Weird Wednesday by Tanya Allan   Richard Williamson leaves attractive thirty-five year-old Vanessa and their teenage son, Simon, in the lurch for another woman. After a gruelling twelve months, Vanessa is tired of fighting for pennies to just exist. Called to her son’s school, as Simon appears to be having a breakdown, she is at the end of her emotional tether. Simon, on the other hand, driven by equally powerful emotions is determined to make his father pay for his betrayal of his mother and for hurting her so deeply. On the way home from the school they are involved in a freak accident, whereby the car leaves the road and is hit suddenly by thousands of volts of electricity. Simon wakes up in hospital to find he is now in his mother’s body. Lying in the bed next to him is his body, but who’s inside it? Richard, returning to the UK on a false passport to realise some undeclared assets, unwittingly sets off a chain of events that threatens to engulf all. No one took into account a plucky young woman, calling herself Nessa, and her very fresh perspective on life. A baffled young boy, reluctantly answering to the name of Simon finds himself back at school for the second time around, but the first time had been as a girl! The problems double as a way to change back is discovered... but someone decides she doesn’t want to go back to being a boy!

 
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The Legal Stuff:Weird Wednesday  ©2009 Tanya Allan

This work is the property of the author, and the author retains full copyright in relation to printed material, whether on paper or electronically. Any adaptation of the whole or part of the material for broadcast by radio, TV, or for stage plays or film, is the right of the author unless negotiated through legal contract. Any commercial use by anyone other than the author is strictly prohibited.
 
This work is fictitious, and any similarities to any persons, alive or dead, are purely coincidental. Mention is made of persons in public life only for the purposes of realism, and for that reason alone. Certain licence is taken in respect of medical procedures, terms and conditions, and the author does not claim to be the fount of all knowledge.
 
The author accepts the right of the individual to hold his/her (or whatever) own political, religious and social views, and there is no intention to deliberately offend anyone. If you wish to take offence, that is your problem.
 
This is only a story, and it contains adult material, which includes sex and intimate descriptive details pertaining to genitalia. If this is likely to offend, then don’t read it.
 
 
Chapter 21
 
 
“Mum, why is my hair taking so long to grow?”

Vanessa found Simone attempting to make her hair look longer.

“Patience, it is growing, but you can’t expect it to grow that quickly.

“It’s been weeks!”

“Yes, and you’ve got a cute short bob style. What more do you want?”

“Long, down past my shoulders and down my back.”

“A year then, at least, to reach the shoulders,” Vanessa said with a smile.

“Oh, Mum!”

“Come on, finish getting dressed, you have twenty minutes.”

Simone, dressing in her new school uniform, of navy blue skirt, navy tights, pale blue blouse, navy pullover and grey blazer, felt slightly strange. She was excited, but also slightly apprehensive about returning to Ketterham.

The school sent a pack for new pupils, but it related to boys only. A handwritten insert from Mr Carter detailed the proposed uniform and included a no make up rule except for sixth formers. As none of the girls was in the sixth form, it was academic. However, Vanessa showed her daughter how to use neutral foundation makeup to hide blemishes and spots, a mascara product that was very subtle, and some eye shadows that were virtually invisible, yet enhanced the eyes.

As she had received some earrings for Christmas, Simone had had both ears pierced. She wore small studs just to keep the holes open, despite a no jewellery rule.

“It’s not a fashion show; it’s only school,” her mother told her.

“Maybe, but we’ll still be on show for a while,” Simone said.

At last, she was ready, the car was packed and they were on way. It was a half hour journey, as long as removal trucks kept out of their way!

The school was spread out within fifty acres of rural campus on the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border. The main school was split up into the old manor house, Ketterham Court, with the old stable block now converted into classrooms with a large modern wing added to the side. The pool and gym were slightly to one side, as was the large theatre/assembly hall. All the residential houses were dotted about the campus, with Livingstone, now renamed Astor, situated some eighty yards north of the main building, in which all dining facilities and other amenities, like the library, were housed. The chapel was off to the eastern end of the main building.

Simone had been in Wellington House as Simon, so she was unfamiliar with ‘Astor’ for the girls. Each house was organised along similar lines. Small dormitories for the younger pupils, aged thirteen and fourteen, thereafter single rooms in which they could sleep and work. The younger ones had a junior common room for the third form, and a senior common room for the fourth form. However, as there were only eight girls, it was pointless following usual procedures, so all were allocated single rooms.

Vanessa helped Simone in with her kit and then, after kissing her goodbye, hastily retreated before anyone recognised her. Simone met Mr and Mrs Hardy, the house parents recently brought in from another co-ed school for their experience with girls’ houses.

Simone had a room that would have normally been assigned to a fifth former, and was unpacking when another girl popped her head around the door.

“Hi, I’m Sam,” she said.

Simone looked up. Samantha was almost as tall as she was, but was very slim, not yet developed as much as Simone. Her long red hair was gorgeous and Simone felt slightly envious.

“Hi, I’m Simone. I love your hair!”

Sam grinned. “It’s a pain sometimes, as it takes so long to dry and fix up properly. Your style is far more practical,” she said.

“I’m growing it out, I want it longer.”

“You’re the one with the boyfriend already here, aren’t you?”

“I know a boy who’s here. I’m not sure he’s my boyfriend,” Simone stated. Sam sat on Simone’s bed and watched as she unpacked.

“Have you been to boarding school before?” she asked Simone.

“Yeah. It’s cool. Why, have you?”

“No. My brother is at Shiplake and we don’t live that far from here. My father knows Jacob Carter, so when he offered me a place here for less fees than my old school, Dad jumped at the chance. I’m a bit worried about being just one of eight girls in amongst all those boys. How many are there?”

“Three hundred, give or take a couple.”

“These rooms are nice.”

“They’re for fifth formers, not us fourth formers.”

“How old are you, Simone?”

“Thirteen, you?”

“Fourteen. You look older.”

“So I’m told. I’m fourteen next month - February the third.”

“I’m fifteen in October. I thought you were older than me.”

“It’s the boobs, I started developing early.”

“No, it’s not just that, you just act and look generally older.”

“I’ve had a rough year. My Dad pissed off a year ago and then I heard he was killed recently. Things like that make you grow up a bit.”

“Shit, that sounds horrid, what happened?”

“I don’t really know. A gunman shot him, who in turn was shot by the police. The police were involved in a complicated investigation, in which I think my dad was helping them, but that’s all I do know. Mum and I are pretty used to being on our own these days.”

“No brothers or sisters, then?”

“No, you?”

“An elder brother called Andrew. He’s sixteen.”

“Cool, so he’s got hunky friends then?”

Sam grinned, nodding her head.

“What music do you like?” Sam asked.

Simone held up her Robbie Williams CD.

“I like most stuff. My Dad left behind all his old Status Quo and Queen albums. Have you been to ‘We Will Rock You’ in London yet?”

“Yeah, it was brilliant,” Sam grinned again. “So, what’s your boyfriend’s name?” Sam asked.

“Ian, Ian Jamieson, he’s in our form.”

Simone finished putting her stuff away. She then carried her cases down to the storeroom.

“So, which is your room?”

“Next to yours. We’re all together along this corridor. Do you reckon we’ll get to keep then next year?”

“We’ll be fifth formers then, so we should, yes. The third formers may not, it depends on how many girls arrive in September.”

“Do you think we’ll get any older girls come in?”

“Probably, they want to get some to start the sixth form, so we could see up to a dozen or so.”

“Bummer, I rather hoped we’d be the eldest,” Sam said.

“Are any of the others here yet?”

“No, just us so far.”

“Let’s go over to the Dining room. They’ll be serving tea now.”

The two girls walked the eighty yards across to the main building, and then into the large oak panelled dining room. Simone was aware that as soon as they walked in, they were the focus of male attention. She walked over to the servery and collected some tea. There was bread available, with butter and jam, and she automatically made herself a bread and jam sandwich, as she had all the previous term. Samantha followed suit, grateful that Simone seemed to know what she was doing.

They sat by themselves in a corner.

“How come you know this place so well?” Sam asked.

“I don’t, I just remembered the place from our day’s assessment.”

“I’d forgotten most of this bit.”

Simone shrugged and looked about her.

It was so strange seeing the reactions to her and Sam. Boys she knew by sight, who had never given her a second glance, were now all shy and keen to smile at her. A familiar figure came through the door almost at a run.

Ian looked around the room, on seeing Simone his grin lit up his face and he made his way over to her. Samantha watched him approach and thought he was going to kiss her.

“Hi, so, you got here okay?” he said, standing awkwardly as he appeared at a loss what to do with his hands, so he thrust them into his trouser pockets.

“Hi, Ian. Yeah, it looks like it. This is my new friend, Sam,” she said.

Ian sat down next to Simone.

“Hi Sam, what do you think of the place?” he asked.

“It’s okay so far. So, you’re Simone’s boyfriend?”

Ian went red but still managed to smile.

“We know each other,” he said, all bashful.

“How’s your Dad?” Simone asked.

“I left him planning to call your Mum. I think he’s hoping to take her out to dinner again.”

“Cool, she really enjoyed the last one,” Simone said, with a certain smile.

“Yeah, well, he’s determined that she’ll crack eventually,” Ian said, grinning.

“My Mum and his Dad are both divorced. I think Howard is in love with my Mum, so we’ll probably end up as step brother and sister,” Simone explained for Sam’s benefit.

“Oh, wow, where does that leave you?”

“Nowhere, we won’t be blood relatives so we could marry,” said Simone watching Ian’s expression. She wasn’t disappointed as the colour rose and his smile became broader.

“That’s so romantic,” Sam said.

“Yeah, well, don’t get too enthusiastic, there’s a lot of time to go before you start marrying us off,” Simone said with a grin.

Ian smiled and went to get himself some tea. He rejoined them a few moments later. Another boy came over to them, Simone recognised him as being another fourth former called Mark.

“Hey, are you in the thirds or fourths?” he asked.

“Fourths,” said Samantha.

“Cool, me too. I’m Mark.”

“I’m Sam and this is Simone.”

“Simone? Hey, Ian, this is your Simone?” Mark asked.

“Your Simone?” she asked.

Ian went bright red. “Yeah, this is Simone,” he said. Simone raised an eyebrow.

“Wow! He’s been going on and on about you. We all thought he was making it up, but he wasn’t! Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, Ian, we must have a talk, later,” said Simone, standing up and taking her cup over to the wash area.

Ian went with her. “Sorry about that,” he said, slightly sheepishly.

“Just what have you been saying about me?”

“I just said I’d met a beautiful girl and we were good friends, that all, honest.”

“Ian, don’t start any silly stuff. I can’t be doing with lots of wagging tongues.”

“It’s not silly, Simone. I really like you. I’m so pleased you’re back again and doing the play with me.”

“Ian, forget this back again business, you’ll give the game away.”

“And you knowing where everything is so quickly, won’t?”

“Eh?”

“Simone, you are supposed to be new, how come you know about the wash area and everything?”

“Oh, I didn’t think.”

“No, me neither. I think we’ve got to help each other here, okay”

“Okay. Please don’t talk about me behind my back, Ian.”

“I won’t. It’s just, well, I like you so much and I feel so pleased you’re here. That’s all.”

“Thanks. It’s nice to be wanted.”

Three other girls walked in, looking faintly lost. Simone went over to them.

“Hi, I’m Simone, you can get tea and stuff over there and when you’re done, stick the dirty cups through the wash hatch by that door there,” she told them, pointing out the relevant locations.

“I’m Natasha, this is Sarah and Rose,” said a slightly plump girl with a cheerful smile and dark hair. As they greeted each other, the last of the girl came in. Sam and Simone sat with them as they became better acquainted. Ian, realising he was out-numbered, waved to Simone and left.

All the girls were thirteen or fourteen and from the outset felt a curious bond in the face of the overwhelming maleness surrounding them. Sarah and Jane were younger than Simone, but the others, Lucy, Poppy, Natasha, Samantha and Rose were all a little older.

They were due to meet the Headmaster in their house at six, so they all managed to return and were waiting for him. They sat in the comfortable common room and Jacob stood before them, beaming. Their House parents sat to one side, regarding their new charges.

Jacob addressed them.

“Welcome, girls. You are paving the way for future of this school. I firmly believe that the steps you are taking will ensure that Ketterham will progress well into this century, and continue to provide a first class education for girls and boys.

“Personally, let me say thank you for being brave enough to be a few roses amongst many thorns. I am aware that what you are doing is not easy, but it is essential if we are to create an atmosphere of cooperation and harmony. Your observations, comments and feedback are essential, and I urge you to speak to your house parents or to me about everything and anything that will make your lives here easier.

“I have asked that a boy in each of your forms will team up with you to act as mentor for the first week or so. These boys will show you where everything is, help you with classrooms, routines and such like. In the future, you will be the mentors for new girls, but for the moment, as you are the first, you’ll have to put up with boys. You will meet them outside the dining hall just before supper at six thirty. A notice is on the notice board, and it’s their task to find you and make themselves known to you all.

“It remains for me to wish you good luck and I sincerely hope your time here will be happy, productive and successful.”

Simone smiled, wishing exactly the same, but adding the word — undiscovered!
 

*          *          *
 
Fast Eddie was in a foul mood. He sat by himself in the recreation area, glowering at everyone who came near. He’d just got word that Wiseman had been arrested and had turned Queen’s evidence. The word had come in the form of the Superintendent, who had arranged for his production at a central London police station, where he was further charged with conspiracy to kidnap, blackmail and witness intimidation. The latter two were cases that Wiseman had given new information on old cases. Stanley was unavailable for some reason and Eddie felt so frustrated to be cut off from his contacts.

Twenty yards away was a man who saw Eddie’s frustration as a potential advantage. Terry Hobart was a robber. He wasn’t a very good one, as he had spent fourteen years inside since he had been sixteen. He was thirty-three now and was on remand for another bungled armed robbery. He’d been inside for six months waiting his case to come to court.

He knew Eddie by reputation and sought him out as he saw him alone.

“Word is you want some work done on the outside,” he said to Eddie.

“Who the fuck are you?” Eddie asked, as blunt as usual.

“Terry Hobart.”

Eddie nodded, he’d heard of him.

“What you in for?”

“Armed blagging.”

“What went wrong?”

“Fuckers were waiting for me. I’m looking at five to eight.”

“So, what can you do for me?”

“Me? Nufink, I’m banged up for a while yet, but I’ve two brothers that could do wiv some readies.”

“Fucking amateurs!”

“Maybe, but the way I hear it, you ain’t got a lot of fucking choice.”

