by Lee Wood
Eden lives alone. His girlfriend having moved up from London with him but a combination of his long working hours and the new company she worked for not offering her a senior position, she decided to move back down south.
In the eight years Eden has been in the police he has risen to the rank of Detective Inspector. It seems having attended University in Cambridge has its advantages.
And now the latest case he is involved in. The kidnapping of two eighteen-year-old identical twins. Such cases could have a happy ending or the opposite.
Either way it would require a great deal of manpower and resources. Not something the powers-that-be like to hear. But they have to go along with things otherwise the publicity can easily turn things against them.
Now he is sitting in the kitchen of the parents’ house coordinating the investigation. Although he has assured the parents he has a lot of experience in such matters, the truth is he has only dealt with two such cases, both in London.
However, he is in contact with two officers with over twenty years’ experience in such matters and are available at the end of the telephone to assist him twenty-four hours a day.
He's spoken to Malcolm Upwood who is a member of the National Crime Agency task force and one of the most experienced police officers when it comes to kidnapping who thinks it may well be a tactic to ensure when the ransom demand comes, the family is willing to pay the amount without hesitation.
They can’t risk having too many officers at the house in case it is being watched. Far easier for two people to stay hidden rather than a handful of people moving all around the house and risk one of them being observed by someone watching from outside.
As Eden stands, assessing the case, he is aware his every move is being scrutinised by the lady of the house. He can almost hear her thinking, Why aren’t you doing more to save my two children.
He is asking himself the same question but until the kidnappers get in touch again there isn’t too much he can do.
He and his team, including the ten people at the police station are working hard to find something, anything to help work out who is behind this and why.
As Eden stands to decide if there is anything he can do or say to help alleviate the situation his police radio crackles.
It is a plain-clothed officer watching the house from across the road in a neighbour’s front bedroom.
“Sir, we have a motorbike rider approaching the house.”
Eden acknowledges the officer and walks towards the front door and waits to one side. He hears the bike come to a halt and someone walking up to the front door and ring the bell.
As Diane walks to the door, Eden stands back so he can’t be seen.
“Package for Mr and Mrs Mitten. Sign here please.”
The rider hands over a clipboard and pen pointing to where it requires a signature.
Once signed, he hands over the brown-wrapped package to Diane and turns back towards his bike. He puts on the crash helmet resting on the seat and drives off.
Meanwhile, police officers have been alerted and the courier will be stopped once he has reached a reasonable distance from the house and he will be questioned about where he has collected the package from.
“I’m sorry, Diane, but we need to examine this before you open it.”
Wearing PVC gloves, Tracy takes the package into the lounge and over to the table the family has given them to use. Tracy asks one of the phone technicians for a pair of scissors and once handed over, she gently cuts along one side of the parcel and pulls out the contents.
There are two items of clothing. One is a white sleeveless broderie top. The other is a low-cut V-shape t-shirt. Both size eight. There is also a note that had been produced using a computer printer. The note reads ‘You decide which one comes home alive.’
Tracy takes the note and all of the packaging and puts it into a plastic evidence bag and seals it.
She lays out the clothes, side by side, and then calls Mrs Mitten.
“Mrs Mitten, can you identify these items as belonging to your daughters?”
Diane took her time to check both items. "Yes, yes I think so. I can't be sure, they have so many clothes but they are the type of thing they would wear."
“No need to be alarmed, Mrs Mitten. This is the kidnappers’ way of proving they have the girls. Possibly a scare tactic to ensure when they demand a ransom you will pay up.”
Tracy doesn’t bring the note to Diane’s attention. After the way she reacted to the phone call, Tracy believes not telling her is for the best.
Chapter Forty
Tracy Archer has come up through the ranks of the police. Her father, Larry Archer, had been a detective until eight years ago when he disappeared in the middle of an investigation into corruption at the local council.
It was suspected two local politicians and a property developer were involved in plots of land being sold at reduced prices and contracts awarded in return for favours and cash payments.
One day Larry had gone to meet a potential whistle-blower and was never seen again. The theory is he had been led into a trap and killed.
His detective colleagues James Sheldon, Phil Jones and Gerry Payne had tried to find out what happened but hit a brick wall and the investigation petered out after six months, although the case has never officially been closed.
Towards the end of a recent case Tracy was involved in, she had interviewed Sadie O’Connor, the wife of Kevin O’Connor, a member of the travelling community who had been killed.
The couple’s two sons had also died in separate incidents at the time. During an interview, Sadie had shouted at Tracy that she knew something about her father’s disappearance.
Tracy has visited Sadie in prison over the past few weeks in the hope she would reveal further information but so far Sadie has refused to say anything more.
