by M A Comley
“Maybe it would be wiser to ring him. Perhaps he’ll volunteer to show up to make a personal plea for his family’s safety.”
“I’ll do that. Will you check in regularly?”
“If I’m able to, yes. Sean’s taking the pressure off me a bit by driving to each location.”
“What if the kidnapper asks you to take the underground at some point?”
“Then we’ll figure that out, if and when, it happens. Let me know via Sean’s mobile how things go at your end, okay? We need to stay abreast of things, Katy. The bastard has already showed us his intent by making the baby cry. I dread to think what he’d do to the little mite if he really wanted to get his point across.”
“The bastard. There’s no chance of us taking this lightly at this end; you have my word on that. Be in touch soon. Be careful.”
“Thanks. Good luck, hon.”
Lorne ended the call and tipped her head back against the headrest. “I’m already bloody knackered.”
“I have a feeling that is this guy’s intention, Lorne.”
“Mind if I ring Tony at home?”
“Sure, we’re about fifteen minutes from our destination.”
She paused to remember her home number. When she used her own phone, all she had to do was hit one, and the phone dialled it automatically. “Hey, Tony. Everything all right?”
“Yep, I was just thinking about you. How’s it going there?”
“Exhausting, and we’ve only just begun.”
“Crap! Well, don’t worry about us; we’re fine. I’ve run through everything with Charlie, and she said to pass on a message not to worry about her. She’ll be extra vigilant during the day.”
“Gosh! Was she all right about that? I avoided telling her at breakfast this morning.”
“She’s fine. You worry too much. She did ask if it would be okay for her to go to the agility club again this evening, though.”
Lorne’s interest piqued. “Again? Why so soon? Do you think she’s met someone? I tried to worm it out of her this morning but didn’t get very far.”
“By the way she’s been going around whistling this morning. I’d say you’re on the right lines. Look, going back to your investigation, I know I’ve said it already, but I’m here if you need me. Don’t forget, both Joe and I can call on extra resources from ‘the mob’ if you need a hand.”
“Thanks. For the time being, I think we’ll just go with the flow. I have a suspicion this guy has all manner of weird and wonderful things he’ll want to challenge us with later on. You’ll be the first number on my list if things escalate out of our control, okay?”
“Right, when have I heard that before?” he replied, sounding a little disgruntled.
“I’ll be in touch soon. Love you.”
She hung up and glanced sideways at Sean.
Her boss was smirking and mimicked her. “Love you!”
“Shut up and drive. It’s good to know he’s willing to lend us a hand if needed, eh?”
“We’ll stick with our own options first, I think. Let’s play this by the book where we can, all right?”
“Yep, I agree. I was just stating a fact.”
Sean pulled into Regent Street and drew up outside the world famous toy store at 10:15. “Damn, where the hell are we going to park?”
“See if you can find a friendly traffic warden perhaps. Not my problem,” she said, getting out of the car.
“Lorne, wait there. Do not move,” Sean ordered out the driver’s window.
However, Lorne pushed open the glass door to the toy store and rushed inside. At the base of the escalator, she had no idea what direction she should be going in, as Warrior hadn’t informed her during his last call. As if reading her mind, the man rang her mobile.
“Hello, I’m here.”
“Good. Glad to see that you can arrive at your given location efficiently, with or without time constraints, Simpkins.”
“It’s Warner, not Simpkins,” she objected, distracted by her bustling surroundings.
“You’re Simpkins to me. It suits my purpose to think of you as Lorne Simpkins. I know you married that MI6 agent and that you took him on in spite of his gammy leg.”
Lorne gasped. “You know? Who are you? Have we met?”
“Ah, always the inquisitive copper. You’ll find that out soon enough when our paths finally cross.”
“How are the woman and her child holding up?”
“I think you’re forgetting who’s in charge here, Simpkins. Now quit gabbling on and listen. Go to the first floor. You’re looking for Serengeti. It will be the key to your success.”
