A/N : Thank you once more for the reviews and the alerts. Hints, tips and suggestions always welcome. Tell me what you like, don't like ... can't guarantee to fix it but will do my best. And now for a little D/L ... and an unexpected visitor!
Chapter 7
Danny and Lindsay had thoroughly enjoyed their second lesson. Even Danny had to admit that gliding down the glistening white slopes in the warm sunshine was not only great fun but a welcome change in pace from their usual frenetic lifestyle. Their instructor Nigel had taken them up in one of the two gondolas and guided them down one of the longer green runs designed for families. They had been pleased to spot Lucy happily nestled between Mac and Stella, her skis swinging gently back and forth as the chair lift carried them back up another slope. Now that he felt a little more confident Danny was actually looking forward to the end of the holiday when they could ski as a family. After their lesson they made their way back to the lodge wrapped in one another's arms. It had been some time since they had been able to really relax in one another's company while knowing that Lucy was being well cared for. Danny spontaneously planted a kiss on his wife's cheek and was rewarded with an endearing smile.
Lindsay paused on the doorstep to brush snow from her hat and coat as Danny inserted the key into the lock and silently pushed open the door. He hadn't taken more than three steps before he froze, his sixth sense kicking in. He quickly turned to Lindsay putting a finger to his lips. At her enquiring look he pointed to his ear and then to the stairs. As Lindsay moved quietly into the room she too heard sounds of drawers being opened and closed, and then the now familiar squeak from the closet door in their room. Danny made his way over to the stairs with Lindsay close behind him. Suddenly she stopped and grabbed his jacket. She pointed at the door to Sid's room. Danny nodded as she quietly moved towards the half-open door and pushed it aside standing back for Danny to see. One of the cupboard doors was partially open as were several drawers in the dresser. Sid's suitcase lay open on the floor with the few remaining items strewn haphazardly around. The mattress on the bed looked lop-sided as if someone had looked underneath it. Lindsay turned to Danny, her face serious. The room had been searched and the perp was obviously now in their room. Danny nodded and tiptoed up the stairs but his weight caused one of the boards to squeak loudly. A figure suddenly appeared at their door and bolted for Mac and Stella's room. Danny raced after him as Lindsay ran for the front door to head him off.
Danny heard a shout and, as he burst into Mac and Stella's room, he saw the figure toss a bag off the balcony. Dressed in red ski suit, hat and goggles, the burglar clambered up onto the balcony railing and jumped. Danny rushed over to the balcony just in time to see the man roll off the roof of Mac's hire car parked underneath and crumple to the ground clasping his leg. His accomplice also dressed in a red ski-suit with black hat and goggles had the bag firmly grasped in his arms. Taking one look at Danny and then at his friend he decided the odds weren't good and made a run for it. Danny jumped off the balcony landing on the roof of the car and then jumped to the ground and took off after the bag man just as Lindsay came round the corner. The first burglar who had injured his leg as he landed on the car tried to limp away but Lindsay grabbed him, shoved him head first into the nearest pile of snow and twisted his arm up behind his back, placing her knee firmly in the centre of his back.
"Oh no you don't!" she snarled as she grabbed her phone from her pocket.
Danny ran as fast as he dare across the slippery ice and snow. His prey headed for the main street weaving in and out of skiers and holiday-makers sending one woman flying. "Police stop!" yelled Danny causing a large number of people to turn around and stare. They sped across the street just down from Jack's bar and disappeared down a side street. Hampered by the bag, the man was beginning to slow. Danny was catching up but he skidded on the ice just as the man rounded a corner. Picking himself and ignoring the pain in his elbow, Danny took off once more in pursuit. He swore as he realized he had lost the advantage and the man was pulling away from him. However as the man looked over his shoulder to see if Danny was still pursuing, a blue suited figure stepped out in front of him making a grab for the bag. They collided and both tumbled to the ground. There was a small tussle for the bag but the burglar decided to let it go and took off once more. However the interruption was more than enough time for Danny to catch up. Danny raced across the last few yards, slid over the hood of a parked car to cut him off and tackled the man to the ground. As they rolled the man's boot caught him in the face. Danny cursed under his breath as he felt his lip split. He picked himself up and threw himself on top of his attacker.
"Stay down!" he spat as he straddled the struggling man firmly pushing his face to the frozen ground. Unable to move under Danny's weight the man stopped struggling and lay there panting. Danny licked at his bleeding lip and winced. He sensed someone come up behind him.
"You okay?" asked Mac dragging the bag with him, his face concerned as he looked at Danny. Danny nodded still breathing heavily. "You wanna tell me why you're were chasing this guy?"
"Look in the bag." gasped Danny as he tried to calm his wildly beating heart.
Mac unzipped the bag, his eyes widening. "Hey, that's my laptop. And Sid's watch." Mac looked in amazement at the man lying on the ground. "He broke into the lodge? Sonofabitch!"
