by steve higgs
‘Tempest.' Jagjit's voice came over the radio. ‘We still have someone at the offices.' I thought they were on their way to me.
‘Who are all these people?' Owen asked, looking around at the assembled team.
I held up my index finger. ‘One moment please?' Then into the radio, ‘Jagjit, what have you got? We have the Phantom here.'
‘I haven’t managed to get close enough yet, but we followed a person in a black cloak into the office building. I don’t know where they went but we searched downstairs and found nothing, so we are heading upstairs now.’
‘Be careful. Okay? Owen Larkin is the Phantom and we have him here.’
‘Yes, well done.’ Owen said in response. It seemed like an odd answer to give in his situation. I looked at his face. It held no fear, no concern that he was in any kind of trouble. I did not like how calm he seemed.
I continued talking to Jagjit and Poison. ‘Just don’t scare anyone that might just be working late. Okay?’
‘Okay.’ They both answered together.
On the floor, my Dad was pulling himself together. No lasting damage then. Around him, Hilary and Basic were still heaving ragged breaths in and Big Ben was rubbing his groin.
I focused on Owen. ‘Owen you know who I am and that I have been employed by Mrs. Barker to investigate the circumstances of her husband's death. I have also been engaged to investigate the Phantom and its recent spate of activities by Brett Barker.' I watched, expecting his face to colour, but it did not. He continued to look serenely calm as if he was the one in charge of this situation.
‘I have no authority to arrest you though and you are free to go now that I have a number of witnesses that will testify to seeing you here after work hours, trespassing on Mill property and dressed as the Phantom.’
‘I might be free to go, but I would not be so sure that you are.’ He leered at me, his face a smile and then we all heard the sirens.
‘Tempest, we have a problem.' Jagjit said over the radio. ‘There is a lady here. She says she is working late and that we are trespassing. Also, I can see lots of Police arriving at the gates.'
Just then an alarm sounded inside the Mill. Big Ben was closest, so without prompting he crossed to the building and pushed open the door to peek inside. ‘There is a fire.' he announced cheerfully.
‘What have you done?’ I demanded of Owen.
‘I have no idea what you are talking about. I am here legitimately. You are the ones trespassing. Maybe you did something.’ he was still grinning, it was beginning to unnerve me.
The Police were now entering the grounds of the Mill, we could hear them approaching, their sirens bouncing off the walls as they came between the buildings.
‘What do we do?’ asked Poison over the radio.
‘Come to us.’ I replied. ‘Comply with any instructions the Police may give you.’ I was getting a sinking feeling deep in the pit of my stomach. Owen seemed all too confident.
‘Tempest, what is happening?’ asked my mother. I thought I knew the answer, but I was afraid to say it in case I was right. My brain was telling me that I had been set up, that Brett and Owen had played me, and we were all about to get arrested. I looked around at the team. They were all here voluntarily, I had made no promises to them about what would happen this evening or how events might turn out. However, I had not warned them that my ego might lead them into a trap or that the great Tempest Michaels might get them all arrested again.
Behind me, cars screeched to a halt and armed Police Officers spilled out shouting instructions.
The eyes of my team were all swinging from the Police to me and back to the Police. ‘Everyone do as they say.’ It was the only advice I could give.
Owen knelt on the ground next to me obeying the same instructions, but where we all looked sick or stunned or frightened, he was still grinning.
As the Police approached us, weapons trained at our bodies, I heard the whump of a small explosion from within the Mill.
Super.
‘Oh, God. My wife is going to kill me.' wailed Hilary. Behind me, Big Ben was humming again, and I finally worked out what the tune was - 99 Problems by Jay-Zee.
99 problems, but a bitch ain't one.
A night in the Cells. Monday, October 11th 2115hrs
Having offered no resistance, the process of arresting us, cuffing us and loading us into a van had taken no time at all. Poison and Jagjit were brought out to join us. Owen however, was released once he had identified himself to them. It was clear that he had been the one that had contacted the police. He must have done so some time ago as it was an armed response unit that had arrived to deal with us. The first realisation led to the second, which was that the whole thing had been a trap. A trap laid by Brett and Owen and sprung by my own stupidity.
