Vanished Beneath: DS Lasser six (The Lasser series Book 6)

by Robin Roughley

  'But...'

  'Exactly as he says,' Emma repeated her voice high and quivering with emotion.

  Medea looked out into the darkness, the moorland stretched out before her lit by a huge hunter’s moon. She could even see the white cotton wool blobs of the sheep as they munched their way through the heather.

  'Medea, I can't talk, just leave the purse, and go.'

  Medea looked at the litterbin attached to the wooden stake, the small car park was made of crushed sandstone, to her left she could see the still black mass of the reservoirs, the moon reflected in the water.

  'I need to know you're safe, Em.'

  Medea heard a male voice mumble something and then Emma gasped in pain, the sound cut through Medea's mind making the flesh on her arms rise in fear.

  'Emma!'

  'Just leave it and go Med, please!'

  Medea could hear the pain in her voice, the fear and anguish and a hint of the inevitable.

  'OK, OK I'm getting out of the car now.'

  'As soon as you've left it you have to drive away Med and you mustn't contact the police.'

  'I...'

  'Promise me!' Emma hissed.

  'I promise,' Medea clicked open the door, a thin breeze seeped into the car carrying the smell of fresh cut grass and dark damp earth. 'Emma are you still there?' Medea looked at the blank screen with disbelieving eyes.

  Walking forward, she pulled the leather purse from her pocket, her eyes scanning left and right. She knew this place, remembered coming here with Lasser on a couple of occasions.

  It had been the previous summer and they'd still been getting to know one another. She looked out over the fields, in the distance she could see the conical top of the stone tower, moonlight glinting off the gunmetal grey roof tiles.

  They'd walked through the forest, Lasser with a backpack thrown over his shoulder laden with sandwiches and drinks.

  Placing the purse on top of the litterbin she turned and headed back to the car, the road that led to the bottom of the moors curved its way around the hillside gradually climbing until it dropped down the other side towards Belmont.

  Climbing back into the car, she reversed before pulling up to the junction. Medea scanned left and right searching for headlights in the distance. After thirty seconds, she took a deep breath and turned left, all the time flicking her eyes to the rear view mirror. As she rounded a curve in the road, she flicked off the headlight before turning right onto a single-track road.

  Finding a small lay-by on the left, she rolled the car into the gap and leapt out, zipping her black hooded fleece up to her chin she set off running back towards the main road. Thirty seconds later, she turned left and began to jog along the pitted tarmac.

  When she saw the headlights in the distance, Medea felt her heart lurch, scrambling up the embankment she clambered over the stone wall and crouched down in the long damp grass. She held her breath as the headlights vanished for a few seconds before reappearing, when the car turned onto the small car park, she pulled out her phone and pressed the button.

  She could hear the sound of the tyres crunching on the loose gravel as the car came to a halt.

  Her hair clung to her neck like wet rats tails.

  As soon as Lasser answered, it all came pouring out in one desperate gasp

  'Where are you?' Lasser felt his heart plummet and then rise at the sound of Medea's voice.

  'You remember the small car park half way up Black Sheep Lane, the one we used when we went up to the tower?'

  'I'm on my way.' Lasser flashed his headlights and saw Bannister in front indicate and pull to the left.

  'Lasser listen I'm sorry, Emma called she needed her bankcards and I didn't know what to do...'

  'I know.'

  'I can see someone getting out of the car,' Medea whispered like a child who spots the bogeyman slinking in the shadows.

  'Listen to me Medea you stay exactly where you are; you do not approach the car.'

  'But...'

  'Promise me.'

  'But what if they get away?'

  'They won't,' he saw Bannister leap from the car and come running towards him through the rain.

  'But...'

  'Medea you have to do the sensible thing, you won't help Emma by barging in there.'

  'How long will you be?'

  Bannister tapped on the window and Lasser slid it down. 'Medea's up on the moors, she can see Forbes’ car.'

  'Jump over,' Bannister hissed and yanked open the door as Lasser scuttled into the passenger seat.

