Back to the Future

 

Chapter 6 – Who’s the daddy?

 

“Gene?”  Alex asked, knowing that she had to tell him everything right now before things got decidedly out of hand.

 

“Shh!”  He barked; then, realising he may have been a bit abrupt, lent in and gently pressed his lips to hers.  He got up, composing himself and rushed around to the other side of ‘The Cage’.  The rumble of tyres could be heard driving up through the park before he actually saw the radial movements of the blue lights.  He rushed back to Alex, who was busy rearranging her dress, and smiled at the picture of her attempting to hitch up her knickers with the mounds of petticoat material making the task virtually impossible.  “Come on, ‘old up your skirt.  I got you into this mess I may as well ‘elp you out of it, too.”

 

A shiver ricocheted through her body as she felt his warm hands pull the offending item up her legs and over her hips.  “Shouldn’t that be the other way around, you helped me out of them and now you’re helping me back into them.”  She smiled sweetly.

 

“Either way, you still dropped ‘em without even the slightest whiff of any Bolly, Bolly!”  She whopped him on the arm, her face smirking.  “Ouch!”  He exclaimed playfully, “come on, we’d best get back, I think somethin’ may be goin’ down.”

 

“And what gives you that idea?”  She asked, as he grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her around the building before pointing down toward the gate.

 

“That’s what gives me that idea.”  He let out, sarcastically.  They quickly descended the hill pulling out warrant cards as they went, “where the bloody ‘ell did you pull that from?”

 

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she shot back at him, “needless to say, nowhere you’ve already put your hands this evening, sir!”

 

He shot her a smile, “does that mean I still may get a chance to ‘andle the rest of you this evening?”  His question was left hanging as they reached the uniformed force of the Cheshire Constabulary, seeking out the superior officer and showing their badges.  “What’s ‘appening?”

 

“Got a call from DCI Tyler, he’s been approached by a Mr Thomas Bruce and he and DC Cartwright have gone into conference with them.  We’re just here for back up.”

 

“We need t’ get back in.”

 

“I’d go around the back if I were you.”  The sergeant explained, pointing his finger.

 

Gene nodded, before following the path around the building to the left.  A security light came on as they rounded the corner.  “Alex?  Come here.”

 

“Gene, I don’t think this is exactly the time or the place.”

 

“No, it’s not that,” he pulled her to him, allowing his fingers to go to her hair and gently brush through the tangles.  Tiny blades of cut grass fell onto her shoulders and over her chest, tenderly he smoothed them away.  He turned her around by her shoulders with his hands making sure that she looked presentable finally wetting his fingers with some of his saliva and rubbing at a mascara mark that shouldn’t have found its way to her cheek.  “That’s better, couldn’t let you back in there lookin’ like I’d just shagged the life out of you.”

 

“But you did just shag the life out of me.”

 

“Yeah, don’t want ‘em all knowin’ though do I, especially our colleagues.  Alex I want this to work between us.  I don’t want ‘em bastards ruinin’ anythin’.”

 

She understood, if anyone was going to ruin anything it was going to be her anyway.  She nodded, taking his hand in hers and gently kissing it before releasing her hold.  “Just a second then,” she combed her fingers through his hair making sure that every strand was back in place.

 

“Ready,” he smiled.

 

“Ready!”  She nodded.

 

They wound their way through the garden and down by the lake, finding their way back into the house and into the party.  Gene sidled up to Ray, asking him what was going on and taking two glasses of champagne, giving one to Alex when he reclaimed his position next to her.  “Ray’s just told me that Sam an’ Annie went upstairs with both the Bruce brothers about 15 minutes ago.  They’re supposed t’ be showing them some charity video, I suppose they’re using that t’ pull at the old ‘eart strings an’ get people t’ part with their money.”

 

“It would seem that that is the way to go these days.  Pander to people’s emotional side in order to get what they want out of them.  Any plans?”

