Jenny had not long returned from her ride when the phone rang, she was in the shower and called to Dave to answer it. It was the hospital, subject to the consultant's agreement, Drew would be discharged that afternoon. Dave relayed this new information to his wife.

“That's good,” she replied, “I'll get her to try on the two sets of skins, so she can choose which to wear.”

Dave was horrified. “This is our son we're talking about.”

“Yes I know, and yes he's nominally our son but at the moment, he's in girl mode so I'm trying to help support that part of him. As I thought we'd all agreed.” The last sentence was given just enough emphasis to make Dave feel rather small. Now he didn't know what to think, except he didn't want to fight with her, he saw too little of her as it was, so life was too short for squabbles. Besides, what if she was right?

“Yeah, I know. I was maybe trying to keep my own perspective.”

Jenny emerged from the shower, damp rather than dripping and without any clothes on. She walked up to her husband, threw her arms around him pulling him close to her kissed him deeply. He felt the wetness of her body through his shirt and with the kiss forgot all about Drew. “Let's go to the bedroom,” he gasped.

“Yes,” pouted Jenny, “let's.” She grasped his hand and they began to exit the steamy bathroom.

As they opened the door, they heard the front door slam and Maddy's voice call up, “Hi, we're home.” Dave looked at Jenny, he shook his head and then began to laugh. She saw the absurdity of the situation too and laughed as well. It was an experience they'd had to cope with so often that Dave had even nicknamed it, “Offspringus interruptus”. Sadly, it was a real passion killer.

Dave went downstairs and informed Carol and Maddy of the good news. Maddy seemed really pleased. Carol nodded her agreement and went off to the kitchen to start lunch. Ten minutes later, Jules arrived.

“I've only done omelettes and salad,” said Carol, “as Gaby will be home for dinner, I'll do something more substantial later.”

“What! Gabs is coming home?” said Jules, “Duh, like thanks for telling me.”

“Sorry kiddo,” said Dave, “I forgot.”

“S'alright, I s'pose. Anyway, she'll have to wear the red cycle skins.”

“What, you mean the Specialized ones?”

“Yeah, ‘cos John said I'd look really hot wearing the spare set.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Jenny, “ Yes, I'm sure that will be fine. I'm sure your sister will wear the Specialized ones.”

“Gabs has got two sets, maybe I should wear the other,” said Maddy.

“Hey, that might be a good idea,” said Jenny, thinking of the photo opportunities. “The cycling Bond Family.”

“Well if you think I'm wearing skins, you've got another think coming!” Exclaimed Dave, “And I suspect Carol would echo that.”

“Absolutely,” she said back.

“I think four of us will be enough,” quipped Jenny, almost absent mindedly, “otherwise it will look like the beginning of a race.” The others all laughed, while Jenny was deep in thought.

“Do you think Matt will loan us some bikes?” asked Maddy, who quite enjoyed cycling and was even beginning to race a little with Drew.

“Let's give him a ring, shall we?” said Dave and he and Maddy went off to the phone.

“What time does Gaby get home?” asked Jules.

“We're waiting for the hospital to phone, but sometime this afters,” said Jenny.

“Why don't we just go and get her, you know what hospitals are like?” said Jules, “An' if they say no, at least we can cheer her up.” Carol nearly fell over at the apparent concern of Juliette, who so far had been least affected by the events of the recent weeks.

“Yes luv,” said Jenny, still distracted by something.

“Matt's going to lend us some bikes, and the hospital said to go and get Gabs. Can I come too?” asked Maddy.

“When did the phone ring, I didn't hear it?” said Jenny.

“It didn't, I called them and that's what they said. She's apparently waiting, her belongings all wrapped up in a cloth bundle and tied to a stick.”

“What ?” said Jules, “like some vagabond?”

“Vagga Bond!” repeated Maddy, “Is this some distant relative we're talking about?”

“Very good,” added Dave.

The journey to the hospital was uneventful, Maddy went with Dave to collect the wunderkind, who was delighted to see them. On the way back Maddy and Drew prattled with hardly a break for breath, Dave leaving them to it as he coped with the traffic.

“You'll never guess what Karen's surname is,” said Drew loud enough for Dave to hear.

“What?” asked Maddy eyes widening in anticipation of something funny or rude.