“These brothers, are they reliable?”

“Yeah. What’s the job?”

Eddie looked at him.

“Fuck off, come back in two days,” Eddie said.

Terry stared at him, nodded and then walked off.

Eddie made contact with some people he knew he could trust through Stella, his wife, when she visited. His brother-in-law, Luke Fisher, was the manager of his own trucking firm. He was now as straight as they came, but his first truck had been bought with money stolen from a Securicor van in 1979.

He never got his hands dirty any more, and Eddie respected that, particularly as he was now looking after Stella.

He asked him to look into Terry Hobart.

The result came back when Stella visited him a few days later.

“Luke says Hobart is clean,” she said. When she said ‘clean’ she meant untarnished by being a known informant. The man was as crooked as they came, but he’d never sold anyone out to the coppers.

Eddie nodded.

Later, Terry was playing pool and Eddie came over to him.

He beaconed for the man to follow him. When they were alone, Eddie told him what he wanted.

“I need some people taken out.”

Terry nodded. He wasn’t prepared for this, but didn’t show it. He’d heard the job just was a bit of leaning on someone.

“Cost ya,” he said.

“Half a mil. Four names.”

“Four? You have to be kidding. Half a mil each!”

“No way. One’s inside, so he’s no problem. The others are soft touches, women and a kid. A mil, and that’s it!”

Terry’s eyes lit up with greed. A million quid was more money than he could imagine. He’d give a quarter million to each brother, leaving him with half a million to retire with when he got out. Invested properly for eight years, that would be just the job!

“Done. How can you pay me?”

“Half up front and half on completion. It’s offshore, all I need is a bank account number,” Eddie said.

“That’s easy enough. The one banged up, where is he?”

“I don’t know, you’d have to get someone contact Prisoner Locations.”

Terry looked baffled, so Eddie had to explain.

“Look, they send prisoners all over the fucking country to fuck about the families and other connections. But, by law they have to keep records of where they are, so welfare groups keep track of them,” Eddie explained.

“Oh.”

“Once I give you the names, you have two months and then the deal’s off if the contracts aren’t fulfilled.”

“Okay. The names?”

Eddie passed him a slip of paper. Terry looked down and started to read them - Susannah Williamson. Robert Wiseman. Vanessa Williamson. Simon Williamson. There were some addresses for each, except Wiseman, he was the one doing time.

“Shit, what did the Williamsons do to you?” asked Terry, reading the names

“Let’s just say, I want everything to do with them rubbed out. Unfortunately, the bastard that put me here is dead, but his family isn’t….yet!”

When Terry looked up, Eddie was gone. Terry smiled, a million quid, and for once he was as safe as could be.
 
 
Chapter 22
 
 
The girls found their mentors outside the dining hall. Simone smiled as she noticed Ian looking rather pleased with himself. They waited until the others had introduced themselves and all disappeared into hall.

“I might have known,” she said.

“I asked to be your mentor, do you mind?”

“Why should I mind?”

He shrugged. “I dunno, I thought you might think I’m getting too serious.”

“I do, but I can’t stop you. In a way I like it, even though I think it’s a bit silly at our age.”

He smiled. “This way I just have an excuse to be with you, even though you don’t really need a mentor.”

“I suppose so, we can at least pretend that you’re showing me around.”

“Let’s go eat.”

They went in together. He had an enormous smile on his face, and Simone was just pleased that she had at least one boy she could trust. The girls were all nice enough, but Simone couldn’t just wipe away thirteen years of being someone else. She wanted to keep some things from her past, those aspects that had given pleasure and of which she had fond memories. Her old friendships had yet to be rekindled, but she knew that as a girl she’d find it impossible to have the same relationship with them.

As she lined up for her food, she noticed how these ex-friends now regarded her, so she felt sad that some things would never be the same. However, she felt so much better about herself that this was a small price to pay for the way her life now was.

It surprised her that no one, either boys or the staff, identified her as being Simon. She knew she was a different gender, but her face was more or less the same, albeit more feminine and framed with longer hair. The lady dishing up the food glanced at her and smiled.

“Hello dear, I think you’re very brave letting yourself loose in amongst this lot. Hopefully, their manners might improve some with you girls here. There’s room for it,” she said, glancing at some boisterous fifth formers who were not bothering to use utensils for their correct purpose.

“You might find we’re worse,” Simone said.

“No dear, girls could never be worse than this lot,” the lady said emphatically.

Simone smiled, taking her tray of food over to the cutlery trolley and from there to the table where the other girls and their mentors were already sitting. Simone was a little shocked to see Kipper Blake sitting next to Sarah, as her appointed mentor. Kipper glanced at her and smiled, not a glimmer of recognition in his eyes. Ian joined them a few moments later.

“So, Simone, where did you go to school before?” Kipper asked.

“A small private school near Wallingford. It was facing financial problems and might be closing, so Mum had to look around for somewhere else. She heard that Ketterham was looking for girls and so she made enquiries. I wasn’t going to start until September, but the Head wanted to encourage me to start now. Here I am.”

“How did you meet Ian?” he asked.

Ian looked at her. She had no idea what he’d already said.

“Hmm, how did he say we’d met?” she asked.

“He didn’t. We just heard all about you. Most of us thought he was bullshitting, now I know he wasn’t,” Kipper said, ducking as Ian threw his fork at him.

“My mum and his dad are both on their own, and we sort of all met by accident one day. I think his dad is after my mum, and so we keep having meals at each other’s houses,” she said, not telling any lies at all. Ian looked relieved, smiling as he ate his food.

Someone changed the subject, as others started asking questions about each other. Simone and Ian let it all wash over them, relieved to have passed the first round of searching questions.

“So what sports are you lot going to play?” asked Rob, Rose’s mentor.

“I fancy rugger,” said Simone, semi-teasing.

The boys all laughed dismissively and she felt slightly miffed, knowing she had been quite good at the sport.

“Hoi,” said Natasha, “what’s wrong with girls playing rugger? There are some really good girls’ teams.”

Simone looked at her with a smile, for Natasha had the build to be a useful second row forward.

“There are only eight of us, so we’d be able to play sevens. I bet we’d beat the boys!” she said with a grin.

Ian, knowing how well Simon had played in the past, wisely kept silent, but the other boys were vociferous in telling the girls they’d have no chance.

“Right!” said Simone, “We’ll see about that. You speak to your games master and we’ll arrange a match. We’ll need a little coaching, but I reckon you will be in for a shock.”

“I heard we’ll be playing tennis, swimming and stuff like that,” said Rose.

“I wish I could do that instead of rugger. I hate the bloody game,” said Mark.

“That’s only because you’re crap at it,” Ian told him and both grinned. Roddy Hamilton, Samantha’s mentor, looked at Simone closely.

“You remind me of someone,” he said, frowning. Simone’s blood ran cold.

“Oh?” she said, as calmly as she could.

“Yeah, me too!” said Splodge, who’d drawn Jane in the mentor draw. “I think she looks a bit like Angelina Jolie, but her hair’s a different colour. You know, the actress who played Lara Croft in Tomb Raider?”

All boys stared at Simone, who felt herself going very red.

Mark nodded. “Yeah, that could be it. What do you look like in tight shorts and a tight tee shirt?” he asked with a grin.

“You don’t want to know,” she said with a cold, hard look. It was sufficient to make Mark feel slightly uncertain, so she backed it up with a smile.

“Well, you’ll soon see, because she’ll wear them for tennis,” Samantha said with a cheeky grin. The ice was broken and amid laughter, Simone relaxed slightly.
 

*          *          *
 
Norman ‘The Nutter’ Hobart was a man of simple tastes. He was three years younger than Terry, and a year older than Phil. Norman had the lowest IQ amongst the brothers and it didn’t bother him in the slightest. As long as he had a warm woman, a hot meal and a cold beer, he was happy. It wasn’t important in which order he had them, but as long as there was one of each in his near future, he was content.

Phil, on the other hand, was very different. Brighter than his brothers, he was the only one who had yet to experience Her Majesty’s pleasure and actually get caught. He was far shrewder than his older brothers, and aspired to retire to Spain a wealthy man by the time he was forty.

Unlike his brothers, he was gay. His tastes ran to young men, the younger the better and, as he was the product of a father who had abused him, he was particularly violent as a sexual predator. He ran a second-hand furniture business in the East End. It was an ideal opportunity for his other career as a fence of stolen property, so he was well on track to make his fortune.

His sexual preference, however, was his one major weakness, as it meant his sexual partners tended to be from amongst the many homeless and destitute street-kids who’d do anything for money. Some of his conquests had to be well paid to avoid any complaints to the police or social services for the excesses of his ‘enjoyments’!

He had just finished one such session and the boy lay sobbing in his large double bed. Feeling satisfied for the moment, Phil dressed and threw three hundred pounds next to the boy.

“Shut up and fuck off. Any fucking word to the Old Bill means you’ll wake up with a hole where your fucking neck should be, got it?”

The boy, a run-away from Liverpool, gathered up the notes and, still snivelling, gingerly dressed and hobbled out of the flat. The poor boy could hardly walk. Phil had picked him up the previous evening up near Piccadilly Circus and, after giving him a hot meal, he’d spent the night fucking him violently. Phil didn’t even know his name.

Phil made his way across London to Belmarsh to visit his brother. He found Terry in good spirits and, when he left, Phil had a smile on his face. He returned to Hackney and found Norman in the pub.

“Orl ri’ Phil?” he brother yelled across the pub. Phil sighed as Norman was already half way to being legless again.

“Not bad, mate,” he said, ordering a pint of bitter at the bar.

“Ow’s Tel?”

“Good. We got to talk later,”

Norman’s Neolithic brow creased.

“Why?”

Phil looked into his brother’s glazed and blood-shot eyes.

“Later, I’m not talking to you now.”

“Why the fuck not? I’m orl ri’.”

“Norm, you’re pissed, an’ I ain’t talking to you when you’re pissed, okay?”

“I’m not pished!” Norman said, slurring his words.

“Later,” Phil repeated, moving away.

The next morning Phil called round at noon, finding Norm still in bed with a sixteen-year old girl he’d picked up the previous evening. Norman was fast asleep, but the girl woke up as he let himself into the flat.

“’oo are you?” she asked, sitting up and giving him a flash of her plump young body and floppy breasts.

“Fuck off!” he told the girl.

“’e owes me,” she complained.

“’ow much?”

She shrugged. “Fifty?” she asked hopefully.

“I bet ‘e couldn’t even get it up,” Phil said and the girl smiled.

Phil threw two twenty-pound notes at her.

“Now, fuck off,” he said, turning away as she got out of bed naked.

He disliked the female form, ever since he’d watched his father beat his naked mother so badly she ran out into the street still naked and screaming. The Old Bill had nicked his dad, only to let him go when his mother refused to substantiate the assault charges. He’d killed her two months later and then gassed himself in the car.

The girl left and Phil poured a jug of cold water over his slumbering brother.

Norman spluttered and coughed his way to the land of the awake.

“’kin-ell, Phil, wot you do that for?” he asked somewhat petulantly.

“I need you awake. We got a job.”

“Wot kind of job?”

“A hundred grand each, and all we got to do is make some people disappear,” he said.

“Wot people?”

“Just some buggers that have upset a friend of Tel’s”

“Wot you mean, disappear?”

“Just that, one minute they ‘ere, next they’re gorn.”

“You mean dead?”

“Something like that.”

“Why?”

“Don’t worry about it, think of the hundred grand.”

Norm frowned as he did that. It was more money than his brain could fathom, and he wondered how many pints he could buy for a hundred thousand. Phil smiled, that made his cut four hundred thousand, but Norm wouldn’t miss the change in circumstances.

“’ow are we going to do it?”

“That’s my problem. I already worked out that one of the names is in Ford Open Prison.”

“Where’s that?”

“Sussex.”

Norm frowned. “Where’s that?”

Phil rolled his eyes.

“South, Brighton’s in Sussex,” he said.

Norm’s brow cleared. He knew where Brighton was. Then he frowned again.

“How do we get to ‘im?”

“It’s an open prison. That means the prisoners are low risk because they’ve done a deal with the Old Bill or something. This bloke is a solicitor and he’s squealed on a man who doesn’t appreciate it. So, we walk in, take him out and walk out again.”

“Take ‘im out?”

“Oh, for fuck sake, you thick bastard. We go in, kill him, and then leave, okay?”

“Wot, an’ they just let us, like?”

“Oh, don’t fucking worry about how, leave that to me. There’s bound to be a way in, as delivery drivers or something!”

“Oh, so do we stab ‘im, or what?”

“I’ve a plan, less messy and easier to make it look like natural causes. I saw it on CSI a couple of weeks ago.”

Norman frowned again.

“Oh, what is it now?” Phil asked.

“They always get caught on that programme,” he said.

“Well, we won’t, okay?”

Norman nodded. If Phil said it was okay, it was okay.
 

*          *          *
 
Robert Wiseman, unaware that he was the focus of such attention, was slightly happier. Although his career lay in ruins, he was sufficiently useful to the authorities to allow a deal to be struck. This meant he would not be serving much time, being free as soon as McDonagh was sentenced. He had sufficient funds squirreled away to secure his comfortable retirement. He owned a nice little villa in the Algarve, and he would be joining his wife there in a few months. For the moment, he was secure in the Prison System, aware that McDonagh’s wrath might well be mighty, but his reach had been seriously curtailed.

In a perverse way, he found his predicament novel and slightly amusing. As soon as word got out that he was a solicitor, albeit now with no licence, many inmates sought him out for advice and opinions on each individual’s case. Not being violent or potential trouble, he found the relaxed atmosphere at Ford more like school than what he imagined Prison should have been like.

The food was plentiful and reasonably good, the beds were comfortable, and the company was entertaining. However, he was aware of the possibility that Eddie might just have the wherewithal to reach him, so he was always vigilant.
 

*          *          *
 
Superintendent Harris was in DI Collins’ office.

“Will Eddie make a play for Wiseman?” the Inspector asked, after hearing the bulk of the tale.

“Almost certainly.”

“Is he mad? Won’t he realise we’re watching him?”

“Eddie is very focussed, so he can get a bit blinkered when it comes to revenge. I should think he reckons he’s got nothing to lose.”

“I though we’d seized all his assets?”

“We’ve seized the majority, but Eddie is a crafty bastard, I wouldn’t be surprised if he hasn’t got a couple of million put away somewhere we can’t get at easily.”

“If we catch whoever he contracts, we’d have him by the short and curlies!”

“True, but I don’t want to lose Wiseman, he’s a key witness.”

