Guts for Garters

by Linda Regan

  Before Georgia could finish speaking, Banham had swung the car round in the middle of the busy street and turned the siren on. ‘On way,’ he interrupted Georgia. ‘Check on the dog unit and call a C019 gun unit to standby, as well as all available backup.’

  Eighteen

  Stephanie picked up the call. It was Tony James from the forensic lab in Lambeth.

  ‘Good news on the set of fingerprints from the cupboard door at the Wilkins flat. I ran the prints in the database, just on the off-chance, and it’s come up with a match.’

  ‘I won’t need three guesses there,’ Stephanie answered. ‘Harisha Celik?’

  ‘No. The name given is Melek Yismaz. She was arrested last year for shoplifting and dealing, so she’s on the database.’

  Stephanie nearly shot out of her chair. ‘Thank you,’ she managed to say, her mind racing. As Tony gave her the other forensic result, Stephanie’s mind was on Alison. Alison was with Melek Yismaz at this moment, and Tony was telling her that Melek had either herself killed, or at least been there when two innocent pensioners had screwdrivers driven into their necks.

  Alison was in serious danger.

  She called Georgia’s number and, before Georgia had time to say hello, relayed the news.

  Georgia flicked a glance at Banham. He was driving down the middle of the busy Brixton High Road at eighty miles an hour, with the pool siren screaming its urgency. Behind them, four patrol cars, sirens screeching, struggled to keep up.

  ‘There’s more,’ Stephanie told her as she heard Georgia’s intake of breath. ‘The long dark hair that Forensics took from the post at the edge of the alleyway where Zana was killed doesn’t match her DNA – it’s a match to Melek Yismaz.’

  ‘Right,’ Georgia said quickly deciding that now wasn’t the time to relay this to Banham. He couldn’t drive any faster, the speedometer was going off the dial as it was. If she told him, he might lose complete control.

  ‘Can I come over and join you? Stephanie asked. ‘I want to help her.’

  ‘Quick as you can.’ Georgia told her.

  ‘What news?’ Banham asked as Georgia clicked her phone shut.

  ‘It can wait,’ Georgia said gingerly.

  Three minutes later Banham roared into Keepers Street, closely followed by four patrol cars. He pulled up at the edge of the tunnel, where Alysha, Tink, Panther, and Lox were waiting.

  Banham jumped out and ran over to Alison’s car and felt the bonnet. ‘It’s still warm, she’s been here recently,’ he shouted over to Georgia

  ‘The tunnel starts there,’ Alysha told Georgia pointing to the manhole at the side of the road. ‘I reckon she’s down there. It’s been locked from the inside so no one can follow them in. I fink it’s where SLRs keep their firearms. So I reckon they’ve taken her hostage.’

  ‘S’gonna be impossible to get in there, like that,’ Panther added, shaking her head.

  Banham had hurried back to the manhole and was now down on his knees over the large grille. He cupped his hands around his mouth. ‘Alison. Alison. Can you hear me?’ he shouted. ‘Are you down there? Alison?’

  Two fire engines, their sirens screeching, sped into the road and pulled up by the tunnel. Two firefighters jumped out and joined Banham, who was still kneeling over the vent, shouting into the grille.

  Firefighter Joe Miller walked along the edge of the pavement from the manhole, looking for another way in, but shook his head in disappointment as he came back. ‘Is the dog unit on its way?’ he asked.

  ‘As we speak,’ Georgia nodded.

  ‘How long to get this bolt off?’ Banham asked, pointing to the bolt and chain that held the large grille in place from the inside.

  ‘It’s an emergency,’ Georgia added, deciding now was the time to break the news, ‘We think DI Alison Grainger is down there with a woman who has committed three murders.’

  Banham stared at her. ‘What?’

  ‘Stephanie’s call,’ she told him. ‘It was forensic confirmation of a match with Melek Yismaz’s DNA at two of the murder scenes.’

  Banham turned the colour of milk.

  ‘Got the saw?’ Joe said to his colleague

  Georgia leaned in to Banham. ‘Sir, why don’t you go and sit in the car for a bit.’

  ‘No,’ Banham glared at her.

