by El Edwards
I quickened my pace, keen to see who would open the door. The man was already walking inside by the time I peered over the edge of the hedge surrounding the property but just as I was thinking about looking for a rear entrance, I saw Bill’s head pop out from the door, looking out into the darkness. He turned and followed the man inside, closing the door behind them. I walked back to the van, congratulating myself for my wonderful investigative skills. Now I knew where Bill lived I could go back there tomorrow and get all the answers I needed. I was just thinking about phoning Rob to boast about my brilliance when my mobile burst into life. It was a number I didn’t recognise. I climbed into the van and swiped the phone to answer it.
“Hello, Charlie Diamond speaking.”
“Charlie, it’s Roland. Chap across the road from Muriel.”
“Roland! Hello! How are you doing?”
“Stop your yapping and listen.” He sounded even more gruff than the last time we’d spoken.
“Are you alright?”
“Ai, I’m fine. It’s our Muriel.”
“What’s happened?”
“Ryan came back, dunno when, didn’t see him, but she ‘eard him, through the walls. They’re like paper”
I smiled. “I know, she said.”
“She went round there, gave ‘im a bollocking for what he done to you. Daft cow, told ‘er to leave well alone.”
I held my breath. “Is she okay?”
“She’s in the ‘ospital. He gave her a right going over, roughed her up good and proper like.”
“Oh Roland that’s terrible!” Shit! “Do the police know? Did they catch him?”
“They came with the ambulance but she’s in no fit state to talk to anyone right now. They want a description. I tried but …”
“I know it’s not easy. Where is he now?”
“Dunno. Just up and vanished again. Just thought you should know.”
“Absolutely. Listen, I’ll be back over as quickly as I can. Maybe I can give the police a description. Will you see Muriel?
“Can’t get in to see her, me back’s gone again.”
“Okay, leave it with me. I’ll be there soon, tomorrow if I’m very lucky.”
After thanking him again for ringing I phoned Rob. We hadn’t spoken all weekend but I knew he’d want to help. I quickly filled him in on the details and he promised to make the necessary arrangements with work to get the time off. I started the engine and headed back to Gloddfa Bont. As I drove I thought about everything that had happened over the last few days. Bill would have to wait, I had more important things to deal with right now, but he definitely wasn’t off the hook and as soon as I got back from Barnstaple he’d better be ready to talk. I’d had just about enough pissing about now. I was ready to finish this, one way or another.
FORTY-NINE
Less than twenty-four hours later and Rob and I were pulling into the car park outside Barnstaple police station. When I’d told the girls what had happened they were brilliant. I wasn’t keen to leave them alone yet again, especially so close to Christmas, so this time we agreed together that we’d enlist their father’s help. They were staying in his house with Tricia for a few days. School had broken up at the end of the previous week so that made things easier and, as much as they liked to complain about Tricia, I knew Jonathan would show them a good time. With the girls organised there’d been nothing left to do, so as soon as Rob phoned to say he’d had the leave granted, I got packing and we hit the road. The only minor sticking point had been transport. I’d wanted to drive us in my van but Rob had point blank refused.
“If we need to organise a stakeout your van will be rubbish!”
I had to agree that he had a point, Ryan knew my van far too well, so after making him promise that he’d drive nice and smoothly, it was agreed we’d go in his car. The journey had been a piece of cake. Less easy was finding somewhere to park. We drove round and round in circles before eventually finding a space.
“I don’t think we’re allowed to park here,” I said to Rob.
“Don’t worry about it. Worst case, I’ll just flash my badge at them.”
I laughed. “That only works in films.”
“First time for everything. Besides, we’re not going to be long. Come on.”
He jumped out of car, locked up and started walking in the direction of the prison-like building.
“Why do they have to make them look so scary?” I complained. The police-station was a grey box with white soulless windows that I’d put any money on being impossible to open.
“You’d prefer your scroats to have better facilities?” Rob laughed.
“I dunno, it’s just not very welcoming is it.”
I let Rob take the lead as we spoke to a man behind a glass screen. After promising us we wouldn’t have to wait long, he asked us to take a seat. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach starting to quarrel and, not for the first time, I wished we’d gone to see Muriel before coming here. She didn’t even know we were coming and I hated to think of her lying in a sterile hospital bed all alone. It was my fault she was even in hospital in the first place. I’d never known guilt like it.
I looked around the waiting area and read the posters. When I’d read each poster four times I started to get fidgety.
“Relax, I’m sure they won’t be long.”
“But what if they arrest me.”
Rob laughed. “Silly girl, they’re not going to arrest you.”
Finally a door to the side opened and a man in a grey suit came out. He introduced himself as Paul and shook Rob’s hand. They exchanged a few words of policeman banter while I rolled my eyes then Rob turned to me.
“And this is Charlie Diamond. She’s a friend of the victim.”
“Great to meet you,” Paul said. He shook my hand. “How is Mrs Flanagan?”
