His hands shook and sweat was running into his eyes, but he kept filming. That was when he saw something that made his stomach hit the floor. He dropped the phone and sprinted downstairs and out of the house, running straight past the commotion on the ground as the attacker was overwhelmed, chasing after the gang of men who’d been with him.
He daren’t shout his name, but Jordan turned and saw him. Thomas stopped running and bent over, leaning on his knees, but with his head up, staring after his son, who turned again and stuck up his thumb. It was brief and went unnoticed by anyone else, but Thomas knew Jordan was telling him not to worry.
It only confirmed his worst fears.
Chapter 49
Rob drove around the Lake District while Kelly spoke to the counter-corruption unit, with Jackson and Tyrone sitting in the back. She didn’t want to let them out of her sight.
It was a long call, and she didn’t know if she was safe going back to Eden House. At this point, she had no idea who she could trust outside her own small team, and that didn’t include Will. But then he’d told her himself that he was no longer a part of her team. It hurt.
She’d called Emma first to update her. ‘You might want to go home.’
Emma understood. They were at a turning point, with no way back, and she wouldn’t know how to handle the counter-corruption unit.
‘They have ways of getting information that you don’t see coming,’ Kelly told her. ‘You could compromise yourself without realising it. We’ll all have to be interviewed at some point; until then, the investigating team will be suspended, including Ormond, and we have no idea what he has up his sleeve. So you might as well go home. We’ve got our evidence; it’s just a case of arresting the Cotton brothers now, and all units are looking for them.’
‘All right, boss, if you’re sure?’
She was.
The phone call to Counter-Corruption lasted an hour. They were serious allegations, and needed to be thoroughly investigated. Pending any decisions, Kelly and her team would have access to Eden House only for interview. Kelly had seen the unit in action once before, at the Met, and they left nothing to chance. She knew her offices would be taken over by an impartial team, who would not care what was said: they looked only at facts. It was an unpleasant business and no one wanted to be a part of it, but she was left with no choice. She had to hold her nerve, armed with the knowledge that she’d done everything correctly. She might never know what Ormond’s defence would be, but she had no control over that. She had to believe that the truth would win in the end.
She heard a phone ring in the back and cocked one ear when Jackson answered.
Rob had driven down the east side of Derwent Water, past the jetties to the south and back up the west side, flanking Cat Bells. The lads had been quiet in the back, and Kelly wondered if they’d ever been over this way and knew how beautiful it was.
Finally her call was done and she rubbed her eyes, exhausted. Jackson too hung up.
‘That was Jason Cotton.’
Kelly spun around. ‘What did he say?’
‘He wants to offer me a deal.’
‘Is he crazy? Do you think it’s a trap? Surely he’ll know you’ve been talking to us?’
‘Not necessarily. Sharon wouldn’t grass, and everybody else has been focused on the protests.’
‘What sort of deal?’
‘To get the two hundred K. Working together, me and him.’
‘What about his brother?’
‘He said he was cutting him loose.’
‘It sounds like a trap to me,’ Rob said.
‘Me too, brah,’ said Tyrone.
‘He’s vulnerable and desperate. I can hear it in his voice. There are so many people who are lining up to be his opposition, and he knows he’s done. He’s gonna split but thinks he has a chance at the money first, if I help him.’
‘But why would you?’
‘I’ve always done shit on time, no worries, no sides, no beef.’
‘Beef?’
‘Trouble. They have enemies in Manchester, Preston, Wigan; you name it. Any one of them could have set Jason up. He trusts no one right now.’
‘That includes you.’
‘Maybe, but I don’t intend on going there alone.’
‘He gave you an address?’
Jackson nodded.
This created a huge problem for Kelly. It should be rung in. Armed Response would be needed. However, to get that, she’d have to go through HQ, and Ormond. She thought quickly.
‘Where is it?’
Jackson told her, and she called HQ, asking for Ormond but praying he wasn’t there.
