Vanishing Point (Stephen Cole) by Vanishing Point (by Stephen Cole)

Author:Vanishing Point (by Stephen Cole)
Language: eng
Format: epub

‘This?’ the Doctor queried.

Etty showed him a white plastic bag into which had been stuffed a sea‐green shawl. ‘So they can recognise me.’

‘Not quite a white carnation or a bunch of flowers under the clock at the station, is it?’ the Doctor murmured as he folded the note and put it into his trouser pocket. ‘I’m so sorry, Etty.’

She eyed him coldly. ‘For risking my son’s life?’

‘No.’ The Doctor squatted down beside her. ‘Because there are things I must tell you. About your sister. About…’

He trailed off as twin lights pooled briefly across Etty’s face, looking at her curiously as if it were some kind of trick she’d performed herself.

‘Headlights,’ Etty said dully. ‘Someone’s coming.’

‘Police?’ muttered the Doctor ‘Of course, the explosion… We must get back to Anji.’

Etty felt herself stir a little at the girl’s name. ‘Is she all right?’

‘We were both caught in the blast. She’s hurt.’ The Doctor stood up. ‘The police mustn’t find us here. There’s too much to do. Come on.’

He headed off towards the huge mound of rubble that marked the fallen building, still dwarfing the surrounding structures, and Etty found herself following.

‘Where is she?’ Etty asked quietly.

‘Just round here,’ the Doctor said as they turned the corner of one of the outbuildings.

There was movement here, lights flashing. A police car was hovering, and there were uniformed people setting up lights and cordons.

Barely breaking step the Doctor dragged her down to her knees into cover. She almost cried out in surprise, but he held his finger to her lips. Then he used it to point ahead of them.

Much closer to them than all the other activity, two cowled figures stood over what looked to be a bundle of dark fabric on the ground.

‘Anji?’ Etty whispered.

The Doctor nodded. ‘But who are those two? They’re not police, or Diviners.’

Suddenly a powerful torch beam cut through the two figures. ‘There’s no one about here,’ said a gruff male voice. ‘No one hurt. Just her.’

The cowled figures said nothing. A medic crouched down next to Anji, administered some kind of medicine. The Doctor looked on worriedly.

‘I’m going to take her in for questioning,’ the gruff voice said, more thoughtfully. ‘A suspect with shoulder‐length hair and black velvet coat was seen at the crime scene on Badi Street, along with… well, with the one dressed as a –’

‘Badi,’ Etty whispered fearfully, thinking of the note. ‘That’s where I’ve got to –’

But the Doctor shushed her angrily.

One of the cowled figures was nodding.

‘Take a patrol, Sergeant,’ the gruff voice continued. ‘Fan out over this whole area. See if we can find accomplices.’

‘Oh, Anji…’

Etty could see the Doctor was torn between rushing over and taking on the entire police force to rescue his friend, and slipping away before it was too late. To see policemen checking round seemed suddenly so wonderfully normal, reassuring symbols of the world she remembered from her city days. Perhaps she could go to them for help, tell them everything. They would listen, they would take responsibility

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