Saving Sophia Part 10

She shakes her head. aItas not in the bag. I checked, he must have had it on him when we left.a Buster yips and raises himself on to his back legs to lick the plastic ties. He bites at them, nibbling around my hand. His tooth catches but the plasticas too tight against my skin, and really tough. Iam sure he could chew through it eventually, but not soon enough. I pat his head and he drops back down.

aThank you, Buster a" but I donat think itall do any good.a He nuzzles my leg. We sit listening to whatever it is thatas dripping, the smell of petrol getting stronger.

I wonder how easy it was for Irene to get out of her crashed aircraft, aviation fuel all around her. She didnat give up; she made it out.

Sophia sobs, wiping her nose on her sleeve. aIam sorry, Lottie, I am, Iam really sorry. I didnat realise howa"a"a aDonat worry a" Iam going to get us out of here.a I really wish I could believe myself but Iave got to be like Irene. Iave got to behave like her. I mustnat give up.

I look again at the head rest. It has two long stainless steel posts that go into the seat. Perhaps it pulls out? I push as hard as I can; it doesnat move but it looks as if it ought to. And then I remember the car jack.

Wedging the car jack between the seat and the seat back, I try to turn the wheel on the end to make it open, but itas fiddly and itas really supposed to be done with a metal hook. I know; Iave seen Mum do it on our car.

I look around. The umbrella has a hook a" but itas too big.

aHold this,a I say to Sophia, handing her the umbrella. aHold it really tight.a Using Sophia as a clamp, I tug the large plastic hook from the skinny metal rod inside. It almost fits in the wheel at the end of the jack. I turn it, and the jack opens out, filling the s.p.a.ce. Although the rod keeps on pinging out of the jack, after a few minutes I can see that the head rest is pulling away from the seat. I add my foot, jamming it into the s.p.a.ce and try to stand on the head rest.

It slides to the ground, the cable ties slip off and Iam free.

aWhoa!a I say.

aHey a" brilliant!a says Sophia, and we stop, staring at her cable ties looped through the handle of the car door. Apart from removing the door, I donat see that I can get anywhere with freeing her.

aRight,a I say, ajust give me a moment. Iall think of something.a I scrabble over the gla.s.s and out of the back window. Buster comes with me, leaping and laughing and generally looking happy enough to explode.

We stand in the rain, breathing the fresh air.

aThank you, Buster a" youare a genius.a He picks up a twig and holds it in his mouth.

For a moment I want to burst into tears, but I swallow, trying to keep my mind focused on what I need to do. aNot now, Buster a" in a minute.a I turn away from him and he scampers around to stand in front of me. aSorry, fella.a I step over him and go round to the front of the car. It isnat that easy because the brambles reach my knees, but luckily the car roof has mangled and flattened a large enough area to make it just possible. I tug at Sophiaas door, but it wonat open, none of them will. It must be because the roofas too damaged. I try the driveras door.

It doesnat even move.

The smell of petrol is strongest at the front of the car, and it takes all my will power not to run away. Instead I turn and clamber back in through the back window, all the way through until I reach the front of the car.

aHave you had an idea?a asks Sophia.

When I open the glove compartment, a load of random things cascade to the ceiling. I search excitedly through the muddle, but thereas nothing useful. Only water, tissues and maps. Nothing sharp.

aDo you think the window gla.s.s would cut it?a she asks.

Experimentally, I run my forefinger over a square of the broken gla.s.s. aItas safety gla.s.s,a I say in the end. aIt wonat cut.a Sophia lets out a long trembling sigh. I can hear the sob just beneath the surface.

aIf I can reach the mobile Iall ring for help,a I say, not saying that the help had better arrive quickly before the car blows up.

Crunching over the ceiling, I get myself next to Wesson. I canat see where sheas hurt a" if she is hurt a" but I can hear her breathing.

I unclip the phone from the stand, my fingers pause over the b.u.t.tons. Something triggers a memory. aPetrol stations. Donat they have a sign about sparks and petrol and mobile phones?a Sophiaas eyes widen.

Holding the phone like itas a bomb, I slip backwards out of the car and, with Buster in tow, clamber up the bank behind us to stand on the side of the road.

Up here, I canat smell the petrol. I flick open the phone, and dial.

The police station is over-warm and smells of disinfectant and wee.

They still havenat worked out who we are. Apparently the caras registered to a man in Dubai and theyare trying to ring him. Theyave been trying to ring him ever since I showed them the car upside down in the ditch.

