The Taken (Detective Jane Sparrow Book 3)

by Claire Merrington

  “Well how ridiculous. I wouldn’t have ever believed such a theory for a second. Your reaction to the situation was completely understandable giving the circumstances of already having lost two friends and colleagues. If anything they should have been commending your bravery.”

  “Bravery, yes. Stupidity, well that is hard to argue with also so, yes. You ticked a lot of boxes that day. You are never aloud to do anything like that again boss.”

  “Yes Ian, relax. I promised I will never go running off on my own into the hands of a murderer again.”

  “Good.”

  “Anyway the problem came when we had the suspicious leave of Superintendent Andrew Walden after Thaddeus reign of terror was ended. The press suspected that he was guilty of helping Thaddeus and was forced to resign. It was never confirmed with the press but it was an accurate suspicion.”

  “No. Oh my God. What an arse.”

  “Exactly my sentiment. He was guilty of handing over addresses, phone numbers, old evidence, surveillance of myself and even giving him a taser. He had his reasons but none that flew very well. He was forced to retire.”

  “I hope with a cut to his pension?”

  “Yeah he was forced to donate a large lump sum to charity. Serves him right.”

  “Ok Jane you have explained all what happened before. Joanne doesn’t appear to be running away from the team screaming. So why don’t you explain the new dire situation that you are in.”

  “Ok when I came into work today I had a meeting with the new Superintendent. I thought it was to discuss my return to work duties but I was wrong. When I arrived Frank from the drug prevention department and another man Detective Inspector George Reynolds was there as well. He works with organised crime. The dire situation isn’t me. It’s Perry.”

  Jane couldn’t help but collapse back with her head in her hands. Tears streaming down her cheeks. It had exhausted her mentally having to talk about all that had happened with Thaddeus. As well as trying to hold in the fear and overwhelming panic that was building with regards to Perry.

  “Jane tells us everything.”

  “This is going to make Perry sound like a really bad person. But he’s not.”

  “Jane none of us are going to judge Perry as a bad person. Tell us so we can help.”

  Jane looked at Joanne with tears streaming down her cheeks with a look of desperation and apology. Jane didn’t want to offend Joanne. But she hadn’t been there long enough to really see what a good person Perry is and she desperately wanted her to understand that. Ian seemed to understand the dilemma that Jane was in.

  “Joanne you are going to need to trust us on this one. Perry is a very good man that has already done more than enough good deeds to prove it. He is a good friend to all of us. He may have done some dodgy things in his past but please trust us and don’t judge.”

  “Not a problem. If you say he is a friend and a good person you have my trust and no judgement. All of you do. Please Jane continue.”

  “I met Perry during the first case with Thaddeus. He was a drug dealer. He helped us out a lot during that case. When I first met him he expressed a desire to get out of the drug dealing business. So I put him in touch with Frank and some other contacts. Perry started to change. We have been together since.”

  “So he has a past find me one person that doesn’t. The fact of the matter is he has changed. You inspired that in him. That only highlights to me what a great person you are. It’s not a poor reflection on the kind of person that Perry is.”

  “You are very gracious and accepting thank you but it gets worse. Perry helped us out a lot with all of the associates of Thaddeus. It was easier for him Perry knew a lot of them because of the world he had been living in. Thanks to Perry we made Thaddeus world after his escape, well his world of connections, very small. It was during this case that I realised how high up the food chain Perry went. By that I mean he sat at the top.”

  “Wait your telling us that Perry was the king pin for Essex organised crime?”

  “Yes Ian that’s what I’m telling you. He wasn’t just a drug dealer. He had his hand in every pie in the organised crime world. He owns a multitude of businesses. Before you judge Perry was honest when he said he wanted to change. He has been trying to legitimise and legalise many of his companies. The ones he can’t he has sold so he has no legal tie to them anymore. He has also handed over a load of names to Frank of people he wants off the streets. Add to this him helping us with the associates in the search for Thaddeus and people, the wrong people; have worked out how high up the chain Perry went. He was a silent, secret manager you see. And the wrong people finding out has caused a turf war.”

  “A turf war?”

  “Yeah a turf war. And the cost is going to be Perry’s head unless you can all help me put a stop to this.”

  “I’m in.”

  “Perry would have our back if we needed it. You can count me in.”

  “Joanne?”

  “Where do we begin?”

  Chapter 5

  Jane and her team all walked back into the station. Jane was feeling closer to all of them more than ever. She was also feeling more hopeful for the situation with Perry now that she had her team on her side. She also couldn’t help but be extremely grateful to Joanne for being so gracious and accepting. When all she had to go on with Perry was they asking for her trust when hearing such harsh and horrible facts about a man she hadn’t even met yet.

