Her face went the colour of marble and her mouth dropped open. ‘I don’t know what you … Who’s been saying …? What are you talking about? That’s rubbish. Do you hear me? It’s garbage.’
‘Keep your wig on,’ said Jimmy. ‘I was only joking.’
‘What’s going on here?’ demanded Bob, marching up. ‘Have you made my boy cry? Jimmy, son, did this nasty person make you cry?’
With immense effort, the attendant summoned a smile. ‘I was just explaining to your son that the aquarium tour is cancelled indefinitely for health and safety reasons. I appreciate that he is bitterly disappointed, so I’d like to make it up to him by giving him a gift.’
She took a cellophane wrapped package from a drawer and made a great fuss of presenting it to him. ‘On behalf of Marine Concern, I’d like to apologise for inconveniencing you and present you with this as a token of our goodwill. Hopefully we’ll be able to host you on an aquarium tour on another occasion.’ Under her breath she said: ‘Here, have a clean T-shirt, kid. You look as if you need one.’
Jimmy grinned. ‘Cool, thanks. You’re a nice lady. Well, maybe not nice exactly but … smart. Don’t worry, I won’t say anything about Marine Concern being a shady operation and …’
The attendant hissed like a snake. ‘Shhh.’
Rita came rushing over, face aglow with the turtle experience. ‘That was awesome. You should try it, Bob.’
‘Not on your life. Come on, doll, let’s get out of here. Jimmy, where are you going to now?’
‘To the bathroom. I want to try on my new T-shirt.’
‘Quick as you can. We’re leaving shortly.’
Jimmy did indeed go to the bathroom, a door at the end of a long corridor marked by a shark wearing a tuxedo. But on his return he paused at an unmarked door. It was locked. Jimmy took out his mum’s supermarket points card, which he’d taken the liberty of removing from her bag earlier, and inserted it into the space between the lock and the door. He’d studied the exact method on the Internet at the resort. Unfortunately, it didn’t work quite as it had in the demonstration, or as it so easily worked in the movies. In actuality it didn’t work at all.
Down the passage, his mum and dad were arguing with the attendant over the cancelled tour. Jimmy felt a failure as a detective. He’d been so sure that the card would work and he’d be able to burst in and heroically save his friends if, of course, they were there. But once again he was just bumbling, scruffy, hopeless Jimmy Gannet. That’s how the kids thought of him at school. Oh, sure he was good at maths, science and pretty much every other subject. But in the playground and on the sports field, his classmates avoided him as if he was toxic waste. Unless they were bullying him.
In his head he was a lion, but in his heart he was … well, a mouse.
His heart pounded. What would Laura do?
Into his head came the advice she’d given him, about how Matt Walker said that a common weakness of criminals was being too clever for their own good. They were so obsessed with detail that they overlooked the ordinary things.
There was a squeak of wheels and a man came round the corner with a trolley heaped with towels and uniforms. Jimmy squatted down and pretended he was trying to get a stone out of his shoe.
The man nodded at him. ‘’Scuse us, ’scuse us.’ Seizing a handle set into the wall, he dumped the laundry down a chute. The trolley squeaked away.
‘Jimmy, what’s taking you so long?’ called his father.
Jimmy looked at the chute. He hadn’t a clue where it ended, but he was hopeful that the laundry would provide a soft landing.
‘JIMMY!’
Jimmy glanced quickly over both shoulders and opened the chute. It was difficult to clamber into and painful, since it had a sharp metal edge. While he was struggling to find something to hold onto, he lost his balance and fell headfirst. He had to grit his teeth to stop himself screaming all the way down.
MR PIKE GAVE Laura a shove that almost sent her flying. Tariq steadied her and gave the big bodyguard a warning glare.
‘Ooh, I’m scared,’ teased Large. ‘I’m quaking in my boots.’
They were in a large white room at the halfway point of the aquarium, one whole side of which was a full-length window showing a cinematic stretch of grey-green sea. Storm clouds hung low over the churning waves. Pelicans dive-bombed leaping fish. Laura envied them their freedom.
‘They’ve no idea we’re prisoners,’ she thought. ‘No idea that the humans in this place are plotting to destroy the sea creatures they live on. And us.’
