‘We’d like to have a chat with your girls, the ones who are already here. I assume you don’t have any problems with that?’
‘Sure, be my guest. Stay as long as you like,’ leered Clive. ‘ I won’t disturb you if you need a bit of privacy,’ he chuckled.
Mike and Paul remained impassive and went back out into the corridor. They split up and went to the dressing rooms to speak to the dancers. Rather than barging in upon girls in a state of undress they announced their presence and asked them to come out into the corridor. In his office, Clive made a call to Ron Radford but received only his voicemail. He then phoned one of Ron’s security men at the house and discovered that the police were also in attendance at Brensford Manor. Clive lit another cigarette and poured himself a whisky. There was no need to panic he told himself. This wasn’t the first time this had happened and they had always managed to stay one step ahead of the police, there was no reason to believe that this time would be different.
**
The automatic wrought iron gates at the entrance to Brensford Manor opened slowly and DS Andy Walters drove through them and along the wide driveway on the approach to the house. Sitting next to him in the passenger seat, Shani Patel looked around at the neatly manicured lawns which were illuminated by outdoor lighting creating a magical appearance. Sitting behind Shani were Jessica and Jill, the family liaison officer. The vehicles followed the meandering driveway and parked in front of the main house where there was a collection of expensive cars. A Range Rover Evoque, a sporty Jaguar and the pick of the bunch, an Aston Martin DB9.
The front door opened and they were greeted by a young woman, smartly dressed in a grey suit. She was either a secretary or housekeeper and she declined to introduce herself merely indicating that they should enter.
‘Mr and Mrs Radford are waiting for you in the lounge, please follow me.’
Andy and Shani stepped over the threshold into a huge hallway containing a wide staircase which wound around in a graceful sweep towards the upper storeys. The hallway had black and white marble tiles and the walls were lined with what appeared to be original artwork alongside large mirrors which increased the sense of space. It was the height of opulence. Shani had only ever seen decor like this in the Sunday supplements and she felt totally in awe.
The nameless assistant opened a heavy wooden door and stood to one side. Andy led the way into a room which was equally plush and welcoming. He didn’t have time to take in the full extent of the furnishings but he was struck by a feeling of warmth and comfort which the room projected, enhanced by the soft toned lighting from the many table and standard lamps. Ron Radford stood to welcome them, his wife remained seated sideways on the sofa, her shoeless feet stretched out along it.
‘Detective Walters, come in, take a seat,’ he said shaking Andy’s hand. ‘And you, Miss, please take a seat also.’
‘Detective Sergeant Patel,’ said Shani, stiffly.
‘Now how can I help you? Can I offer you some refreshments?’
‘No thank you, sir. We are here concerning a report from a member of the general public, Miss Jessica Howard who alleges she was held captive here against her will for approximately forty-eight hours. We have a warrant to conduct investigations on this property. She is waiting outside in the car with our family liaison officer.’
‘Really? Well that is most odd,’ said Ron, frowning. ‘Why on earth would I do such a thing? Held captive? I am a businessman, I have no need to keep people locked up on my premises.’
‘The young lady in question says that she was abducted by two men, thrown into a van, brought here and held captive for two days. Luckily she escaped and has identified the section of the wall bordering your property where she climbed over.’
Andy was sure he detected a slight movement in Ron’s eye at this piece of information but it was only slight and Ron appeared completely unperturbed. He was oozing self-confidence and remained calm and unmoved.
He shrugged. ‘I’m really not sure how I can help you. This sounds like such a fantastical story I’m rather lost for words.’
‘We would like to search your outbuildings as this is where we believe the woman was held captive. Are you happy for this to take place?’
‘Of course, I will be happy to show you around the estate. Please let me get my coat and shoes.’
Andy and Shani stood whilst they waited for Ron. His wife, Shirley had still not spoken, she continued to sip her drink.
‘Do you have any comment to make Mrs Radford?’ asked Andy.