  “Ok guys I received a list of names from the Superintendent that we need to be looking at. Each one of these people need case files put together against them so we can get a warrant for all of their arrests. The action plan is to do one major operation. Arrest them all at the same time so then there is nobody around to create a backlash against Perry.”

  “Wow that is a major operation and could take months to put together. I mean Jesus look at the amount of names on this list.”

  “Yeah I know but for the moment it is the best plan we got to help Perry. So we each take ten names. Look into the system there should be rap sheets on all of them. And no doubt at least one department will have an open investigation on them. Pull all relevant information and evidence. Once we have that part of the case files put together we can go about doing our own recon surveillance to make the case files stronger.”

  “Ok sounds like a lot of work best get going. Oh and boss welcome back.”

  Jane had to laugh at that. She was pretty certain that Ian was being sincere in his welcome. But the fact of the matter was whenever Jane came back to work they always seemed to end up with more and harder work to do. She didn’t really make it easier for her team but they never seemed to complain or moan. Jane had to admit, it was slightly amusing.

  Jane started looking into the first name on her list. It was quite scary reading his rap sheet. To think of Perry ever being involved with a man with such charges against him, it was frightening. Jane tried to remain objective. It was hard reading all of the details and not has it bring into question the character of Perry. Jane didn’t want to show doubt in him though. If she did then everyone else would. Jane was also concerned; she trusted her team, but what about everyone else in the station. Investigating such high profile organised criminals was bound to draw some attention. And it was attention they didn’t want. Jane wanted to keep the investigation on the low as much as possible. If the wrong people find out that the heat is still very much on for them it just endangers Perry’s life more so.

  Jane’s team worked perilously and at full steam for hours. Trying to correlate and gather all the information that they needed. Perry was meant to be arriving within five minutes to pick Jane up. So she decided to gather up her things and the rest of her team for an end of day debriefing.

  “Ok guys great work today. We really steamed ahead getting all the information together. Why don’t we call it a night and were meet back here say eight in the morning. I’ll see if I can discuss some of this with Perry tonight. He may be able to and be m
ore willing to help with some extra information. But thank you, all of you. Your support means the world.”

  “Think nothing of it boss.”

  Jane’s team gathered their things each one placing a hand of support on her shoulder as they walked past. Each team member trying to offer an extra piece of comfort and encouragement, what little they could to Jane. Joanne stopped and gave Jane an extra hug. Jane missed Amy but Joanne was a nice fit and seemed very supportive. As Jane stood on the front steps of the station waiting for the arrival of Perry she heard a crowd of people coming to exit the station from behind her. Jane moved to the side to give them a clearer path to pass. They all thanked her and wished her a goodnight as they continued over to their cars talking animatedly. It took a while for Jane to realise that she was no longer standing alone. One man had stopped to chat, a fellow Detective Russell.

  “Oh Detective Russell you startled me there I didn’t realise you were still standing there. How nice to see you though. How have you been?”

  “ I’ve been well, thank you Detective Sparrow. It has been pleasantly quiet at the station since your absence. And how about yourself? I trust that you have fully recovered from your little escapade. It was such a shame about Superintendent Andrew Walden. He was such a decent, hardworking man. Were still good friends though you know. We play golf together. But never mind he seems to have taken to early retirement well. And I’m sure our new Superintendent Steve Barrow will do a fine job. Talking of jobs what are you and your team all working on?”

  “Oh you know this and that. All sorts of police work.”

  “That is a very vague answer there Detective.”

  “Well like you said it’s been very quiet so not really anything much to disclose. But don’t worry I know it must be hard you being a man an all and me being a woman and having caught the last two big cases that Essex Police has had. But I promise the next one to come along I wont steal your thunder you can have it.”

  “Oh why gee Jane thanks. That really is what my problem is. A bit of a dented ego, what more could it possibly be? And if I were you I wouldn’t be so cocky. The word on the street is that your lover man has got himself in a rather tight sticky spot. I wouldn’t want to be him if that were true. I’ve heard of the people he used to run with. They are not very nice people Jane. He needs to watch himself. If you know what I mean.”

  “I’m sure I don’t. Last time I checked Perry was more than fine. Thank you for your concern though. I’ll be sure to let him know. Now if you don’t mind I need to be getting home.”

  Jane stalked away from him trying to add as much dramatic flare as possible to hide how much he had intimidated her. Jane was feeling angry and resentful and was now slightly dubious about Detective Russell’s character. Why was it so important to him what Jane and her team were working on? And how had he come to learn of the situation with Perry and what concern did it hold for him? Jane decided to air all these concerns with the Superintendent in the morning. For now she had the more pressing matter and concern of where Perry was. He had, in all the time that Jane had known him, not shown up before. Especially when he said he would be there to pick her up. And thinking more carefully on it the last communication Jane had had with Perry had been hours ago. She hadn’t realised how much time had passed because she had been working so hard on putting the case files together. Jane tried calling Perry but as though to add more fire to her concern Perry did not answer. The rest of Jane’s team had already left. Jane decided her quickest and fastest option to get her home and find out what had happened to Perry would be to check out a police car.

