by MA Comley
‘I feel the same, sir. I hope we track this Lee Murray down soon. Otherwise, I have a feeling that if he’s still armed he won’t hesitate to cause more mischief.’
‘Christ, I hope not.’ Hero started the car and pulled away from the scene.
They had only been travelling for five minutes when Hero’s mobile rang. He slowed down and answered the call. ‘Cara, what is it?’
‘It’s dad, Hero. You need to come to the hospital right away.’
‘Shit! Okay, I’m about twenty minutes away. Is he all right?’
‘Just come, Hero. Quickly.’
14
Julie insisted that Hero drop her as close to the station as he could get without going out of his way for a speedy trip to the hospital. En route, he rang Fay to apologise for being late and to tell her that there was some kind of emergency at the hospital with his father. He assured his wife that he would ring her again once he had further news to share.
He rushed through the hospital and arrived breathlessly at the ICU to find Cara sobbing as she held his father’s hand. He nodded hello to the nurse and approached the bed. Cara left her seat and rushed into his arms, almost knocking him off his feet. ‘Hey, Sis, what’s going on?’
Between sobs, Cara managed to say, ‘I can’t believe he’s suffered another one.’
‘What? A heart attack?’ Cara nodded against his shoulder as Hero’s own heart missed several beats. He squeezed his sister then pushed her away from him. ‘Sit down. I’ll go and have a word with the nurse.’
In a daze, Cara did as he asked and gathered her father’s hand in hers again.
The nurse met him halfway as he crossed the ward to speak to her. ‘I’m so sorry, Mr. Nelson. There was nothing we could do to prevent the second attack.’
‘I understand. Can you tell me where we go from here, what the prognosis is?’
‘It’s a waiting game. We’ve upped his medication, but it will take a while to kick in. The doctor keeps popping in to check on his progress when time permits. There really isn’t anything further we can say right now.’
‘Is it common for people to suffer another heart attack so soon?’
A sad expression covered her face. ‘No, it’s highly unusual, in fact. Please, remain positive. Your father is in the best possible place.’
‘Thank you.’ It was all the words Hero could summon up. His mind suddenly filled with how his family would cope if they lost his father. He walked back to Cara and smiled. ‘He’s fine at the moment. They’re monitoring him every step of the way.’
‘What do you think is going on, Hero? Will he pull through this?’
He placed an arm around her shoulder and studied his father’s pained, colourless cheeks. ‘To be honest, I’m not sure, love. I suppose we’re going to have to remain positive about this. He wouldn’t want us to give up on him so soon. In his own way, he’s fighting this. How did Mum take the news?’
Cara looked up at him and gulped. ‘I haven’t told her. As far as she’s concerned, I was popping up here to see how Dad was and then going straight home.’
‘Crap! Should we tell her? It’s not as if we can tell her anything positive. Is it really worth her getting upset? That might hamper her own recovery.’
‘I was sitting here, wondering the same. I just don’t know what to do for the best. What will we do if we lose him?’ Fresh tears trailed down her cheeks.
Hero grabbed the tops of her arms gently, forcing her to look at him. ‘We need to stay optimistic about this, Cara. I can’t emphasise that enough. If you visit Mum and she picks up how upset you are, it won’t take her long to figure out that there’s something wrong with the old man.’
‘I know. I’m trying. I promise. You should have seen him, though, Hero. He’s aged so much in the few days since the accident. To me, it looks like his body is shutting down.’
‘Cara, you can’t think that way. The medical team haven’t said anything of the sort. Please, sweetheart, don’t give up on him now.’ He pulled his sister into his arms for several minutes while she continued to cry. All the time, he fought the urge to spill his own tears, not believing a word of what he’d said to keep his sister’s spirits upbeat. ‘I’m going to grab us a cup of coffee. I’ll call Fay while I’m there, too. I won’t be long.’
Hero left the ward just as the doctor was entering the main door. ‘Hello, Inspector Nelson.’
‘Hello, Doc. No bull, how do you think my father is?’
‘Cards on the table, I have no way of knowing if he’ll pull through this. Were you aware how weak his heart was?’
