Mission Impossible

When I came down, she says, "I don't know whether I should hug you or kill you."

I think my reply surprises her. "You can tell me in the car."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll know when we get there, come on, we have to go."

"Puzzled she follows me out and we get in, I start heading towards that cafe where the bastard took her. As we near his house she is getting increasingly nervous and when I pull up covering his driveway she starts talking. "Mac, I'm sorry, I didn't..."

"STOP!" I shout, silencing her. "You said you didn't know whether you wanted to hug me or kill me, now is the time to decide. I pass her a cheap pay as you go phone that I had bought with cash from Dicks credit card, "His number is programmed into it, it is time to choose. There is no other way, you can't have both, if you choose him, go. If you choose me, call him and tell him that you will never see him again. If you do that, we will never speak of him again, agreed?"

It takes her a little while longer than I would have liked, but she nods her agreement as she makes the call.

The explosion is spectacular, I now wish I had let her drive because I can't see the expression on her face. I take the phone from her hand and turn the car around, a mile or so down the road I throw the phone out of the car window, minus battery.

"Dunno about you, but I think a couple of jars down the Nags, followed by a curry, what do you think?" I don't know whether I expect her to answer or not.

She hasn't answered when I park in the market place and getting out, I head to the Nags, not even looking to see whether she is following. I do know if she doesn't come into the pub with me, I might have to answer a few questions, but really, How can it be my fault that he has a gas leak and coincidently his phone causes a spark? Hopefully, if she goes to the cops I can sink a couple of pints before they come to get me.

I manage three by the time she walks in the door, we sit in silence while she downs a few vodkas, then we go to Jamal's for dinner.

The following day on the local radio there is a short report of a man killed in an explosion at his house and terrorism was not suspected, the following day it is revealed the man had donated almost all of his assets to the NHS and an investigation is ongoing.

An inquest a few months later returns a verdict of suicide.

Elaine, well she is still with me, but she is not sure whether if she had chosen to go to him, I would have made that call. To be honest, neither am I.