  After a nerve-wracking drive Jane pulled up at her house, she was unsure what she had expected to see but there was one thing for sure. Perry must be home as his car was on the drive. Jane started to relax. Perhaps he had just fallen asleep on the sofa or had gone to do some work and had lost track of time. The second theory didn’t explain his inability to answer his phone. So Jane settled on the first, as it was the best for settling her nerves. Jane began to walk towards her house fumbling around in her handbag trying to find her keys, which always seemed to have the magic ability of gravitating towards the bottom, that she almost fell up her front porch step. It was only then that she looked up to realise that something really was awry. Her front door was ajar. Jane reached for her sidearm and pushed the door further open to check the hallway was clear. As she stepped over the fresh hold she called for Perry.

  “Perry?”

  But no answer came. By now the only sound that Jane could hear was the rapid beating of her heart. Jane tried to calm herself and to focus. Jane had to try and remember her training when walking into a possible, but more than likely, hostile situation. Walking into Thaddeus hangout was different. Jane knew how his mind worked. She knew the type of games that Thaddeus liked to play. This, this was a whole different ball game and Jane could be potentially out numbered. Jane walked round the whole of the ground floor of her house, checking each corner, and checking her blind spots continuously, but nothing. There were no signs of Perry but thankfully no signs of a struggle either. Jane headed up the stairs of her house still calling for Perry as though it was a game of hide and seek and not one of life and death. As Jane made it to the top of the stairs she paused and checked her surroundings listening for any key signs of life. The bathroom was clear, Parker’s room clear, the spare room clear. Now the only space left to check was that of the master bedroom of Perry and Jane. Once again she was careful to shield herself from full view by standing at the side she nudged the door further open with the nose of her gun. A torturous sight and one that she did not expect to see confronted Jane. There, sprawled out in the middle of her bed, was Angie, Perry’s mum. With what looked like a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Without thinking Jane rushed into the room to go to Angie’s aid. But it was too late. With tears streaming down her face there was nothing else she could do she was gone. Only then did Jane think about her own safety and scanned the rest of the room to see if she had any company. Perry was nowhere to be seen but the sight that presented itself was even worse than the death of her mother-in-law. Standing in the corner with a hand over his mouth and the other hand with a gun at his head was a tear stricken terrified Parker in the grasp of an exasperated woman.

  “Finally you’re here Detective Sparrow. You do know how to keep a girl waiting. Now I have some instructions for you. But if you want to guarantee the safety of our dear Parker here you will put your gun down.”

  “Please just let him go.”

  “Put down the gun.”

  Jane did as she was told. Seeing Angie like that and the fear of her and Perry’s world spilling into Parker’s view had knocked all the fight out of her.

  “Very good. Now I’m just going to hold onto the boy for safe keeping for the moment. But you can have him back before I leave. I never wanted him.”

  “Your Charlene.”

  “Very good Detective. How very perceptive of you.”

  “What are you doing here? Where is Perry?”

  “Oh my friend already has Perry. He is going to be gone for quite a while they have a lot of work to do. Perry has caused quite a mess for my friend so they have a lot of cleaning house to do. And well I’m here because I had some unfinished business to take care of with hell spawns mum over there. And to be honest I really had to meet the woman who is stupid enough to think that she can change dear old Perry Fierce.”

  “Well you have met me, take a good look. But I will warn you I’m not in the slightest bit stupid. And you have finished Angie. Now let Parker go and get the hell out of my house.”

  “Ah, ah, ah we still have some instructions to discuss. And my dear has nobody ever told you not to be so condescending.”

  “Oh maybe once before but what are you going to do? Call it my character flaw. So how about we get on with this then.”

  “We will be keeping Perry until we have sorted out the mess that he has made. If you make one arrest of any of our associates or friend
s, that will be it. You will receive Perry back piece by piece. You wont find him until we want you to so my suggestions don’t waste your time and energy looking. This in an internal matter between old colleagues so let them hash it out. When were done you can have Perry back. In what state dead or alive depends on how well Perry chooses to co-operate. Your job is just to sit back and watch the mess and carnage unfold. Then you will truly know who Perry is because believe you me that is all that follows him. Death and carnage isn’t really a stability builder in a marriage, just between us girls. So, stay out of our way.”

  “That is not in my nature.”

  “Then I hope you enjoy receiving body parts in the mail because your actions affect Perry. Each wrong move you make the more of him I slice off to send you.”