“I’m not dressed,” she said.
“Go home and change and join us,” said Sandra.
“I might do that.”
At that moment, Wilkes was summoning Bill Wong. “There’s a new disco, Naughty Nights, and we want to make sure there’s no under-age drinking or drugs. I want you to go there in suitable clothes this evening.”
Bill reflected miserably that he had nothing better to do. He went home and changed into black trousers, a black T-shirt and a black leather jacket. As he was getting ready to leave, his father shuffled in, wearing his usual outfit of carpet slippers, open-necked shirt, baggy trousers and a ratty cardigan. The only thing Asian-looking about him was his almond-shaped eyes. The rest was pure British. “Why you going out dressed like a freak?” he asked “Where’s that nice suit we bought you for Christmas?”
“Going undercover,” said Bill.
His mother joined them. “Have you got a clean hanky?”
“Yes, Mum.”
“And clean underwear? What if you was to end up in hospital?”
“I’m fine.”
Bill escaped and drove to the nightclub. Before he even reached it, he could hear the
Toni was enjoying herself, dancing under the flashing strobe lights, losing herself in the deafening music. Her partner was a thin youth with greasy hair and a face scarred by acne. But he danced like John Travolta in
“Okay, I’m thirsty,” said Toni.
They shouldered their way through to the bar.
“What’ll it be?”
“Just a half of lager.”
When the drinks were served, he shouted above the noise, “Look at that weird bird over there!”
Toni swung round. “Which bird?”
“You can’t see her now. Drink up.”
Toni drank thirstily. Then she began to feel dizzy. “I’d better get outside,” she said weakly.
“I’ll help you.”
Bill was just entering the club when he saw Toni, supported by a young man. Toni looked barely conscious.
“What’s happened?” he demanded.
“She’s a bit faint. Getting her outside.”
“She’s a friend of mine. I’ll take over.”
“Get lost, mate.”
Bill flashed his badge. The youth stopped supporting Toni, who fell to the floor. The youth turned to flee. Bill seized him by his denim jacket, forced him to his knees, and handcuffed him to the leg of a desk by the door.
Then he phoned for backup and for an ambulance.
Agatha arrived at Mircester Hospital with Charles later that evening, having been phoned by Bill. Bill was waiting for them outside the ward where Toni was stretched out on one of the beds.
“What happened?” asked Agatha.
“We think someone slipped a date-rape drug into her drink,” said Bill. “The hospital’s taken tests. It was all Wilkes needed as an excuse to raid the club. They were selling a combination of Viagra and Ecstasy. No wonder there are so many rapes these days.”
“Why did Toni go to such a place?” cried Agatha.
“She’s young,” said Charles. “Young people go to discos. Here’s her mother.”
Mrs. Gilmour arrived looking harried and distressed, followed by a doctor. She nodded to Agatha and was taken into the ward where Toni lay.
They waited impatiently. At last the doctor emerged. “Mrs. Gilmour is going to stay with her daughter, but there is nothing to worry about. The girl will be all right in the morning.”
“Cheer up,” said Charles, and he and Agatha walked away. “This time it’s not your fault.”
“I worry about her,” said Agatha. “I wish she weren’t so young. I mean, if something happened to Phil, say, it would be pretty awful, but he is in his seventies and he’s had a long life. But poor Toni is really just starting out.”
“It must be difficult for one so young being in an office full of old people,” commented Charles as they emerged from the hospital.
“Watch it,” said Agatha furiously. “I am
Charles stifled a yawn. “I’d better get off back home. Things to do.”
Agatha felt bereft. There were times when she was furious at the way he used her cottage like a hotel, but now that she was no longer interested in George and there was no reason to wish him out of the way, she reluctantly admitted to herself that she would miss Charles’s company.
