Slow Burn (2010)

by Conrad Jones

  A helicopter roared over the railway bridge to his left. It soared above the suspension bridge and then hovered a hundred yards above him to the right. Malik looked up, and saw a sniper taking aim at the vehicle. He closed his eyes tightly when he saw the muzzle flash.

  There were two loud bangs as the driver`s side tyres exploded, and the BMW rocked violently and lurched to one side. The sniper fired three more rounds, and ragged holes appeared in the bonnet as the high velocity bullets fractured the engine block, sending sparks high into the air. Malik had nowhere to go. He was trapped and surrounded by his very own produce, cocaine and reactivated weapons. Another helicopter appeared a distance away and floated above the river, level with the bridge. Malik guessed it was the television cameras, trying to get a good shot of the action.

  “Throw the weapon out of the vehicle.” The voice repeated. If they wanted him dead then they would have shot him by now. They wanted to take him alive. It would look good on the TV if they could capture an armed drug dealer alive. Britain`s top gangster is snared in a shoot out, caught red handed with the dope in his possession. He would get life. There was no doubt about it. Malik thought it through. If he surrendered, he`d be put behind bars in a maximum-security prison for life without parole. His companies assets would be seized, and he would be penniless. If he had no money, then he had no power. There was no one left to conjure up a daring escape plan to spring him from jail, and there would be no money to fund legal challenges. The prisons were full of his enemies, rival gangsters, bitter drug dealers, and dozens of heavies that had been on the wrong end of Malik`s justice over the years. He was untouchable a month ago, now he was nothing. Life in a prison cell taking one beating after another, ending up as someone`s bitch in the showers was about all he could expect.

  The Bernsteins had brought him here because of Sarah, the silly bitch. She jumped off the bridge years ago, and they wanted him to do the same thing now, or rot in a six by four cell stinking of his own piss. There was another option though. He could go out in a blaze of glory. Malik checked the magazine. It was full bar one round. He put his hand on the door and took a deep breath. As he yanked it, the wind took it and blew it wide open. He ducked low and ran toward the pedestrian walkway.

  “Drop the weapon or we will open fire, do it now!” the officer on the megaphone bellowed the order. Malik ignored him and turned toward the helicopter. He raised his weapon, so did the sniper. Malik pulled the trigger to unleash a maelstrom of nine-millimetre bullets at the aircraft. This was his last stand.

  `Click.` The reactivated weapon jammed. He tried again. `Click.`

  The sniper fired. Two high velocity slugs slammed into the pavement a yard in front of him.

  “This is your last chance, drop the weapon!”

  Malik turned and ran full pelt at the railings. He threw the Mac-10 behind him and vaulted the barrier. The wind whistled by his ears as he plummeted into the abyss, and his desperate last scream resounded off a million tons of steel.

  CHAPTER 58

  The Bernsteins

  “Shah jumped off the bridge, Superintendent,” the armed response officer in charge of the standoff said as they arrived at the scene.

  “I heard it on the coms. Did anyone get hurt?”

  “No, Sir, his weapon jammed.”

  “There`s an ironic justice in there somewhere,” Alec shook his head and the deep wrinkles on his face creased.

  “Sir?”

  “I`m thinking out loud, Inspector, don’t worry.”

  Alec Ramsay felt like he`d been punched in the guts by Mike Tyson. The explosion at the farm killed a good soldier, a real war hero. Losing an officer under those circumstances was hard to take, especially when it became obvious that the farm was rigged to blow. He knew it would be, and so did Captain Bishpam, but he still went in there to try and make it safe for others to do their job. Alec had no sympathy for Malik Shah or Ashwan Pindar. The world would be a better place without them in it. The fact that the Bernstein brothers had a personal axe to grind with them did not excuse what they had done. They were murderers too, and in Alec`s book, that made them just as evil as Shah and his mob. He had to find them and bring them in, or Bishpam had died for nothing, and the case would eat away at him forever.

  He walked through a melee of police officers and ambulance men toward the BMW. There was a chattering of voices on the wind, and everyone had an opinion about Shah jumping.

  “What do you think, Guv,” Will Naylor caught up, and was a step behind him.

  “I think this scenario was planned from day one, Will.” Alec looked up at the steel girders above him. An icy wind blew through him as he tried to make sense of it all. “The vehicle was parked here and surrounded by traffic cones, now how could they pull that off without alerting the other road users that something was amiss?”

  Will looked at the set up. Ashwan Pindar was still slumped back in the driver`s seat. Shah was in the back before he jumped. They picked the bridge because of their sister, and Will could understand their choice.

  “How did they get them into the car in the first place, and why did they stay in it?” Will mused.

  “There are traffic cameras at both ends of the bridge, right?”

  “Yes, Guv.”