As the Police had shouted orders and rounded us up, I had tried protesting that we were there on behalf of Mrs. Barker. It was a futile effort though as they were going to take us away to sort it out regardless of what I said. For that matter though I had not alerted any Mill staff or Mrs. Barker that we were going to be on the property, we had gained entry by using a pin code that I should not have, we were dressed like a paramilitary group and the Mill was now on fire.
Just before they closed the back doors of the van, I saw a fireman emerge from the Mill and overheard him telling the police that the fire was out. How significant it had been I did not know. Owen had set it though. I was certain of that.
Mum was crying gently on my dad’s shoulder. He was quietly consoling her. I felt miserable, but when he caught my eye Dad gave me a cheeky grin and a wink.
During the ride to the Police station, I had a few minutes to role-play different scenarios in my head. I kept coming back to the inescapable conclusion that Brett and Owen had known I was outside Owen's house and they had staged the argument so that I would hear it and fall into their trap. It might have been a hastily ventured idea on their part when I was spotted in my car near Owen's property. They had relied on my gullibility and were now probably doing high-fives and toasting themselves. We would be cleared of the charges, I was fairly certain of that. Fairly certain. Mrs. Barker would get involved, but I would struggle to prove that it was not my team that had set the fire.
I was now more certain than ever that Brett was guilty of sabotaging the Mill. I knew not why yet, but whatever the reason was, it seemed likely to be the same reason for causing the death of his Grandfather. My position was greatly weakened, my resolve was not. I was going to get Brett Barker.
Damned right I was.
Outside Dartford Police Station. Tuesday, 12th October 0647hrs
My one phone call had been to Amanda. She had listened to my requests then promised to make the necessary calls to get my family and friends released and the situation cleared up. I thanked her for doing what she could to get my parents out swiftly.
Amanda knew many of the Police at the Dartford Station, so would be putting in some calls and driving up to Dartford herself to grease the wheels.
Being led back to the cells, I passed Big Ben and told him Amanda was on her way. His response had been, ‘Boobs mate, they work like Mastercard: Everywhere and all the time. She will have us out in no time.'
No time turned out to be ten hours. I could not tell if that was swift or not, but we were released without charge in the end at 0647hrs. It had taken the intervention of Mrs. Barker to finally convince whomever it was making the decisions that they had nothing to hold us for. Mrs. Barker had stated that she had no intention of pursuing any charges and had claimed that we were on the site legitimately. I would thank her for that later when I called to apologise for the embarrassment. What I could not fathom was why Brett Barker had not overruled her or given his opinion. He had taken me off the playing board with a very effective move, but was now letting me go?
As I came out of the Station, everyone was there waiting for me. I felt utterly miserable and embarrassed. Ashamed maybe. My mum was there, she had spent the
night in a police cell, something I am sure she never envisaged happening at any point in her life. I didn't know what to say to any of them, but how to begin to make this up to my mother was beyond my comprehension at this point.
There were a few steps down to the street level where my friends and parents had gathered. I descended them and my mother stepped forward to meet me. I wondered if she was going to slap my face and berate me. I steeled myself for the blow which I knew would sting my conscience more than my skin, but it did not come.
Instead, my mother hugged me. ‘That was different.' she said smiling. ‘Wait until I tell the ladies at the church.'
‘You are not upset?’ I asked confused.
‘Well, I was a bit last night. It was a bit of a shock, but now I have so much to tell everyone. Real action and adventure. Breaking and entering, chasing ghosts, getting arrested. I can write to all my pen pals. Usually, I tell them rubbish about how the garden is doing and I have my bloody cousin Kathlyn in Australia who always has something interesting to brag about. Let her see if she can top this!' Mum seemed positively reinvigorated by the drama of the last few hours.
