Page 27 of The Wedding Cake Wish
She nods. ‘Except, as I said, it wasn’t an accident.Basically, Rachel found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ajeweller’s shop was being raided, the alarm was clanging and people werepanicking, not knowing what to do. Rachel was walking along the side streetadjacent to the jewellers, and she saw a man race from a side door, and had thepresence of mind to stick out her foot and send him flying. She had a good lookat his face and although he fled the scene, Rachel was able to give police agood description of the man.’
‘Wow. That was so brave of her. To tackle the man.’
Shirley smiles sadly. ‘I know. Although Rachel says itwasn’t brave at all. She just reacted instinctively. And after what happenednext, she wishes she’d never got involved.’
‘What happened?’
‘Well, the guy she tripped up was charged with aggravatedburglary, although he was just small fry. But the thing is, she also caught aglimpse of the man in the getaway car and identified him to police. And heturned out to be the gang ring-leader who police had had their eye on for along time. So at last the police had a witness who could pin this Mr Big – anasty thug called Brendan Myers – to a major crime. And a trial date was set.’
‘So Rachel would have to face him in court as the onlywitness?’
Shirley nods. ‘And she would have done it. I’ve no doubtabout it. She’d suffered all her life from being wrongly accused. She wasdetermined to do her duty and see justice done.’
I nod slowly. ‘But I’m guessing this...BrendanMyers...got to her?’
‘Exactly. One day, a couple of months ago, she was inGuildford, about to cross a busy road, lots of traffic flying past, when shefelt someone push her hard from behind and she went flying into the road, rightinto the path of a car.’
‘Oh, my God! How terrible.’
‘I know. Luckily, the driver reacted fast and managed tostamp on the brakes.’ She shudders. ‘It could have been so much worse. Rachelcould have been killed. As it was, she suffered numerous fractures, broken ribsand a head injury, which thankfully turned out to be superficial. She was inhospital for six weeks before they eventually discharged her.’
‘So who...who do you think pushed her intothe road?’
‘One of Brendan Myers’ henchmen, no doubt. As a warning toher not to testify against him. It all happened so fast. But Rachel heard avoice just before it happened, saying, “Compliments of Mr Myers”.’
‘Oh, my God, that’s terrible. So did she withdraw herstatement after she was threatened?’
Shirley shakes her head. ‘Despite her injuries, she wasstill determined to see it through. But with Rory’s disappearance, she’schanged her mind. She tries to play it down but I know she’s desperatelyfrightened for his safety. She fears Brendan Myers has kidnapped him, and she’sterrified of what they might do to Rory if she gets the police involved.’
‘So she thinks this Myers person has taken Rory? As afurther warning to her not to testify against him?’
She nods. ‘That scumbag Brendan Myers is out on bail, wouldyou believe, awaiting trial.’ She shakes her head angrily. ‘Why the judgedidn’t just lock him up then and there while he had the chance, I’ve no idea...’
‘And if Rachel withdraws her statement, he might get awaywith it?’
‘That could easily happen. The police have wanted to pin himto a crime for years but he’s such a slippery character, he always seems tocome up smelling of roses.’ She sighs. ‘Brendan Myers’ whole criminal empirecould come crashing down around him if Rachel were to stand up to him in court.But the thing is...her son is everything to her. She won’t doanything that might lead to Rory being harmed. But...’ Sheshrugs uselessly.
I shiver, thinking of poor Rory and his fate at the hands ofsuch unscrupulous people.
‘But it might already be too late?’
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
I draw in a deep breath. ‘We really need to find Rory,then. Where does Brendan Myers live?’
Shirley grimaces. ‘He runs his operation from a gated estatein the middle of nowhere. Heatherington Manor? But it’s like Fort Knox,apparently. They’ve got minders and dogs guarding the place so no one ever getsnear the man himself.’
I frown, thinking aloud. ‘What if Rory is being heldprisoner at this Heatherington Manor? If Rachel was to report his disappearance,surely the police would put two and two together and search the manor?’
Shirley looks at me, horrified. ‘Don’t contact the police,Ruby. Just please don’t. For your sake. And Rachel’s and Rory’s. Rachel hasmade me promise not to breathe a word of what’s happened to anyone. She’d neverspeak to me again if she knew I was talking to you. But...’She shakes her head. ‘I’ve kept it to myself for weeks. I had to tell someone.I was going crazy not knowing what to do for the best.’
I lay a sympathetic hand on Shirley’s arm. This all feels sosurreal. It’s like I’ve wandered onto the set of one of the thrillers on TVthat I love to watch.
But I can tell by the expression on Shirley’s face that thisis no made-up story.
It’s very real.
Rory could be in grave danger.
