Hunted

by Heather Atkinson

  “No, I want to be here when Dad gets back,” she whined.

  “You will be but we really need to be finding him.”

  “And I’m in the way,” she sulked.

  “You are never in the way sweetie, never, but I can’t do what I need to do with you here.”

  “Grown-up stuff?”

  Rachel smiled and nodded. “Grown-up stuff.”

  “Okay, I’ll go, if it helps Dad. You won’t send us on a plane again?”

  “No, just your gran’s house, no further.”

  “Promise?”

  “Promise sweetheart. Why don’t you go upstairs and decide what you want to take, you might be staying a couple of nights.”

  “Alright then,” she sighed. Leah stopped in the doorway then turned and ran back to her mum. She flung her arms around her neck. “I love you Mum.” Leah had learnt the importance of saying those words as many times as she could to the people she loved because she knew all too painfully how quickly they could be taken from her.

  “I love you too sweetie.” Rachel was almost undone, but she managed to hold her tears back.

  “Do you want us to take them over there?” said Battler.

  “No, I’ll do it myself. I haven’t told Mum and Dad yet.”

  “You should have told them sooner. They’re going to go ballistic Rach,” said Battler.

  “I know but we’ve put them through enough stress in the past. I thought I’d let them get a good night’s sleep before stressing them out again.”

  “Okay, but Bruiser goes with you,” said Battler. “I’ll stay here manning the phones until you get back, just in case. We take no chances.”

  Rachel nodded. She had no arguments there.

  CHAPTER 18

  “Hello, this is a nice surprise,” smiled Gill when she opened the door to her daughter and grandchildren. “Come on in.”

  Gill was too busy cooing over the drawing Aaron thrust at her to notice something was wrong, but Rick picked up on it immediately. He shot up out of his chair, face turning white.

  “What’s happened?” he said anxiously.

  “Ryan’s disappeared,” whispered Rachel, eyes filling with tears.

  “Oh my God,” said Gill, her smile dropping. “When?”

  “Yesterday. He was supposed to pick Leah up from school and he never turned up.”

  “Why are you only telling us now?” demanded Rick.

  “Because we kept thinking he’d turn up, then he didn’t. By the time we realised this was serious it was late, I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “You should have,” said Rick.

  “Please Dad don’t get on at me about it. I’m holding on by my fingernails here.”

  “I’m sorry love, sit down,” he said, leading her to a chair.

  “I wondered if you’d mind looking after the kids, there are things we need to be doing.”

  “Of course, you know we’re happy to have them anytime…” He paused when he realised Leah was listening in. “Why don’t you go in the kitchen with your gran and get some snack?”

  “It’s okay Dad, she knows.”

  This broke Rick’s heart. “Gill, take the boys into the kitchen for their snack, will you?” At least he could protect his grandsons from this.

  “Yes,” said Gill, shooing them into the next room. She never could stand to hear about any unpleasantness. She was the proverbial ostrich, burying her head in the sand. It was the only way she could cope.

  “Is this anything to do with…the past?” said Rick tactfully.

  “No, we’re certain of it.”

  Rick caught the look in his daughter’s eye and something clicked in his head. “Daniel Tebbs?” was all he said.

  Rachel nodded.

  “Who’s that?” said Leah.

  “Just one of the police officers looking for your dad,” replied Rachel. It was the only lie she could come up with. There was no way she was telling her she thought Ryan had been abducted by a serial killer.

  “This is unbelievable. Ryan,” he said quietly, sinking onto the couch beside his daughter.

  When they lapsed into silence Leah decided to join her brothers in the kitchen, thinking her mum wasn’t going to say anything else of importance.

  “They must be tough to take Ryan,” Rick said quietly when she’d gone.

  “I know and that’s what frightens me most. Dad, if he dies so do I,” she rasped, eyes filling with tears.

  Rick hugged her tight, squeezing her a little too hard because her words frightened him.

