Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 The Girl With A Bicycle - Part 12 By Wandering Lanes

   Story codes (MF, g, slow)

   We walked onto Sharon's house, in silence.  Each worried about Becky,
and how her parents would react to her story.  But as I had said there was
nothing we could do about it.

   At Sharon's Kylie went upstairs, Sharon made a pot of tea, I borrowed
the phone, I'd had an idea which I had to work on,

   "'Greg's' Electrical outlet - we sell things to give you a charge'" -
yes it was funny when you first hear it, it loses something with repeats,

   "Greg, Mike here,"

   "Hi Mike, you don't want to bring those radios back do you?" He sounded
worried about the thought.

   "No. . . .  Well, not yet, I was just thinking, the firm that make them,
what's it doing with the patent?"

   "The patent?  Why would you want to know about that?" he was very
puzzled over this.

   I replied, "Just see if they're willing to sell the patent, check with
George." - George Willby was our mutual solicitor, something we found out
by chance one day.  - "Get him to write up some contract or other if they
agree to sell."

   "Okay Mike, if you say so, but I think you're daft - if they can't sell
them, how do you think you'd be able to?" That was a very good question.

   "Greg, when have you know any of my hunches fail",

   He laughed "Well there was that time in the '80's . . ." He started to
say, but I cut in with

   "True, but it got you the shop didn't it?"

   "Yes, that it did.  Okay Mike, I'll get onto it now"

   After thanking Greg, and hanging up, I remembered I had another call to
make, looking in my wallet for the number - I found it and dialled it.

   "Is that Paula, Oh, her mother, I see.  Is Paula there please, yes
please, Thank you." I heard the phone being put down, a voice shouting out
'Paula there's a man asking for you, why didn't you tell me you had another
boyfriend?' - another voice could just be heard 'Mother!  I've only got one
boyfriend and you know it' - the phone was picked up, and Paula's voice
answered.

   "Hello, who is it?"

   "Hi there Paula, its Mike, remember the person who buys radios?"

   "Oh, Mike, how are you?"

   "Fine, look Paula, I've got the rest of the radio's in, I think I'd
better show you and the other two, I don't know their names, Snowy and Barn
is it?" I wasn't an ornithologist

   She laughed "Oh you mean Brown Owl and Snowy Owl - well we are having a
pre-camp meeting later today,"

   "Good, do you mind if I tag along, and if I bring Kylie with me, she
already knows how to use her radio, and might be a help showing you?"

   After getting her acceptance, and address, then asking her to give my
regards to her mother 'from your boyfriend' - 'Oh Mike!'

   Kylie didn't really want to leave her home,

   "Oh mum, what if Becky calls"

   "If she does then I'll call you" Sharon held up her radio, finally Kylie
accepted the fact, but decided to ride to Paula's house, leaving me to walk
- carrying the radios.

   --------------------------------------------------

   I arrived at Paula's to find an elderly woman standing at the door,

   "Ah, you must be Michael, your daughter said you'd be here soon, come
in, you're find the girls in the front there, I must say your daughter was
very polite, not like most of the young people of today." And I was ushered
into the room where Kylie was waiting, with Paula.

   "Mike, thanks for coming over, Margaret, Joyce, can I introduce you to
Mike, our benefactor, at least in regards to the radios" I nodded my head
to the two other 'ladies' in the room.  I hissed to Kylie

   "Where's the Brown Goose and the Snow board?"

   I was hit by Kylie, who said, "Don't be a doofus!" DOOFUS - where had
she learnt that?  - "This is my Brown Owl," pointing to the one called
Margaret, "and this is Snowy Owl".  I smiled,

   "In this box, I have enough to keep your, erm, pack quite happy," I was
acting the part of a magician.  "The very last 30 radio/transceivers in
existence." I couldn't keep this up, so I opened the box and took out the
first unit, "The first thing to do is to insert the battery, they last 6
months with normal wear and tear, so I think they will last a week with
your pack." This brought a laugh from all,

   I continued to show then the features of the radio's, how they could be
tuned in, what frequencies were available, and how to talk into them, we
discussed the various merits of the radios, and the bad sides - people able
to listen into conversations, I impressed on them - I hoped - the need not
to voice personal details into the radios, and hopefully they would be able
to pass this on to the girls in the pack.

   We sorted through the radios, splitting them up into thirds, then spent
time tuning them, I noticed a button I'd never saw before marked
'Broadcast' - I checked the one on my wrist, no, I didn't have that button
on mine, going through the others I found only 8 had this button.  I picked
one of these up, pressed the new button,

   "Testing one, two, three, I don't believe it.  This button allows access
to all these radios at the same time" I released the button half way
through talking as I heard my voice being transmitted through all 32 radios
in that room, yes including Kylie's and mine.