  ‘These should do it,’ Joe told Banham as fireman Peter handed him a large pair of cutters. ‘The chain’s pretty thick though, sir, so it’ll take a bit of doing. Why don’t you go and sit in the car.’

  ‘I’m staying here,’ Banham told him, clearly trying not to shout with the frustration he was feeling.

  The arrival of the dog unit took everyone’s attention. Martin Jones, the handler, looked grim as he jumped quickly down from the van holding two Alsatians on short leashes. He led them over to the manhole. He was friends with Alison and Georgia knew from his face that he was desperate to find her.

  ‘I need something of Alison’s,’ he said to Banham.

  Banham rushed to her car and rattled the door. He lifted his foot and was about to kick a window in when Alysha hurried over and handed him her cricket ball. ‘This’ll break anything,’ she said.

  Banham was momentarily taken aback but swung it hard at the rear passenger window. It broke the window immediately. Banham reached in and took Alison’s cardigan from the back seat. His eyes were brimming as he hurried back and handed it to Martin. ‘She wears it a lot,’ he told him. ‘She feels the cold.’

  Martin held it out so the dogs could take in the scent. One of them turned around in circles for a few seconds, then ran to the manhole and started barking. ‘She’s down there,’ Martin shouted. ‘Sadie’s picked up a scent.’

  The firefighters now had the drill up and running and had started sawing the manhole. The look of sheer desperation written across Banham’s face was getting to Georgia. She felt responsible. Why had she been so dismissive of the danger Alison could be in? If she had done more it might not have got to this.

  ‘Sadie is my best dog,’ Martin said putting his hand on Banham’s shoulder. ‘If she says Alison’s down there, then guaranteed, she is, and we’ll get her out. So you just hang on, mate.’

  ‘She’s alive though? Banham asked piteously.

  ‘She’s alive, mate,’ Martin nodded. ‘Sadie wouldn’t react with excitement if she wasn’t. And Dougal isn’t shouting. He’s the corpse dog. So as long as Sadie is active, and Dougal isn’t, then we’re OK.’

  Alison blinked several times, her vision was a little clearer, still blurred but better than ten minutes ago. Her sight would be back to normal soon, then she could start to do something about getting out of here.

  Water was dripping, very slowly, behind her back. It was irritating, but it was the least of her problems right now. She blinked hard again, peering around, and noticed a large crate to her right. As soon as her vision cleared completely, she would investigate it, but from what she could make out, it looked likely to be weapons piled high from it. This looked to be the hiding place for Harisha Celik’s weapon consignments, something else to deal with, but first she had to sort out Melek.

  The girl hadn’t spoken for a good few minutes. Alison could now see her lying curled up by the weapons. First thing Alison would do, when her sight fully returned, would be to get Melek’s phone. It was a one in a million chance that it had a signal down here, but there was a chance. No one was going to just find them down here, how would they? And where were they? Alison only knew they were underground in some sort of tunnel. Her head was throbbing, and her side stung like a whole hive of bees had gone for her. Her ripped clothes proved she’d been dragged along unconscious. Then she remembered a gun. Melek had pointed a gun at her, in her car, and taken her phone. No wonder she couldn’t find it. Melek had rung a number on it, had spoken to someone, and then thrown the phone out of the car window. Everything was coming back now. They had been outside McDonalds. It was an abortion clinic, Melek had rung and made an appointment on Alison’s phone, in
Alison’s name, for an abortion, and then thrown the phone out the window. Alison tipped her head back and sighed loudly. When the phone was found they would trace the call history and Banham would be told that she had booked an appointment at an abortion clinic. Not only would that break his heart, it would guarantee that no one would come looking for her. She wanted to smack Melek, there and then. Alison would never hurt Banham, she loved him and she wanted their baby. Yes, it had been a shock at first, but now she was sure that she wanted it more than anything else in the world.

  She shuffled impatiently; she had to get out of here, there was no way she was going to perish in this disgusting hole and let Banham think she had done that.

  She breathed back the urge to shout at Melek, and stayed calm as she spoke. ‘Melek, why are we here? I’m feeling claustrophobic and …’

  Melek’s voice had changed, it was slurred and quiet, but Alison still heard what she said. Her words shook Alison’s whole being. ‘It’ll be over soon. No one will find us here. I killed Zana, I burnt her, and I killed Burak. I’ve taken pills now.’