“Have you anyone on him inside Belmarsh?”

“No, but the officers are keeping a surreptitious eye on him. Do you know a man called Terry Hobart?”

DI Collins frowned and shook his head.

“No, should I?”

“Not necessarily. He’s a nasty and rather inefficient armed robber, done more time that he hasn’t. I’m told that Eddie and he have met a couple of times.”

“Is he a remand prisoner as well?”

“Oh yes, he’s not getting out for a long time. Due up at court next month, and will probably get five to eight years. I’m not worried about him, but his friends or relatives. It’s not your patch; so don’t worry about it. I’m thinking of putting someone on Wiseman for a while.”

“Is he the only target?”

“There’s Williamson, but he’s out of the picture. I suppose his family might be in danger. I depends how pissed off Eddie is. However, I can’t afford to put officers on all the people that were involved with Williamson.”

“What about McCallum?”

“What about him?”

“Is he in danger?”

“Not personally, but his daughter might be.”

“Have you called him?”

“Not yet, I suppose it wouldn’t be a bad idea,” the Superintendent said, taking out a small black notebook.
 
 
Chapter 23
 
 
Vanessa opened the door and registered surprise.

“Gerry! What’s the matter?”

“Hello Nessa, can I come in?” the Scotsman asked.

Vanessa smiled, as Nessa had obviously imprinted herself on his mind. She opened the door wide and let him into the house.

“Please, how are Susannah and Gail?”

“They’re fine, but we’ve got problems,” he said.

“Come into the kitchen. Tea?”

“Aye, thanks.”

Vanessa gave him a mug of tea.

“Well?” she said.

“The police called and they think Eddie might be planning something against you and Susannah.”

“Me?”

“You and your son; no - daughter, I’m sorry, I forgot.”

Vanessa smiled. “I think you can be excused, it’s hardly a normal situation. But why are we at risk? We didn’t do much.”

“Eddie doesn’t care. Richard sufficiently enraged him to make him want to rub out anything of Richard that he left behind.”

Vanessa knew that Gerry knew that Richard was still alive and in New Zealand.

“Is Susannah going to go back to him?”

Gerry frowned. “Aye, I think so. She says she loves him, the silly wee tart!”

“Love is blind, I should know,” Vanessa said.

“Aye, that’s true enough.”

“So what do we do?”

“I don’t know. The police can’t afford to give protection, just in case. So I suggest you find somewhere to go for a wee while.”

“I can’t just leave, where will I go?”

“Do ye have parents?”

“My mother, but I spent twenty years waiting to leave her, so I couldn’t go back to her, not for very long, at any rate. I love her dearly, but at a distance.”

Gerry smiled.

“A friend, perhaps?”

Vanessa suddenly thought of Howard.

“Possibly,” she said.

“Then I suggest you do so. I’m taking Susannah back to New Zealand, and me and the missus will stay there with her for a while.”

“Do you think it likely he tries something?”

“To be honest, yes, as he’s a reputation o’ bein’ a hard bastard, so it’s best to be careful.”

“What about Simone?”

“She should be well hidden where she is. Different name and a pretty girl like that will fool the buggers. Best you warn her, though.”

“I will, thanks.”

“Good luck, you don’t deserve this, yon ex-husband of yorn was a right wee sod.”

“Yes, he was.”

Gerry left her and she picked up the telephone. It was time she confided in someone, why not Howard?
 

*          *          *
 
Mr Griffiths was ecstatic. For the first time, he actually had girls playing female parts in a play and they were so much better than using boys who didn’t want to do it!

The cast of the junior play gathered for a formal read through and young Simone Strickland was simply wonderful as Julia. She and Ian had a certain chemistry, and had obviously been practising their lines together. Surprisingly, Simone hardly referred to the page at all, remembering her lines perfectly for the most part.

Although sitting round the room reading their lines, Mr Griffiths could see that the leading pair was almost ready to stand up and run through it for real. As he watched them, Simone reminded him slightly of the young boy who had to leave the school before the end of last term. He was unsure whether it was the similarity in their names that caused him to think this, but he found the coincidence slightly uncanny.

He actually couldn’t visualise the boy now, as he hadn’t really known him at all. The problem was compounded by the fact he had got to know the pretty girl and his memory was clouded by his recent experiences with her.

There seemed to be a standing joke amongst the pupils, so whenever the pair had to read through any scene that might have even the slightest reflection of a love interest, the kissing noises would start. Regarding the two young people, he was surprised to see that this might be due to a real-life attachment that had begun between them.

Mr Griffiths had to keep his personal feelings closely battened down. He’d been a teacher at an all-boys school for fifteen years. One of his greatest joys was producing dramatic works and part of that pleasure was the opportunity to see boys dress as girls. Although the new presence of girls allowed a new freedom from playing female parts amongst the boys, he felt that something was now missing from his life.

A single man, he was scrupulously careful not to allow his sexual fantasies impinge upon his professional life. Yet, he was so frustrated at being so close and yet so far from the objects of his desire.

Unlike Phil Hobart, he adored and cherished young boys and would never harm them. Preferring instead to surf the Internet and lose himself in sexual fantasies involving his imagination, an anal dildo and a mink glove. His favourite fantasy was of a boy dressed as a girl, in leather with a whip, subjecting him to a sexual experience bordering on the painful. He’d never had a sexual encounter with anyone, male or female, balking at any suggestion that he could or would ever involve any young person in any immoral act. However, his fantasies continued, as did his frustration and loneliness.

The more he watched Simone, the more he convinced himself that she could be a boy dressed up. His fantasies took a different form. In the place of vague feminine, boyish faces, Simone’s face appeared on the young dominatrix who turned into a boy at the end, subjecting him to penetrative anal sex. As a result, he almost became fixated upon her, to an alarming degree.

The fantasies changed, subtly at first and then, alarmingly for Robert Griffiths, the nature of his object of desire altered more in line with reality.

For the first time in his life, Robert Griffiths fantasised about a girl! That girl was Simone, and although the fantasy ran on similar lines as always, at the conclusion, she revealed her true gender. Instead of a real penis, she used a strap-on dildo to perform the sex act upon him. His orgasm was more potent than ever and he found himself constantly seeking her company whenever possible.

Jacob Carter observed Robert’s behaviour with some alarm. He had already some fears that the man had a certain sexual preference, yet at no time had he given any cause for alarm or evidence he could be a danger. The police checks revealed nothing untoward and no complaint had yet been received, but Jacob had seen him become vaguely fixated with particular boys in the past, yet his fixation on Simone seemed more intense than was proper. Although relieved that this was a more natural heterosexual direction, he still was seriously concerned.

Jacob called him into his study.

“You wanted to see me, Headmaster?”

“Sit down, Robert, please.”

Robert sat, curious and yet a little nervous, as he was aware that Simone was taking over his waking being.

“It has to stop, Robert!” Jacob said, sternly.

“Headmaster?”

“Oh, Robert, do you think me blind as well as stupid. I know!”

Robert seemed to crumble inwards, so within moments he was sobbing. Jacob had tried a bluff, succeeding beyond his wildest dreams.

It took the man some moments to compose himself.

“I shall resign, immediately,” he said.

“Robert, you’ve not done anything wrong, not yet. I have to consider the welfare of my pupils. If you become fixated on a girl or a boy in this school, then all manner of problems will be unleashed. I need to understand exactly what your problem is!”

Jacob Carter was neither prepared nor expecting the eruption of sexual fantasy that Robert shared with him over the next twenty minutes. Years of sexual repression and pent-up desire came spilling out as the man released all to his headmaster.

Reeling with the shock, Jacob retreated behind his desk. He had no idea at the depth and nature of Robert’s problems.

In the silence that followed, Jacob regarded the bowed head of Robert Griffiths. The man was a spent force, releasing his burdens for the first time, he sat, an empty shell, grateful to unburden himself.

Jacob honestly didn’t know what to do. He’d had openly predatory homosexual teachers before and had no compunction to dismiss them. Robert wasn’t a predator. He was a sad man, with sexual problems caused by who knows what in his own past, but Jacob didn’t see him as a danger.

“Robert, consider yourself on strict probation. You will seek counselling for your problems, as soon as possible. You will cease any fixation upon a pupil of this school, male or female, and you will behave with the utmost professional decorum at all times. If you give me the slightest indication that you are failing to maintain this decorum, then you will resign immediately. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Headmaster. Thank you, Headmaster.”

“No, go, and behave yourself!”

Robert Griffiths left, swearing to try to avoid excessive contact with Simone.

It lasted two days and then the fantasies began again. This time Simone was even more voluptuous and twice as dominating. In desperation, Robert Griffiths found a contact number on a Transgender site on the Internet. Nervously, he made an appointment with someone called Lucy the Lash at a pub in nearby High Wycombe.

After school, that evening, he drove to High Wycombe, entering the pub as arranged. He nearly bolted several times and yet something made him stay.

He sat at a table by the door, ready to run if needs be.

A figure approached him. He looked up. The young woman was tall, nearly six feet, and wore a long raincoat. He could see she wore black PVC boots with very high stiletto heels, as they were visible beneath the coat.

She had blonde hair and heavy make up. The coat swung open, and he caught a glance of the black PVC corset and leather straps. Large breasts strained to be released from a black PVC bra.

His erection was instantaneous.

“You Robert?” she asked, her voice husky and deep.

He nodded, unable to trust himself to speak.

“I’m Lucy. Got a car?”

He nodded again.

“Come on!” she ordered, and he swallowed his drink and led her to the car. Opening the door for her, he smelled the heady smell of cheap perfume and sweat. He almost came then and there.

She directed him through the town, until he was lost. They came to a halt outside a small terrace house.

“A hundred quid, now!” she said. He paid her.

She got out and told him to follow.

She opened the front door and walked in and up the stairs. The house was split up into three bed-sits, with hers at the top of the stairs on the left. He followed, closing the door behind him.

She took her coat off, turned and faced him. He saw her groin for the first time and there was a small lump behind her thong.

He found himself looking at the biggest bed he’d ever seen. There were chains and all manner of strange objects littering the room.

“Undress, now!” she said, and Robert did, his erection very prominent.

“So, have you been naughty?”

“Yes,” he said.

She slapped him on the behind and he was shocked at the pain and the surprise. He ejaculated.

“Now look what you’ve done!” she said. “Get down and lick up that mess!”

He stared at her in shock. She slapped him again and he found himself on his knees licking up his own semen.

“Faster!” she said, slapping him again.

“Not fast enough!” she said.

He watched in amazement, as she took something from the dresser. It was an enormous black dildo attached to a strap arrangement.

“Bend over!” she ordered and he felt something cold and wet hit his anus as she rubbed some lubrication up him. She impaled him on her dildo, ramming it home. Tears came to his eyes with the pain, yet as she rhythmically fucked him, he felt himself becoming aroused once more.

The t-girl slowed and stopped. He was fully erect again. She withdrew and stood in front of him.

“Good boy, now do me!” she said, taking off the dildo and her thong, pushing him onto his back, rolling a condom onto his erection and lowering herself onto him from above with her booted legs either side of him. For the first time in his life, Robert Griffiths penetrated another human being.

She had lubricated her own anus and he slid into her easily. She rode him hard, slapping him to keep his attention. Her own small and hardly erect penis was now evident and heightened his sense of the erotic. He wasn’t long and was amazed as she ejaculated again against his stomach at the same time as he came.

He lay back, completely sated for the first time, falling asleep.

He was woken up as someone shook him.

He opened his eyes and looked at Lucy. It was still dark outside, and the curtains were drawn.

She had changed. She’d taken off most of the heavy makeup, replacing it with more conventional cosmetics. In place of the PVC and leather, she wore a blouse and skirt, tights and shoes. He found her more attractive like this.

“Come on, time to go. I have to go to work!”

He frowned confused. “What time is it?”

“Six thirty. I work as a cleaner, so get a move on.”

He found his clothes and dressed, suddenly aware that he’d had sex.

“I, I, um, I’ve not had ..um, not done…um……”

“Never?”

“No, last night was the first time,” he admitted, suddenly ashamed.

“Well, we all have to start sometime. Look don’t think bad of me, I’m waiting for SRS and need all the money I can get. I’m not really a bad person, but found that this sort of thing we did pays best.”

“SRS?”

“A sex change. Look, I’m sorry if you’re confused, but I haven’t got time for a chat. I have to go.”

“Can, can I see you again?”

Lucy looked at the man. Robert wasn’t bad looking, a tall thin man, with receding hairline and gentle eyes. She felt sorry for him.

“Don’t even think about it. I find I can’t work with people I like,” she said.

“Oh. Look, I’m new at this. Can we sort of meet as friends?”

“I don’t make friends with business contacts.”

“Oh.”

The man seemed so lost and pathetic, Lucy felt unusually drawn to him.

“Look, all I want is to be a girl. I’m twenty-two and have nothing. My family told me to fuck off, so I don’t make very good company.”

“You need money, I can help!”

She looked at her watch.

“Shit, I have to go. Call me later,” she said, giving him her mobile number.

Robert left, unaware that his life had just changed beyond all recognition. It took him ages to find his way out of High Wycombe and get back to the school.

Lucy, originally known as Luke Lovett, went to work. She had been living as a female for the last eleven months. She’d moved down to this area from Crewe when her father had thrown her out of the house. All she’d done was announce she was seeking gender reassignment surgery, and he’d thrown a complete fit.

Penniless, virtually friendless and despairing, she’d caught the bus south, ending up on the floor of one person who hadn’t rejected her. Her only friend was a young single mother who she’d met on the bus. The girl, called Mandy, was a drug addict and prostitute. Lucy knew enough to see the pitfalls of this lifestyle.

She went out, dressed as a girl, and obtained work with a cleaning company. The social services found her temporary accommodation, and she’d progressed to a small room in a council owned house. Now under a doctor, she was almost to the stage of SRS, having been on hormones for some time, but lacking the funds to make it possible. The NHS would foot the bill for the actual surgery, but anything else was her responsibility. She started her dominatrix character six months ago and as a result, had managed to acquire breast implants and some cosmetic facial surgery.

Much more was needed, yet all she wanted to do was live a normal life as a girl.

All day she kept thinking about Robert. He was such a gentle soul, so it had been so hard to pretend to be cruel to him. She was unaware that several miles to the west, Robert Griffiths was now fixated on someone new, and not, for a change, a pupil.
 
 
Chapter 24
 
 
Howard was in his office when his mobile rang. He answered it.

“Howard Jamieson.”

“Howard, it’s Nessa,” she said, remembering at the last moment that he knew her as Nessa and not Vanessa.

