Chapter 8. Blown up
John arrived back in Cambridge late on Thursday evening. It had been a long
drive and there were roads works on the A1 which had added an hour to the
journey. Hilary had left a message on his answerphone but he decided it was too
late to return the call. Soon after eight the next morning he did phone her. She
told him of Judith's leaving and spoke of her concerns and what the Janice, the
marina secretary had told her. He decided to pop over and see Hilary.
Yolande let him in. Both she and Hilary were very concerned for Judith's welfare
and were blaming themselves for her leaving. Yolande for being so mean to her
without ever finding out the trouble she had been in and Hilary for letting her
go without doing anything to persuade her to stay.
"Well," said John, "I think the first thing to do is to go to the marina and see
if the Mongoose is still there and it might help if you came along too Hilary,."
Yolande agreed to do the days deliveries which were fairly local but that left
Hilary without a car. They went in John's.
The Mongoose was not in her berth so they went to see Janice the secretary. "Oh,
they left yesterday and haven't been back. Yes, there was another girl with them
looking a little like you, Hilary."
"Any idea where they will have gone? When they will be back?"
"In a boat like that they could go a long way but usually I think they just
explore the coast but as I told you on Wednesday, there are nasty rumours of
what goes on while they are away."
Hilary asked about the girl that had been on the boat. "Charlotte? I've hardly
seen her since. She lives down at Shotley. I've the address on file here
somewhere if you want."
She found the address and John made the tortuous journey along the minor roads
to the end of the Shotley peninsular where they could look across the mouth of
the Orwell to Felixstowe and across the river Stour to Harwich. They found the
address. Their knock was answered by an elderly woman, Charlotte's mother.
"Charlotte's moved in with her boy friend after that weekend away. Don't know if
she will talk about it though. She wouldn't talk to me. Bob, the boyfriend won't
let her go again."
She directed them to where Bob and Charlotte were living. Bob was a fisherman
and they found him mending a net in the garden. When they explained their
mission, he became angry, not with them but the owner of the Mongoose and the
Alycion. He explained that from the little Charlotte had told him, the Mongoose
met up with the bigger boat somewhere in the Walton Backwater for their sex
games. Hilary asked if they could talk to Charlotte. Bob took them inside and
explained the situation. Charlotte simply said she wanted to forget the whole
thing.
Hilary turned on her charm and pleaded with her. "Charlotte dear, you obviously
had a very bad time. Our girl friend is only sixteen years old and quite
innocent. She's had a very traumatic time at home and now we believe she has
been abducted on that boat. We want to find her and see if we can save her from
more trouble. Please help us. Tell us where they will be and how we can help to
rescue her. Please. Don't let what happened to you, happen to her."
Charlotte was silent for what seemed like ages. John was just about to plead
with her when she said. "If my weekend was anything to go by, and it seemed as
if it was a fairly regular thing, they will be anchored in the Walton Backwater
not far from The Naze. Friday night is the start of the things but they seem to
take a launch to The Naze and spent a few hours in the pub and then return and
spend the rest of the night in an orgy. It's disgusting what they make you do
and if you don't do it, they whip or cane you. They take pictures and threaten
to publish them if you say anything. They are wealthy and powerful people and
the woman who seems to be the boss lady, is very cruel. They call her the
Countess. Sounds foreign. Russian perhaps."
"Where is this Walton Backwater and how do we get there?" John asked.
Bob pointed across the water. "It's a area of quiet creeks and mud flats
covering a couple of miles square the other side of Harwich. There is a spit of
land that protects it from the sea so the water is usually calm and it is an
area liked by many small boaters. There are places were many boats gather but
other places where it is quiet. How do you get there? You can get to The Naze by
car but it is a long way round. You have to go all the way inland until you can
cross the Stour at Manningtree and then come all the way back towards Harwich
and Walton. Even so you will only be able to get to one end of the backwaters
where the village is. The rest is only accessible by boat. By boat it is only a
few miles around the corner there." Bob pointed.
"If we drive to The Naze ......" John began. There was desperation in his voice.
Bob butted in, "Let me talk with Charley and then we'll see how we can help."
The pair went into the kitchen and Hilary and John could her them having an
earnest conversation. Then there was a clattering of mugs. More conversation.
The pouring of water. Ten minutes later they came back with mugs of tea.
Bob said, "Charley and I have agreed to try and help you. I am a fisherman and
have a boat, the Rose Marie. It's not a posh motor cruiser or as fast as the
Mongoose or Alycion but we'll be able to get there quicker than you will by car
and we won't look suspicious if we do a bit on angling. We don't think much will
happen until later on and it may be the Alycion won't arrive until teatime.