‘None, I’m afraid, I have no idea what you are talking about,’ she said levelly.
Ron returned wearing a waxed jacket and some outdoor shoes. ‘Please follow me.’
Andy phoned the forensic team and told them to wait in the van until summoned. As they left the house they collected Jessica and Jill from the car and the group walked along a pathway across the front of the house and security lights switched on as they activated the sensors. They could see a collection of buildings about fifty-yards in the distance. They passed a single storey building attached to the main house which was a swimming pool, the still surface of the water illuminated by soft blue lighting. At one end of the pool was a collection of poolside furniture, loungers, tables and stools and at the other end there appeared to be a jacuzzi. Shani wished she could go for a swim right now and ease away the tension of the day. She would only ever experience this level of luxury on a holiday yet these people could wallow in it every day if they wished. Was it possible she wondered, that all this had been paid for by honest hard work?
As they approached the first building, Ron took out a large bunch of keys from his jacket. ‘This is the shed where we keep all the gardening equipment,’ and he opened the door to reveal a sit on lawn mower, several smaller mowers, strimmers, numerous gardening tools, chainsaws and what appeared to be a shredder. A neat set of shelves housed fertilisers, sprays, pots and all the necessary items to keep his gardens in tiptop shape. Bags of compost, soil improver, bark chippings and the like were stacked at the other end. There was nothing suspicious here.
They moved on to another more substantial brick built building. ‘This is my office suite,’ said Ron. He opened the door and they stepped into a reception area with another locked door ahead. ‘This is my secretary’s area, and here is my office,’ he unlocked the door and flicked on the light switch. A traditional mahogany desk took pride of place in the room with an upholstered leather desk chair.
‘Why is your office separate from the main building?’ asked Shani.
‘Oh, I like to keep my business separate from my private life. Easier to concentrate out here, my dear,’ he said, touching Shani lightly on the arm and making her flinch.
Ron locked the door and they left to continue their exploration of the Radford empire. They headed towards another wooden structure and Ron unlocked the door. ‘My wife’s studio, she likes to paint, oh and pottery,’ he pointed towards another room containing a sink and a potters wheel. A large kiln with the door slightly ajar stood in the corner of the room.
Andy and Shani were beginning to feel rather dispirited. So far there was nothing which looked as though it had been used for incarceration. Had Jessica been mistaken as to where she had been held?
‘We’re nearly finished,’ said Ron and he led them to the next building. ‘My gym room, although sadly I don’t get to use it very much,’ and he patted his stomach. ‘After you, officers.’
Andy and Shani stepped into a room which had a tiled floor and walls coated with some sort of laminated material with a marbled pattern. There was an exercise bike, a rowing machine and some weights. There was also a chair which resembled a dentist’s chair and a bed at the side of the room.
‘Do you have a dentist come to the house?’ asked Andy sarcastically. ‘Oh, my wife has a beautician who comes here regularly. She likes to have a facial after a workout. Also a massage, hence the table over there.’
‘Well, thank you, sir. Very imp
ressive I must say,’ said Andy. There really was nothing much more to see here. They left the room and headed outside towards the final building. He was conscious of Jessica whispering to Jill. ‘One moment, Mr Radford,’ he said, and stepped over to Jill and Jessica. ‘I think this might be the building,’ she said. ‘There’s the woodland over there, it looks a bit familiar.’ Suddenly Jessica gasped and started to tremble.
‘Come on love,’ said Jill, ‘You’re doing really well, look hold my hand. Not long to go now and then you can leave.’
Ron unlocked the final building. They entered and noticed another door ahead which did not have a lock and a door to the side which was partially open.
‘Can we look inside please?’
Ron gestured for them to go ahead and they entered a room about fifteen feet by twelve feet. It had no windows and was completely empty. There was a smell of solvent and fresh paint.
‘What is this room used for?’