“Blofeldt,” said Drew.

“And…” said Maddy.

“Well, I'm a Bond and Blofeldt is Bond's sworn enemy.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Maddy, “Sworn enemies, you haven't got any enemies, except that escaped looney bloke. His name is Meadows, not Blofeldt.”

“James Bond, his enemy. You know in the films.” Insisted Drew.

“Is that all?” said Maddy almost yawning.

“I hate to correct you, but that isn't Karen's name,” said Dave, interrupting the two teens.

“Sure it is, she told me it was.” Drew looked confused and even a little hurt.

“I think you'll find she was pulling your leg, young lady. I saw her badge when she came to say hello. Her name is Taylor, or something like that.”

“Are you sure, ‘cos she definitely said Blofeldt to me.” Drew was beginning to sense he'd lost this one and was feeling a bit vulnerable.

“What did you say to her?” asked Dave, so Drew related the experience with the porter and what Karen had said. “I think that was definitely a leg pull, young lady.” Maddy agreed by nodding her head and Drew slumped back in his seat, muttering something about, “s'not fair.”

When they got back to the cottage, Jules was parading about in the Apollinaris kit, Drew nearly fell over in shock. “Do you like?” said Jules, waggling her bottom suggestively at her brother.

“You have the perfect bum for cycling,” retorted Drew.

“I thought it looked pretty neat,” purred Jules.

“Yeah, perfect. You could shelter half the peloton behind that,” quipped Drew giving his sister a slap on her protruding behind.

“Ouch, you pig!” squealed Jules and chased Drew up the stairs.

As the teens began a riot there was a ring at the door, which Dave, still sniggering answered. His face dropped when he saw two uniformed police stood the other side of the threshold.

“Mr Bond?” asked the senior of the two uniforms.

“Yes.”

“I'm Inspector Dimmock and this is Constable Martin. May we come in?” Before Dave could say anything, the senior officer stepped into the house. “We were passing, and came to see if we could have a quick word with Miss Bond.”

“Which one?” asked Dave.

“Gaby,” offered Ben, “We'd like to speak with Gaby, if that's okay with you?”

“Quite so,” said the older man.

“She has just this minute got back from hospital, I'll go and speak to her.” Dave looked skywards, towards the noise emanating from upstairs, which was mainly shrieks and giggles.

“She sounds in rude health,” commented the inspector.

“Appearances can be deceptive,” Dave retorted as he went up the stairs. He emerged two minutes later with Drew, who was looking very flushed after the impromptu pillow fight, and was coughing every now and again.

Almost simultaneously, Jenny arrived from the garage where she had been to collect the water bottle from Drew's bike. “Who are you?” she addressed to the inspector.

“I'm Inspector Dimmock, I take it you are Mrs Bond?”

“I am. I suppose you've come to see Gaby?” She fired back at the copper, who nodded an affirmative. “I thought we'd agreed you would phone first. She has only just come out of hospital. I'm not at all sure this is a good idea. Have you caught that maniac yet?”

Jenny seemed to know how to push Dimmock's buttons, and his face reddened as he fought back his indignation. He needed her cooperation and that of her daughter, if he was to catch Meadows, and catch Meadows he was going to do, or die in the attempt. He swallowed hard. “Yes, I'm sorry about that. PC Martin, I take it you didn't inform Mrs Bond we were coming.”

Ben looked as if he'd just stepped on a garden rake, prongs up. Then his face portrayed the sensation of sitting in something cold and wet. He blushed and looked guilty. “Uh, no sir, I must have misheard you. Sorry Mrs Bond, looks like it's my fault.”

Jenny liked Ben and knew full well that Dimmock was lying and blaming his junior. She looked at Dave, and winked. “Didn't you say someone phoned darling?”

Dave picking up on her hidden message replied, “Someone rang but I didn't get there in time, I tried ringback, but it was unregistered. That must have been you Ben.”

Ben looked up as if he'd been shot, “I suppose it must have been,” he said eyes twinkling.

“Good,” said Dimmock, “now which one of these lovely maidens is Gaby?” He looked at Jules in her cycling skins. “You?” he asked.

“No, I'm Juliette, Gaby's elder sister.” The tone implied disdain, which was not lost on the inspector, but he kept his cool, this could help with his big break. He then spoke to Maddy. “Are you Gaby?”

