Part 40 (2/2)
”Wrong again, Mr. Fitzgerald. Kelly took Mary to Canada. He found a way to beat this thing. Now I'm going to do the same.”
Burning with rage, John turned away from the old man's pleading eyes. He walked back to the car. He didn't look back.
The time had come. No more prevarication. He'd drive to the airport, then take the first available flight to anywhere that lay over an ocean.
The clock in the Necropolis funeral chapel struck eight. Four hours to midnight.
OK, so he was sitting on a time bomb. Zero hour approached.
But he and Elizabeth wouldn't be here when it did.
CHAPTER 38.
1.
After the showdown with ninety-two-year-old Joseph Fitzgerald John returned to the car to find Elizabeth standing on the sidewalk watching him.
”Elizabeth? I thought I asked you to stay in the car?”
”What did that man want? And why is there sugar all over the street?”
”It was a very old man. I think he's confused. And it isn't sugar, it's salt. Get back in the car, Elizabeth, we're in a hurry.”
She did as he asked, perhaps figuring they were on the way to the hospital to see Paul.
John noticed people leaving the pub as he U-turned the car back home. In the rearview he saw them watching him go. They looked like a bunch of lost spirits.
As he turned onto the main highway he saw Miranda waiting at the bus stop. She watched him, too. Fear enlarged her eyes into discs that glittered in the sunlight.
”If it gets any hotter,” Elizabeth commented hollowly. ”We're all going to burn up into smoke.”
John swung the car onto the old lane then powered on up to the Water Mill.
”Wait here,” he told Elizabeth. For the first time that day he was clear headed. He knew what he must do now. He picked up the holdall containing the pa.s.sports, then, after locking the house, he ushered the dog into the car's back seat. For a second Elizabeth laughed her delight at seeing Sam. Then she frowned.
”Dad. We won't be allowed to take Sam into the hospital, will we?”
”He's not going to the hospital. I'm dropping him off at the boarding kennels.”
She was thinking fast. ”Where are we going, Dad?”
”Away for a few days.”
She spoke in a low voice but emotion made her tremble. ”Don't make me go, Dad. I haven't done anything wrong, have I?”
”No, of course not.” John was startled. Had she really thought he was taking her away as punishment? ”We'll be gone a few days. Tops.”
”I don't want to go. I want to stay here and make sure that Paul's-”
”Elizabeth. I'm sorry. But it's out of my hands. We have to make this trip.”
”Are you breaking up with Mum?”
”No, hon.”
”This is what happened when Lee's parents divorced.”
”There won't be any divorce, hon. Your mother and I love each other. It's just important we go on this trip. I can't explain it yet. Just trust me, sweetheart. OK?”
He leaned across to hug her. She hugged him back. His ribs grated, shooting a pain from one side of his chest to the other, but this time he didn't flinch. He squeezed his daughter tighter, telling her how much he loved her, that everything was going to be all right. ”You just see,” he told her. ”In a few weeks we'll start work on that swimming pool. Then we can have a big opening party with all your friends.”
”Can we have a barbecue?”
”Of course. We could even hire a disco.”
”And have fireworks.”
”Biggest and the best.” He smiled.
”And Paul will be home?”
”He will and he'll be back to his old mischievous self.” Mentally, he added Touch Wood. In the car there was no wood to touch. Was that a bad omen?
It was approaching nine o'clock. Now he was conscious of time racing them toward midnight. Again the image came of the time bomb ticking down to zero hour. A dirty great time bomb that could take out this village. The moment he started the engine the mobile rang. He answered, his heart pounding. It would be about Paul. Bad newsa ”Good evening. Mr. Newton?”
The voice was as hearty as it was recognizable.
”Mr. Gregory?”
”Yes. Bit of a problem. Sorry to bother you, but Stan's gone walk about again. As he came up to the Water Mill last time he disappeared I wondered if he was with you?”
”No, he's not, Mr. Gregory. I haven't seen Stan at all this evening.”
The annoyingly hearty voice vibrated the mobile in John's hand. ”I see. But if he should come up to your house will you telephone us? Cynthia and I are beside ourselves with worry.”
”Of course I will.” John didn't feel like explaining that there'd be no one home. All he wanted to do was get out onto the road and drive h.e.l.l for leather to the airport. Barring turning the car over in a ditch, then everything should be just fine. But the monster in the hill did have a long reach. Might it have the power to make a plane fall out of the sky? He closed off the thought, focusing instead on the voice in his ear.
”I'm going out to look for Stan myself now,” Gregory boomed. ”But Cynthia will wait by the phone.”
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