The line went dead before she could say anything else. She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt someone tap her shoulder.
Breathless, Sean leaned over with his hands on his knees. “You could have waited.”
She grabbed his arm and ran towards the escalator. “We have to get up to the first floor. Am I right in thinking that Serengeti is in Africa?”
“It was the last time I heard, unless it’s moved of course. Why?”
“Warrior told me to go to Serengeti, metaphorically speaking, I believe, and the key to our success would be there.”
The second Lorne stepped off the escalator, she realised the extent of the mammoth task ahead of them. “Jesus, the whole bloody floor is like a scene from Out of Africa. Where the heck do we begin?” Lorne heaved a large sigh.
“At the beginning. Are you sure he didn’t hint at a certain area?”
“What, like he did with the menus you mean? Think about it, Sean, this guy’s sole intention appears to be to give us the bloody run around.”
“Maybe not his sole intention, Lorne, but I hear what you’re saying.”
“I had a chance to tackle him about using Simpkins instead of Warner, and he seems to know an awful lot about me and my private life, hinting that we have indeed met before. That reminds me—the next time I talk to Katy, nudge me to tell her to look into the villains on that list. The quicker we start eliminating suspects, the better. Let’s go hunting!”
“What are we hunting for?” Sean asked.
“I don’t know, perhaps a key to go with the keyring already in our possession.”
“Sounds plausible. Want to split up again? You take that side of the room, and I’ll take this?”
“Good idea. Shout when you think you’ve found something, and I’ll do the same.”
“Did Warrior say how long he’s giving us to find the clue?” Sean asked.
Lorne frowned and shook her head. Then she quickly scanned the area, still under the assumption that someone might be following them. “No, strange. Isn’t it?”
“We should crack on in case he surprises us by ringing in ten minutes or something. He’s bound to try and keep us on our toes.”
“Okay. You start searching while I have a word with the assistant. She might have seen someone hanging around acting strangely.”
She left Sean to wander off to the other side of the display and approached the young assistant unpacking a box at the counter. The young, freckled girl in her late teens smiled broadly and asked, “Can I help, madame?”
She fished out her ID and showed it to the woman as she spoke. “We’re dealing with a huge case at the moment, and our investigation has led us to this floor. Can you tell me if you’ve noticed anyone hanging around here in the last few days, acting suspicious?”
The girl chewed on her lip. “Yikes, lots of people mill around the display. Not sure they actually look suspicious while looking at stuffed toys, though. Sorry I can’t be more helpful than that.”
“Never mind, it was worth a shot. My partner and I will be searching the area if that’s okay?”
“Sure. Can I help at all? Do you know what you’re actually looking for?”
Lorne shrugged. “That’s just it—no, we don’t. But thanks for the offer.”
“Just give me a shout if you need a hand.”
Lorne smiled at the wom
an and headed for the stuffed giraffe section. Some of the creatures dwarfed her and were an incredible seven feet tall. She could imagine only rich people being able to afford to pay the two-thousand-pound price ticket as a gift for their kids. Lorne tried not to disrupt the display too much, but every now and again, one of the flimsier animals toppled to the ground. Embarrassed, she glanced over at the shop assistant, who giggled and looked the other way, while Lorne quickly reassembled the display in case the girl called security and requested their removal.
Waving to get Sean’s attention, she mouthed, “Anything?”
“Nothing,” he mouthed back, shrugging his disappointment.
They searched the entire section from the floor displays to the numerous shelves lining the walls without success.
Sean joined her. “What are we going to do now?”
“If only I had his number, I could ring him back.” She continued to scan the area as they contemplated their next move. Something hanging from the ceiling glinted and caught her eye. She rushed over and stood beneath the nursery light that featured a scene from a safari. “Here. Lift me up, Sean.”
Lorne was thankful that she’d decided to wear a pair of jeans to accompany her trainers for the occasion. Her boss grabbed her around the thighs and hoisted her up, groaning unexpectedly beneath her. “Christ, when did you put on so much weight? I don’t remember you weighing this much when we dated.”
