I'll Be Seeing You
Chapter 16
Joey wandered through to the Officer's Quarters.
"Excuse me Miss. Can I help you?" A voice from behind enquired.
Joey quickly looked behind her. A guard stood regarding her.
"I-I was looking for someone." She said, trying to bluff. "A Lieutenant Austin? He was supposed to be meeting me here and he hasn't shown up yet." She said, giving the guard a very pretty smile.
"I think the Lieutenant has retired for the night, Miss." The guard said, having seen him walk up the stairs with a very beautiful young woman on his arm.
"Can I just pop up to have a word with him, please? It's very important." Joey said, still smiling at the guard.
"Sorry Miss. No can do."
Joey nodded in acceptance and walked away from the block. She hid behind a wall until the guard was out of sight, then hurried back and tip-toed up the stairs.
"Charlie!" Joey called quietly, but no answer. "Charlie!" She tried again, this time raising her voice a little.
"Charlie." Hugo whispered as he was about to penetrate her.
Charlie began to feel sick and oppressed with Hugo being so close.
"No Hugo! Get off me!" Charlie said pushing the officer from her.
"Charlie!" A voice came from afar.
My God! I'm hearing Joey's voice in my head now! Charlie thought anxiously as she struggled with Hugo who was intent in keeping her with him. She began to feel faint.
"Charlie!"
Charlie heard the voice again.
"Stop struggling, Charlie!" Hugo cried. "God! Anyone would think you'd never had a man before!"
Taking strength from the little voice, Charlie slapped Hugo's face, hard.
"You bully!" She said, angrily. "If I say 'no', I mean no!" And with one more shove, he fell off her and landed on his back on the other side of the bed.
Charlie slipped off the bed and hastily collected her clothes. She slipped on her coat for quickness and glared at Hugo, who lay naked and totally confused on his bed.
Charlie opened the door.
"Well, I hope you enjoyed that Officer Buckton!"
***
Charlie came face to face with Joey Collins.
"Joey!" Was all the distressed Police Officer could utter before she was promptly sick.
"Charlie?" Joey said rushing to help as Charlie evacuated her stomach in a corner.
She laid her hands on Charlie's back.
"Don't touch me, Jo!"
"What do you mean, don't touch you? What the hell was going on in there!" Joey cried; her voice becoming louder the more she said.
"I can't explain! Just get the hell out of here!" Charlie moaned, leaning her hot forehead against the cold stone wall; her head beginning to spin.
Joey stood looking at Charlie's pale face in disbelief; not really believing what she was seeing or hearing.
"For God's sake, Charlie! What the hell's going on!" Joey cried again, taking hold of Charlie's arm.
At that moment, Hugo opened his door, wearing only his trouser bottoms.
"What the...?" He started to say when his eyes fell upon Joey Collins. "What the hell are you doing here?" He said, folding his arms.
Charlie swallowed and glanced at Joey.
"I was about to ask her the same question!" Joey said, looking at Charlie, bitterly.
"What's all this about?" Hugo asked, glaring at Charlie and ignoring Joey.
"Just leave me alone, both of you!" Charlie panted. "I've got to get out of here."
"What? More special Police Work to do, Charlie?" Joey yelled, angrily.
Charlie looked at Joey and gently shook her head and frowned.
"What do you mean 'special Police work'?" Hugo said, looking from Joey to Charlie and back to Joey again; a little suspicion creeping in.
"That's what she told me she was doing and then I find out, all she's doing is YOU!" Joey shouted in frustration.
Charlie closed her eyes to the fiasco.
"What special Police work, Charlie?" Hugo asked again, this time with a threatening voice.
Charlie opened her eyes and swallowed.
Joey suddenly sensed there was something more to this than a mere assignation.
"ANSWER ME! WHAT SPECIAL POLICE WORK!" He yelled.
Sensing danger he lunged at the Policewoman.
He grabbed Charlie by her arm and started to pull her back into his room. Charlie fought against him, but he was too strong and began to overpower her. Joey grabbed his arm and bit his hand making him yell in pain. He pushed Charlie to the ground and grabbed hold of Joey and hit her around the face.
"NO!" Charlie yelled.