“We’ve not seen her yet.” I said. “We just arrived from South Wales but we’re off to see her next.”
“Well send her our best wishes. Nasty business this, really nasty. Rob tells me you can give us a description of the perpetrator?”
I nodded.
“Okay, if you’d like to come this way we’ll take a statement.”
I looked at Rob. “You’ll come too?”
“Of course.” He smiled. “Just relax Charlie, it’ll be fine.”
I followed the men through the door into a rabbit warren of corridors, my heart hammering in my chest the whole time. I knew I was being completely ridiculous. It wasn’t like I hadn’t given a statement to the police before, I’d done it dozens of times over the years, but there was something about being in the unfamiliar surroundings of a different police division that was giving me the willies. There was also the none too small matter of my involvement with Ryan. I’d chosen not to tell the police about Ryan stealing my van. I was afraid that if I told them they might start asking questions about Toby and I’d promised Abigail I wouldn’t go to the police about the ransom request. Trying to remember which pieces I was and wasn’t allowed to talk about was getting a little confusing!
Twenty minutes later, we were back outside in the sunshine. Rob turned to me, a big smile on his face. “See? That wasn’t so bad.”
“I suppose not. I can’t say I’m feeling that confident though. The description I gave could match any one of hundreds of blokes.”
“Possibly, but look at it this way … if you hadn’t given a description you’d have felt guilty for not doing everything you could to catch him.”
There was something else bothering me about this whole incident though, something I wasn’t sure I could voice to Rob. If Ryan was caught by the police, what would that mean for Toby and the ransom? I had no firm evidence that it was him behind the demands for money but he had to be involved somehow. Assaulting Muriel like that had been a crazy move. If he was starting to lose the plot I was worried what he might do next. The last thing I wanted was Abigail to wake up to Toby’s body parts in the post on Christmas morning. I shuddered.
> “Cold?” Rob asked.
“Something like that.”
“Come on, let’s go and find that hospital.” He held the door open for me. “And Charlie, try not to worry. The police know what they’re doing. I’m sure they’ll catch him.”
I forced myself to smile. “Thanks Rob.” How could I tell him that that was exactly what I was afraid of?
FIFTY
Ten minutes later and we were circling another car park looking for a space. This time I didn’t worry we’d get in trouble for leaving the car there, the signs advertising it as a visitor’s car park were impossible to miss. We found our way to the main entrance and gave Muriel’s name.
“Are you family?” the lady behind the counter asked.
“Close family friend,” I said.
“And him?” she asked, nodding to Rob.
“My husband.” I took Rob’s hand and he smiled sweetly at me.
I did my best to pay attention as she rattled off a shopping list of directions then thanked her for her time and headed towards Muriel’s ward. When we were out of sight I let go of Rob’s hand, my face flushed. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. Was it a good day?”
“What?”
“Our wedding. It’s all such a blur to me, I can’t really remember.”
“Oh ha bloody ha!” I smacked him round the head then ducked out of reach when he tried to get me back.
One quick ride in the lift later we were walking onto Capener Ward. We cleaned our hands using the alcohol gel, despite Rob’s protestations that he was allergic, and said hello to a smiley looking nurse who led us down another corridor to the room Muriel was in. She was asleep when we walked in, her face barely recognisable under the sea of bruising and I heard myself gasp.
Rob took my hand again. “You okay?”
I shook my head slightly. “Look what he’s done to her. She looks so small.”
“You told me Roland said she was bad.”
“I know. I just wasn’t expecting this.”
We spoke in whispers, keen not to wake her, but it didn’t take long for her to open one eye. She tried to smile but then winced. Her other eye was shut tight from all the bruising. I found myself shaking. I just couldn’t believe one scrawny kid could do so much damage to a person. And all because she told him off for behaving badly.
I reached out and gently took hold of Muriel’s hand. “Hello Mrs F.”
She opened her mouth to try and speak but her voice came out all croaky.
“Shhh, just rest.”
I found myself wondering what good we could really do by coming. She seemed glad to see us of course but she couldn’t talk and there was nothing either of us could say to take away the pain. It all just felt so hopeless. We sat in silence for a few minutes but when I couldn’t stand it any longer I decided to tell her I’d seen the police and the latest news about Toby. She listened, doing her best to react, and when I’d finished she gestured for me to come closer.
“Thank you.” Her voice came out in a whisper, barely audible, and I felt tears prick my eyes.
“I promise we’ll find him. He won’t get away with this.”
She squeezed my hand before closing her eyes to rest. We sat watching her for a few minutes but then Rob gestured for me to follow him out of the room.
“Best to let her get some rest now Charlie.”
I nodded and followed him out of the ward, promising myself that the next time we saw her we’d be bringing better news.
We walked in silence back to the car. There didn’t seem to be anything left to say. We’d come to Barnstaple, told the police what we knew and now we’d seen Muriel. I’d toyed with the idea of going back to Roland and knocking on Ryan’s door but the police would have the place surrounded. There was no way he’d be stupid enough to go back there right now, so I was all out of ideas.