  Snapping the seatbelt into place, he turned to the DCI. 'Take the road out to Rivington, I'll direct you.'

  Bannister nodded and slapped on the blue lights and siren before hurtling away from the curb, the tyres fighting for grip on the wet surface.

  'Listen to me Medea we're on our way, now I need you to tell me which way they go, because there's only that one road that leads on and off the moors.'

  'I can see him!' Medea's voice suddenly filled the small space, Bannister glanced sideways the car swerved alarmingly before he snapped back forward.

  'What's he doing?' Lasser could feel the tension go up another notch.

  'Emma told me to leave her purse on top of the litterbin he's got it I can see him walking back to the car!'

  'Listen Med, do you have wheels?'

  'Yeah, I left the car down a small side road.'

  'How far away?' Lasser asked as Bannister shot onto the motorway, the car accelerating to a hundred in a matter of seconds.

  'Three, four hundred yards,' she paused, 'do you want me to follow them?'

  Lasser glanced at Bannister who raised an eyebrow before giving a shrug as if to say it's your call.

  Lasser turned away. 'Get back to the car, Med, but don't turn on the lights.'

  'Understood.'

  He could hear the sound of her feet swishing through what sounded like tall grass.

  'You only move when their car is out of sight do you understand?'

  'Of course I do I'm not an idiot!'

  'Don't try and catch them up...'

  'So what's the point in me following them?' she hissed as she slithered down the embankment, as soon as she hit the tarmac she started to run.

  'Just be careful, Medea.'

  The car sped past a hundred and twenty, to Lasser it felt as if they were travelling at a snail's pace.

  'Don't worry I will.'

  Bannister indicated and shot down the slip road, before tearing around the roundabout and heading along the moonlit road.

  Lasser listened to Medea's breathing light and quick as she ran.

  'I'm here,' she gasped.

  'Right can see you the car from where you are?'

  'I can see the headlights.'

  Lasser gripped the phone tight. 'OK, which way are they going?'

  'Hang on,' she paused, 'they’re coming this way,' her voice was suddenly flooded with tension.

  'Right get in and wait.'

  He heard the sound of the door opening and then Medea gasped a sound fraught with sudden fear

  'Med what's the matter?'

  'Oh no!'

  'Med?'

  'The interior light came on,' her voice fizzled down the phone and Lasser felt the cold knot of fear unravel in the pit of his stomach.

  Then he heard her let out a whoosh of pent up tension. 'It's OK they've driven past.'

  Lasser gritted his teeth and lowered his head. 'Thank God for that,' he mumbled.

  'Which way?' Bannister snapped and Lasser looked up as the junction hurtled towards them.

  'Left and then first right,' he said as the black bulk of the Pennines rose to meet the stygian sky.

  Bannister glanced left and then spun the wheel right; the road seemed to drop away as it moved down the hillside. At the bottom, he shot across the junction, ignoring the red traffic light and trusting to luck. The car lurched as the road levelled out before plunging downwards again.

  'They've gone,' Medea sounded
distraught. 'I'm going to follow.'

  'OK, but if they stick to the main road we should come across them in a few minutes.'

  'But what are you going to do?'

  'Stop them.'

  'Please, Lasser, be careful.'

  'Don't worry we'll get Emma out of there.'

  'I'm talking about you; I want you to be careful.'

  Lasser blinked, he still couldn't get used to the idea that someone gave a toss about his welfare. 'I will.'

  'Should I put the headlights on?'

  'Do you need to?'

  'Not really the moon's out and I can see if anything comes the opposite way.'

  'Good keep them off but don't push it.'

  'I can see the lights in the distance,' her voice was suddenly full of hope.

  'Turn right at the cenotaph,' Lasser said and Bannister grunted before flying right at the junction. The streetlights ended as they shot out into open countryside, Bannister reached down and flicked off the blue swirling lights.

  'Can you still see them Med?' he asked.

  'Yeah but they're growing fainter,' she sounded distressed again her emotions changing by the second.

  'Don't worry there's no other way off the moors.'

  'There!' Bannister snapped and Lasser looked up to see headlights flare in the distance.