  “You will not because you are Rachel Law and you are strong. You will go on because Ryan would want you to and because you have three children.”

  “You think he’s dead?”

  “No I don’t. It would take a lot more than some lunatic who likes dressing up in his mum’s clothing to get the better of him. Now stop talking like this and pull yourself together.” Harsh but firm, that was what he felt she needed.

  “You’re right Dad,” said Rachel, wiping her eyes. “I’m being pathetic but I’m so scared. He saved me. What if I can’t do the same for him?”

  “You will, it’s who you are. We’ll look after the kids, don’t you worry for one second about them. Get out there and find your husband.”

  The proverbial kick up the backside was just what she needed. She got to her feet determinedly. “Thanks Dad.”

  He watched her go into the kitchen to say goodbye to the kids looking self assured, calm but most of all, determined and he smiled with pride. “That’s my girl.”

  Bruiser drove Rachel home, leaving Fletch and Leo to discreetly watch over her parents and the children. They returned to find Battler scrutinising the information they’d gathered so far.

  “How are you holding up?” said Battler, pleased that Rachel looked stronger.

  “Okay actually. Dad gave me a pep talk.”

  “You needed one.”

  She sat down beside him at the table to study the reams of papers. “What is all this?”

  “Statements from friends, family and work colleagues about the missing men.”

  “You’ve spoken to them all?”

  “As many as we can.”

  “Anything useful?”

  “There’s a pattern. The men were doing something routine when they were taken. Daniel Tebbs’s was visiting Chris Marsh, Ryan told us all about that, Peter Everill was working late, Luke Jones was going to his judo class, John Owen had been at his kickboxing class and Ryan went to the spa every third Friday to check up on things. We don’t know about the rest of the men yet.”

  “So someone had been watching them for a while?”

  Battler nodded. “If this is the same person who’s got Ryan, and I have to say Rach I’m sure it is, then they must have been watching him too and he never noticed, or if he did he never told anyone.”

  “Possible, he wouldn’t have wanted to worry me.”

  “Or this person is very, very good.”

  “I suppose after all these years they’ve got adept at abducting men.” She felt a little better now she was doing something productive and focusing her mind on finding her husband. It was helping to keep her calm. “Maybe it was someone Ryan trusted, someone he wouldn’t have thought twice about letting close to him,” she said, thinking of Chris Marsh just up the road. No, he wouldn’t, would he? He couldn’t take on Ryan. But then again, not even Ryan could defend himself if he was hit around the back of the head with something. She couldn’t afford to discard the theory, every possibility had to be investigated, so she decided to raise the possibility. “Chris Marsh has a man den where Angela’s not allowed to go. What if he’s got Ryan there?”

  “Ryan told us about that,” said Battler, “and after discussing it we dismissed it but I still think it’s worth checking out.”

  “Chris and Angela go to her sister’s in Exeter every Saturday for lunch. The house will be empty in about an hour.”

  “Then we’ll go up there and take a look around.
”

  “It’s a farm, there are lots of outbuildings.”

  “We’ll check everywhere, I promise you Rach.”

  “Thank you.” She stared at the list of names of the men who had vanished, which she now knew to be a roll call of the dead. Desperately she hoped Ryan’s name wouldn’t join them.

  When the phone rang she jumped to answer, snatching up the handset. “Ryan?”

  “No, sorry Rach, it’s me,” said Mikey glumly, wishing he had good news for her.

  “Anything?”

  “I don’t think Katia’s anything to do with Ryan’s disappearance. I’ve sent three of my best men down to Essex. There’s no trace of him and none of Jared Slattery’s men have left the area recently.”

  “You’re certain?”

  “I am.”

  “I’m not sure whether to be glad or not. At least we’d know where he was if she had him and we could get him back. And that means our other theory might be true.”

  “The serial killer one?” said Mikey, able to hear the misgiving in his own voice.

  “I know it sounds mad but it’s all we’ve got.”

  “Me and Jez have got our flight booked. We’ll be there sometime this afternoon.”