We'll have some tea now and then go to the shops for sandwich stuff because we
could be there until late. Then we will cruise around and see if we can locate
either of the boats and come up with a plan of action." Bob impressed the others
with his practicality.
********
Had the circumstances been different, it would have been a very pleasant way to
spend and afternoon. The sun shone down on near calm water and there were pretty
sailing boats gliding along with the colourful spinnakers billowing in the
breeze. But for Bob and his crew, weren't there for pleasure. Charley
particularly knew what horrors, Judith might be going through. As they quietly
motored along the Walton Backwater she shuddered when she saw the Alycion. They
had just anchored and the Countess stood in the cockpit. "I better keep out of
sight of the bitch," she murmured. Cruising past they noted four middle aged men
beside the Countess. Bob slowly turned the fishing boat as if looking for a
place to anchor and glided by fairly close to the Alycion but they couldn't see
any others on board. Bob anchored a couple of hundred yards away and found a
couple of fishing rods and spinners.
"We don't usually use spinners in the creek but you and Hilary look like a
couple of townies so you will probably only raise a few smiles." Bob spoke to
his 'crew'. The three of them got into the dinghy and Bob showed them how to use
the rods while he very slowly rowed. Soon after passing the Alycion the Mongoose
came and moored alongside her and two girls and a man transferred from her to
the larger vessel. Hillary was certain one was Judith but they were a 100 yards
away so couldn't see clearly. Bob rowed back, still keeping well away from the
two boats. Back on board his fishing boat they discussed what to do.
Charley said the time she was taken, they didn't do much to her except have
forced sex until after they had been for a meal in the pub. Little did they
realise what was happening this time. Bob said, "We can't just keep rowing by
and staring otherwise they might get suspicious and Judy might recognise one of
you and give us away. We can't storm the vessel. There are too many of them and
they might try and use the girl as a hostage. All we can do for now is watch and
wait. There's an outfall, a narrow channel that allows water from the land to
drain through the seawall to the sea, which goes right up to the land a little
way back. We can take the dinghy up there and walk unseen on the other side. If
we take the binoculars we can peer over the top and keep and eye on them. If
there are any other passers by, we can pretend to be bird watching."
Leaving Hilary with Charley on the boat they put their plan into action. For
several hours there didn't seem to be any activity on the Alycion except that
one man came into the cockpit for a cigarette on several occasions. Curtains
blocked the view of the interior. All seemed calm and peaceful and they could
only guess at what might be happening below. About 6 o'clock, Bob rowed back to
the boat leaving John to keep watch. Twenty minutes later he returned with
sandwiches and a flask of tea. It all seemed very calm and idealistic. Evening
sun sparkled on the water, a gentle breeze kept the temperature to a comfortable
level, sea birds wheeled overhead and sailing boats glided gracefully by. A
complete contrast to the ordeals being undergone by the girls in the boat.
Bob and John looked at their watches for the umpteenth time. 7.45. "We'll give
them another half hour and then we'll have to think the plan out again," John
remarked, "Perhaps they are eating on board." Shortly afterwards they realised
there would be no need for a change of plan. When they saw movements and a motor
launch leave the Alycion with the five men and three women on board, none of
whom was Judith, Bob rowed quickly back to the Rose Marie. He started the engine
and operated the power winch that raised the anchor. Slowly he steered the boat
close to the Alycion and then left Charley in charge with Hilary to keep her
company. He went to a locker an took out a crowbar. "You may not need that,"
Charley whispered, "Last time they just put the keys on a hook under a bar to
the right of the door." Her hands explained more clearly than her words the
location of the keys.
"Keep the boat about this far astern on the Alycion," Bob instructed, "And try
and be as quiet as possible. We don't want to raise suspicions from any of
others who might be looking." There seemed to be no one about however. The
Countess had chosen a quiet spot to anchor. Most boats were moored nearer the
little village. He took John in the dinghy and they boarded the Alycion. Just as
Charley had said, the keys were on a hook. Quickly they went inside. The saloon
was empty. Moving forward and opening a door to a bedroom they were both taken
aback and shocked by the sight of Judith lying tied, gagged and naked on a bunk
obviously having been severely whipped. John untied her. "John!" Judith croaked,
"How did you.....?"
"Hush Jude, don't talk. We've got to get you away from those bastards." He
wrapped Judith in a blanket and kissed her cheek then carried her to the
cockpit. She put her arms around his neck and held tight.
"Come on Bob, let's get out of here." John quietly called as Bob held back in
the galley area.
