Chapter 23

For the Sake of the Child

1930 – London, UK

Reginald stopped short of the street curb in front of their home. It was anyone's guess in which direction Laura chose to escape. He watched Debbie's blond hair flowing behind her as she ran. Whatever twinge of guilt he felt for his behavior did not include chasing after Laura. Instead, he rang the police, telling himself they have the better resources to search for a missing child. His polished shoes scuffed on the concrete as he quickly climbed the stairs to the front door. He turned briefly before entering. Debbie was no longer in sight.

Xxxxx

2000 – Hereford, UK

Georgie leaned over to pick up Toni's empty plate, who's appetite was much more robust, considering the circumstances. There was not one crumb left.

"Care for more?" Georgie mumbled, more to herself than intending to be heard. Toni never looked up. She was too immersed in a text message. Georgie clanked the plates on top of each other and picked up an empty beer bottle from the end table. Looking down over Toni's shoulder she said, "Is it personal, or can ya share?"

Toni's thumbs flew over the soft keys. "I'm trying to see if Spanner will cough anything up for us."

"Has he made any further contact?" Georgie asked, feeling like she already knew the answer but was hopeful.

"Negative. He has not," Toni said dropping the mobile onto her lap.

"Shit," Georgie muttered, carrying the dishes into the kitchen. Surely it was Elvis on that motorcycle, she mused. The boys must be in the thick of it. News reports were replaying what the two women already knew. The hijacking was over. Nothing but speculation was being spewed over the airwaves. No one had any details. If Special Forces was still engaged no one would know.

Georgie reached the sink and could not set the dishes down soon enough. She grasped the counter edge and dropped her head low. "What about Peters?" she shouted back to Toni.

"Silent. Not even a whisper!"

Georgie loaded everything into the dish washer, smiling to herself, thinking about how Elvis would change the way she placed most of the items. It only suited him when he put the load in himself.

"Georgie!" Toni called out.

"Yeah?"

"Your mobile's ringing!"

It took but a few strides back to the end table and Georgie could see the caller ID. It sent her heart into orbit. She almost stumbled leaning down to grab the phone. She gleefully swiped the screen to answer, "Elvis!"

No words came back to her. Just faint breathing.

"Elvis?...Hello?"

"It's me," a small voice answered.

Georgie recognized the voice but wondered how it could be possible. "Laura?"

"Uh, huh."

"Honey, what are you doing? Where is daddy?" Georgie said.

"I don't know," Laura stammered. "I need to find him!"

"Listen to me. Tell me where you are," Georgie said trying not to panic despite feeling an awful urge to do just that.

"The Underground."

Georgie paced the width of the room. Toni watched her and sat to attention.

"Where's mummy?" Georgie said raking her long hair back in an effort to steady her nerves.

"At home."

"Seriously?! Who is with you?"

"Nobody."

"Laura. How did you get daddy's phone?" Georgie continued to pace. She wanted to burst out the door after her. Toni stood; palms outstretched as she silently questioned the issue.

"Drew Woods gave it back to me when we got to the train station."

"Drew Woods? Who is he?"

"He and Penny were with us on the train. Daddy gave it to him. The bad men took everything from us, no one had a mobile anymore."

Georgie closed her eyes imagining the horrors the child must have endured. "I'm sorry honey. I understand. Please tell me why you aren't at home." Georgie heard sniffling and the sound of overhead announcements in the background. "Laura, I need to know so I can help you."

Toni moved in closer. "Should I contact the authorities?" she said.

Georgie shook her head in response. Biting on her lower lip as she waited for Laura to explain.

"I ran away! I need to help daddy! Reginald hates him !"

The words tumbled out quickly and prickled Georgie like a massive thorn bush. "Laura…."

"Do you know where daddy is?"

Georgie had to be careful. She did not want the child to board any train and vanish into the night. "Laura, daddy is working, and it is always a secret. That is what keeps him safe. The very best thing that you can do to help him, is to go home and wait for him there with mummy."

Silence. Soft tears.

"But…..he gave me his pocketknife. No one knows where he is. What if he needs it!"

