Summer Lawns Ch. 14 - The Secret

They all met up in the hotel, as this was a very public place, and well removed from seedy scandal. Everyone would feel at home here, and the women could feel safe, knowing they were on natural territory.

Things were going well as Terry escorted them into the Presidential Suite, they had hired for the day, and Charles even began to think that maybe the scam was going to take place on paper.

Margaret and Betty had engaged the services of a diamond expert, who set about examining the stones with his eyeglass, and everything looked normal. In the space of an hour, the broker said he thought the stones were genuine enough and the ladies could relax. This they believed. So much so, they took up Sandra's offer of dragging Charles into the master bedroom. They pushed him on the bed and began to take off their dresses, and soon everyone was down to their underwear.

Outside the bedroom door, the study of the diamonds went on and Sandra left the men to look at the stones, as she slipped off her dress at the door and joined. Then it happened

"If anyone wants to be a hero I can shoot them now!" Two men clad in balaclavas burst in wheelding sawn-off shotguns.

"Christ, what do you want?" Terry looked genuinely surprised and shocked as the gunmen faced them.

"The money!" One man jabbed the gun towards the large bags containing the cash. "It's Cheesman's we know that. He won't miss it."

"We can't give you our money! What will our husbands say when we tell them we have lost it?" Betty rushed from the bedroom in only her knickers and bra to pick up the bag, more frightened of the consequences than the gunman.

"Don't be a fool, he's serious!" Sandra went to stop the woman when the gunman fired.

The shot hit Sandra straight in the chest, throwing her backwards in a stream of blood. After that chaos reigned. The women screamed and the gunmen shouted, as one of them panicked and snatched up the bag. They were heavy, for even in higher £50 notes, a million is a lot.

The man struggled with the bag and was gone. The other gunman snatched up the diamonds from the frozen broker; his eyeglass falling on the carpet and rushed out too.

Left alone in the dining room, the others faced up to what they had seen.

"For God's sake get a doctor! Is she still alive?" Terry was on the verge of panicking as he looked at the pool of blood flowing from his wife.

"The police will be here soon, people must have heard the shot." Charles had rushed over to Sandra as soon as she fell and held her in his arms now, the blood running across his skin.

Sure enough, the hotel security staff rushed in to find the scene of devastation.

"They are halfway across London by now. Just get the ambulance!" Terry was trying to think what to do next as the truth of the mess dawned on him.

"What the hell are we going to do? Your money, and our diamonds all gone! How the hell are we going to explain that?" Margaret was becoming hysterical as she collapsed on the floor. Betty just stood and cried, not even being able to put her clothes back on.

"Never mind that, Sandra is dying!" Charles held the woman close and looked at her face becoming pale with the loss of blood.

Finally, the ambulance came and Charles sat with her as the paramedics bustled her inside. When the doors were closed and the ambulance spread off across London, Charles found out the truth.

"Christ Charlie are they genuine tears?" Sandra sat up and threw back the blanket that had been covering her terrible wound. "I never knew you really cared."

"What the hell's going on?" Charles could not believe what he was witnessing now.

"Fake! We own a special effects company at Ealing. They provided the blood and the gun, although I think the blank cartridges actually burnt my hand." Sandra lit a cigarette and lay back on the stretcher bed.

"So this is all a setup? the gunmen; the ambulance, everything?" Charles was beginning to feel a fool for showing so much emotion.

"You played your part beautifully. So did everyone, although I never told Terry the plan, I knew he'd leak it. Always cracks under pressure. I thought Margaret and Betty were convinced by it all. The plasma pad was put in my bra here. Exploded as soon as he pulled the trigger."

"So what now? You have stolen their money, and ruined them in the face of their husbands, so what more do you want?"

"I want them to do something for me. I want them to give me a name." Sandra was very calm as she reflected on her success so far.

"Chesterton? You want them to find out who Chesterton really is?"

"Yes. One of them knows who he really is."

"Then what? Are you going after him too?"

"Of course. But not before I have something on him. Charlie, you weren't there when the Roundheads sacked that village. He can't be allowed to get away with it."

Charles knew she was right, even though he thought there would be trouble ahead. The real problem for him now, was the question did he really want to be part of all this? Things were getting out of control with all this talk about time travel, and the future looked even crazier.

When they returned to the manor House, Sandra received reports over the phone on how her plan was working. It was complete chaos in the hotel. Of course, all the people involved had been actors, and they had fooled everyone, but this was the most dangerous time. For if the two women found out they had been swindled, everything could come apart.

"What about the money and the diamonds? Who has them now?" Charles wondered how Sandra could be so casual over so much money.

"The robbers, or should I say, the two villagers who helped us out." Sandra smiled one of her wicked smiles, which said the plot was a lot thicker than anyone could possibly guess. "You know them; Bob Tailor and Stan Wigmore."

"What! You are mixed up with those two criminals?" Charles could not believe what she was telling him now.

"They played their parts well. It turns out our family have used their descendants many times in the past. They make perfect criminals."

"They are very dangerous! Sandra, there will be a price to pay, getting mixed up with them."

"I can handle them, and don't tell me how to conduct my business! You are as bad as Terry!" Sandra stormed out of the room, slamming the door loudly behind her.

Suddenly Charles realised one terrible truth, that he had finally got his wish. For here he stood, having his augments with the woman after all. Things had come full circle.

When they had both calmed down, they met in the garden to talk things over.

"Terry won't be back," said Sandra sitting on the garden seat beside Charles.

"I thought not. Why? What did you two fall out about?"

"Gremalgin, what else. I knew that little bitch would steal every man I ever came across. Well, at least you are still here. Now we have to decide what we are going to do about the next stage in the plan."

"How do you intend to get back at Cheesman now? You have ruined his poor wife, and she was so good to me during sex."

"I need to meet Mr Cheesman in person, will you come with me?"

"Of course, you know I'll do anything for you." Charles was worried he might have to put that to the real test.