Epilogue

It was just as well it was summer and schools were out. As it was, Zoe was well behind with her studies.

Brigadier Walker’s people sucked our kingpin dry, and he ‘disappeared’. I don’t know – don’t want to know – the details. All she said was, “He got drunk and fell overboard from the ferry to Holland.” Over the next few weeks there seemed to be a rash of fatalities; a Government Minister had a fatal heart attack, as did several senior officers from East Anglian constabularies – Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire were all affected. There were several ‘hit and run’ ‘accidents’, and at least one ‘mugging went wrong’. Apart from the fatalities, there were several unexpected resignations from significant positions. Strangely, no one was ever prosecuted.

I didn’t think we’d really affected the sex-slave trade, but at least we’d shut down the group we knew about.

Serendipity returned, and nine girls came together for the last time in our home. Five girls from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine would be returning to their families; it was relatively easy to get them appropriate documents. Nadiya, Valda, Liina and Klavdiya all wanted to stay. That was more difficult, but by dint of more – let’s be honest, illegal – activities, they became citizens of the United Kingdom. Nadiya, who had started the business by running away and stowing away on Serendipity, was adopted by the Hendersons. Klavdiya, to my surprise, was taken in by the Brigadier. Valda, as I say, stayed with us. Only one presented us with something of a problem – Liina. She was probably the worst affected by the business. A devout Russian Orthodox from a very strict Orthodox family, the treatment she’d received was devastating. What was even worse was that her family rejected her, something I still cannot understand.

The solution was a woman in Maldon. Dulcie Hanson was the wife of the Rector of Saint Mary the Virgin church in Maldon. A very remarkable person in her own right, as well as her vocation as an ordained Anglican minister, she and her husband happily took Liina in and subsequently adopted her. Dulcie’s gifts and faith were able to achieve what psychotherapy alone could not and, in time, Liina found a new life as their daughter.

Valda? It was an uphill task, but intensive therapy from Trudy and Zoe’s loving support brought her to a point where she could at least sleep alone and I got my wife back. My wife, and a daughter, three years younger than my wife. We got Valda into school and tutoring with intensive language work had her able to pick up her education though, like Zoe, she would be a couple of years behind. She’s not as intelligent as Zoe, but she’s turned into a delightful young woman with a wry sense of humour. Brigadier Walker has promised her a place translating Russian documents and intercepts once she’s completed her secondary education.

Oh ... I almost forgot Goat. She’ll become Missus Steve Bassett in a couple of months. She wouldn’t be allowed to serve alongside her husband anyway, but she’s transferring to SIS, where her abilities with technology will be put to good use. I’m pretty sure she’ll continue to work out in martial arts, though, and despite the blanket ban on firearms for civilians she will at least be able to use their facilities to maintain her skills.

I’m pretty sure Melanie will become Missus Bernie Winters in the not too distant future. Bernie’s putting up a strong rearguard action, but I’m afraid his resistance is useless; Melanie is as determined and strong-willed as my Zoe.

Zoe – sometimes I’ll wake in the night to find her clinging to me and whimpering. I don’t think it’s her own experience, but rather the pain of listening to the others. There’s not much I can do except hold her, kiss her and love her, but that seems to be enough.