  “Get them looked at pronto, I want to know how they set this up like that, without anybody noticing what was going on,” Alec ordered. Will took his mobile out and punched numbers in. Less than a minute later, the stored footage was being sent electronically to the MIT offices. Alec had his own theories. He guessed that they were using a vehicle that wouldn’t look out of place, something that is almost wallpaper to a passing car. He was also of the impression that Shah and his sidekick were drugged when they were placed into the BMW. They couldn’t have transported them there in the vehicle, someone would have found it suspicious, two men unconscious.

  Alec approached the BMW.

  “Step away please, Sir, we haven’t checked it over yet,” one of Captain Bishpam`s bomb squad officers shouted. Alec looked and waved in acknowledgement.

  “Okay, let me know when it`s clear.”

  He skirted the vehicle knowing that there was no bomb in it. The Bernsteins set this up like a game of chess. They nipped and prodded Shah relentlessly, picking off his people like pieces on a board, upsetting the balance. The kidnap was genius. They ruffled his feathers so much that he began to run in circles, attacking shadows and demons that didn’t exist. They pushed him to the edge, and then brought him back to where it all began. To the place where their beloved sister committed suicide carrying his child. They used the farm as their base until the game was over, and then they destroyed the evidence. Alec reached the railings and looked over. The River Mersey looked steel grey from up there. Below the bridge, the waters merged with the salt water of the Irish Sea as the tides ebbed and flowed. A river police launch trawled the waters looking for Shah`s body. He was dead no one could survive a fall like that. The tidal undercurrents would drag him down and take his body miles before it would surface, if it ever did at all.

  “It`s clear, Superintendent.” The bomb squad officer finished checking beneath the floor plan and wheel arches. “You can approach the vehicle, but please don’t press anything, or switch anything on.”

  Alec nodded and walked around the car. It was an odd request to make to an experienced senior officer, but he had just seen his commanding officer blown to bits and charcoaled in a firestorm, he was doing his job the way he`d been taught to. Alec looked in the windows. Ashwan Pindar bled to death slowly. The foot well was pooled with congealing blood. His trousers were blown away at the knee, and most of the joint was splattered over the dashboard. There was a reactivated machinegun on the driver`s side heater vents. Alec didn’t think that Pindar ever used it. Why would he put it in the window in plain view? It was put there for a reason, probably for the benefit of the police officers that arrived first at the scene. There was an anonymous tip off about a shooting, and a Mac-10 in the windscreen of
a parked vehicle. It was bound to provoke an armed response from the police. That`s exactly what they got. The rear door was still open, and the sports bag was clearly visible. Alec clocked the three packages of white powder. Cocaine he guessed. Malik Shah was far too shrewd to transport dope around in his own car. It was another piece in the game created by the Bernsteins.

  “They`ve watched the footage, Guv.” Will called him. He was twenty yards away with his phone to his ear. Alec had seen enough in the car to know what happened, but he wanted to know how.

  “Go on, don’t keep me in suspense.”

  “The cameras show the BMW being stopped by a highways vehicle. They flanked it and then an ambulance turned up and reversed up to the front of the vehicle. The ambulance men go back and forth while a third man in uniform places the cones around the scene. Everything is obscured from the road by the way they parked them up.”

  “They brought Pindar and Shah here in the ambulance, drugged I bet.”

  “They can`t take those vehicles back to the farm, Guv. We need to find them.”

  “Get the plates to traffic and airborne. They won’t be far away, I`m sure of that.” Alec looked west toward Liverpool. Planes were taking off and landing less than three miles up the river. “How far is it to the airport from here by road, four miles, five at the most?”

  “Yes, no more than that.”

  “They worked to a timetable, Will, and now we know why. Tell uniform to check the airport parking facilities, all of them, off site and on site.”

  “I`m on it, Guv,” Will took his mobile and dialled.

  “What time did the cameras show them leaving the bridge?” Alec asked when he`d finished his call.

  “Forty minutes before the first officers arrived.”

  “Forty minutes, plus an hour stand-off. They could be in the air already. I want every bit of camera data at the airport checked, and find out which flight they got on. I want everyone we have at our disposal at the airport.”

  CHAPTER 59

  John Lennon Airport

  Alec had every detective available at John Lennon Airport, along with over sixty uniformed police officers, an armed response unit and the bomb squad. The ambulance was found parked on a housing estate a mile from the airport, and the highways truck was left on an unmanned long stay car park. The police helicopter spotted them as it scoured the area for the vehicles. Alec was convinced that they were gone already. Their planning was meticulous, and it would be naive to assume that they would foul up their escape. The airport was the nearest transport hub, and their obvious means of escape, but is that what they wanted him to think? Park the vehicles near to the airport, and then get a ferry or a train instead.

  “Have we got the passenger information we need yet?” Alec called Smithy at the office. The data was supposed to be sent direct to him from the airport security systems analysts, but there was an irritating delay for a reason yet unknown.

  “Nothing has come through, and they won`t tell me why, Guv.”

  “What do you mean, Smithy, who won`t tell you?”

  “I called airport security, and they`ve referred me to the Divisional Commander.”

  “What?” Alec screwed up his face in a scowl. “The Divisional Commander, what exactly did they say?”

