Free Rollover by James Raven

fractured thoughts and catch my breath.
    But at that moment my phone rang, shooting me with adrenaline.
    I whipped it out and hurried towards the shadows of the Bargate.
    In the gloom of the archway I peered at the screen and experienced a surge of disappointment when the words ‘anonymous caller’ flashed at me.
    It wasn’t Maggie’s phone. So who the hell was calling me at this hour? The kidnapper had warned me not to answer unless the call was from my wife’s phone.
    I stood with my back against the cold, ancient stones of the Bargate walls, staring at the pulsating letters.
    It dawned on me then that it must be the police. Having found the house empty DCI Temple and his colleague were now trying to contact me. Obviously they wanted to talk to me about Vince. Did I know he was dead? When had I last seen him? Why was I not at home at this ungodly hour?
    ‘Shut that fucking thing off.’
    The voice barked at me from the shadows on the other side of the archway. For the first time I noticed that there were two figures standing in a narrow alcove about ten feet from me. Their faces were just visible in the soft glow from lighted cigarettes, or maybe theywere joints. They both had cropped hair and were wearing short jackets over jeans.
    ‘Did you hear what I said, you fucking moron?’ one of them shouted.
    A cold sweat leapt all over my body. My phone was still ringing and I didn’t want to switch it off because I didn’t want the police to know that I had it.
    I thrust it into my jeans pocket and mumbled an apology. This prompted one of the youths to say, ‘Why don’t you answer the bloody thing?’
    I didn’t respond and that proved to be a mistake.
    ‘You trying to be funny?’ one of the youths said as they both stepped out of the shadows and started towards me.
    The phone stopped ringing but now my heart was hammering so fast that I swear I could hear it slamming against my ribcage. I felt threatened suddenly. The youths were obviously drunk or off their heads on drugs. I was about to say something but thought better of it. Instead, I started to turn, intending to run away, but I wasn’t quick enough. Both youths came at me suddenly like tigers leaping on their prey.
    The first blow caught me on the left side of my face. The fist hammered into my cheekbone, hurling me against the wall. Then I felt a hard boot make contact with my left shin bone and my leg buckled. I stumbled sideways as both my attackers started yelling abuse at me. The next blow was a heavy punch to the back of the head. I lost my balance and fell to the ground. This was followed by a sharp kick to my stomach.
    I tried to get to my feet but the blows came thick and fast. I didn’t stand a chance. I resorted to curling up on the ground in the hope that the attackers would quickly tire or be scared off by a passer-by.
    But they were in a frenzy and I didn’t have the strength or the cunning to escape. So I just lay there as the blows rained down. It seemed to last for ever, although it was probably less than a minute.
    ‘He’s had enough,’ one of them said at last. ‘Let’s fuck off.’
    ‘Grab his phone,’ the other responded. ‘And see if he’s got any cash.’
    I felt them searching me, rough hands thrusting into my pockets,and I tried to resist. But my arms were heavy and painful and I couldn’t keep their claws at bay.
    After a few seconds I sensed them step back from me. One of them stamped on my chest for good measure, forcing a searing gasp of air from my lungs.
    I opened my mouth to plead with them not to take my phone, but the words that came out were barely intelligible. I rolled on to my front and watched helplessly as they bolted away from the Bargate down the high street.
    I was suddenly oblivious to the pain that was exploding all over my body and the blood that was pounding in my head. All I could think about was my phone. It was my only link to the kidnapper and my family.
    And it was gone.

12
    J ennifer Priest