Janet flicked a switch and the storm-darkened room was illuminated. There were two swimming pools in it, a large one which, judging by the coloured balls and hoops, had been used as a dolphin training or display area. The other pool was close to the window. It was the size of a large Jacuzzi, but it wasn’t bubbling. Instead, a red chair was suspended above it. Tied to the chair and looking very much paler and thinner than when they last saw him was Calvin Redfern.
Laura’s mouth opened but no sound came out. She tried to rush forward, but the bodyguards held her in an iron grip. ‘Uncle Calvin!’
Calvin Redfern’s head snapped up. Relief, joy, panic and terror flitted across his face. ‘Laura! Tariq! What are you doing here? No, don’t answer that.’
He turned on Janet. ‘Have you gone stark staring mad, Rain? They’re children. Take your revenge on me. Do your worst and see if I care. But hurt my niece and Tariq at your peril. They’ve done nothing. They’re innocent victims in your grudge match, your war, against me.’
‘Innocent?’ scoffed Sebastian LeFever. The man in white was crossing the grey tiles towards them, followed by his wife. ‘After the dance they’ve led us across Antigua and Montserrat. After their dog bit my chauffeur and caused the wreck of my limousine, the ruination of my wife’s dress, and a visit to A&E for us all. Please, spare me the “all children are angels” speech. In the three days since we met Laura Marlin and her friend, my wife and I have aged ten years.’
Laura stole a glance at Celia LeFever. She didn’t look as if she’d aged ten minutes. She could have stepped from the pages of a celebrity magazine. Calvin Redfern, on the other hand, was haggard and tense. She doubted he’d slept in days.
‘Now that we’re all here, let’s get on with the game,’ Janet said with relish. ‘It’s been fun so far – what with the tripwire, the pirates and the climbing wall prank, but the best is yet to come. She pressed a button and Calvin Redfern’s chair whirred downwards until his bare feet were touching the water.
It was only then that Laura noticed a spiny, balloon-shaped fish, a blue-spotted octopus the size of a golf ball, an ugly grey creature that resembled a dirty rock, and a collection of snails dotted around the pool.
‘Rutger, would you step forward and explain why you’ve chosen these particular species for our “fun-in-the-pool” session,’ Janet ordered.
A swarthy man in oilskin trousers and a black fisherman’s jumper stepped forward. He would have been handsome if his face hadn’t been so cruel. He nodded at Calvin Redfern as casually as if he’d been passing him on the street.
‘For a famous ex-detective, you were pretty easy to fool,’ he remarked. ‘You swallowed that tuna information like a pelican gulping down a fish. I almost felt sorry for you.’
‘I’d enjoy a good laugh at my expense while you can,’ Calvin Redfern said. ‘When the tables turn, which they will, I’ll be doing the same, only for a lot longer. How much do you think you’ll get for kidnapping two children and a former policeman, Rutger? Ten years? Twenty? Life?’
Rutger grinned. ‘I’ll say this for you, ex-Chief Inspector. You’re an optimist.’ He picked up a steel rod and prodded each creature in turn.
‘Right, here we have the pufferfish, one of the most poisonous creatures on earth. If all else fails, we’re going to feed it to you at a banquet this evening.’ He gave the spiky ball a prod. The frightened fish immediately ballooned to almost three feet in diameter. Laura was sur
e it was going to pop.
‘After poisoning, victims experience a deadening of the tongue and lips, dizziness, rapid heart rate and finally muscle paralysis,’ Rutger intoned. ‘When the diaphragm muscles freeze, breathing becomes impossible and death soon follows.’
He rubbed the head of the octopus until its lethal tentacles unfurled. ‘The blue-ringed octopus may be small, but it carries enough venom to kill twenty-six people within minutes.’
With lip-smacking satisfaction, he added: ‘There is no antidote.’
He scooped up a snail with a net and set it on the pool’s edge. ‘This beautiful marble cone snail is a silent killer. One drop of its venom can fell twenty grown men. Symptoms of a sting can start immediately or appear days later. Victims experience intense pain, blurred vision, swelling, paralysis and death through oxygen depletion. There is no cure. No anti-venom.’
He cast a sly glance at Calvin Redfern. ‘Standing by in case we need extra assistance are a stone fish, an electric eel and a sea snake. All of which kill in exotic ways. And, of course, we have the sharks. Scared?’
