The Vine Cross (The Vine Series Book 1)

by S P Dawes

  “Easy, they were foreign, no one here knew them, brought in for fun with the church boys, then disposed of.”

  “Not all of them,” rebutted Martin. “We have identified the last two as British citizens.”

  “Then he got greedy, wouldn’t surprise me,” he shrugged. “You saw the similarity?”

  “With Hayley?” Asked Martin, and Darren nodded.

  “She got under his skin. She’ll never be safe while he’s breathing, and I hope you know that?”

  Martin ripped another folder from the binder. This one had pictures of Jesse, taken in the summer. Flicking through, he could see Hayley and Jesse, laughing, holding one another. They looked great together.

  “He even had her beaten up when he was in prison. I found out too late, but they made her accuse the bloke she was seeing. I assume he just wanted to rip the relationship apart. Poor lighter fuel on it and watch it burn.”

  Martin nodded, flipping through the evidence in front of him.

  “She got him sent down.”

  Martin glanced up to regain focus, he’d read a report, but it didn’t mention Hayley.

  “She’d overheard the plan and made an anonymous tip off, but he knew it was her, no one else would have gone against him. I think she tried to wait till they arrested him but it backfired, like I said, rats on the inside.”

  Martin nodded, looking back to the paperwork detailing shipments.

  “Make sure you get the bastard, and Paul Gleeson.”

  “Where did Caitlyn come into it?” Asked Martin. She had infuriated him in the interview and he still couldn’t understand what she was getting out of it.

  “She found out Leon had killed someone for Paul and Demy, went ape. But she’d followed Leon, did it in front of his associates. She hadn’t realised at the time what she was doing, but she sealed her fate. They had her in their sights and in order to keep Leon alive she would have to do things for them. Once they discovered Hayley was going for an interview at Garden of Eden, they made sure she got the head Chef to employ her; you could say she was the key to the plan, but then they wanted more from her and they threatened Rob. Even if she was banging the head chef, she didn’t want Rob hurt, and it didn’t take long before they found out about their relationship.”

  Martin listened and carried on looking through. There were SD cards, photo’s files and blue prints, everything he needed.

  “Good luck.”

  “How did they get to Dave?”

  Darren turned once again to Martin. He knew he hadn’t used the detective’s name.

  “His daughter was pushing gear for them, found out something she shouldn’t and paid the price with an overdose. They found out her dad was a copper and threatened his grandson, so he did as they said.” Still flicking, he saw pictures of Hayley in uncomfortable and compromising positions. He’d seen enough. His stomach jerked. Looking up, he realised Darren had gone. The last photo in his hand showed the necklace Jesse had ripped from Derek around Hayley’s neck.

  Just then his phone rang, “DCI Morgan?”

  Hayley rushed into the station. Leaning on the desk, she tapped the bell until she saw someone in uniform walk towards her. “Can I help you, Miss?”

  “Yes, I need to speak with someone who knows Jesse Hallam.” Giving Hayley the once over, she grabbed a pen and a notepad.

  “Can I take your name and a quick reason for your visit?”

  Hayley rocked her head. “No, just get me someone who knows Jesse, someone he trusts. I know Martin’s not here, so someone else, please,” she begged.

  The officer seemed to mull over what she said before picking up the phone next to her. “I can get his old supervisor?” She said, tapping the numbers on the phone.

  Hayley breathed out a sigh of relief and stood back from the counter. After a failed attempt at getting through, the officer tapped more keys, waiting for the other side to respond. “Hi is DCI Walker available… oh OK… I have a lady at the front desk asking for him. It seems rather urgent it’s regarding Jesse Hallam… yes, OK.”

  “Who was that?” Asked Hayley, panicking, understanding she’d delivered the message to someone other than his boss.

  “It’s DC Redding; she’s on her way down.”

  “Does she know Jesse?”

  “Yes, Miss.”

  “Does he trust her?”

