The Dark Side

[WYN100]

PART 17

"What WERE you thinking of !!??" demanded a seething Josh West, standing almost nose to nose with the beleaguered Ric, "It could hardly have been worse if she'd gone out there and outed me as a serial killer ! " - shaking his head disbelievingly - "Just WHAT made you do it ??"

"Look - Belle and that Gavin were going to get her to do a front page expose in the local paper and go into every sordid detail - so, I thought I'd talked her round.."

"Oh yeah, with your silky, irresistible charm, of course..." sneered Josh

Gritting his teeth, Ric continued "So I thought I'd let her go on first , plug the family image of your campaign etc etc......"

"Oh well that worked like a charm then, didn't it - NOT " - and anyway, while all this farce was going off, where were YOU !!"

Feeling distinctly under siege Ric mounted a brief self-defence "Well, I was on the phone to YOU actually - again !!"

Josh's eyes narrowed darkly as he closed in even further on Ric, "Oh so it's MY fault is it ??" Ric felt a brief cold shiver run up his spine and backed off - "Well no. not your FAULT exactly..." he tailed off a little feebly..

"Well that's SO good to know Ric, SUCH a relief ! " responded Josh sarcastically. "Now what you need to know is I've got a LOT staked on getting this casino pushed through - one HELL of a lot - so what YOU'RE going to do is take a VERY big shovel and go clean this mess up, and" -straightening the lapels of his crisply-cut, top-of the range jacket , repeated the rather chilling smile "...and I MYSELF shall take care of young Miss Hunter..." As he turned towards the 4 by 4, even Ric was left wondering just exactly his unpredictable boss had in mind for Matilda.....

Rachel had joined Tony, Alf and Morag around the main table at the caravan park as they chewed over the events of the morning.

"Well I didn't even know he'd gone !" said Rachel, still shaking her head in disbelief- "I wake up to find a very vague note saying he had something he needed to do - and then all this !" Gently sliding Megan's baby cart to and fro alongside her she repeated, not for the first time "Fancy it being Bridget !!"

"Well I tell you what ,love, that woman is TRULY demented - you only have to see the look in her eyes- she has not let this thing gone yet " warned Tony.

"Well, I was only too happy to put that half-wit local policeman in his place, otherwise it could have been considerably worse"

"Oh certainly !!" responded Tony " My finge rs barely touched her arm, and she started screeching like some tortured banshee in a horror film or something!"

"Alfred, you're quiet. " put in Morag,

Shrugging his shoulders, with his usual reserved character Alf replied "Well, guess it all brings it back a bit, you know - that whole scam she pulled, and a fella thinking here was someone who could....well, no good thinking about it now, is it....and I guess this whole stunt she's pulling with you guys...well, just goes to show what a narrow escape a bloke actually had.."

"Oh I'm SO sorry Alf, there's us going on about how it's impacted on us, and of course the effect on YOU - well it 's BOUND to bring it all rushing back...."

"Aw heck, nobody died at least - no biggie,,," The table fell silent, split between thoughts of what had happened most recently to Tony and previously to Alf. Their communal low-key reverie was interrupted by a firm and rhythmical knock at the kitchen door. Alf rose in readiness to answer it, but was superseded by the entrance of Miles who came scuttling in from the outside alcove where he'd been fighting a so-far losing battle with mending the barbecue. Glad of the distraction and with a six-inch nail protruding from the side of his mouth he held his hand up and said in slightly indistinguishable tones "You stay put, I'll get it.."

Rachel and Tony started making vague prepatory movements to leave "Well thanks again so much Morag, can I call you my heroine ?" She smiled diffidently as Rachel gave her a grateful peck on the cheek, but at that moment all heads turned as one to the door with the return of Miles. Nail now out of his mouth, and unaware of the significance of his message, as were Tony and Rachel he said "Hey Alf, it's a Mr Masters , he's from the local council..."

With an muttered and , involuntary "Hogan's ghost..!" Alf's head swivelled to look at Morag's.....

"EXCUSE me ? " Jack turned square in challenging mode "SHE was found in a car heading from at least suspicious circumstances and with my two year old son, who'd been kidnapped earlier that evening - I'd suggest in anybody's language that stacks up to a suitable case for further investigation, wouldn't you ?"

"Look I've told you Jack..." from Amanda's bed in the corner.

"No, I'm afraid -like I say - there'll be no taking this any further.." - the calm, clear tones of Amanda's husband, Inspector Peter Baker had drifted between them, re-asserting with steely determination his perspective on events.

"Jack, like Amanda said, there's bigger things at work here, and if we do anything knee-jerk to spoil it here, then months of careful work will be down the pan - and I'm here to tell you I would NOT be pleased about that, not one little bit..!"

"Oh so you're suggesting that when I go back to work I tell Fitzy and Charlie nothing whatsoever about the story surrounding all this - nothing at all ?"

"No, I'm not suggesting that Jack - I'm ordering it - no exception, no dilution, no anything, I DO hope I'm getting my message across...?"

Jack drew a deep sigh, shook his head and said "Well even if you are, I have to register my objections at being kept out of the loop, especially when it infringes on me not only professionally, but also personally..!"

"Duly noted Constable Holden.." said Peter, stretching over to give Amanda a light kiss on the cheek before ghosting out of the door and disappearing.

Jack looked across at her, went to say something, then shook his head in despairing fashion before setting off down the corridor wondering just exactly was the story with Peter, Amanda and this so-called "bigger picture.." If only he'd known it, he wouldn't have to wait that long to find out....

[Red Ranger 1]

Bit worried about what Josh has got planned for Matilda and hoping we'll get some explanation for what Jack's investigating soon.