by Ian Andrew
As the Porsche’s engine roared away up Avey Lane the quiet descended back down onto the large house and gardens.
*
The sun was thinking about setting. The rainy day had transformed into a gentle evening and the low rainclouds had retreated in the face of their high cirrus cousins who stretched lazily across the deepening blue. They provided a wispy, textured canvas that the sun was dappling in reddening tones.
Kara had most of the plan straight in her head. It was merely a matter of waiting until the night got dark enough for them to extract out and regroup back at RV1. She was thinking through the list of equipment they would need when Sammi’s voice sounded in her ear.
“I have eyes on Nicolai and Carrie exiting the house. Wait.”
Kara felt her heart quicken. The adrenaline kick was immediate.
“Nicolai is checking out the Range Rover on the driveway and Carrie is checking the Merc. They’re doing a bomb sweep of the cars. Geez, they must be paranoid. The whole house has been protected all day and they’re checking the cars for booby traps.”
“It pays to be paranoid,” Tien said quietly. A ripple of gentle laughter played across the radio net.
“Okay, they just signalled all clear. Thor and Illy are exiting the front door followed by Sunrise. Seems we have an outing planned,” Sammi paused again.
“Illy is dressed in a dark leather jacket, over a black T-shirt, jeans and black boots. He’s got into the back of the Merc. Nicolai’s in the front passenger seat and Thor’s driving. Carrie is driving the Range Rover with Sunrise in the passenger seat. Range Rover’s going first, Merc behind. Heading to gate and going left, left left.”
It made sense to Kara that the cars would go left. It was the quickest route into North London. From what she had learnt from her brother about Chekov’s business interests it was more likely for him to go into the city than into rural Hertfordshire.
Her attention was drawn back to movement to her front. “Head’s up, movement in the dining room. I have Yanina and,” she paused and lifted her binoculars up for a closer look. “I have another bloody security guard. Female. About five seven. Dark skin, looks slightly Mediterranean. Slim, but busty, dark hair, long, tied back in a ponytail. White blouse with visible shoulder holster under right arm. No tie. Dark trousers, no visual on shoes. Quite a long face, long nose, small mouth, high cheekbones. She has gold stud earrings.”
“How many more are in there?” Tien asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s just a male and female live-in team for personal protection and maybe Yanina doesn’t like to take hers to work. We weren’t here early enough last night to see through the dining room windows. Anyway, what are we calling her?”
“Well, I have eyes on her too and she reminds me of Penelope Cruz so I vote for Penny,” Dinger suggested.
“Penny it is,” Kara said.
Kara put the field glasses down and went back to her mental planning.
It was almost 02:00 when the Range Rover and Mercedes pulled back into the driveway. Illy and the rest went back into the house. A few minutes later Nicolai came out for a smoke in the back garden. When he went back in and switched off the sodium floodlights Kara decided they had seen enough.
“Right folks, let’s move out.”
It took another fifteen minutes for Dan and Dinger to bring Chaz, Sammi, Tien and Eugene back to the extraction point. Then Dinger got himself settled in the OP where Sammi and Chaz had been. Dan led the rest of them back to RV1.
Once back at the motel they made use of all three rooms to have long hot showers. Dan called Jacob and Toby back at Camden and gave them Kara’s equipment list. It was almost 04:00 when the tall and stocky Jacob and the slightly shorter, but equally stocky, Toby arrived at the motel. All eight of them squeezed into Kara and Tien’s room and got ready for what the next shift handover of Illy’s bodyguards would bring.
Chapter 29
Saturday Morning. Camden, London
At precisely 06:15 Tony Reynolds, having forgone his morning run for a very early drive into the city, buzzed the intercom button for Kara’s Grafton Yard apartment. Pop Oldman stood next to him with a set of search warrants.