‘No,’ came the answer. ‘But you should be. When I get out of here, you’re going to jail for the rest of your natural life.’
A door opened at the far end of the room and a woman with a face the colour and hardness of a statue stalked in. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr LeFever, but …’
‘Not now, Francine,’ barked Sebastian. ‘Can’t you see we’re busy?’
‘Go ahead, Francine,’ said Calvin Redfern. ‘We have all the time in the world.’
Francine glared at him. ‘Mr LeFever, please, we have a problem. Two actually.’
‘Two problems? What two problems?’
‘There’s a man – some sort of volcano expert. He says –’
Laura’s heart skipped in her chest. Rupert!
‘Use your wits, Francine,’ Sebastian said impatiently. ‘Get rid of him. Now go back to reception and don’t bother us again.’
‘Mr LeFever, I’m sorry, but he says it’s a matter of life and death. He says we must evacuate immediately because the volcano is about to blow. His Early Warning system has gone into the red. He seemed especially agitated about the two children. He’s convinced we have them. What is odd is that this horrible boy …’
‘Damn and blast the volcanologist’s Early Warning system,’ shouted Sebastian LeFever. ‘We checked the volcano monitor this morning and there was nothing to worry about at all. Nothing. Tell him we have our own experts on the case, and we are sick and tired of him bothering us. If he refuses to go, have security arrest him for trespassing. Rutger, when we’re done here, have a word with the Tech department and tell them dancing skeletons, which were put there to frighten people like him away, have had little effect. As I predicted.’
‘Yes, sir, Mr LeFever, but it does seem to be smoking and I think I saw some sparks.’
‘Francine, I’m not going to tell you again.’
‘Yes, Mr LeFever. Uh, one other thing. There’s this boy. An untidy, obnoxious sort of a boy.’
Tariq and Laura exchanged glances.
‘With the most awful parents.’
‘Francine, are you going to give me a biography of every visitor?’
‘No, Mr LeFever, but you see the boy has gone missing.’
Laura had to bite her tongue to stop herself from cheering. ‘Jimmy,’ she told him silently, ‘we need you to be as good as Matt Walker today.’
‘MISSING!’ shouted Sebastian. ‘What do you mean, he’s gone missing?’
Francine shrank back. ‘It’s not my fault. He threw a tantrum over the cancellation of the aquarium tour. Don’t worry, the doors were secure so he’s not in the private part of the building. He’s probably hiding in the grounds. His parents are threatening to sue …’
‘Mr Pike, go with Francine and help this family find their boy,’ ordered Sebastian. ‘If they give you any trouble, kindly escort them to the shark section. Be sure to show them all the nature they desire and a little more. Am I making myself clear?’
‘As crystal,’ thundered Large. ‘Francine, lead the way.’
Sebastian heaved a weary breath. ‘Is it just me or is the game not as much fun as I thought it would be?’
‘It’ll be fun once the action starts,’ Janet reassured him. She reached for the chair lever. Calvin Redfern stiffened.
‘No!’ cried Laura.
Then, almost in slow motion, two things happened. Tariq bent down as if to tie his shoelaces and rugby-tackled the back of Little’s knees. The bodyguard grabbed Rutger’s jumper to save himself and both men narrowly avoided falling into the pool. They started yelling at each other and pushing and shoving.
There was a splash. Droplets of cold water splattered Laura and clouded her vision. When it cleared Tariq was in the pool and two snails were creeping towards him.
‘TARIQ, STAND TOTALLY still; nobody else move a muscle,’ Calvin Redfern said in a voice of such authority that even the pufferfish seemed momentarily to obey. ‘Rain, untie me so I can help the boy.’
‘Not on your life. I know your tricks.’
The octopus unfurled a couple of blue-spotted tentacles. To Laura, standing paralyzed with horror beside Little, the creature was sizing Tariq up for the kill.
‘I have a better suggestion,’ said Sebastian. ‘We’ll lower you into the water and you can help the boy from there. You could stand between him and the octopus, for example. That would be entertaining. We weren’t born yesterday, so whatever cunning plan you’re devising, forget it. You’re going in with your hands and feet securely tied.’
Laura wanted to leap into the water and save them both, but the thin bodyguard had her in an unbreakable grip. Besides, it was too risky. Any sudden movement could startle one of the venomous creatures and be the death of her loved ones.