  Alison took more than a second to register what she had heard. Then her anger started to build. So that was it? Melek had taken Alison as a hostage, so she could protect herself long enough to take her own life. Alison had told Melek earlier that she was pregnant, she also said she wasn’t sure she wanted to be, but she only said it to make the girl feel more at ease, so she would pursue the allegation against Harisha. And if Melek had killed Zana and Burak, then why would she care if Alison perished too? This girl was obviously unstable. Alison had to do something, and quickly, before Melek fell unconscious. She couldn’t let her commit suicide, and if she couldn’t stop her then how would she get out of here? Melek intended that they wouldn’t, that they would die down there together. Melek was very still, from the little that Alison could see of her, but she could hear her voice and it was very slurred, that didn’t bode well.

  ‘Melek, you have to stay awake. I am going to get us help. Which way is the exit?’

  ‘I loved him. He two-timed me … with …’ Her voice was so quiet and with the dripping water behind her, Alison had to strain to hear. ‘With Zana.’

  Alison turned to crawl over to Melek but immediately banged her head on the low ceiling. ‘Shit.’ Her head was already pounding and there was dried blood on the side of her temple. Her head spun and she felt dizzy. She knew she had to stay conscious. ‘You killed Zana and Burak Kaya?’ she said as she reached out and touched Melek.

  Melek didn’t stir.

  ‘Melek what have you taken?’

  ‘Burak was mine, she slept with him. So I killed them both.’ Melek slurred.

  ‘I thought you were Harisha’s girlfriend.’

  ‘Burak and I were going to be together. Zana took him from me. I’ve told you all. Let me die …’

  ‘No. Sit up.’ Alison tried to lift her but then stopped, remembering she was pregnant and had already taken a few knocks. ‘Melek, I’m going to get help, which way to get out? Melek, speak to me. Sit up and keep talking.’

  Melek didn’t answer.

  ‘Melek, you have a baby to think of. Don’t do this. Is the exit in front of us or behind?’ she asked desperately.

  ‘Mr and Mrs Wilkins saw me …’ Melek’s voice was now barely audible, Alison had to strain to hear her. ‘They saw me kill Burak. It was me, not that gang. I stabbed him.’

  ‘OK. ’ Alison took a deep breath as she took that in. If Melek had killed Zana and Burak, and Mr and Mrs Wilkins, another life would mean nothing to her. ‘Melek, we can sort this, please think of your baby.’

  Melek wasn’t listening. ‘I stabbed … the … screw … drivers thro … ugh their necks.’

  Working in the Sapphire Rape Unit before coming back to murder had given Alison a lot of experience with traumatised girls, and she knew this wasn’t a cry for help, Melek wanted to die. Alison was on all fours, with blurred vision, but she knew she had to do something if she was to save them all. She leaned over Melek, willing her own eyes to function, and fumbled for Melek’s mouth. When she found it she forced it open and stuck her own fingers down Melek’s throat. Nothing happened, so she tried again. Melek’s head jerked, the girl gulped and threw up, but minimally, then she flopped her head down on the ground again and turned her mouth to the ground. Alison wiped her fingers on her jeans. Her whole body was stinging and her head pounded like a cement mixer. Desperation was setting in, but she had to hold herself together and get them both out.

  Staying on all fours, and barely able to see, she started to crawl. She had no idea which way to go, it was a fifty-fifty gamble. She turned to her left, praying as she did, because time wasn’t on her side.

  She crawled, barely able to see in front over her, over the uneven and damp concrete, then her hand hit something. She made her eyes focus. It was another crate. She put her hand inside, but pulled it back quickly, as something sharp pricked her and a trickle of blood ran down her fingers. ‘Shit and sod it,’ she cried out, putting her hand to her mouth and sucking at the bleeding wound. She needed her hands to crawl, and now she only had one. She wanted to cry with frustration. She carefully put her hand inside the crate again to confirm her guess. She was right, it was machetes. Well, Serious Crime and the drug and arms team would be delighted with her, if she ever got out of here. Not only had she got a confession from Melek for four murders, but now she had found the weapons imported by Harisha Celik. Celik was going down for a long time because of this find. And no one could be angry with her for all the manpower that was being used up looking for her … then she realised that there wouldn’t be any. If someone had found her phone, Banham would think she was in an abortion clinic. She felt another surge of anger, and then she forced herself to get a grip, self-pity wouldn’t save her.