He was suddenly alert, his heart leaping.

“Nessa, how lovely. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I need a favour, can we meet for lunch or something?”

“Of course, when?”

“Is today too soon?”

Howard looked at his scheduler. “No, today’s fine; where and when?”

“Whenever and wherever that’s convenient for you.”

“Um, well, how about the Lamb at Little Milton?”

“Are you sure, that’s a long way from your office?”

“I’m working from home at the moment, so it’s easy.”

“Oh, then that sound’s fine. What time?”

“I could come now, if it’s important.”

It was eleven thirty.

Vanessa thought about it for a moment.

“How about noon?” she said.

“Perfect. I’ll see you there.”

As it happened, both were five minutes early.

Vanessa saw his car was already in the car park and smiled. She found she was looking forward to seeing him. As soon as she walked in and saw him smile, she knew that something was happening to her. She knew Simone would tease her about this if she knew.

“Nessa, you look lovely, as always,” he said and she kissed him.

“You wouldn’t say that if you saw me first thing in the morning,” she said, teasing him.

“I’d like the opportunity though,” he said and she blushed.

He bought her a glass of white wine and they sat down in a cosy corner.

“So, what’s the favour?” he asked.

Vanessa took a deep breath and told him a brief account of events leading up to Richard’s ‘death’. She then told him about the possible threat posed by the vengeful Eddie McDonagh and about Gerry McCallum’s recent visit.

“Why didn’t you tell me all this before?”

“I couldn’t, it was all so confusing and difficult. It was bad enough with Simone’s problems, so I just didn’t want to burden you with all my problems too.”

“I wish you had.”

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t know anyone else to turn to.”

He smiled and took her hand. “I’m glad you did tell me. You need somewhere to stay for a while. Do you know for how long?”

“No, Gerry seemed to think that a few weeks would do it, but I couldn’t ask you to put me up for that long.”

“Nessa, I’ve already asked you to come and live with me for the rest of our lives, of course you can stay as long as you want.”

Vanessa’s heart gave a lurch and she found tears in her eyes again.

“Oh, Howard, you really are too good to me.”

“Nessa, I love you and I just want you to be happy.”

“Oh Howard, I wish I knew what the hell I wanted. Hopefully, things will settle down enough so I will find out.”

“Come on, let’s eat, we can talk about this as we have lunch.”
 

*          *          *
 
“What ya mean, she’s fucked off?” Phil asked.

“She’s gorn. I did as you said, rang directory enquiries, got the number and phones up, but nuffink. So’s I goes rand, and the neighbour says they’ve gorn to New Zealand.”

“Fuck, you’d better come back then.”

“I only just got ’ere!”

Phil slammed the phone down in disgust. Norman had simply to drive up to Scotland, find Susannah Williamson and call Phil to tell him where she was.

Phil took out the list. Number one wasn’t in the game now, so he looked down the list. Number two: Robert Wiseman - the man in Ford Open Prison. Phil drove down to Arundel in Sussex and sat up looking at the main gates.

Ford was unique. Those incarcerated here had the freedom to leave at certain times and under certain conditions. There was an absence of bars, walls and locks. They were trusted to remain on the premises, with permission, on occasion, to walk out into the town and other such ventures. All inmates were low-risk, non-violent prisoners with a history of cooperation with the authorities and many were respectable men, with perhaps one or two minor blemishes on their otherwise clean sheets.

Phil had a photograph of Wiseman. He realised that he was conspicuous in his car, so he moved off, finding a bed and breakfast room in Littlehampton, just down the road.

Calling Norman on his mobile, he told his brother where to meet him in Sussex. He gave him explicit directions, hoping he would be able to avoid getting lost. He spent the day becoming familiar with the area, and kept seeing men who were obviously on day release from the prison. He hoped he’d bump into Wiseman, thereby saving himself a load of time. He didn’t.
 

*          *          *
 
January is not a good month to play outdoor tennis, so the girls were restricted to swimming, badminton, basketball (the school hadn’t acquired any netball equipment yet), or cross-country running. Samantha suggested hockey, so Mr Venner, the PE Coach decided to look into assimilating the girls into the junior hockey games.

They hadn’t the right skirts, but they had tracksuits, so they were allowed to train alongside the boys, even managing to play a few games with them, in mixed teams. Gradually, with consultation amongst the girls, the school compiled a full list of proper kit in preparation for the new scholastic year beginning in September. The pilot scheme was proving invaluable, and the governors congratulated themselves on the wisdom of their decision.

Once the novelty of having girls around wore off, Simone and the others settled into a routine, accepted by the boys in their classes. All Simone’s fears of exposure were unfounded, even if Mr Griffiths behaved most oddly of late.

Simone phoned home one evening, only to get the answer-phone. Somewhat perturbed, she sought out Ian in his house.

She had to ring the bell and ask someone to fetch him, as a strict rule relating to girls in boys’ houses (and vice versa) was imposed to prevent any possible impropriety. A few moments later, he came down.

“Hi, what’s up?”

“Have you heard from your Dad recently?”

“No, why?”

“I tried ringing Mum, but there’s no reply. I thought maybe your Dad might know where she is.”

“Would you like me to call him?”

“Could you?”

“Yeah, look, we can use the phone box up by the gym. Let me get my phone card.”

Ian disappeared to his room to collect his card and in a couple of minutes was back again. They walked up to the gym. The phone box was outside the main doors. The pair squeezed in together and Ian punched in the number.

Simone only heard one side of the conversation.

“Hi, Dad. It’s Ian. Look, I’ve Simone with me. She’s worried about her Mum, as there’s no reply from her home. Do you have any idea where she could be?”

“Oh, right. Okay, I’ll tell her.”

“No that’s it. I don’t know, I’ll ask her.”

“Simone, your Mum is at our house. Do you want to talk to her?”

“Yes, please.”

He handed the phone to her.

“Mum? What’s going on?”

Vanessa explained about the threat and Gerry’s advice.

“So, when were you going to tell me?”

“I rang your house parents, but they said you were out somewhere,” Vanessa told her daughter.

“Yeah, I was out ringing you.”

“I’m sorry sweetie. I thought it wise to come over and talk things through with Howard. So we’ve just had a lovely dinner and I might just come and stay here for a while. If you come out at the weekends, we can stay here and pop home to collect anything you want.”

Simone smiled. “Oh yeah, so, how serious is this supposed threat?” she asked, her disbelief evident in her voice.

Vanessa laughed. “Actually, it is serious, but I’m not complaining too much.”

“How is Howard?”

“Earnest and very sweet.”

“Mummy, have you?”

“No, I haven’t and even if I had it’s none of your business!”

Ian looked at Simone with a frown. His serious face made her giggle.

“Howard is looking worried, we’d better stop,” Vanessa said.

“Hmm, so’s Ian. Okay, Mum, as long as I know. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Bye.”

She put the phone down and couldn’t resist laughing at Ian’s baffled expression. She was also conscious that they were physically very close, squished together in the phone box. Simone realised she liked being close to the boy. His flushed and slightly uncomfortable expression added to her giggles.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“You are; you look so worried. My Mum has heard that there’s a threat against anyone who had any dealings with my Dad. So she’s gone to stay with someone she can trust that’s far enough away from our place. She would have stayed with aunt Roz, but she lives almost next door to us. She’s moving in with your Dad.”

“Moving in, you mean.. like, um…?”

“No, not like moving in and going to bed with, just moving in to stay a while.”

“I didn’t mean that,” Ian said, blushing.

“Yes, you did. I think it’d be cool if they got together,” Simone said.

Ian smiled.

Although they weren’t using the phone any more, both were reluctant to move. The air was charged and Simone recalled the atmosphere when, as Nessa, she had invited Howard in after that wonderful meal.

“Yeah, me too. Only because it’d mean you’d be living with us,” Ian said. Simone moved even closer to him, feeling the warmth of his body against her. Familiar feelings started to build inside her, causing her to smile. She discovered she liked these feelings.

On impulse, Simone leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He really was very like his father. She smiled as she realised that like father like son, they’d both managed to arouse her. Not wanting things to progress, she left the phone box, standing in the cold as Ian followed her.

He was looking oddly at her.

“Simone ….”

“Shh, You don’t need to say anything. That was just to say thanks for being a friend, okay?”

He nodded, looking as if he wouldn’t object if she repeated the experience. Not wanting to give him too much of a good thing all at once, smiling, she said goodnight and turned away.

They split up and walked back to their own houses. Ian grinned all the way. She’d kissed him, so he was over the moon.
 

*          *          *
 
Vanessa put the phone down on her daughter.

“That’s a relief. We were both trying to call at the same time, that’s why she wasn’t in her house,” she explained to Howard.

“How did she react?”

“To what?”

“To both the threat and the fact you were coming to stay here for a while.”

“Philosophically. You have to realise that with all she’s been through, Simone is not your average teenager. She’s more grown up than you could ever imagine.”

Howard smiled. “I had gathered that. Once or twice I had to pinch myself to remind myself as to who I was talking to, you or she. You are so alike it’s uncanny.”

“We are very close, but I suppose it’s because of the rough times we’ve shared.”

“That doesn’t explain why she looks and sounds like you. I admit she is much younger, but she dresses and behaves like an adult.”

“Howard, she’s more than a daughter to me, she’s more like my sister.”

Howard smiled and nodded.

“I don’t disagree, I’m just so pleased you feel you can come to me for help. I know Ian is potty over her, I just hope he isn’t too young for her taste.”

Vanessa chuckled, thinking how close Nessa came to going to bed with the father. This was a really strange situation.

“I don’t think that’ll be a problem. He’s sufficiently like his father, so she’ll find him charming and hunky too.”

Howard flushed as that was an indication of how Vanessa felt about him.

“Nessa, I..”

“Howard, I know what you’re going to say. Just give me a little time, okay?” she asked, interrupting him.

He smiled and nodded.

“I understand. I just wanted you to know that I really do love you.”

Vanessa went over to him and kissed his cheek.

“I know, I have deep feelings for you too, but I need to know what they are. I’m so afraid of making another mistake. It isn’t your fault, but Richard hurt me deeply.”

He reached out and gently pulled her close. He held her, gently but firmly.

“I understand. I hurt too, that’s why you make me feel so good. The hurt goes away when you’re with me.”

She looked up into his eyes and was surprised at the depth of tenderness she saw there. Slowly he bent his head down towards her. She knew what he was doing and did nothing to prevent it. His lips touched hers, so softly and gently that she found herself melting into his embrace and responding with building passion.

Howard, having kissed this woman only once before, was again surprised at the degree of passion with which Vanessa returned the kiss. Her arms encircled his neck, her hands gently caressing his shoulders. Grasping her more firmly, he pulled her tightly against him, feeling himself becoming aroused.

The kiss stretched on and on, as both lost themselves in the moment. The hurts they had both suffered had caused an emotional vacuum and a sexual void in each of their lives.

This vacuum disintegrated as the hurts diminished by the second.

Vanessa was overwhelmed with unfamiliar feelings. No, that wasn’t strictly true, as they were familiar, but she just hadn’t experienced them for a very long time.

All she knew was that she wanted this man. She didn’t know whether she loved him, but she certainly wanted him very badly. Howard, on the other hand, was in no doubt at all. He loved this woman with all his heart and soul. To possess her was not an issue, as he wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her. The signals she was giving gave him hope.

The kiss eventually broke off. Howard didn’t release her, but looked into those eyes he had come to love.

“Nessa..”

“Oh, Howard, shut up and take me to bed,” she said, kissing him again.
 
 
Chapter 25
 
 
“Sir, one of the Hobart brothers was making obvious enquiries about the whereabouts of Susannah Williamson,” a detective Sergeant informed his boss.

“When?” Ted Harris asked.

“A couple of days ago. A neighbour in Scotland called into Crimestoppers after a large Cockney man knocked on her door asking about her. She took his car number and it comes back to a Norman Hobart. He’s Terry Hobart’s brother.”

“I know Norman, he’s an idiot. Any sign of Phil? He’s the crafty one of the three.”

“No sir.”

“Get onto the local nick, see if the Local Intelligence office has anything on the car he uses. The chances are they’ve split up and are seeking their quarries independently. Norman is the muscle and Phil will get him to do any dirty work, but he’ll never be far away.”

“Yes sir, do you want us to contact New Zealand, in case they try anything there?”

“Yes, but I think McDonagh’s influence isn’t as great as it used to be.”

“What about the other Mrs Williamson and the boy?”

Superintendent Harris smiled.

“Leave that one with me,” he said, picking up the telephone. The sergeant left.

He let the phone ring and then when the answer phone clicked in he left a message for Vanessa to call him at the earliest opportunity. Putting the phone down, he swore.

“Damn you, Eddie, why the hell can’t you just lie down and take your comeuppance?”

He picked up his phone again and ordered his car to be ready in five minutes. He smiled, he always liked visiting the Williamsons, they were just so different.
 

*          *          *
 
Vanessa cooked Howard a full breakfast before he went to work. Both were tired, but it was a nice kind of tired. Neither could recall such a night of passion, ever, and Vanessa had woken up next to the man she with whom she believed she was now in love.

Lying there, naked and still glowing after such a night, she watched him sleep in the dim dawn light. In their haste to bed, each other they had neglected to pull the curtains in Howard’s bedroom.

Howard looked so peaceful and Vanessa stroked his bristly face with her hand.

He opened an eye and smiled. “It wasn’t a dream?” he said.

She shook her head, smiling back at him.

“I love you so much,” he said.

“I love you too, Howard. I’m just sorry it took me so long.”

They made love again, slowly and very tenderly. As she felt him possess her, Vanessa felt many of her burdens dissipate, making her feel almost free for the first time in an age.

As he ate his breakfast, she sat opposite him at the small kitchen table, drinking her coffee and smiling. She was wearing his large towelling dressing gown, looking so sexy and erotic that Howard was having difficulty not reaching out to make love to her again.

“What time will you be back?” she asked.

“I’m not sure. I have a meeting in Reading and have to meet a potential client at three. I should be back by five. What will you do?”

“I’ll pop home, collect some clothes and stuff, and then I’ll go to the supermarket and do a little shopping.”

“Are you going back to work?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m not sure I’m ready for that. I’ll call the office and let them know what’s happening.”

He smiled. “Thanks,” he said.

“What for?”

“Being here, being you and being lovely.”

She smiled in return. “Wait until you get my bill,” she said, teasing him. He laughed.

He finished his breakfast and took the plate to the sink.

“That was wonderful, I can’t remember the last time I had breakfast cooked for me. Theresa never managed to get up in time.”