  “They worked together for a while, so I’d hope so, Miss.”

  Not the answer Hayley was hoping for but realising it was the only one she would get, she paced the floor waiting, hoping she was doing the right thing.

  Hands shaking, she watched the officer behind the desk tap away on the computer, glancing towards her every so often with an awkward smile.

  Finally, after what felt like hours, the door opened at the sound of a buzzer. A middle-aged, elegant looking woman came out, dressed in a skirt suit of navy blue, with dark skin and jet-black hair tied in a bun. She offered her hand and Hayley looked at it before shaking it. Watching her face for any sign that she could trust her, Rosa smiled.

  “I’m DC Rosa Redding. I hear you’ve got information regarding DI Hallam, is that correct?”

  “Are you his friend?” Asked Hayley timidly, glancing over to the desk to see if they were being overheard, but the officer had walked back into the office behind it.

  “I’ve known DI Hallam several years.” Rosa was unsure how to answer without knowing what this was about. “Can you tell me who you are, please?”

  Hayley bit down on her quivering lip with nerves. “I’m Hayley Timpson.”

  Watching Rosa’s eyes widen with shock meant she knew exactly who she was. “Oh, my God!” Turning round, she held her security badge up to the reader on the wall and waited for the buzz before yanking the door open. “Follow me.”

  Rushing down the hallway, she opened an interview room and closed the door behind them. “Are you OK?”

  Hayley nodded even though she felt anything but.

  “Jesse was my supervising officer till you went missing, he’s a very good detective and I consider him a friend. If that helps with your earlier question.”

  Hayley let out the breath she’d been holding, relief flooding through her. She grabbed a seat, feeling her legs give out.

  Rosa followed suit. “So, what’s going on?”

  “Jesse’s in trouble. Demy is setting him up for my murder, I think. Martin’s trying to gather evidence now, but I’ve been told Demy has someone on the inside. If Jesse enters one of the station’s cells, they’re going to kill him before it even gets to court or anything else. Get him out.”

  Rosa nodded, placing her hand over Hayley’s as it shook on the table.

  Hayley’s jaw was jumping, she couldn’t stop it. “There’s a shipment going out today, it's worth millions. All I know is, is that while that’s going out, Demy’s having Jesse murdered, possibly me, and then he’s going to call the guy holding my sister and have a bullet put through her head.” Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Rosa, trying to take everything in.

  “You’ve no idea who he says he’s got in his pocket?”

  Hayley shook her head desperately. “That’s why I asked for someone who Jesse trusts, because I didn’t want to alert the wrong person. “

  “AAHH!” Hayley let out a scream as she doubled over and held her stomach.

  “Hayley, what’s wrong?” Rosa jumped off her seat to make the space up between them.

  “It’s been happening all morning; they keep coming and going.”

  “Hayley when are you due?”

  “I’ve no idea,” explained Hayley.

  DCI Walker sat watching in his car with the heating on full blast. It was freezing outside, and he’d already been waiting in the unmarked car for two hours. So far, they had only seen a dog walker and a couple of groups of kids hanging around sharing cigarettes and alcohol.

  The port was just in view from the hill. They’d tucked him in behind a blackberry bush which had been left overgrown, wild a
nd untamed. Radio in his gloved hand, he heard nothing, which was only adding to his anxiety.

  DCI Walker had spoken with Martin that morning to make certain everything was in place and ready to go. He’d kept in contact with armed response, and they were aware of their orders. He just hoped nothing unexpected would change them. After the translator had explained what they had heard in Demy’s home, they made sure their plan covered as many eventualities as possible, but it was his job to expect the unexpected.

  “White transit van seen heading to the area,” came the grave voice over the radio.

  “Copy that,” said DCI Walker.

  “Who are you?” Asked Liam, entering the cabin.

  Realising he’d not noticed this operative manning the desk before made him more than a little suspicious on such an important day.