  “I told them the information was vital, and it was on Detective Superintendent Ramsey`s authority. They said it would be with me in ten minutes, but when it didn’t come, I called back, and they said there was an issue with the request, and that it was with the Commander, Guv.”

  “Get the Commander on the blower, Smithy and patch me through to him.” Alec was furious. Had the Commander taken over the case, or assigned another Superintendent? He ran the possible scenarios through his mind while he waited. All the time they messed about the Bernsteins were putting distance between them. The line clicked and Smithy`s voice came back over the phone. “Guv.”

  “What is it Smithy?”

  “He said he can`t talk to you now, Guv, and get this, we`re to stand down!”

  “What the hell is he playing at?”

  “What do you want me to do, Guv?”

  Alec thought for a long time before answering the question, and when he did his stomach turned. “If the Commander says that we are to stand down, then that`s what we`ll have to do.”

  CHAPTER 60

  MI5

  There was a feeling of outrage running through the law enforcement teams working on the case. Confusion, frustration and resentment were running high. There was no communication coming down the ranks as to why there was a stand down ordered at the airport. It was as if someone pulled the plug on the entire investigation at the last minute. If they`d identified which flight the bombers had boarded, then they could have had them arrested at the other end. Alec Ramsey couldn’t fathom the reason why.

  Alec was shell shocked by the decision to stand down, and not being able to explain it to his troops made things worse. He`d demanded an immediate briefing with the Commander when he finally returned his calls, which was granted, but he was told it would be the following day, and he was to go alone. He hadn’t slept a wink that night, and his long suffering wife Gail kept him supplied with coffee and organic sandwiches as he made call after call to his high ranking colleagues digging for information. Either no one knew anything, or they weren’t saying anything. He dressed in his best navy blue suit, and chose a tie to match the colour. If he was to be kicked off the case then he would step down as the head of the Major Investigation Team. Gail said she would stand by him, whatever decision he made. The drive to work took forever, and the charcoal clouds reflected his mood. He went direct to the top floor without calling into his office, it was better not to see his own officers before he`d had the briefing with the Commander. The elevator ride seemed to take forever, and when he stepped out of it, he needed to pee. He pushed open the door of the gents, thick black marble tiles covered the floor and walls, white porcelain sinks, and stainless-steel fixtures complimented them. Agent Spence of the MI5 was using a urinal. Alec stopped in his tracks and shook his head in disbelief. Who else could have blocked his request for information from the airport, apart from MI5 that was?

  “Superintendent,” Spence said without turning his head. His face blushed red and Alec didn’t think it was because he`d seen him pissing.

  “Agent Spence, are you here to shed some light on my investigation, or are you loitering with intent in the executive toilets again?” Alec thought about smashing the agent`s face into the tiles.

  “Oh, I didn’t realise that investigations were owned by individual officers, no matter how high up the food chain they are.”

  Agent Spence shook it dry and tucked himself back into his grey trousers, before leaving without saying another word. He wasn’t wearing a suit jacket, which told Alec that he`d been there for sometime already, and it was only nine o`clock in the morning. Alec finished and stood in front of a basin. He looked into the mirror and frowned at what he saw. His blond hair was greying fast, his worry lines were firmly entrenched around his forehead and eyes, and they were spreading rapidly. The fact MI5 had an agent on the top floor didn’t bode well for the meeting he was about to have with the Divisional Commander. Chief Carlton wasn’t invited either, which worried him further. He washed his hands and splashed his face with cold water, and then headed for the Commander`s office.

  “Commander,” Alec knocked and opened the door at the same time. His superior was sat behind his desk, and he didn’t look happy. His face was dark with worry.

  “Alec, come in,” the Commander said. He left the formalities aside for now. “You and Agent Spence are familiar with each other by now, so let’s get down to the nitty-gritty, shall we?”

  “That suits me,” Alec closed the door and sat opposite the Commander. He positioned himself so that he could look both men in the face without moving.

  The Commander coughed nervously, and cleared his throat. “I`m sure that you have lots of questions, Superintendent, an
d I intend to answer them as honestly as I can, with the help of Agent Spence, however I must remind you that whatever is discussed in this meeting is top secret information.”

  Alec didn’t like the sound of that. He could smell bullshit and cover-up coming over the horizon; they usually travelled together. He decided not to comment and to remain silent for now.

  “I must reiterate, Commander, this is an ongoing operation, and as such I`m limited as to what I can divulge.” Agent Spence smoothed his grey hair backward. He was already nervous, before they`d started. Alec was pleased that he was uncomfortable.

  “Yes, quite,” the Commander waved his hand face down as if he were waving him away. “Alec, what do you need from me?”

  “Why did you block the security information that I requested from the airport?” Alec asked casually. He was keeping his powder dry. There would be plenty of time for getting annoyed, he was sure of that. The Commander looked at Agent Spence.

  “I didn’t block it, Alec, MI5 did.”

  Alec looked at Spence for a reply to his question, but none was forthcoming. Spence didn’t look at him.