  'I think we've got them Med.'

  'Oh thank God!'

  Bannister leaned over the steering wheel his face grim with determination. 'Medea whatever happens you stay well back.'

  'Alan is that you?'

  'It is and I want you to give me your word?'

  'But...'

  'This is police business Medea,' his voice was stern his eyes locked on the approaching headlights.

  'I understand.'

  Lasser could picture her face, a flush of anger in her eyes as she listened to Bannister laying down the law.

  'Good.'

  'Med I'm going to hang up now.' Lasser said.

  'Oh right,' she replied with more than a hint of surprise.

  Lasser took a deep breath before ending the call and dropping the phone into his pocket.

  'How do you want to handle this?' he asked.

  Bannister thought for a moment. 'The roads narrow enough, I'll try and block the gap,' he replied keeping his eyes locked on the approaching car. 'As soon as they stop you get ready to collar the bastard.'

  Lasser nodded before unclipping the seat belt and grabbing hold of the door handle.

  The two cars drew closer; as Bannister had said the road was narrow, huge gnarled trees grew on the right, a low stone wall to the left. Judging-distance was difficult in the darkness then the lights coming towards them suddenly flicked onto main beam and Bannister hissed and narrowed his eyes against the intense glare.

  'Twat!' he barked before spinning the wheel and slamming on the brakes, the car slewed right and juddered to a stop, thick black smoke poured from the tortured tyres. Bannister snapped his head right, light filled the side window. Lasser threw open the door and leapt out just as the Jaguar tried to swerve past the sudden obstruction, tyres screeched and the car began to slide, the rear of the red car slammed into the rear side panel of the Audi. Bannister was thrown sideways with the impact, the seatbelt bighting deep into his shoulder and neck.

  Then the Jaguar spun the other way and Lasser could only watch open mouthed as it hit the curb-side-on and took to the air clearing the low stone wall then the sound of grinding metal and shattering glass filled the air. He bolted across the road and watched as the car ploughed down the hillside heading for the dark water of the reservoir, then he was over the wall and hurtling after it, careering through the trees and bushes, ignoring the branches that lashed at his hands and face.

  When the vehicle hit the water, he could see the headlights disappear beneath the surface. Without hesitating he leapt headlong into the water, the nose of the vehicle began to slide deeper into the abyss, sliding slowly down the steep sandstone embankment. Then he saw Emma's face appear at the rear window, her hands beating a terrified tattoo on the glass, her eyes wide and frantic, framed with the fringe of blond hair as the sinking car began to fill with freezing water.

  Lasser could feel his legs growing numb as the water dragged the heat from his body. The car lurched forward again picking up speed as the incline grew more acute. Reaching down into the water, Lasser gasped in shock as it rose up to his chest; his ice cold fingers scrabbled on the rock strewn ground. Then he broke free, the chunk of sandstone clasped in his right hand. The water lapped at the back window, the taillights reared upwards, he could hear Emma's screams muffled as the car continued to sink. Lasser leapt forward and landed on the boot as it tilted into the air.

  'Get back!' he screamed.

  Emma looked out at him in terror, then he raised the stone and brought it down hard on the glass, instantly the surface became opaque and Emma's face vanished behind a spider web of cracks. Fighting for balance, he grasped the stone in both hands and smashed it down again, the glass folded inwards in one complete sheet and his head was suddenly filled with Emma Drake’s screams.

  Reaching forward Lasser grabbed the collar of her jacket in both hands and yanked her through the small gap. Then the car lurched one final time as it see-sawed on the stone ledge and Lasser leapt back bringing Emma with him like a new born child delivered into a world of pain. They hit the water together and then he was kicking for the shore one arm wrapped around her shoulder and neck as he fought to reach the edge.

  The taillights of the car blinked once, twice before sliding into the deep.

  'Got you!' Bannister hollered as he grabbed Emma and dragged her towards the edge.

  Lasser tried to stand but he slipped on the slick rocks beneath his feet and plunged forward into the water.

  'Lasser!'