‘Come on, Michael.’ she said grabbing my dad’s hand gleefully. ‘Get me home. I have a task for you.’ I did not wish to think too hard about what that task might be. She pulled him across the road towards the train station where she probably intended to get a cab back to where we had all left our cars. Dad had glanced in my direction as his arm was being yanked, he sort of shrugged and grinned and then was gone.
I looked at the rest of the group. Frank and Poison, Jagjit, Hilary, Big Ben and Basic. They mostly looked tired. We were all still wearing our clothes from last night, we had been fed, but it was not food that one would willingly eat unless hungry, so at the top of my to-do list, other than find Brett Barker and shove a bowling ball up his arse, was to get a shower and try to remove the scuzzy feeling. I expected that the others felt the same.
‘Chaps we got royally screwed last night. You probably gathered that we walked into a trap. The chap we were looking for was there only to draw us in.’
‘What about the figure Poison and I were following?’ Jagjit asked.
‘Yeah, there is something that does not add up, Tempest.’ Big Ben chipped in. ‘The person I followed into the Mill was over six feet tall. Owen is several inches shorter.’
‘Are you sure?’ I asked. ‘It was dark inside the Mill, he could have been standing on something. How certain are you that it was not Owen Larkin?’
‘The figure we were following was also over six feet tall and was wearing a black cloak. I don’t know where that person went, but I could smell them.’ Poison answered. ‘They went inside the main office building and the only person we found in there was the girl upstairs working late.’
‘Yeah, I covered the exits while Poison searched, so unless they went out a window they never left, and we didn’t find them.’ said Jagjit.
‘You didn't find them because they were never there.' Frank said. ‘We were chasing a phantasm. Probably a dangerous one which can take physical form at will. It attacked Big Ben and led Poison and Jagjit away. It can manifest in multiple locations at once. If I had thought to bring the right equipment with me, I could have recorded the levels of psychokinetic energy and maybe photographed its ethereal image to separate the physical form from the spirit inside.' He paused to make sure we were all taking in how serious the situation had been. ‘The appearance of Owen Larkin at the same time is nothing more than coincidence. We would most likely have seen and followed the phantasm no matter when we went to the Mill.'
Just then Amanda pulled up. She parked on the double yellow lines in front of the Station. I suspected that not even Police Officers are allowed to do that. She got out of the car. Her face was displaying an overabundance of displeasure. It was not a look a liked on her. I had never seen her upset before. She was still completely gorgeous, just in an angry, I’m going to kick someone in the nuts kind of way.
‘Good morning, Amanda.’ I ventured. I received a scowl in return.
‘I believe my ride is here.' I said to the group. ‘I'm sorry about the night in the cells. Sorry to you Frank because your shop is closed, and you should be there and not here. Sorry to you Hilary because I know you are going to catch hell from your wife. She hates me anyway, so you can just blame me.' He just shrugged. ‘Basic, please say sorry to you mum from me. I know she looks to you for help around the house.'
They all told me that it was not my fault, even though we all knew it was. They were a good bunch.
‘I cannot park here for long, Tempest.’ Amanda said over the others. ‘Someone will come out and move me along.’
‘Chaps get a taxi back to your cars and send me the bill. Okay?’
They nodded, and I opened the door to Amanda's car. Big Ben dived past me and into the back seat. ‘There are five of them, so they can fit into one cab.' he said by way of explanation.
I then had to wait on the pavement while Big Ben attempted to fold himself into the back of Amanda's Mini Cooper. It was not designed for a man with a six-foot seven-inch-tall, two hundred and fifty-pound frame. He tried several positions but, in the end, gave up and laid sideways across the seats with a seat belt looped around his waist.
I got in. Amanda got in and we pulled into traffic just as an angry looking desk sergeant was coming down the steps towards us.
‘I'm ready for it.' I said as we set off. I was due a large helping of I told you so. I figured I might as well get it over with.