‘Well, we did intend it to be used for a sauna but my wife is claustrophobic and I had a slight heart murmur a while ago. I was told it wasn’t good for me, the excessive heat. I prefer to swim,’ he smiled. ‘As you probably saw we have a very sizeable swimming pool here.’
‘And do you have any plans for it now? It looks newly decorated.’
‘Yes, my wife is planning to take up Pilates. A trainer is going to visit the house and some of her friends will join her.’
Andy looked around and felt a horrible cold feeling grip his stomach. He looked down at the floor which showed laminate flooring. Jessica had said that the room she’d been held in was tiled. He knew what had happened, Ron had been quick off the mark and had destroyed the evidence.
He turned to Jessica. ‘Can you confirm that this is the room you were held in?’
‘Well, it looks about the right size but it looks so different with the wooden floor and the walls are a different colour. There was a lock on the door as well,’ her voice started to tremble at this point.
‘Was this room refurbished recently?’
‘As a matter of fact it was. You can smell the adhesive from the floor and the paint.’
‘What happened to the original floor?’
‘I’ve no idea. Down the tip I imagine, unless it’s being used as ballast or something.’ Ron shrugged and looked rather smug.
‘What’s in the other room?’
‘Oh, it’s a utility room, cleaning stuff that sort of thing. I can show you.’
It looked as though the forensic team would be returning without any samples. Any blood samples had been removed. The tour was over and had been fruitless. As they walked back to the house Andy spoke to Ron.
‘We have reason to believe that you tried to acquire a certain chemical entity from the university. Namely, a prototype cancer drug and you pressurised someone to steal it by holding their Miss Howard hostage.’
‘Detective, what would I want with a substance from the university? I have no knowledge of science.’
‘Is there anyone else that lives here?’ asked Andy.
‘Only my daughter, Natasha, she’s fifteen.’
‘We didn’t see her, is she out?’
‘She’s in her room, like most teenagers, she likes her privacy.’
‘Is she suffering from cancer?’
‘Sadly yes, is that a crime?’
‘No it isn’t but it gives you motive to steal a promising cancer drug,’ said Andy with malice.
‘Sergeant, my daughter is able to receive the best treatment available here. Also I am planning to take her abroad for a groundbreaking new surgical technique. Why would I indulge in something so ludicrous as you suggest?’
‘Thank you for your cooperation, sir,’ said Andy. ‘We’ll be in touch.’
They headed back to the car in silence. He thought back to the lounge in the main house. He was sure he’d seen some photos in the lounge of Ron with the Assistant Chief Constable at a golf tournament. Ron was a master at making sure there was never any evidence which could incriminate himself. One day though, Andy was sure that he would make a mistake and if he did he hoped that he would be the one to exploit it.
**
Unsurprisingly, Mike Harris and Paul Goodman had found the girls in the club tight-lipped and unwilling to talk. They had seen nothing suspicious and were just trying to earn a living. The detectives decided that they were wasting their time and it would be better to direct their efforts towards finding more information on Lee Percival. They planned to go straight from the club to his registered address. They said goodnight to Lexie on reception and left by the main entrance. As they were walking to their car they heard some light footsteps hurrying up behind them. One of the dancers had emerged from the side door of the club down the alleyway. Still in her stiletto heels and wearing a padded coat she ran towards them waving a cigarette.
‘Do you have a light?’ she called.
‘No, sorry love,’ they said in unison.
By now she had caught them up. She appeared to stumble on the pavement and Mike reached for her elbow to steady her.
‘Ooops, are you OK, love?’
‘Yes, stupid shoes,’ she said. ‘Thanks, and she touched his hand, before running back to the alleyway.’
Mike realised what had happened and without any acknowledgement carried on walking to the car. He threw the keys to Paul. As they pulled away, Mike unfolded the piece of paper which the girl had thrust into his hand. Using the torch on his mobile he saw a name.
