Doctor Who_ Return of the Living Dad - Kate Orman [47]
‘It won’t matter after tonight,’ Benny said. ‘After we get you home.’
He lowered his head, the fine white hair obscuring his eyes. ‘There’s not a Ia Jareshth anymore,’ he said.
‘You don’t know that,’ said Benny.
‘Your father is brave,’ he said again. ‘He came to the National Hurricane Center.’ The words had a strange flavour, like a memorized phrase. la Jareshth and I were looking at one of the computers at the National Hurricane Center. The police caught us, and kept us in a room until Colonel Kramer could arrive.’
The Lacaillan blinked slowly, remembering. ‘But Mister Beven communicated with your father. He pretended there was an emergency, and helped us run away. Then your father came for us. We were hiding in another room. Admiral Summerfield and Mister Beven helped us run away to a car.
Then your father drove us to an aeroplane while the soldiers were shooting at us.’ He folded his hands back into his lap. ‘I wish I could use your language more precisely.’
Benny said hoarsely, ‘That’s all right. Sometimes telling a story simply makes it more effective.’
Myn Jareshth said, ‘You are also half of a pair.’
Benny bit her lip. ‘Yes. I am.’
‘Then we are having a similar experience,’ concluded the Lacaillan.
‘You mean, you know how I feel?’ Benny plonked back down in the overstuffed chair. ‘Jason does this from time to time. He’s usually so... clingy. But sometimes we just need to get a bit of air between us.’ She cupped her chin in her hands. ‘At least, I hope that’s what he’s doing. What if the people who took Chris have got him? Oh shit, I’m crying.’
Myn Jareshth raised his hands, wanting to do something, not sure of the etiquette.
‘I’m okay,’ said Benny. ‘I’m all right. You’re right, Myn Jareshth, we are having the same experience.’
He watched her, quietly. ‘You are very brave,’ he said again.
Graeme poked his tip around the corner. Woodworth was browsing the shelves. She had left her rucksack leaning up against the counter.
The spatula hopped across the floor, heading for the bag. Woodworth turned around, pushing the book she’d been looking at back onto the shelf. Graeme threw himself flat on the floor, and started inching across the wood like a worm.
He wasn’t going to make it. Woodworth was reaching for the bag. She’d even see him when she picked it up.
‘On your way?’ said Isaac’s voice.
Graeme hunched up and peeked around the bag.
Woodworth had straightened up. ‘I’ve got to get back to Newbury. There’s someone I have to meet.’
‘Let me give you one of our catalogues,’ said Isaac, rummaging in the fliers on the counter.
Graeme sprang up and dived into the rucksack.
Moments later, Woodworth shoved the photocopied catalogue into the bag beside him and zipped it closed.
Roz was holding the Doctor’s ghost-detector in her lap.
‘Exactly how is this thing going to help us find Chris?’ she said.
‘It seems a little unlikely,’ said the Doctor, ‘that the kidnappings and the ghost don’t have something to do with one another.’
‘Fair enough,’ said Roz. She poked at one of the wires hanging out of the lash-up. ‘What’s its range?’
‘About four miles, reliably,’ said the Doctor. ‘Anything further than that is luck.’
Fifty miles away
They didn’t ask him any questions.
Three soldiers — two men and a woman — literally dragged him out of the jeep and into the building. He got glimpses of a high metal fence, more soldiers crunching along a gravel drive, cars parked beside the cold brick house.
It was hard to make out the details of where he was when the woman insisted on keeping him in a headlock.
‘I can walk, you know,’ he said.
They slammed open a door and dropped him headfirst on the floor with a crunch.
He lay very still on the floor, the bone and concrete sound echoing through his whole body. He didn’t want to move, because