“Where to m’lady?” Rob asked as he started the engine.
“Hotel I guess.”
Maybe if we got checked in and went for a bite to eat I’d have a flash of inspiration. We couldn’t come all the way here just to turn round and go home again but with the police investigating Muriel’s attack, there wasn’t much else we could do right now. That didn’t stop me feeling guilty though when an hour later we were sitting in a bar in town having a drink.
“What’s that face for?” Rob asked.
“Nothing.” I didn’t think Rob would understand the concept of guilt. He was a police officer. Detachment was his middle name. “I was just thinking about the case.”
“And?”
“I dunno. It just feels like we’re at a bit of an impasse.”
“You know what you need don’t you?” He smiled.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to know but I asked the question anyway. “What’s that?”
“You need to get totally rat faced and eat dodgy takeaway food until you feel sick and then, when you think you can’t possibly take another step without falling onto your arse, dance until 2am in a dodgy nightclub.”
“Well when you put it like that …”
“Really?” Rob’s face lit up.
“No, not really. How old do you think we are?”
“I still think it would do you good. When was the last time you got properly wasted?”
I gave the question careful consideration. “I think there might have been that one time, in about 1996.”
“See? You’re totally overdue a blow out. I’d look after you,” he added.
“Well that’s very generous of you but no, if you must know, I’m feeling a bit lost. Seeing Muriel today, it scared me.”
“Why?”
I took a large sip of wine. “What if they catch him?”
“That would be great!” He looked at my face. “Why wouldn’t it be great?”
“What happens to Toby if they catch Ryan? If Ryan’s got Toby locked away somewhere I mean. What if Ryan refuses to play ball? Can the police make him tell them?”
“They’ll have certain persuasion techniques.” He hesitated. “But you’re right. If they nick him and he gets it into his head not to tell them, there’s not a lot anyone can do about it.”
“And that’s my dilemma. I want to see Ryan brought to justice, of course I do, but at what price?”
“You can’t think like that Charlie. All you can do is trust the process. And keep doing what you’re doing. You’ve got us this far. Don’t start doubting yourself now.”
I smiled and was about to thank him, he always knew just what to say to make me feel better, but my attention was grabbed by an unfamiliar sound coming from my handbag.
“Shit!”
“Is that yours?”
“It’s Abigail’s.” I scrabbled around in the bottom of my bag trying to get my hands round the phone.
“Why do you have …”
“I’m looking after it for her, until the kidnapper calls.”
“And?”
“And that’s the kidnapper. Shit!” I grabbed the phone, took a deep breath and then pressed the button to answer it. “Hello?”
FIFTY-ONE
I put the mobile on speaker so Rob could hear. He took his phone out of his pocket and started a new voice recording.
“Do you have the money?” The voice on the phone sounded electronic, like it was being put through a voice-changing app.
“I’m working on it. Is Toby okay?” I tried my best to mimic Abigail’s voice, reluctant for Ryan, if it was Ryan, to realise he was speaking to me and not her.
“I ask the questions! Where is the money?”
“Toby’s parents have it. But we need assurances from you that Toby isn’t hurt. Proof that he’s still alive.” I looked at Rob who gave me a thumbs up.
“He’s alive.”
“Proof, I need proof.” I had a flash of inspiration. “Can I speak to him? Let me hear his voice.”
“That won’t be possible.”
“So how do I know you haven’t killed him already?”
“If
I kill him you’ll know about it. Now stop talking and listen. You’re going on a little road trip so you’re going to need to pack.”
“A road trip? But what about the children? I can’t just leave them. They have school.” I crossed my fingers, hoping that the voice wouldn’t know the school holidays had started.
“I’m sure you’ll think of something.” The voice paused. “Tell you what, I’ve changed my mind. Let’s wait a few days. I’m in no rush to get rid of him. I’m having so much fun. How about Saturday? No school on Saturdays, you can bring them with you. I’m sure they’d love to see their Daddy again.”
“Where?”
“Barnstaple woods. Ask your new best friend Charlie Diamond. I hear she loves the woods.”
“Ryan?”
“Charlie?”
Shit! “I’ll ask Charlie. She told me all about you Ryan.”
“Did she tell you how I made her piss her panties?”
I shook my head firmly at Rob. No way! “That doesn’t sound like the Charlie I know.”
“Do me a favour and stop lying Charlie Diamond. I know it’s you and you can tell your friend Abigail that if she doesn’t get her pretty little arse to Barnstaple woods with my money by one o’clock on Saturday afternoon, I’m going to start chopping pieces off her precious husband. Let’s see how keen she is to have him home in time for Christmas then eh?”
Before I could reply, the line went dead. I threw the phone back into my bag and looked at Rob, my hands shaking. “Now do we have grounds to go after that scrawny little rodent?”