 

“If they’re not back in ‘alf ‘our we’re t’ go an’ find ‘em!  Sam’s been wired, so we should get someat good!”

 

“You said that Sam and Annie went up with Thomas and Marcus Bruce.  Where’s Tanya?”

 

“Think we should go an’ ‘ave a look?”

 

“Yes, let’s mingle.  What are you doing?”  She asked as she felt Gene’s hand slip gently onto the curve of her behind.

 

He lowered his head, his mouth by her ear, “just makin’ sure that everyone knows you’re mine.”

 

“Oh,” she responded, taking his hand and leading him further into the room.  Stopping suddenly she turned to face him, closing the gap between them instantly and snaking her arms around his neck.  “There are better ways,” she felt his arms reach around her waist, both hands now resting on her behind.

 

Her hands went into his hair, her fingers lightly forcing his head down to meet hers.  “Alex?”

 

“Even posh people snog, Gene,” she said reaching up to him and allowing her lips to find his, their kiss passionate.  No one was going to spoil what they had, no one would dare to.  When they finally came up for air they looked around expecting to see an audience of watching eyes, only actually finding two pairs, that of Ray and Chris.  “Tanya is standing in the doorway behind you; care to dance, Gene?”

 

He understood her meaning and they turned on the spot in time with the music, “Oh yeah, she’s lookin’ around, lookin’ for someone.  She’s found them.  Movin’ toward the armchairs in the corner, she’s talkin’ to some bloke.  Wait, that’s …”

 

“Who?”

 

“Michael Binmore.  Thought ‘e were buried in scrubs years ago.”  Gene caught Ray’s attention, whose surprised face complimented his own.  “If ‘e knows I’m ‘ere.”

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll sort him out, you go and have a word with Ray.  Is he dangerous?”

 

“Yeah, very!  Alex, take care.”  He lent down kissing her again; she’d missed those most, his kisses, the way his lips would seemingly massage her soul with their intensely loving behaviour.  Throughout the mess of her personal life only two things had been constant, her love of her daughter and the feelings that this man had the power to evoke from within her.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.  Just promise me you’ll be there if I need you.”

 

“I’ll never be too far away, I promise.”  She knew he meant what he’d said.

 

She strolled off toward the now vacant figure of Michael Binmore, looking back once to confirm that he was there, somewhere, watching and waiting.  “Excuse me, Mr Binmore isn’t it?”  She sat down on the nearby chaise longue, leaning over the arm of the chair provocatively.

 

“Yes, my dear, what can I do for you?”

 

“Actually, it’s more a question of what I can do for you.”

 

“Really?  Surprise me!”

 

She lent across and whispered in his ear, whatever she’d said had the desired effect on the man and the next thing Gene knew they were heading across the room toward him, arm in arm.  She was using her charms extremely effectively, not that Gene was entirely happy about it, but it was working.  Binmore was seemingly putty in her hands.

 

Gene and Ray followed at a discreet distance watching the couple walk through the main corridor of the house and into one of the anterooms that lined it.  Once the door had been closed behind them, Gene quickly crossed the distance, pressing his ear to the door.  Muffled conversation could be heard, the tinkle of the crystal glasses, her pleasant little laugh as Binmore obviously amused her with his chatter.  Everything went quiet momentarily and then there were sighs and moans, what was she doing?  He could hear furniture moving, did Binmore like it rough?

 

The next sound Gene heard made him sick to his stomach, the sound of skin on skin as someone, Gene assumed to be Binmore, hit the other.  He had to hold on just for a few seconds more.  The final straw came, a table had broken her fall, and glass shattered, wood splintered and a body fell hard.  Gene saw red.

