Doctor Who_ Warlock - Andrew Cartmel [139]
The King drove through the gate in his rather nondescript new Porsche. As the guard later told his court martial, he hadn’t actually seen the King’s face when he let the vehicle in. He just remembered the confident and slightly impatient figure of the driver, who waved to him as he drove into the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
The guard hadn’t bothered to look at the driver. He’d been certain it was the King. Instead the guard had been staring at the beautiful girl in the car with him. The King quite often came back with a different girl. And one didn’t ask questions about that sort of thing.
So the guard just smiled and watched the car drive towards the palace.
* * *
Justine had to stifle a giggle as Creed carried her down the dimly lit palace corridor.
‘What if they find us?’
‘They won’t.’
Creed kicked open a door at random and carried Justine through into one of the many palace bedrooms. She had her arms around his neck. Her body felt as if it was being softly absorbed when he hugged her. He was the man who had saved her life. Justine began to undress. He was the man who’d saved her baby.
Justine discarded her bra into the darkness and Creed picked her up and threw her onto the big four‐poster bed. And Justine lay down with him there on the cold and faintly musty royal sheets.
* * *
Chapter 33
The phone rang when Maxine was running her bath. It was an antique wall‐mounted phone and she had to come running naked along the corridor of the farmhouse to answer it.
It was Sean from the barn. ‘I’m sitting here in this storage area with these three dummies. It’s getting kind of lonely.’
‘Hang on a minute,’ said Maxine. She went down the corridor to the bathroom and returned, picking up the phone, a towel wrapped around herself. ‘Sorry? What did you say? I had the taps running.’
‘I said it’s kind of creepy sitting here guarding these three.’
‘You’re not guarding them. You’re watching them for life signs.’
‘Like what?’
‘Like if one of them sits up and starts about property being theft or quoting Spinoza.’
‘Well none of them have done that.’
‘Good.’
‘I feel stupid for calling you.’
‘Listen, I don’t blame you. It’s very isolated out there in that barn.’
‘Yeah, and lonely. Why don’t you come and join me?’
‘No thanks. I’ve just finished my shifts down there. I’m not coming straight back.’ She listened to Sean’s disappointed silence on the other end. ‘But I do know what you mean,’ she said. ‘It is creepy. The way they just sit there, staring blankly. Not moving.’
‘That’s where you’re wrong. I think I just saw one of them move.’
‘Come on, Sean. You’re imagining things. Let me go have my bath. You’re just –’
‘What’s wrong? Is something wrong?’
There was silence in the tiled corridor for a moment.
‘No. Just the taps dripping in my bathtub. It’s your fault. You’ve got me going now.’
‘I’m sorry, but I really thought I saw her move.’
‘Which one?’
‘The girl with the tattoos.’
‘Well, let me have my bath and a cup of tea and then I’ll come down and take a look at her.’
‘Thanks,’ said Sean, relief evident in his voice. ‘It’s just getting on my nerves. She’s the only one who moved.’
‘Sean, you only think she moved.’
‘Okay, but even the other ones seem…’
‘What?’
‘Restless.’
‘Look, I’ll be down there as soon as I can.’
‘Maxine, I’m sure there’s something going on.’
‘As soon as I can,’ said Maxine.
‘Wait. Don’t go.’
‘Sean, ring me if there’s any further developments. I’ll be with you as soon as I can. I’m hanging up now, right?’ She put the phone down and strode, heading back towards the bathroom.
As she walked along the corridor she heard an eerie high‐pitched sound outside. Just the wind, she decided.
Maxine sighed as she approached the bathroom. No way she could have a nice relaxing soak now. A quick in‐and‐out of the tub and then she’d have to hurry down to the barn and calm Sean’s neurotic fears.
Behind her, back down the corridor,