Living with Dementia

Chapter 7 Monday

I woke up on the Monday morning, the sun was shining through the window, but I also had this strange ringing in my head, I then realised, it was the telephone on the bedside table. I picked up the receiver and a voice on the other end was saying. "Mr Palmer, sorry to bother you this early in the morning, just wanted to let you and Mrs Battly know, the Dorset police will be arriving sometime today to interview Mrs Battly". "Well". I said. "We were planning a drive out to the beach for a swim and catch a few rays of the sun". "That's ok Mr Palmer, please don't put off your holiday plans, we will arrange to have the interview on Tuesday morning if that is ok with you both". By this time Anna was sat next to me listening to my side of the conversation, and when I said Tuesday, Anna put her arm around my neck and whispered. "Yes". I then said down the phone. "I think 10-30 would be the best time, after a hearty breakfast for the condemned man". I heard the titter at the other end of the phone. "That won't happen, sir, we won't let it, we are our own country now with our own laws. Anyway see you both in the morning, enjoy your swim".

"Well love". I said. "Tomorrow at 10-30 we go to the gallows". I laughed. "Please Michael, don't joke about it, I really am scared about all of this". I held Anna in my arms. "Nothing is going to happen to you, you weren't even in England when your ex stabbed Peter, you were in Bristol Airport, in fact, you could have been on the aircraft with me heading for Malta. So please love, stop worrying, remember what the chief constable said, they cannot arrest you, they have no jurisdiction in this country. Back in the 60s when the Island was part of Britain maybe, but now that they have their independence, and have a new rule book, you my love are quite safe. Plus the fact, if the Dorset police do start getting heavy handed, they will have me to deal with". Anna kissed me. "Thank you, love, I feel much better now".

Once we were up, we put our bathing costumes under our clothes and went up to the dining room for breakfast, whilst there, I made up a couple of egg sandwiches, well three to be precise and wrapped then in paper napkins for our lunch, and once we had finished breakfast and were heading for the lobby, I nipped into the bar and bought two cans of 7 up. With all of this plus towels, we made our way to the car and headed out along the coast road, then crossed the Island to Golden Bay. We got to the bay at around 11 am and found the sandy beach totally deserted, we then laid the huge towel on the sand, took off our top cloths and went to the water's edge where I placed the two cans of 7 up in the sand, the water being allowed to wash over the cans to keep them cool. We walked into the water, and while Anna stayed on the shoreline in the shallows, I decided to go for a real swim, so diving into the water I swam out into the bay, the water was wonderful, very clear and not at all cold, As I trod water, I could see Anna, she had now walked out away from the water's edge and was now in the water, the water ripples lapping around her bust. I slowly swam back towards her, but she was still looking down, so didn't see me heading in her direction, taking a lungful of air, I dived below the surface and swam towards her, I could see her legs, and as I went past her I gently ran my fingers across her upper thigh. I heard the scream and came to the surface, Anna looked at me. "You rotten sod". she squealed. "I thought it was a fish or something, I must have put in ten years over that". I scooped Anna up into my arms and took her back up the beach to the towel, then set her down, as she lay looking up at me a smile on her face. "There's a lot I don't know about you Michael Palmer, it's going to take me some time for me to get used to all your little stunts". I knelt beside her and looked into her beautiful green eyes, she put her hands up and once she had them around my neck, she pulled me down and kissed me. "Michael, we are totally alone on this beach, we have the whole bay to ourselves". " I know". I said. "It's fantastic". "Michael". Anna whispered. "if you like, I can open the bank for you". "Stop". I said. "let's have some lunch before we think about bank deposits". I went back to the water's edge and retrieved the 7 up and together on the sand we had our lunch, we talked about things in general but said nothing of what was going to happen on the Tuesday. With the food now gone and the two cans empty we lay together on the towel holding hands. I took a good look around and still the beach was empty apart from ourselves, looking at Anna I asked her. Is the bank still open". she turned on her side towards me. "Michael my love, your bank is always open, all day, every day". we lay together on the sand and made love, and to be honest, if anyone had walked onto the beach, all they would have seen, were two people holding each other very close and kissing. Mike and Anna stayed on the beach like that for some time, they loved the feeling of the closeness, even though there had there bathing costumes on, they could both feel the love that was growing between them, a love that they both wanted. The sun had gone, and the air was getting cooler, so both Anna and Mike headed for the car and made there way back to the hotel. As they entered the hotel car park, they noticed that the car park was well and truly full, there were cars parked everywhere, and by the hotel lobby was a large van with a very large antenna on the top. "I think love we have been rumbled". We made a mad dash for the reception desk, the girl on the desk saw us and slid our key onto the desk and I picked it up and headed for the lift, Anna was stood by the open door waiting for me. we made it to our room and once inside sat on the bed wondering what to do next. I then rang the reception desk and asked the girl if she would ask the manager to come up and speak to us. A couple of minutes later there was a knock at the door. "Who is it". I called out. "Hotel manager Mr Palmer". I opened the door to be greeted by the hotel manager and the chief of police. "Sorry about this Mr Palmer". they said in unison. "Seems our phone line to England was tapped, now every reporter on the Island wants an exclusive". I looked at the two men, then at Anna. "So". I asked. "Where do we stand if we give an interview. We have the Dorset police coming in the morning, and we have no wish to cause them any problems". "I agree with Mike". Anna said. "Let's do the interview with the Dorset police, and if they agree to us making a statement to the press, then we will do it". Both men agreed and the manager said he would tell the press of our decision. The police chief said he would place an English speaking office outside our door so that we would not be disturbed by possible intruders.