  He heard Medea scream his name, her voice muffled as his head dipped below the surface and then he was lunging upright and staggering forward into Medea's waiting arms.

  85

  Lasser sat on the hospital bed his shaking hands wrapped around a mug of steaming coffee. Bannister stood over near the door, his hair sticking up on end, Suzanne by his side. She'd arrived at the hospital armed with a clean suit for Bannister. Lasser's wet clothes had vanished.

  'I tell you Sergeant when you jumped onto the back of that car I thought you were a fucking goner.'

  'Mind your language Alan,' Suzanne chided and Bannister glanced at her and then blushed in embarrassment.

  'Tell me you brought another set of clothes with you Suzanne?' Lasser asked hopefully.

  She perched on the edge of the bed and frowned. 'You need to rest, tell him Alan.'

  Bannister grunted from the doorway.

  Suzanne threw him a dark look. 'Is that all you can do grunt?'

  Bannister shrugged. 'He'll be alright, Suzi.'

  'He could have been killed you said so yourself.'

  'Well yeah, he didn't die, I mean, look at him - he looks fine.'

  Suzanne shook her head in disgust. 'If it had been you who took a dive into that water then we'd never hear the last of it.'

  'Rubbish!' Bannister barked. 'Lasser did what he had to do but that doesn't mean he can lounge in bed all day.'

  When the door opened and Medea walked in Bannister snapped his mouth closed and Suzanne rose from the bed.

  'Right come on Alan let's give these two some privacy.'

  Bannister smiled at Medea and gave her arm a squeeze as he pushed through the door; Suzanne kissed her on the cheek before following Bannister into the corridor.

  Medea waited until the door closed and then her head fell forward her black hair swaying to cover her face.

  When she looked up Lasser was standing in front of her in the paper gown. 'Are you OK Med?' he asked his face etched with concern.

  'I thought you were dead, when I saw you reach into the back of the car all I could do was scream,' she sounded forlorn, her face white with remembered shock.

  'I've told yo
u before I'm tougher than I look.'

  She tried to smile and then her face crumpled. 'But why did you do it, why did you risk everything?'

  Lasser tried to think of some throw away quip, but in the end he could only think of one thing to say, 'Because I made you a promise.'

  She blinked up at him; her tongue darted across her lips he could see the moisture glistening beneath the strip light, he wanted to kiss her.

  'I promised you Emma would be safe.'

  She looked into his eyes and shook her head in disbelief. 'Thank you,' she whispered and then held out her hands.

  Lasser grasped them before pulling her towards him. 'The main thing is Emma's fine; I mean, she is fine isn't she?'

  'The doctor said she has cuts and bruising and she's still in shock but apart from that she's in one piece.'

  'Well considering the time she's had that's good.'

  'She would have died if you hadn't intervened.'

  Lasser could feel his face begin to burn. 'Yeah well, to be honest I don't think blocking the road helped but the last thing we wanted was to get involved in a chase.'

  She laced her arms around his neck and kissed him, Lasser felt his legs grow weak.

  When she tried to pull away, he grasped her waist and held her close.

  'I'm sorry for not ringing when I said I would, it was out of order.'

  Medea trailed a hand across his cheek. 'I spoke to Alan, he told me about the man jumping from the balcony in Platt Bridge. It was me who was out of order; I mean, it must have been terrible for you?'

  Lasser tried to think back to Colly Roberts death but it suddenly felt like a lifetime ago. 'I've had better days,' he admitted and then rubbed at his eyes. 'Did Bannister say anything about Forbes?'

  'He said they've got people up at the reservoir, but Alan's convinced he went down with the car.'

  Lasser grunted before brushing the hair from Medea's face with his fingertips.

  'Emma said she wants see you as soon as possible,' she said.

  Lasser looked at her in surprise. 'She's awake then?'

  Medea shuddered. 'She says every time she closes her eyes she can see the water rising in the car.'

  'Right then let's go and see if we can cheer her up.'

  When he stepped towards the door, Medea grabbed his wrist. Lasser turned and looked at her in surprise.