by M A Comley
Her phone rang. “Yes.”
“Go to the entrance at the front of the building. Look for the nearest bench. Underneath that bench, you’ll find what you’re after.” Warrior abruptly ended the call.
Lorne ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She stood at the entrance and cast her eyes around. Her heart sank when she spotted more than four benches in the immediate vicinity. She approached the first one cautiously and got down on her knees to look beneath the bench, she pretended to be tying her shoe laces, only to be disappointed. Rising to her feet again, she sought out the next bench and did the same. This time, she found a brown package. Shit! What if it’s a bloody bomb, and it’s been rigged to go off if I touch it? Her nerves shattered when her phone rang and Warrior’s taunting laughter greeted her.
“What’s the matter, Simpkins? Think it’s going to go bang?”
“No. Not at all.”
“That’s not what ‘my eyes on the ground’ are telling me. Pick it up. It would be a waste to dispose of you in such a crude way.”
Lorne hesitated for a split second, swallowed the bile that had crept into her throat, then tore into the package while still crouched on the ground, her phone pinned between her shoulder and her ear. Inside the parcel, she found a mobile phone. She closed her eyes and chewed the inside of her cheek. I know what he’s going to say next.
“Done it? What do you see?”
“A mobile. What do you want me to do with it?”
“Use it. Dump your other two and stop fucking treating me like an idiot.”
“I’m not. I swear.”
“You can effing swear all you like. I know you’re being tailed by that ex-spy husband of yours. I also assume that your boss left you his mobile to keep in contact with the station. Am I right?”
Lorne stood up and sighed. “Yes, you’re right.”
“Like I said, don’t treat me like a fucking moron, Simpkins. Doesn’t it bother you that your actions carry severe consequences for the families I’m holding?”
“Of course. I’m sorry. I can’t say any more than that. This is my mistake, not the people you are holding captive. Any punishment you plan on dishing out should be directed at me, not them.”
“You’re un-fucking-believable! Still dishing out orders in spite of the situation. I’m going to say this once and once only, Simpkins.”
“I’m listening. I promise I’ll play the game by your rules from now on.”
“Good. Glad we’re clear on that, finally. Now dump your frigging phones and get back on the tube.”
Lorne’s shoulders slumped. “What? Where to now?”
“Head over to the Museum of London. This will be your final stop.”
“Okay, I’m on my way.”
“Yeah, alone this time and at breakneck speed. You need to do all you can to dodge your hubby, got that?”
“How long have I got?”
“Thirty-five minutes, tops! If you screw this up, one of the hostages will definitely be killed.”
He hung up. Lorne dumped her own mobile and Sean’s under the bench and tucked the new phone she’d acquired in her pocket then bolted for the underground again. She could see out of the corner of her eye the man Warrior had strapped to her as a tail, but didn’t have a clue where either Tony or Joe were. Shit! This time, I’m well and truly screwed. As she ran, she sent out a prayer for her guardian angel not to desert her. Pete, if you’re around, I need you to watch my back big time, chunky. I miss you, buddy.
Something fluttered to the ground in front of her, and she stopped to pick it up. She tucked the white feather in her pocket and looked up at the building beside her to see a pigeon sitting on a ledge, preening itself. Seeing it as some sort of sign, she whispered, “That’ll do for me.”
She wiped away the tears filling her eyes and bolted at full pelt until she reached the station she’d arrived at around fifteen minutes earlier. With the feeling of déjà vu at the forefront of her mind, she swiped her credit card, grabbed a ticket and descended into the depths of the underground once again, aware of the man she’d picked out as her likely follower right behind her. She prayed that Tony and Joe were somewhere near them, too.
***
“What do you mean she’s on her own, Tony?”
“Just that, mate. She picked up a parcel, opened it and withdrew a mobile. He knew we were following her, and is now calling the shots, not that he wasn’t doing that already. Don’t worry, I picked up the phones she dumped.”
Sean could hear how breathless Tony was. “And? Have you still got her in your sight?”
“That’s a negative, Sean. She took off as if she had a torpedo strapped to her arse. I sent Joe on ahead of me because of my leg restrictions. I have no idea if he’s managed to keep up with her or not.”
“Bloody hell, Tony! What are we supposed to do now?”
“Don’t have a go at me, mate. We need to think positive about this. Lorne’s not stupid. Her main priority will be to those families, not protecting her own life. Maybe the kidnapper threatened to kill one of the hostages, and that’s why she did everything she could to ditch us.”
“Perhaps you’re right. What are you going to do now?”
“Stay out here, I suppose. I’ll head towards the tube station, see if Joe is around. I’m hoping I won’t find him.”
“Okay. I’m going to issue orders for uniforms on the street to keep an eye out for her.”
“Be careful about doing that. These blokes might be listening in on the police channel. I wouldn’t put it past them.”
“You’re right.” Sean kicked out at a chair. “What a fuck-up! What’s worse is that this Warrior intimated that another family is about to be snatched.”
“Shit!”
“Yeah, shit! We haven’t heard anything regarding any possible new abductions. There’s every chance he could have just been saying it to keep us on our toes.”