"Won't be a minute," Bob called back. John couldn't understand why he was
fiddling with the stove. Minutes later he came into the cockpit and locked the
doors. Arm signals to Charley brought the Rose Marie alongside and John was able
to carry Judith without difficulty from one vessel to the other and take her
below. The sight really horrified Hilary when they unwrapped the blanket.
Repeatedly she blamed herself for letting the girl go off like that but in her
cracked voice, Judith assured her it wasn't her fault. Hilary tried to send John
away while she and Charley tended her wounds but Judith refused to let go of his
hand. Eventually she did lay down and closed her eyes.
*****
Renee Phillips enjoyed walking her dog along the seawall during these summer
evenings. It was gone 10.30 but there was still just enough light to see her way
back along the path. The air was quiet and calm. No one else was within her
range of vision. Only her golden labrador bounding and snuffling his way ahead
of her. Lovely, she thought.
Suddenly the peace of the evening was shattered by a loud explosion and a
fireball erupting from one if the boats in the creek. The blast bowled her over
and caused the dog to howl and shake with fright. Renee lay where she fell for a
few moments as she watched the boat blow itself to pieces. As wreckage fell
burning in the water, she noticed the boat alongside it was on fire too and
burning fiercely. Soon the fire reached its fuel tank and there was another
tremendous explosion followed by a fireball. Almost as soon as it started there
was little left but a few pieces of burning wood drifting along on the tide.
"My God," she said to herself, "I hope no one was aboard those boats. Pulling
out her mobile phone she dialed 999 and the lifeboat, coastguards and police
were alerted. Within half an hour they were on the scene. All were agreed that
it was most probably a gas explosion.
Derek and the others finished their drinks after what was to them a convivial
evening. The food was good and the men bought frequent rounds of drinks. Pippa
and Baba had been limited in what they could have. The men didn't want them
drunk and out of it when it came to the sport part of the evening's
entertainment. With the noise in the room, the explosion a mile away didn't make
any real impact. As they made their way a little unsteadily to the launch, they
noticed there was an unusual number of people about at that time of night and
they all seemed to be staring in one direction. The Countess and her friends
ignored it and set off to find the Alycion. To their horror a lifeboat and
police launch were at the scene and they were taken on board and questioned. The
Countess said that no one else was aboard and everyone agreed with her
statement.
However, Baba fainted when she was asked and when the policeman picked her up
she winced and slid back to the floor. The movement caused her Tee shirt to rise
up her back and reveal the extensive whip marks. Baba refused to indicate the
culprit. Pippa was asked if she was whipped and brazenly showed her breasts.
"She did it," she said, indicating the Countess. The police took them all in for
questioning.
*******
Bob ran the boat without navigation lights until they came to the main shipping
lanes where it would have been dangerous and caused attention not to. By then
they would be well away from the backwater and the chance of anyone seeing them.
John went to the wheelhouse as Bob was steering the boat to the quay. "What were
you doing in the kitchen on that boat?" he enquired.
"Galley," Bob corrected him, "Destroying evidence. We should see the result in
about five minutes even from here." And indeed they did. The noise of the
explosion came clearly across the water and they saw the light from the flames
reflected in the sky. The Alycion at least should be gone now. Maybe it will
have taken the other one too. Charley reckons they kept the blackmail material
hidden in a secret compartment on the Alycion so that will be gone as well.
Perhaps that will end of it all.
"But what caused the explosion?"
Bob tapped his nose to indicate it was a secret. Only he would know he had
turned on a gas burner without lighting it and then set the automatic oven turn
itself on at 10.35.
Charley insisted they stay the night. It was now late and she thought Judith
shouldn't be moved any more until she had recovered somewhat. In any case
Judith had no clothes, no shoes, no possessions. Nothing. The few items she had
in her rucsac had all gone with the Mongoose. They laid her on the bed in the
spare bedroom and unwrapped the blanket from around her. Hilary wanted to send
John from room while they cleaned and applied salve to the whip marks especially
as the worst were mainly positioned around her sex but Judith saw him as her
saviour and held tightly to his hand and in her cracked voice pleaded with him
to stay. John lifted he head with his left arm around her neck and fed her
orange juice as often as she could take it. Gradually she began to talk a little
better but was too exhausted to hold a conversation. Unashamedly, John watched
as Charley and Hilary bathed the girl's wounds. The sight of those fiery weals
across such a beautiful body appalled him. He would have loved to have stroked
the unmarked flesh but knew the two temporary nurses would not allow it.
When they finished and just covered her with a sheet, he tried to leave and let
her sleep but she still wouldn't let go. It was only after she had dozed off he
was able to free his hand and creep to the bathroom. He made a phone call to
Sheila to inform her what had happened before returning to Judith's bedside and
dozed in the chair alongside her.
