Dead if You Don’t

109

Sunday 13 August

17.00–18.00

‘Go, go, go!’ Pip Edwards said, resisting the temptation to put the blue lights on, as Trundle waited for the lorry to pass, then floored the accelerator, pulling into the outside lane.

Edwards radioed Oscar-1. ‘Hotel Tango Two-Eight-One, subject vehicle has just gone past at high speed, heading towards the Beddingham roundabout. We are following. For Oscar-1’s info, driver is a green permit holder in a suitable vehicle.’

‘Try to keep him in sight but don’t let him see you are following. Do not attempt a stop.’

‘Yes, yes.’

As they approached the roundabout at over 100 mph, they saw the bike circle it skilfully, then head back up the hill, passing them on the far side of the dual carriageway. Braking sharply, Trundle entered ahead of a car which just slowed in time, held the BMW in a power slide, then accelerated back up the hill. The motorbike was already out of sight. The BMW’s speedometer read 110 mph. 120 mph. As they approached the next roundabout, where there was a build-up of traffic, they could not see which way the Ducati had gone.

Braking hard, Trundle said, ‘What do you think?’

‘Straight on. We’d have seen him if he’d gone round and right.’

Trundle raced in front of a van and carried on, accelerating again hard.

Edwards kept a commentary to Oscar-1. ‘We are now heading westbound on the A27. Our speed is 105 mph. We no longer have visual on subject.’

He heard Oscar-1 put out a call for any units near the A27 to look out for the bike and report back.

A short while later, as they approached yet another roundabout, an instruction came in from Oscar-1.

‘Hotel Tango Two-Eight-One, we have a report of a large explosion on the Ranscombe Industrial Estate. Abort area search and proceed back to the estate.’

A tad disappointed, Pip Edwards replied, ‘Proceed back to Ranscombe Industrial Estate, yes, yes.’