“Howard, please, can I ask one thing of you?”

He turned towards her. “What?”

“No comparisons, we’re not the same as those who have gone before, so never compare me to her, please?”

“I’m sorry. There really is no comparison, but I’ll try.”

“I’m so nervous about life in any case, if we are to find happiness, it must be through what we have and not through what we used to have. Does that make sense?”

“Perfect sense, my love. Will you marry me now?”

Vanessa smiled. “Probably, but I think it wise we let things settle down a bit.”

A sudden thought hit him. “Vanessa, I’ve just realised we used no protection!”

She stared at him, the same thought now permeating her being. The impact of possible consequences dawned on her. How could she have not thought about it?

Then she discovered she didn’t actually care. In fact, it would give her a shove in the direction she wanted to go in any case. Far from being upset or distressed, she found she almost wanted to have his baby. She smiled.

“Then you’ll just have to marry me to make an honest woman out of me!”

Howard stared at her and then laughed. “I’ll never understand women!” he said, kissing her goodbye.

Vanessa watched him drive to work and then went and had a long, luxurious soak in the bath. As she lay there, covered in bubbles, she wondered what her daughter would say if she knew. Strangely, she felt she’d have to get Simone’s approval before she made any decision about marriage.
 

*          *          *
 
Simone was, at that moment, struggling with some apparatus in the Chemistry lab. Science wasn’t her subject, so adding chemicals to other chemicals to produce smells and strange bubbling sounds wasn’t really something that grabbed her.

She was also feeling shitty due to a monthly visitor. She took it out on Ian who was just being too bloody clingy, helpful and nice to be true. Unaware of the reasons, but realising that Simone needed some space, Ian took a step away from her, unwittingly opening the doors to competition.

For one cannot suddenly introduce females into a previously all male domain and expect there to be no rivalry for the attentions of those females. Simone was one of just eight such females, notwithstanding the claim that Ian had already declared, others viewed the pretty teen with predatory desire.

For, although only thirteen, she was sufficiently attractive for boys in the older groups to notice her. One in particular was Tony Casterman, a tall seventeen year old, already in line to be head-boy next year.

After her chemistry lesson had finished, Simone was descending the steps from the Science block when she dropped a ring binder. Needless to say the offending article sprung open, scattering the fifty A4 sheets to the four winds.

“Fuck!” she declared, forgetting she wasn’t Nessa any more and therefore able to swear with adult impunity.

Tony happened to be passing at that moment.

Startled by such an expletive from such a pretty girl, he had to smile and help her gather up the errant pages. As he watched Simone picking up the papers, he could only admire her trim figure and strikingly pretty face. Aware of the girls, but considering them too young for him, he reappraised this particular girl being in such close proximity for the first time.

He tried to gauge her age, and failed. Aware only the all the girls were thirteen or fourteen, he found Simone had the appearance of being older than that.

“Thanks,” she said, breathlessly and with a delightful smile of perfect white teeth.

“You’re welcome. I’m Tony Casterman.”

“I know, I’m Simone Strickland.”

“I know. There’re only eight of you. I’m confused, I thought you were all third or fourth year?”

“I’m fourth year, why?”

“You look older, that’s all.”

She laughed, a delightful sound. “I’ve had a tough life. No, really, I suppose I matured early, so give that impression. I’d better go, I’m late,” she said, running off, but giving him one last wonderful smile.

Tony made his way to his study. As a sixth former, much of his time was his own to undertake work for his ‘A’ levels. As he entered his house, Ron Carlyle, his best friend, saw him.

“Tony, where’ve you been? I thought you would have been here ages ago.”

“I just bumped into one of the girls. Have you noticed that Simone?”

Ron grinned.

“Who hasn’t? She’s going to be fucking gorgeous when she gets older.”

“No when, mate, she’s fucking gorgeous already.”

“Careful, boy, she’s only thirteen.”

“Never?”

“Yeah, check the school list if you don’t believe me. I think she’s fourteen next month.”

“But she’s stacked, man.”

“Stacked or not, she’s jail-bait!”

“Jail bait or not, she’s really gorgeous.”

“Leave it, Tony, you don’t need shit like that during ‘A’ levels,” his friend warned him, but Tony wasn’t listening. A certain little lady’s smile was haunting him.

After lunch, Simone and Sam played badminton. At the other end of the gym the judo class started. The girls stopped playing and watched for a while.

“This looks fun,” said Simone.

“What, rolling around on a mat with hunky boys?” Sam asked, with a smile.

Simone grinned.

Both girls laughed.

Mr Venner, wearing his white Judo suit with a black belt tied around his waist, noticed the girls. Letting the boys practice, he approached them.

“Well, interested in joining in?” he asked.

“Yes, it looks fun,” Simone answered.

“Okay, come with me and we’ll see if there are any old suits that will fit you.”

Sam wasn’t that convinced, but she went with Simone anyway.

Mr Venner found two old, but perfectly clean and serviceable suits.

“Put these on, I’d leave your, um, you know, your sports thingies on underneath and a tee shirt.”

“You mean our sports bras, sir?” Simone asked, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Paul Venner went red and simply nodded.

Giggling, the girls went to the female changing room and changed into the suits. Returning to the gym, they spent the next hour being instructed in the basics of the sport.

The boys were all grinning, but were disappointed when Mr Venner didn’t let them spar with the two girls. However, Mr Venner found an inexplicable increase in interest in Judo club thereafter, as the numbers of boys joining tripled in a week.
 

*          *          *
 
Ted Harris was frustrated as there was no reply at the Williamson home. Aware that Simone was at a local boarding school, the Superintendent, getting back into his car, made his way there, hoping that nothing untoward had happened to Vanessa.

Unaware of the interest in her welfare, the latter was standing in line at Sainsburys waiting to pay for her trolley load of groceries. It was odd shopping for a man again. She realised just how little she knew about him, as she wandered up and down the aisles. She didn’t know his likes or dislikes, his favourite foods or wines. She smiled, as it was going to be fun finding out.

She reached the end of the queue and had begun to unload her items onto the conveyor when a loud shriek caught her attention.

“Nessa!”

It was her friend Roz, queuing at the adjacent checkout.

“Oh, hi Roz.”

“Where have you been over the last couple of days? I’ve been ringing and ringing.”

“I’m staying with a friend. With all the problems with Richard, I’ve been advised to stay away from the house until things quieten down.”

“You could have stayed with us, you know that?”

“I know Roz, but you’re rather too close, so I felt I’d be better off some way away. I wouldn’t want to put you and the family in danger.”

Roz changed lines to be behind Vanessa.

“So, where are you staying?”

“With a friend in Watlington.”

Roz frowned. “Do I know her?”

“No, Roz, you don’t. And, he’s not a her.”

Roz’s eyes widened and she smiled. “Good for you girl, I thought you were looking far more relaxed.”

“Roz!”

“Well, it’s about time. You can’t shut yourself away like a nun forever.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Yes, you were. We had endless dinner parties with eligible single men, and you never twitched, not once.”

Vanessa smiled. “Okay, maybe my confidence was a bit battered. I was afraid of involving myself with a man so soon.”

“So soon? It’s been over a year, my dear.”

They had been chatting as the groceries passed through the electric beam. Vanessa had been packing them away into carriers without thinking. She suddenly found herself having to pay.

“What are you doing after this?” Roz asked.

“What, now?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Nothing much. I was going to pop home and collect some stuff, why?”

“Come and have a coffee with me. You can tell me all about him.”

Vanessa smiled and gave in.
 

*          *          *
 
The meeting in Reading went well and it turned into an unexpected working lunch for Howard and his two partners. Two major food companies had just bought their food processing software product, which gave them the potential for an extra quarter of a million pound contract. The client that Howard was intending to meet was in the market for the same product, which meant that some technical tweaking was required before adaptation to the particular system this buyer already had installed.

Both Roger Timpson and Stewart Patterson were amazed at the sudden transformation of their friend and colleague. Howard was more animated and alive than they could remember. He was full of enthusiasm and ideas, so much so that Roger and Stewart looked at each other in surprise.

As they sat round the lunch table, Roger stopped Howard in mid flow.

“Howard, stop, for a second. Tell me, who the hell is she?”

Howard stopped talking, looking at Roger in some surprise.

“What?”

“Howard, you’re behaving like a dog with two dicks. Who’s the lucky lady?”

Howard went bright red. “Is it that obvious?” he asked.

“Yes!” said both his friends, simultaneously.

“Oh. She’s a lady I met through my son’s school. She’s divorced and her ex-husband died in tragic circumstances. Ian befriended her daughter and, well, it seems we have been sort of thrown together.”

“Is she attractive?” Stewart asked.

“I think so.”

“Is she rich?” asked Roger, ever the pragmatist.

“Not especially. But I love her and have asked her to marry me.”

“Good for you, did she accept?”

Howard smiled, thinking back to the last twenty-four hours.

“I rather think so,” he said.
 

*          *          *
 
Lucy returned to her bed-sit, feeling weary and alone, as usual. She planned to make herself a basic meal of pasta and cheese, but after watching East Enders on her small portable TV. Her phone rang. Thinking it was a client, she almost didn’t answer.

Then she thought of Robert and thinking it just could be him, she answered it.

“Hello?”

“Lucy, it’s Robert. You probably don’t remember me, but..”

She smiled. “I remember you,” she said, interrupting him.

“Look, I’m not very good at this sort of thing, but I was hoping we could meet up. Not for anything, you know, anything like, um, well, you know?”

She smiled again, he really was so innocent and naíve.

“Look, I’m really knackered, when?”

“Whenever you want.”

“Would you buy me dinner?”

“Of course, where?”

“I do like Chinese.”

“I’ll be there in half an hour.”

He was gone. She smiled, maybe something good would happen to her for a change.

Robert arrived two minutes early. She had put on an elegant black dress and wore a dark matching bolero style jacket. Made up and dressed well, there wasn’t anything about her that displayed her original gender. With breast implants and several months of hormone treatment, she looked like a large, slightly plump young woman and Robert felt like a tongue-tied teenager on his first date.

She’d been working on her voice, having been cursed with a particularly deep one; she’d found it the hardest challenge. As a result, she discovered that by making it husky and quiet, she attained a fair compromise that sounded reasonably feminine, sexy and with a touch of the exotic.

Her job was poorly paid, tiring and arduous, yet for the first time in her life, the other workers were ignorant of her original gender and treated her like the girl she’d always felt she was. This one fact alone gave her an enormous boost to a self-esteem and confidence that had almost disappeared.

“You look delightful,” he finally managed to say.

“Thank you. Look, I need you to understand why I do what I do,” she said.

He was as embarrassed as she was. “No, I don’t need to know. I don’t know why I did what I did, but I’d like us to start over. You owe me nothing. I just feel so bad about what happened. This was all new to me, and I still don’t really know why I called you. I’m just glad I did.”

He opened the car door for her, and she got in. She then directed him to a restaurant she knew. He parked the car close by and they walked to the restaurant, where they were given a nice table towards the rear of the premises, slightly secluded from the other diners.

Robert had never met anyone quite like Lucy before. He was at a bit of a loss how to deal with the whole situation. Lucy, on the other hand, was grateful that a man treated her like a normal woman for almost the first time in her life.

They ordered their meal and sat talking. After a few moments of trivialities, they began to share seriously with each other. Both were pleasantly surprised.

Robert found Lucy to be a sensitive soul, whose Gender Dysphoria and family rejection had forced her to forge a new life bereft of friends and support. As a result, she had become insular, lonely and selfish by virtue of her circumstances, forced to lower herself simply in order to survive. This, in turn demeaned her own self-image, and made her feel dirty.

Lucy, on the other hand, found Robert a highly intelligent and complex man, suffering sexual confusion and emotionally starved by his dysfunctional parents and their austere academic lifestyle. His sexual and gender confusion was owed, in part at least, to a domineering mother and a largely absent father.

Deprived of a well-balanced family life, he found it hard to function on a social level with women. Certainly, he’d never managed to form a meaningful relationship with a woman, and terrified that he might be gay, he’d deliberately led a celibate life up to now. However, his experience with Lucy had on one hand, troubled him, in that he enjoyed passive sex, but convinced him that he was more fulfilled with actively taking the masculine role, and if nothing else, he was forming some clarity in his confusion.

Suddenly, their differences seemed irrelevant, as they found in the other a kindred spirit and someone with whom they didn’t need to pretend, or want to.

“So, this school you teach at, is it all boys or what?” Lucy asked.

“It used to be, but they started taking girls this term. There are only eight in a pilot scheme.”

“Lucky things, how many boys are there?”

“Three hundred.”

“It must be hard in an all boy school for a boy with problems like mine,” she said.

“Yes, it must be. I don’t think I’ve ever come across anyone quite like you. However, it may be they hide it well.”

“I hid it for years, until I couldn’t hide it any longer. I got very good at pretending”

They were silent as the waiter brought their food. Robert was not used to Chinese food and trusted Lucy to select for him. He found the exotic dishes exciting and after she showed him how to eat, and in which combination, he enjoyed it immensely.

“I feel embarrassed now,” he said, after she had shared more of her life with him.

“You, why?”

“After what we did. I feel ashamed and, well, I feel dirty somehow.”

He was clearly mortified and she felt very sorry for him. She reached across the table and took his hand.

“I feel dirty all the time. I keep telling myself that it isn’t really me, and that once I finish the surgery I can just lead a normal life. But I know I’m fooling no one, I need the money and that’s all there is to it. I haven’t got any family to help, so if I don’t do it this way, then I have to look at other ways that are far more dangerous!”

“I beg to differ. What you are doing holds all manner of risks of disease and potential violence. I can hardly think of you without being afraid for you.”

Lucy felt tears come to her eyes.

“You think of me?” she asked, still holding his hand.

“Constantly!” he admitted, with an embarrassed smile.

“Why?”

“I’m not sure. This is very new for me. It’s funny, but I just feel for all our differences, we have something in common.”

She smiled and cried at the same time, with Robert looking awkward and concerned.

“You weren’t my first!” she said, hoping it wouldn’t frighten him away.

“I rather gathered that,” he replied with a small smile. “I may be slightly naíve and innocent about sexual matters, but I am neither stupid nor am I unaware of the ways of the world.” He paused, frowning. Lucy got the impression he was trying to find the right words to say something and was having difficulty.

“Look,” he said. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but I want to do something to help you. It drives me mad thinking of you having to stoop so low to take money for sex. I know I was one of those horrible people to drag you to that level, but I find myself wanting to help you to find some dignity, somehow.” His voice trailed off, as tears rolled down Lucy’s face.