At the same time Moya Little and John McKay were knocking on the door of Wright and Tran Investigations and Gary Mason and Anna Walsh were doing the same at the entrance to Tien’s upstairs apartment. Each detective pairing had a five-strong, armed back-up team assigned to them from the Metropolitan Police. Arranged by Laura Mitchell, through one of her counterparts at Scotland Yard, she had also ensured all mention of the operation had been kept far away from David Wright’s ears.
With no response at any of the premises Tony Reynolds authorised the use of the Enforcer door rams. Within seconds all three locations were breached.
“They’re going to have to pay for the repairs,” said Tien.
Kara murmured her agreement. She and the rest of the team were looking over Tien’s shoulder at the video being streamed from the security cameras back in Camden, via Tien’s mobile, on to the screen of the centre laptop on the motel room’s small table.
“Anything you want to tell us Kara?” Sammi asked with a playful tone.
“Nope. Don’t think I’ve got any overdue library books,” Kara said and managed to keep her voice light but her mind was spinning. She was rapidly cross-checking all that she had done since her trip to Huntingdon.
“Any chance that we were compromised and Illy has called in some bent cops to try to lift you?” It was Dan asking and the question was logical. Kara doubted it but couldn’t explain to her team why she actually thought twenty-one police were searching her life.
Tien flicked the second and third laptops on. She had video feeds from Kara’s apartment, her own and the office streaming live now. Kara watched her plug in a set of headphones to her phone.
She was worried what her friend would hear. Reaching down she put her hand on Tien’s left arm. Her friend reached across and laid her hand on top. “It’s alright Kara, I’ll keep an eye on this. You need to get everyone moving.”
Kara felt Tien’s finger tapping lightly. She held her hand still for a few seconds, then squeezed her friend’s arm and turned away from the screens.
“Right, you heard Tien. God alone knows what’s going on back at our place but whatever it is doesn’t change what we’re about to do. So, I want you all to forget that shit and get focussed.”
The rest of the team turned away from the screens and followed Kara over to the bed where a large flipchart lay open. It showed a sketch of Avey Lane marked up with the passing places that Chaz had noted between the nursery turnoff, that Eugene and Tien had used, and Illy’s house.
In the other direction, what would be left from the house’s driveway, it showed that Avey Lane ran in a shallow right hand bend for almost a mile before passing two driveways, one off to the left and one off to the right. Both led to large properties set well back from the road. Avey Lane then straightened out for a further half mile and passed through the middle of an offset crossroads.
“Okay, let’s go through it once more,” Kara said.
*
Gary Mason pulled out his mobile and called Reynolds, “Gov, I think we’ve hit paydirt.”
“What’ve you got Gary?”
“A drawer full of mobile phones, racks of hard drives and enough computer power to launch a Mars mission.”
“Excellent. That probably explains why I have nothing round here save for an iMac with a collection of music on it and a single iPad. No phones no anything really. I think I’ll head over to you.”
“No worries, see you soon.”
Reynolds kept his phone out and called Moya in Wright and Tran’s office.
“Hi Gov.”
“Anything?”
“Nothing. I don’t even have filing cabinets. Wherever they keep their records sure isn’t here. There’s not even a desktop PC although there is a docking station for a laptop and twin monitor screens. Just no laptop.”
&
nbsp; “Okay, leave John to look after the search team and head upstairs to Gary. I’ll meet you there soon. Apparently he’s found a stack of tech. If we’re going to find anything to place her in Huntingdon it’s likely to be there.”
*
Tien smiled to herself and killed the video and audio streams. The detective in Kara’s apartment was obviously the senior officer. As soon as he met up with his team in Tien’s apartment and they started dismantling all of her computers, then the camera feeds would end anyway. As it was she didn’t mind. She had already overheard enough to know they were looking for something to tie Kara to the Huntingdon killing. She had no idea how they had managed to put Kara in the frame but she was completely confident that not one scrap of electronic evidence could be recovered. She knew that Kara would have looked after any physical evidence that might have existed. All in all Tien was happy that the Police would find nothing to help them. Even better was that the office and her apartment would get a makeover to their front doors paid for by the taxpayer. She shut down the laptops and broke down all the rest of the IT equipment.