As both men made to leave our room the manager turned and said. "With your permission Mr Palmer, I will have your phone switched off, just in case. I have also made it very clear to my staff, any breach of hotel rules on customers confidentiality will mean instant dismissal. Our aim sir is to make sure you have a pleasant stay at the Crown Hotel. may I also suggest sir, you give me your car keys for the hire car, we will get it returned and have a replacement vehicle ready for you in the staff car park".

"Well love, I think it's time to get ready for our evening meal, do you fancy a shower now or later". "Now please". Anna said. "And I would like you to join me". Under the tepid water, we removed the sand and salt from our bodies, well, to be honest, each other's bodies, then we dried each other and got dressed for our evening meal. Sitting at our usual table we noticed that the dining room was a lot fuller than other evenings, our police bodyguard stood by the door watching our table and others that he thought might cause us any trouble, but it didn't happen. During the soup, we did get the evil eye from one woman, but I sort of gave it back to her tenfold and she ended up very red faced, she tried to tell her husband, but he looked in my direction gave me a sort of smile and nodded his head, then looking at his wife he spoke to her in an angry whisper, I did hear him say. "Show me up in front of the other guests and I will drag you back to our room and give you a bloody good hiding, now get on with your dinner. she though decided to get up from the table and walk out of the dining room, the husband carried on with his dinner, he again looked at me and smiled as if to say, at last, I can eat in peace.

As we started on the main coarse a local rabbit dish, two men walked towards us, as they stood by the table, one of them said. "Mrs Battly". I stood up and placed myself between Anna and the man and if needed remove him from the dining room, as I looked at him he went to his inside pocket and produced his warrant card, I took it from him and saw it said Dorset Constabulary, I turned to Anna and said."Its ok love, these two men are from Dorset, I then asked the second man to show me his Identity card which he did, I invited both men to sit. We discussed the interview the following day, and while we were the hotel manager came into the dining room, seeing the two men talking to us he walked over and asked if there was a problem, I told him there was not, and explained to the manager that these men were doing the interview in the morning. The first police officer then asked where we could hold the interview, and again the hotel manager was on hand to help out. "We have a restroom and library just behind the reception desk, it is a large room, you can use that". We all agreed and the two men made to stand, but Anna said. "before we go any further, If I am going to do this interview, I must insist that Michael is with me". she held my hand. "Without him, sorry, no interview". "That's perfectly alright Mrs Battly, we understand, we have to work under different rules out here, we have already been told that the police chief from Malta will be attending the interview with a policewoman officer, so we will carry out the interview with all of you in attendance, see you all at 10-30". and the two men walked out.

Both Anna and I went back to our rabbit, but it was cold and didn't taste very nice, I pushed my plate away and as I did so the manager passed our table. "Henry, chocolate ice cream for this table". he looked at me and gave me a smile Anna and I were talking and I said to her. " I really do fancy a pint of San Mig, but if we go to the bar, we might well be mobbed by reporters". At that moment Henry came along with the ice cream, as he put it in front of us I asked him if he would do us a favour. "As you know Henry". I said. "We are in a little bit of bother, could you possibly arrange for a pint and a half pint of San Mig be bought to our room, and we were not able to eat our main course, because of the two men who were talking to us, so could you also organise a couple of chicken sandwiches as well". I looked at Anna and she looked at Henry. he nodded his head. "It will be my pleasure sir madam, and yes we do know what is going on". As Henry made to walk away I said. "Henry, the password is Peddler, he looked at me and with his huge smile nodded. "Peddler it is then".

As we made our way to our room with our police escort, I told him, we would not be leaving our room, and once the door was locked he could if he wished go down into the reception area and sit in one of the easy chairs. As I went to close the door I heard. "Sir, its Peddler with your drinks, I let henry into the room and on a tray, he had two glasses of San Mig and a plate of sandwiches. He went out onto the balcony and placed the food and drink onto the table, as he made to leave us I put a £5 note into his top pocket, he tried to stop me, but I said. "Henry, are you married". he smiled. "yes sir I am, very happily if I may say so". "In that case, when you go home tonight you buy your wife a nice box of chocolates, or a bunch of flowers, just to show her how much you love her". "Thank you, sir, I will". as he walked out he patted his top pocket, I locked the door behind him. Anna came out of the bathroom in her housecoat saying. "Sweetheart, why don't you put your pyjama shorts on, we have no plans to leave the room now, and we can sit on the balcony and enjoy our drinks. I did as asked and joined Anna on the balcony, sitting with the pint glass in my hand I said. "Cheers". and we clinked glasses, looking over the balcony we could see the little fishing boat bobbing on their moorings and with the streetlights shining on the water it looked very romantic. Anna was sat beside me, she crossed her legs and I got this very nice view of thigh, as I made to place my hand on her leg she looked at me. "Michael love, if you are planning to travel north, then let me warn you, this housecoat is all that I am wearing". I picked up my glass and finished off my drink, then looking down at Anna's empty glass I picked her up from her seat and took her in my arms and laid her on the bed. Removing the housecoat and laying it at the foot of the bed I climbed in beside her and taking her in my arms I held her close and we kissed. "Michael sweetheart, before we leave this Island, will you do me one big favour, will you take me to the boathouse again and do what we did the last time". "Of coarse love, once all this other stuff is over, we will have a late night walk to the boathouse, I will take you in my arms and show you how much I love you". "Good". Anna said. "And when we do, I will dress for the occasion. We snuggled down together, and as Anna turned on her other side she again felt for my hand and placed it over her left breast, and as I always did, I gave a little squeeze and heard Anna moan. "I love it when you do that to me, it makes me feel Mmmm". I closed my eyes and the last thing I remember was her saying." Love you".