‘Sorry, ma’am, the super called this morning and requested urgent annual leave: a personal matter. He said he wasn’t to be disturbed under any circumstances.’
‘I need clearance for the armed response unit. I’ve been given information as to the whereabouts of the two prime suspects in the Watson and Bradley murders.’
‘Right, ma’am, give me a minute.’
The operator put Kelly on hold. While she waited, she told Rob what Ormond had done.
‘Interesting. Game over?’
‘Let’s hope so.’
Approval was given for a raid on the address with ARU backup. A tactical unit, supported by the ARU, would go in first. It was standard procedure, and Kelly was given the details of the ARU commander on duty. Now that the job was generated, there was no way back. Technically, she’d just been told by Counter-Corruption that her team was suspended, but that wouldn’t come into place in reality until they moved into her office. She couldn’t let this go.
‘Shit, man.’ Tyrone spoke from the back seat.
‘What is it?’ Kelly asked.
‘Look.’ He showed her a YouTube video: the march to police HQ had turned violent, and the clip had gone viral.
‘What the hell?’
She watched the footage again and clicked on other videos, including one showing an attack on a policeman. It must have been recent, because videos like that were usually removed fairly rapidly.
‘Jesus. Let’s get back to Penrith. Use blues; the RV is Tactical HQ near the castle.’
The police tactical unit was trained to deal with all situations faced by police involving some kind of threat elevated above normal levels. Kelly was due to meet the ARU there so she could coordinate with the tactical unit for the duration of the raid. She was still the SIO, and this was her call, but tactical command could make suggestions. She had a positive relationship with all the tactical and armed response officers she’d worked with. They all wanted the same thing: to apprehend suspects without anyone getting hurt. It would be their job to clear the warehouse and secure the perimeter before the detectives went in.
She called Johnny, who didn’t answer. She had to try and keep her nerve and trust that he would have seen trouble coming and got everyone to safety. But Ted was physically weaker than the others, and it looked like it had happened very quickly. The videos showed hundreds of people running, seemingly caught off guard. Even Johnny might not have been prepared. She bit her lip and tried his number again; he still didn’t pick up.
‘The police officer’s dead.’ Tyrone read out breaking news as they sped through villages at high speed, with cars, lorries and caravans pulling over to let them past.
It was awful news, and sobering. A testimony to the anarchy created by Ormond’s selfishness and greed. Kelly had told the counter-corruption unit about the Preston depot cache, and knew that, as a matter of course, Ormond’s bank accounts would be scrutinised.
There was more footage being posted by the minute, and Tyrone showed Kelly the video of Sharon falling off a car. Where were Thomas and Millie? There was still no message from Ted, Johnny, Josie or Callum.
They reached the tactical unit HQ, and Kelly went inside. Rob waited in the car with Jackson and Tyrone. When she came out again, she nodded and got back into the vehicle.
‘I’ve called Sharon, she’s OK. Sh
e’s back at her flat.’ She turned to Jackson and Tyrone. ‘We’ll take you there and drop you. Don’t leave.’
‘Why can’t we come with you?’ Jackson asked.
‘You know the answer to that: this is a police raid and you’re civilians. It’s not safe, and it’s not procedure.’
‘Cuz your procedure has got you so far, ain’t it?’ Tyrone spoke up and everyone was shocked at his confidence, Jackson was the one who did the talking. Kelly dropped her head: he had a good point.
‘Alright. Let’s go,’ Kelly said. They watched as two armed response vehicles made ready and gave the thumbs-up.
The Beacon Estate was quiet, with many people presumably still making their way home from the disastrous march. Poor Sharon, this was a terrible outcome for her. Kelly had been surprised when she’d answered her phone. She was ripping and raging, and still the immovable force that the estate had come to love. She told Kelly that it wasn’t the police who were to blame for things getting out of hand, but thugs looking for trouble who’d turned something quite beautiful into murderous panic. Only then had the police turned violent, as captured by so many people on their phones. She didn’t know what had happened to Thomas and Millie.