“That’s unlikely, going by the threats he’s fulfilled in the past. Look, I’ll keep checking in when and if I hear anything at this end, if you’ll do the same.”
“That goes without saying.” Sean hung up and turned to Katy. “Looks like Lorne’s out there on her own.”
Katy shook her head in disbelief. “Not for long. We need to put our heads together and get serious about this, Sean. I refuse to have Lorne’s disappearance or death on my conscience.”
He was taken aback by Katy’s abrupt manner. “That’s rather harsh, Sergeant.”
“It’s what Lorne would say if the tables were turned.”
AJ was on the phone, waving at them to gain their attention. Katy and Sean joined him. AJ ended his call and handed Sean the piece of paper. “That’s the confirmation we needed. They’ve struck again.”
Sean ground his teeth. “Right, if they can do it, then so can we. Katy, I want you and AJ to visit the crime scene. Take a few uniformed officers with you. Let’s get over there ASAP before any witnesses disappear into the bloody ether.”
AJ pushed back his chair, slipped on his jacket, then followed Katy out of the incident room.
“I’m on it,” she called back over her shoulder.
“Ask anyone and everyone, AJ, even the dogs in that area if you have to. Let’s do all that we can to track these bastards down. I’ll contact the husband from this end.”
“What? Over the phone?” AJ asked, sounding as though he disapproved of Sean’s suggestion.
“Yes. We haven’t got the manpower to keep sending people out to see folks. We need to concentrate our efforts on finding this gang and the hostages they have already before they grab half the residents in London.”
AJ nodded and sprinted after Katy.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Katy and AJ arrived at the golf club to find a throng of people waiting for them. Some were dressed in golfing attire and leaning on their golf bags, and others appeared to be members of the club staff.
A man wearing a black suit and an anxious expression approached them. “Ar
e you the police?”
“We are indeed. DS Katy Foster and DS Alan Jackson. Are you Mr. Wallace?”
“Yes, I’m the manager here. I placed the call as soon as the woman and her child were taken.”
“Did anyone else see the incident?” Katy asked, scanning the crowd.
“Yes, a few of us. We tried to intervene, but the men threatened us with guns.”
Katy and AJ exchanged worried glances. “Was anyone hurt?” Katy asked.
“No, only our prides for being so useless.”
“Don’t feel bad. Can you give us a description of the men? Or how many there were?”
“There were three men, and no, I can’t tell you what they looked like as they wore balaclavas.”
“Hmm... that’s not really helpful. Perhaps you heard one of them call one of his associates by name?”
“No, not that I can remember.”
Katy asked the crowd, “Did anyone hear one of them mention a name?”
The crowd shook their heads. Katy feared as much. Nothing seemed to be going their way. “What about the vehicle? Did anyone get the number plate?”
Mr. Wallace thought for a moment then shook his head. “Do you know what? I don’t think the vehicle had one.”
“Really? That’s not what I was expecting to hear.”
“What vehicle was it?” Katy asked.
“A black four-by-four. I didn’t catch the make, sorry.”
“Can you tell us a little about the woman who was taken?”
“She’s the wife of one of our directors, Sarah Lockhart. She’d just called in to see how the arrangements were going for her husband’s fiftieth birthday party.”
“I see, and when is the party due to take place?”
“This weekend. Her child was screaming.” The man shuddered. “The pair of them were terrified, reaching out for us to help them. We couldn’t do a damn thing. A few of us attempted to grab the child, but Tommy over there got a thrashing from one of the blokes.”
Katy glanced at the young man, who had blood running down his face. “He should go to the hospital, get that seen to.”
“He’ll go eventually. He wanted to hang around until you guys came. We’re all eager to give you as much information as we can to help you arrest these men and to get the family found as soon as possible. Why would anyone kidnap them like this?”
“That’s what we’re trying to work out, Mr. Wallace. How long ago did the incident happen? An exact time would help.”
The man tutted. “I suppose about thirty to forty minutes ago. Everything is such a blur.”
Katy addressed the crowd. “Anyone know an exact time?”
“Like Ray just said, about thirty to forty minutes, I think,” a man in red tartan trousers replied.
AJ took notes while Katy continued asking the questions. “Did anyone see the direction the car took off in?”
Mr. Wallace pointed at the main road. “They turned right, if that helps.”
“It does. Thanks. Did the men hurt either Mrs. Lockhart or her daughter?”
“Not that I could tell. Yes, they manhandled them into the back of the vehicle, but that was about it as far as we could see. That’s right, folks, isn’t it?”
The crowd nodded their agreement in unison.
Katy turned to AJ and said, “There’s not a lot else we can do here.” Addressing Mr. Wallace again, she added, “We’ll leave the two uniformed officers here. They’ll take down all your statements, and we’ll continue our investigation back at the station.”
“Sorry we couldn’t help more.”
“If you think of anything else, please, ring me.” Katy fished a business card out of her pocket and offered it to the man.