‘I’m ready for it too?’ Big Ben chipped in from the back seat sounding hopeful.
‘Ready for what?’ Amanda asked me. ‘Ready for me to berate you for doing something you should not have? What would that achieve?’
‘Okay. Then…’
‘But you should have damned well listened to me, you idiot.’
‘Yeah.’ said Big Ben helpfully.
‘You think Brett walked you into a trap, but you have no evidence to support that.’
‘But…’
‘Everything you told me is circumstantial. Owen has been given his old job back - that proves nothing. Owen and Brett were discussing sabotaging the Mill - only you heard it and they can deny it easily. The facts are that you led a group onto private property without permission to be there. Used a stolen code to gain access, then terrorised a member of staff who was working late.'
She took a breath so that I could respond. I opened my mouth, but she cut me off.
‘You would not believe the strings I had to pull to get you out in such a short span of time. Honestly, if Mrs. Barker had not lied and stated that you were there on her behalf, I doubt I would have got you out at all. Why did you not call her like you said you would?'
She paused again. I checked to see if she was going to start speaking once more. Decided she was going to let me speak and attempted to answer her most recent question.
‘I…’
‘Of course, this all ignores that fact that I have already quit my job and now work for you. When you embarrass yourself like this, you embarrass me as well.’
‘Yeah.’ said Big Ben in the back again. I could hear him grinning at my expense.
Amanda cut her eyes to her rear-view mirror, ‘And you can shut up. You big stupid lump of meat. You are not without blame here.’
‘If I may?’ I interjected quickly. ‘You are drifting.’ With Amanda staring at Big Ben she was no longer paying attention and we were in traffic. Her car was at the edge of its lane and about to enter the one next to it. A horn blared.
‘Fuck it!' she swore, yanking the wheel to bring the car back to where it should be. ‘Sorry.' She mumbled quietly, acknowledging her driving rather than apologising for berating me. ‘Ben, can you shift to the side? You are blocking my view.'
‘Babe, I am the view.’
‘I'm sorry too.' I replied to Amanda, ignoring Big Ben's enormous ego. ‘I genuinely forgot to call Mrs. Barker last night. I was too swept up by the e
xcitement of the case. I am sorry that this might reflect badly on you.'
‘You make a habit of getting arrested.’ she said. I could see though that the suppressed anger had been vented. She was calm again.
‘I do.' I admitted. ‘Honestly, I am not sure how I achieve it. Does it work in my favour that I have never been charged?'
‘Not really.’
We sat in silence for a few minutes. Amanda drove, I stewed over how I had been so easily fooled by Brett, and Big Ben… well, who knows what Big Ben was thinking, it probably involved having sex though.
It was Amanda that broke the silence. She looked at Big Ben in her rear-view mirror. ‘So, Ben. It seems you and I are going to end up working together on a semi-regular basis. Why don’t you tell me something about yourself?’ she encouraged.
Big Ben appeared to give the question some thought before answering. ‘I get my balls waxed every other Thursday by a young lady that is also called Amanda.’ Big Ben left it at that, undoubtedly awaiting her response.
‘I meant, tell me something interesting.’ Amanda replied deadpan.
For Big Ben women fell into four categories:
Women I have slept with
Women I am going to sleep with
Relatives
Women who are too old, too young, lesbians and the truly odd ones that don’t want to sleep with me.
Amanda was in category four. I think this was largely because Amanda was a ten on the scale of zero to hot and was well practiced at deflecting the efforts of men that only wanted to shag her because she is beautiful.
Big Ben appeared to be struggling for a suitable topic. I elected to help him out. ‘Ben plays the saxophone. Actually, he plays it really rather well.’
‘Now that is interesting.’ said Amanda. ‘What got you into that?’
‘Girls like it. Charms the pants right off them.’ he answered.
‘Right.’ Amanda replied. ‘I am given to understand that you are something of a player. What is it that you look for in a relationship?’