Karolina Dabrowski
Missing from club
Heard her arguing with Lee
Worried about her
‘Bingo!’ shouted Mike. ‘Head back to the station Paul. We’ve a name for a missing girl. She might be one of the victims in the van. I’ll try to get hold of Andy.’
The evening hadn’t been wasted after all. Could this be the breakthrough they needed?
Chapter 53
Brett and Matt were enjoying an early evening drink in town to discuss the events of the week. It had certainly been eventful, so much had happened, it was hard to believe that in his first week at the university Nick had ended up in hospital. Both men drank half their lagers in silence, Matt was the first to speak.
‘It’s such a relief that Nick’s scans were encouraging. No serious damage and providing he makes good progress he should be able to go home after the weekend.’
‘Yes, that is good news, though I doubt he will be able to do any practical chemistry for a while.’
‘No, well, we’ll just see how he gets on, the rest of the team should be able to use his breakthrough and improve on it.’
‘I had a call from Phil Sweetman earlier today,’ said Matt.
‘Oh, what about?’
‘Well, it seems that Dan had a real heart to heart with him today. Admitted to snorting coke. He’s going to have counselling and has promised to stop using drugs, so he’s not going to be suspended. But the bad thing is he gave a large amount of the supply of UP-627 to those drug dealers, so the project doesn’t have much left.’
‘Shit, that’s bad news. Any idea why they wanted it?’
‘No, it’s still a mystery. The police are investigating but so far there’s no news. Whether someone got their wires crossed and thought it was psychoactive?’ Matt shrugged.
‘Dan had no choice as it seems they kidnapped his girlfriend.’
‘Fuck, really? But this is Persford, nothing like that happens here!’
‘That’s what you said before and look what Zac got up to.’
‘True, well, I hope they get the bastards.’
‘Anyway, on a happier note, tell me again about your meetings in London.’
‘Well, it all went swimmingly, once I gave them the hard sell and managed to persuade them that an investment in PersCure was the best thing since sliced bread. I turned on the charm, gave them all the facts and they were hooked.’
Matt nodded and smiled. How he wished he’d actually witnessed the meetings. He was
sure that Brett was spinning him a tale but he didn’t want to burst his bubble. He knew Brett of old and he always wanted to create the impression he had kissed the Blarney Stone. The end result was what mattered so he would allow Brett his touch of embellishment.
‘Fancy another?’ asked Brett, ‘Anyway, isn’t this on expenses, it must class as a business meeting.’
Matt merely shook his head and handed over his glass. He texted Emma to say he wouldn’t be too long before he was back and she replied that he needn’t rush. Brett returned.
‘So it looks like Vendura Advisory might find us some more clients and this Marsfield guy is interested in being a major investor in PersCure. With that sort of backing it will give us the kudos to push for a flotation on AIM, don’t you think?’
‘Hey, wait a minute, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we’ve got a lot of studies to get through and some of those might have to be put on hold until we can synthesise some more material thanks to the hapless Dan.’
‘Well, you shouldn’t knock me for being enthusiastic. How about a chaser to go with that? A little celebration?’
‘OK, then, just a small one,’ said Matt.
He watched his friend at the bar ordering the drinks and saw the barmaid laugh uproariously. Despite their ups and downs and his apprehension when they’d started their partnership things seemed to be going well. Hopefully, when Brett tied the knot with Annabelle he would have a further steadying influence. Things looked quite rosy at the moment and he was seriously beginning to think that this venture could be very successful.
**
Andy Walters had left Brensford Manor feeling somewhat deflated but the phone call from his colleague Mike had given him new energy. Not only had it confirmed that Lee Percival was missing from the club but they now had a firm name for a missing female. Mike and Paul were heading off to Lee’s last registered address and Andy was going back to the station to see what he could unearth about Karolina Dabrowski.
‘Shani, you might as well go home now, it’s late, so I’ll see you on Monday. Take tomorrow off and have a rest.’
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