***
The chill air did not mask the feeling of excitement, the Met had waited a long time to finally close down this operation. A tip-off and CCTV footage from Cumbria Police had proven pivotal, showing, in high definition, threats to murder and the main suspect admitting his part in a major country lines drug-running operation. He had been under surveillance for months, but this had been the breakthrough. His stupid boasts that he had left three people to drown as punishment would be enough to see him put away for a long time.
The squads were ready, they had what they called the ‘door knocker’ a huge ram ready to smash down even the heaviest door, another group of officers standing at the rear door. They gave a countdown and then all hell broke loose.
***
Amanda
I was surprised and rather touched to receive your letter. I saw in the press that you had a run-in with my one time subordinate, I have to tell you that I would have never wished that upon you and I am deeply sorry about what happened to your brother. He was a brave man.
I know that you cannot find it in your heart to love me, and I can understand, you would have never loved me if you knew what I did, however, you were beautifully naive and I just wanted you to remain innocent.
There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of you and miss you, maybe, one day you would come and visit me.
However, I will be a very old man when I am eventually free and I know you will not wait for me. I understand. Please know, you will be in my heart forever.
With Love
Edwin
***
Kate sat with her head bowed, the weight of all that had happened weighing heavily on her. She looked up as I gently placed a mug of tea in front of her.
“Are you okay?” I saw the tiny nod. “I know you aren’t… How could you be?” I sat down. “Come here.” We hugged, I felt her tears flowing down my shoulder.
34
Drifting
I had been close to death before, so I guess this was old ground I was treading. From the accident when I was so young, my beautiful sister had saved me, however, there were limits to what she could do. Limits to the miracles one can have in one life and I had had my lot and then some.
The light was blinding at first, however, with time my eyes adjusted. There was whiteness, the soft sound of birdsong, trees blowing in the wind. It was heavenly.
The loss of pain. That was what had relieved me the most, the fact that, after everything I was no longer cold, no longer sore, no longer in that abject agony. It had slipped away, replaced with the softness which held me now.
I closed my eyes, drifting, I had done so little but felt that I had achieved everything I desired, it was a lovely, relaxing feeling one of bliss where I was detached from the realities which had held me back before.
Maybe I would have a nap. Maybe, in this warm and beautiful place in which I found myself, I could just drift off. No work to do, no plans, no expectations, just the bliss of the moment, and birdsong.
35
Recovery
“Oh hello sleepy…” I smiled, Adam was slowly opening his eyes, still somewhat unfocused. He groggily smiled and I helped him sit up in the hospital bed.
“You’re an angel…”
I am sure he truly believed I was an angel, more likely a product of a combination of blood loss, hypothermia and a good dose of morphine. Between us, Amanda and I had been sitting beside Adam’s bed for three days now. He had been unconscious for most of it with a couple of exceptions when he had woken in shock, his eyes blindly darting around the room, before he had slipped again back into his dreamless sleep.
I felt totally unlike an angel, no matter how close I had come to becoming one, another few inches of water and we would have been no more. Instead, Amanda and I had been washed down, warmed up and declared generally fit and well after our ordeal. It had taken some time for the shock to hit us. We had been on autopilot for hours afterwards. It was not until we returned to the normality of the farmhouse, thanks to a lift home from the friendly policeman that it dawned on us, realising we had been so close to death and we have wept. Loud, cathartic wailing in each other’s arms for what felt like hours and then, almost as suddenly as it had started there were no more tears.
We realised we’d won! Amanda and I were home, free and well and Adam was recovering. In time this would be nothing more than one of those memories you tell the grand-kids. That thought stopped me. Had he proposed? Did he really mean it? I had asked Amanda who laughed and said yes he had and it was clear that he had truly meant it. So we had the happy distraction of wedding planning, albeit without the groom but he would be amongst our number soon.
The next day we had called Judith and Emily, asking them if they would like to return. Judith had arrived just over an hour later, dropped off by a nervous father full of hugs and tears. Emily had come before nightfall and had, embarrassingly fallen in the ditch which Adam had dug across the drive. She came in soaked to the skin yet laughing at her predicament.
A change of clothes, a warm fire and good company, helped with bottles of wine had soon made her feel better, I made a mental note to fill in the ditch