‘No, if he had been in pain or suspected anything wrong with his heart, he never uttered a word to any of us. Are you sure there’s nothing you can do?’
‘Not until he grows stronger. Once that happens, then we can operate, give him a bypass if necessary. We couldn’t possibly consider that in his weakened condition.’
‘I understand, Doc. Keep doing your best for him. He’s a valued member of our family.’
‘You have my word on that.’
Hero walked along the corridor to the canteen, his legs heavy with weariness and his shoulders slumped in despair. He ordered two cups of coffee and picked out a cheese-and-ham sandwich for his sister. He paid the assistant and put his tray on a nearby table. Then he rang home. ‘Hello, sweetheart. Just calling to give you an update.’
‘How is he, love?’ He could hear the fear resonating in his wife’s voice.
‘Not good. The staff said they’re doing all they can for him, but he’s suffered a second heart attack. There’s nothing they can do for him until he grows stronger.’
‘Oh no, how dreadful. I’m so sorry, love. How’s Cara and your mum holding up?’
‘Cara’s a mess. We haven’t told Mum yet, not until we have more news, positive news, we can share. I have a bad feeling about this, Fay, not that I would tell Cara that.’
‘Damn, he’s hung around this long, Hero. Maybe he’ll surprise you and pull through it. You need to keep thinking that way, anyway. Don’t give up on him now, not when he needs you the most.’
‘I won’t. It’s hard to kick the feeling that’s tying my stomach into knots, though. Anyway, how are the kids?’
‘They’re fine. All tucked up in bed. What time will you be home? You’ve had a really long day yourself.’
‘I know. Today was the pits, too – long story that I’ll share with you when I have more time. Would you mind if I stayed here the night? If the staff will let me, that is.’
‘Not at all. You do what you need to do.’
‘Thanks. I haven’t discussed it with Cara yet, but I think she’ll want to stay here overnight. I’ll nip home first thing and grab a shower before I start my shift.’
‘Okay. Give my love to Cara, and give your father a kiss from me. See you in the morning. I love you.’
‘Love you, too, Fay. Goodnight.’
Hero hung up and retraced his steps through the winding corridors to the ICU. The doctor was checking his father’s vital signs and looked up and smiled when Hero stood alongside Cara.
‘Any change, Doc?’
‘Nothing. The good news is that your father’s condition hasn’t worsened in the last few hours. That bodes well going forward.’
‘Thanks. Would it be all right if we sit with him overnight? We promise not to disturb the other patients.’
‘Of course, I’ll have a word with the nursing staff, see if they can supply you with a couple of blankets and pillows.’
‘Brilliant.’ The doctor walked over to the nurses’ station, and within seconds, the blankets and pillows arrived.
Hero settled in the chair next to his sister, and they shared their coffee and the sandwich in silence, each of them wrapped up in their own thoughts. Somewhere around midnight, they both drifted off to sleep. The clattering of the nurses changing shifts woke Hero around six. He stretched out the knots in his aching back and woke Cara with a gentle shake. ‘Sis, sorry to wake you.
I’m going to shoot home for a shower, if that’s all right? Do you need a lift, or are you going to stay here?’
Cara wiped the sleep away from her eyes and yawned. ‘No, you go. I’ll stay here. Will you come back this evening?’
‘Of course. Can you ring me at lunchtime? Unless you hear any news that you think I should hear before then.’
‘You know I will. Don’t let this distract you, Hero. Please remain alert at all times. You’re dealing with some pretty dangerous criminals.’
‘Well, I think the worst one is dead, but you have my assurance that I’ll be careful at all times. Take care, love.’ He kissed her on the cheek and left the hospital.
After driving home, he jumped in the shower, changed his clothes, and was back on the road within fifteen minutes on his way into work. Overnight, he’d managed to put the case out of his mind to focus on his father. Now it was time to reverse that train of thought and put his mind back on the job.
He called the team around him, filled them in briefly on what had occurred at the hospital, then went over what he and Julie had witnessed while working alongside SO19.