She jumped to her feet and pushed Hugo over onto his knees and kicked him hard in the stomach. He doubled over in pain and Joey took her opportunity to kick his bottom, hard. He turned around angrily and caught hold of Joey's leg and pulled her onto the floor with him and grabbed her around the throat. His big, strong hands, started to choke Joey. Charlie tried pulling his head back by his ears, but failed.
In a moment, she remembered the small pistol she had concealed in her handbag. She ran to retrieve it.
Joey thrashed with her legs as Hugo seemed intent on killing her.
"Leave her alone Hugo!" Charlie screamed, as she ran back to the scene.
Hugo looked up startled, hearing the change in Charlie's voice and noticed the gun. He immediately let go of Joey's throat and sat back on his heels, panting. He slightly raised both his hands into the air. Joey started to cough but managed to scuttle out of his reach.
Hugo looked at Charlie through narrowed eyes. His breathing, laboured. Charlie waited for him to pounce again.
"Are you alright, Jo?" Charlie asked, without taking her eyes off Hugo.
"Yes." Joey answered huskily and coughed.
"Then come over here, behind me." The Policewoman ordered.
The Wren obeyed and hurried behind Charlie, resting her hands on Charlie's hips.
Charlie swallowed.
"Now, we can do this nicely, Hugo. Just give yourself up and you'll be okay." Charlie advised.
Hugo still breathed heavily. His wild eyes surveyed the gun and the only exit behind Charlie. He swallowed and stood up. Charlie watched him intently, moving slightly to accommodate his new position. Hugo quickly looked from Charlie to Joey and to the door. He took a run at Joey and grabbed her by the arm, intent on taking her with him as hostage.
"NO!" Charlie screamed and turned to follow.
Hugo pulled Joey across the front of his body. He crushed her throat in a vice-like grip with the crook of his arm. Charlie saw the fear in Joey's eyes as Hugo pulled her head back.
"Let her go, Hugo. Take me, but let her go!" She yelled in panic.
"Give me the gun, Charlie!" Hugo demanded. "Then your little girlfriend won't get hurt."
"Let her go, Hugo!" Charlie yelled again, feeling sick inside. She glanced at Joey. Joey's terrified eyes were focused on Charlie.
Suddenly, they all heard a noise from down stairs and Hugo panicked. He pushed Joey to one side and made a dash at Charlie in pursuit of her weapon but before he had a chance, Charlie lowered the gun and shot him in the leg.
"UGGGH!" He yelled as pain burned his thigh.
He looked up at Charlie as he clutched his wounded leg.
"You bitch! You filthy bitch!"
Once more, he launched himself at her, but this time Joey jumped on his back and brought him to the ground with a thud.
Charlie very quickly grabbed his arms forcing them behind his back and held the pistol to his head.
"Joey! Run for help!" Charlie ordered.
Joey didn't have far to run as a group of Military Police chased up the stairs and joined their party.
***
It was past two o'clock in the morning before Charlie and Joey were allowed to leave HMS Ganges after being interviewed. They walked to the main gates and were met by Helen and Jim who were anxious about their safety. When Joey hadn't returned to them, they'd walked back to the dance hall and made some enquires. A young sailor informed them that he had spoken to Joey and she was looking for a Lieutenant Austin and a young woman. Helen guessed that Joey was looking for Charlie and wondered if she'd got lost in the process. They spoke to the guard who became suspicious, having already turned Joey away earlier and notified the Military Police.
Helen hugged Joey in relief.
"I wondered what 'ad 'appened to ya, lass!" She said, smiling.
"I'm fine, don't worry. Jim, I know it's late, but will you see Helen back to our hotel. I know it's a distance, but..."
"That's alright, lass. Me mate's a dispatch rider. I'll see if he'll gi' me a loan of his bike. I'll get 'er 'ome in no time. What about you though?"
"I'm going to see Charlie home." Joey said, glancing at her pale friend.
"I'm fine, Jo. Go home with your friends. The Military Police said they will see me home." Charlie said, quietly.
"I'll see you later, Helen. Try and cover for me, won't you?"
"Will do, lass." Helen said, waving goodbye to Joey.
"I'll be fine, Jo, please don't fuss."
"I'm not fussing."
Charlie sighed and gave Joey Tom and Edna's address. The Military Police turned up in a truck and the girls climbed in. Joey gave them the direction and they started their journey.
***
They had been travelling for fifteen minutes and Charlie had said nothing. Her head was against the window and her eyes closed. Joey gently took Charlie's hand and squeezed it.
