Chapter 18

The following morning Samantha received another hand delivered letter which read:

'Lovely Samantha,

You have a very caring and protective fiancé but never fear we will still have our fun together. I am very inventive as you will find out.

The Rover'

Her primary reaction this time was fear although there was also annoyance. She passed the note to Henry.

"Bloody man!" he said. "Don't worry, my Sams. I'll never let him get to you."

Samantha smiled at him. "I know you won't, sweets, but it's a pain for both of us. I can't go off and do anything on my own and you've got to stick with me whenever we're outside the office or home."

"I rather enjoy being with you."

"Yes, sweets, but it's going to wear a bit thin."

"He'll get bored or we'll catch him."

"I damn well hope so."

Dirk Harris reported to Henry as instructed. They shook hands warmly.

"Good to see you, sir."

"And you, Harris. I wish it wasn't in these circumstances though."

"Dead right, sir. It must be bloody horrible for Miss Cavendish."

"Yes but it's not much fun for me either. Who else is involved?"

"Ray Wolstenholme, Paul Smith, Ged Truesdale, 'Wally' Hammond and 'Stalks'." ('Stalks' stood about six foot four with exceptionally long, thin legs.)

"An evil gang," Henry smiled. "I really do appreciate what you guys have offered to do. The trouble is I don't know what more you can do that I'm not doing already."

"Well, sir, first of all your being with her provides protection but," he grinned, "I'll bet your attention is mostly on her."

Henry smiled. "You could be right."

"So, sir, we can keep an eye out for other people, particularly those that appear more often then they might."

"OK."

"The other thing is that we'll be on at night so we can spot anyone who posts a letter through your door."

"OK."

"We'll also be able to let you off the hook a bit, sir, so that you won't have to be with her every moment she steps out of your flat or the office."

"That's not so easy. I've promised to be with her whenever she's outside and I've also been persuaded not to tell her that you guys are about so that she continues to act naturally."

"Hmm! What does she do about lunch, sir?"

"Goes to the canteen with her secretary."

"Did she used to do that?"

"No. Most days we'd meet for a quick lunch somewhere. We can't do that now because of the time for me to go over to her office and then see her back again afterwards. There'd be no time to eat anything."

"How about if her secretary came with her? That might lull the stalker into a false sense of security."

"Yes, it might but I don't think we can do that yet, not while we're still on red alert."

"Yeah, OK, sir."

"How long are you guys prepared to do this for?"

"As long as it takes, sir, regiment willing."

Henry smiled again. "And with Mr Ellis backing you..."

"Yes, sir."

"Well, in that case we'd better get down to brass tacks. Who are going to be your patrol leaders and who are their buddies?"

"Me and Paul Smith, Ray and Wally, Ged and Stalks."

"Right. Phone numbers."

Dirk gave them. Henry gave Dirk all their and their secretaries' numbers.

"What hours are you going to do?" Henry asked.

"Twelve hours on, twenty-four off. Six am to six am.

"Fine. Jean, Samantha's secretary, and I will clock in at about 0900 and I will again at 1800."

"OK, sir."

"I know the old Northern Ireland guidance about not keeping to a pattern but I think sticking to one in this instance is more likely to snare the bugger so we'll continue to leave the flat at seven-thirty. Our evening times depend on what's going on at work and can be any time between six and nine, usually earlier. Oh God! We never used to worry if one of us was working late but now we have to wait for each other. It gets a bit tiresome."

"I'll bet, sir. Well, I'll be off and I'll wait to hear from you at six."

It was not long before another note arrived but this time by post. It was post-marked Southampton.

'Lovely Samantha,

Your dad's got a really big place. See you one weekend.

The Rover'

Neither was unduly upset by it.

"He'll have to overcome Pip and Squeak," laughed Samantha.

"We might invite Basher to come with us too."

A fortnight passed without incident. Henry decided to take the plunge and encourage Samantha to come with Jean to meet him at their usual lunch place. He would pay for Jean. Samantha agreed but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She felt that anything more would be unfair on Jean.

"She won't want to sit there with both of us making calf's eyes at each other five days a week," she said.

"I don't make calf's eyes at you."

"Moo!"

Dirk and his mates were warned off. Dirk was pleased with the development. He felt sure that the stalker would show himself.

The second trip triggered the next note which was waiting for them when they got home.

'Lovely Samantha,

I knew you'd come round to my way of thinking. I see you're ready to make it a threesome.

The Rover'

"Oh Lord! We'll have to stop meeting for lunch again," wailed Samantha.

"No," replied Henry. "We mustn't dance to his tune. That's all. I might tail you myself and see if I can spot him."

Samantha looked doubtful. "I don't want to be used as bait," she said.

"I promise you'll be safe, my Sams."

Henry told Dirk of the latest development. The latter was undismayed.

"He's going to give himself away soon, sir, and we'll be ready."

He did not tell Henry that they already had photographs of three men that might have been following Samantha and Jean.

The following Tuesday a slightly apprehensive Samantha and Jean set out again. Samantha was carrying a small open shoulder bag. She had assured Henry there was nothing worth stealing in it. When she got back to the office she found a note in it.

'Surprise! Surprise! I'm not far away, am I? Oh my lovely Samantha, we are going to have fun together.

The Rover.'

Samantha rang Henry in tears. This had really frightened her.

"I'll be with you in twenty minutes."

He rang the patrol. Ray Wolstenhome answered. Henry told him what had happened.

"Yes, sir, we saw him put the note in her bag. We've got a photo of him."

"Right! I'm coming over to Samantha's office now. I'll pick you up at the door and we'll see if she recognises him."

"OK, sir."

Henry rang Jean. "Jean, it's Henry. I'll have a chap called Wolstenhome with me. Can you let security know?"

"Yes, Henry. Do be quick. She's in no state."

"I'm on my way."

He told his secretary where he was going and that he would ring her later. He ran the whole way. Ray Wolstenhome was waiting for him. They were quickly at Samantha's office. She fell sobbing into Henry's arms. He stroked her back and whispered comforting words in her ear.

It was several minutes before she could pull herself together. She was then acutely embarrassed to find a stranger in the room.