Chapter 52

The following day Jeremy eased his car into a convenient spot again. The parents and their cars began to gather but he had no problem. He could still see the school gate and the collection of those who were not walking or bussing home. He felt twinges of lust at a number of the girls who came out but he remained concentrated on his target.

A white Volvo backed into the space in front of him. It took some time as the space was small but the driver, a middle-aged woman as far as Jeremy could see finally completed the movement and ended up bumper to bumper.

Annette came out. There was a repeat of the conversation between the other girl and Deborah and Annette and then they were off. Jeremy tried to move forward. No good, the car in front was too close. So was the car behind which was empty. He got out and went to speak to the driver of the car in front.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said. "I'll move forward. My daughter does ballet and they're always a bit late out."

Jeremy went back to his car. The middle-aged lady pressed the immobilise button on her key and then turned it. The engine turned over but nothing happened. She 'tried' again without success.

She leapt out and went back to Jeremy. "I'm so sorry, " she said, "but presumably you're waiting for your daughter too. Does she do ballet as well?"

Jeremy cast his eyes about and found his salvation. "No, I've just taken my dog to the vet," he said. "They're going to keep him in overnight and see whether they have to operate in the morning."

"Oh, you poor dear," but if Jeremy had looked her eyes never softened. "You must be so worried."

"Yes," he ground out, "but if you could move your car I could get home and comfort my wife."

"Oh, you poor dears! Couldn't you ring her on your mobile?"

"Like a fool I left it behind. Please could you move your car."

"Of course. Of course. I'll try but it didn't seem to want to work last time."

"Try pressing the unlock button on your key before you turn it," suggested Jeremy.

"Oh, thank you," gushed the woman. "What a good idea!"

She bustled back to her car, which started immediately, and pulled forward to let him out.

"Screwed again," he thought. "Oh well, try again tomorrow."

He did but he also got a bright idea and turned up at the school an hour early. He marched in to Reception.

"Hello," he said pleasantly to the girl behind the desk. "My daughter's in the hockey team and keeps saying that she's 'playing tomorrow' and it's nearly always too short notice to come and watch her and cheer. Have you got a fixture list and a practice programme?"

"Yes, of course," said the girl. "Who's your daughter?"

"Annette."

"Tig!" exclaimed the girl delightedly. "She's our star. Everyone reckons she'll make county within two years and England after that."

Jeremy smiled self-deprecatingly. "I hope so too," he said.

"Here's the fixture list," said the girl. "Hockey practices are on Thursdays and Fridays at five."

"Ah yes," said Jeremy knowledgeably. "I knew about the practices. It's the matches I want to try and be at. Thanks."

He moved away before the girl could say anything more, went back to the car and studied the fixture list. Most matches were on Saturdays but there were also some on Wednesday afternoons although not today. There was one this Saturday morning and he decided to see whether Deborah came to watch.

When school came out he was foiled again. Neither Deborah or the unknown man were there. Instead Annette got into the car of the girl who she always seemed to be with. He was facing in the wrong direction and by the time he had turned the car, she had disappeared. Three days and he still did not know where she lived. He was beginning to feel frustrated. He had two days plus the good fortune of the match on Saturday still to find out before he had to hand in his hire car and fly home.

On Thursday he had to wait until six o'clock before Annette was free from hockey practice but it allowed him a chance to wander round unobserved, as he thought, and find out exactly where the hockey pitch was and whether there was vehicular access. There was.

He was back in his car in good time and saw the man who had been with Deborah on Monday turn up, turn into the school, clearly heading for the hockey field. He prepared to follow them home.

Twenty minutes later the car came back out but turned right instead of left as he had expected. Traffic was lighter at this time in the evening and he pulled forward to turn and give chase only to find that he had a puncture nearside rear. He was beside himself with rage but there was nothing he could do but change the wheel. He was slightly mollified when a very large man wandered up and offered to help. When they got the wheel off they found a four inch nail in the tyre.

"Wonder how that got there," the man said.

"Someone probably hammered it in," replied Jeremy through gritted teeth.

The big man smiled.

That night, mulling things over and still infuriated that nothing was going right, Jeremy had another bright idea. He knew from Monday the way Annette normally went home. He could go and wait in a gateway and then tag along when she went past. That way he could avoid any further mishaps at the school.

Neil had turned up to see Richard unannounced while Sharon was working at the house on Wednesday morning. She answered the door when he rang the bell.

"What do you think you're doing here?" she exploded when she saw him.

"Good morning. Is the master of the house in?" responded Neil equably.

"You answer my question, Neil Stone," bellowed Sharon.

Richard had heard Sharon's explosion and quietly opened the study door and stood there watching with a huge grin on his face.

"To see the master of the house as I intimated a moment ago."

"And what if I said no?"

"I'd help myself to a big smacking kiss."

"Big smack is all you'd get. You can't come round to see me while I'm working."

"I didn't. I came to see Richard. He is the master of the house, isn't he?"

"Ooh!" ground Sharon spinning on her heel only to see the grinning Richard behind her. "And you're another!" she shrieked storming off to the kitchen.

"Another what?" asked Richard plaintively.

"Another bloody man," came from the kitchen.

Neil came in shutting the door behind him. "I think you'll have to put your rotweiller on a chain," he said to Richard.

There was another growl from the kitchen. Both men chuckled and went into Richard's study.

So," said Richard. "What do I owe this pleasure to?"

"Sorry I didn't warn you," said Neil unrepentantly, "but I wanted to get a rise out of Sharon. Worked too, didn't it?" They both chuckled again.

"I wanted to tell you what's been going on and agree a plan for the future with you."

"Great."

"Well, Monday we pulled him over as you know. Yesterday, Jean, one of our older operatives pretended to be unable to start her car which was backed right up to Jeremy's bumper. That gave Deborah time to get away without him ever catching her. Today, I'd like Tig to have a sleepover at Sharon's. He'll never manage to turn his car round before Sharon's well away. Then tomorrow, whoever collects her, should come the long way home. That'll wrong foot him again because he'll probably be facing in the wrong direction again. Now, with hockey practice tomorrow he's going to be kept waiting but he'll see the practice in the distance and if I know my Jeremy he won't be able to resist going to watch even if from a distance. While he's away from the car it'll develop a puncture. So that'll make sure he doesn't manage to turn round quickly in the lighter traffic. On Friday it's hockey practice again. When you or Deborah get down to the field one of my guys will brief you on which way he's facing and then when you come out of the main gate you go in the opposite direction. The guy who helped him with his puncture will engage him in conversation at the critical moment to give you guys more time to get away. Finally, we come to Saturday and the match in the morning. I say finally because it's my guess he's got to get back to Perth over the weekend because I doubt he's been able to take more time off at such short notice. Anyway, what I suggest is that the girls take some clothes to change into after the match and then we all go over to Geoffrey's for lunch."