The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1174 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

Simon and I made up after his tasteless joke and my dangerous one–I hate guns, so it made little sense to me either, but at the time it seemed like a good idea–a bit like riding my bike the day of the thunderstorm. If I’d seen what was coming, I’m not sure I’d have known what to do. Anyway, it’s all spilt milk under the bridge over which I leapt without a look and landed in the fire, which has burned pretty well ever since.

Trish came down and gave me a huge hug and a kiss, so that made me feel better, and when Livvie, Mima and Billie did the same I felt much better. I called Stephanie who was dashing out to have her hair done. I asked her to come and see Julie very soon.

“But I see her every week, already. What’s happened that’s so urgent–she’s been coming on fine?”

“Have you heard about the human guy left on the bonfire?”

“Oh, she wasn’t there to see that, was she?” Stephanie sighed in the background.

“No, she didn’t see it.”

“Thank goodness for that.”

“It was her.”

“What was?”

“She was the guy on the bonfire.”

“Oh my God,” she said slowly. “Where is she now?”

“Still at the QA.”

“I’d have thought it would be Odstock Hospital for burns.”

“It wasn’t burns, I managed to pull her off before then.”

“You pulled her off?”

“Yes, with Simon’s help.”

“Are you alright?”

“As ever I’m going to be.”

“Are you sure–why not see Ann Thomas, you’ve probably undergone as much trauma as anyone else.”

“I’m okay.” I protested.

“Fine, let’s keep it that way, go and see Ann or I’ll have you sectioned under the mental health act.”

“Oh all right, you bloody trick cyclists are a pain.”

“I’ve got to dash, I’ll pop in and see Julie this afternoon.”

“Is that okay?” I felt embarrassed.

“No, I was getting my hair done for a date this afternoon, he’ll just have to wait an hour won’t he?”

“Lucky you,” I sighed unthinkingly.

“See, you do need to see Ann.”

“Okay, I’ll make an appointment.” I put the phone down.

“When can we see Julie?” asked Trish after she’d helped to clear the table.

“I’m not sure, sweetheart. She could be home in a day or two but as we don’t know who attacked her, I’m very reluctant to let any of you go anywhere.”

“If I can work that out, can we go and see her?”

“How can you do that?” I was astonished.

“Elementary, my dear Watts.” She disappeared in a mass of giggles.

I left her to it, she was doing something on her computer–her computer skills were coming on in leaps and bounds, Livvie who’s pretty bright as well, doesn’t always understand what Trish is doing–this kid is like, six years old–and I have no idea.

I found out later she was trying to hack the police computer, via an address in the Ukraine to disguise her identity. When I was six, I’d never heard of Ukraine, let alone trying to pretend I was there.

The firewall was too complex for her but she managed to get into the road surveillance system, including the recordings over the past few days. She called me two hours later–there was a picture of a youth or man riding the pink scooter. The size made it obvious the rider was male, although the helmet was Julie’s.

If he didn’t abduct her, he was certainly involved. She stored the images and printed off some copies. I’d be back to the college on Monday and showing the photo to all and sundry. He was big, so we could eliminate all the smaller men from the rider, although they could also still be involved.

Nothing was clear cut about this case. At mid morning, I had a call from the hospital, the police were waiting to interview Julie and she wanted me present. I wondered if Simon would be better to go, but she insisted on me. I spoke briefly with him, and he agreed to supervise the kids while I went to the hospital.

Leon had arrived and wondered where Julie was, I think it was Danny who told him what had happened and Leon became very angry. Julie wasn’t quite his girlfriend, but as close to him as any girl had ever got and he was quite distressed. Stella had to work hard to calm him down. He was spouting vengeance, but Simon told him to get in the queue.

Actually, I’m not so interested in revenge, I just want Julie and the others to be able to live a normal life, but that means negating the threat we believe her and possibly my other children to be under. How we do it, I’m not too worried provided we don’t end up in bigger trouble for doing it. Motive still wasn’t clear, unless it was a transphobic one. It’s not exactly uncommon, even I’ve experienced a bit of it or did in days gone by. But Julie is so pretty, unless you got her knickers off you’d never know she wasn’t a natural girl, she’s really blossomed from the hormones.

The interview was a waste of time. She couldn’t remember anything. She was upset when she discovered her scooter had been damaged–she didn’t know. She had no recollection of leaving college lunch time, she could only muse that she was probably going to get a kebab for her lunch–but she wasn’t at all sure.

I felt like showing them the picture of the bloke on her scooter, but then I’d have to explain that my younger daughter had hacked into the road system surveillance of the county council.

I gave a statement, out of Julie’s hearing–she wasn’t yet aware she’d been left to die on a bonfire.

“And you didn’t want to go to the firework display?” asked the woman Inspector.

“No, I only went because everyone else wanted to go, and they promised free sparklers to kids who got there first.”

“You seem to have some phenomenal coincidences in your life?”

“Yeah, don’t I just.” I shrugged.

“Someone up there seems to think you can work with Him.”

“Not me, I’m unconvinced and an unbeliever. Prove to me there is someone up there and I’ll reconsider my position.”

“For many, the coincidences would be enough. What were the chances that you’d be at that bonfire party?”

“I don’t really know, but I suspect the person or persons who did it weren’t expecting me to recognise Julie’s jacket.”

“How did you?”

“My friend Siân got it for her in Paris, so there aren’t too many about in Portsmouth.”

“Your husband didn’t notice it then?”

“Only when I pointed it out to him.”

“He is a man, so I suppose he wouldn’t notice what women were wearing unless it was very little or they were taking it off,” the police officer speculated, but it sounded about right. If the guy had been wearing a bikini, Simon would have noticed and Stella would have been able to tell you who made it. But it was very fortunate that the guy was wearing an expensive French leather jacket–why hadn’t other people noticed and why hadn’t I noticed it earlier? I noticed it because it was Julie’s jacket, not because it wasn’t the sort of thing that Guy Fawkes effigies usually wore. Then I’m not a copper, but I’m supposed to be a trained observer–or does that only apply to dormice and assorted furry things?

I went back to see Julie after the police left and Stephanie walked onto the ward. The sister rushed off presumably to find her a room–well she is a consultant psychiatrist, like Ann Thomas–which reminded me…