Lorne unhooked the key. “Let me down. I’ve got it.” When her feet hit the ground, she clouted Sean across the chest. “Cheeky bugger! I’ll have you know that I’m the same weight now as when we dated all those years ago.”
“Liar,” he muttered. “A key, eh? I wonder what it opens.”
Lorne glared at him through narrowed eyes and made a mental note to pay him back for his offensive comment once the case was over. “I’m sure Warrior will be ringing us soon with further instructions. For now, I’ll slip it onto the keyring. We should get back to the car in case he rings.” They ran down the escalator and out of the building. “Where did you park my car?”
“Round the back of the store on double yellows. I hope there’s not a traffic warden waiting for us.”
“Jesus, I don’t suppose you thought to stick the police light on the roof of the car just in case, did you?”
He cringed. “Sorry. I didn’t think.”
“Paper-pusher brain in action, I see.” They marched to the end of the building, and when they reached the back alley, Lorne’s heart skipped a beat. “Damn and blast. Right, leave this to me. I’ll have to flash him more than my ID to get us out of this fix.”
Sean chuckled in spite of his straight face. “He’s all yours.”
Lorne sashayed up to the young traffic warden and smiled enthusiastically. “Hello there. I’m sorry. It was a police emergency.” She showed him her ID.
“Not my problem. You guys know the rules better than anyone.”
“Really, you’re going to give me a ticket for carrying out police duties.”
The warden continued to note down Lorne’s car details. “Rules are rules. You’re damn lucky I didn’t get around to calling the tow-truck.”
Lorne raised her arms then slammed her palms against her thighs. “Christ, we’re busting our bloody guts to try and save a woman and her son’s lives, and you’re pulling your jobsworth act on me.”
A brief smile of satisfaction tugged at the young warden’s lips. “Yep. I have targets to meet. Besides that, you have deliberately parked in a no-parking zone. Maybe you should refresh your reading skills.” He tore off the ticket, thrust it in a plastic wallet, and slapped it on the windscreen of the car.
Lorne seethed, and her eyes bulged as she struggled to find the words for a quick retort. Sean came to her rescue. “It was my fault. Like the Inspector told you, we’re on an important case, and lives are in danger.”
“Thems the breaks. Good day to you both. A word of advice: next time, read the signs carefully. And here’s another tip for you: watch out for the double yellow lines, too. They have a habit of biting folks in the arse.”
Lorne took a step forward, but Sean restrained her. The warden tipped his hat and bade them farewell.
“Of all the pig ignorant... what’s his name? I’ll make sure we pick him up on a speeding charge or something,” she threatened, her cheeks flaming the more irate she became.
“Let it go, Lorne.” Sean laughed and jumped in the car. Lorne joined him before he threw a further insult at her, “You’re obviously losing your touch in your old age.” He kept his eyes on the alley ahead and started the engine.
Lorne crossed her arms and looked out the window. At the end of the alley, her mobile rang again, adding to her foul mood. She swallowed her anger and answered brightly, “Hello. We found the clue. What’s next?”
“You’re getting good at this, Simpkins. Let’s see if we can make the next clue a little more cryptic to up the pressure. I’ve made this too simple for you. I was expecting you to be more stressed about your adventure.”
Lorne exhaled noisily. “If only you knew,” she mumbled.
“Oh, I know,” Warrior retorted, laughing. “Okay, drive to Soho. You’re looking for a certain establishment, The Happy Cock.”
Lorne groaned.
“What’s the matter, Simpkins, don’t you approve of your next destination?”
“No. But I have a feeling you’re not going to be concerned about that.”
“Bull’s-eye! Got it in one, lady. You’ve got exactly fifteen minutes.”
“What? We’ll never make it; not in this traffic.”
“‘We’? Did you say ‘we’?”
