of this. You are in danger!’
Chapter 7
Mean Streets
S ophie flinched as the young man held her arm tightly, she wasn’t sure where the danger lay. Was it with the old woman who was pursuing her or with the man who was gripping her arm?
The woman was getting closer, the piercing shrill of her voice could be heard across the sand. Sophie glanced over her shoulder and saw that the whites of her eyes were blood shot with anger. Jim wasn’t afraid of Betsy, he just wanted to get Sophie out of her reach.
The effort to run on the sand was becoming too much for the woman. Her attire was cumbersome and she was uncomfortably hot. She stopped and shouted with a wheeze, ‘Stop that lad, he is a criminal and he’s stolen my granddaughter, bring her back ‘ere.’ Her knotty finger was pointing accusingly.
Some of the day trippers appeared startled by the commotion but were clearly wary of getting involved. A portly built gentleman tried to block their way, his stance was clumsy allowing Jim to outmanoeuvre him.
‘Where are you going with that girl, young man? Stop now!’ Bawled the man as he lunged towards them.
‘I’m not her granddaughter!’ Shouted Sophie, now panting with the effort of running on the sand. The two youngsters side stepped him and kept running among the crowds of families on the beach, destroying some sandcastles on the way.
As Sophie’s confidence grew, her instincts told her she had made the right choice. She would stay with Jim and kept up with him willingly. She had no idea what danger she was in but felt that she was leaving it behind.
Glancing over her shoulder, again, she saw that the woman had regained the paved promenade. She was talking animatedly with a puny looking man, they appeared to be arguing. Sophie’s thin summer dress made her stand out in the crowd. As the couple turned, she saw the woman point in her direction. Sophie didn’t understand what was happening, ‘Why is she after me and who is she?’
‘Stupid old cow, you let her go, she was in your grasp. I saw you, standing there bawling like a fish wife, rooted to the spot. You did yourself no good at all, just attracted unwanted attention.’ Freddie Hale was furious.
‘I will find ‘er, I know where Jim will take her, I’ll be watching ‘im like a hawk.’ Said Betsy finally, with a wicked gleam in her beady brown eyes.
Their embarrassment was spared by an indifferent crowd, keen to be off on their merry way. Mildly curious onlookers didn’t want to get involved, they were enjoying a family day out.
Betsy thought that the flame haired young ‘un was probably innocent, although she was intrigued by her fashion sense. ‘She’s worth a hundred quid to me and more. Lots more if she is the virgin I think she is, but who is she? ’ Betsy, who usually had the measure of everyone, especially young girls, was unsure.
‘She might be a blowsy anyway!’ She paused pulling out a hip flask of cheap gin from her purse. She guzzled a mouthful. ‘They can run but they can’t hide, a redhead like her will stand out like a sore thumb, you mark my words Freddie Hale, I’ll put me feelers out, I will find that girl. That Florrie will lead us right to her especially if she’s with Boyle.’
Sophie and Jim were out of breath and needed to rest. As they left the sands, they leant on the railings, safe in the knowledge that the woman had, obviously, decided to abandon the chase.
‘Are we safe now?’ Asked Sophie.
‘Yes, for the time being but you can’t afford to relax.’
Sophie noticed that he had said you and not we .
‘Very well.’ Said Sophie. ‘ Why am I in danger?’
Jim was not surprised to meet Sophie. Larry had explained to him that a girl would come back in time to undo the past. She will bring justice for a great evil. Jim believed in the enigmatic character and knew he was more than an imaginary figure. Sophie will witness many events of Jim’s life. She will always appear as a fourteen year old and
Chapter 7
Mean Streets
S ophie flinched as the young man held her arm tightly, she wasn’t sure where the danger lay. Was it with the old woman who was pursuing her or with the man who was gripping her arm?
The woman was getting closer, the piercing shrill of her voice could be heard across the sand. Sophie glanced over her shoulder and saw that the whites of her eyes were blood shot with anger. Jim wasn’t afraid of Betsy, he just wanted to get Sophie out of her reach.
The effort to run on the sand was becoming too much for the woman. Her attire was cumbersome and she was uncomfortably hot. She stopped and shouted with a wheeze, ‘Stop that lad, he is a criminal and he’s stolen my granddaughter, bring her back ‘ere.’ Her knotty finger was pointing accusingly.
Some of the day trippers appeared startled by the commotion but were clearly wary of getting involved. A portly built gentleman tried to block their way, his stance was clumsy allowing Jim to outmanoeuvre him.
‘Where are you going with that girl, young man? Stop now!’ Bawled the man as he lunged towards them.
‘I’m not her granddaughter!’ Shouted Sophie, now panting with the effort of running on the sand. The two youngsters side stepped him and kept running among the crowds of families on the beach, destroying some sandcastles on the way.
As Sophie’s confidence grew, her instincts told her she had made the right choice. She would stay with Jim and kept up with him willingly. She had no idea what danger she was in but felt that she was leaving it behind.
Glancing over her shoulder, again, she saw that the woman had regained the paved promenade. She was talking animatedly with a puny looking man, they appeared to be arguing. Sophie’s thin summer dress made her stand out in the crowd. As the couple turned, she saw the woman point in her direction. Sophie didn’t understand what was happening, ‘Why is she after me and who is she?’
‘Stupid old cow, you let her go, she was in your grasp. I saw you, standing there bawling like a fish wife, rooted to the spot. You did yourself no good at all, just attracted unwanted attention.’ Freddie Hale was furious.
‘I will find ‘er, I know where Jim will take her, I’ll be watching ‘im like a hawk.’ Said Betsy finally, with a wicked gleam in her beady brown eyes.
Their embarrassment was spared by an indifferent crowd, keen to be off on their merry way. Mildly curious onlookers didn’t want to get involved, they were enjoying a family day out.
Betsy thought that the flame haired young ‘un was probably innocent, although she was intrigued by her fashion sense. ‘She’s worth a hundred quid to me and more. Lots more if she is the virgin I think she is, but who is she? ’ Betsy, who usually had the measure of everyone, especially young girls, was unsure.
‘She might be a blowsy anyway!’ She paused pulling out a hip flask of cheap gin from her purse. She guzzled a mouthful. ‘They can run but they can’t hide, a redhead like her will stand out like a sore thumb, you mark my words Freddie Hale, I’ll put me feelers out, I will find that girl. That Florrie will lead us right to her especially if she’s with Boyle.’
Sophie and Jim were out of breath and needed to rest. As they left the sands, they leant on the railings, safe in the knowledge that the woman had, obviously, decided to abandon the chase.
‘Are we safe now?’ Asked Sophie.
‘Yes, for the time being but you can’t afford to relax.’
Sophie noticed that he had said you and not we .
‘Very well.’ Said Sophie. ‘ Why am I in danger?’
Jim was not surprised to meet Sophie. Larry had explained to him that a girl would come back in time to undo the past. She will bring justice for a great evil. Jim believed in the enigmatic character and knew he was more than an imaginary figure. Sophie will witness many events of Jim’s life. She will always appear as a fourteen year old and
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