After the latest briefing at the police station, Tracy is heading back to the Mitten residence. The family cleaning lady has been told Diane has flu and to stay at home but assured she will be paid.
The surveillance team has checked out the area and are confident no-one is watching the house. But, to ensure they have a cover story, Tracy has been allocated a high-end Mercedes sports car.
This way, if the kidnappers call and say the police are involved, the family can say it is a friend of Diane’s visiting her. After all, the police don’t drive expensive sports cars.
Tracy has received a call from PC Rachel Nason who is acting as the family liaison officer. She has informed Tracy about Gordon returning home to be with his mum.
After being introduced to Gordon and spending some time chatting with him, it becomes obvious to Tracy he is regarded as the black sheep of the family.
He appears more interested in himself. However, she can see he has a genuine concern over his sisters.
Her observation from what she has seen is Gordon has expensive tastes. So it might be worth getting the team to check him out. You never know what you might discover.
Chapter Forty-One
Trentbridge police station major operations room is a hive of activity. Two officers are going through all the footage from the various cameras at Birmingham airport.
Two more are trying to trace any vehicles that have been seen outside or close to the Mitten family home over the past few weeks.
A laborious task that takes up a lot of police time but CCTV is one of the most powerful tools at their disposal. Also pretty good at convincing juries of someone’s guilt or innocence.
Two more specialist officers are still trawling through the girls’ social media.
The police have to deal with various cases involving kidnapping: ransom demands, vendettas, which often involve criminal gangs fighting amongst themselves, or people smuggling, which usually involves someone visiting a foreign country and then their family is contacted and forced to pay for the victim to be released.
From time to time the police have to deal with hoax kidnappings. These are where it usua
lly involves a young male travelling abroad who runs out of money and has strict parents and he doesn’t want to ask them for money. So he makes up a story saying he’s been kidnapped and to secure his release the parents must send funds, usually less than $2,000, through a money transfer company.
The most common type is between family members, usually involving a child in a custody battle. This often happens when the courts have given custody to the mother.
The husband and wife are from different ethnic backgrounds and the father has moved back to his native country. It can be the father, or maybe someone like his brother, collecting the child from school under the pretext of a doctor’s or dentist appointment and then using false documents to fly the child out of the country before the mother is even aware they are missing.
By the time the mother is able to raise the alarm and has realised her ex-husband is responsible for the abduction, the child is already in a country where the laws are in favour of the father.
Chapter Forty-Two
Diane Mitten wakes at six with a start. It’s her fiftieth birthday but the last thing on her mind is celebrating.
If the kidnappers are to be believed, in fifteen hours they will call and ask her to decide which of her daughters she wants to save and which one she will let die. Even the thought makes her feel physically sick and shake with fear.
The police are trying their best and working hard to find the people responsible but nothing they have told her so far gives an indication they are getting close.
Maybe there is some sick person who wants revenge? She knows the girls attract a lot of attention from men. But why kidnap them and threaten to kill one of them?
The police think it could be about revenge.
Is it possible her husband is hiding something? Surely he wouldn't risk their daughters’ lives? If he's done something wrong, Diane will stand by him as long as both the girls come home safely.
She knows Gordon isn’t as innocent as he makes out. He seems to attract the wrong type of friends. Could it be he’s mixed up in something dodgy?
And why haven’t the kidnappers asked for a ransom? If it was just about the money she could understand.
This could be the worst birthday present anyone has ever had. One of her beautiful daughters killed. Or both of them!
All she wants in the world is for her daughters to be home and safe. That would be the best birthday present ever.
Chapter Forty-Three
Eden Gold is inside the incident room at Trentbridge police station facing the team working on the kidnapping.
“Once again, thank you for all the hours you’re putting in. We’ve covered all the people who attended the fiftieth anniversary party, family and friends, everyone who works for their business and anyone who might have been in the house in the past twelve months. Unfortunately, the motorbike rider who delivered the package was a dead end. Someone left it at the company’s offices and paid in cash. Nobody there can recall what they looked like.
“So far we haven’t been able to come up with any names or a reason for a grudge against the family. So we are hoping it’s more of a possibility this is about the money and a tactic to scare the family so they pay up when the time comes. We can’t put out a public appeal because the kidnappers told the family not to involve the police.
“Let’s go through their bank accounts and credit cards. It’s a longshot but check if social services have ever been involved with the family. Check with their former schools and the places they have worked. We can’t afford to relax on this. So keep going over everything you have.
“If the threat is real we’ve got just twelve hours left before the kidnappers’ deadline expires and we’ll be looking at one, possibly two cases of murder.”