Buster and I sat at the top of the bank in the rain, waiting. It didnat take long for the firemen to arrive. The police were slower.

aCuffed to the door?a said one of the firemen trying to get Sophia out of the car.

He snipped off the cable ties and pulled her out of the window. She sat breathless on the wet gra.s.s for about a second before she ran up the bank towards me.

Wesson was trickier; it took three firemen and they had to cut the bottom off and tip the whole car over. Theyad sprayed everything with a white powder first, to stop the petrol exploding, so it was also very messy and undignified. I didnat really feel sorry for her, though.

Buster and I watched and the firemen gave us both some chocolate.

When the bottom of the car was back on its tyres, I asked a fireman to get Nedas bag, the egg and Pinky and Perky.

aGot your homework in there?a he asked, handing them over.

I smiled. aSort of.a I didnat want Nedas bag, I just didnat want it to lie there rotting in the rain and the broken gla.s.s.

Apart from sore arms, there was nothing wrong with us, so we ended up in the back of the policemanas car, with a coronation chicken sandwich and a bag of Maltesers to share. We pulled away from the accident site, leaving firemen and policemen measuring and filming and talking.

Now weare back at the station everyone seems to be full of ideas about how it happened, but they havenat asked us a single thing.

aShe was abducting thema"a aSelling them overseasa"a aExcuse me,a I say.

aSheas obviously mad, and she must have been driving too fasta"a aExcuse me!a I shout.

A policewoman stops spreading b.u.t.ter on a piece of toast and puts her hand up. aShh, everyone a" listen.a I hold Busteras paw in my hand, to give me moral support. aI donat know if youare going to believe meaa aTry us,a says a policeman, using his handcuffs to get a tea bag out of a cup.

aSheas called Maria Wesson, and she works for a man called Trevor Pinehead.a aPinehead? Donat I know that name?a aKids a" the kids who went missing down in Devon a" thatas you a" she kidnapped you?a Sophia nods, I shake my head. aYes,a she says.

aNo,a I say. aNo a" weaa I look around at them all. Five policemen and one woman, all listening to me. aWe did run away, from Bream Lodge.a aSounds about right,a says one of the policemen, rustling through a pile of old newspapers. aHere you are.a He holds up a picture. It doesnat look very much like me. Sophia looks gorgeous.

aThatas us a" and we made it all the way to Bristol.a aCharlotte Green,a says the policeman with the papers. aRight a" Batson, go and look up the case, ring Exeter and get the number for the parents.a A young policeman races out of the room, clutching the paper.

aWhat were you doing in Bristol?a asks the policewoman.

The words hang in the air for a really long time, and I wonder whether to try and tell them the truth. Theyare listening, and thereas never going to be a better opportunity. But Sophia kicks me, and whispers: aTheyare not going to believe you.a aItas her guardian a" heas dangerous a" heas a murderer,a I say, my voice disappearing on the word murderer. aHeas killed people a" been to prison.a aReally?a says the policeman with the newspapers. aThis same bloke here? Heas rather sophis a" Iam sure Iad have remembered that from the telly.a aHe might not actually have been to prison,a says Sophia. aBut Iam sure heas killed people.a aLet me get this straight a" you say your guardian is a murderer?a aYes a" I mean a" no a" I mean a" I donat know,a says Sophia.

aLetas check,a says the policewoman. She turns to a computer and taps in Pinheadas name. We all wait. The policemen cl.u.s.ter around the screen.

aNothing. Nothing except for parking fines.a aBut that canat be true,a I say, turning to Sophia. aYou saida"a aWell, I thought he wasaa says Sophia. aIam sure heas killed people, he might never have been caught, thatas all.a aHmmm,a says the first policeman, looking up at me.

Sophia stares at the floor.

A dark cloud of doubt drifts into my mind. Then I remember the cable ties. aHe cuffed us to the car,a I say. aThatas not normal, is it?a The policewoman nods. aWeall be prosecuting the woman, but thereas nothing to link her to Mr Pinehead at this stage.a aBut he was there a" he was the one that put the cable ties on us. He caught us when we came out of the hotel,a I say.