The darkening sky enveloped them. It was only four o’clock in the afternoon, but already night had settled in.
The warehouse was situated in wasteland adjacent to the estate, and they had to drive the long way around due to the barricades at the centre. The radio crackled intermittently as Kelly finalised details with the tactical and armed response commanders. Jackson and Tyrone were silent in the back, still reeling from the coolest thing they’d experienced in a long time: a ride in a police car with blue flashing lights, clocking ninety in the lanes, and they weren’t even under arrest. They sat transfixed, listening to the exchanges and checks between vehicles.
They’d been warned to stay inside the vehicle at all times and not do anything stupid.
Chapter 50
Johnny sat in the Penrith and Lakes Hospital, holding his daughter’s hand. In the panic, he’d dropped his phone, or it had been knocked out of his grasp. He didn’t know which. He blamed himself. He hadn’t seen it coming. Nobody had.
As they’d followed the protesters out of Potton Park, the mood had been light and cheerful. Musicians played and the crowds walked happily, waving at the cameras and taking their own video clips to post online. Some walked more quickly than others, and Johnny found his small group quite close to the front as they neared police HQ. A squeeze concertinaed the crowd and he thought they’d be crushed. He warned Ted, who grabbed Josie, who held on to Callum. But they were split up.
Johnny, Josie and Callum desperately called for Ted, who they last saw going in the wrong direction. Johnny knew they were in trouble when the first missile was thrown. They watched Sharon climb onto the car and witnessed her being attacked and falling off. Johnny ushered Callum and Josie to a gateway leading to a field and shouted for people to follow him.
Satisfied that the two youngsters were safe, he told them not to move and went to find Ted.
As he ran through the crowds rushing the other way, he spotted men with hoodies and face masks throwing bottles, bits of wood ripped off gates and anything else that might cause harm. He frantically scanned the scene and worked out that most people were running in the direction of the police because they thought they’d be safe. In his experience of riot control, they would be gravely disappointed. Anyone who didn’t scarper from a violent scene would instantly be viewed as an aggressor. The whole point of riot control was that force was met with greater force and things were brought rapidly to an end.
As the mass of people surged this way and that, he spotted Ted lying on a grass verge beside the road. He wasn’t moving. He ran to him and went for his phone, and that was when he noticed he didn’t have it. He grabbed the nearest person and ordered them to call an ambulance.
‘Already did, mate, they’re on their way.’
Johnny felt Ted’s forehead. It was cool but not dead cold. Next he checked his pulse: it was too slow. But he heard a groan and watched as Ted opened his eyes and winced in pain. He’d just been knocked out, thank God.
‘Ted?’
‘Johnny? What happened?’
‘I have no idea. Everything has gone wrong; it’s a riot. Come on, we don’t want to get caught up in it. Can you sit up?’
Ted was clearly in pain, but he tried his best and Johnny helped him to his feet. As soon as he was upright, he bent over and vomited.
‘I think I’m concussed.’
‘We need to get you to hospital, come on. Josie and Callum are in the field.’
‘Are they OK?’
‘Yes.’ He helped Ted across the road. The fight was now moving in the other direction, and they watched as the police gradually gained the upper hand. Johnny shook his head: it was all so senseless. As they entered the field, Josie ran to Ted and hugged him. She sat by his side the whole time they waited. Eventually four ambulances turned up and medics treated the most serious casualties. Ted said he could wait.
Another ambulance drove directly into the field and a few people who were mildly injured approached it. Because Ted had suffered a head injury, and he told them that he had vomited, he was told he had to go to hospital. Josie sobbed as she let him go.
It was a long walk back to Johnny’s car in Penrith. Josie and Callum’s phones were both out of charge, and they didn’t pass one pay phone that was working. By the time they reached the car, it was four o’clock and they were freezing. Johnny could barely move his hands, and he put the heaters on high. Thank God he hadn’t lost his car keys.