“You’d do that for me?”

He nodded.

“Why?”

“Because I find myself caring, and it is a very new experience for me.”

“But, you know what I am, what I was!”

“Yes, and I don’t care. I find I want to help you become the person of the future - a woman with self-esteem and dignity. A woman who can lead a normal life and not have to keep looking over her shoulder.”

Lucy gripped his hand so tightly that it hurt. He didn’t care, as he could see that for the first time in his life, he actually thought of someone else and he experienced the pleasure of finding that by simply caring, it made a difference.

They continued eating their meal, the conversation moving onto lighter things. Despite dropping out of school at sixteen, Lucy was an avid reader, developing a taste for the romantic novel. Unable to afford DVD players and such like, she sought most of her escapism through the written word.

“I’d like to be able to write my own book,” she said.

“Why don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t know how to start. Besides, who’d read it?”

“What would you write; fiction or an autobiography?”

“Oh, fiction, not enough has happened to me yet.”

“I think your story would be very moving,” he told her.

She smiled, unable to deal with so many compliments.

“You’re an English teacher, could you show me how to write?”

“I’d love to.”

The both smiled, looking at the empty dishes.

“Did we eat all that?” he asked.

She nodded. “I was ever so hungry. I don’t eat very much on my own. I’m a bit overweight as it is, so I have to be careful as the female hormones I have to take can make me fat. It’s nice to have a meal like this occasionally.”

Robert waved to the waiter, asking for the bill.

“Do you live in the school or what?”

“No, I have my own house. When my mother died, I sold the family home in Cambridge and bought a cottage. I was able to invest some of the rest of the proceeds for my retirement.”

“I take it you live alone?”

He smiled and nodded. “I’m not very good with women, as a rule anyway.”

“I’m not a….”

“Don’t ever say that!” he said, crossly.

“But…”

“No, Lucy. You are a beautiful girl, and soon you’ll be perfect!”

Lucy stared at him, her mouth open. Her eyes filled with tears and she seemed to crumple onto his shoulder.

He paid the bill, as she snivelled into his lapel. He was as confused as ever, for here was a person that had seemed so in control, and now she seemed so fragile.

She recovered and they left the restaurant.

They said nothing during the short walk to the car, she clung to his arm, and he felt proud to have her with him.

He unlocked the car and she got in.

He walked round and got into the drivers seat. He started the car.

Turning to her, he asked. “I don’t suppose you’d like to see my cottage?”

She smiled. “Yes, Robert, I’d love to see your cottage.”
 
 
Chapter 26
 
 
Simone felt very odd holding a rugby ball again. She was standing on the touchline dressed in her tracksuit with several of the Junior Colts, the team for which Ian played.

It had been an accident, but on the previous weekend, one of the opposing team sustained an injury which meant their reserve and touch judge had to play in the team as the injured boy came off with a suspected broken collarbone.

The girls were watching the Junior Colts, so Simone absently acted as touch judge, as there was no one else doing the job. Mr Hunter, the Junior Colts coach saw a potential morale booster, and after the match asked Simone if she’d like the job for all home fixtures. Obviously, the substitute was the touch judge for the away matches.

The boys all thought that this was a fantastic idea and in the first match, Simone conducted the task admirably. Wearing a tight pair of shorts and an equally tight rugby shirt, the school could have been accused of employing outrageous gamesmanship. However, it has to be said that ALL male eyes were distracted in the throw-ins and not solely the opposition.

It didn’t help that it was quite cold, and so Simone’s nipples reacted in a very natural but highly distracting manner. Mr Hunter advised her to wear a loose-fitting tracksuit in future.

Here she was, warming up with the boys. She was encouraged to run up the pitch with them and even joined the three quarters passing the ball back and forth. She smiled as it all came back. Her new gender didn’t mean she had forgotten or lost all her old skills, and those apparent skills surprised more than one person watching.

There were several gasps of astonishment as the opposing team, from Godstone School, saw an obvious female warming up with the team, prompting their coach to seek out Mr Hunter.

“John what the hell is going on?”

“Hello Peter, what do you mean?” John Hunter asked, knowing full well what was coming.

Peter Whiteman pointed to the tall auburn haired beauty, running with the backs and showing considerable ball-handling skills.

“You’ve a girl in the team!”

John feigning surprise, turned and looked at his team.

“Where?”

“There! With the ball now!”

“Oh, that’s just Simone.”

“Just Simone, excuse me, you can’t have a girl play on the side.”

“Why not?” asked John, teasing his colleague.

Peter Whiteman blustered and found he couldn’t answer.

“Actually, Simone is the touch judge. There’s a rule about girls playing in mixed teams, but I had you going for a minute, didn’t I?”

Peter relaxing slightly, laughed and found the funny side. Both men watched the girl for a few moments.

Unaware she was under scrutiny; Simone kicked the ball to the full back who was about fifty metres away. The punt was accurate, and had the perfect length. The full back didn’t have to move, catching the ball neatly.

The full back returned it, and Simone had to sprint across the field catching a very awkward ball. Laughing, she kicked it to Ian, who caught it and passed it to another team member. The Captain called them together, and she jogged to the side, picking up her flag.

“She’s very impressive. Have you thought about putting together a girls’ team?”

John Hunter was amazed. The girl was a natural, her skills were on a par with some of the boys in the team, and he was thinking along similar lines to Peter.

“I have now,” he admitted. “But, we’ve only eight girls.”

“I tell you what, I’ll get a scratch sevens team of some of the girls in our third and fourth forms. We could have a single charity match at the end of this term, what do you say?” Peter asked.

John smiled. “That sounds brilliant. I only hope the others are as promising as Simone.”

Both men looked at the girl. Both were imagining playing against a team of slightly older Simones, both smiling wistfully, but then they went and gave pep talks to their respective teams.
 

*          *          *
 
Phil and Norman managed to meet up in Littlehampton. Phil felt very frustrated; as there didn’t seem to be any way he could get access to Wiseman.

“Why don’t we get him when he goes to court?” Norman asked. “He’s due at Snaresbrook Crown Court next month.”

Phil sighed. “Norm, that’s when he’s guarded more closely than at any other time, you thick twat!”

Norman frowned. “Only when he’s in the court. He’s got to wait somewhere.”

“Norman, you plonker, he’s kept in the cells with Old Bill and security people everywhere.”

“Oh.”

Despite putting his brother down, a germ of an idea was beginning in Phil’s twisted and highly imaginative brain.

“Look, we ain’t going to get to him here, let’s go onto number three,” he said, and the men altered their focus to Oxfordshire.

“Where’s little Milton?” Norman asked.

“Fuck knows, but we’ll soon find out. This one should be easy, a woman on her own and a boy in a boarding school.”

“Won’t there be people around at the school?”

“Maybe, but we just gotta be careful, that’s all.”

“Which one first?”

“The woman, then the kid.”

“I don’t think it’s right.”

“Norm, you plonker, don’t worry about that, this is enough money to keep you in tottie and booze for the rest of your natural!”

Norman frowned and Phil, knowing his brother as well as he did, realised that he was going to have to do this himself.

“Look, you stay here, keep an eye on this Wiseman. If you get a chance, just run the fucker over with the van, okay?”

Norman nodded, and Phil had a nasty feeling that this cash was never going to materialise. He started thinking who else he could bring into this, but just couldn’t think of anyone. Loads of vicious blokes he knew talked a good job, but when it actually came to it, few would have the balls to go through with it.

“Norm, we have to do this, alright?”

Norman nodded.

“Wiseman shit on his mates, he bubbled them up to the Old Bill and did a deal to get a lighter sentence, you know what we do to grasses?”

Norman nodded, more confidently this time.

“Right, you stay here, and if you see the fucker, take him out!”

“Yeah, all right.”

Phil packed, checking his map and then got in his car — destination, Little Milton.
 

*          *          *
 
Vanessa shut up the house; content she had all she needed for a few weeks. She could always return with Howard if she needed anything, feeling less uneasy as she drove away.

The house was less of a home, these days. What with everything that had happened, the vulnerability and seclusion that had once been a positive feature now made her nervous. It was also far too big for the two of them, particularly as Simone was at school for two thirds of the year.

Financially, things were still tight. The mortgage was paid, but she still had to run the big house, pay school fees, possibly through University, and then she had to think about Simone driving. Her job was becoming less and less attractive and the potential capital in the house was looking more and more attractive.

She drove back to Howard’s house, parking on the drive. It was a large five bedroom Georgian house, in white, in about an acre of mature garden on the north of the town. The garden had a large lawn to the south, a tennis court to the west, and a small orchard to the rear, with a vegetable garden with greenhouses and sheds. There was a separate garage block with a small flat above.

All the rooms had high ornate ceilings, and the kitchen was a vast room, recently modernised at no little expense. Howard liked antiques, and so the house was wonderfully furnished with genuine antique furniture, paintings and will appropriate curtains and soft furnishings. His study, on the other hand was a curious blend of the old and new. An antique desk with leather chair dominated the room, but the ultra modern PC with plasma screen sat there looking as if it didn’t really belong. He’d had a flat screen TV fitted to the wall, and a modern music system was plumbed into the study, but the sound system speakers were in several rooms downstairs, including the kitchen and dining room.

The carpets and curtains were in colours she found pleasing, and to be honest, she liked the whole package. She took her cases up to the bedroom, where she took over the empty wardrobe used up to their divorce by Theresa.

Feeling a pang of guilt, she called Trevor Goodman at the office.

Trevor was faintly surprised to hear from her. She explained her difficulties in vague terms, highlighting the legal battles that still had to be undertaken. Trevor suggested that she simply hand in her notice and, should circumstances change, request to return as and when things became more settled.

It was with enormous relief that she terminated the call, aware now that she was even freer than before. She decided to make Howard a special dinner, to celebrate the fact it was Wednesday.
 

*          *          *
 
It took Phil four hours to get to Little Milton. It took him twenty minutes to find the house. He parked up the lane and walked up to the drive.

Looking about him, he noticed that the house was reasonably secluded, shielded by trees and hedges. He walked up the drive, noting that there were no vehicles in evidence. Using his mobile, he dialled directory enquiries, asking for Vanessa Williamson, High Standing, Church Lane, Little Milton. He then dialled the number, getting the answer-phone.

Swearing, he approached the house. It was a nice house, the kind of house that rich executives had. He peered in through the windows. No mail on the floor indicated that someone was living here. No lights on, but it was daytime.

He walked to the garage and peered through the window at the side - no cars in the garage. He smiled, believing she was probably out shopping.

He noted the alarm system, the locks on all the doors and windows, and decided to sit and wait in his car. He walked to the village shop, selected a paper, some food and a bottle of Coke, and waited in line to pay.

He was tempted to ask after Mrs Williamson, but decided to keep as low a profile as possible. The two women in front of him were chatting, oblivious to his presence.

“I think it is just awful!” said the first.

“I know, and she’s still quite young. And that poor boy, away at school all the time.”

“Has he been told?”

“I assume so. I mean, they’d have to tell him, wouldn’t they?”

“It isn’t every day that someone from here is shot in cold blood. I wonder why they killed him. I heard the police shot the man that did it.”

“He probably was up to no good. I never liked the look of him, too smooth by far.”

“She was always very pleasant, said hello every time I saw her.”

“She’s very attractive, so she shouldn’t have any problem attracting another husband.”

“There’s the boy, lots of men don’t like taking on teenage boys.”

“He’s a nice boy, well mannered and quiet.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him.”

“He’s not here very often. Spends all his time away at school.”

“I think it’s awful the way people do that.”

“Did you hear about young Sophie Robbins?”

“No…….”

Phil’s interest waned. He finally paid for his goods and left, content that his quarry was still in the area. Walking back to his car, he called Norman on the mobile.

“This end shouldn’t be long. How’s things down there?”

“Alright, I still haven’t seen him.”

“I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

Phil settled down to wait Mrs Williamson’s return.
 

*          *          *
 
Pc Mark Clark was driving his marked Vauxhall Astra in Arundel, past Ford Open Prison’s main gate. Ford had been a Fleet Air Arm establishment prior to its conversion to a prison in 1960. Most of the buildings dated from that time, housing five hundred and seventy one men.

The Police occasionally received calls to the prison, but largely, the inmates were not a high risk. Many were long-term prisoners, transferred here for rehabilitation prior to release back into the wild.

Mark noticed a white Transit van parked up a side road, within a few hundred yards of the main gate. He drove slowly past it, noting the index number. On undertaking a check, he discovered that the van wasn’t stolen, but it came back to an East London company that had told the Licensing authority it was no longer the keeper.

He turned his car round, returning to the van. Noting that a single white male sat behind the wheel, he parked up behind it, calling in to his control room with what he was doing. He got out of his car and approached the van.

He was slightly wary, but knew that there was no real risk of an escape attempt from Ford, as they were almost free to come and go as they pleased.

The driver jumped as he appeared at the window. Mark got the impression that the man was living in the van. As Norman wound the window down, Mark could smell stale sweat, unwashed body and various stale food smells. Empty crisp packets, coke cans and similar littered the passenger seat.

“Hello mate, what are you doing here?” Mark asked.

Norman was flustered. He didn’t like coppers, as he’d only been out of prison for about six weeks. He didn’t want to go back.

“Er, waiting,” he replied.

“For who or what?”

“Eh?”

“Who are you waiting for?”

“My mate.”

“Your mate. Where is he?”

“I dunno, that’s why I’m waiting.”

“Why are you waiting for him?”

“Um, because I’m taking him to, er, to, um, to a job.”

“What kind of job?” asked the policeman, now convinced that this man was definitely up to something.

“Decorating, we’re decorators.”

“What’s in the back?”

Norman stared at Mark, blinking vacantly.

“Eh?”

“The van, what’s in the back?”

Norman frowned. Apart from his sleeping bag and some clothes, the back of the van was empty. Oh, and the shotgun.

Norman frowned again. He didn’t want the copper to open the back.

“Nothing, it’s empty.”

“Show me, what’s your name, anyway?” Mark said, opening the driver’s door and stepping back.

Norman went to put a foot out, fiddling with the keys in the ignition, pretending he was taking them out to unlock the rear doors.

“John Smith,” said Norman, switching the ignition on, engaging first gear and flooring the accelerator. The van launched out of the side road, door still open, narrowly missing a bus travelling along the main road.

Seconds later, Mark was in his police car and in pursuit, giving a commentary on his radio.