   "This is a surprise, I suggest you each have one of 'these' radio's,
that way you'll be able to contact all of the pack at once." This was
agreed on, and then Kylie came up with a good suggestion.

   "Why don't we have a special word - one that tells everyone to keep
listening, an urgent word"?

   "How do you mean, " I asked, "Like Mayday," - yes I know it should be
French 'Mai-dais' but it's the pronunciation that counts.

   Kylie nodded, "Yes, but we couldn't use that, but I don't know what
other word to use, can you think of one Uncle Mike?" - I thought, but out
loud.

   "It would have to be something strange, but has a colour of danger, so a
red or reddish colour, The Brownies have owls as their leaders, so a bird -
red in colour, unusual name -flamingo?  FLAMINGO.  But the word would have
to be repeated, okay then try 'flamingo, flamingo, flamingo' as the call
word - how does that sound?"

   The three women looked on mouths wide, and then Paula said,

   "Certainly that sounds appropriate, but how could that be used by the
Brownies, they'd only have the attention of their own sixes?"

   Kylie came back with "But we'd also be calling one of you, then you can
use to broadcast button to alert everyone else!" This was agreed on, then
Paula said

   "But there are too many radio's here, we don't need so many."

   I replied, "But there will be sometimes when the girls don't remember to
bring their radios you'll be able to lend them a spare."

   Kylie giggled "Don't bet on it Uncle, they'll never take them off!" at
this all the women laughed again.

   We sorted out the main frequencies that the group would use - ensuring
that they didn't come near 'our' frequency - I didn't think the Brownies
would be interested in anything we had to say.  I was persuaded to take one
of the newer designs, and Kylie managed to get another, leaving her with
two radios,

   I asked her "What are you going to do with two?"

   She shrugged "Don't know yet.  Just have to see!"

   We left the house, after I promised to be at the Brownies meeting on
Sunday.

   --------------------------------------------------

   One our way to Kylies house, we passed Becky's, the house seemed empty,
and Maria's car wasn't outside.

   "Where can she be?" said Kylie, I replied

   "Perhaps her parents have taken her out for a meal"

   Kylie laughed "Never, not in a million years, Darren possibly, but not
Becky."

   I had to ask "Why Darren?  I mean do you know why they think so highly
of Darren."

   "He's tried to make himself seem like a perfect son, but he steals when
he can, when he drinks he takes his dad's beer - her dad likes the beer,
almost fanatical about it, a beer and sitting in front of the television.
He doesn't know that most of the beer he drinks is stolen and that Darren
is the one doing it." I looked at Kylie, and asked

   "How do you know this?"

   Kylie shook her head - "He tells Becky everything he's done, because he
knows she'd never be believed."

   "And Becky told you?" She nodded.  "Everything?" Another nod.  "Kylie?
Could you write it down, please, it may help Becky in the long run." She
looked at me

   "How, Uncle Mike, Darren will only say I lied." I had to nod,

   "That is true Kylie, but then again it will give the police something
else to work on." She nodded.

   "Okay Uncle Mike, I'll do that when we get in."

   When we go home, Sharon was looking out the window - she waved to us,

   "Mike, the strangest thing happened earlier, your voice came out of my
radio, it said - Testing one, two, three and a bit more, what happened?" I
showed her my new radio, with its extra button.

   "This happened, they must have improved the model before they ceased
making them, I'd better warn you, Kylie has one too." In the meantime,
Kylie had put her bicycle away, and then went upstairs to her room, Sharon
looked around for her.

   "Where's Kylie?  Its nearly tea time." I remembered our little talk and
replied.

   "Just making a few notes for me, I hope!" Sharon looked at me
quizzically, "If I need to I will let you know, honest." She accepted this
and went into the kitchen,

   "Mike do you want to stay for tea?"

   "Yes please Sharon, but please don't ask me to say longer, I have things
to do at home."

   "Okay Mike," her voice had a slight edge of disappointment in it, I did
really have things to do, but I hated myself as well.

   Kylie came down with several sheets of paper, covered in her scrawl, but
I could read it, and if I could then others should be able to.  I glanced
through the sheets, petty theft, shoplifting, and then I saw it, or rather
them, a couple of muggings, these had been in the papers several weeks ago,
it seems Darren was trying to rise in the criminal world.

   "Kylie?  are you certain about these?" I didn't mention the muggings -
she nodded.

   "Yes, Becky told me everything, Darren liked to brag."

