Twelve Thrilling Tales Page 4

  As the London Heathrow flight was called Tay Alan walked casually over to the boarding gate.

  A Birthday to Remember

  Amy was looking forward to celebrating her birthday in London with her good friend Jenny. They travelled down together on the train from up north. The weather was looking good, which pleased Jenny and Amy. The two friends checked into their hotel and unpacked their suitcases. They left the hotel to take the tube to Hyde Park Corner. Jenny hired two bicycles, as she had planned for them to cycle the circuit of Hyde Park. Amy hadn’t been on a bicycle for a very long time. She wheeled the bicycle over to the handrail and propped the bicycle against it while she sat herself on the saddle.

  Jenny was already cycling ahead, unaware that Amy hadn’t even got going yet. Amy started to pedal her bicycle slowly. The bicycle wobbled and off she fell. The bicycle landed on top of her. Amy shouted out to Jenny,

  “Wait for me.” Jenny looked back in despair, and said, “Hurry up, Amy. What is the problem?”

  “Where do I begin?” said Amy. “I can’t hold the bicycle upright because it’s too heavy.”

  Eventually, after five more minutes, Amy got the bicycle away from the handrail and began to ride. She started to pick up speed and catch Jenny up.

  “How far and for how long are you intending to ride in the park?” enquired Amy?

  “I intend to ride around the entire perimeter of the park,” replied Jenny.

  “Well, I don’t think I will be able to do that,” remarked Amy.

  “Just do your best,” said Jenny.

  Amy wasn’t enjoying the bicycle ride. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She felt very hot and sweaty. Amy pulled over to the handrail in order to take a short rest. Jenny was getting well ahead again, unaware that Amy had stopped cycling. A lady passing by stopped and looked at Amy with some alarm. She asked,

  “Are you all right? You look very red in the face. There is an ambulance parked over there in the park, if you need a health check.”

  “Thank you for your concern. It’s some time since I rode a bicycle. Perhaps I will do as you suggest,” said Amy.

  “Is that your friend riding ahead at speed?” enquired the lady.

  “Yes, it is,” said Amy.

  “Ring your bicycle bell to attract her attention. Let me help you off your bicycle,” remarked the lady.

  As Amy dismounted from her bicycle with the help of the lady she became very dizzy and fainted. The concerned lady put Amy in the recovery position and went over to the ambulance for assistance. Two paramedics carrying a first-aid bag rushed across to Amy. Jenny looked back and saw the commotion. She cycled back to where Amy lay.

  “Are you her friend?” asked one of the paramedics.

  “Yes, I am,” replied Jenny. “What’s the matter with my friend Amy?”

  One of the paramedics remarked, “Thanks to the prompt action of this lady your friend has been saved from having the onset of a minor heart attack.”

  “You’re joking,” said Jenny.

  “No, we are not,” replied the paramedic. “Your friend needs to go to hospital right now for a further check-up. I suggest you leave the bicycles and come with us in the ambulance,” said one of the paramedics.

  Three hours later Amy was discharged from accident and emergency. Jenny, still stunned from the incident, helped Amy into a taxi. They rode back to the hotel in total silence. Jenny paid the taxi driver and assisted Amy up the hotel steps.

  “Look, Amy, I’m really sorry about what happened back there in the park. I never imagined it was anything serious.”

  “If you don’t mind I will go up to my room and rest. I’m sure I’ll feel fine after a short sleep,” said Amy.

  “We’ll eat at the hotel tonight, Amy,” said Jenny. “I’ll call for you at seven.”

  Amy felt better after her sleep. She decided not to take the medication that the hospital had prescribed, as she wanted to enjoy a glass of wine with her meal to celebrate her birthday. Jenny and Amy enjoyed a light evening meal and just one glass of wine.

  “I’ll see you for breakfast at nine. Have a good night’s sleep, Jenny, and don’t worry about me. I’ll be OK for tomorrow.”