  “Jason, can I help you?”

  Liam continued to scan the room, looking back at Jason. “I’ve not seen you before.”

  “No, I’ve just moved here. Fred Barlow broke his bloody hip last night, so I’m covering.”

  “Fred the portly bloke with the glasses?” asked Liam, knowing full well who Fred was. He’d spoken to him at great length over the last few months to secure a safe shipping today.

  “No, the other bloke. Wiry with a massive fucking chip on his shoulder.”

  Liam relaxed and chuckled. “Yeah, I know him. How did Fred break his hip?”

  “A birthday party, I think he thought he’d suddenly turned into John Travolta.”

  They both laughed.

  Liam remembered him saying he was out with his family for a birthday. “Well, I’m just taking the boat out, so I’ll sign it out and get going.”

  Jason nodded to him and handed him the book.

  Liam signed his name as Gregory Lansbury and then left the cabin, walking back to the van.

  “On way now,” said Jason into the radio.

  “Copy that.”

  DCI Walker watched the van cover the rough terrain before parking outside the small private boat. They had already been made aware that this was the sailboat that would take them to the larger vessel, which housed the girls. They were in control of not letting the drugs leave the area, the other unit was conducting operations on the larger boat.

  “Stand by,” said DCI Walker as they watched the occupants of the van walk over to the sailboat, cautiously looking around them.

  DCI Walker was mindful of the team already manning the boat. He was more than conscious of how carefully they had to handle the situation if he was to have no loss of life.

  “We are in position and await your command,” came the gloomy voice.

  Chapter 32

  “Where the hell is, she?” Shouted Martin down the phone. Having just been made aware by his DCI that they had apprehended three out of the four suspects.

  He had already spoken with DCI Morgan five minutes previously. Explained that Hayley was alive and well, then given him the version of the events as he knew them. Now he was trying to get hold of Hayley to prove what he was saying was true, but no one could tell him where she was.

  He’d sent an officer round to her dad’s house the minute he had got back in his car with Darren. They called to say she wasn’t there. He didn’t trust Mr Baxter, and God only knew what he was doing. When the officers had entered the house, they confirmed that his clothes and daily items had gone. It looked like he had done a runner. The fact that they had found blood, sent a chill down his spine. He dreaded telling Jesse he’d taken his eyes off her and lost her.

  Martin was watching all the boxes being loaded into the van, ready for the forensics lab. His blood pressure was rocketing, and he was pacing outside the warehouse. He had promised Jesse nothing would happen to her, and now he couldn’t tell him where she was, let alone whether she was safe. He had no idea how he would deliver that news. It was only a matter of time before Jesse rang him.

  His phone rang in his hand and he accepted the call “We’re at Nottingham city hospital Sarg, she’s gone into labour.”

  “Oh God, is she alright?” Panicked Martin,

  “Well, she’s having a baby,” Rosa stated sarcastically. “At the station she—”

  “What was she doing at the station?” Interrupted Martin

  “Trying to get Jesse out of the nick, he’s had a bounty put on his head.”

  Martin ran his hands down his face, just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse. “Have you heard anything from Jesse yet?”

  “No, Sarg.”

  Martin sighed, he’d have to call him and give him the news. Jesse didn’t even know she was pregnant; he had no idea how Jesse was going to take it. He’d have some explaining to do and an apology to make. That was if he kept him alive long enough to hear it.

  “Rosa, I need Turner detained.”

  “Sarg?”

  “I’ll explain when I get back. Do not let him out of your sight,” he warned before stopping the call.

  Jesse burst through the doors of the maternity ward, running over to the desk. “Hayley Timpson.”

  The receptionist scanned her computer, shaking her head.

  “Check again, please,” pleaded Jesse.

  Just then a midwife came to stand beside him at the desk, placing papers over the counter. “Hayley must be here. I’ve only just been told.”

