Free No Going Back by Lyndon Stacey Page B

drop to the rocky streambed below made a cold sweat break out on his body and he backed away, cursing, as Katya disappeared into the trees on the other side.
    â€˜I just want to help you!’ he shouted after her.
    There was no reply. She had gone.

FOUR
    T here was no sign of the man with the walking stick when Daniel climbed wearily back on to the track, but Hilary had arrived, having followed the track down, and she’d caught Katya’s loose pony.
    â€˜No luck?’ she asked, although the answer was rather self-evident.
    â€˜I’d have been OK if Colonel Blimp hadn’t decided to wade in, waving his stick about,’ Daniel said, and told her what had happened.
    â€˜Major Clapford,’ she said, when he’d finished. ‘War hero, pillar of the community and general pain in the backside. I saw him making off with his dog as I rode up. Not a good man to cross.’
    â€˜Bloody lethal with that stick of his,’ Daniel agreed, rubbing a sore place on his elbow.
    â€˜Still, you can hardly blame him, I suppose. You’d probably have done the same if you saw someone apparently assaulting a young girl.’
    Daniel sighed. ‘Yeah, you’re right.’
    â€˜So, what now?’
    â€˜I guess I’d better get back to work while I still have a job.’ Daniel looked up the slope down which he had recently and inelegantly travelled. ‘I’m not sure I’ve got the energy to climb back up there. Is there another way back to the village apart from going all the way round?’
    Hilary gestured to Katya’s pony, which was standing calmly enough now, its thickish coat swirled and damp with sweat. ‘Hop on and I’ll take you the short way.’
    Daniel regarded the pony doubtfully. ‘I wouldn’t be too heavy?’
    She laughed. ‘Tough as old boots, these Dartmoor ponies. He’d carry your weight all day without any problem. Come on, climb on board or I’ll start to think you’re chicken!’
    When Daniel parted company with Hilary in the car park of the White Buck a quarter of an hour later, it was with the understanding that if Kat should turn up at the stables again, she would lose no time in calling him, but neither of them held out much hope.
    The lorry was just as he’d left it, Taz standing up on the front seat and waving his tail at Daniel’s return.
    â€˜Are you going to move that bloody thing? This isn’t a public car park, you know,’ a voice informed him testily as he reached for the handle to the cab door.
    Daniel turned to see a stocky, balding man standing in the back doorway of the pub. ‘I know, I’m sorry. It was an emergency and there’s not many places you can park something this size. What do I owe you?’
    The man shook his head. ‘Just shift it, OK? Next time I’ll have it clamped.’
    â€˜OK, thanks.’ Daniel waved a hand and made to climb into the cab. In his jacket pocket his phone was vibrating silently – no prizes for guessing who that would be. He must already be at least an hour late for his next drop and Bowden would be on his case in a big way.
    â€˜Move over, Taz!’ He pulled himself into the lorry, fending off an enthusiastic welcome from the dog. Fishing out his mobile, he glanced at the display. It was Bowden, but before he could answer it, his attention was caught by a movement in his door mirror, and he bent to look more closely, hardly believing his eyes.
    Katya was standing at the rear corner of the lorry, one hand on the bodywork, looking uncertainly towards the front.
    Daniel froze, feeling a bit like a twitcher who’s found a rare finch nesting in his window box. What on earth was she doing here, after fighting like a wildcat to get away from him less than half an hour before?
    There was no doubt in his mind that she connected him with the lorry, Hilary had told him that, so it could only mean that she had decided to hear him