  The next morning, after breakfast, Jenny and Amy took the Underground to Westminster Bridge. Jenny bought two tickets for the London Dungeon – another birthday surprise experience for Amy.

  “Are you sure you’re going to be OK to do this tour?” enquired Jenny.

  “Yes, of course I am,” said Amy.

  They had only just entered the main entrance when Amy clung on to Jenny’s arm.

  “The tour hasn’t started yet, Amy.”

  “Sorry, Jenny, I’ve just seen those mice running inside that glass case. I’ve got a phobia of rats and mice,” replied Amy.

  “You didn’t say,” remarked Jenny.

  “I’ll be OK. Don’t worry, Jenny.”

  The tour was very realistic in parts – particularly the scary boat ride, the plague doctor, Sweeney Todd, Jack the Ripper and the torturer. Amy continued to cling on to Jenny’s arm throughout the tour. Amy decided to give the last part of the tour – which was the drop dead ride – a miss. Jenny went on to that ride alone. Amy went through to the shop area to wait for Jenny.

  “Wow! That was great. You really felt you were dropping down into a very deep chasm,” exclaimed Jenny, as she caught up with Amy in the shop.

  “Glad I missed it,” said Amy.

  “Are you feeling all right, Amy?” asked Jenny.

  “Why?” replied Amy.

  “No reason, Amy. You look as white as a sheet. I think we had better go and have a hot drink in the cafe before we go on our Thames boat trip,” said Jenny.

  Amy was relieved to sit down in the cafe. She had felt scared stiff throughout the entire London Dungeon experience. Amy didn’t want Jenny to think she was a wimp. The boat trip along the Thames to Greenwich and back was far more relaxing.

  Amy and Jenny decided it was time to return to the hotel to freshen up and change for their theatre visit to see Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap… a perfect end to Amy’s birthday weekend.

  Jenny and Amy enjoyed the play at St Martin’s Theatre immensely. They found a bistro nearby and managed to grab a bite to eat before making their way back to their hotel.

  “Thanks for a great evening, Jenny – and for a lovely birthday weekend, despite my funny turn in the park,” said Amy.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it, Amy, for tomorrow is your last day,” exclaimed Jenny. “Sleep well. Oh, and don’t forget to take three of the tablets the hospital prescribed tonight, as you’ve missed your day’s dosage because we were out,” remarked Jenny.

  “That’s a good idea, Jenny. I’ll do as you suggest. See you tomorrow morning for breakfast at nine.”

  Before Amy got into bed she took three tablets, as Jenny had advised, with a glass of water. After an hour’s sleep Amy woke up with a start. Where on earth was she? The room was spinning round. She felt confused, disoriented and dizzy. Amy was struggling to remember what time Jenny had said for breakfast the next day.

  She picked up her mobile phone, but couldn’t remember her PIN to unlock it.

  This is awful, she thought. It must be the tablets. Perhaps I shouldn’t have taken them all at once… Is Jenny trying to kill me? She did appear to enjoy my feeling fearful in the London Dungeon. Maybe the bike ride in Hyde Park was another attempt by Jenny to kill me off. Why would Jenny behave in such a way?

  All these awful thoughts kept going through Amy’s head. She couldn’t sleep. What had her mother said to her once about bad luck, and unlucky events happening in threes?

  Amy got out of bed and tried to open the door of her room. It wouldn’t open. She panicked. This was a living nightmare. She must be hallucinating. Those tablets must
be extremely strong. Amy felt her way along the wall of her room and got back into bed. She finally drifted off into a very deep sleep.

  The next morning Jenny went to knock on the door of Amy’s room to call her for breakfast. There was no reply. Jenny knocked again, and said,

  “Are you awake, Amy? It’s me, Jenny.” There was still no reply. Jenny was beginning to feel rather anxious. Amy must have overslept. She would go down to breakfast anyway. Amy would probably join her later.

  An hour passed. The waitress at breakfast had asked Jenny twice if anyone was joining her. Jenny replied, “I’m expecting my friend Amy to join me. She must have overslept. I’ll give her ten more minutes, and then I’ll call her on my mobile phone.”

