Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 253

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Easy As Falling Off A Bike
by Angharad
part 253.

Exhausted and feeling quite ill, I lay on my bed. I needed to know what had happened to the thug who had died in hospital. Had I actually taken a human life, me the brave soul who feels upset at running over beetles in the road. I was really upset with myself.

I went to talk to Tom. He was busy in his study, I knocked and entered.

"You look like shit, go and rest."

"I can't, I'm too worried."

"Can't you lie down and worry?"

"Not at the moment, no."

"You want to talk?"

"Is it that obvious?"

He cleared his case off the chair, "Have a seat. Now apart from Stella having been kidnapped, what's the problem?"

"That bloke they took into hospital..."

"What about him?"

"He died."

"Oh. How do you know?"

"Henry told me."

"Is there anything that bloke doesn't have a finger in?"

"I wouldn't know, but it wouldn't surprise me."

"So why are you telling me?"

"What if I killed him?"

"You don't know that."

"But what if I did?"

Tom sat silently in thought. "The easy thing would be to say he asked for it..."

"But I have maybe killed someone."

"You don't know that, and I hadn't finished...."

"Sorry," I blushed and felt my eyes filling with tears.

"As I said before, it would be easy to say he had brought it upon himself. It would also be easy to point out that you might be dead yourself if you hadn't fought back. As Stella could be."

"Oh, Tom, I can't bear it. Nothing is worth the taking of life."

"I agree, Cathy, but I'm afraid there are many who don't. This lot are unfortunately amongst the latter group."

"But that doesn't give us licence to kill them."

"Not without cause no, and that has to be legitimate cause, not just greed or power."

"Why did I have to kick him so hard?"

"Aren't you prejudging the issue here, we don't know how he died yet. To start with Pippa bashed him after you did, so it could be her blow which hastened his demise. He may have died from any number of things including Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. Especially in a British hospital."

"That's not fair Tom, the hospitals are getting it under control. I mean I survived two weeks there."

"Yeah okay, but he didn't."

"And I suspect I killed him."

"You'll have to wait for the PM on that and the coroner's court. You may never know what killed him or if your action hastened it."

"I just know it."

"So why did you want to talk to me if you knew it already. Or do you just want to get all maudlin, because I have work to do. If you don't want to rest, I have some you could do too."

I felt that Tom had rebuffed me. I thanked him and apologised for wasting his time. I made the police some tea, took a cup to Tom and went out into the conservatory with my own. Kiki made a fuss of me even if I was a homicidal maniac.

I got the ironing board out and ironed the laundry, it was something to do which kept my hands busy without taxing my brain too
much.

"Thanks for the tea," said one of the coppers bringing the cups back.

"You're welcome." He was about to leave when I stalled him, "When will they know what the Russian died from?"

"What Russian?"

"The one I helped arrest."

"I didn't know he was dead, how do you know?"

"I can't tell you, sorry."

"In which case I can't help you as I don't know myself." He left the kitchen and I was back to my thoughts.

Over and over again, I heard the dead man telling me he'd like to rape me then kill me. I also heard my bravado in replying to him, then I saw myself jump and double kick him and he fell. I also heard the shot, then the smashing noise as Pippa broke the pot over his head and him crashing to the ground.

Maybe I should have gone with him, perhaps they'd have left Stella alone, but probably not. If they were wanting to frighten or intimidate Henry, they'd have to do a lot more. His ancestors fought at Waterloo- the battle not the station, in the Coldstream Guards. He'd done service in the same regiment for two or three years. Simon was the first to skip the militaristic involvement. He was also the first to be engaged to a transsexual woman.

I eventually ran out of ironing and went to see how much time we had left on the deadline for Stella.

"About an hour and a half," said the younger of the two coppers.

"Oh no, we must try and save Stella."

"Don't you think everything that is possible is being done."

"Let me text them, offer to take her place."

"Why, so they can kill two of you instead of one?"

"It's worth a try, you could always follow me."

"What if they decided to shoot you from a distance."

"Oh!"

"Please try and be brave Miss Watts. Rest assured that we are doing all we can."

Just then, one of their phones rang and the one in the hoodie, said, "I've gotta go." He rose and ran off, the tyres of his car squealing as he accelerated.

"What's he up to?"

"I have no idea."

"Is he firearms trained?" I asked.

"Kevin? Yeah I think so, why?"

"Are you?"

"Trained but not armed."

"Something's up isn't it?"

"Search me?"

I didn't take him up on his offer.

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Comments

Could Hoodie Be Involved

With the Mafia? He did not hand Cathy the phone, but left in a hurry. Hopefully he is going to help Stella who has just escaped. But I do want to see those Mafia thugs regret ever coming to England.
May Your Light Forever Shine

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Done in by Cathy?

