Chapter 41
The Past 4 years ago
Tim drove inconspicuously along the quiet road; he wanted to get Clare to safety up in the remote area of Banff within a couple of hours. He had no intention to stop. He drove mindful to keep one eye ahead and one on the rear-view mirror.
He saw a black car behind the red Ford Focus, trying to see it more clearly Tim slowed down. Clare did not dare speak. She closed her eyes and preyed she would soon be somewhere safe. Knowing Jonathan, he was not going to be far away.
Clare knew he had seen her and she also knew he would have stuck around. He was not going to have driven all those hours fuelled with obsession and rage to just turn back at the drop of a hat. She just hoped that Tim was keeping a watchful eye out.
Tim could not make it out too clearly, the red Focus was going over the line on a regular basis, bloody idiot is either drink driving or texting. He needed to see if it was the BMW. “We’re going to have to pull over shortly Clare.” He told her.
She held her breath. “I think he’s tailed us. I can’t be sure, there are two cars behind us and the black one, but I’m guessing it’ll be him.”
“How did you miss him earlier?” She asked then bit her lip; this man was putting himself in a situation he did not need to be in for her, a complete and utter stranger. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” She offered lamely. Tim reassured her. “It’s ok. You have every reason to be jumpy from everything you’ve told Arthur and I.”
“He’s good this Jonathan of yours. I’ll have to give him that. Let’s pull over shortly there is a B&B up the road not too far away. We’ll go there, check in, and reassess. He’s hardly likely to cause a scene.”
“You don’t know Jonathan Tim. Please don’t let us stop there. You’re going to have to turn around. Take me back closer to Carlisle. I have a good friend. I can call her and she can help me. She’ll know someone that can help me. I’m sure of it!”
“Wherever I try to take you, from the look of it Clare, he’s not going to let go. I could drive you all around Scotland if you like, but he’s still going to be on our tail. I thought and hoped he’d not have seen us, but he has and he’s obviously had a better vantage point than we thought.” Tim continued to drive; she was right it was best not to stop. A man as unhinged as Jonathan wouldn’t really care what scene he created and Tim knew that Jonathan would probably come up with some wild fabrication and end up with Clare in his car. It made him shudder.
“Let me call Lauren, she’ll know what to do.” She managed to get her mobile out of her pocket from the cramped position she was in. “This Lauren friend of yours, she’s definitely a good friend, is she? I mean she wouldn’t come up snooping around or anything would she?” Tim asked, not entirely sure that this poor woman Clare had any real friends in the world, the only person he believed she could wholly trust was Leon.
“I don’t know what you mean.” She replied guardedly. He paused before continuing. “The woman in the bar, she was from down south, spoke a bit like you and I’d place her for around London area.” He stopped ensuring that Clare was digesting the information. Satisfied he continued.
“Only it struck me very bizarre, that all of a sudden, a sleepy little village like ours came to have three total strangers arrive within twenty-fours of each other.”
“I don’t know why Lauren would come up; she’d have no reason to. She’s from London, you’d be right there but I honestly don’t believe she’d come up to Glenveal. We have a plan and there’d be no reason for her to be there.”
“All I’m saying Clare, is be careful who you trust. She told me she was up here to keep an eye on things!” He could see the car better now; the red Ford Focus has turned off the road. It was Jonathan’s black BMW.
“We need to come up with something, he’s behind us and he isn’t slowing down.” All further conversation about Lauren was left unspoken as the deafening noise from behind alarmed them both.
Despite the seatbelt around her waist, she could feel herself being pushed forward and hitting her head on the back of the front seat. The belt tightened around her waist. “Tim, Tim.” She shouted out. “What’s going on?”
“Hold on Clare, hold on. I’ll get you out of this. Just sit tight, it’s going to get messy.” He put his foot on the accelerator, the road ahead was empty. His Range, he knew was not far of coming short on speed against Jonathan’s BMW. The hit from behind had taken him by surprise. Clare said nothing in return; her fate was now in the hands of Tim. How far, she questioned herself was he prepared to go, to ensure she was safe.
How far was Jonathan prepared to go, to get his hands on her? Clare already knew the answer to the latter, all the way without stopping.
She unclasped the seatbelt and released herself from the relatively small safety it had offered.