The Front

by Mandasue Heller

  ‘Positive!’

  He pinched her cheek playfully. ‘You beauty! I could kiss you!’

  He almost laughed aloud at Eddie’s look of horror. But he managed to keep his face straight as he sent Jane back to the car, telling her, ‘Wait five minutes, and if we’re not back, go home. I’ll ring you tomorrow, okay?’

  ‘Okay,’ she agreed reluctantly.

  ‘She isn’t half good at creeping about, for a big lass!’ Eddie said when she’d gone. ‘Now, what’s going on?’

  Paul told him Jane’s experience with the man at the hospital, emphasizing the implication of the timing of the incident – in the early hours of Sunday morning!

  ‘Don’t you see?’ he said, gabbling furiously as the story took shape in his head. ‘Our eyewitness sees an Escort – and there it is. There was one injured, who the girl went back for later. Then Jane treats a bloke at Casualty and says that’s him in the car – the same type of car as that used in the job! The witness says one of the men was big, and Jane says the man who brought her pervy patient in was big. And get this! Jane thought her bloke had been shot when she first saw him!’

  ‘And had he been?’ Eddie asked.

  ‘Well, he reckoned he cut himself climbing park railings.’ Paul shrugged. ‘But he would say that, wouldn’t he?’

  Eddie shook his head. ‘It’s a bit far-fetched, mate.’

  ‘You’d have to have been there,’ Paul said. ‘It makes sense to me.’

  ‘You reckon we should call for back-up?’

  ‘No!’ Paul hissed. ‘We’ve got to get something more solid!’

  ‘Like what?’ Eddie asked. ‘A solid bullet through your head?’

  ‘Let’s just watch for a bit,’ Paul said. ‘See what they’re doing. Come on.’

  They shuffled along the wall until they were almost in line with the men in the car. Then they settled down to watch.

  ‘What we gonna do, then?’ Lee asked, back in the car now.

  ‘Wait and watch,’ Ged said, shifting uncomfortably in the cramped back seat. ‘God! Why did we have to come in this rust bucket?’

  ‘Oi! I’m doing you a favour,’ Lee said. ‘It’s better than sitting in your car, innit? What if that bloke who pulled the gun on you turns up? I don’t fancy getting shot ’cos he remembers your clapped-out piece of shit!’

  ‘All right!’ Ged held his hands up. ‘Point taken! Someone make a spliff.’

  ‘What we waiting for?’ Mal asked, getting his skins out. ‘I don’t wanna just sit here all night. I thought we were going door-kicking?’

  ‘We’ve got to get inside first,’ Ged reminded him.

  Just then the beam of headlights turning onto the road lit up the interior of the car.

  ‘Shit, that’s bright!’ Ged said, wincing at the approaching light. ‘Stupid git’s got his full beam on!’ Squinting at the car, he felt a sudden jolt in his chest. ‘That’s him!’ he yelled.

  ‘Who?’ Lee bobbed his head up and down, trying to see past Mal.

  ‘The shithead with the gun!’ Ged snarled.

  They all turned to watch as the silver BMW came to a stop on the other side of the Jag. The man who climbed out was exactly as Ged had described him.

  ‘Let’s spark him!’ Mal said, sneering at the man through the darkened window. ‘Look at him . . . Wanker!’

  ‘Good job he can’t hear you,’ Ged muttered.

  Mal twisted around to glare back at him. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  ‘Fuckin’ ’ell, Mal!’ Lee hissed, whacking him on the shoulder and nodding nervously towards the man. ‘Don’t start yelling, he’ll hear you!’

  ‘Well, tell him not to make out like I’m some sort of tosser!’ Mal snarled, still glaring at Ged.

  ‘I only meant because he’s got a gun,’ Ged said. ‘I’m not calling you a coward. Why do you take everything so personally?’

  ‘I ain’t scared of him,’ Mal snorted. ‘Even if he has got a gun!’

  ‘Be scared of the bullets, then,’ Sam said seriously.

  ‘What we doing then?’ Lee asked. ‘He’s going in. We gonna follow him, or what?’

  Ged shook his head. ‘We’d never get over in time.’

  ‘So what are we gonna do?’ Mal asked, lighting his spliff.

  Ged didn’t know what to say. He’d been set on finding Linda tonight, and hadn’t considered what would happen if this man turned up at the same time. This just complicated things. They couldn’t risk going in unarmed, but he didn’t want to leave, either.