 

He wasted no more time; he rounded on the door, brought his foot up to the lock and kicked out.  The door flung open, Gene and Ray disappeared into the room.  A shocked Binmore looked up from his position on the floor, wiping blood away from the cut on his forehead with a handkerchief.  Panic set in, where was she?  He turned around and smiled, she was leaning up against the huge dominating fireplace, her back against the marble pillars trying to regain her breath, her hair was even more ruffled than the way he’d left it with his earlier assault on her and there was a long rip in the skirt of her dress.  “Knew those self defence classes would come in handy one day.”  She joked.  “And I really don’t think I’ll get the deposit back on the dress.”  He laughed heartily, only turning away briefly to see Ray cuff Binmore before turning back to her.

 

“What am I goin’ t’ charge ‘im with?”  Ray asked.

 

“How about demanding money with menaces, the evidence is in the top drawer of the desk.”  Alex pointed out, “he was only too willing to show me when I asked him how big his assets were.”

 

“An’ you cover bein’?”  Gene couldn’t help but ask.

 

“Wills and probate, of course!”  Alex said, watching Ray take away Binmore.  She watched Gene sidle over to her with the biggest grin she thought she’d ever seen adorn his face.  She teased him, “I can’t imagine what ‘you’ were thinking of.”  She waggled her fingers.

 

Gene grabbed out at her fingers in mid-waggle, pulling her arms down to her sides.  “After our little display earlier on, I think you can.”  Gene responded taking her in his arms and holding her close, he just wanted to know that she was safe.  “Don’t ever let me get you angry.”

 

“Why not?  It’s so much more fun making up afterwards.”  She winked at him, knowing that he would get her meaning.

 

 

.oOo.

 

 

“I had hoped to get you into bed tonight, Annie, but this wasn’t quite how I imagined it.”  Sam said, attempting to lighten the mood.

 

Annie sat in silence, confused by his statement.  Was he trying to make her feel better or was he really intent on sleeping with her so quickly into their relationship.  “I’m not sure I know what you mean, not sure I want t’.”  She said with abhorrence.

 

‘Shit!’  Sam mentally kicked himself; if he could’ve moved his feet he’d have actually done it.  “I’m sorry.”  He looked across to her but her face was hidden away from him.  They both had had their hands and ankles tied together, then they had each been tied to an opposite corner of the four poster bed that they were now sitting upon.  “Annie, look at me please?”  She looked up, her bright smile gone, a grim frown in its place.  “I’m sorry for being so insensitive, I was just trying to make light of the situation.”

 

Her eyes found his, searching them for his explanation.  “I’m not easy, you know!”

 

“I know, that’s part of your attraction to me, oh God, I’m so sorry.  I really like you, Annie; I suppose I’ve really put my foot in my mouth this time, haven’t I?”

 

She mulled over his words, he meant well that was all, he only ever meant well.  He was a good man, she knew that, she’d just thought that he’d want to take things slowly not rush headlong into something that neither would have any control over initially and then crash and burn so quickly afterward.  She liked him too; in fact she’d liked him a lot for far too long, secretly wishing from afar that one day he would want her instead of Maya.  “No, you haven’t it’s just that …”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I’m an old fashioned girl at ‘eart, Sam,” he nodded his head, “I like t’ know I’m really in love with someone before I actually show ‘em.”  His heart exploded with joy, her simple words had made him feel like he was standing on the highest tower declaring his love for her.  “Besides I’ve waited along time for this, I just think we should take our time.”

 

“How long?”

 

“Sorry?”

 

“How long have you waited for this?”

 

“For a relationship with one of the best men in the world?”  She asked anxiously.  He nodded, smiling.  “All my life!”

 

“Oh, Annie.  I don’t know what to say.”

 

“Then don’t say anythin’, I’ve liked you for three an’ a ‘alf years an’ I never expected anythin’ to ‘appen between us.  I ‘oped but never expected.  Then, when you kissed me I couldn’t believe my luck,” she smiled at the thought, a faraway look in her eye as she remembered the initial contact between them.

 

“Did you enjoy it?”