The Ford Transit was large and lumbering, but the Astra wasn’t the fastest car in the world. However, Mark was able to follow until a more powerful traffic patrol car took over. They went onto the A29, heading towards Dorking and London. The van left Sussex, entering Surrey.

Traffic was quite heavy, as it was late afternoon and the rush hour had started. The officers were amazed at the recklessness of the driver of the van. Speculation was rife as to his identity, but then some bright spark thought to tie the location of the stop check in with a circular about a possible attack on a prisoner in Ford. After some delay, eventually the circular was located and a photograph of Norman Hobart was found attached to it.

The officer’s description matched the photograph. A warning for violence and weapons flashed on the screen when they ran him through the computer.

The Surrey Police Armed Response Vehicle joined the chase, taking over from the Sussex traffic officer. PC Mark Clark hung on, as the initiating officer, he wanted to see this through.

Norman was panicking. He didn’t intend using the shotgun, he just wanted to get rid of it so he couldn’t be nicked with it in his possession. The police were too close and he glanced up, seeing a police helicopter above him.

He had hit six private cars so far and a decision was made by the control room to use a spike strip. As he rounded a bend on the outskirts of Dorking, a strip was deployed from the roadside and all four van tyres were rapidly deflated.

Driving on the metal wheel rims, Norman was crying in anger and frustration. Police cars boxed him in and he had to come to a halt. He jumped over the seat, scrabbling for the shotgun, which wasn’t loaded.

The rear door opened.

Time started going in slow motion.

Norman was standing, slightly hunched over due to the low roof. In his left hand was the sawn off shotgun. Two cartridges were in his right hand. His mouth dropped open as he stared down the barrels of two MP5 H& K carbines clutched by two officers high on adrenaline.

“Armed Police! Drop the gun, now!”

Norman froze, the unloaded gun still in his hand.

“Drop the weapon, do it now! Do it now!” an officer screamed at him.

He dropped the weapon and the cartridges, urinating inside his trousers as he began to cry. Officers removed him from the van and placed him face down on the tarmac to the rear of the van.

PC Mark Clark came forward as they put the arrested man in the rear of a police van. He looked in the front of the Transit, finding a mobile phone, a list of names and a map of the Prison and surrounding area.

An hour later Superintendent Harris was telephoned. As a result of the call, the Chief Constable of the Thames Valley Police was called at home and shortly after that, a TVP ARV was deployed to Little Milton with a description of Philip Hobart.
 
 
Chapter 27
 
 
Ketterham Junior Colts won their match. Many believed it due, in part at any rate, to the enthusiastic touch judge, who managed to distract the opponents during every line out.

As Simone watched the match, she found herself missing the game. Everything else about being a girl was wonderful, but she would like to be able to play this game. Mr Hunter hadn’t spoken to her about his plans, as he’d have to speak to the Headmaster first, as would his colleague, Peter Whiteman, from Godstone School.

She joined the teams for tea afterwards, but was quite subdued. Ian saw her looking slightly down in the mouth and came over to her as they were leaving the dining room.

“Why the long face?”

“I miss it, Ian,” she said quietly, to avoid eves-droppers.

“What, rugger?”

She nodded.

“Maybe you could play with us next time?”

“No, they don’t allow mixed games.”

“Why not?”

“Duh! Guess?”

“Oh, I see. Mind you, I wouldn’t mind groping you in the scrum,” he said with a cheeky smile.

She looked at him. “I don’t think I’d mind either, but it’s not allowed.”

“Pity!”

She smiled then, transforming her face completely. Ian ached to tell her what he felt about her, but was so terrified of losing her by being too soon.

He looked about them and, on seeing no one close, he asked her a question.

“Would you like to change back, then?”

Simone’s eyes went wide with surprise and she shook her head violently.

“No way. I like being a girl far too much!”

“I saw old Casterman chatting you up in the library this morning during break.”

“So?”

“He seems to spend a lot of time talking to you these days.”

Simone looked at Ian. She realised he was jealous. His eyes had this haunted look; she had been wondering why he’d been so miserable and distant lately.

She felt a little cross with him for being proprietary, but relented, understanding what he must be feeling.

“I spend more time with you, with the play, remember?” she said, reminding him.

“I know, but…”

“But?”

Ian looked desperate now, as if he was trying to find the courage to say something that would consume him once uttered.

“I love you, Simone!” he said, rather too loudly than he intended.

Two third formers overheard and ran off giggling.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry, I….”

She stopped him by resting her hand against his lips.

“Shh, you don’t have to apologise.”

“But..”

“Ian, don’t be silly. I’m pleased and flattered that you’ve managed to say it. I think I knew, though.”

“You knew, why did you make it so hard for me?”

“Because I’m a girl and that’s my job,” she said, smiling at his discomfort.

“But..”

“Ian, you’re special to me too. I’m fourteen next week and you’re only a little older than me. Unlike my Mum and your Dad, we don’t have to jump into bed with each other as time is running out. So, I don’t mind being your girlfriend until someone better than me comes along,”

“Better than you? Oh, Simone, that couldn’t ever happen. You’re the best in the world!”

She smiled and kissed him.

She smiled as she did so, as it wasn’t that different to kissing his father, only less bristles and not as experienced.

Mr Hunter came past. “Put him down, Strickland, you might catch something!” he said and walked off grinning to himself. Lucky boy, that Ian Jamieson.
 

*          *          *
 
Ted Harris had the mobile phone on the table. He also had the list. Norman Hobart sat opposite him and a solicitor, ironically from Robert Wiseman’s old office sat in the chair next to him. A detective Sergeant was also present.

Norman had answered ‘no comment’ to all questions so far and Ted was getting cross.

“Norman, you are looking at life imprisonment for conspiracy to four murders, firearms offences, dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, resist arrest, no insurance and anything else we can think about. As yet no one has been hurt, but the more you piss me about, the more likely it is that someone is going to die. If that happens, you will go away for a very long time.

“Cooperate, and at least I can tell the judge that you helped prevent a tragedy!”

Norman looked at his solicitor.

“May I have some time to consult with my client?” the solicitor asked. She was a young girl, Ted thought she looked about twelve, but she had to be at least twenty-five.

“Interview terminated for consultation at eight forty p.m.,” he said, for the benefit of the tape.

He switched the tapes off and marched out of the interview room.

“Any news from the TVP?” he asked the Custody Sergeant.

“No sir.”

“Damn!”

Norman had been transferred up to London as soon as practicable. Sussex and Surrey were only too happy to pass the work over, as long as their men were given the credit of the arrest.

New Zealand Police had been appraised of the risks to Mrs Susannah Williamson (now Clarke), but they were satisfied that the risk was reduced to being almost negligible. However, the risks to Vanessa and Simon (Simone) were very real and Ted was seriously concerned for their safety.

“DI Jones from TVP, on the line for you sir,” said a constable.

He took the phone.

He listened for a while and then thanked the man, giving the phone back.

“Mrs Williamson isn’t at home. She took our advice, it seems.”
 

*          *          *
 
Phil saw the police car before it saw him. It was dark and his small VW was dark and parked out of sight.

The Police car was a big Vauxhall Omega estate with blacked out windows. Phil realised that this was probably an ARV and his stomach churned with fear. That meant that the Old Bill knew that someone was after her. That in turn meant either Wiseman had told them or Norman had been arrested.

He knew his brother well. He might be dim but he was fiercely loyal. He’d never grass.

The police officers covered similar ground to that he had done earlier, coming to the same conclusion; that the lady was out. The police car remained parked in front of the house, so Phil started the engine, driving slowly away with his lights out until he knew he was in the clear.

He checked the address of the school.

“Okay kid, they can’t be everywhere,” he said aloud, picking up his mobile phone, he rang his brother.

Ted looked at the ringing mobile. Norman was back in his cell, having decided not to say anything else.

The technician looked at the Superintendent.

“Sir?”

Ted nodded.

The phone went to message system. He waited and then retrieved the message.

“Norm, it’s me. Call me back, you silly fucker. The Old Bill are staked out on the other wife, I’m going to the school. Pull out from the prison, we’ll get him later.”

Ted was off, shouting for his car and scrabbling to call the TVP control room on his mobile phone.
 

*          *          *
 
Ian and Simone were with the other cast members in the theatre. It was play rehearsal evening and Mr Griffiths seemed more cheerful and relaxed than anyone could remember. There was a tall, slightly plump young woman in her twenties sitting in the auditorium, simply watching.

They ran through the scenes, line by line, action by action. Simone wasn’t in the third scene, so she and a couple of the others went to sit in the auditorium to watch. It was the second time they’d actually done the rehearsal on the stage and Simone found it fun.

She sat next to the tall woman.

“Hello,” Simone said.

“Hi,” said the woman.

“Are you a friend of Mr Griffiths?”

The woman smiled. “Yes, yes I am,” she replied in a deep and husky voice.

“Cool.”

They watched the play, yet Simone had something niggle at her about the woman next to her. She surreptitiously observed the woman and it dawned on her what was different. As time progressed, she became convinced that the woman had not always been what she appeared as now.

Her first thought was of Professor Burton and his machine. But how the hell do you start a conversation about that?

She had to go back on stage and take part in several scenes, but by the end, she had forgotten until she saw the woman walking away arm in arm with Mr Griffiths.

“Cor, Old Groper Griffiths has a girl friend,” said Andy ‘Filly’ Phillips, the boy responsible for Simon catching the female lead all those months ago.

“Hmm,” said Simone.

“What’s that mean?” asked Ian.

Simone smiled, “Nothing, it’s better now, as he doesn’t keep ogling me.”

“Why? Everyone else does,” said Filly, grinning.

“Not you too?” she asked.

He looked down, blushing.

She laughed and took Ian’s hand, much to that boy’s delight.

“Be careful, my boyfriend is the jealous type, he’ll beat you up.”

They were walking across from the theatre when a car pulled up along side them.

The window rolled down and a male voice spoke.

“Excuse me?”

They went over.

“Yes?” Ian said.

“Hello sonny, I’ve a message for a boy here, and can’t find any of your teachers. Do you know where Simon Williamson is?”

Simone felt as if icy fingers grabbed her by the heart. She could hardly breathe.

Filly came forward.

“He doesn’t come here any more. His parents divorced and he had to leave.”

Ian looked at Simone, seeing the panic and fear on her face. Leaving Filly talking to the man, he casually walked over to her and, taking her arm, gently led her towards the Headmaster’s house at the bottom of the drive. As soon as they were out of sight, they broke into a run.

Jacob Carter was watching the ten o’clock news on the television. His wife was doing some needlepoint in her chair and he was relaxed. A sudden thundering startled him, until he realised it came from his front door.

He went and opened it, being almost knocked over by Ian and Simone as they leaped into his hall. Both started speaking at once, and made no sense at all.

He held up his hands and they quietened down.

“Right, Simone, you tell me what happened!”

“Sir, there is a man in a car up at the school. He says he is looking for Simon Williamson. He has a London accent. I’ve never seen him before in my life.”

“Right, in the living room. Sit down and don’t say anything else.” Jacob went to the phone and dialled 999.
 

*          *          *
 
Ted Harris and his Detective Inspector were hurtling through the night on the M40 motorway. Ted’s phone rang.

“Harris.”

“When?”

“How far is the ARV?”

“We’ll be there in ten minutes.”

He shut the phone off. “Hobart is at the school. The child is safe in the Headmaster’s house and the ARV is about a minute away. Can’t you go any faster?”

“I’m doing one twenty as it is, Guv.”

“We’re looking for an S reg VW Golf.”

“Got it. Is he armed?”

“I haven’t a clue.”
 

*          *          *
 
Phil felt his anger and frustration rise; almost getting the best of him. The boy who spoke to him was a nice looking lad and Phil felt the familiar feeling of sexual arousal.

“What school does he go to now?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him for months, as he left last autumn. Ian might know,” he said, turning round to see Ian and Simone gone.

The ARV had approached silently, but the blue and yellow florescent patches on the side of the car flashed in the light of a single street lamp. Phil caught the flash, immediately aware that the police knew he was here.

He opened the car door and grabbed the boy, dragging him back into the car. Placing a large and very sharp knife against the boy’s cheek, he started driving off at high speed. The other boys and a couple of girls screamed.

“One squeak and I’ll carve my fucking initials on your fucking face!” he said to a quivering Filly.

Unknowingly, he drove up the cul-de-sac to the theatre. Finding no where to go, he looked back and saw the police car, now with its blue strobe lights illuminated.

“Fuck!” he said, and pulled the terrified boy out of the car.

He dragged him through the nearest door.

It was the stage door, and he stumbled into the darkened area to the rear of the stage.

Simone and Ian followed the Headmaster out of his house, despite the instructions to stay behind. Lots of people were running towards the theatre. Two armed policemen were talking on their radio and getting their MP5 carbines out of the safe in the back of the car.

“Stay back, kids!” One of them shouted, and staff members started getting the pupils to return to their houses.

Jacob went and identified himself to one of the police officers..

“That’s fine sir, a senior officer is on his way. If you could get the kids away from here, this is a dangerous situation.”

One of the boys who had seen the abduction came up to the policeman.

“He’s got Andy Phillips, and I saw a big knife.”

Simone heard this and was appalled. The two armed officer ran forward and she heard them talking about a containment on the radio.

More police cars arrived.

Ian was with her, and they stared at the myriad of blue flashing lights.

A familiar figure came up to her. It was the Superintendent.

“Hello little lady, are you okay?” he asked.

“Fine, but he’s got one of my friends.”

Ted nodded. “Where’s your mother?”

“Staying with a friend, why?”

“Have you spoken to her recently?”

“No, not really, why?”

“It’s important. Where is she?”

“She’s with my father, sir,” said Ian.

Ted looked at the boy. “Oh?”

“He’s looking after her.”

“Good, go and call your father, and make sure Simone’s mother is all right, okay?”

“Yes sir,” said Ian and ran off.

Ted looked at the theatre. “Are there any other doors apart from this one and the main door?” he asked Jacob.

“No.”

“Yes, there is!” said Simone.

“What?”

“The basement has a loading bay. It’s set into the ground behind the building. They use it for big stuff that won’t go through the doors.”

“Show me!”

Simone ran round to the back of the theatre with several police officers, one or two had guns. She showed them the loading doors, similar to pub cellar doors for the supply of beer kegs.

The superintendent knelt down on one knee.

“It’s open. He’s out!”

The officers fanned out, two going into the basement, the others using powerful torches to sweep the woods to the rear of the school.
 

*          *          *
 
Phil was running, dragging a sobbing boy with him. He’d found the basement and managed to exit through the doors above his head, moments before the police discovered the exit. He heard the barking of dogs, and felt a weary resignation settle onto him.