By 07:00 all their belongings had been packed into two of the six vehicles parked to the front of their rooms. They had a last run through of the plan and got ready to leave. Tien took Kara to one side.
“They’re looking for something to tie you to the killing in Huntingdon. I already scrubbed all the electronic evidence that Saturday. They’ll find nothing. Did you clear any physical evidence that you had?” Tien asked and knew that Kara wouldn’t try to bullshit her. She had previously tapped out ‘I know. It’s ok.’ in Morse on the back of Kara’s hand and the time for being coy with one another was long gone.
“Yes. We’re good.”
“Good. Then as long as you don’t break down in tears and start confessing we should be sweet.”
Kara hugged her friend and whispered, “I might have known you’d have my back. And I think we can be safe in the knowledge that a confession isn’t going to be wrung out of me. Thanks Tien.”
They broke apart and went to the vehicles. Chaz and Sammi led them off, Tien followed on her own. Dan, Toby and Jacob left together, next Kara and lastly Eugene. Dinger’s car stayed in the car park. It was 07:10.
Chapter 30
Saturday Morning. Epping Forest
With five separate vehicles and Dinger being their eyes and ears the communications setup was difficult but manageable. Jacob listened to Dinger on his phone and Toby had all the others on a multi-way call on his. Not that there would be much talking as soon as the word came that Nicolai, Carrie and Sunrise were on their way.
The call came at 07:55.
*
Sunrise’s real name was Uzy. He was unique within the men on Illy’s security detail because he wasn’t Russian. A veteran of the Israeli Defence Force’s 202nd Viper Airborne Battalion, part of the elite 35th Paratrooper Brigade he was also an Expert Grade instructor in Krav Maga, the Israeli military’s self-defence system. His many times broken nose testament to the violence of the realistic sparring that was a mainstay of the style.
Tired and just wanting to get home he pulled out of Illy’s driveway, turned left and accelerated up the narrow Avey Lane. Home was in the town of Woodford only five miles away and he had already covered one of those miles when he came round the long, shallow right hand bend and saw a car, half a mile ahead, indicating right at the crossroads. He didn’t brake because the car would have turned long before he got to it. As he rapidly covered the distance to the crossroads he was a little surprised that the car hadn’t moved. Avey Lane was still only a single car’s width so there was no oncoming traffic to prevent the turn being made. Uzy’s instincts kicked in and notched his attention levels up. He began to brake and began to focus, his tattooed hands flexed around the steering wheel.
The car ahead was a dark blue Vauxhall. Compact, two door. He thought it was called a Corsa or something similar. There were two people visible in it. A male behind the wheel, a female in the front passenger seat. Both their heads were turned to face each other. Uzy checked his left, right and rear. High hedgerows lined the sides of the lane and the road behind him was clear. The hedgerows dropped in height as he neared the crossroads revealing no other traffic approaching from left or right and no pedestrians. He switched his attention back to the little Vauxhall blocking his way. It remained stationary and he slowed down more. Reaching inside his jacket he drew his pistol out of its holster and set it between his legs.
As he slowed to a stop leaving a good ten yard gap between vehicles, he could see the couple were engaged in what appeared to be a full scale, highly animated argument. Another full check to his front, left, right and rear still revealed no other cars or people. He thought about pulling his mobile and ringing his day-shift colleagues back at the house but then he dismissed it. He’d look foolish if the car suddenly drove away. Apart from which it was just two people in a car. No other indications for him to be concerned about and he could look after two. Hell, he could look after six.
The argument was becoming increasingly volatile. The driver was gesticulating, displaying threatening and provocative behaviours. The woman’s body language, or what Uzy could see of it, was looking cowed, intimidated, scared. His self-defence instructor’s instincts were almost screaming inside his head for her to control the circumstances, take the initiative or at least put enough distance between her and the man so as to protect herself. His thoughts and musings were interrupted by a dark coloured BMW approaching him from behind. His senses sharpened even more. He dropped both hands from the steering wheel, took the pistol in his left and reached for the door handle with his right. He swore a little at himself for not calling in on his mobile. It was too late now if he was in the middle of something sinister. He paused.
