They Thought I Was Dead: Sandy’s Story

43 30 July 2007

Just when I’d been getting really excited about leaving this place and jetting off, Nicos had called. All bets were off, I needed to stay where I was. He would explain when he was back in the country later in the week.

And this morning, the headlines of the online Argus shouted at me.

Below was a reassuring quote from Detective Inspector Roy Grace. ‘I can confirm that, after months of intelligence work in partnership with the National Crime Agency, we have now arrested the suspected ringleaders, Roel Albazi, Skender Sharka and Joseph Karter, of what I can only call an evil gang of predatory lenders.’

It was such a good feeling, after the weirdness of my confinement, where every sound of footsteps along the corridor outside my room filled me with dread that there would be a rap on the door from Roy, or Roel Albazi, to be feeling a little safer.

When Nicos finally came to visit, later in the week, he explained the whole plan — for us to fly out from Biggin Hill — had been a bluff to flush out his regular private pilot, who he suspected — correctly it seemed — of being a complete slimeball, and taking a bung from Albazi.

I showed the piece to Nicos and he just smiled like I told you so.

He then made it clear that there wasn’t going to be any private jet trip to the sun anytime soon. Albazi was in police custody and likely to be charged, but unless he was considered a serious flight risk, he would almost certainly be released on bail, with his trial many months away. Many months in which he would be free to come after me.

Nicos told me he had business overseas and that I should stay here, in this safe haven, until after my baby was born, and then I could move on, somewhere abroad with him, to my — our — new life.

It was strange. I felt trapped by my circumstances, yet free at the same time. I had nothing to worry about other than the nagging fear of Albazi appearing. But at least I was surrounded by caring people who I knew would protect me, and I busied myself doing everything a dutiful mother-to-be should. And I promised my unborn child I would be the best mother it could possibly have. The best mother in the world.