   "Okay, now don't mention this to anyone - not even Becky, she may not
like it!" Kylie looked at me, "she told you this in confidence, she didn't
want you to tell anyone else."

   "Uncle Mike, Becky told me that I could tell anyone I trusted, anyone
who would believe me, I think you trust me, don't you?"

   I nodded, "Yes Kylie, I do trust you, but the real question is do you
trust me to use this where it will help the most?" She raised her eyes to
me,

   "Uncle Mike, I know you'll do the right thing!"

   "Now I'm about to disappoint you," She frowned - I continued "Because
after tea, I have to go back home, so it going to be just you and your
mother here tonight." Kylie looked at her mother

   "Mummy can I go with Uncle Mike tonight," I had to come in with

   "No Kylie, You can't be in my house alone with me, the neighbours may
talk, then I might end up in jail."

   "But, Uncle Mike, if mummy and I were with you then nobody would talk."

   I had to laugh, "Wrong Kylie, if the neighbours saw Sharon with me, then
EVERYONE would talk, especially as this would be the second night."

   Sharon surprised me when she said, "Why not Mike?  If the neighbours
want to talk, lets give them something to talk about!" I gave up, why
whistle into the wind?  (I had to clean that one up).

   "All right, we'll shock everyone, but after tea, okay?" they agreed to
this, so we sat down and started on the tea that Sharon had prepared.

   --------------------------------------------------

   So again we walked back to my house, again we passed by Becky's, still
no sign of life, I was starting to get worried, where were they?  I didn't
say anything to the pair with me but kept on walking.

   Once we got in Kylie went upstairs to 'her' bedroom, making sure she had
her book with her, she wanted me to be able to read to her, instead of
'making up' stories.  Sharon started to check on my provisions.  'If I'm
going to cook dinner, it's going to be more than frozen snacks!'

   I went to my phone and dialled the local Police station.  Once I got
through I asked for DS Nichols.

   "Nichols here, who's that?"

   "Its Mike Moore, I have some information about Darren, I don't think
it's really admissible in court, as it's third party hearsay, but I think
it could help you."

   "Well, I admit I could use a little help with that at present, I'm
waiting for the report from Social Services, before we could work on the
attempted rape case.  Where are you Mike?"

   "I'm at home at present, do you want to come round."

   "Yes, that would be best, would 15 minutes be okay?"

   "Fine, that's if you not too busy.  See you then." And I hung up.

   Sharon started to head for the door, with a list in her hand - I stopped
her and gave her some money,

   "Mike, I can pay for this you know!" She seemed affronted that I would
try to pay,

   "I do know Sharon, but you're buying food for this house, not yours, so
I should pay, it's only fair - I know!  You can pay the maid for cleaning
up this morning." She hit me on the arm.

   "Beast, you know I can't afford to pay for her - she's too expensive!"

   "I'd better start looking for another maid then!" She shook her head,

   "Better not!  You mightn't be able to pay for her!" She accepted the
money and went to the local shops.

   --------------------------------------------------

   Later there was a ring at the door, I opened it to find DS Nichols
there, and I invited him in.  I showed him into the living room, where
Kylie was sitting - he looked at me.

   "Sharon's just at the shops, she'll be back in a moment, now here is a
list, detailing actions of Darren.  Nichols looked through the list, then
at me.

   "Where did you get this from?" I looked at Kylie - Nichols followed my
gaze, "How accurate is this?"

   Kylie shrugged "I don't know, it's just what Becky told me, and Darren
had told her."

   "Hmm.  Petty shoplifting, car radios - we've had our eyes on this fence,
but couldn't do anything!  Hang on!  Kylie are you sure Becky said about
these two?" He pointed to the muggings part,

   Kylie looked at the paper.  "Yes, Becky said he was very happy when he
bragged about that, He even kept their books in his room."

   "Their pension books?" Kylie nodded, "Do you know where?"

   "In his room, he has a chest of drawers, they're on the bottom of the
third shelf." Nichols started to look smug,

   "If they're there then we've got him!" Kylie glared at him, he looked
back at her, "You see Kylie, I can't use this," he held up the sheets of
paper, "as you're not a direct witness, but with proof I can use this as
the source for questioning."

   The front door opened and Sharon came in, as she put her keys away
Nichols looked at me.

   "Well, as Sharon is going to be working again from Monday, and wants me
to look after Kylie, I thought it was only fair that they both have a key."

   Kylie came up with - "Yes Uncle Mike got three cut when we left the
police station yesterday." Nichols smiled, then counted them off,

   "One for Sharon, one for Kylie, who was the third for?"

   I answered, "Well, I thought I might need a spare."