‘So, that’s one bastard out of the way. My suspicions are that he was the main man we’re after. However, by what I could gather from the woman he was holding hostage, I still think he was taking instructions from someone else.’ He turned to note down the woman’s name on the whiteboard behind him. ‘Miss Timberlake said that Henley rang someone when the heat rose. Someone named Mitchel. Now whether that was this person’s Christian name or surname, I don’t know, but it’s something we should throw ourselves into to find out ASAP. I want to know who he is and what his connection is with this case. Why would Henley ring him when he was in trouble if he’s nothing to do with this? Is he the one who was pulling Henley’s strings? Let’s find out, and quickly, team, before this person takes flight. We’ve already got Lee Murray on the run.’
‘I’ve been thinking about this since last night, boss. Can you bear with me while I make a call?’ Julie asked, her brow furrowed.
‘Carry on, Julie. Let me know what your thoughts are after the meeting.’
‘I will.’ She left the group and rushed back to her desk.
Moments later, Hero was about to draw the meeting to a close when Julie shouted, ‘I have a link.’
An excited buzz fizzled through the team. Hero moved towards her. ‘What is it?’
‘I had a brainstorm last night. Thought I’d call the PA, Georgina Windsor, at Spalding Enterprise, to see if she knew a Mitchel, given that the only connection we have between the two murders were who the victims worked for, or where they were based – you know what I mean. It’s excitement screwing up what I’m trying to get across.’
Hero motioned for her to hurry up. ‘It doesn’t matter. Spit it out, Shaw.’
‘Well, the secretary told me that up until around six months ago, a Mitchel White used to work for Spalding Enterprise.’
Hero dropped onto the edge of the desk beside him. ‘What? The clue was under our noses all the time. I don’t believe it.’
‘Not exactly, boss. We weren’t to know this case would involve an ex-employee.’
‘That’s true. Did she mention why he left?’
Julie nodded. ‘Because he didn’t feel appreciated.’
Hero held his finger up. ‘Stop! That’s good enough for me. Let’s go round there and see what he has to say for himself.’
‘Sir, you might want to take this call before you head off.’ Sally waved her phone and raised an eyebrow.
He walked towards her. ‘Who is it?’
‘Inspector Silverdale in Glasgow.’
‘Excellent news – at least I hope it is. Thanks, Sally.’ He took the phone. ‘Hi, this is DI Nelson.’
‘Hello, Nelson. Thought I’d bring you up-to-date on a few things.’
Hero grabbed a Post-it notepad off Sally’s desk, and she offered her pen for him to use. ‘I’m ready. What do you have?’
‘First of all, I think Graham Murray is only tied up in this mess because he felt he owed his brother. I know him; he’s a decent lad. He wanted his brother away from this Henley as much as we did. He was shocked when I told him that SO19 had taken Henley out in a shootout. Anyway, he’s given me an address where he thinks Lee might be hiding.’
‘Brilliant, what is it?’
‘It’s a warehouse over in Salford, Drover’s Way. Be careful; he’s heavily armed. Graham seems to think that’s where they keep the cache of weapons.
‘Excellent news. Can you keep hold of Graham Murray for me for a few more hours? Let us clear up at this end, and I’ll get back to you on how I think we should proceed.’
‘Of course. Happy to oblige. Good luck finding his brother.’
‘Thanks.’ Hero hung up and punched the air. ‘Yes, we’ve got the bastards. Right, Jason and Lance, I want you to go over to this address and pick up Lee Murray. Don’t go alone, though. I’ll get an SO19 team to meet you there. Apparently, the warehouse is where Henley and Murray store their weapons, so I’m not having you go in there unarmed.’
‘Yes, boss. I’m Taser-trained. All right if I go in with that?’ Lance asked.
‘Take it, by all means, but leave it to SO19 to deal with the little shit. You hear me? No heroics, Lance. Got that?’
‘Yes, boss.’
