Convicted Innocent(44)

His knife flashed dully as he stabbed Lewis twice, once in each leg. On the second, he gave the blade a twist as he yanked it free.

It happened so quickly.

Then both David and his friend cried out at the same time – the policeman uttering a choked moan of agony to the priest’s shout of dismay.

Lewis would’ve crumpled to the floor if a pair of their captors had not been holding him already, as this was apparently part of some plan. As it was, he more or less stayed upright. Blood crept down Lew’s trousers from the wounds on the outside of each of his thighs, staining dark fabric darker. Under the hood, his breath sawed in and out in half-whimpering gasps.

“Once would ‘ave been henough.” The blonde noted drily. “Now you’ll ‘ave to carry ‘im.”

Wiping his reddened blade on a bit of Lew’s shirt, Venn shrugged. “Worth hit.”

A hood over his head threw David’s world into sudden blackness; his thoughts didn’t focus to any clarity again until he realized they’d been hauled some distance away from their prison into the tunnels.

God! What had he done?

His words – his own words – had caused his friend agony. His thoughtlessness had driven that other fellow to such wrath…Lew’s newest hurts were on David’s head.

What have I done? What have I done? WhathaveIdone…

Unbidden, the memory of the accident from two years ago overwhelmed his semi-cogent thoughts.

* * * * *

“Your father will come ‘round.” Mother said.

David frowned at her, but the expression slid to a smile when he noticed Annie looking down at him through the window. He waved; his niece babbled something he couldn’t hear and then the little girl’s mother joined her at the window.

Catherine – a grown-up Cat – smiled down at him as well, and then said something over her shoulder. Probably an answer to something her husband, Angus, had mentioned. Little Annie pressed her face to the glass to watch a porter trundle by with a hand cart.

The moment came and went in an instant.

“He’s had ten years, mum.”

“And it may take another ten, but he’ll come ‘round.” She embraced him and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll talk to him again. One day he will be glad you chose to wear that collar. Have hope.”

He made a face at her; she laughed.

The last whistle blew.

“I’m glad you convinced us to stay until this morning. I only wish we could visit longer,” his mother said as he helped her up into the train.

“Well, the next time Angus has business in London…”

“Yes, yes.” She looked down at him from the top step. “Give my regards to that friend of yours – to Lewis. And you behave.”

“Mother,” he ran a finger under his collar wryly and raised an eyebrow.

She smiled. “As I said: behave.”

He laughed.

David turned to go once the train started to pull away, and then it happened. At first he thought that it was some sort of explosion, the noise was so shriekingly percussive.

But it was worse than that.

As if of one mind, everyone on the platform began running toward the twisted mess through the steam and the smoke.

There was screaming. David thought he might have been screaming as well. The car that he’d seen his family climb into was the one crumpled around the engine that had jumped the tracks.

Mother. Cat. Annie. Angus.

He knew where they’d been sitting, but the crash had mangled the car and turned it on its side.