Drew, fed up with the plodding of the plod, stepped forward and announced, “I'm Gaby Bond, who are you?”

The confidence with which this was said momentarily dumbfounded the policeman. “Why, I'm Inspector Dimmock, Miss Bond; pleased to meet you at long last. I hope you're going to help me catch Meadows.”

“Why?” asked Drew, “I caught him for you before and you let him escape.”

“Quite so, unfortunately I wasn't on duty when that happened or we might have caught him more quickly,” smarmed the policeman.

“Haven't you been on duty since then?” asked Drew.

“Of course, I have…..” stuttered Dimmock.

“So why haven't you caught him?”

“It's not that easy Miss Bo…..”

“Yes it is, a child can do it. How can I help?” Drew said this with an innocence that belied what he'd said an instant before. It was said with such clarity, that Jenny had a job to keep her face straight and Dave avoided looking at Ben or his wife in case one of them smirked or sniggered. The tension could be cut with a knife.

Feeling his collar as if he was very hot, Inspector Dimmock spoke haltingly. “I'd like you to help me catch Meadows at the hospital fete.”

“Okay,” said Drew, almost dismissively.

“Hang about,” interrupted Dave, “ You're asking my child to put herself at risk with a known killer. I don't think so.”

“Absolutely!” echoed Jenny.

“I'll be alright daddy,” quipped Drew.

“Actually you will, I can give a categorical assurance that Miss Bond, and the rest of your family will be quite safe. I will have enough officers on duty to intercept and neutralise any threat he might pose.”

“So how come he killed some kid in the village and nearly got Harry Palmer?” asked Jenny, “Don't tell me, you weren't on duty that day.”

“I was, dealing with a crisis elsewhere. We still don't know it was Meadows who killed the unfortunate motorcyclist.”

“He was seen moments before,” insisted Jenny.

“We can't be sure it was him. Someone approximating his description was seen leaving the scene. We aren't certain who it was.”

“Well I'm bloody certain he's tried to kill my daughter twice and badly beaten the friend of my other daughter. If anything happens to any of my family Inspector Dimmock, I shall hold you personally responsible and I shall use all the friends I have in the media and elsewhere to make sure you regret it.”

“There is no need to be unpleasant Mrs Bond, everything will be under control.”

“I wish I could believe you, but the evidence does not support your argument. This is the safety of my family we are discussing, not the weather.”

“I understand perfectly. I have asked your daughter for her cooperation and she has assented to it. I shall organise my officers based upon the plans for the opening of the fete and its programme thereafter. I shall ask PC Martin to liaise with you. I hope that is satisfactory.”

“Not really, but it's the best offer we're going to get. So Dave and I reluctantly give our agreement, but my promise of earlier stands.”

“Your threat you mean,” said the copper.

“If you wish to see it that way.”

“I'm a professional Mrs Bond, I don't bend to threats or bribery. I have a job to do and I shall do despite any opposition, and that job is to uphold the law. Good day Mrs Bond, Mr Bond, young ladies. Come Martin.”

The police left and as soon as they had exited the house and their car was heard to start, everyone within the house began to laugh. “What a pompous prig,” Dave said when he could catch his breath, “Still, you two gave him what for,” he indicated Jenny and Drew.

“Is his name really Inspector Dimwit?” asked Drew, pretending he'd misheard it. This brought further rounds of laughter, until he had a coughing fit and Maddy had to rush off for a glass of water.

He looked at Jules, “I can't get over you in skins,” he said smiling.

“Well you wear them,” she pouted back.

“Yeah, but I do occasionally ride a bike. When was the last time you rode one?”

“About an hour ago. I rode yours until I fell off, mum said the wheel could be straightened again.” Jules looked just a trifle guilty.

“You what? You bent one of my Campag wheels, do you know what they are worth?” Suddenly Drew was feeling sick, “What d'you let her near my bike for?”

“That's not very grammatical young lady, it should be, “For what, did she go near my bike?” quipped Jenny.

“I don't believe this, she's just buggered my bike and you're more worried about the way I talk? This is bloody silly.” Drew was now extremely angry.

“Gaby, you will not talk to your mother like that. Apologise this instant!” Dave spoke sternly to his son. He tapped his fingers for a few moments, “Well, I'm still waiting.”