Lorne punched her thigh in frustration. She’d been careful not to let on about Sean. After thinking fast, she confessed, “Yes, we. But then you knew that already, didn’t you? I know you have a pair of eyes out here reporting back to you. Grant me with some sense.”
“Yes, I knew. I was just seeing if you had the decency to own up to your inept actions. From here on, you’re going it alone, you hear me? Dump your boss and find your own way from now on. Got that?”
Lorne heard the baby crying in the background.
“Okay, you’ve got your wish. I’m ordering him out of the car now. Don’t hurt the child, please. It was stupid of us to underestimate you.”
“You’ve got that right. This is your final warning, lady. Don’t do it again. Now, you have wasted two minutes of your valuable time. Be there at ten forty-five, no later.”
After Warrior hung up, Lorne pressed the End Call button and turned to face her boss. “Get out. You’ll have to find your own way back.”
“I’m not leaving you, Lorne.” Sean put his foot down.
“For God’s sake, you have to. He’s watching our every move. If he thinks I’ve gone back on my word, he’ll kill them. Listen to me, Sean—we can still do this. Go back to the station, and I’ll keep in touch with you.”
Sean slammed on the brakes, unclasped his seatbelt, and threw open the driver’s door, while Lorne clambered across the gearstick and settled behind the steering wheel.
“Stay safe, Lorne. Ring me at every opportunity you get, okay? Use your siren if you think time is against you.”
“I will. But I need to keep the line open to him. There’s no telling what will happen if I don’t.”
Sean withdrew his mobile from his jacket pocket and threw it onto the passenger seat. “Use that.”
“All right. One last thing I want you to do for me, Sean.”
His head tilted. “Which is?”
“When you get back to the station, ring Tony. Tell him I need his help.”
“There’s no need for that. We’ll have your back, Lorne,” Sean insisted.
“He’s ex-MI6, Sean. It’s his covert operational skills I’m thinking about. I better go. Just do it, please?”
He nodded then did something unexpected. He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Good luck.”
Her cheeks warmed. She smile
d, slammed the door shut, and sped away from him.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Sean returned to Regent Street and flagged down the nearest taxi to take him back to the station. He barged through the incident room doors, only to be bombarded by Katy’s accusatory tone.
“Where is she? Did you get separated? Have you left her somewhere? Has the kidnapper got hold of her?”
“If you draw a breath for a second, I might be able to tell you, Sergeant.” He flopped into the nearest available chair and watched AJ leave his seat to get him a cup of water from the dispenser. “Thanks, AJ. Jesus, what a morning.”
“Christ, boss. Hurry up. Where’s Lorne? Just tell us she’s safe, will you?”
“Yes, she’s safe. Warrior found out I was with her. Threatened that if I didn’t jump ship the child would be hurt. We didn’t have any choice but to do as instructed. I need to ring Tony.”
“What? Why?” Katy perched her backside on the desk next to his.
“Lorne told me to. She wants him to follow her. It’s a good idea, don’t you think?”
“Actually, I do. Break the news to him gently. The last thing we want to do is upset either him or Charlie.”
“I’m aware of that, Sergeant. Thank you.” He took a sip of water and reached for the phone sitting on the desk. “I left my mobile with Lorne so we can contact her frequently.”
“Glad to hear it. I’d hate the thought of leaving her alone and isolated out there,” Katy sniped, crossing her arms and glaring at him.
“Okay, Katy, your annoyance is duly noted. If I can reiterate, it wasn’t my decision to leave her out there on her own.”
Katy nodded, and her eyes fluttered shut as if she were biting back another angry response.
He dialled Lorne’s home number. “Hi, Charlie. Is Tony there please?”
“Who is this?” Charlie asked suspiciously.
“Sorry, love, I should have said. This is Sean, your mum’s boss.” He winced, knowing what was coming next.
“My God, is Mum okay?”
“She’s fine. I just need a quick chat with Tony. She’s asked me to have a word with him about something.”
“Okay, he’s outside mending a fence. I’ll go and get him.”