  ‘Let’s just wait,’ he said after a minute. ‘See if anyone else comes.’

  ‘I bet he’s gone to see that Simeon,’ Lee said.

  Mal shook his head. ‘Nah, I reckon he probably lives here.’

  ‘Either way, he must know him,’ Sam said quietly. ‘If he’s in the guy’s flat and we go steaming in, we’ll get our heads blown off. And if he just lives here and hears a door going in, he’s likely to do the same.’

  ‘That’s why I think we should wait,’ Ged said. ‘I only need to know if she’s here. I can work out what to do if I know that.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Mal agreed. ‘We can just suss out if she’s here, then come back when the dickhead’s out and snatch her.’

  ‘She won’t like it,’ Lee sniggered. ‘She’s been here for days now. He must be doing something she likes!’

  Reaching over the seat with lightning speed, Ged grabbed Lee’s hair and pulled his head back, snarling into his face, ‘Shut your filthy fucking mouth!’

  ‘All right, all right! I’m sorry!’ Lee yelped. ‘Owwww – mind me stitches, man!’

  Ged let go and slumped back in his seat. ‘Don’t ever talk about Linda like that again!’ he hissed, wiping the grease from his fingers. ‘’Cos I’m warning you, man, one of these days I won’t be able to stop myself!’

  Lee patted his hair down and turned away, pulling a comical face at Mal.

  ‘Here,’ Mal said, passing the spliff over the seat to Ged. ‘Have a puff on that and calm down. And you . . .’ He kicked Lee’s leg. ‘Stop going on about Linda, before you get your head kicked in!’

  ‘Why hasn’t anyone gone in after him?’ Eddie asked.

  Paul frowned. ‘I don’t know. I can’t work it out. What the hell are they doing?’

  They shifted along a few more inches, hoping to get into a better viewing position. But they still couldn’t see into the Escort.

  They’d thought it must be a meet when the BMW suddenly turned up, and had expected at least one of those from the other car to go inside with the driver. But he hadn’t so much as glanced their way, and they weren’t making a move. It didn’t make any sense.

  Ten minutes passed, then the door of the flats suddenly opened and Max came out. Holding the door open, he looked all around, then motioned to someone inside.

  In the Escort, everyone lurched forward in their seats to see who he was waiting for. Seconds later, two more men appeared, leading a girl between them.

  ‘That’s not Linda, is it?’ Sam asked.

  ‘I don’t think so,’ Ged said, peering hard through the window. ‘But I can’t see too good from here.’

  ‘Holy fucking shit!’ Mal yelled as the group passed beneath a dim light. ‘It’s not Linda – it’s Suzie!’

  ‘What?’ they all chorused, straining forward with disbelief.

  ‘It is, as well!’ Sam said, his voice high with surprise. ‘What’s she doing here?’

  ‘The two-timing little slag!’ Mal snarled. ‘No fuckin’ wonder she never come back from the shops, the fuckin’ little whore! She’s been hiding out here all fuckin’ day! Bitch! I’ll kill her!’

  Ged leaned across and grabbed Mal’s shoulders, hauling him halfway into the back seat.

  ‘Shut your fuckin’ mouth!’ he hissed as the men and Suzie neared the BMW. ‘Look at her face, man! She’s scared out of her mind!’

  ‘She fuckin’ will be when I get my hands on her!’ Mal spluttered. ‘Slag!’

&n
bsp; Ged threw his hand across Mal’s mouth. ‘Will you listen to me, you bloody idiot! She’s scared! There’s something weird going on here. Think about it! I find out Linda’s here, and get a gun pulled on me for asking. And the next thing, we see the same man with Suzie. It’s not right, man!’

  ‘He’s right,’ Sam said. ‘Look how they’re gripping her arms. She’s in trouble!’

  Mal looked around, his fury at Suzie turning to outrage at the men. ‘Bastards!’ he spat. ‘What do they think they’re playing at? They got no bleedin’ right. I’ll pan the bleedin’ lot of ’em if they hurt her!’

  ‘Shut up!’ Ged hissed. ‘They’ve got a bloody gun!’

  ‘So what am I supposed to do? Sit here and watch them take my Suzie away?’

  ‘You’ll fucking calm down,’ Ged said. ‘Now shut up before you give us away! Lee. Don’t start the car until they pull out, but as soon as they do, get after them. And for God’s sake, keep a bit of distance between us!’