Drew felt the eyes of the whole family boring into him. He also felt very hot and bothered, he wanted to cough but his throat felt dry, then his head began to swim and the room began to spin, he felt himself falling into a blackness. Dave caught him as he fell. Suddenly, all that had been said vanished into irrelevance as the immediate crisis was sorted.

“Did you do much damage to her bike?” he asked Jules.

“I haven't touched her stupid bike,” said Jules now in tears, “it was just a stupid joke. I haven't touched her bike.” Jules looked at her mother who put an arm around her.

Dave laid Gaby on the sofa in the lounge, “Someone had better get a bucket just in case,” he called, and Maddy ran off to the kitchen.

“She alright, do you want me to ring the doctor?” asked Carol, looking quite concerned.

Dave remembering his first aid training, checked Drew over. “I think she just got a bit too hot.” As he spoke Drew began to come around. He looked very pale and was shaking slightly. He sat up and was promptly sick into the bucket which Maddy had shoved in front of him.

“Phew!” said Drew shakily, “Where am I?” he looked around the room trying to get his bearings. “I wasn't in here before was I?”

“No son, I mean Gaby, you did your keeling over trick so I brought you in here.”

“Thanks dad. I felt really strange, I just got so hot and then the room began to spin and…..”

“It's okay kiddo,” added Jenny, who looked a little pale herself as she cuddled Jules.

“I'm sorry Gabs……” sobbed Jules.

“What for?” asked Drew.

“I was joking about your bike,” continued the sobbing, senior sibling.

“I don't care, I can't remember anyway,” said Drew, who then threw up into the bucket once again. At this point Jenny, became even more pale and began to stagger falling into Dave's arms as she too, collapsed.

He laid her on the floor, and as soon as he did she roused herself. “Sorry about that,” she said, “I don't know what all that was about?”

“Try stress,” said Dave, “Come on Sweetheart, come and sit in the chair. Carol can you do some tea please. I know I could use one and I'm sure our patients could too.”

“On my way,” called the retreating figure as she headed towards the kitchen.

“You alright mum?” asked a concerned Jules, who was sobbing even more heavily.

“Course I am, I only did it to get some attention,” she joked, but nobody was laughing. “I fainted, that's all, been standing too long.”

“You sure you're okay?” said Drew, rising from the couch and going to his mother.

“Course.” All the same he and Jules cuddled into her as she sat on the chair.

“I couldn't bear it if you were ill mum,” said Drew.

“Me neither,” sniffed Jules.

“I'm okay, honest,” said Jenny speaking to the two children glued to her. “If I can just get up now.” The children stepped back and Dave helped her to her feet, “I need to go to the bathroom, that's all. I'll be back in a mo.” Despite her protests, Dave escorted her up the stairs and waited for her outside the bathroom.

“You okay now?” asked Jules of her brother.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Too much excitement, I guess.”

“You have been ill,” added Carol as she brought in the tray of tea things.

“Yeah, I know,” said Drew, “But I keep forgettin'.”

“Nothin' new there then,” said Maddy as she handed out the teas.

“So why you wearing skins?” asked Drew of Jules.

“It was mum's idea and John seemed to like it,” answered Jules.

“Why?” asked Drew.

“I'm gonna wear them to the fete thingy.”

“Like, what for, you don't even ride?”

“Mum's got this idea of us all wearing skins to the fete, sort of the, ‘Cycling Bond Family', Maddy's gonna wear your spare set, aren't you Mad?”

“Yeah, if that's okay with Gabs.” Maddy was stood by the door, half engaged in the conversation with Jules and Drew, and half listening for sounds from upstairs by the elder Bonds.

“Course,” said Drew. He looked at Jules, “Sorry I was rude to you earlier, you actually look pretty good.”

“ ‘kay, sorry I wound you up. It was a joke, that's all.”

“Yeah, I know, the punch line was a knock out!”

A few miles away, someone who much wanted to meet Drew again was enacting his plans. His disguise was impenetrable, a Mr Blobby suit, it was going to be hot but he could secrete a sawn-off shotgun and a handful of cartridges without much difficulty. It was his escape plan which was causing him the most work, but he was confident.

Angharad ap Gwilym 24.09.06 © 2006
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