I really don't think so, unless her kick ruptured something and the medics missed it on examination. I know that won't make her feel better, but if the bloke did kick off, I feel sure it was the blow to the headThis would cause sweeling of the brain and eventual death. The usual treatment is knock a hole in there and relieve the swelling pressure. Maybe the combo was just too much. She is gonna have to realize that the human body is programmed by millions of years of evolution to protect itself. The Fight or Flight reflex, voiding the bowels to prevent infection in case of an abdominal injury etc etc. Pain is the bodys indicator something is wrong and the problem should be removed, or the body should be removed to prevent further injury. In a panic situation, the untrained person just reacts the best it knows how. The trick is to train so that in case of a situation, the body has more options for response, and having been there, the situation is less likely to cause a freeze up from confusion. It takes 5000 repititions of a movement for "muscle memory to set in", and that is just the start. Thats why you never practice quickdraw with a loaded firearm, or handgun retention, or defense, or archery in the back yard. Just too many chances of something going wrong.

Let's Hope it's not...

... another fake message. Though, one would hope the Russians wouldn't find it as easy to Ring the COP as it was to text Cathy...

I believe I can understand Cathy's angst, but not having been in quite that position, I don't know for sure. I've heard doctors go through similar motions when a patient is lost.

Ironing can be can be very catharic [sp?].

Thanks, Annette

It wasn't Cathy's phone....

KevSkegRed's picture

.... that rang it was one of the police phones.

Just then, one of their phones rang and the one in the hoodie, said, "I've gotta go."

My guess is that they've found the Russian's lair and need the firearms experts there.

The one that died could've died of internal bleeding which wouldn't have been detected by the paramedics. I'm not sure whether the hospital would think to check because he was taken in with a head wound after being hit, so they might not have been informed that he'd been kicked in the stomach.

Wow, this is great Angharad, better than a nuclear bomb going off in Portsmouth and no harm to Spike. I'm wondering if Simon is actually a secret agent otherwise why would he be at Heathrow with MI5 agents, unless of course they're protecting him. Him being an agent could also explain why he sometimes stays overnight in London.

Kev [Ρĥàńŧāśĩ»ßő™], Skeg Vegas, England, UK.

KevSkegRed, Skeg Vegas, England, UK.

Yes, I know it was one of the policesmen's phones.

I was just commenting that I hoped the Russian's hadn't found them too... But, given the twists & turns Angharad (or Bonsi) has put into the story, or could put in... It is conceivable that the russian mob has Tom's house under the eye, ID'd the two cops, and made a call to "pull him off" the job, opening things up to a snatch on Cathy...

I don't have a convoluted mind, and I'm not paranoid am I? :-)

Annette

Sorry Annette......

KevSkegRed's picture

......Hope you didn't think I was being funny, I wasn't. I do see what you mean now though, I was tired last night lol, that's my excuse anyway. Hmmm, could this be the start of a kind of "Home Alone" [the movie not the excellent story on this very site by Susan Brown] storyline where Cathy thwarts the bad guys as they descend on her territory to try snd snatch her??

Kev [Ρĥàńŧāśĩ»ßő™], Skeg Vegas, England, UK.

KevSkegRed, Skeg Vegas, England, UK.

Agent?

His bumbling may be a very good cover, but I am not sure he would be an agent? Maybe an advisor of some kind? He is not supposed to have been in the military, which may be a bit hard to hide, but he is very good at playing the uppercrust semi lout spoiled brat. But if someone has a special qualification through training or education, a lot of places will grab onto them. Maybe this is what happened. It would be a lot easier to fit into a cover story if needed. Not being from the UK, I have no real idea.....but from what I see in the media etc etc, the uppercrust over there have always pitched in as officers and gentlemen as advisors, trainers, etc. I mean.....just look at Angela in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks".

Cathy, get your bow ready

They just cut your guard in half and he isn't armed. They're coming for you. Get ready!

Not to fear

They've got that response team, or force, or whatever. You know, the guys who show up after something happens. No doubt they'll be properly apologetic to Dad, "Sorry old man, by the time we got there it was too late. That's the way it goes, you understand."

KJT

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose"
Janis Joplin


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Rabid dormice, Batman!

I tend to think Woody's onto something here - the teapot's in the kitchen & loaded, and She's got her compound bow - the Ruskie's'll never know what hit'em!

He conquers who endures. ~ Persius

Sorry Pilllllgrimm ....

but my John Wayne American cultural influence is showing through. Cathy
is regretting that she acted in self-defense and might have killed
somebody ?

As a woman (me) who only weighs 113 pounds I doubt I would have much of
a choice but to defend with all I had and regret at leisure ( much like
what Cathy is doing. ) Most self-defense training for women is predicated on being as aggressive as possible to get out of a situation and get away. Cathy did just that.

His death is kinda to be regretted so what is Cathy going to do next time,
stand there and let somebody kill her ? Or kill Stella ? Or kill Simon ?

Cathy is very human but if she is going to have an interesting life then she has to stop being so squeamish.

Kim

Cathy be brave !!

Better the Russian thug than a baby fur seal.
Stella's running out of time, too late to find another Maid of Honor.
I think the friendly Russia Maffia, will ride to the rescue, not too early, but just in time. to quote Michael Caine in "A bridge too Far"
Enough showing off back to Cathy.

Cefin