There were no attempts on my life during May and June and I fell into something of a summer stupor at the villa
I spent a lot of time around the pool with my host and his wife although I ensured that my gun was always nearby
My host and his wife seemed to me to be too good to be true and this aroused my suspicions although they gave me no cause to worry about them
They were friends of my sister and had been involved with revolutionary groups in the past
Why should I worry?
I was still being watched but this seemed to be scaled down
Or they were getting better at disguising themselves
I was given a number of DVDs to watch but none contained messages
Towards the end of June I was walking with my host’s wife
Her name was Pauline
This is very like the place where Jack went with Clara
Was it filmed here?
I do not know where it was filmed
Would you like me to bathe as Clara did in the movie?
Only if you want to
It was as Pauline was bathing that I realised that this was the place where George Clooney/Jack died in the movie
Had I taken the bait
I felt uneasy
But nothing happened
That evening as I was sitting in my room there was a dull thud against the window
I supposed it to be a bird strike but as soon as I looked out I could see that a single bullet had embedded itself in the frame of the window
This was my warning
I returned to the spot where Clara/Pauline had bathed hours earlier and found a rifle with a rose tied to its barrel
There was a note attached
It read
It is time to talk with your mother
Within the hour I was driving south having borrowed my host’s car
My mother was ill
That is all I said
They understood are offered me their car
On the dashboard was printed the opening lines from Eliot’s Burnt Norton
Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future
And time future contained in time past
I asked them the reason that they had attached these lines to the dashboard
I was told that there was no reason
After four hours driving I stopped the car
I needed a coffee
I was still being followed
My gun was in my jacket pocket
I drove through the night
But my tail had disappeared
Either that or they were very good
Again I took a break for coffee
However when I returned there was a small bag on the bonnet of the car
It contained a bullet
As I examined the bullet I received a text
It was from Lynne but had been sent via Geraldine’s phone
Stephen
I understand you are on your way to Lipari
Do not go there as your life will be in danger
The is a contract out on your life
You pissed a lot of people off
Your mother is better
There is no need to visit her
Just keep on driving until you receive another text from me
The only time you should stop is if you see a woman wearing a Batman tee shirt
As they say in the movies
Trust no-one
After I was imprisoned my mother moved to Malta
Her father was Maltese
She had died ten years ago but occasionally visited her loved ones
I had not seen her for eighteen years
Did she take you into the woods?
Who?
Pauline
Yes
Did she bathe or rather recreate the movie scene
Yes
Always be on your guard Stephen
I had my gun near me
My sister had known Pauline since they were at school
Trust no-one Stephen
Why do you think I sent you the DVD?
Did you want to fuck her Stephen?
No
Good
Where am I going?
South but not to Lipari
Where to then?
Just drive Stephen
I need to sleep
Out of the question Stephen
I stopped the car and went into a small café for a coffee
When I returned a woman dressed in a Batman tee shirt was sitting on the bonnet of the car
Where are you going Stephen?
How did you know my name?
Well I figured that you were not called Tracey so it must be Stephen
What is your name?
Batgirl
Batgirl?
Yes Batgirl
Where are you heading?
South
Good for me
I have been asked to give this to you
Batgirl gave me a DVD
It had no cover
What is the movie?
There is no movie
Then why give it to me?
I was told to
By whom
Commissioner Gordon
Open it
I am driving
Your destination is revealed
I flicked open the cover and a piece of paper fell into my lap
I opened it
Go to Lipari Stephen
Fuck
Why fuck Stephen?
I was warned off of a place and now I am being told to go there
Where?
Lipari
That is where the Bat Cave is
Really
Stephen may I ask you a question?
Go ahead
In the movie
Which movie?
The American
The George Clooney movie
Yes
At the beginning of the movie he shoots the girl that he had fucked the night before
Would you have done the same?
No
Even if I had discovered you were a hit man
I am not a hit man
You shot the Prime Minister
It was an assassination not a hit
In Gotham City I fight evil but I never kill anyone
Not even the worst of the bad guys
I am happy for you
Thank you Stephen
Batgirl closed her eyes and soon was asleep
Good Night Batgirl
An hour later she asked me to drop her off at a railway station as she knew there was a train to Gotham City due
To Be Continued