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By Root 499 0

hands folded in her lap. ‘He took me into the cab of his truck and it was over fairly quickly. Then he drove off with the calves. The people in the café called an ambulance for Leonard. While we were waiting I went into the bathroom and locked myself in. I took off all my clothes and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked at my body and I knew it didn’t belong to me any more. It belonged to the man driving that truck full of frightened animals. He’d left his mark on me. He changed the way I saw myself.’ She looked at Jack. ‘That’s why I got my tattoos. That’s the real reason. So I wouldn’t have to see the same body I saw in that mirror that day. I took my body back. I made it mine again. By covering it with beautiful pictures.’

‘Don’t torment yourself, dear,’ said Mrs Woodcott. ‘There’s no need for that. Besides, there is someone who wants to see you.’

Shell saw that a man was approaching the booth. The pub seemed to have become suddenly darker because she had trouble seeing him properly.

‘Shell, this is the Doctor.’ Shell’s puzzled expression prompted Mrs Woodcott to explain. ‘The man who lives in the house on Allen Road. The one you’ve been so eager to meet, dear.’

Shell turned and stared at the man. He looked just the way she’d imagined him.

Mrs Woodcott lifted the beer‐mat with the map sketched on it. ‘I’ve got what I came for, dear. But before I go, the Doctor wants a word with you.’

‘Can I really speak to him?’

‘Of course you can dear. He won’t bite. And I’ll have some more of this blackberry vodka. You have a very vivid imagination and it’s absolutely delicious.’

Shell looked shyly at the Doctor. ‘After all this time waiting to meet you, I can’t think what to say.’

‘You don’t have to say anything. I’m the one who must speak.’ He nodded at Mrs Woodcott, who was stowing the beer‐mat in the sleeve of her nun’s garment. ‘We’ve now discovered your location.’

‘Why did you want to know my location?’

‘I’m sorry,’ said the Doctor. ‘Help is coming. But it will arrive too late for you.’ There was great pain in his eyes.

‘Help? What do you mean?’

But the Doctor had turned and walked away from the table. Jack moved closer and put his arm around her. He kissed her gently on the forehead. ‘You are beautiful,’ he said.

‘I love you,’ said Shell.

‘And I love you. And I’ll look after you.’ He pressed her face to his chest and she moaned. He stroked her hair. ‘Don’t worry, Shell. We’ll get out of this,’ he said. ‘We’ll get out of here –’ He broke off.

‘What?’ said Shell. Jack was looking at her strangely. She began to feel frightened.

‘Tell her the truth, Jack,’ said Mrs Woodcott.

‘What does she mean?’

‘I can’t help you any more,’ said Jack. ‘I’m afraid the pain has to start again now.’

Shell shook her head in bewilderment. She was about to say that she didn’t understand when the pain hit her like a tidal wave.

* * *

The white cat screamed and Pam sighed with frustration.

‘Electric shock avoidance tests are used to show mental impairment,’ she said. ‘A monkey can be taught to stop the shocks by throwing a switch. This is useful to manufacturers of pharmaceuticals who are intrigued by questions about a monkey’s ability to throw a switch.’

The white cat twitched as the electricity hit it again.

‘The dose of drug that impairs this ability and leaves the monkey being repeatedly shocked is then scored,’ said Pam. ‘Of course, this version of the experiment departs from normal procedure in several ways. Cats aren’t often used in this test because they normally lack the dexterity to operate a switch.’ Pam watched as the cat squirmed with each subsequent electric shock. ‘But then, cats don’t usually show the dexterity to open their own cages.’

Pam decided she’d give this test another five minutes.

And then she’d increase the voltage.

* * *

Chapter 32

The red‐haired waitress watched with approval as the young couple sat down at their table. She was so pleased to see them again that she’d gone to fetch a bottle of champagne on the house.

She’d been dying to know what happened to the couple. She’d been