  Joe Miller was kneeling down by the manhole sawing laboriously at the bolt and chain. ‘It’s quite hard going,’ he said wiping his brow with the top of his arm and looking up at Banham. ‘So bear with me, sir. We will get there. I promise.’

  Sadie and Dougal were resting on their forepaws behind the firemen. Sadie’s ears were pointed upwards as she listened, every now and again she sat up and barked her confirmation that the officers were at the right place.

  Alison sat back and took stock of her situation. Her hand was still bleeding, so crawling onward was now painful and laboriously slow. She felt dizzy from the throbbing in her head, and her whole body felt raw from being dragged. Her shoulder too, was stiff and aching, she suspected it had been displaced, and she could barely see. Before she realised it she had opened her mouth and let out a desperate wail, ‘Help, please, someone … HELP ME!’

  The sound of the busy saw at work prevented her cry from being heard by any of the team at the edge of the manhole, but it wasn’t missed by the sharp ears of the German Shepherd. Sadie jumped up and began barking. Then she ran fifty feet along the ground, and stood still, but carried on barking to let them know Alison was alive and directly under where she now stood.

  ‘She’s picked up on Alison’s scent!’ Martin, the dog handler, announced to everyone. ‘I’m 99.99% sure that Alison is under that spot, sir. When they get the bolt and the chain free, they need to drop down into the ground, and turn immediately right, about fifty foot along,’ he added. ‘This dog is a genius, I have never known her wrong, sir.’

  Banham knelt down on the ground beside Joe and tapped his arm to stop him sawing. Joe stopped.

  Banham cupped his hand and all but screamed into the tunnel. ‘Alison. Alison! Alison, can you hear me?’

  Mostly all the officers, who were standing waiting to go in and help, looked pityingly at each other. All were fully aware that Banham’s first wife and baby had been murdered, and all were praying Alison would be found, unharmed, and brought to safety.

  Georgia was feeling ashamed of herself. How could she be such a mean-minded human being. All day she had dismissed any signs that Alison could be in trouble, merely thinking the woman
just wanted space, or worse still, attention. Now she lowered her eyes and said a quiet prayer.

  Alison blinked hard. Did she just hear Banham’s voice? And from the direction she was heading? Was it even possible that he could have traced her, to this tunnel, under the sodding river! Or was she starting to hallucinate?

  She jumped, forgetting the ceiling just above her head, and once again, banged her head. ‘HELP! HELP! HELP!’ She held her breath and waited. Nothing.

  ‘HELP!’ she screamed again.

  Nothing.

  She had to get to the exit. Just the thought that Banham might have found her spurred her on. She hunched her shoulders up, and bent her body over, like an old man, so the top of the tunnel just skimmed her back. This way she could move, very slowly, but she was on her way to the exit.

  She didn’t see the next crate. Her shin hit it first and she lost her balance and landed on top of it. As soon as she scrambled half-up, she peered down and looked inside the crate: Mac 10s, Machine guns that could shoot a hundred rounds in a minute. She just prayed that the dripping water hadn’t dissolved all Harisha Celik’s DNA from them, and they had enough proof to put him away. There was so much depending on her. She had to save Melek’s life, no matter what the girl had confessed to. Serious crime squad needed Alison to help put away Harisha Celik, and the families of the victims that had been shot down by Mac 10s, or cut to pieces with Celik’s imported machetes needed her to get him off the streets, away from the danger of hurting anyone else, but most importantly Paul Banham, and the baby inside her needed her to get to the exit. And she wasn’t going to let any of them down.

  She took a deep breath and stood up, and carried on at the pace of a snail. Then a knife-like pain shot through her abdomen, and fear shook her whole being. ‘No. No. God, please, please don’t let me lose my baby.’ Within seconds the pain had subsided, but the thought of what might have been had completely bowled her over.

  She opened her mouth and bellowed, ‘HELP …’ and then the pain was back in her stomach and she fell forward onto her knees.