Sophia looks up. aItas true and he had a mobile phone with lots of telephone numbers, and a warehouse, and all sorts of things. And heas got loads of money from somewhere.a The policewoman tilts her head. aI understand what youare saying, but thereas no proof. At the moment, Mr Pinehead is a very respectable figure.a aBut heas not a" you should have heard what he said on the phone,a I say.

aDid you record it?a aNo.a I pick up Buster and hold him on my lap. If they wonat believe us, then I want them all to go away. And I want to talk to Sophia on her own a" I want to find out the truth. And then I remember the flash drive.

aIn the back of the car, in the gap between the seats, thereas a computer storage drive thing a" we copied everything from his office. I bet thereas something on there a" could you send someone to look?a The policewoman brushes crumbs from her chin.

aI donat think itas going to help, do you?a she says.

aPlease, there must be something. Otherwise why would he chain us to the car?a aBecause you keep running away?a says the policeman with the newspapers.

aWeall see,a says the policewoman, in the same way Mum does when I ask for something that sheas got no intention of letting me have.

Sophia picks dog hairs from her trousers.

I feel so many conflicting emotions that I canat decide what Iam thinking. I just know that I really badly want to go home, that I really miss my family, the food, the house, the crack in the ceiling.

Ned.

aWhat happened to Ned?a I ask, remembering him for the first time in ages.

aNed?a says the policeman with the newspapers. aWhoas Ned?a aMy brother?a I say, my lip wobbling. If they donat know, perhaps he didnat get home after all.

The policeman flicks through the papers. aSorry a" donat know anything about Ned.a I wipe a tear away with Busteras ear. He looks up at me and licks my face.

We sit there for hours. I take Buster out to wee on a police car and bring him back inside. We sit for even longer. The policemen concentrate on their toast and coffee, swapping Marmite for jam and back again. They seem to have forgotten us.

The phone rings and the policewoman answers. aYes, sir a" weall get them to make a statement, yes, weare just waiting for family liaison or a relative. Oh, thatas good to know, yes, Iall pa.s.s it on.a The policewoman puts down the phone. aIt seems Maria Wesson is conscious and willing to talk.a They all nod sagely as if a significant breakthrough has been reached.

aSo thatas good,a the policewoman repeats brightly, handing me yet another piece of toast.

Iam just wondering what Maria Wesson will say, when thereas a lot of noise from the corridor and Mum bursts in, her face tearstained and swollen. Behind her, Ned, also tearstained.

aLottie,a she says, wrapping me in her arms, my face enveloped by her old padded jacket that smells of guinea pigs. aLottie. I thought wead lost you.a aHeas not our dog,a says Mum after she comes out of the interview room. All the tears have gone now and she just looks utterly furious.

aBut his owneras in hospital a" canat we look after him?a Mum turns and stares at me. aLottie. After all youave put us through you expect me to house a stray dog?a Sophia looks at the floor.

Ned bends down and rubs Busteras ears. aHeas a nice dog.a aHe saved my life,a I say, and my voice goes wobbly. aAnd Sophiaas.a Mum goes tight-lipped and sweeps out of the police station. I pick up Buster and we follow.

We drive along what seem to be identical roads until weare on the motorway. Although Iad love to talk to Ned, I keep quiet a" I know Mum too well. She grips the steering wheel and mutters to herself, periodically wiping her nose on her sleeve.

Nedas in the front seat. He turns to me. aIave got something I ought to tell you a" I found outa"a aNed,a says Mum. aNot now.a aBut, itasa"a aI donat care,a says Mum.

Ned reaches for the radio b.u.t.ton.

aDonat!a snaps Mum. aIad rather drive in silence.a Ned sighs.

I sigh, too. I want to know how Ned got home. When he got home. Did Miss Sackb.u.t.t tell him off or feed him KitKats, or both? And when did Mum and Dad find out we were missing? Iad also like to tell Ned about the flash drive, and the car crash and climbing over the gla.s.s, and Iad like to tell Mum about Irene, how Irene kept me going, and the books, Ireneas books a" our books. But I donat do any of those things; instead I lean against the window, my hand on Busteras head, watching the wet countryside. I glance across to Sophia. Sheas sitting still, her eyes closed, tears racing down her cheeks.

We screech into the drive and tumble from the car into the house. Itas tipping with rain, the garden rustles and gurgles as Dadas clever water retrieval system rescues every drop that falls, sending it into a giant underground tank which then pumps it out to the loos as faintly green water for flushing. Iave always thought it was stupid, but now Iam not so sure.

Itas better than trying to catch drinking water in a sc.r.a.p of tinfoil from a survival blanket.