 

“Yes, very much.  In fact, I can still feel your lips,” she sighed, “your breath minglin’ with mine, your tongue …”

 

“Stop, please don’t say anything more.  For someone so innocent you know how to turn a guy on.”

 

“I never said I were innocent, I just said I wanted us t’ take our time.”

 

“Then do me a favour and don’t talk like that again until you are ready to show me just how much you love me, got it,” he scalded playfully.

 

“Ok!  Just wished they’d tied us up together, at least I could get a repeat performance then.”

 

“God, I have a feeling that you’re going to drive me wild, in more ways than one.  I don’t think you realise the power you actually have over me.”

 

“That’s what you think.”

“Annie, please!”

 

“Sorry, do you think they’ll realise we’re missing soon?”

 

“I hope so.”  ‘Just not too soon,’ he thought, trying to think of anything that would restrain his awakening arousal.

 

From outside the door to the room they were locked in they heard some shouting and screaming before the Bruce’s were obviously overpowered and Gene’s thick Manc accent was heard over the commotion, “where the bloody ‘ell are they?”  Soon, uniform were in the room untying Sam’s bound limbs, once he was free he got to Annie as quickly as he could taking over the job from the officer that had been helping her.  The last thing he wanted was to see Annie hurt.

 

“Are you ok?”  He whispered as he got her out of the last of the ropes.  She flung her arms about his neck in response, whispering to him that she was.

 

“A job well done then, Sammy boy!”  Gene exclaimed as he watched Sam pull Annie up from the bed and into his awaiting embrace.  It seemed like it hadn’t just been Alex and himself that had shared an intimate moment and he wasn’t about to let this obvious display go to waste.  “See you both in the car.”

 

He left them to it, grabbing Alex’s hand and walking from the building with her.  “Shame about the dress.”

 

“I’m sure I can do something with it,” Alex said, “I got an A for sewing at school.”

 

“Don’t doubt that, bet you got an A in every subject.”

 

 “Not every subject, but I did get an A+ in homemaking.”  She squeezed his hand, earning a laugh from her joke.

 

They’d got to his car by this time and he whirled her around so that her bottom was resting on the front nearside wing.  He lent into her pushing her back onto the bonnet, kissing her neck and the exposed skin above her breasts, “Mmm, I can safely say that I’d add an extra couple pluses on that grade if I were appraisin’ you.”

 

 

.oOo.

 

 

Gene had asked Sam to drive, Annie sat by his side in the passenger seat as he drove the black BMW homeward.  Gene settled into the back seat, Alex safely tucked into his side as he continued laying kisses over her head and stroking her exposed arms with his hands.

 

They rounded the corner to Alex’s street and when Sam pulled up outside her house, Gene walked her up to her front door and inside.  Shaz came out, handing Sam the bottle and pictures before getting into her own car and driving home.  “What’s that?”  Annie asked Sam as he reached over into the back and placed the items on the seat.

 

“Some items that are hopefully going to help Gene remember Alex.”  Sam simply stated.

 

“What do you mean?  Help the Guv’ remember Alex?”

 

“Annie, I shouldn’t be telling you this, do you promise you won’t let on that you know,” she nodded, “Alex and Gene have met before, in 1994 to be exact.  They had an affair at Bramshill when they were both there training and then she got married to another man.  But Gene doesn’t remember a thing.”

 

“And those items will ‘elp because?”

 

“He has a couple of visions that he can’t quite work out, visions he thought were of him and Becky, his wife.  However, he and I both believe they’re actually of him and Alex.  And she won’t tell him about their relationship for some reason.  I’ve given her an ultimatum, either she tells him what happened by next Friday or I do.”

 

“Sam, don’t you think you’re playin’ with fire ‘ere.  Alex obviously ‘as ‘er reasons for not tellin’ ‘im and they seem so ‘appy at the moment.”

 

“More reason for her to tell him then don’t you think?  Besides no relationship should be built on a lie regardless of how happy they both seem.  Trust me, I know from bitter experience.”  They sat in companionable silence until they noticed Gene was coming back to the car.