Georgie took a very deep breath. Her heart bled for Laura's sincere concern. The child was torturing herself with her imagination. "Your daddy will know what to do even if he does not have his pocketknife. That's why he gave it to you. In case you needed it. He wanted you to be safe."

Laura swiped the tears from her cheeks. "Reginald was angry with me and he hates daddy!"

Georgie shook her head slowly. The only positive thing about Elvis being incommunicado was that he was not hearing this conversation. "Honey. Your daddy loves you. That is more important than what Reginald thinks about him. You need to go home and be with mummy, she needs you and don't forget Newton too."

Xxxxx

2020 – Hereford, UK

"Do you reckon she will go home?" Toni said.

Georgie tapped her mobile against her chin as she deliberated the question. Part of her had wanted to keep the phone line open with Laura just to make certain she complied. But as well, Georgie thought of Debbie and the anguish she must be going through.

"I bloody well hope so. This day could not get any more fucked." Georgie began to pace again whilst she thumbed Debbie's number. The response blind-sided her. "Reginald?" she said.

"Of course, it is me. Who were you expecting?"

"Debbie actually. Why are you answering?" He was the last person Georgie wanted to speak to at the moment. The fine hairs on the back of her neck came to life. He hates daddy! This man was part of the reason Laura fled.

"Debra stepped out and absently forgot her mobile. What can I do for you?" Before Georgie could answer, he added, "If you are calling to inquire as to the whereabouts of your husband, we have no knowledge. Yet, it has been some time since the rescue."

Georgie felt like hot lava poured over her. Her right hand balled into a tight fist. She took a deep breath and said, "Pity that Debbie is out searching for Laura alone."

Reginald flinched at the stab from her tone, more than from the words themselves. "Excuse me?"

"There is no excuse for you Reginald. That child survived a living nightmare today and she is afraid for her father's life! You could show a little warmth!" That hit an open nerve.

"The fuck you say! What do you know of it?"

"Laura called me. I know exactly what happened. Listen to me, Elvis asked you to keep her safe, he never asked you to be her father!"

Reginald plucked the crystal stopper from a decanter and flung it across the room. "He gave her a knife!"

"You let her run the streets of London alone at night!"

Silence. Glass tinkling.

Georgie's words burned his ears. He straightened his spine and pouted himself another scotch. "She has delusions that she can find him. That he needs her help for fuck sake!" he said, lifting the glass to his lips.

"And what did you do? Huh?"

Silence. A sip, then a swallow.

Georgie smirked a breathy laugh, "I thought so."

"Do not preach to me Georgie Harte! Keep your nose and your business in Hereford!"

"Right now my business is Laura's safety! You read me?!"

He sniffed an arrogant laugh. "Quite loudly. You are as mad as that husband of yours."

"Aren't you even the least bit concerned about Debbie and Laura out there tonight? After all that's happened today?" Georgie said. If ever she wanted to throttle someone it was Reginald Gwain.

"Ahhh, well. The authorities have arrived," he said. Georgie could hear the doorbell in the background. "I have my own business to attend to."

She wanted to punch her phone and saw, call ended appear on the screen. "The prick hung up on me!"

Xxxxx

2030 – Undisclosed Location

The ambulance was moving along rather smoothly, Elvis thought. Just a few twists and turns around street corners. Good, because it was not the easiest thing to hold onto. It was difficult to determine the location and he had to figure out what to do when they reached their destination. Ideally, he had hoped to thwart their mission before they acquired the advantage of reinforcements. They took another turn. It was dark, but Elvis could see buildings pressing in on each side. The faint illumination from the brake lights shown on the brick work. The street they turned from was getting further and further away. His surroundings became even darker. He juked when the driver hit the brakes and they came to an abrupt stop. Not a sound, except for the engine running. The exhaust fumes began to choke out the limited air space. Elvis wiggled into a different position and pulled a Glock from his waistband. The driver's door opened. Elvis cautiously stepped down from the back of the rig and crouched low. He could see a single pair of legs standing by the open door.

A/N: I want to thank everyone who has followed along with this story, slow going as it has been. Heartfelt thanks to those who have taken the time to write a review or comment. It feels good to be writing again. I had a lot of difficulty post COVID illness with being able to properly write. My goal is to complete this story and if interest remains will continue the series. Have a wonderful evening ! xx