***
The truck arrived at Stowmarket at two thirty. The girls got out and Joey thanked the driver and waved him goodbye.
Charlie opened the gate to Tom and Edna's house. The door was opened before Charlie had a chance to knock. Tom stood at the door and looked anxiously at the weary Charlie.
"Come in love. You look bushed."
Tom glanced at Joey and smiled.
"Would you be Josephine?" He asked.
Joey was surprised how the stranger knew her name. She nodded and Tom beckoned her in.
"We had a call from the Military Police." Tom explained. "We knew you were coming."
***
Edna fussed over Charlie, running her a hot bath and making cups of steaming hot sweet tea. Tom did what he could, but felt this was a woman's domain and left them to it, taking himself off into the dining room.
Edna left Charlie in her bath and went down stairs to join Joey.
"She'll be alright after a good night's sleep." Edna said, smiling at the anxious Joey. "How does your throat feel?" She asked taking a closer look.
"It's okay. It's left me with a bit of a cough, but it will be fine later." It's not as though it's the first time." Joey thought, remembering Robert Cruze.
"So, you're Joey?" Edna said, looking with interest at the pretty Wren.
"Yes, that's right. How did you know my nick-name?" Joey asked frowning.
"Charlie spoke about you when she first arrived. She told me about your beautiful big brown eyes!"
Joey blushed wondering just how much Charlie had told this woman about their relationship.
"You've had a rough time, Joey. You must stay here tonight." Edna said, with a smile.
At that moment, Charlie walked into the room wearing her dressing gown and smiled shyly at Joey.
Joey beamed back.
"I was just saying that Joey must stay here tonight. It's too long a distance to travel and there's no transport for a couple of hours, anyway. Mind you, you'll have to share a room." Edna said, with a grin on her face as she walked out of the lounge, leaving the two girls alone.
"How much did you tell her about us, when you first arrived here?" Joey asked, getting up and walking over to join Charlie on the sofa.
"Why?" Charlie asked, watching Joey sit down.
"I think she knows about us. She said you'd told her about, and I quote, 'my beautiful big brown eyes!'" Joey grinned.
Charlie frowned for a moment and then stared at Joey as the penny dropped.
"She asked me if I had someone special in my life. I told her yes and that your name was Joey and that you had big brown eyes! I didn't say you were a girl, though. I guess she must have put two and two together when you walked through the door!" Charlie said, blushing.
Edna walked back into the room.
"There we are girls. A nice cup of cocoa for you to take to bed. Charlie, we're talk about what happened, tomorrow, when Tom's here. In the mean time, goodnight both and sleep soundly."
She gave them a meaningful look and left the room.
"Come on, let's go up." Joey said standing. "You look dead on your feet."
"Don't you want to ask me questions?" Charlie asked, watching the steam rise from her cocoa.
Joey turned crouched in front of Charlie.
"Charlie, I don't need to ask questions. I'm just glad you're safe and we have a few hours together." Joey said, kindly.
Charlie looked into Joey's eyes; she slowly blinked and bit her bottom lip. She stood and taking Joey by the hand led the way to her room.
***
The girls undressed and Charlie gave Joey the spare pair of pyjamas from her suit case. They drank their hot drinks and got into bed.
Charlie lay on her back looking up at the ceiling. Joey lay facing Charlie. She moved her hand and gently stoked Charlie's arm with her finger tips.
"No, Jo. Please!" Charlie cried turning and rolling over onto her side away from Joey.
"Charlie?" Joey said, a little hurt and worried.
"I'm sorry, Jo. I can't. I can't!" Charlie said, as tears ran down her face.
Joey lay anxiously looking at the back of Charlie's head, hearing her cry. She recognised signs from her own bad experiences.
"Come here." Joey said gently and wound her arms around Charlie.
Charlie was tense at first, but then feeling the warmth of Joey against her, relaxed and nestled back into her girlfriend, feeling safe.
"I love you, Joey." Charlie said, quietly.
"I love you too, Charlie."
Joey felt Charlie take hold of her arms, pulling them tighter around her body; within a very few minutes, she heard Charlie breathing deeply, having fallen into slumber.
***
Now, you didn't really think our Charlie would go through with it, did you??? Oh! You do surprise me! S&L. xx