Dying to Meet You (14 page)

‘I can feed you as well,’ he said
- his surprise in seeing her turning to pleasure instantly in his eyes. ‘I have a lamb casserole waiting to be eaten.’

She smiled. ‘Thanks that would be nice. I’m starving.’

The meal was ready in no time. She ate it and tried hard to smother the guilt she was feeling building up inside her about her plans for the following night.

‘How’s things? Asking as a friend not journalist.’

His dark brow rose and he shrugged and poured out another glass of wine for her. ‘As it was yesterday. We’re hoping Crimewatch could throw up some clues from the locals.’

She nodded and sipped her wine
. There was this attraction between them growing and she couldn’t ignore it. She chuckled, when, picking up their empty plates he leant over and kissed the nape of her neck and in turn she kissed him full on the lips nearly causing him to drop the dishes.

‘Whoa! Have I told you that I sometimes walk in my sleep?’ There she’d said it before she could stop herself.

He stared at her put down the dishes on the table with a clatter. ‘Say that again.’

‘I walk in my sleep occasionally.’

He laughed and said, ‘You walk in your sleep! Wow. What can I say about that?’

She shook her head laughing. ‘Not a lot. Just thought I should tell you
it now.’ She put her arms around his neck as he leant over her.

‘So
…does this mean you might stay on till breakfast with me?’ he said huskily as she kissed him again. ‘I’d like that very much.’

‘It does
,’ she said breathlessly as he gathered her up quickly into his arms and she knew that he wasn’t going to give her a chance to alter her mind now.

‘Why did we waste so much time?’ he whispered.

She didn’t sleep walk but when she woke up he was gone from her side. He brought in coffee and toast with a big smile on his face. And she felt guilty because he looked so darn happy. Would he ever forgive her for what she was going to do?

‘Hope you don’t mind me serving this so early.
’

‘You’re spoiling me,’ she said as he kissed her on the nose. ‘I could get
used to more like this.’

‘You’re not regretting it?’

‘No.’

‘See you later, love?’

‘I’ll call you to let you know.’ She saw the doubt enter his eyes. She said ‘I’ve got plenty to do and Jack wants to see the fireworks this evening.’

‘Sure. Call me. And promise me, Mel, you’ll not get involved in anything to do with this case without letting me know.’

‘I promise,’ she said lying superbly.

She saw him drive off in his car
, waved him goodbye and walked back along the sea front to her office. She hoped Sylvie wouldn’t notice she was wearing the same clothes from the day before…

Forty

‘Let’s go through it all again, Sylvie. What exactly did this man say to you?’

‘You’re to wear a pink rose and it’s a meet by the old bandstand close to the bird aviaries in the park.
Take a copy of our daily
Observer.
He’ll wear a white carnation. Time - seven thirty.’

‘Right. Sounds okay. How did he sound by the way? Did he have an accent?’

‘Don’t really know. Like I said it was a bit distant - distorted, I think. Could be on purpose - disguising his voice. He’s very careful. I don’t like this, Mel. I really don’t.’

‘Yeah. Then I’m on the right track, aren’t I?’

‘You’re crazy, Mel.’ Sylvie shook her head. ‘I don’t like what you’re doing. Have you told anyone else at all about this? DI Farmer, you ought to tell him. You need protection.’

‘I made the mistake of telling him my ideas on it. I don’t trust him. The police would try to stop me. It’s too late now for that. If they used a WPC to do what I intend doing it could be classed as entrapment. A good barrister can bust it immediately.’

‘I think it’s much too dangerous. Mel. Don’t go anywhere with this man on your own. Make sure you keep around people.’

‘He won’t try anything
in that public place. And I’ll insist on staying where everyone can see us. Don’t worry, Sylvie, I’ll be in touch again before you know it. Don’t let on to DI Farmer where I’m going if he tries to worm it out of you, do you hear now?’

‘Only if I tell you first. But I don’t like it.’

‘Right. Now, I want you to ring Mr Nosy Farmer. Tell him that I’ve got a meet with my blind date at the Pavilion in Bexhill at seven forty-five. You can say you’re blabbing because you thought he ought to know. That’ll keep him out of my hair for a time at least.’

‘Okay.
But you’ve got to phone me afterwards. Let me know you get home safely by ten thirty. Promise me that, Mel. Or else I’ll be on that phone to Inspector Farmer straight away to tell him where you are really meeting Mister Blind Date. I shan’t sleep a wink if I think you’re in danger.’

‘Right, I will. I’ll phone you ten thirty the latest.’

‘I’ll keep you to that.’

Forty-One

Two hours later, Mel waited by the old bandstand in the Victoria Park with only the birds in the aviary for company. She was more than a shade early. Seven o’clock. But it was entertaining listening to the music coming from the bands performing as part of the Carnival entertainment while she waited for her date.

She didn’t like to admit to
herself that she was nervous. Too damn nervous. She had nearly decided against it. If she was right; she could be putting herself in deadly danger from an unknown enemy.

N
ow she wished she had spoken to Nick sensibly about this undertaking. But she knew what his reaction would be, remembering how he’d behaved when she suggested it first off. Thinking about him now though made her feel good inside. Was she going soft - letting a man get under her skin again? It had hurt her so much loving and losing Colin. She couldn’t bear to think that it could happen again in the future.

The night spent with Nick wasn’t so easy to forget though. He had so many unexpectedly gentle, hidden depths, and right now she would much rather be in his company. Would he believe Sylvie? Would he turn up to test her out? Or stay
away?

This was a Carnival event
so there were officers on duty, she’d seen Geoff Trask talking to a uniform, they obviously were keeping a lookout for lone females in danger.