  Paul Dalton couldn’t believe his luck. First he’d found the Escort, then the silver BMW. Now the red-haired girl from the photo – and she did not look at all happy. In fact, she looked like she was being taken somewhere against her will. Something big was in the offing here. He could feel it in his gut.

  He fidgeted excitedly as the BMW drove out of the car park, followed a full half-minute later by the Escort. As soon as they’d both disappeared around the corner, heading for the Parkway, he jumped up, dragging Eddie with him onto the road. Looking around in the vain hope that Jane and Vanda had waited, he was disappointed to see that they hadn’t. Pulling his mobile phone from his pocket, he tapped in the station number with shaking fingers.

  ‘Back-up?’ Eddie asked.

  Paul shook his head. ‘I just need to speak to DCI Jackson.’

  ‘I hope for your sake you’re right about all this,’ Eddie said. ‘You’ve got to admit it was a bit easy, mate. A bit too convenient, like.’

  ‘Yeah, I know,’ Paul muttered. ‘But if I don’t follow it through I could be blowing the best chance of nailing the whole lot in one go.’

  ‘I think you’re in grave danger of making a complete prat of yourself,’ Eddie snorted. ‘Just keep my name out of it, eh?’

  Paul grimaced, feeling queasy at the prospect of Eddie being right. But just as he began to contemplate hanging up, the phone was answered.

  It was Sergeant Daly. Paul didn’t really know him, but had heard he was up the Super’s backside. He decided it’d be better not to tell him what he was doing, saying instead that he needed DCI Jackson’s mobile number to change an arrangement they had for the following day. If he was wrong about all this, he didn’t need to drag Jackson down with him.

  Eddie turned to look as a car came up behind them, beeping its horn in short bursts. Seeing who it was, he tugged on Paul’s sleeve.

  Paul turned with his finger in his ear and his face creased in concentration as he tried to memorize the number Sergeant Daly was reluctantly giving him. His face lit up when he saw Jane and Vanda.

  ‘Now that’s what I call brilliant timing!’ he grinned, snapping his phone shut after thanking Sergeant Daly. Jumping in the back with Eddie, he said, ‘Anyone got a pen? I need to write this number down quick.’

  ‘And follow those cars!’ Eddie added dramatically as Jane handed a pen across to Paul.

  ‘What?’ Vanda turned with a smile. ‘You serious?’

  ‘Too right!’ Paul said, writing the number on his hand. ‘Just turn right onto the Parkway and drive straight on. I’ll tell you what to do when I see what I’m looking for!’

  Jane and Vanda looked at each other and gave a squeal of delight. Then Vanda threw the car into gear and roared onto the Parkway.

  Paul phoned Jackson’s mobile number and waited impatiently for him to answer. ‘Come on . . . come on!’

  ‘It’s a good job we came back the same way,’ Jane said, beaming over the back of the seat. ‘I had a feeling we’d see you again tonight.’

  Eddie grinned back at her. ‘Ladies, you are truly a gift from the gods!’

  Jane turned to Vanda and winked. ‘I could get to like him!’

  ‘Hello?’ Paul barked into his phone. ‘DCI Jackson? It’s PC Dalton, sir. I’ve, er, got something you might find interesting.’

  Praying he was right, he explained as best he could about the cars, then listened as Jackson told him what to do. They were to follow the cars until they reached their destination, then he was to call Jackson again and let him know where they were. But under no circumstance whatsoever was he to approach them, or let them see him.

  Jane passed a tray of chicken chow mein and a little plastic fork into the back. ‘Here you go, lads, you must be starving. I’ll share Vanda’s.’

  ‘Make sure you remember that!’ Vanda said. ‘I don’t want to find you polishing my half off as well. I know what you’re like!’

  ‘I won’t!’ Jane promised, shovelling a sloppy forkful into her mouth. ‘Oh, this is great!’ she said around the food. ‘I’ve always wanted to do this! Oi, Starsky,’ she laughed, nudging Vanda. ‘Give this mutha some gas!’

  25

  Jackson downed his pint in one, then jumped to his feet like a man half his age. Mac watched with an incredulous look on his face.

  ‘By ’eck, Ted,’ he chortled. ‘That’s the fastest I’ve ever seen you move! Where’s the fire?’

  ‘Up your backside, if you don’t get yourself off that stool!’ Jackson said, pulling his overcoat on. ‘Come on!’