Having finally caught his breath Danny was able to explain how he and Lindsay had caught them in the act. Together Mac and Danny hauled the man to his feet and pulled off his hat and goggles. They were surprised to see a young fair-haired man in his early twenties. Definitely not the man they suspected of killing Ronnie Escott and possibly Sandra Beale. They asked the kid his name but he sullenly refused to answer so Danny and Mac marched him back towards the lodge. As they neared they noticed Sam Kingston's 4x4 parked out front with it's lights still flashing. Sitting in the back seat was the young man's accomplice minus his hat and goggles. There was a strong family resemblance. Sam turned around as they approached and stuck his hands on his hips as he saw who they had with them.
"And I might have known you'd be involved too. Well this time it's lock-up for the both of you idiots. Breaking into a lodge full of cops!" The young man winced as Sam turned to his young deputy. "Bruce! Put him in the back with his cousin and keep an eye on them while I get some statements!" Bruce hauled the young man off and pushed him in the back seat. The two young men eyed one another and hung their heads in resignation bitterly regretting having broken into that particular lodge. "Mitch and his cousin Eddie, local trouble-makers. I've had 'em both down the station more times than I can remember. Looks like I can finally get them some serious prison time. Breaking and entering and burglary not to mention assaulting a police officer."
Mac smiled at Sam. "And don't forget a dangerous skiing charge while you're at it." Sam and Danny looked at him. "Their clothing matches the description of the two that tried to run down the kids the other day. If they've got matching black and white skis, one with red boots and the other with blue flashes ..." Mac trailed off placing a warning hand on Danny's shoulder as he glared at the two boys in the back of the 4x4 who immediately looked away. Sam stomped off towards the lodge muttering the whole way. Mac and Danny followed him inside where Lindsay, Stella and Sid were waiting.
"Now then how about some statements..." Sam began, only to stop as he caught sight of Lindsay and Stella. Sam slowly turned back to look at Danny and Mac and grimaced. "On second thoughts, I'd best let you boys get cleaned up first. How about I come back in an hour or so?" Danny and Mac looked at Sam strangely and then at Lindsay and Stella who were both stood side by side staring at them in astonishment.
"Yes I think that would be a good idea Sam, if you don't mind." Sid answered diplomatically. Sam looked between the men and the women, and decided that a strategic withdrawal was called for and headed for the door. Sid headed for his room muttering something about getting the first-aid kit thereby leaving Danny and Mac to their fate. It slowly dawned on the two men that their respective partners were not happy with them. They looked at one another slightly puzzled wondering what offence they had committed. However before they could ask the door behind them opened and Don Flack walked in, a huge grin on his face.
"Hey what's with the squad car out front? Don't tell me you've caught him already?" Don stopped short as he came face to face with Mac and Danny. "Whoa! What the hell happened to you two? You look like shit!" He looked between them and then at Stella and Lindsay. He grinned at Stella and Lindsay. "Not interrupting anything am I?"
Stella couldn't help but smile as Don quickly picked up on the fact that Mac and Danny were in the doghouse. "Don, it's good to see you. Caught who already?" Don gave Stella a quick hug. They all looked at Don expectantly. Don pulled a photograph from the back pocket of his jeans brushing crumbs off his sweater having clearly spent much of the long drive indulging in a few snacks. "The print you sent over this morning belongs to this guy." he announced as they all studied the photograph of a swarthy skinned man with deep-set eyes and a menacing look. "This folks is Gavin Escott, Ronnie's little brother and the man who would right now be stepping into his brother's shoes if it wasn't for one thing. "
"What's that?" asked Mac, curious.
"Ronnie Escott's little black book!"
'*****'
As Mac looked in the mirror, he realized why Stella had been staring at him. He washed the blood from the side of his face where the cut from his previous altercation had reopened. In the heat of the moment he hadn't noticed it being more concerned with Danny whose nose and lip had been bleeding profusely. He dabbed at the cut with a gauze pad wincing as the disinfectant made it sting. Stella came up behind him.
"Turn around." she ordered. She peeled the butterfly strip off the backing and applied it across the cut before doing the same with a second one. She turned away to put the remnants in the bin. Mac slipped his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck.
She twisted round in his arms sighing as she looked at his battered face. "What am I going to do with you?"
A sly grin came over Mac's face. "Well ..." he began only to have Stella slap him playfully and tell him to behave. They both started as the door-bell rang and grinned at one another. That doorbell was getting to be a damned nuisance. "I guess that'll be Sam. Come on." As they joined the others downstairs they smiled as they noticed Lucy was napping on Danny and Lindsay's bed, her pink rabbit held in a perfect choke hold. Danny had got cleaned up and was lounging on the sofa holding an ice-pack against his nose and lip under the watchful eye of his wife.
Sid showed Sam Kingston in. They were both looking very serious. Sam took off his hat holding it in both hands. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but we've found the blue SUV and Emily Carter." No one needed to ask whether she was live or dead. It was obvious from his face.
A/N : Oh come on now. You didn't think they were going to catch the bad guy that quickly did you? But at least the troublesome skiers get their come-uppance. I have to drag the suspense out for a few more chapters, besides a story set in the mountains needs a little more ski action don't you think ...?