Then he relaxed. The BMW was being driven by a young Asian woman who seemed to be barely able to see over the steering wheel. Uzy had the strange sensation that she was probably sitting on a booster cushion.
Moving his right hand to the electric window switch he cracked the seal a little and could now hear the shouting from the car ahead. He thought about sounding his horn but resisted. He’d give it another minute. As he watched the scene, framed in the small rear window of the Corsa he saw the driver shift position. He’d turned more towards the woman. Uzy knew what was coming and suddenly felt very powerless. The driver brought his right arm up and hit his passenger with a full force slap across her face. Her head smashed into the headrest. At the same time, in his wing mirror, Uzy saw the Asian woman getting out of the BMW, a confused look on her face. She was short, maybe five foot five, her long black hair fell straight to just below her shoulders. She wore a smart business suit, neat, well fitted, skirt, blouse, jacket, heels, but sensible height heels, not inappropriate. He switched his attention back to the front. The woman was scrabbling at the door. As she made to exit the car the driver reached over and tried to stop her. He grabbed her shirt. She pulled backwards, opened the door and fell backwards onto the road.
The Asian woman was now level with Uzy’s car door but a few paces off it. She was gasping in shock with what she was seeing. Her hand had come to her mouth and she had turned to look at Uzy.
The Corsa passenger regained her feet. Uzy noted the broadness of the woman’s shoulders and her height. It must have been a squeeze for her in the little car. She would have been five nine or ten. He saw she was wearing pumps, jeans and a white T-shirt that was now ripped from the left hand side of the crew neck down to almost the bottom seam. But mostly Uzy noticed that her left breast was fully exposed and she was caught between trying to stumble away from the car, cover her body and stifle the stream of blood that was coming from a smashed nose. Her right hand, against her nose, had blood pouring through it. Her short, mousey-blonde hair was matted with blood on the right side where it had sprayed back against the headrest. Her left hand was trying to use the torn fabric to cover her nakedness.
The Asian woman finally found her voice, “You.
You Lady. You come here, come this way,” she shouted, considerably louder than Uzy had imagined the diminutive woman could have yelled. Her Asian accent was thick and heavy.
The driver got out of the Vauxhall.
Uzy had a clear view. Probably mid-thirties, roughly the same age as the woman passenger but taller than her. Even more of a squeeze for him in the little Vauxhall. Maybe six foot. Lithe, long limbed. Short dark hair, jeans, shoes or boots, loose fitted English rugby top. Spots of blood splattered on the top consistent with more bounce back from the headrest. Gold ring on his right hand that would explain the damage done to the woman’s nose. No watch. He seemed a little unsteady on his feet.
The passenger had run, almost fallen past Uzy’s car. The Asian woman moved to shield her. The pair now stood just behind Uzy’s door. The Vauxhall’s driver had covered half the distance towards them.
“Do not come any closer. Do not dare,” the now loud Asian shouted at him.
“Why don’t you suck my fucking knob? Get the fuck away from her or I swear to fuck I’ll go right through you,” the driver yelled, seemingly slurring the last few words. He was now level with the front of Uzy’s car and seemed to have finally noticed Uzy sitting behind the wheel. He stopped and leant against the bonnet.
“And what the fuck are you looking at you fucking twat?” he yelled. Uzy was not only convinced he had heard the slurring that time but he was also convinced that he had seen enough.
He opened his door and stepped out. Leaving the pistol on the seat, he shut the door with his left hand. He moved in front of both women and as the Asian started to shout in a language he couldn’t understand, he held his right hand out and shielded them backwards. He saw in the reflection of the windows to his left that they had gone back to the rear corner of his car.
The Vauxhall driver leant off the bonnet and took a single pace forward.