  Ten minutes passed, and Amy had not arrived for breakfast. Jenny rang Amy’s mobile number. There was no reply.

  Jenny left the breakfast table and made her way over to reception.

  “Good morning. I have been expecting my friend in Room 101 to join me for breakfast. She hasn’t shown up yet, and an hour has passed. I’ve called her on my mobile and also knocked on her door, and still there is no reply. I wonder could someone open her room to see if she is OK,” requested Jenny.

  “Yes. If you would care to accompany the housekeeper she will open your friend’s door in your presence,” said the receptionist.

  Jenny and the housekeeper made their way up to the first floor in the hotel lift. The housekeeper got out her master key and opened Amy’s door. The room was in total darkness. The housekeeper opened the curtains. Jenny saw that Amy was lying very still in bed. The housekeeper went over to the bed and gently shook Amy. There was no response.

  “Is she breathing?” asked Jenny.

  “She doesn’t appear to be,” replied the housekeeper, who promptly rang down to reception. “The guest in Room 101 isn’t waking. I think she may have stopped breathing. Please call a doctor at once.”

  Jenny was beside herself with worry. The doctor had been called, and he was still up in Amy’s hotel room. Jenny had been asked to wait in the hotel lounge.

  Jenny noticed two police officers going up in the hotel lift. She went over to the reception desk.

  “Is anything wrong?” enquired Jenny. “I noticed two police officers going up in the lift just now. Are they going to my friend’s room?”

  “Please go back to the lounge, madam,” requested the receptionist. “Someone will be along to take you somewhere more private very shortly to explain what is happening.” Jenny went back to the lounge and sat down, but she couldn’t settle.

  Ten minutes later a tall thin distinguished gentleman in his early forties asked Jenny to follow him into an office just off the main reception. He introduced himself as Peter Morgan, the hotel manager.

  “I’m sorry to have to inform you that your friend in Room 101 is dead. The police wish to interview you shortly. Can I bring you a cup of tea or coffee?”

  “Did you say my friend was dead? I can’t believe it. We were having such a wonderful weekend in London. No, thank you, I don’t want a drink,” replied Jenny.

  The police gave Jenny a thorough grilling about the sequence of events leading up to the death of her friend. They were particularly interested in the advice Jenny had given Amy in relation to taking three tablets together before she went to bed the night before. They asked Jenny if Amy had any history of heart problems, or an allergy to penicillin. Jenny said she was unaware of any such issues, as her friend had always been in good health. The two police officers asked Jenny to accompany them to the police station, where she would be requested to make and sign a formal statement.

  Jenny was taken into a small interview room. She was introduced to Detective Inspector Jane Wright. A female police officer stood in the room by the door. DI Wright remarked,

  “The doctor has confirmed that your friend died of an overdose of the medication prescribed by the hospital following your cycle ride in Hyde Park. Is there anything further you wish to tell me about this event?”

  Jenny was stunned by what she heard.

  “I feel absolutely awful about what has happened to my friend. I didn’t realise she was struggling to cycle in the park. I wouldn’t have persisted with the bicycle ride if I had known Amy wasn’t well. As for the overdose of medication… I did advise Amy to take the day’s tablets together before she went to sleep as she had missed her daily dosage throughout the day, because we were out.”

  “Do you have any specific medical knowledge to base your advice on?” asked DI Wright.

  “No, I don’t,” replied Jenny.

  This was sounding very serious. DI Wright asked Jenny to remain in the room with the police officer while she went out to have a word with another colleague.

  Twenty minutes later DI Wright returned.

  “We are going to have to ask you to remain in London for the rest of today. I am sure the hotel will allow you to stay there for a further night. You may wish to call your family to let them know what has happened. Amy’s parents are making their way down by train today.”

