Entrapped

17 - The Unholy Agenda

Lyle's one cheek and lip are swollen badly. Chloe bends forward and carefully pecks him on the forehead and takes his hand.

"Lyle, my little Iron Man, you are a little living miracle! Ronnie, Leo, and Hayley are waiting in the corridor. They want to give us some alone time and when it's okay with you, I shall call them."

There are tears in his eyes. "Chloe, we hung over the cliff the whole night and looked down into the endless abyss. I was thankful that mom was unconscious. The cold was terrible and the pain never ending. I thought we would die there because no one would search for us and save us. I had to hang there motionless on the seatbelt because every movement threatened to wriggle us free so that we would plunge to our death. I just wanted to give up and try to get out of the wreck when I heard the echoes of your voice. I first thought it was my imagination but then I heard it again. Thank you, Chloe; thank you so very much that you searched for us and that you yelled over the cliffs. As long as I live I will never forget what you did! Do you think my mother is going to make it?"

Chloe simply ignores the eyes of the visitors at the man next to Lyle. Tears run freely over her cheeks and she doesn't even try to wipe them. She only keeps his hand in her hand as if it is a living jewel and it gives her a warm feeling deep inside.

"You both have survived up to now, Lyle. She survived a difficult operation, hasn't she? I have high hopes that she will hang in there and persevere for her little IronMan. We love you so much, my dear boy! The doctor believes it might take time before she opens her eyes and we can only hope and pray, Lyle."

"It wasn't an accident, Chloe."

Lyle caught her by surprise out of the blue and she is afraid she hasn't heard him clearly.

"What are you saying, Lyle, I don't understand ...?"

"It was no accident."

"What do you mean, Lyle?"

"A monster truck pushed us over the edge."

It still doesn't make sense to her: "Lyle, could it be the trauma that is playing tricks with your imagination?"

"I remember everything as clear as daylight! I thought back and put everything that happened together, Chloe. Someone tried to murder us by deliberately pushing us over the edge. We were followed on the way to the pass. First, it was a lorry with two men at the back that followed closely and overtook us at the right time only to stop us as if they were regulating the traffic through the pass. We were then followed by a monster of a built-up truck with bull bars, giant wheels, and a very powerful engine.

"Mom wanted for him to overtake us but he followed hot on our heels and I now realise that they made sure there was no traffic on the pass because when we came out of the sharp bend at the top, this thing charged at us, bumped into us from behind and pushed us all the way down the slope and over the edge. It had definitely been planned beforehand. Chloe, someone wanted to murder us!"

Chloe now thinks back to when she saw the brake marks. It looked strange but she didn't realise why. She now realises that the marks go all the way down from the top down the decline to where they went over.

As if he is reading her thoughts, Lyle continues: "Mom tried to brake but that thing pushed us faster and faster and we slid from side to side and she had to release the pressure on the brake a little to hold a bit of control. That monstrous, powerful thing with the tinted windows easily let us burst through the boundary wall and over the cliff."

His description of what happened now makes total sense: those marks that continuously go down the slope, some places lighter and other darker.

It isn't his imagination!

"Chloe, someone tried to murder us! You must believe me! It's definitely not my imagination!"

Chloe presses his hand gently. "I believe you, Lyle. That brake marks seemed peculiar to me when I saw them at first but I didn't realise why. Your description is the only explanation for that. Relax, I believe you, my boy."

"Thank you, Chloe, I wasn't sure anyone would believe me. I think it was Quinn, Chloe."

She is flabbergasted. "What Lyle! No, your father might be in a very bad mood, but I don't think he would do that."

"Chloe, I heard many things when they fought because mom took him up on many issues. She knew he has partners in the underworld whose money he washes through his motor trading. He wasted their money through gambling and is indebted to very dangerous people and that had my mother constantly worried. I think those people now threaten him and he is in dire need of cash and that's why he wanted to get a loan from grandfather, Tony. That's why mother wanted to divorce him. He bluntly threatened her that he would get rid of us if she wouldn't help him for then he would get our share of the farm."

Chloe is thunderstruck. "Did he really say that, Lyle? You know, in a heated argument people say things they don't really mean. Shame, you have endured a lot of tension because of his nonsense, but I really don't know if he would go this far."

"It was his plan, Chloe. Why race away from the farm just before we had to drive over the pass? I think he planned it well. It was his golden opportunity because it would have looked like an accident. Naturally, he asked people he is indebted to to help him. I think he would have cancelled his plans at the last moment if granddad lent him the money. When mother prevented him, he decided there was only one way out. I think he was very desperate."

"Lyle, how do you think all these things up? It was a terrible experience and I think your mind is working overtime. We must go to the police and ask their help to learn the truth."

"Where is my dad now, Chloe?"

"I don't know, Lyle."

"Precisely, he is hiding now."

"Lyle, I am totally aghast and I know for sure we need help. May I go and tell them waiting in the corridor?"

"No. Chloe, just think over everything I told you. We can talk tomorrow about what we are going to do, please. I'm afraid they might think I'm mad!"

Chloe smiles. "Okay. The doctor wants to release you tomorrow. I will be fetching you and you are welcome to lodge with me for the time being. I only worry about your school work because you fell behind. Your granddad always had been serious about your studies so that you will be well prepared to take over the farm when the time comes."

"Chloe, I'd rather go back to school tomorrow if you promise to come and get me the moment my mom opens her eyes, please."

"That's a good plan, Lyle. But first I want to take you to the shops to replace all the things you have lost before I take you. I must tell you quickly: your headmaster and his son in law helped to save you from the cliff face. I'm going to take presents with me for the two of them and I shall thank Richard personally when we reach your school."

She glimpses at the bag with delicacies on his bed table.

"In the meantime, enjoy your cool drink, biltong and chips and stop worrying about what happened. Chloe shall sort out everything, okay. It lies in the past and you and Zoey must only concentrate on getting stronger. May I now go and get the crowd in the corridor? They are anxiously waiting to see you."

"Okay, but please keep our secret."