Games Lovers Play (25 page)

Sam quickly explained as they gingerly lifted Jake, who was moaning in pain, on to a stretcher. They then rushed him to the hospital.

Connie was trembling as Sam held her. ‘It's all right, darling.'

‘Oh Sam, I thought he was going to set the garage alight. I thought I was going to lose you.' She burst into tears just as the police arrived.

When Sam explained what had happened, he was asked how Barton could have gained entry, but as they searched the premises they discovered a pair of steel cutters.

‘God knows where he found these,' Sam remarked. ‘They aren't mine.'

They drove to the police station so that Sam and Connie could make statements. When he'd finished, Sam asked the officer if there had been any news from the hospital.

‘No, sir, not yet. We'll let you know if we hear. Now I suggest you take the young lady home, she's still in shock.'

Once they were inside the flat, Sam made Connie a cup of tea with sugar and brandy in it, then, sitting beside her on the settee, he insisted she drank it. He kept an arm around her and a blanket over her knees, as she still was trembling.

As she sipped her tea, Sam talked to her. ‘Well, that was quite a night. First I propose to my girl and then nearly lose everything!'

‘Why does that man hate you so?'

‘I really have no idea. When we began racing against each other, I won the first two races. After that Jake saw me as his rival, but he couldn't stand being beaten, especially by me. There's no rhyme or reason to it, sadly.'

‘Do you think he'll recover?' She was almost afraid to ask.

Sam shook his head. ‘I really don't know, he was so very badly burnt. If he recovers he'll have to endure many operations, and skin grafting, like they did with the airmen in the war. It doesn't bear thinking about.' He paused. ‘There was a sort of madness about him tonight. He said he couldn't go back to prison, said it was a hellhole. The whole thing could have been avoided, that's the saddest thing of all. Three men with ruined lives, all for money.'

At that moment the telephone rang and Sam got up to answer it. ‘Yes, speaking.' He listened, then said, ‘Thank you for letting me know.'

He walked back to Connie, sat down and held her. ‘That was the police. Jake Barton just passed away. I can't help thinking that in his case it was for the best; he was so badly injured. There will be an inquest later, of course.'

She looked at him with apprehension. ‘Will we have to go?'

‘I'm afraid so. We'll have to give evidence so that they can deliver a verdict.' He looked at Connie. ‘Come on, darling, let's go to bed. I don't know about you but I'm worn out, physically and mentally.'

The following morning, Tom and Harry arrived to work as usual only to find Sam cleaning the car. The smell of petrol filled the air.

‘What the hell is going on?' asked Tom.

The two men were shocked when Sam relayed the events of the previous night.

‘Bloody hell!' Harry exclaimed. ‘You were lucky, mate. The whole place could have blown up!'

‘Jake Barton wasn't so lucky. He died last night.'

The men were shocked at the news. ‘What an idiot,' said Tom. ‘He wasted his talent, all for nothing. Still, I'm sorry to hear he died in such a way.'

‘Me too,' Sam agreed. ‘However, we still have a business to run, so let's get on with it.'

Two weeks later, the inquest took place. Both Sam and Connie gave their evidence and a verdict of ‘death by misadventure' was brought in. They both left the court with a feeling of sadness. It had been an ordeal for all concerned.

Meantime the prison riot had been quelled; the other missing prisoner had given himself up, having lost the opportunity to escape. But the gossip inside for days to follow was of Jake Barton's horrific death. It cast a feeling of gloom around the prison.

In mid August the wedding of Connie and Sam took place at St Mark's Church. It was a beautiful day and there were crowds gathered watching, mainly fans of the popular driver. The press were out in force, light bulbs flashing as the groom arrived with his two best men. Tom and Harry had both insisted on the role!

Both families took their place in church. Madge resplendent in lilac and smiling and posing for the cameras. Enjoying the fact that her granddaughter was marrying someone so famous in her home town.

There were cheers when Connie arrived with her father. As the car pulled up in front of the church, her proud father, seeing the crowd, asked, ‘Are you ready, love?'

‘Oh yes, Dad. This is the happiest day of my life, and I'm going to enjoy every moment!'

Her friend Betty, her only bridesmaid, dressed in pale pink, was waiting. She grinned broadly at Connie. ‘You look smashing!' she said.

Connie's wedding dress was ivory, her bouquet cream and tea coloured roses, her veil held in place with a jewelled headdress.

Betty fussed about her, straightening the train until they were ready. And the bridal party entered the church.

The organ started, the congregation stood and the service began.

The reception was held at the Polygon Hotel. As Connie stood with her husband, greeting her guests, she thought it ironic that both she and John's ex-wife had celebrated their new lives at the same place. It didn't detract from her enjoyment, it seemed fitting in a strange way, and she couldn't help but think that the games lovers played never quite worked out to plan.

After the reception, the bride and groom eventually made their way to a room they'd booked to change out of their finery and into clothes fit for travel.

As Connie slipped out of her wedding dress, Sam drew her into his arms and kissed her.

‘Well, Mrs Knight, this has been a lovely day. A good beginning to a great life together. We are going to have so much fun.'

She gazed into his eyes. ‘I can hardly wait,' she said.

Sam nuzzled her neck. ‘You don't have to; we have time before we have to leave the hotel.' He picked her up and carried her to the bed.

As they lay together, Connie said, ‘Let's get a few things sorted first.'

He looked surprised. ‘Like what?'

‘Just to let you know I expect you to bring me a cup of tea in bed every morning before I get up and cook the breakfast,' she said, teasing him.

He started laughing. ‘Trying to lay the law down already, are you? Well, Mrs Knight, I'm the one who wears the trousers in this marriage!'

‘All men think that. You have a lot to learn about women, darling,' she said, ‘but I'm going to have the time of my life teaching you!'

But as she gazed into the eyes of her groom, she knew they would both learn from each other in the many years ahead.