  The midwife turned to Jesse and asked for her last name, which Jesse eagerly gave. The smile broadening on her face admitted she was under her care and would take him to her. Explaining that they couldn’t add her details to the system as the police officer with her made them fully aware of what had happened. So, they’d put her in a side room and documented on paper only for her security.

  Stepping in behind the midwife, looking at her now; he couldn’t take it in. She had changed so much, and not just physically, he could see the pain in her eyes. The hospital gown was doing nothing to hide the discolouration of her body. She resembled a paint runner who hadn’t got the dye out. He could only assume they resulted from living with a monster for nearly eight months.

  He hadn’t protected her. He had failed her, allowed this to happen to her. Everything they had put him through fell away when he saw her. They broke her. The happy, funny girl of months ago; a distant stranger.

  “You’re here?” Asked Hayley, barely audible. Lowering the mask from her face in disbelief.

  “Course I’m here,” answered Jesse walking over to her, taking her hand his. “You OK?”

  “I will be,” Hayley sighed, knowing they would soon require an enormous amount of energy from her. “I can’t do it anymore.”

  “I don’t think you have a choice,” he stated, lowering his gaze to her stomach.

  “Not that, although I wish!” Rolling her eyes, she tried to find the lighter side of her predicament. “I can’t go back,” she whispered. “He’ll kill me.”

  Jesse kissed her on the forehead. “You’re not, they’re piling in now, and they’ve got him Hayley.”

  “Are you sure?” She watched his eyes as they smiled before planting another kiss on her head, and she knew that he was.

  “You did good.” Pressing his lips to her forehead, trying to stop the tears from falling, he scrunched up his face in pain. “You did so fucking good.”

  Hayley felt the relief flood through her blood, only for it to tighten again with another contraction. “My sister?”

  The tears fell from her eyes, and then the next minute he wrapped her in his arms. She could smell the familiar aroma of sandalwood and spice, and could feel her heart pumping. Tucking her head into his chest, he held her tight. She couldn’t let him go; he was everything.

  “It’s fine, I’ll explain later.” Hayley looked at him wearily, but then another contraction hit and she pushed the mask back to her face, breathing in as her body constricted.

  When it subsided, she realised she’d been almost crippling his fingers. Looking at his hand, she felt a rush of embarrassment, apologising; she let go of his hand.
/>   Jesse just laughed and took her hand back in his. “This little one’s going to need a family when we get back, and I think I have one already prepared.”

  Hayley smiled, tired and sweaty.

  “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

  “They’re worried,” she whispered, motioning towards the midwife, checking monitors at the far side of the room. “I’ve no blood work, or dates, or anything. They’re wanting to take me down for a scan, but they don’t think it’ll be able to help them much. They’re saying I could be high risk depending on how premature it is.”

  “I’m sure they know what they’re doing.” Jesse soothed, brushing a stray hair from her eyes. “You’re in the best place.”

  Just then another contraction kicked in and Jesse took the brunt of the force riding her body in his hand, but he didn’t flinch. It was the least he could do. Watching her helplessly fight the pain when he just wanted to take it away was agony, just like all those months ago without her.

  On the last push hours later, the expectant cry filled the room. Hayley fell back on the bed, exhausted. She could feel the trembling of her body and the heat loss, but she just wanted to sleep. The midwife announced a baby boy. But as far as she was concerned, it could have been anyone’s. She felt only relief, relief it was over, relief it was out, and relief that she would never have to see the man who made it.

  Jesse watched as the midwife placed the baby boy on the scales and registered his weight., When he turned to Hayley her eyes were already closed, so he took the baby when they offered and he looked down on him. He felt emotions he couldn’t quite decipher, but the baby wriggled in his arms and grasped hold of his finger when he placed it in his palm. His blue eyes took in the lights of the room and Jesse gently rocked him.

  “That’s a fine healthy boy you have there, he looks just like you.” The midwife smiled but had no idea how much her words stung.