She fingered the gold pendent she was wearing on her bare neck nervously, it felt warm in her hand, and remembered Linda.
That gave her all the strength and bravado she needed.

She was wearing a pretty pink rose pinned on her high waist band that she’d picked carefully from her own garden. She’d scratched her hand on a thorn while picking
it and she thought perhaps it was a bad omen. She hoped not.

She glanced at her watch;
7.20, the witching hour still to come. She’d caught many glances from men passing by, some hesitating but thinking better of approaching her. Any one of them could have been him.

Forty-Two

‘Mel! Is that you? Where are you?’

‘No
- it’s Sylvie Jones, Inspector. I work with Mel. I’ve phoned you because I thought you ought to know that Mel‘s intending to meet up with that blind date, the Virgo man after all, this evening.’ Sylvie said breathlessly on the mobile.

He cursed under his breath. ‘Where for God’s sake? And what time?’

‘At the Del le Warr pavilion. At seven forty five.’

Farmer glanced up at the kitchen clock
- it was twenty past seven. ‘That’s a twenty minute drive at least. Why the hell didn’t you ring me earlier, Sylvie? Her life could be in real danger from this man.’

‘I know that, Inspector. She wouldn’t listen to me.’

He couldn’t reach Mel - she’d turned off her phone. He hoped desperately that he was getting the truth from the girl. Why on earth had Mel decided to meet up with this bloke so far away from home?

Farmer drove like a demon. He parked his car on the front near the Del le Warr and sprinted towards it through the strolling crowds along the sea front. His eyes searching the faces as he did so. Too late. Not a sign of Mel waiting outside. He checked with the pavilion clock and his watch. Quarter to eight! Had they met already? Was he too damn late? Or had she fooled him again? He cursed. That was more than likely. She still had her phone turned off.

He walked up and down. Not a sign of her anywhere amongst those close by. His cell rang while he was heading back to his car.

‘Peterson here. Where are you, Farmer? I want you in here now. We’ve had a tip off from unknown caller.
’

War
ning bells rang in his head. Was Mel in trouble?

‘What about, ma-am?’

‘It involves the Kaufmans. Fill you in when you get here, Nick. I need you in ASAP!’

*

In her office Peterson looked up when he came in.

‘Good, you’re here. I’ve just phoned Trask to give him fair warning.’

He sat down. ‘Sorry for delay, ma-am. I was over in Bexhill.’

‘It’s okay. Glad I could get hold of you. Bexhill
- that’s some way.’ She smiled. ‘I’m sorry Nick, have I messed up your plans for the evening?’

He shook his head, managed a wry grin. ‘You could say I’ve managed to do that already for myself.
So - what is it, ma-am? A phone call you said from an unknown informant?’

She nodded. ‘Yes. Could be a phoney. The caller said that Freddie Kaufman is bringing in some
illegals at one a.m. Said will let us know where soon.’

‘Could be one of his colleagues he’s fallen out with I shouldn’t wonder.’

She glanced up at the clock ‘Should we follow it up? Or is it a hoax? We haven’t much time to lay something on. We’ll need back up and firearms. They’re sure to be tooled.’

Forty-Three

Eight fifteen. Her date hadn’t turned up. Mel glanced casually around into the crowds that packed the grassy banks near her. She recognised a number of familiar faces. The police had pulled out all the stops that evening; an unofficial stake out.

She spotted Police Sergeant Bennett in
plain clothes. He nodded. He was talking to Trask who was there with his wife and the girls. She looked at her watch, sighed and turned away and took her rose off carefully, putting it into her purse.

Her date was much too late now. Was Nick still looking for her at the
pavilion? He definitely wouldn’t be pleased by her behaviour.

I
t seemed her efforts had failed to draw out the Virgo man. And she was frankly relieved. What had she been thinking when she’d planned it? Nick was right when he’d said she was damn crazy to try it. She wished she could see him right now. Even if he shouted at her.

*

An hour or so later the musical entertainment was doing her head in. And Nick still hadn’t turned up.  If she could find her family anywhere, she decided she would join them.

It was gone ten.
They must have taken Jack home earlier. She glanced at her watch, ten twenty as the last firework had exploded in a fiery rainbow of golden and green and red lights...

She saw Brian Calder talking to Trask. It was like an old boy’s day out now. It seemed that all of the force had volunteered to do it. Except Nick. She had really expected him to turn up
. Oh, Lord! Calder was coming over towards her, with a moon sized grin on his face. He must know she had been waiting for someone. Probably thought Farmer had let her down.

‘On your own this evening, Ms Goring? What do you think about the fireworks they’ve put on? A great display as usual.’

She lifted her hands.
‘Saw only some of it. I got here late. I promised to catch up with my parents. Haven’t found them so far.’

Calder looked around into the crowd.
‘That’s a pity.’ Glanced at his watch. ‘We’ve finished our graveyard shift here. Can I offer you a drink somewhere afterwards? I can certainly do with one myself. Just say if you don’t feel like it.’

She hesitated.
‘Thanks, for your offer. Sounds good to me. I could do with a drink.’

He looked pleased. She hated to burst his bubble. She didn’t know if he had a girlfriend. ‘I’ve brought my car though. It’s parked outside
.’

‘I parked my car along the road
near the Hole in the Wall. It’s a good pub if you’d like to give me a lift there?’

She thought for a moment and smiled. It didn’t seem likely that she would meet up with Nick that night. He was more than likely steaming by now. ‘Sure. I’ll just text my parents
.’ She quickly sent off a message – ‘SEE YOU LATER, MUM. GIVE MY LOVE TO JACK. MEL’ and noticing her battery was low decided to turn off her phone. ‘Okay I’m all yours.’

‘We can go out by the side gate in the Upper Park Road.’