Janet Rain pressed a button on the wall. The red chair tipped Calvin Redfern unceremoniously into the water. His ankles were not entirely healed and he staggered and almost collapsed against Tariq before finding his feet and righting himself. Laura bit back a scream. The octopus was swishing its tentacles like an angry cat.
‘Tariq, I want you to use my bound hands as a stirrup and get out of the pool.’
‘No,’ Tariq said stubbornly. ‘I’m staying here with you. My hands are free. I can protect you. Let them sting or poison me instead.’
‘Aww, how sweet,’ snarled Rutger.
Despite their predicament, Calvin Redfern smiled. ‘I appreciate that, Tariq, really I do. You’ve no idea how much. But didn’t you once say you’d do anything for me.’
Tariq shifted nervously. One snail was barely a matchbox length from his left foot. He nodded. ‘Yes, I did. And I will.’
‘Well, I’m asking you now to get out of the pool,’ Calvin Redfern said gently.
Tariq gave him a long look and Laura thought she saw him blink back a tear, but he obeyed without a word. Seconds later he was on the pool edge. Rutger leapt forward with a growl and put him in an arm lock.
Laura thought: Where is Jimmy Gannet? What’s taking him so long? Has he been captured himself? Has he called the police?
Just the fact that he was here in the first place gave her cause for hope. If he’d been a good enough detective to use her clue to get himself and his mum and dad to Marine Concern, then maybe he had what it took to get them out of this nightmarish situation. But whatever he was going to do, he had to do it fast.
Janet Rain murmured something into radio. The aquarium door slid open. In came an insect in human form. Laura recognised him immediately from Jimmy’s description as the man who’d watched her and Tariq board the Ocean Empress. He didn’t seem to be made of blood, tissue and bone, but of wire, cockroach limbs and white grubs. He moved jerkily, like a beetle. As he passed, she caught a whiff of chocolate peanuts. He put a feeler in his pocket, scooped out the sweets and tossed them into his bloodless mouth.
Sebastian gave a cold smile. ‘Meet the Straight A’s most infamous m
ember, our expert on interrogation techniques – what you may think of as torture. We prefer to call him Mr McGee. Mr McGee’s here to make sure we do this right. We know you’re a slippery customer, former Chief Inspector, and we’d like to ensure that things don’t get messy. The floor is yours, Mr McGee.’
Mr McGee swallowed one more mouthful of peanuts and sidled to the poolside. He put on a pair of black rubber gloves.
‘What would Matt Walker do?’ Laura thought despairingly. ‘He’d know what to do in this situation and I don’t. I’m clueless.’ She did a mental run-through of all the Matt Walker books that involved kidnap, hoping for inspiration. Then she remembered the tip she’d given Jimmy – about how Matt had observed that kidnappers were fanatical about detail. It was the mundane – the ordinary – that they tended to overlook.
Mr McGee picked up the net and surveyed Calvin Redfern like a black widow eyeing its prey.
‘I don’t believe it!’ came a muffled voice, followed by a violent pounding on the window.
Kidnappers and captives turned as one to see the most extraordinary sight. The fleshy face of Bob and windblown, worried countenance of Rita were pressed against the glass. Behind them the sky was black with menace.
‘Laura Marlin!’ shouted Bob. ‘Laura Marlin, is that really you? It’s the Gannets from the Ocean Empress. Remember us? I say, have you seen Jimmy?’
SEBASTIAN COVERED HIS eyes with his hand. ‘Why can nothing ever go right?’
He turned on Rutger and Janet with a snarl. ‘Didn’t I warn you that it would be a disaster bringing these brats along? If there’s one golden rule I learned in Hollywood, it’s never to work with children or animals. And here we have both.’
‘Hi, Bob and Rita! How lovely to see you. Why don’t you come into the aquarium and visit us?’ yelled Laura before anyone could move to stop her. Little almost crushed her hand.
‘One more word and you will join your uncle in the pool, Laura Marlin,’ Sebastian said through gritted teeth. To keep up appearances, he waved and smiled at the Gannets, still framed in the window. ‘I do believe you’re an unlucky charm. From the very beginning, you have confounded our plans at every turn. Well, no more.’
Laura Marlin Mysteries 2: Kidnap in the Caribbean Page 13