  Jenny returned to the hotel. She went up to her room and packed her suitcase. Jenny didn’t want to spend another day in London after what had happened. Why were the police asking her to stay another night? Was she going to be charged with the murder of her friend? Jenny couldn’t face seeing Amy’s parents.

  Jenny telephoned her parents to tell them what had happened. They caught the next available train down to London. When they arrived at Jenny’s hotel Jenny had checked out of her room and was sitting in the hotel lounge.

  “Oh, thank goodness you are both here,” said Jenny. “I can’t bear to stay here, where Amy died.”

  “That’s OK, sweetheart. We will all check into another hotel near the police station. We’ll let the police know where we are staying tonight,” said Jenny’s father.

  “I’m really scared that I’m going to be charged with Amy’s murder,” sobbed Jenny.

  “Don’t worry, love. Your father will get a top lawyer to defend you if needs be,” said Jenny’s mother.

  Jenny and her parents went to the police station the next afternoon to meet with Detective Inspector Wright. She informed them all that Jenny was free to leave London. The report by the coroner reached the conclusion, from the evidence presented, that Amy’s death was caused by misadventure. Jenny clearly hadn’t intended to harm Amy in any way. The cycling incident in Hyde Park and the prescription drug overdose were both unfortunate accidents. Neither Jenny nor Amy knew that she had a weak heart, nor that she was allergic to penicillin. By the time the morning had arrived it was too late to administer an antidote to Amy to counteract the adverse penicillin reaction because she had already died in the night, alone.

  Jenny had absolutely nothing to reproach herself for. That was most certainly a birthday surprise to remember.

  A Recipe for Murder

  Justin Thyme, the show host and presenter, greeted the television live audience and said, “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this week’s episode of TV Chefs’ Challenge. In the studio this afternoon our two top TV chefs, Paul Curry and Tony Cook, will battle it out to see which of them can produce the tastiest and most attractive main course using exactly the same ingredients.”

  Paul Curry and Tony Cook were greeted with enthusiastic applause from the live television audience as they entered the studio. They promptly took up their allotted places at the cooking area, which faced the audience. Paul, as usual, had his mother’s favourite recipe book, which he placed on the kitchen worktop in front of him.

  “Ah, I see you are hoping to get some inspiration, Paul, from your mother’s recipe book,” remarked Justin Thyme.

  “Yes. I am hoping that one of my mother’s signature dishes in her recipe book will give me the leading edge over Tony today,” replied Paul jokingly.

  “As usual,
Paul, you are showing your competitive streak in front of Tony and the studio audience. Let the cooking commence, and may the best chef win.”

  Wonderful aromas began to hit the television studio audience from the chefs’ cooking… fried onions, red wine and garlic, to name but a few. Justin Thyme’s stomach began to rumble as he continued his endless running commentary on what each chef was preparing and cooking. Paul had decided to make a posh pasta dish with a wonderful, rich bolognaise sauce. Tony had chosen to create a stir-fry dish, which would be served with a salad or rice. On this occasion Paul hadn’t needed to refer to his mother’s recipe book for inspiration.

  Tony Cook appeared to be far more reticent throughout the afternoon. He gave short, abrupt replies to Justin’s inconsequential questions.

  What a prize prat Justin really is, thought Tony. It’s bad enough having to produce yet another winning dish in the allotted time without having to listen to his endless pathetic comments and jokes. As for that arrogant smart-arse chef Paul Curry, with his mother’s recipe book… well! You could wonder how such a trashy TV show keeps its weekly ratings and its audiences enthralled.

  The atmosphere in the studio kitchen was very hot under the lights. Paul Curry looked flustered. Tony Cook appeared cool and calm, as ever. With only five minutes left the pressure was on. Both chefs began to put the finishing touches to their main courses. The audience counted down.

  “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one… ”

  “Stop cooking,” announced Justin Thyme. Two members of the audience, picked at random by Justin Thyme, were invited up to judge the chefs’ final dishes. Paul’s main course was the first to be judged and commented upon for its taste and overall appearance. He was awarded a score of seven out of ten.