At the hospital, they were told that Ted had been admitted, and that until he was stabilised, he couldn’t have visitors.
‘Stabilised?’
‘Are you related to Mr Wallis?’
‘He’s my father-in-law.’
Josie looked at her dad but said nothing.
‘He took a turn for the worse and they’re working on him now. There’s a waiting area on the fourth floor, near the ICU, or the restaurant is nice and warm; it’s on the mezzanine.’
‘Thank you. Is there a phone I could use?’
He called Kelly from a pay phone near the restaurant, but her phone went straight to voicemail.
Chapter 51
Jordan now knew what they’d been given by the police officer he recognised as Will: cash. In return for the address where Adam and Jason Cotton were hiding. He’d casually asked about the encounter, and the two men had bragged about their gains and how easy it was to get cash out of the pigs.
‘Everyone knows where they are anyway, just nobody told the cops, innit.’
Jordan had laughed along with everyone else.
‘They’re fucked, man. They had it coming.’ The young man who spoke had got away from Adam Cotton back at the warehouse. He was proud of himself, and the others thought him hard and gutsy.
Jordan had slipped away at his next opportunity. The two guys had given Will the information a couple of hours ago, so the chances were the place had been raided by now, but he had to make sure. He began walking.
Seeing his father had provoked a mixture of emotions inside him. He’d wanted to stop and go to him, check if he was all right. He felt mean making his dad chase him so far. That was why he’d stuck his thumb up.
But he couldn’t go back now. If he did, his father would try and talk him into giving up his plan, with the law-abiding drivel that had got their mother killed. She’d done everything right, and look what happened to her.
He had to hold onto his anger, to make sure he didn’t lose his edge. When the time came, he’d need it. The inevitable backlash – and the pain that would come with it – didn’t bother him; it was more how Millie would get on without him. Dad would cope. He coped with everything in his self-flagellating manner, almost religious in his stoicism. Dad would wear a brave face his whole life, but Millie was a different beast: she was a bag of emotions and she
felt everything keenly. He’d thought long and hard about how his actions might affect her, but had reached the conclusion that Millie was an individual and shit happened in life. Nothing – absolutely fuck all – was guaranteed, and everybody had crushing bad news to deal with on a daily basis somewhere on this sorry planet they were stuck on.
His head hurt with philosophy. The time for thinking was over.
He had a vague idea that he knew how to get to the address. It was some warehouse on the edge of the estate. He went alone, unafraid and confident. Hatred burned his blood.
The afternoon was getting darker by the second, and he pushed his hands into his pockets and put up his hood. No one paid him any attention as he navigated his way to the other side of the estate. He doubled back on himself several times and went round the houses a few times, but eventually he found it.
Now that he’d found the right area, he needed to get the warehouse lot correct. He walked underneath the treeline to the side of the road. The streets were all in darkness but he didn’t want to take any chances. There seemed to be no indication that anything had happened here. Surely if there’d been a police raid, there would be flashing lights and tape everywhere?
But he remembered that his last impression of Will had been one of suspicion. What if he was bent and he hadn’t called the information in? Maybe he was there in the warehouse now, warning the Cotton brothers, or making deals? All of these possibilities whirred around in his head.
Finally he found a sign pointing to the lot number he’d been given, and approached the building slowly. He tried the door at the front: it was locked, so he walked around the back and saw a light burning in an upstairs window. There was a metal stairway leading up to it. He took the stairs, staying vigilant in case anyone showed up. The place was silent, and he was pretty sure the cops hadn’t been here.
He took care on the stairs, making sure he didn’t make a sound and alert whoever was inside. When he reached the top, he found himself on a kind of landing, leading to a door. He tried the door and it opened. The light was coming from one of the rooms beyond. His heart pounded in his chest as he tiptoed towards it. He heard voices, and smelled weed. The interior door had a glass panel. He peered inside and saw two men: one was Adam Cotton. As the other man turned, Jordan realised it was Adam’s brother, Jason and that the two were having a heated argument.
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