Out Of The Shadows

[WYN100]

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¬¬¬¬¬CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“Well…I mean …wow…like…is this REALLY happening !!….”

Roman had ended his self-imposed exile in his hospital room –at first reluctantly, then incredulously as the eye-widening fact that his American internet and telephone soulmate was actually there, 16 thousand or so miles from her home here in the surrounds of the Northern Districts Hospital just to one side of Summer Bay.

Taking him gently by one hand, she asked with a small, marginally shy smile “Why Mister, you disappointed…?”

Semi-stunned in joyful fashion by just how far from the truth the answer to that question actually was, Roman felt a peach-coloured cloud of love rise from his stomach through his ribcage and to a point in his throat that temporarily choked his ability to give a coherent answer.

She was just as gorgeous as he’d imagined. Around 5 feet 2 with red-ginger hair and a charming, vaguely mischievous smile, it was the photo his minds eye had taken dozens of times .

“DISAPPOINTED !!” he replied “More like thrilled, delighted, excited, nervous, just about anything else you can think of but disappointed !!”

He desperately wanted to kiss her and kiss her long, passionately and douse her with the fountains of true love he’d been containing inside – without presuming anything he was instinctively sure she felt the same way – but he keenly wanted that first shared ‘moment’ to be somewhere away from the sterile and impersonal environs of the hospital.

Still gaping at the turn of events, Roman felt all the thoughts that had dogged him for so long forcing their way to the front of his mind and tongue.

“Look Dana, before we go any further, there’s a few things…. “

Taking his hand and placing an index finger on his lips, she said in her captivating Southern USA accent “ Roman, I’ve spoken to Nicole and it doesn’t MATTER !”

“But…”

“And you know why ! because…”

with deliberation…” I …LOVE…YOU !”

Still gaping Roman blinked furiously, and, gripping her hand at full force and gasped “Lady, as you know, I’ve played most of this moment out in my head countless times but will you just tell me one thing - how can you POSSIBLY be so perfect !!”

The pair had often joked about how completely incongruous the Michael Buble song “I just haven’t met you yet “ was to their situation as they were convinced they knew each other inside and out far more comprehensively than the majority of couples who’d met long in the past.

But – a rare cloud crossed her normally sunny countenance.

With a deep breath to fuel her she began “Roman, meeting you like this is truly just like every birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s day and more all crammed into one – I truly feel 16 again, both in getting to know you and certainly in these 20 minutes but….”

“But…”

“You told me you had things you didn’t want me to know about…..well..” as her eyes dropped a little…”the same goes for me…..”

Both Harvey and the Superintendent were still distilling the identity of the car driver they’d just seen entering the hangar.

”Councillor, you did say you believed it was the Pirovitch gang that had your daughter….”

Voice beginning to rise amid a volatile cocktail of emotions, Harvey responded ”YES –you HEARD HIM on that first call to your office when I put it on speakerphone ! BUT ! – jabbing his finger towards the hangar added “HE wasn’t part of It !!”

With a couple of short, precise nods, Tomlinson grabbed his short-wave police radio and in clipped tones started “Precinct, run me a check on one Jamie Sharp, Summer Bay Youth Correctional Institute ..” then, as a few seconds passed.. “Oh !!…right…. thank you. That’s fine.” Then, a brief intake of breath later, turned his head to Harvey and confirmed ! ” Released three days ago for good behaviour, previous time served in custody etc etc, BUT..” thoughtfully….”it still doesn’t explain what he’s doing here does it “

Harvey was by now looking pent with frustration and impatient angst, and with hand poised on the internal door handle snapped “Tomlinson that’s my DAUGHTER in there and now seeing that cracked Sharp kid going in we’ve got to go in and go in NOW ! You DO remember all that stuff with Leah and VJ I suppose !! –when was the last time you saw either of THEM around after the hassle HE caused, eh !!”

All that was missing was the policeman’s mantra of “’ello, ‘ello ‘ello” as Tomlinson planted his ample right hand on Harvey’s shoulder and rebuked him “Councillor –if we go crashing in there undermanned and unarmed, who KNOWS what could happen – especially to YOUR daughter !! I’ll get on and call for backup now – “ – picking up the handset he began “Precinct, precinct – backup needed at the old aircraft hangar, to units of…” he tailed off as a now frenzied-looking Harvey started to shake his arm and gesture wildly towards the one visible window on the side of the hangar they’d been staking out . It was slightly cracked and grime-encrusted but behind it the reason for Harvey’s panic was palpable. Fingers of orange light flecked with blue were slowly but steadily reaching their way upwards . The Superintendent –his radio mouthpiece now dangling temporarily at his side breathed “Oh my stars – there’s some kind of fire in there !”

Brax was conducting a high-speed mental audit as the male officer continued the egomaniac roleplay so beloved of countless traffic officers in countless countries.

He’d volleyed off so many questions he was expecting by the end to have been asked what he’d had for breakfast or his inside leg measurement – but now , with the all-but-distinct glimpse of Charlie, the goalposts had changed. He needed, really NEEDED to get close to that patrol car parked a hundred yards or so up the road.

And THEN –the lightbulb moment of decision.

As the white noise of the man’s questioning continued to swirl around him, without a physical or verbal backward gesture, he twisted away from his car and began sprinting towards the other vehicle. While mentally computing the expected moment of stunned silence behind him followed by the predictable cry of “STOP Mr Braxton, STOP !” He then quickly turned his mind to what Charlie would now do – not only as a police officer but also a woman he’d known and loved so well.

And he’d proved to be so right/ As the commands of the male officer behind him rose to a strangulated squeak, the other ptrol car pulled away from the kerb – but as he’d gambled on, only very slowly.

With a deep breath he launched himself at the nearside wing of the car, and as she slammed on the brakes , made a strategic roll away, only a pronounced throbbing in his left arm as his physical penalty for the action, he waited and listened.

“BRAXTON ! WHAAAT…..”

Then - female tones and an arm gently cradling his neck “Brax, Brax, speak to me, please speak to me !!”

”Sergeant Buckton –you mean you KNOW this guy….”

“Yes, yes- from Summer Bay –and –and ..”

“And what….!”

With a tear choked back..

“What if you were looking at the father of my child….!!”

Away from her sight, an involuntary smile flickered across the face of the form lying alongside her…..

[Inactive User]

Great chapter Update soon xx