Chapter Forty-Four
It’s 9am. Erica and Leona have been awake for nearly two hours.
“We’re still alive,” Erica says. “I guess that counts for something.”
“There you go again. That positive thinking course you went on, babe. If I were you I’d ask for a refund.”
“And this is the worst ‘hotel’ I’ve ever stayed in.”
“Being stuck in here with my phone I haven’t been able to post on Instagram for two days. That could be a world record. When we check out of here, I’m definitely not leaving a tip.”
“Let’s hope by check out you mean to leave this place alive. Not the other kind of check out.”
“If we don’t make it as online personalities, have you ever thought of becoming a comedian?”
“They say all comics die on stage from time to time. If things go tits up I may not even make it that far.”
“The people holding us, perhaps you could talk them to sleep and then we creep out.”
“Ha, ha.”
“You do realise today is Mum’s birthday?”
“Of course I do. I just hope Dad’s managed to get the ransom money together and they let us go.”
“And let’s hope Mr Sweaty doesn’t come knocking.”
“You never know, a few more days in here and he might start to look attractive.”
“I’d rather fuck the Hunchback of Notre Dame.”
“I thought you already had, that last boyfriend was a stinker.”
“See, a born comedian.”
Chapter Forty-Five
The grandfather clock in the living room shows there are only five minutes to go to the forty-eight-hour deadline.
They are expecting a phone call to ask them if they have made a decision; which of the twins they want to come home safe, and which twin they want sent home in a coffin. It is a decision they just can’t make. But the alternative is ever more unbearable.
In the previous call, the kidnappers told them if they can’t decide they can expect to take delivery of two coffins. Francis has said they should be prepared to save one of the twins and should do something such as spin a coin. But Diane is having none of it. She just wants them both home safe. To be able to hug them both and know they are alright.
The detective in charge of the investigation, DI Eden Gold, has taken Francis to one side.
“I think you have to speak with the kidnappers and see if there is any way they will grant you more time. Tell them your wife has collapsed. But as a last resort, if they won’t listen then you have to decide if you feel it is best to give them a name and possibly save one of the girls. However, I must warn you it could be a trap and they kill the one you decide to save, or this is simply some sort of sick joke to them and they will kill both of them. I’m sorry I have failed you. I think you must prepare yourselves for the worst possible outcome.”
Suddenly the phone rings. The police officer in charge of recording the conversation signals to say everything is in place to try to trace the call.
Francis picks up the phone, his hand shaking and his mouth dry.
“Hello, Francis Mitten.”
“Hello sir. I’m calling from Nationwide Claims Company about the car accident you had recently.”
“What? Who the hell are you? Get off the fucking line.”
Francis slams down the phone and puts his hand on his forehead. He can feel a headache coming on. But before he can even think about taking an aspirin the phone rings again.
The police officer nods. Francis picks up the phone.
“Hello, Francis Mitten.”
“Time’s up. Which one is it to be?”
“Please, can we talk about this? I’m begging you, can we come to a deal. My wife has collapsed. Can we at least have some more time to get the money?”
“I gave you forty-eight hours. There is no extension. I’m not interested in your dirty money. Take heed of my words. Decide which one you want to save or I’ll be sending them both back in coffins.”
“Please, oh God, please. I’ll do anything. Take me instead and kill me but please let them both go.”
“You’ve got ten seconds. Tell me which one or I’ll kill them both. And heed my words, I will make sure it is slow
and painful.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Mr Gee is still feeling pumped and grinning after the phone call to the Mitten family. He’s down a back street close to Trentbridge railway station where there are no CCTV cameras so he can walk around the corner and melt into the crowd.
In ten minutes he’ll be back in the front room of his rented apartment going over the arrangements one final time. He loves to plan things down to the smallest detail.
He can imagine the despair the parents are going through right now. How bad they are feeling. But that is nothing compared to what he has in mind for them next.
When he made the phone call earlier tonight, it didn’t matter if they had chosen to save one of the girls or not. He’s going to kill both of them anyway. It will be slow and painful. And he will make sure they endure every single second.
He would love to be a fly on the wall when both parents watch the video he is going to send them and see the girls begging for mercy. And the more they beg, the more he will enjoy it.
Mr Gee has the video equipment in the boot of his car.
He and Chris have arranged to meet up at the old car workshop at ten o’clock tonight to make a video.
First thing tomorrow morning he will make a phone call, but this one won’t be to the parents.
The time has come to put the real plan in action. The one he has been planning from the beginning. The one where they get all of the money, and they get their revenge.
Mr Gee sits back in his armchair and chomps away on the big fat cigar he promised himself as a reward if it all worked out.