* * *
“So, what is happening at the scene?”
“Well Tom, it’s unclear exactly what has happened here. It seems there has been a fire in the stable block of her Devon home.”
Yes, a fire… I smiled to myself, the television was on in the background, I could just hear the news reporter speak, behind him there were fire engines. Oh, it looked as if there were at least five there, it must have been a really big fire. What a terrible shame. I giggled, looking around to ensure no one was watching me.
I’d driven through the night, just stopping for coffee to keep me awake before I completed my journey. I had thought that Scotland would be a good place to start a new life. Somewhere deep in the HIghlands, away from too many people. The BBC news report about a fire at a famous actress’s home was so engaging. I had to stop myself from looking too excited.
“Well, the actress wasn’t home at the time of the fire, but police are questioning one of two people found in the tack room where it’s believed the fire started.”
My heart stopped. Police were questioning? How could they question them? There wouldn’t be enough of them left to question, surely…
“It seems that thankfully an automatic fire sprinkler system quickly doused the flames…”
My coffee cup smashed as it hit the floor. Several people looked across towards me. I was already on my feet, running back towards my car in a blind panic.
* * *
I knew I couldn’t sleep. I’d looked at the empty bed, the one I had shared with Kate and knew I couldn’t be there alone. Amanda had tried to persuade me not to drive to Devon immediately and had only prevented me by forcibly taking my keys. She had eventually gone to bed, exhausted after all that had happened, I couldn’t blame her and had kissed her on the cheek before watching her climb the stairs to bed.
I’d sat at the kitchen table, staring out of the window at the lights which flickered across the bay. My mind was racing with thoughts of what had happened, what was happening as this was far from over. Until I had my wife in my arms this could never be over.
I sat silently dwelling in my own mind as I had in my prison cell, however, the silence here was deafening. Gone were the shouts, the swearing and noise of the prison. The ticking of the clock in the hall and the creaking of the old farmhouse was all that there was.
I had never felt so alone as I did here, watching the first glimpses of the sunrise set fire to the water beyond the window. It had been a view I had enjoyed with Kate. I didn’t know if I could even see it the same way if she wasn’t there beside me.
There was a movement upstairs, Amanda rolling over in her sleep no doubt. I wished I could sleep, escape the what if’s for just a moment. I sat as the sun rose and was still there as I heard the sound of movement on the yard. The horses kicking and the grooms starting to feed. No matter what happened, there had to be a routine for our animals.
I was just about to stand up, step out into the day, maybe help the staff with some stable management tasks to try and take my mind off what was happening, at least until Amanda let me escape to find Kate. Suddenly there was a pounding on the front door. As I opened it I saw two police officers standing on the doorstep.
My heart sunk. Did this mean my positive feelings had been completely wrong?
* * *
The normality of having Adam back was amazing, all we needed now was Kate to return. I looked up as I was sweeping down the main yard after mucking out had been completed, ready for breakfast. I’d left Adam to sleep in but would call him over. We could all be together, well almost all of us. We would share breakfast, just like in the old days.
It was then I saw the police car pull up outside the farmhouse, the two officers pounding on the door before Adam came down. Moments later he was dressed and being led to the car. I saw red, throwing down my broom I rushed towards the car.
“What are you doing? You can’t arrest him! Adam are you okay?”
“I’m sorry miss…” The officer held me back. “We’re here to escort Mr Bishop, not arrest him.”
“Escort him? What do you mean? Where are you taking him?”
They ushered Adam into the back of the police car. One of the policemen approached me.
“Look. He’s not done anything wrong, we’re not taking him away for that reason. Something has happened. Look, I really can’t say. We’re under orders to take him to Devon as quickly as we can. Now, I am sure you understand, we need to be on our way.”
He got into the car and I watched as it drove rapidly away, blue lights flashing.
* * *
“How is she? The woman I came in with? How is she?”
“Miss Wessington, please be calm.” The nurse pushed me back down onto the hospital bed, promising to find out what had happened to Kate, but only if I would rest. I wasn’t sure how I could rest at all. I was scared for Kate, they had bundled her away in an ambulance, she had been in obvious pain and screaming about her baby.
The police had wanted to know what had happened. I’d spent most of the night answering their questions. Early in the morning, I recognised the officer who had come to the yard after Olivia’s death. She looked