   "A spare?  If I was a suspicious man I would think that Becky may have
got the third, you're lucky I'm not" - yeah, sure, an unsuspicious
policeman, still Nichols did appear to be a man of his word.

   Nichols continued, "I'll have to get back to the station, have to get a
search warrant, I think we're going to be very busy with young Darren. 
Thank you Kylie, this will be very helpful." I showed Nichols out, and
returned to the living room.

   Kylie came up to me and said "I'm sorry Uncle Mike," I looked at her,
"I'm sorry if I said something I shouldn't about the keys", I kissed her
head,

   "Don't worry pumpkin.  If he wanted to say something, he would have done
then, I think he doesn't mind about us, or at least isn't concerned about
us.

   I let Kylie watch television as I offered to help Sharon, only to be
turned down with 'if you only eat frozen foods how can you help me in a
kitchen' I didn't think this was fair, I knew how to open the packets at
least!

   Dinner was another quiet affair, well it started off that way, just as
we were sitting down the doorbell rang, and again I answered it to find
Becky on the doorstep, with Maria visible on the footpath,

   Becky said, " I couldn't stay at home, and Kylie and Sharon wasn't in so
I asked if I could come here instead!" I called Sharon and Kylie over to
show Maria that I wasn't alone, she turned away satisfied.

   Becky ran into my arms, "Oh Mr.  Mike it was horrible, I didn't like
that Dave person, but Nancy was nice," She looked at me, "But I may have
spoken about you a bit too much!" I hugged her to show I didn't mind,
Sharon went back to the dinner to stretch it so that we could all have
enough.

   --------------------------------------------------

   While we were eating Becky said, "Mr.  Mike -why did you use the radio
today,"

   Kylie looked up, "You mean you heard him too - gosh you must have been
in range!"

   I explained the button I found and showed it to Becky on my radio "It
must be a new addition, but as no more are being made I don't think any
others are going to be interrupting us."

   "Does this mean that if I talk to you on the radio, all the Brownies
will hear me?" Becky was starting to sound worried.

   I tried to placate her, "No Becky, they'll be on a different waveband,
we won't be able to hear them, and they won't be able to hear us."

   She nodded, "Good 'cause there's things I'd tell you, that I wouldn't
want others to know!"

   I had to ask, if not for my sake but for Kylie's "Becky, if you tell
Kylie a secret, and she told me, would you mind if I used it?"

   Becky thought for a moment, then her eyes went wide, she looked at Kylie
- "You didn't, did you?"

   Kylie dropped her eyes, "Only about Darren, and what he told you, that's
all."

   Becky looked at me, "And Ky told you," I nodded, "Who did you tell?"

   I looked at her "DS Nichols.  Why didn't you tell me about the other
things Darren was doing?"

   "'Cause I didn't think you'd believe me," She had tears in her eyes - I
hugged her.

   "Becky, I will try to believe anything you tell me, because you have no
need to lie to me, come on dry your eyes, and eat your dinner." She dabbed
her eyes and smiled at us.

   "Thank you Mr.  Mike, I think Darren thought I wouldn't tell anyone, he
thought I was safe cause I didn't have any friends."

   Kylie reached over and hugged her, "Well now you have three at least,
and we'll always be here for you." They finished hugging and then continued
with their meal.

   When we'd all finished everybody helped with the washing up, Sharon
doing the washing, and the three of us helping with the drying.

   We were sitting in the living room, Becky and Kylie were watching the
television, talking to each other and giggling over some boy band that was
performing - if you could call it performing, I must be getting old, or
something - Sharon and I were relaxing, not really doing anything, just
relaxing.

   "Mike?  Would Nichols do anything about us?"

   "No.  What can he do, we're both over the age of consent, and its not as
if we're doing anything wrong."

   "But we've got the girls here!"

   "Not unusual and they've got their own bedroom - so there is nothing to
worry about!"

   "But what about the times they've slept with us?"

   "Did anything happen?"

   "Well, no.  But what if the girls say anything?"

   "We'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it.  Until then we don't
worry," Sharon nodded her head

   I looked at the two girls, "Come on you two, shower and then bed," Both
girls looked at me expectation in their eyes - I had to disappoint them
"No, you'll have to wash yourselves, and don't forget the curtain this
time"

   "Awl, Uncle Mike," and "Not fair, Mr.  Mike" Were the responses we
heard, and the two girls walked up the stairs.

   Sharon looked at me, "Mike what about Becky - I mean shouldn't she have
gloves or something?"

   I shook my head "I've left the liquid soap out for the girls to use,
that antiseptic type - and I asked Kylie to make sure they used it, so
don't worry."