He found himself in a clearing, and the boy collapsed onto the ground.

He looked at him lying there, crying and cowering in fear. Phil felt power surge through his loins as he became aroused at the sight.

He knew he was going down for kidnapping, and probably conspiracy to murder. He made a decision; he might as well be down for a sexual assault, and have a decent memory to hold onto.

He heard the sounds of searching all around him. He didn’t have much time. He undid his flies and grabbed the boy’s trousers, pulling hard.

Nothing happened, for Andy, now terrified, lashed out with his feet, causing Phil to lose his grip.

The knife fell onto the grass and the boy ran away screaming. Phil fumbled about and located the knife. Using a bit of reverse psychology, he turned towards the searchers and crept at ground level through the thick undergrowth.
 

*          *          *
 
“The boy’s been found, sir!”

“Is he alright?”

“Yes, just scared out of his wits, poor kid.”

“Hobart?”

“Not yet, sir”

“Find that bastard!”
 

*          *          *
 
The helicopter arrived overhead, using its heat sensitive equipment to attempt to locate Phil in the darkness.

The police had made all the pupils and staff leave the area to safety. All buildings were locked and staff members to supervise all the pupils until the man was caught. Andy was debriefed and so the police now knew the man had a knife. Inexplicably, it appeared that the man was considering a sexual attack on the boy, which made him even more dangerous.

The Superintendent kept Simone with him. He was standing by his car with the girl behind him, leaning against the car. He was observing the helicopter, sweeping the woodlands with the powerful Nightsun lamp. Officers were deployed all around the wood, containing it, as dogs were sent in from this end.

Simone suddenly was grabbed from behind. A knife pressed to her throat.

“Cry out, darlin’ and I’ll fuckin’ kill ya!” he hissed. Phil had doubled back and come out of the woods yards from the police cars.

Simone felt the anger rise in her. The anger she felt against her father. The anger against those faceless cowards who sought her and her mother’s deaths and the death of that little innocent half sister in New Zealand.

She turned and looked Phil in the eye.

He frowned, as he hadn’t expected this. A scream or a cry, perhaps, but not a cold hard stare from a very self-controlled young woman.

The knife was cold against her cheek. She stood, face to face with him.

The Superintendent, sensing something unusual turned and watched as Simone brought her knee up with an almighty force into Phil’s groin. She was focussed on his tonsils and drove the knee up as high as it would go, and then some!

Phil’s eyes crossed. He dropped the knife, silently collapsing forwards onto his knees, letting go of the girl as he grabbed for his shattered testicles. Simone simply stepped back, swinging her foot back to kick him again when the Superintendent took hold of her arm.

“Enough! Let us take him now. Good girl.”

Moments later, officers had handcuffed Phil, but he was in so much pain that they were considering calling an ambulance for him. Gradually, the officers returned to the vehicles and most left the school. Phil was bundled into a police car, ashen in the face and still incapable of speaking. A few officers remained to take statements from those pupils involved, like Andy and Simone.

The Superintendent sat in the Headmaster’s study as the Detective Inspector took a statement from Simone. The Head was present as an appropriate adult, as the girl was under seventeen.

“What do I tell the parents and anyone else who asks?”

“Tell them that a wanted man was traced to this location, in search of someone who he wrongly believed to be here. Officers arrived moments after he did. He attempted the abduction of two pupils, one of which acted very courageously, by affectively disabling him and allowing the police to arrest and remove him. No one at this school was injured and there is no danger of any repetition of the incident, which lasted a matter of minutes.”

Jacob smiled. “I can tell you’ve done things like this before!”

Ted nodded. “I regret that it happened. Unfortunately, our resources were spread over several counties due to the fact that this man’s brother was planning to do the same thing to a man in Sussex.”

“What exactly were they after?”

Ted looked at Simone. “I’m not totally certain, but it seems that Simone’s late father was one of two men who upset a very powerful criminal. That criminal is now awaiting trial and is seeking revenge.”

“Will he try again?”

Ted shook his head. “No. I strongly suspect that this was the final act of a desperate man. I would bet my pension that nothing more will happen. He and these men will be convicted, sentenced to many years prison, and hopefully I will be long retired by the time they get out!”

“What about Simone?”

“Simone will probably be a grandmother by then,” he said with a smile.
 
 
Chapter 28
 
 
The church was full. The sun shone, the birds were chirping and the world suddenly seemed a nice place to be. Chief Superintendent Edward Harris sat at the back of the church, feeling rather an interloper. He’d not met Howard, but recognised him because of his similarity to his son.

Ted smiled, for both father and son stood at the front of the church, awaiting the arrival of the bride. Both wore smart morning suits, both had enormous smiles on their faces and the atmosphere was one of high good humour. The organist started playing and a shadow fell across the aisle from the doorway. The congregation rose as the bridal party walked down the church towards the altar.

Ted smiled again as he saw that in breach of tradition, for in place of her father, a female gave away the bride. Vanessa looked radiant, but she was out-shone by her daughter. The bride wore a very simple long white dress, with little frill or trim. A simple garland of white flowers in her auburn hair was more expressive than any gem-laden tiara. Her bouquet was also predominantly white. Her escort was in a similar dress, but in a pale peach colour, which went so well with her unadorned auburn hair, save a single white rose pinned to the left side of her head.

The bride arrived at the rails and her husband to be stepped forward. There were smiles all around and Ted couldn’t get over the similarities between father and son, and mother and daughter.

Simone stepped back, allowing her mother to stand alone beside Howard, the groom. She exchanged a small secret smile with the best man and Ian felt his heart sing. There was no doubt in his mind that he would be standing here in a few years time, but he would be the groom and Simone the bride!

Several of the ladies in the congregation were already crying, not least one Lucy Griffiths. Having been recently married herself, now all of a few weeks ago, she could not contain her emotions. She was already expecting their first child.

The past six months had been like a dream for her, and it all started on the first night of the junior play.
 

*          *          *
 
Robert had asked her to come and live with him. Initially she had declined, but relented as the loneliness of her bed-sit life affected her deeply. He proposed to her one evening, telling her he would help financially and wasn’t really bothered when the surgery took place. He declared he loved her as a woman, as the hated genitalia changed nothing in his mind. For the first time in her life, she knew what it was like to love. This gentle and confused man loved her unconditionally and as a result, they found love together.

Lucy was nervous at venturing into the school, convinced that her secret would be exposed, thereby ruining Robert’s career and any hope of a secure future together.

However, he persuaded her to come to the opening night. She compromised and asked if she could watch it from back stage. He agreed, misunderstanding her reasons, believing she wanted to be near him as he supervised proceedings.

The play was unremarkable as far as school plays went. Solidly acted with enthusiasm would be the diplomatic way the school report would cover it, with moments of dramatic genius from the leading lady, Simone Strickland and her leading man, Ian Jamieson.

However, it was in the brief intermission during a scene change when Simone pounced.

“Hi Lucy,” she said.

“Hello.”

“Look, I don’t want you to think me interfering or anything, but before I ask you a question, can I tell you a secret?”

Lucy was surprised at the young girl’s different approach, but she nodded.

“This is one of those secrets that you don’t tell anyone, even Robert, okay?”

The girl seemed very serious.

“Okay, I promise,” said Lucy, intrigued now.

“Okay. Up until a few months ago, I was a boy. My name was Simon and I was a normal male.”

Lucy was even more surprised. It must have shown, for Simone laughed.

“Oh, it’s not quite the same as your situation, because now I really am a normal girl, get the curse and could get pregnant and everything. My question is simple; would you like to be like me too?”

Lucy felt a drumming in her ears. The girl hadn’t asked her if she was transgendered or a transsexual, as she expected. No, she had no doubt about that, but simply asked her mind-blowing question.

“What?”

“I know, this must seem really odd, but let me explain. This is what happened…”

After she finished, Lucy was left gasping.

“All it needs is one phone call to the professor. I’d like to be able to help. I’ve already contacted him and he’s fine with it, what do you say?”

“How, w..wh..when?” she stammered.

Simone shrugged. “Whenever you want. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

“How did you know?” Lucy managed to ask.

“I just did. If you know what you’re looking for, it’s quite easy.”

“When did you first realise?”

“The first time I saw you. I didn’t know for sure at first, but I just had a feeling. You see, I’ve seen Robert when he gets attracted to boys dressed as girls. He fancied me for a while, but I was a girl, so I don’t know what was going through his mind. You are very pretty and feminine in most areas, except your voice. As soon as I heard you, that confirmed my suspicions.

“What about the implants?”

“They’ll have to come out, unless you want enormous ones!”

Lucy was completely staggered, but Simone had to go back on stage before the t-girl could reply.

After the end of the play, as the final curtain fell on the kissing couple, Lucy was desperate to tell her she would like to.

She found Simone in the dressing room, and once on their own, she said, “My answer, it’s ‘Yes please’!”

“Good, let’s not tell Groper, I mean Robert.”

“Why not?”

“Think what a nice surprise it’ll be. I’ll sort out the date, probably in a week or so, okay?”

“A week?” she almost screamed. “That soon?”

“Oh, too soon for you?”

“No, that’s fine. I thought it’d be later, that’s all.”

“I’ll call you. You’d better give me your mobile number. It’s a real bore, as they won’t let me drive for ages yet, so Mum will come with us.”

Lucy shook her head, he mind reeling with everything Simone had told her.

“You were your mother for a while?”

“Yup, it was fantastic. I got to drive a car, I nearly went to bed with my boyfriend’s Dad. It’s just as well I didn’t as it looks my Mum’s fallen in love with him now.”

“With your boyfriend?”

“No, silly, with his father.”

So, exactly one week into the Easter Holidays, on the Thursday before Good Friday, Vanessa drove them down to Exeter to renew her acquaintance with Professor Burton and Linda. The old man was delighted to see them again. He was particularly interested in seeing Simone and Linda spoke to Lucy at some length.

A flash and a bang later, and Lucy finally found herself as the person she had always wanted to be. Not one scalpel in sight!

Just as with Vanessa and Simoné, Lucy was unconscious immediately after the ‘treatment’. The Professor had revised the device somewhat and it looked a little less like a Heath Robinson contraption. The principle remained the same and the end-result was just as spectacular.

Linda helped Lucy as she came round.

“It’s okay, welcome to the club,” Simone said, as Lucy’s hand shot down between her legs.

“I can’t believe this. My God, it’s a miracle!” Lucy said, her voice already considerably higher.

“No,” said the professor, “Just a bit of science.”

“You’ll have to lose the implants. Otherwise you will be humungous,” said Simone.

They drove a bemused Lucy back home. The poor girl alternated between crying and giggling uncontrollably.

She made an appointment with the clinic and had the implants removed, her own breasts were rapidly growing and she would have looked like a well endowed Dolly Parton. She made an excuse to Robert, saying she needed to sort some personal things out.

Robert and she enjoyed a loving relationship, but Robert was reluctant to actually indulge in anal sex with her. He said he preferred to wait until the operation, and was content to simply cuddle her.

Her voice subtly altered, becoming naturally softer, higher and better modulated along truly feminine tones. All the traces of what she’d been vanished instantly, and in a matter of days, she found herself able to lose weight attaining a figure she hadn’t dared to even dream about.

She allowed time for her scars to heal, returning to Robert’s cottage while he was away visiting an elderly aunt.

Dressing in her most seductive underwear, in a dress that she never thought she would ever be able to get into, she ordered in a Chinese take-away meal and waited for him to return.

Robert walked into the cottage, saw the candles and was surprised when Lucy simply took hold of him and led him to the table. They had a divine meal and then she started to undress him.

He started protesting, but she slipped out of her dress, allowing him to see that perhaps all was not as he thought. He made love to her that night, and both attained levels of pleasure and peace of mind that could not be described. Robert, the naíve soul that he was had no real idea as to the nature of the sudden and dramatic transformation

They were married at the end of the summer term and their single bridesmaid, Simone, cried all the way through the simple service. They promised to be back from their honeymoon in time for Simone’s mother’s wedding.

Thinking that Lucy had had the operation, he was more than a little confused when she announced that she was expecting a child. It was at that point she brought him in on the secret. No mention was made of Simone’s past, only that the Professor had succeeded in changing Lucy. Robert, realising where his butter lay, said nothing, and sat back and adored his now glowing wife.
 

*          *          *
 
The ceremony ended, with Vanessa now finding herself as Mrs Jamieson. There was little doubt in the minds of those who watched the younger couple follow out their parents that in a few short years there would be a replay and a new Mr and Mrs Jamieson would walk from the church.

The reception in the grounds of the Jamieson home was a simple but pleasant experience. Ted didn’t enjoy weddings as a rule, but found this family so engaging and refreshing that he broke his own rule and allowed himself to actually have some fun.

The family all left together on their honeymoon in Dorset, and the party went of long into the night. Ted went home feeling that closure was a wonderful thing.
 
 
Epilogue
 
 
“The Court will rise!”

Vanessa and Simone sat at the back of court four at the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, in the City of London. The case had lasted nearly five weeks, costing the British Taxpayer millions of pounds.

They stood as the judge, wearing his robes and long white wig, returned to his seat. The jury had returned, having spent three days in a local hotel deliberating the case.

Everyone sat down and the usher collected an envelope from the chairman of the jury. Passing the envelope to the judge, he told Eddie McDonagh to stand.

“Edward McDonagh, you are found guilty on all charges by a unanimous verdict. Before I pass sentence, I wish to discharge the jury and thank them for undertaking a difficult and unpleasant case.

“It has not been easy, as I am aware of the pressures brought to bear by the defendant in an attempt to pervert this case. You may leave, assured that you have done your duty.”

They’d convicted Eddie on all counts, despite him pleading not guilty. The judge sentenced him to three life sentences with a recommendation to remain in custody for at least twenty-five years. The Hobart brothers, all three of them were sentenced to life, and many minions were sentenced to varying terms from a year to ten years. Incidentally, Philip Hobart had to go to hospital where his had his crushed testicles treated. He was, however, now sterile. His new solicitor dissuaded him from suing the girl responsible.

In New Zealand, Susannah Clarke had a set of twins, Justin and Katy, while Richard Clarke joined the Chamber of commerce, the local Presbyterian Church and Rotary club. Susannah’s parents sold up in the United Kingdom and moved out to New Zealand to be close to their grandchildren.

Robert Wiseman was involved in a car accident three days after his release and died of his injuries. There were no suspicious circumstances.

As for Simone.

I have a feeling she’ll be back, don’t you?

---

 
FIN?