Thanks again for the reviews! They're all really sweet and I really appreciate them. This might be the last update I write in a while as I will be packing to move to South Africa in the next few weeks.
Henrik clumsily started buttoning up his shirt, acutely aware of the shadow outside his window. He grabbed his jacket and covered his lap with it. The last thing he needed was for the policeman to notice what they had been up to. He glanced over at Serena before rolling down his window.
"Is there a problem, officer?" He asked calmly.
Serena snorted at the question, still trying to control her breathing.
The young policeman shone his torch over the two of them. "Did you miss the sign, sir?"
"I'm sorry?"
"The warning sign," the policeman said. "Informing motorists not to come down this road."
"I must apologize. I must have missed it."
The policeman observed them both very closely. "Are you alright, ma'am?"
Serena was still trying to slow her breathing down and hold her blouse closed. "I'm fine, thank you."
He gave Henrik a suspicious look before turning back to Serena. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, thank you."
"You seem a little flushed."
Henrik glanced back at her. She did indeed look flushed and out of breath. The thought that he could do that to her, pleased him.
"I'm fine. Honestly," she shifted in her seat and had to grab the top part of her blouse as it revealed more than she had wanted.
The policeman seemed to notice this and gave Henrik and uncomfortable look.
"You do realize it's a public offence to engage in sexual activity in a public place?"
"Sexual activity?" Serena sputtered.
"If there were minors around, I would be forced to take you in."
"Is this a joke?" Serena hissed.
"Ms Campbell," Henrik grumbled, trying to control her.
"This is . . ." Serena motioned to the area around them. "We're in the middle of the deserted bloody motorway in a blizzard!"
"Unfortunately we can't ignore the law just because of bad weather," the policeman said sternly.
"Does it look like anyone's around?" Serena was trying not to raise her voice.
"That's not the point, ma'am," the policeman shifted to his left foot and leaned against the car. "Your logic would mean that it would be okay to jump over the barriers at tube stations because no one's around."
"That has nothing to do with . . ." Serena felt Henrik's hand on her knee. "First of all," Serena ignored the disapproving look Henrik gave her. "You don't even know what was going on in here – for all you know, I could have been having a heart attack."
"So, you're not only ignoring the traffic signs but you're trying to argue with me as well," the policeman straightened up. "Step out of the car, please."
Henrik gave Serena an incredulous look as if to say 'Well done, you've really screwed us over this time.'
"Him or me?" Serena asked in an annoyed tone.
"Both of you."
"This is ridiculous," Serena grumbled as she pushed the door open and finished buttoning her blouse before stepping into the snowy weather.
Henrik had climbed out and could hear her mumbling something about where her tax paying money was going to as she joined them on the other side of the car. The blizzard was slowing down.
"I'd like you to take a breathalyser."
"Do I look drunk to you?" Serena nearly shouted at him.
"You are really not doing yourself any favours here, ma'am," the policeman said as he sauntered over to his car to retrieve the device.
"Perhaps you would be kind enough to do us both a favour and be quiet," Henrik hissed.
"Excuse me?" The policeman turned back to them.
"Oh, I wasn't speaking to you," Henrik said sheepishly, motioning towards Serena who just glared back at him. "I was speaking with Ms Campbell."
The policeman gave him a sarcastic smile before returning his attention to retrieving the breathalyser.
Serena folded her arms, trying to keep warm. This was possibly one of the most insane couple of days she had ever experienced. "I need my coat," she moaned.
"This will just take a second," the policeman returned. "You first," he said to Serena and forced her to blow into the mouthpiece. She knew she wasn't over the limit, but she knew the results might be a little high after she had polished off the bottle of wine from the minibar.
"It's over the limit," the policeman turned to Henrik. "Now your turn."
Henrik felt a surge of panic shoot through him. He had only had two whiskeys the night before and was sure it had worked its way out of his system; however he had drunk them in the early hours of the morning.
"Just under the limit," the man said, giving Henrik a disapproving look.
Serena breathed a sigh of relief. That would be the icing on the cake. "Well, then if there's nothing else, perhaps you can leave us to be on our way," Serena turned to walk around the car.
"Just one more thing," the policeman said.
"No, I've had quite enough," she said angrily and proceeded to walk, suddenly slipping in the ice and throwing her arms instinctively backwards to regain her balance. It was only when she heard the loud cry that she realized what she'd done. Spinning around, she saw the policeman was holding his nose. A bright crimson stream was starting to drip down his face and onto the clean white snow. Serena covered her mouth in horror. "Oh my god."
Henrik looked as shocked as she did. He tried to reach out and help the young man. The policeman grabbed his arm, twisted it and slammed him against the car. "Don't move!"
Serena moved towards them, not entirely sure what to do when the officer grabbed the pepper spray from his belt and pointed it at her. "Don't move or I will spray you!"
"Look, this is just one big misunderstanding," she hand her hands up in the air.
"You just assaulted a police officer," the man shouted.
"It was an accident!" She shouted back.
"Ms Campbell!" Henrik called from underneath the policeman. "For once in your life, be QUIET!"
Serena was about to speak again, but caught the glare from Henrik and seeing as he was now being pinned by the policeman that she had antagonized, she thought it best to do as he said.
The policeman forced a pair of handcuffs on Henrik and marched him to the patrol car.
"I'm sure we can discuss this," Henrik was trying to say as he was placed in the back seat.
The policeman retrieved another pair of handcuffs and moved towards Serena who took a step back. Her first instinct was to run. Fortunately she ignored her instinct and stood still as the policeman cuffed her. "I'm placing you under arrest," the policeman started. "For displaying a sexual act in public and assaulting a police officer. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence," he said as he placed her beside Henrik in the back seat.
They both sat in silence as the policeman made a phone call outside and went to lock their car up. "Well," Serena finally broke the silence. "This is ridiculous."
Henrik remained silent. His gaze fixed on the road ahead.
"I mean, it was clearly an accident," she glanced at Henrik. "And as for the sexual act? I'd like to see him prove that in court."
Henrik watched as the policeman climbed into the car, holding a tissue over his nose.
"I hope my colleague didn't break your nose," Henrik said. "Perhaps you should let one of us take a look. We're doctors."
The policeman turned in his seat to give them a sarcastic smirk. "I don't think so."