  Mac managed half his drink, splashing a good amount down his moustache. Slamming his glass down, he struggled out from behind the table as Jackson steamed off towards the door. ‘Hold up, Ted!’ he shouted, almost breaking into a trot to catch up.

  ‘Bloody hell!’ he gasped, finally falling into step with his speedy friend halfway down the street. ‘What’s going on?’

  Jackson finished tapping out the station number without breaking step. ‘That lad, Dalton – that was him on the phone. He’s following an Escort following a silver BMW up the Parkway. I told him to call me again when they get where they’re going, and I want to get something sorted, in case.

  ‘Hello, yes,’ he barked into the phone. ‘Get me Superintendent Clarke. Don’t prat about, man! It’s DCI Jackson and I want the Super – NOW!

  ‘Goddamned night staff!’ he grumbled, still marching as he gripped the phone to his ear. ‘Superintendent? DCI Jackson, sir. I’m on my way in with DS Macintosh. I’ll explain when we get there, but we need a car, a driver, and back-up – preferably armed response! No, sir, I’m not joking. This could be a major incident. Okay, sir. We’ll be there in two minutes.’

  He snapped his phone shut and put a spurt on, almost breaking into a hop-and-skip run as he hurtled around the corner.

  Mac valiantly stayed with him, his face purpling with exertion as sweat rolled down from his armpits by the bucketful. But he didn’t care. If Jackson had a gut feeling, there was definitely something to chase.

  Sergeant Daly looked up sharply as they burst in and steamed straight through the internal door heading for the Super’s office.

  Superintendent Clarke gestured at them to close the door and sit. Jackson plonked himself down and drummed his fingers on the desk.

  ‘What’s the urgency?’ Clarke asked, clasping his hands together and with his elbows on the desk. ‘And why, may I ask, do you need an ARU?’

  ‘There’s a good chance the men we want for the Singh shooting last week are heading down the Princess Parkway right now in two cars of the types positively ID’d by an eyewitness, sir,’ Jackson explained hurriedly. ‘There’s a PC following in a civvy car, sir, and I’ve good reason to believe there may be a major incident when they reach their destination.’

  ‘Involving the PC?’ Clarke asked, clearly alarmed.

  ‘No, sir. I’ve ordered him not to approach under any circumstances, but to call me as soon as they stop.’

  ‘You still haven’t convinced me y
ou need an ARU,’ said Clarke. ‘You know I’ll have to justify whatever decision I make, so make it good.’

  ‘Sir, with respect, the longer we take, the further they’re going to get,’ Jackson said, impatiently glancing at his watch. ‘It’s going on fifteen minutes since I spoke to PC Dalton, and he was already on the move. Now, the men he’s following have a girl with them, and according to Dalton, she might well be being held against her will. That’s a potential kidnapping, sir. I know how it sounds, but I urge you to humour me on this. If I’m wrong, I’ll hand in my resignation first thing in the morning – later tonight, if you like! But if I’m right, we could pick up the whole gang in one go!’

  Superintendent Clarke pursed his mouth as he contemplated the possible consequences of making the wrong decision. Finally, he nodded. ‘All right, Ted. But please be right about this because I don’t want to have to accept your resignation.’

  Rising, he gestured them to the door. ‘Sort out your car and driver with Sergeant Daly. I’ll organize the ARU.’

  ‘Thanks, sir!’ Jackson released a sharp breath. ‘You won’t regret it.’

  ‘I hope not,’ Clarke said, dropping back into his seat and picking up his phone. ‘Oh, and Ted – get yourselves some bulletproofs, and take one for PC Dalton!’

  ‘Yes, sir. Thanks.’

  26

  Max turned off the Parkway and eased down the slip road heading for Wythenshawe.

  ‘I don’t see why you couldn’t bring her earlier,’ he grumbled at The Man who was in the back with Suzie. ‘I don’t like bringing my car down this end.’

  The Man frowned at him in the rear-view. ‘I already told you, Marie was busy. You remember to bring the rose pruner?’ he asked.

  Max patted his jacket pocket. ‘Yeah! And I hope none of these dirty white scally bastards down here touch my wheels, or I’ll be using it on them! So what’s the plan?’

  The Man smiled at Suzie before answering. He’d taken a bit of a shine to her. He’d always liked real redheads, and beneath the fading bruises this one was a little beauty. But he especially admired the loyalty she’d displayed back there. That had earned his respect.