The Very Thought of You

Chapter 26

The Police Officer waved like mad at Tommy and the boy, good as his word, made off at the speed of light to alert the Sergeant. Watson, who had kept a reasonable distance away, guessed that her colleague had found something or someone and crept nearer to the shed.

Charlie pushed the door open some more. She couldn't quite make out what Robert Cruze was doing, but as he was talking, she guessed he had someone trapped. That person had to be Joey. Charlie pushed the door open a couple more inches, just enough for her slim frame to pass through. Suddenly,

"CREAK!" The door was no longer on Charlie's side. Robert Cruze quickly looked up from his pursuit and spotted Charlie half way into the shed.

"Oh! It's ya girlfriend too!" Cruze mocked. "Come to watch the fun, sweetheart?"

Charlie pushed the door with all her might and made a run at Cruze brandishing her truncheon. He met the Police Officer with the force of a madman and took hold of Charlie's wrist before she had time to cosh him. With her other arm, she held him away, trying to keep her balance, and not let him tackle her to the floor. His grip on her wrist was too intense and painful. Charlie let go of the truncheon and Cruze let go of her wrist and made a dive for the weapon. The Policewoman took her opportunity and pushed him over with all her might. She quickly looked around for something to defend herself with, but could only find a wooden crate. Charlie picked it up with haste and bought it down squarely on Cruzes head. CRUNCH! He, in his turn, made a swipe with the truncheon and hit Charlie clean across her knee cap, causing her to grimace with pain. As she gasped, Cruze made a dash for the open shed door, assuming there might be other Policemen about.

Charlie hobbled over to Joey who had lost consciousness.

"Joey! Joey!" Charlie cried, trying to remove the rope from her friend's throat and revive her. The rope was hard to un-knot and tears started to fall from Charlie's eyes as panic took over.

"Joey! Please, please, wake up!" She said managing at last to free the young girl from her shackles.

"Joey! It's me, Charlie! Wake up my darling. Oh God!" She moaned in despair.

She pulled Joey's limp body against her own.

"Please don't let her die! Please don't let her die!" She chanted, over and over.

At that moment, Joey coughed and was promptly sick all over Charlie. She moved Joey so she might not choke on her own vomit and gently rubbed her back.

"Joey! Can you hear me?" Charlie said trying to rally the girl.

"Ugh..." Was all Joey could utter.

"It's okay, my love. I'm here. He's gone." And more to herself,

"Thank God, you're back with me."

Robert Cruze had made a run for it but had not expected to meet WPC Georgina Watson, who was hiding behind a tree nearby. She simply put her foot out as he passed by and tripped him up, jumped on him and coshed him with her truncheon!

"There you go, Sunshine!" She said, smiling. "Tidy job!"

Charlie sat with Joey resting against her. The sergeant stood talking to his superior, while Watson and another officer bundled a handcuffed Robert Cruze into the Police Car which the Inspector had arrived in shortly before.

"Well done Sergeant!" The Police Inspector said as he got into the front passenger seat of the Police vehicle. "Send me the relevant reports as soon as possible and we'll get this vermin put away for good! "Okay, let's go." He said to his driver.

Doctor Radcliffe took Joey's pulse and checked her eyes.

"She's in shock." He informed Charlie. "It'll take a long while for an ambulance to get here from Canterbury. I think I'll take her in myself."

He saw the look of worry on Charlie's face.

"Perhaps you'd like to come along too? You could look after her on the journey. Think you should get that swollen knee looked at while we're there, too." He said smiling.

Charlie readily agreed and with the kind Doctor's help, got Joey to his car and laid her comfortably in the back; her head resting on Charlie's lap.

The Doctor had a few brief words with the Sergeant about his plan. Charlie wound the car's rear window down and called Watson to her. Watson rested her hand on the top of the lowered window.

"Georgina. I don't know how to thank you for getting..." Charlie couldn't finish. Tears misted her eyes. She rested her hand on top of Watson's and squeezed it affectionately.

"Good luck." Watson smiled.

The Doctor started the engine and gently made his way to the road, to start their journey to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.