Yorkshire Lady

Yorkshire Lady part 20

Part 20

Greg made his plans. He took 2 of his 'Partners in Crime' to carry out a recce. They searched for which of the walled gardens held the roses using a periscope and ladder to see

over the high walls. When they found it Greg sent one of his friends (by the name of Peter

into an oak tree with his binoculars. He located a water tap in a corner and security lights on each wall.

Greg hadn't really expected that he could do his deed unnoticed. It was only to be expected that after he had visited the house last time security would be tighter now.

He would be caught for certain and with his track record would land in prison again. This fact really didn't worry him. He was finding life with his father and Grandmother irksome to say the least.

And it was worth a prison sentence to know that he'd have put a spoke in the wheel of John's happiness.

There was no sign of any cameras in the walled gardens. No doubt the gardens were locked so no one would be able to get to the house through them. The lights would alert security it was unavoidable but at least he had time for a good bit of mischief before they came.

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It was a warm Friday evening. The air soft and silky and the light golden.

Charlie and Freddy were already asleep worn out by a day at school followed by swimming and playing in the garden.

John and Caroline had taken a radio outside and were sitting together on the garden swing listening to The Navy Lark on BBC7. Caroline's head on John's shoulder exchanging soft drowsy kisses with him.

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Greg climbed the ladder against the Sparthwaite garden wall. Pete passed the watering can to him. In one pocket he had the axe and in the other weed killer.

Dropping down on the other side he edged along the wall wanting to avoid the security light as long as possible.

He filled his watering can and added a strong dose of the weed killer. The tap was in a corner and the wall next to it was filled with the fragrant white mist of 'Wedding Day' roses.

Greg attacked the wood with his axe, feeling the satisfaction of chopping by proxy at John's dreams.

He knew he'd not have time for every rose. John had always struck him as a very traditional romantic, so Greg targeted the red white and yellow blooms. The radar got to him as soon as he began dosing the roots of his second batch of victims. A blazing white light flooded the space coupled with an ear splitting alarm.

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John and Caroline sprang apart in shock at the noise. John jumped up and saw the light from the rose garden. Caroline grabbed his arm as he started off towards the noise.

'Ted and Dennis will sort it John, you don't need to go'.

John kissed her forehead. ' I'm prepared to bet it's Greg and if it is I want to be there'.

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Greg hadn't bargained on there being an alarm as well. He could have just left the watering can and run but he'd only doused a few plants and he wasn't yet satisfied.

He dashed round like a man possessed pouring weed killer and hacking with the axe for good measure.

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Ted and Dennis had less far to run than John had but his blood was so up that he arrived only seconds after them.

Dennis pushed open the gate and the scene of carnage met their eyes.

Ted with lightning reflex grabbed the axe before Greg could swing it as John leapt at his brother with a howl of rage, knocking the ¾ empty watering can from his hand.

' What was in it. You evil little b*****d ?' He growled pinning Greg down. 'Weed killer.' Greg said with relish and I've done you some pruning an' all'.

He indicated the remains of the climber now hanging limp from the wall and other roses with severed stems.

Ted, firm but friendly, took John's arm. 'Get off him lad. Let me handle it now'. Dennis had found the weed killer packet. Half the contents were gone.

John knew this meant that double the dose had gone onto his and Rick's carefully tended charges.

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John returned to Caroline hollow eyed and numb with shock. What hurt the most was the depth of malice that Greg had directed at him.

He sank into the comforting embrace offered to him and poured out the scene he'd just been part of into empathetic ears.

He couldn't wait until tomorrow to tell Rick what had happened so he went to the lodge now.

Rick listened without interrupting, shaking his head as John finished. ' The rotten b****r'.

He hissed under his breath. 'All our effort up in smoke in a few minutes'.

He asked John what the charge would be. 'Wilful damage wouldn't get him much more than a suspended sentence'. He reminded his friend.

John looked grimly determined. 'I'll be pressing the breaking and entering charge from his last visit. I wanted Caroline to press for indecent assault but she can't face it'.

Rick nodded. 'That might land him 2 or 3 years'.

In the morning they surveyed the damage. The hacked flowers wilting and the poisoned ones already shrivelling. It was heartbreaking to see.

'I had hopes of using our own roses when me and Caroline get married'. John said heavily.

'Now look at them. We'll have to dig all these out now and start again won't we ?'

Rick nodded sombrely and patted his friend's shoulder.

Ted, Dennis, John and Caroline needed to go to court to give evidence. Ralph and Esther were there in the public gallery unable to meet John's eye when he glanced at them.

Greg got a 2 year sentence. That he would probably only serve 18 months of.

TBC