 

He got in and noticed the items on the seat.  “Shaz leave these, did she?”  Sam nodded, “take me ‘ome then, Sam, and then get Annie ‘ome, eh?  Think you two deserve a bit of time alone.”

 

“Yeah, is that ok Annie?”  She nodded and smiled but kept silent, she didn’t like what he was trying to do but she couldn’t say anything either, not whilst Gene was there anyway.  She just hoped that she could perhaps influence the situation in some way.

 

When they pulled up outside of Gene’s house he got out and before he closed the door, he said, “just be careful with ‘er!”

 

They watched him go into the house with the bottle and pictures in his left hand.  “Was ‘e talkin’ ‘bout me or the car?”  Annie asked.

 

“Knowing Gene, both!”

 

 

.oOo.

 

 

Gene went into the kitchen and made himself a mug of coffee, pulling off his coat and waistcoat and throwing them over a chair.  He pulled at the shirttails like Alex had done earlier, undoing the cravat from around his neck and opening up some of the buttons at the neck.  His appearance may have had the desired effect on Alex but after a few hours the costume was quite uncomfortable.

 

Taking his coffee, the bottle and pictures into the living room he sat in the middle of the sofa.  Unexpectedly, he was nervous.  He apprehensively opened the top of the bottle, undoing the lid and bringing the neck of the bottle to his nose so that he could smell the liquid.  “Blackberries,” he said, “bloody blackberries.”  He smiled, opening up the pictures his apprehension now gone.  The first was a picture of the bottle which Shaz had obviously photographed with her phone and downloaded for him.  He didn’t recognise it but the smell was uncanny.

 

“Christ on a bike,” his eyes were wide from looking at the first picture, the date read 08/03/94, and it was a picture of Alex in jeans and a t-shirt holding her knees up the her chest and smiling at the camera.  Her hair was thick brown waves and it fell half way down her back.  He traced the waves with his fingers before moving on.

 

The next one was of her with a group of friends, Shaz had transposed the information from the photograph, and he skimmed over the written words. ‘Toby and me, our engagement, 01/01/94.  He couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy as he looked at a man with his arms around Alex’s shoulders, their friends huddled around them.  She was wearing a floating skirted dress with a small box jacket over the top, stilettos on her feet.  Her hair was up away from her face and she didn’t look dissimilar from how she had looked earlier that evening when he’d first seen her walk into her living room.

 

The third picture was of her lying on a bed wearing nothing but a satin nightdress with spaghetti straps over her shoulders in a blush pink.  Her hands were lovingly covering a bump; she was obviously pregnant with Molly.  He thought he’d never seen her looking lovelier deciding that the old adage was definitely true, pregnant women did seem to glow.  Alex was stunning pregnant, she was sexy too.  He read the date – 11/12/04 – only 9 weeks to go.  He assumed until she had the baby, she would have had her in February ‘95.

 

But it was the last photograph that astounded him the most, looking back from the picture was not only Alex’s brown orbs but the blue of his own.  Shaz had found evidence of him actually knowing Alex.  They looked so incredibly happy, so how was it that they weren’t together?  They were dressed in togas at a party by the looks of the decorations that were hung from the ceiling above their heads.  The date read 07/05/94.  Wait, he knew his brain wasn’t like lightening but women were pregnant for 40 weeks weren’t they?  He counted back from February that put the conception in May sometime.

 

He got up from his seat and opened the laptop that sat on the dining table, waiting for it to buzz into life.  Once ready he opened up the calendar and found the 11^th December 1994 counting back 31 weeks from that date.  He stopped the cursor over the date he landed on, highlighting it, and opened the folder that lay on the table from Sam and his earlier discussion on when he had been at Bramshill with Alex.  He had been there from the 2^nd to the 14^th of May 1994; the date he landed on was the 8^th, “right in the bloody middle!”