Dadas there, waiting just inside the door; heas made toast and scones, and searched out a jar of his really quite edible hedgerow jelly. He grabs me and drags me towards him. Then he spots Sophia and hugs her, too.

aSweets, darlingsa Ia"a But he canat speak, any more than I can. His beard tickles against the top of my head and for the first time in days, I feel safe, completely safe.

Mum, on the other hand, has thrown the car keys on to the table and stands with her arms crossed. Sheas wearing the biggest scowl Iave ever seen. She is not happy.

aAnda?a she says, looking from me to Sophia and then back to me.

aMum,a starts Ned. aThis is alla"a aWe didnat mean for ita"a"a I try, but Sophiaas faster and louder. I sink into a chair and b.u.t.ter a scone while she speaks.

aIt wasnat Lottieas fault, or Nedas. I kidnapped Lottie, she was in the same kayak as me, and then I forced her to come with me and then she had to come, and then Ned found us and I forced both of them to come with meaa Sophiaas voice fades.

Dad stares at her. Mum stares at her. aYes?a says Mum.

Sophia takes a deep breath. aI kidnapped them, I steered the boat so Lottie couldnat stop us, and then I ran when Wesson came, and they came too, and I made it so that they felt they couldnat leave me, buta"a aWait a second,a says Dad, pouring Mum a coffee. aI donat think we need to know how. I think itas more a question of why.a Weare silenced.

Dad sits at the table across from Sophia and looks at her with his most serious face, the one he keeps for plants. aWhy, Sophia, did you feel you had to run away?a Sophia bites her lip and looks across at me.

aBecause of Pinhead,a she says. aBecause heas stolen my mother, my everything. He knows where she is, but he keeps it from me, heas up to something, heas notaa Sophia trails off. Mumas shaking her head.

aItas not true, is it?a she says. aItas not true that you never see your mum a" that Trevor Pinehead took her away a" is it?a She doesnat say it aggressively, but the words seem to take the stiffening out of Sophiaas back, and she wilts. Mum goes on, so quietly that I can hardly hear. aI mean, yes, your mum is mostly abroad, but, Sophia, where does the truth begin and the story end?a Thereas a knock at the door. Dad goes and we sit silently around the table, listening. Itas a womanas voice, one I donat recognise.

A long slow tear escapes from the corner of Sophiaas eye and creeps to the corner of her mouth.

aWhatas going on?a I say, standing, scone in hand.

Dad ushers a tall dark-haired woman into the room. Sheas Sophia in twenty-five yearsa time. She has Sophiaas dark eyes, dark hair, dark skin.

She smiles, a broad, white-toothed smile. aSophia,a she says, her accent southern European, the word springing from her tongue. aMrs Green emailed me, I came as soon as I coulda"a Sophia leans over and buries her head in her hands.

aWhoa?a I ask, gazing at this woman. aAre you Sophiaas mum?a Dad takes off his gla.s.ses and rubs them with the corner of his T-shirt. He sighs and shakes his head.

The woman slides into a chair next to Sophia. She appears weightless, fragile, deeply sad. She puts her hand on Sophiaas shoulder. aItas me, Sophia my love. Tell me, what has been happening?a I look towards Ned. Heas pink, like he might explode. I can almost hear his brain. aYes a" this is Sophiaas mum. We found her.a aYou?a I gasp at Ned. aHow?a He turns to me. aI looked her up on the internet. Mum and I did a" in the library a" we found her name, found her email and sent her a message. It seemed sensible.a I sit with my mouth open.

Sophia has a mum. A very beautiful mum, a very elegant mum, but a mum all the same. One who doesnat seem all that dead or distant, one that seems to be able to turn up and find her daughter.

One with email.

Ned tries again. aSophia told us a story, didnat you? It was a good story, butaa Sophia bends her head and uses her hands to cradle her face. When she looks up, sheas tear-sodden, her long black eyelashes heavy with crying, her eyes bloodshot. aI a" Oh, Lottie!a aWhat? Whatas going on?a My head fills with yellow and black and red and chaos, and Iam confused.

Dad hands Sophia a grubby hanky and she blows her nose but goes on crying.

aIt got out of hand a" I said stuff and then we were doing it, and I didnat know how to tell you the truth and I almost began to believe it myself.a aSorry?a I say, trying to listen to her through the noise in my head.

aI told you stuff, at the beginning, and I think you wanted to believe it, so I told you moreaa I canat speak a" someoneas just pulled my world apart.