  “Bring Jules. I want Jules.”

  “Why the hell do you want her?”

  “She tracked down Katia and Leighton. She can find anyone. I want her here.”

  “I still don’t entirely trust her.”

  “Me neither but I’m willing to do anything to get Ryan back. Bring her.”

  “Alright, if that’s what you want.” Mikey cursed inwardly. He had hoped to have a break from her and try and get himself over this stupid crush he was developing. “I’ve told Grant and the others to stay down south to check things out, just to make sure.”

  “Thanks. Hurry please Mikey, I need you,” she said, voice cracking.

  “I’ll be there sweetheart, just hang tight.”

  Mikey hung up and stared at the phone, attempting to get his head round this. It would be the third time since Rachel and Ryan had moved down south that he’d had to go charging down there, it was getting ridiculous. When was Rachel going to get the tranquil life she wanted and deserved? This talk of serial killers made him uneasy, it wasn’t something he was used to. He’d dealt with plenty of murderers, he’d killed people himself, but this was entirely different. This was someone trying to play out their sick, warped desires on Ryan. He wondered if the serial killer was dead already.

  “What’s wrong?” said a voice, waking him from his reverie.

  He looked up to see Amber standing in the doorway of his office at home with her mum, the sight of Joyce making his teeth grind.

  “It’s Ryan. He’s gone missing. Rachel thinks he’s been taken by a serial killer.”

  “What? That’s ridiculous,” said Joyce.

  His gaze was hard. “Why?”

  “These things don’t happen in real life.”

  “Course they bloody do. Don’t you watch the news?”

  “They probably had a row and he’s gone off for a sulk. That’s what men do.”

  “Maybe your husband does but Ryan wouldn’t,” retorted Mikey.

  “Mum might have a point,” said Amber. “You remember how he was after they lost Thomas?”

  “That was different, he was grieving, he was all over the place. They’ve not rowed and Ryan would not abandon his family like that.”

  “It’s all a fuss over nothing,” said Joyce. “You’ll see I’m right.”

  “If you knew Ryan at all you’d know how bloody wrong you are.”

  “Mikey, don’t talk to Mum like that,” frowned Amber.

  “Why not? She obviously doesn’t give a shit what happens to Ryan.”

  “Mikey, language,” chided Amber.

  “Don’t start, I’m not in the mood.” He picked up the phone. “Now I’ve got some calls to make then I’m going to Devon.”

  “You can’t, we’ve made plans,” said Amber.

  “Didn’t you hear what I just said? Ryan’s missing, it’s all hands on deck to help find him.”

  “We arranged to go to that theme park tomorrow,” protested Amber.

  “Are you seriously saying that’s more important than this?”

  “It’s all well and good helping people out, I find that admirable,” said Joyce. “But you have a wife and son who need you.”

  “Joyce, get out of my office.”

  “Mikey, don’t speak to her like that,” said Amber, stamping her foot.

  “I want to talk to my wife in private, which I’ve not had the chance to do since you came here,” he said, addressing Joyce directly. “I suggest you leave us in peace before I make you.”

  “Mikey,” cried Amber.

  “I know where I’m not wanted,” said Joyce snootily, sticking her nose up in the air and stalking out.

  “Well done, you’ve finally got the message,” he called after her.

  “Where do you get off talking to Mum like that?” screeched Amber.

  Mikey gaped at her. He’d never heard her shout before. “You’ve changed since she came here, she’s a bad influence. Where’s my sweet little wife gone?”

  “You mean the doormat you married? The one who never says a peep when you go out at all hours. How many times is this you’ve run off down to Devon? Three? Got another woman down there, have you? Some big, fat Devonshire tart?”

  “This isn’t you. What’s she done to you? Or is this what you’re always like when she’s around and I’m only just seeing it now?”

  “She’s making me realise that you are taking a liberty. You think you can do what you like and I won’t say a word. Well you’re wrong mate. I’ve had a gutful.”

