They raced off, and I pushed my way through the doors and faced the last man. I just pushed past him and walked slowly away.
“Hey, you, wait.” he shouted, and I turned and saw that the others were back, I just ran, losing my sandals, and sprinted for the stairs.
“Get her.” I heard one of them shout.
I tore up the stairs, and heard the sound of pursuit.
“Shit.” I said, and dashed along the corridor. I had no idea where I was.
I saw a fire alarm button, so I broke the glass with my elbow, and pressed the button.
Then I dashed out of the fire escape and ran down to the ground floor. I had seen enough movies to know never to run up.
I dived into some bushes, and lay quite still on the ground.
I could here the alarm bells and gradually people started to appear. I saw the legs of my pursuers, and almost stopped breathing.
“Where the fuck did she go?”
“I was right behind her, she can’t be far.”
“Fuck it, here come the cops.”
The welcome noise of sirens filled the evening air, and a fire truck and two police cruisers appeared.
The legs disappeared and I saw them get into a car, and drive away. I memorised the licence plate.
I then emerged and two local cops almost shot me.
Eventually Agent Curtis found me, and I gave him the car number.
Apparently, when the alarm went off, he thought it might have been me, and immediately went to the spa centre. He found my shoes and assumed the worst and called it in as a possible abduction, hence the cops.
The cops tore off in their cars, having circulated the other car’s details, and went hunting for it.
“Are you sure about the conversation?” Richard asked me.
“Absolutely.”
“Okay, you did well.”
“I’m getting used to it now.” I said, “but it is screwing up my personal life.”
He smiled.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine, I’d better go for a shower now, I have earth and crap all over me.”
He laughed at my somewhat earthy language, and handed me my shoes. He escorted me to my room.
“I’ll be right outside if you need me.”
“Thanks.”
I opened my room and nearly died of fright.
My father put his finger to his lips.
I shook my head, and walked straight past him to the bathroom. I started the shower, and turned on him, punching him as hard as I could. I was so bloody angry.
He held my wrists until I just ran out of steam, and broke down into tears.
He held me close as I sobbed.
“I’m so sorry, Sandi. I never meant for you to be put in danger.”
“Well I fucking well am. Who the hell were they?”
“Frankie’s boys.”
“I thought we’d done for him?”
“We have, only he doesn’t know it yet.”
“Oh, brilliant.” I said, and took off my damp swimsuit. My father turned away.
I got into the shower, and washed my hair.
“So, what the fuck is happening?”
“Sandi, language.”
“Dad, go fuck yourself. If you fucking cared about me, you wouldn’t have dumped on me so every gangster from here to London wants to kidnap or kill me. So poke your parental advice right up where the sun doesn’t fucking shine. In case you hadn’t gathered, I am well and truly pissed off with you.”
He shook his head and smiled.
“I’m sorry babe.”
“Not you too. Fuck Dad, why can’t you people call me by my name?”
He looked at me rather shocked and surprised. I couldn’t be bothered to explain.
“I have entered an agreement with the FBI, and with any luck I should get onto their witness protection programme.”
“Whoop-de-fucking-doo. What about me, are you going to get me nice and safe too?”
“Once I nail Frankie, you will be safe.”
“Oh, pardon me if I don’t fucking believe you.”
“Sandi, honestly, you will be safe.”
“Don’t you dare use that word. You don’t deserve to.”
“What word?”
“Honestly. You have never been honest from the moment you first shit yourself.”
“That is not fair.”
“Fair? Fair, oh come on, don’t give me that crap. What am I supposed to be doing? Enjoying being seventeen and having fun, or being chased around by armed thugs who only want me because of what my dad has done? If you ever thought about anyone else, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Hand me that towel.”
He handed me the towel, and I got out. I smiled when I saw him avert his eyes.
“Yes dad, I am a girl, so get used to it.”
“I had noticed.” he said, not looking at me.
“Gosh, the big bad nasty man is afraid to look at his daughter in the nude. What is going to happen next?”
He looked at me then, and I saw the anger beneath the surface, and just as fast it went.
He took my hands, and kissed them.
“You are a brave and wonderful girl, and I don’t deserve you.”
“No, you don’t.” I said, half-heartedly.
“I’m so sorry.”
“What are you doing here, it isn’t my birthday.”
He sat down on the bed.
“I wanted to see you. I didn’t know they would try anything with the FBI so close.”
I dried my hair, and put on my nightie, he watched me then.
“Well, like what you see?” I asked.
“You are very beautiful.”
“Thanks, but I’m still in the shit.”
“I want to trap Frankie, and you may be the only answer.”
“Oh Dad, no.”
“It isn’t my idea. But we needed to know that he was still interested. Now we know.”
“Yes we bloody well do. Who is this ‘we’ anyway?”
“An FBI Deputy Director. Apparently, Frankie may have at least one US Congressman in his pocket.”
I sat on my bed. There was a knock on the door.
“Sandi, are you okay?”
It was Simon.
“Are you here?” I asked my Dad. He just shrugged.
“Who is it?”
“Someone I trust.”
“Will he keep quiet?”
“He loves me, he’ll do what I tell him.”
He nodded.
I went and opened the door. Simon came in and looked at my Dad, who paled a little on seeing the size of him.
“Simon, meet my dad, the gangster. Dad, this is my other boyfriend Simon Haddow, the pro-football player.”
I sat on the bed, and munched an apple.
Simon had heard all about my father, and was under no illusions. He glared at Dad, and then turned to me.
“Are you okay, Honey?”
“Yeah, no thanks to him.” I said, and my dad rolled his eyes.
“I heard there was some trouble, were you involved?”
“Do bears shit in the woods?” I said, and he smiled, just a wee one.
“What happened?”
“Well, it seems that the guy who thinks that Daddy dear owes him some money, wants that money back. And he also wants to mount Daddy dear’s balls on his fireplace, so in order to get at him, the bastard is trying to get me.”
Simon turned his glare up one notch.
“Simon, sweetie, don’t bother, really. I’ve seen him kill three men in less than two minutes. So just come and sit by me.” I said, and he did. He put one arm around my shoulders, and Dad raised one eyebrow, and smiled.
Dad then stood up and helped himself to scotch from the mini-bar.
“Okay dad, what is the plan?”
“Are you going to help?”
“I have a choice?”
He shook his head.
“I suppose not. Not really.”
“Then I’ll help.”
He walked over to the phone and made a very short call. A few moments later there was a knock on the door.
Dad went to the door, and opened it. A tall black man in a charcoal grey suit entered.
“This is Deputy Director Robert Garside, of the FBI. He is looking after this case.” Dad said.
“Miss Lake. You’ve had a time of it.”