She looked up and saw her husband, David, his face full of concern for her. He wrapped a blanket round her and held her in his arms, and rocked her backwards and forwards.
"I love you Sarah, you're safe now nobody can hurt you". She couldn't for a long time believe it was not a dream.
Able to breathe again, Sarah took a long time to stop shaking and crying. An eternity later, calmer and dressed again, she emerged into the sunlight to see police cars and local villagers everywhere.
David led her to their family car that was parked across the lawn and helped her inside.
"Sit here while I go and check on the troops".
He busied himself with the arrangements for Tim who was off in an ambulance in minutes.
A tousle headed Ralph sauntered over to her grinning painfully but reassuringly.
"Have you figured it all out yet?"
Sarah looked from Ralph to the disappearing ambulance and then back to David who seemed to be a central part of the mopping up process.
Ralph bowed to her theatrically.
"Let me be the first to come clean. Detective Inspector Ralph of the local constabulary at your service. The man you know as 'Tim' is attached somewhat loosely to the Fraud Squad.
Your husband is a sort of ex-officio member who joined us recently and who has done us proud. This little band of villains has caused a lot of bother to a lot of people and companies. With your sterling help, they they will do so no longer.
"So it was all a what do you call it 'a sting' ", queried Sarah in wonder, pulling the blanket closer around her.
"Put it this way, your husband didn't know what you were doing all the time and didn't like what you were doing most of the time but he was there in the background all the way making sure you didn't come to harm. He's quite some man, you know".
David came over to join them and clapped Ralph across the shoulder. How's the head", he enquired.
"If I'd have been more ready I'd have been saved the bother but I didn't reckon Peter as the violent type".
"He doesn't look the sort but he's really ruthless", said David, wrapping his arm around Sarah and giving her a big cuddle.
"It's just a good thing I knew another way out of the cellar", smiled Ralph ruefully.
Sarah looked puzzle so Ralph explained.
"My house is on the other side of the hill. This house is really the lodge to the manor as it was in earlier years. I used to play in this cellar as a boy. It was easier to get through the coal sluice the size I was then though!"
"And what about the JennyCare girl?" said Sarah acidly.
David looked slightly embarrassed but not daunted.
"It took me a while to figure her out but she was just too convenient and when I found her going through my computer records, I was pretty sure she was something to do with Peter. He set her up to keep an eye on me. She'll probably be implicated and go down as well. Imagine a man that was willing to use his daughter like that!"
