
He looks at her frustrated.
ROXTON: Oh thank you so much…I will come back for you.
He runs towards the back door.
MARGUERITE: (Whispers) you'd better.
Bradly runs in followed by three policemen.
MARGUERITE: (To police) through there.
They run past, Marguerite hugs Bradly.
MARGUERITE: Thank God I escaped.
BRADLY: I thought you wanted to go with him.
MARGUERITE: But I had no choice, he made me go along with everything he said.
She stands stiff as he strokes her cheek.
BRADLY: Nobody can make you do anything you don't want to do.
MARGUERITE: In that case you won't be able to stop me from seeing an old friend tomorrow, will you?
* * * * *
Roxton runs out of the hotel and down a back alley onto the main street, his boots echo on the cobbled pavement as he makes his way down the deserted street. He can hear voices behind him as he slips into the shadows, he holds his breath as a cop walks right past him then breathes a sigh of relief as he goes unnoticed. In all his life Lord John Roxton has never ran from anything in his life, until now.
"He's gone" "I can't see him anywhere".
He leans back against the cold stone wall as he sees another man walk past , a couple of years or so younger than him with sandy brown hair. He watches as the police stop the man.
"Sorry Sir, thought you were someone else".
The man nods and looks around before continuing on his way only to stop across the street once the police have gone. Roxton would have thought more about it if he weren't so wrapped up in trying to find a way out of the place they have looked so hard to find.
* * * * *
Roxton knocks on the door of Challanger's house until his knuckles are white and the paint on the door starts to chip. After fifteen minutes of standing in the cold he finally hears footsteps moving towards the front door. A tired looking Challanger opens the door, he looks at Roxton surprised by his presence.
CHALLANGER: What's going on?
ROXTON: I'll tell you inside.
Roxton walks into the house and savours the warmth, they walk into the living room and sit down on the comfy leathers sofas.
CHALLANGER: You almost woke the entire house, (looks around) where's Marguerite?
ROXTON: Now? I don't know, something's going on around here…
CHALLANGER: I know, I came back home today and found out I have a son.
ROXTON: What?
CHALLANGER: my reaction was the same.
ROXTON: Marguerite is married or at least Lord Bradly says she is…To him it seems.
CHALLANGER: I wonder if Malone has found anything out of the ordinary.
* * * * *
GLADYS: (Shouts) I am calm!
MALONE: Then why are you shouting?
GLADYS: I have every right to, I thought you loved me…
He looks at her sympathetic.
MALONE: I did.
GLADYS: Did! What were you and your friend talking about in…?
MALONE: I told you I wasn't in the country.
GLADYS: But Neddy…
VERONICA: Will you stop calling him Neddy!
Gladys picks up a glass and raises her hand to throw it at Veronica, Veronica walks over to her.
VERONICA: Don't you dare.
MALONE: Both of you back away, Gladys put down the glass, Veronica will you sit down?
VERONICA: But Malone…
MALONE: Please.
Veronica sits down while Gladys puts down the glass.
MALONE: What's going on here?
* * * * * *
Marguerite tiptoes to the front door, she reaches for the handle when a cough behind her causes her to freeze in her tracks. She turns slowly to see Bradly standing before her.
BRADLY: Where are you going?
MARGUERITE: Just a walk, I need some air.
BRADLY: You shouldn't go out by yourself.
MARGUERITE: I can take care of myself.
BRADLY: I know, it's everyone else I'm worried about.
MARGUERITE: You should be.
BRADLY: Don't be gone too long I have another job for you.
She opens the door and walks out into the suprisingly bright day, when she's sure Bradly won't follow her she begins to walks in the direction of the Zoological Society where she's supposed to meet the others.
She just hopes Roxton is all right and he was able to get to safety the night before, she stops walking and listens, the footsteps she's just heard have stopped and there's absolute silence.
She reaches for her gun then curses when she remembers Roxton has it. As she moves forward a hand clamps over her mouth and she's pulled down a side street. She can see Malone cross the road to get to the Zoological Society, she tries to shout but no sound comes out as she's dragged away.
To be continued…