  “Ryan’s gone missing. Do you comprehend what that means?”

  “He’s not your family Mikey, we are,” she yelled.

  “He is my family,” he yelled back. “Yours too and I’m disgusted that you’re not taking this more seriously. It would be different if your dad had gone missing, wouldn’t it? You’d be begging me to find him.”

  “Because he means something to us.”

  “Not to me he doesn’t. He’s just a big fat loser with his head stuck up his own arse but if anyone was to go missing I wish it was Joyce. She’s poisoning this house.”

  “Going to make her disappear, are you? I know what dirty business you’re into.”

  “Course you do, it’s why you prostituted yourself to me the first night we met, took advantage of me while I was pissed.”

  She slapped him hard, little elfin face pink with fury. “I knew it, you only married me because I got pregnant with Jamie.”

  “No I didn’t you stupid woman, I married you because I fell in love with you.”

  “Don’t call me stupid you pig, I’m far from stupid. I know what you get up to and I swallow it because you’re my husband but I don’t like it.”

  “You don’t mind all the cash and the big house though, do you? That’s why your bloody parents told you to sleep with me in the first place, so they’d get their grubby mitts on it. Well I’ve had enough. I want her out by the time I get back,” he said snatching up his keys and stuffing them angrily into his jacket pocket.

  “If you think I’m throwing my own mum out then you’ve got another thing coming.”

  “You’d better if you want to stay married. She’s an evil old witch and she’s turning us against each other. Maybe if I’m gone a few days you’ll be able to see it.”

  “That’s right, you run to your precious Rachel like you always do. I don’t know why you didn’t marry her instead.”

  “I’m not having this conversation.” With that he walked out the door.

  Joyce was standing in the hallway grinning from ear to ear, having overheard everything. This had been her plan all along. If Amber divorced him he’d have to give her a huge payout, which Joyce would soon sink her claws into. That had been her intention right from the first drunken fumbling. Had
Amber been in on it too all this time? He looked back at her standing next to his desk, her face still pink, red curls dishevelled. She was crying and staring at him sadly with her big soft eyes. He had the urge to rush back to her and take her in his arms, assure her it was okay, he still loved her. It was real between them, he was sure.

  Just as he was deciding what to do Joyce swept past him into his own office and shut the door in his face. He could hear her soft murmurs as she comforted her daughter, probably dripping more poison in her ear about him.

  Mikey was so angry his heart pounded in his chest and his palms sweated. He decided it was time to leave before he did something stupid. If Joyce had been a man he’d have knocked her fucking head off.

  CHAPTER 19

  “I’ve got some news for you,” said Jared.

  Katia broke into her cat-like smile. “Is it done?”

  “No.”

  “What?” she cried, stamping her foot.

  Her tantrum amused Jared. “If you’d let me finish darlin’. It’s not done because - get this - Ryan Law has been kidnapped by a serial killer.”

  “What is serial killer?”

  He sighed. “Someone who kills people for pleasure. You know, a psycho.”

  Katia knew what that word meant. She’d heard people use it in relation to Alex often enough. “I see. Is he dead?”

  “No one knows. They’re trying to find him.”

  “This isn’t right. I want him to know that I am behind it when he dies. I want him to see his beloved Rachel dead first, so he knows what I feel every day. He isn’t theirs to kill,” she screamed, picking up a vase full of flowers and throwing it at the wall, where it smashed.

  “Will you get a grip of yourself? There are clients upstairs.”

  “I don’t care about them. I only care about the Laws dying because of me.”

  Jared grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, causing her blond hair to fall into her eyes. “Well I fucking do and if you don’t shut that huge trap of yours I will.”

  The threat was enough to make her go quiet. “I am sorry.”

  Slowly he released her. “You’re still loyal to Alex, I admire that. It bodes well for our working relationship. Now fucking listen to me, we don’t know if Ryan is dead. Men like that can always drag themselves out of the shit and when he does we’ll deal with him. I can’t say fairer than that.”