   --------------------------------------------------

   We were called from the bathroom some minutes later to find the two
girls waiting in the room,

   "Mr.  Mike, there aren't any towels here," looking around I saw the edge
of the towel in the linen basket, I looked back at Kylie and Becky, Becky
was smiling, Kylie looked apprehensive but there was a slight pleading look
in her eyes.  Okay lets humour them.

   "Oh dear, I wonder where they went to - well never mind there should be
some in the airing cupboard." And I went to get some more as Sharon waited
in the bathroom, I returned to find all three laughing.

   Again to the chagrin of the two girls we dried them off - without
exciting them - found their nightwear and carried both of them to bed.

   "My tablet, I mustn't forget my tablet," and Becky wriggled out of my
grasp, and landed on the floor, luckily on her feet, she ran for her
clothes, found the bottle and ran back.

   Sharon came back from the bathroom, where she had gone when Becky
started to speak.  She came back with a beaker of water, Becky took one
table and using the water, swallowed it, giving a grimace as she did.

   "How many more days do I need to take these?"

   I looked at the bottle "5 more days I'm afraid Becky." She looked at the
bottle then up at me

   "Mr.  Mike, what if I took all the tablets now!  That way I'd be
finished with them"

   "NO BECKY, don't even think about that, if I couldn't trust you with
those tablets, I'd take them away from you.  Never, ever, try to take more
tablets than you should, you never know what they might do to you, they
could even kill you, so please don't even joke about such things."

   Becky hugged me, "Don't worry Mr.  Mike, I won't do that." Both girls
were deposited into their bed, and Kylie handed me her book to read.

   I looked at the title, 'The Voyage of the Dawntreader'

   "What happened to Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe?" I asked her,

   She replied, "Oh, Mom finished that off, this is the next one" I opened
the book and started reading.

   Edmund, Lucy and Eustace had fallen into the sea, and the two girls were
asleep.

   I left their bedroom, and went downstairs where Sharon was waiting.

   "They're asleep - but for the moment, you know what's going to happen
later tonight." I said to Sharon,

   She said, "We're going to have company tonight?" I nodded - she added
"Well then we'd better make sure we've finished before they arrive, don't
forget the condom." I looked at her

   "I wanted you to enjoy yourself tonight," I said - she smiled

   "I do, but until I'm sure, you will have to wear protection - I've
borrowed Becky's doctors address and telephone number, and I'll make an
appointment for next week, so until then its cover-up time.  Now come with
me"

   I had to reply "I wanted you to cum with me." I raised her up from the
chair, just in time for her to hit my arm, I'm going to be covered with
bruises on that arm soon.

   Sharon watched as I rolled the condom over me, making sure that it
fitted all the way, only then would she allow me to approach her, then she
asked me.

   "Can I be on top again, please Mike?" I had to smile at her pleading, I
rolled onto my back, Sharon positioned herself, and slowly lowered herself
onto me, I raised myself into a seated position - yes I'd seen it in the
'Karma Sutra' but never had the chance to use it - She looked at me.

   I said, "Just extend your legs, just sit down."

   She was confused "Paul never tried this!"

   I smiled, "But this way we can kiss as we make love." Which we did.

   She was crying out the name of Paul again, this time I was forgotten,
but I still didn't mind, as long as she was happy.

   After we separated we pulled the bedcovers back over us, and went to
sleep.

   At two O'clock there was a noise at the door, looking over I could see
Kylie in the doorway with Becky just behind her, I pulled the covers back
and patted the bed,

   "Okay, come in you two, but we're still only sleeping." - I've got to
get that Beatles album Revolver and play that track - could make it the
theme tune for bedtimes!

   We all slept until the morning.

   - 30

   --------------------------------------------------

   - Normal disclaimers apply, this is a piece of fiction, no children were
harmed while writing this piece, only time.  - The track mentioned is 'I'm
only dreaming' which does appear on the Beatles Revolver album (c)1966 by
EMI records later recorded by Suggs in the 1990's (Take your pick)

   The next chapter is virtually written - well most of it anyway, so I
hope to post it soon.  After that I will post the next chapter as soon as
possible - upcoming action - Darren returns (well he had to :{ )(main part
already written) - Kylie at the Brownie camp - sorry no sex expected in
this!(part written) - Social Services takes Becky - Working on suggestions
by Hopeless Romantic and John Smith (Thanks to you both)

   As always, any comments, suggestions, criticisms welcomed, yes I do mean
that, I can be contacted at wanderinglanes@aol.com - please don't sent
viruses, I normally have to block the sender's email after that.

   Anyway back to the keyboard - Chapter 13 is cooking.
   Wandering Lanes 3rd September 2001.