He took the card and popped it in his trouser pocket. “Thanks. There really isn’t anything else. Please, do your best to rescue Mrs. Lockhart and her child. I hate to think that kind of thing occurred here. We’ve never dealt with anything like this before, and in broad daylight, too.”
“We’ll do our best. Thanks for your help, all of you,” Katy said, giving the crowd a brief smile.
She and AJ returned to the car.
“Looks like this gang are keen to show they mean business,” AJ said, turning the key in the ignition.
“I think they’ve showed us that right from day one, AJ. Let’s hope the chopper locates that address soon. I fear it’s going to be our only way of stopping them.”
“I think you’re right. Back to the station?”
“Take the same route out of here as the kidnappers. Let’s see what we find down this road.”
The answer turned out to be a big fat zero, so they continued back to the station.
***
Warrior watched the men unload the woman and child. “Take them down to the cellar. The rats are lonely,” he ordered. The woman’s eyes extended in fear, and he laughed. “I don’t think they’ve eaten for a while.”
The child tried to reach for her mother and cried out, “Mummy, please don’t let them hurt me.”
Her mother glared at him, and he challenged her with his head cocked to the side. “Are you going to save your little princess, Mummy?”
She held his gaze for a second or two longer then smiled at her daughter. “Do as they say, Tara baby, and these nice men won’t hurt us.”
“Wise words for a rich bitch. Let’s hope hubby comes up with the money quickly to get you out of this mess, eh?”
“He will. He loves us.”
Warrior chuckled. “How many times have we heard that over the years, boys? Only for the husbands to turn round and say, ‘Do what you want to them. I don’t give a shit’ Eh?”
The three men laughed and pushed the girl and her mother into the house and down the creaking staircase, through the wilderness of thick cobwebs to the seating area they had laid out for the visitors. Two chairs sat side by side with ropes lying on each of the seats.
“Sit,” Warrior ordered.
The woman tried again to reassure her child that they wouldn’t be hurt if she did as she was told. “Be brave, sweetie.” Their hands were tied behind their backs around the chairs, the woman’s tighter than the child’s.
“Yeah, be brave, girlie. You’re going to need to be,” Warrior said, pointing at something that moved in the corner of the room.
The girl screamed when the rat’s eyes glowed in the darkness.
“Let’s get out of here and leave our visitors to make acquaintances with the other inmates.” Warrior laughed, and the four men left the room, closing the door behind them, ensuring their visitors were thrust into complete darkness. The woman and child screamed again.
Warrior sighed and headed back into the kitchen, where the infant child was yelling once more. “Jesus, this place is getting more and more like a crèche with every passing hour. Go and get the woman to see to her child, Spike.”
Spike left the house, returned with a terrified and filthy Bethany a few moments later, and untied her hands so she could feed her baby. “Deal with the sprog. Not long now, bitch.”
“Has my husband paid the ransom money?”
“Not yet. He’s got about six hours to come up with the dosh, or you and the kid get buried together, alive.”
Bethany gasped and grabbed her child, cradling him in her arms. “You don’t mean that.”
“Don’t I? We’ll see, eh? The countdown to your demise has begun in earnest, lady. It all depends on how much your husband values your lives if you get out of this scenario alive.”
“Please, let me try and persuade him to get the money together. We’re not as wealthy as you think we are.”
“Who the fuck are you trying to kid, lady? I saw your mansion, remember?”
“You saw a home that has a one hundred percent mortgage on it. My husband works over eighty hours a week to try and recover the money we lost in a big contract.”
“Yeah, we’ve all got sob stories like that we can bandy about. Take me, for instance—I’ve just booked a two-we
ek holiday in the Bahamas, but I ain’t got two beans to rub together to pay for it. I will have, when your hubby stomps up the ten mill, though.” His head fell backwards as he cackled.
“How can you do this? Treat people no better than if they were animals?”
He took a few steps towards her and touched her nose with his. “Stop questioning me and my motives, lady. Some of us have to work hard in this life to achieve what we have today.”
“That’s us. We work hard. Seven days a week. My husband hasn’t had a holiday in five years because he’s always striving to make the business flourish and grow. The money, when it comes our way, doesn’t just fall from the trees in our back garden, you know.”
“I’ve warned you once to shut your mouth—now do it.” His fist connected with her jaw, and she stumbled back against the wall but didn’t loosen her grip on the baby.
Hatred filled her eyes, then suddenly she turned away from him and ran for the door. The men in the room stood and watched her hand tremble as she fumbled with the doorknob. She managed to get the door open, only for her attempt to be thwarted as another one of Warrior’s men blocked her path. She beat his chest with her free arm. He swivelled her in place and shoved her back into the house. “That’s it. I’m done with you, bitch. Take your effing kid with you and get back in that bloody pit where you belong.”
Warrior clutched a handful of her hair and dragged her through the back door. She was yelling and clawing at his arm while her child’s crying escalated to an even higher level than it had reached previously. He opened the door, latched onto her free arm, twisted it, and lowered her into the hole. “You’re going to stay there indefinitely now. No food or water, nothing. I’ll teach you to respect me, woman. You hear me?”