As Time Goes By
Chapter 16
"Martha!" Charlie said quietly. "What are you doing with a gun?"
Martha smirked at Charlie. At long last she had the means of wiping that smug look off Charlie Buckton's pretty face.
"Wouldn't you like to know, sweetheart!" She jeered.
"Martha, what are you intending to do with that revolver?" Charlie said, trying a different tact.
Charlie spoke quietly and calmly, not wishing to antagonise the irrational Martha.
"I'm gonna do what Hugo Austin should have done months ago and put an end to you!"
"Martha, Hugo Austin was working with the enemy. He had to be stopped! I was only doing my duty!" Charlie explained.
Martha grinned at Charlie's anxious face.
"What if the things he was doing were right, though? And besides, maybe I agree with him."
"Martha, don't do this. Think about your Grandfather! How will he feel?"
Martha blinked once or twice and hunched her shoulders.
"He'll... he'll understand. He knows that Hugo is innocent."
"Martha, I don't think your Grandfather will be worried about Hugo, he'll be worried about you, though! You're the one he loves; you're the apple of his eye!" Charlie reasoned.
Martha shifted uncomfortably and licked her lips; her arms beginning to shake from being stretched out for a prolonged period; holding the heavy gun.
"He'll support me whatever I do."
"Not this time, Martha. Who gave you the gun, sweetheart?" Charlie asked, softly.
"He said I was to use it if necessary!"
"Did he?" Charlie said, moving slightly nearer to Martha.
"And I will!" Martha cried, excitedly.
Charlie stopped in her tracks not wishing to further antagonise Martha.
"I know you will, because you're not stupid and order's is orders." Charlie said, gently.
"Yeah! That's right!" Martha grinned.
"Nice chap, is he?"
"The best! He knows what's right and wrong. As he says, 'the law is the law!'" Martha said, and giggled.
Charlie looked at Martha; her eyes widening.
"What did you say, Martha?"
"I said 'the law is the law!'"
***
"Watson!" Joey whispered.
Georgie Watson popped out from behind a bush.
"What are you doing here? Where's Charlie?"
"I left her in the alley. You've got to get down there! She thinks Martha is gonna leave the pub and she has a gun!" Joey cried; her heart racing.
"Crikey!" Watson said, her eyes widening with anxiety. "You'd better show me the way!"
The two girls ran as quickly and quietly as they could and when they reached the top of the alley, Joey instinctively held her arm in front of Watson, seeing Martha holding Charlie at gunpoint further down.
"Shit!" She hissed. "What are we gonna do!"
Watson stood watching the scene, her chest rising and falling as she breathed heavily.
"Blessed if I know!"
Joey looked at her fearfully. Watson looked back at her and swallowed.
"Okay, firstly, we need to get some help. Let's double back the other way to the pub. I'll walk up behind her and try and take her by surprise. You slip into the pub and get Alf. Tell someone to ring the station." Watson whispered.
Joey nodded.
***
Watson and Joey ran back down the walk way which led to the other side of the pub. Watson gestured for Joey to enter the pub at the back entrance and then, walked slowly towards the entrance to the alley. The two figures stood in the gloom of the January afternoon. Watson could hear their voices as they spoke.
"So this chap, is he your sweetheart?" Charlie asked, smiling.
"No!" Martha laughed. "He's too old for me, apart from that, my heart belongs to Hugo!"
Charlie continued to smile.
***
Joey burst into the back entrance of The Old Neptune pub and ran through to the bar. The first face she saw was that of Ross Buckton.
"Ross!" She cried, grabbing hold of his hands. "You've got to help me!"
"What on earth's wrong, Joey?" Ross cried, anxiously.
"It's Charlie! She's in trouble!"
Here, Joey gasped for breath and coughed.
"What kind of trouble?" Ross said hastily.
"Martha!"
"What about Martha?" Alf Stewart asked as he passed by.
Joey looked at Alf with pleading eyes.
"You've got to do something to stop her!"
"Stop who?" Morag asked, walking up to the anxious group.
"Martha! She's got a gun and Charlie's out there and... "
"Bloody 'ell!" Alf cried. "What's she doing with a gun?"
"More to the point, what is she doing to my daughter with a gun?" Ross cried; heading for the door.
"Ross!" Morag yelled after her husband.
Alf followed Ross to the exit.
"No! Not that way, this way!" Joey yelled after them.
But it was too late.
***
Watson walked up quietly behind Martha. Charlie was aware of her colleague's presence, but didn't lose eye contact with Martha.
"Hugo is a lovely man. He was very kind to me, once." Charlie admitted, trying to keep Martha sweet.
"Then why were you so horrible to him?" Martha cried, searching Charlie's eyes for the answer.
"Because, the law is the law!" Charlie said, softly.
Ross opened the pub door and the din from within spilled out into the quiet afternoon. Martha looked round in surprise and Watson who was behind her, made a grab for the gun.
"NO! Ross Buckton yelled as he made a dash towards the skirmish.
"Martha!" Alf Stewart yelled at his Granddaughter.
BANG!
"CHARLIE!" Joey screamed.
A bullet left Martha Holden's gun that afternoon. Its destination; unknown.