Eddie and Dave Ch13.

Chapter 13

Eddie was troubled by the news from Anne. He was meeting her the next day to talk things through and felt he had to call around to see Monica and cancel the driving lesson that he had arranged to give her. She was shocked and angry at what Anne had told him and offered to go round Anne’s house with him to have it out with her. Eddie refused the offer and after re-arranging the driving lesson for Monday he set off home.

         Eddie called at Anne’s house as planned, but her mother came to the door.

         Her mother gave him a hostile stare. “And what the hell do you want?” she said.

         “I’ve come to speak to Anne.”

         “You’ve got a bloody nerve,” her mother said.

         Anne heard them talking and came out. “It’s all right, Mum. I can handle this.”

         “Hummp,” her mother remarked and looked back at Eddie. “Too late for apologies now you dirty dog,” she said, and she turned and walked inside the house.

         Eddie and Anne walked over and stood by the van.

         “Right, I’ll stand by you,” Eddie said. “It will be great for us to get back together again. I can’t wait until…”

         “Stop there, Eddie. The thing is, I’ve moved back in with Dave.”

         “What! Why the hell did you do that after all we said. After and all we did? Why, Anne, why?”

         “Why? I’ll tell you why, Eddie." Anne raised her voice. "I’m fed up with being treated badly. I’m fed up with unfaithful men taking the piss out of me. I said you were the father to get back at you and to get back at Dave.”

         Eddie shook his head. “I love you, Anne. I came here full of hope and you have destroyed me. You can’t keep doing this to me.” The strain was starting to show and his eyes began to water. He shook his head again, got into the van and started to drive away.

         “Wait, Eddie,” she called. “Eddie, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” But he was gone. “What have I done? What have I bloody well gone and done?”

         Later, Eddie called to see Monica to re-arrange the driving lesson for later that evening. He told her of the conversation with Anne. It was obvious that he was troubled and Monica asked if she could help. He looked at her and dearly wanted some comfort. A hug, a cuddle, anything, but he felt he was on the verge of a breakdown and could make himself look a fool if he stayed any longer so he turned and walked off.

         Eddie had calmed down and appeared quite relaxed when they met up for the driving lesson. Eddie was impressed with how confident and proficient Monica was with her driving. “I don’t think it will be too long until you are ready for your driving test,” he said.

         “Do you really think so?”

         “Yes, you are doing great. That’s enough for now though. Drive over to the Jug House and I’ll get us a drink.”

         “Yeah, I could do with a drink,” Monica replied. “But can we call in at the Globe instead?”

         “If you like. But that is on the main route through town and the traffic can be horrendous at this time of night. Do you want me to drive?”

         “No, Monica,” said. “It will be good practise. You can drive back.”

         They were soon there and Eddie got the drinks and they sat at a table across from the bar. Eddie had never been in the place before. He noticed a group of fit looking young men standing drinking at the bar. It unnerved him a little because one of them kept looking over at them. The man smiled at Monica. She didn’t smile back but just nodded her head and looked away.

         “It looks like you know him,” Eddie said.

         “He’s my ex. I wanted to pretend that you were my new boyfriend.”

         “Oh, that’s why you wanted to come here. But isn’t he a black belt in Karate?”

         “Yes, you don’t mind do you?”

         “Of course I don’t mind, I love the thought, as long as I get out of here alive.”

         Monica laughed. “He won’t start any trouble. He might come over when he gets the nerve to say hello and have a nosy.” Monica put her arm around Eddie and kissed him on his cheek.

         Eddie was happy to comply with what he considered a wonderful fantasy. As long as, despite Monica’s assurance, her Black Belt Karate ex boyfriend didn’t turn nasty.

******

         Monday the fifth of November was Guy Fawkes’ bonfire night. Eddie and Monica were out on another driving lesson. Then had been out for less than five minutes when Monica pulled into the side of the road. “Can we leave it for tonight?” she said. “Those loud bangs are making me nervous.”

         “They are only fireworks,” Eddie said.

         “Yes, I know, but they sound like gunshots.”

         Eddie wondered if they were anything to do with the trouble she was having. He decided not to pursue the matter and got out to take over the driving. “Do you fancy a drink then?”

         “Yes,” she said. "That’ll be nice.”

         They were soon at The Jug House. Not wanting to park near the public house Eddie pulled into his usual spot in the flats opposite. He reversed up to the back of the pram sheds and parked between a Mini and a Ford Zephyr. They walked across to The Jug House unaware of the middle-aged man sitting on a low brick wall on the green, looking over at them and watching Monica's every move.

         They were on their second drink and standing at the bar chatting about pop music when Eddie decided to change the subject. “There is a big firework display over on the island at Millwall Park,” he said. “Do you fancy going over there?”

         “All right,” she said. She was still feeling nervous about the large bangs, but didn’t really want another drink in the packed bar room.

         They walked over and got into the van unaware of the middle-aged man who had crept over and was looking in through one of the van's rear windows. He was there to take Monica, to drag her from the van and force her into his car. He thought that the couple would start kissing in the van and when they stopped he would fire through the glass and put two bullets through the back of Eddie's head.