‘Okay, let me get this organised, and then we’ll all set off.’ Hero picked up the phone on Sally’s desk and contacted the SO19 support line. He told the woman on control what he needed and hung up. ‘They’ll be there in thirty minutes. Wait for them in an adjoining road. Keep the warehouse in sight, but do not – I repeat, do not – approach the building until SO19 are in place.’
‘Yes, boss. Leave it with us,’ Jason replied, eagerly tearing his coat off the back of his chair and slipping it on.
‘Okay, Julie, are you ready for this?’
‘Too right. Want me to take my Taser with me?’
‘Might as well. We’re going into this blind. We have no idea if White will have any weapons or not.’
Julie opened the drawer to her desk and extracted her Taser, which she tucked in the waistband of her trousers at the back. ‘I’m ready.’
They arrived at Mitchel White’s flat in the heart of Manchester ten minutes later. Hero pushed the button of the lift and watched the numbers count upwards until they reached the fifteenth floor. When he and Julie stepped out of the lift, Hero glanced out the window and recognised the area immediately. ‘Well then, look at that.’
Julie stood alongside him and craned her neck. ‘What am I supposed to be looking at?’
Hero pointed at the door numbered 1510 then back at the bustling street below them. ‘My guess is that White’s flat overlooks the Spalding Enterprise building. Now some might call that a coincidence, but I don’t.’
‘Crap, you’re right.’
‘It’s not often I’m wrong, Shaw. You should know that by now.’
‘You’re also conceited,’ she mumbled, just loud enough for him to hear.
‘Come on. Let’s get this over with. Hang on, take a photo of the view on your phone.’
‘Ah, I see. Now you think my phone is the best thing since sliced bread.’
‘Less of the lip and just do it.’ Hero approached the door to the flat and tapped on it lightly with his knuckles.
Julie joined him before the door was opened by a slim black man with short hair and an air of arrogance about him.
‘Yeah, who are you?’ he asked, his hand positioned halfway up the door.
Hero got the impression the lad would slam the door in their faces if he didn’t care for the answer, so Hero quickly inserted his foot in the gap. He produced his ID and dangled it front of White’s face. As predicted, the door started to close, but Hero shoulder charged it and knocked White off his feet. ‘Going somewhere?’
‘I don’t know. Am I?’
‘Yep, down the station. You’re nicked, sonny.’
‘What the fu
ck are you on about, man? I ain’t done nothing.’
‘Of course you haven’t. You’ll be telling me next that you don’t know Robert Henley or the Murray brothers, either. Am I right?’
White scrambled to his feet. Hero pounced and slammed him against the wall then cuffed his wrists. ‘What? You’ve got nothing on me. Why are you arresting me?’
‘Let’s see … remind me if I leave anything out, Sergeant. Why don’t we start with conspiracy to murder – not one charge, but two? Stealing cars and attempting to sell them for profit.’
‘Get outta here. I ain’t done nothing of the sort.’
‘No, of course you haven’t. You wouldn’t dare to dirty your hands. You have, however, employed a couple of no-marks to do your dirty work for you, though, right?’
‘Bollocks. You’re talking out of your arse, man.’
Hero shoved the man up the dingy hallway and into the living room. The place was a mess. The TV was on, and a game was paused on the screen. ‘Nothing better to do with your time than play games, White?’
‘Fuck off!’
‘Maybe we should wash your mouth out with soap before we take you down the station.’
‘Tosser. You’ve got nothing on me. My old man is a solicitor. He’ll get me off in no time at all.’
‘If – I said if – that piece of information is true, then he must be so proud of you and what you’ve achieved.’
‘Bollocks!’
That was the last straw for Hero. ‘Sergeant, search the flat, see if you can find any weapons around here. Mr. White and I will be in the bathroom, cleaning up his foul mouth.’
‘I ain’t fucking going nowhere with you, man.’ White planted his feet into the warn carpet and leaned back against Hero.
Hero kicked the back of White’s knees and pushed him through the hallway and into the bathroom. ‘I’m going to enjoy this.’
White raised his foot against the sink and launched himself backwards. Hero had read his intentions and was prepared. He swivelled the man on the spot and head-butted him. ‘That’s for resisting arrest, you idiot.’