         He would have to aim carefully and not just fire and hope that the bullets would go where he wanted them. When he had shot the boy he would run around and abduct Monica. He was prepared for the worst. If she became hysterical and out of control then he would just have to knock her out and bundle her into his car. He suddenly panicked because they were not in an embrace and it looked as if they were about to pull away. He began to raise the gun to take aim through the window, but Eddie was turning his head as if he were going to look through the back window. The man ducked down out of sight.

         Eddie started the engine and turned the radio on. All Right Now, was playing.

         Monica turned the volume fully up. "This is my all time favourite song," she said.

         Eddie laughed and put the van into gear. He lifted the clutch, but had selected the wrong gear and the van shot backwards into the pram-shed wall.

         The middle-aged man was crushed and he fell to the ground with some of his ribs fractured. He tried to scream out, but because of the painful chest injury he could only raise a loud groan. He lay in a heap on the ground, the gun still in his hand.

         "Aren't you gonna check for damage?" Monica said.

         "I'll do it later,” Eddie replied.

         Monica laughed. "You'll kill some poor sod one day the way you're going." She laughed again before swaying her shoulders as she sang along with the song on the radio. Eddie gave her a grin and began singing along with her.

         A youth who had been drinking in The Jug House left not long after Eddie and Monica. He knew them and saw Eddie driving off but he didn't take much notice until he saw the man on the ground reeling in pain. The youth began to hurry over, but in a panic, the middle-aged man took a shot at him. The shot missed, but it stopped the youth in his tracks and he ran back into the bar to telephone for the police. The man struggled to get into his car, but it took a while and though people had come out from the bar and were looking over, no one would go near him.

         Already the sound of a police car siren could be heard in the distance and the middle-aged man knew he had to get away from the area. Slowly and with great difficulty the man manoeuvred out of the car park and then out onto the main road. A police car screeched to a halt outside The Jug House, but at the same time the man accelerated away. The police car chased after him and gained a lot of ground as the man slowed down and went over a canal bridge, but when the man knew that he was being pursued he accelerated away again.

         Monica had become accustomed to the fireworks and was not so nervous. She enjoyed the spectacular firework display at the bonfire in Millwall and Eddie also enjoyed the way Monica seemed slightly nervous at some of the loud firework explosions causing her to take hold of his hand. It somehow gave him a thrill that despite the cold Monica’s hand seemed so soft and warm. He realised that he was becoming quite fond of her. After the show they set off back to the van chewing on toffee apples like a pair of children. Monica sat in the van running her tongue around her lips. "My lips are all sticky," she said.

         "Want me to kiss it all off for you?" He was hoping for a positive response.

         "Cheeky," she said, "I can manage."

         Eddie gave a laugh. “Only joking,” he said, but he was not sure that he was.

         They were soon heading off the island. "So where's this pub you were talking about earlier," she asked. "The Ferry House?"

         “I don’t really want to go there,” Eddie said. “It’s our special place, me and Anne. We have had some good times there. I’m still very much in love with her you know.”

         “I know,” she said. “But she is pregnant and with Dave. Maybe it is time for you to move on.”

         “That is what I have been thinking. Look, Monica. Will you have a date with me? Not a driving lesson, a proper date?”

         “No!” she said. “And please don’t ask me again.”

         Eddie felt foolish and highly embarrassed. That was not the response he was expecting. “I’m sorry. Can we still be friends?”

         “Of, course, but only friends. Now can you take me home?”

         They drove back to Monica's street and the sight of a police car parked outside her house alarmed her. "Something's happened," she said. "I wonder what they want?"

         "Do you want me to come in with you? "Eddie said.

         "No, I'll be all right, you get off home." She reached over and kissed him before getting out.

         Eddie set off home with a smile on his face. The thought of that brief kiss meant so much to him. Monica was special, but like always he would then think of his lost love, Anne, and the depression soon returned.

         Eddie got home and found two police detectives waiting for him.

         “What’s going on?” he said.

         “Edward Jones,” one of them said. “We would like you to accompany us to the police station for questioning over a serious incident near the Jug House public bar earlier today.”

         “What, are you arresting him?” Eddie’s mother said. “You didn’t tell me that you would be arresting him.”

         “We are not arresting him. But we need to question him over the incident.”

         “What incident?” Eddie said. There was no incident while I was there.”

         “You reversed into a man causing serious injury and then just drove off.”

         “I didn’t reverse into anyone.”

         “Well, there are witnesses that say you did. We need to investigate it fully, and get a statement from you at the police station.”

         “A statement that I did nothing wrong,” Eddie said. “I also have a witness.”

         “Yes, I know, Monica Hodge; seen with you. Someone is calling to see her.”

         Eddie suddenly realised why the police car was at Monica’s house.

         “So can you assure us that you are not going to charge him,” his mother added.

         “Yes, I can," the detective said. "Not yet anyway.”

Eddie And Dave. Ch14.  (18+) Final Chapter. #2309033 by Bruce.