The Taken (Detective Jane Sparrow Book 3)

by Claire Merrington

  “Ok now we have an action plan let’s get to work.”

  Jane stopped for a minute and pulled Amy in for another cuddle.

  "Thank you. I don't tell you often enough how much of a friend you mean to me but really Amy you’re the best."

  "Oh I know."

  Jane could tell from Amy's tone she was teasing it was nice to have that playfulness with someone still even in the current situation. Jane and Amy walked into the kitchen with their arms still interlinked and was greeted by a confounded looking Ian.

  "Everything ok Jane and what can I help with?"

  "Ok first thing lets get a fresh pot of coffee I'll make the phone call to the crime techs to get them over to my house. Ian if you check in with Eric and Joanne. I'll call the Superintendent after that to check in with him and his plan for the board. Amy if you look into Charlene and them buildings we talked about I have my laptop here you can use that."

  Just as Jane was finishing her monologue of jobs that needed to be done she was interrupted by a phone call on the phone that Perry had left her. Jane had been carrying it in her pocket just in case. Jane had an unrealistic childish hope that Perry would escape on his own and ring it. As the rational part of her brain knew that it was a slim to none chance Jane wasn't hopeful but still she kept the phone at her side. Pulling it out Jane realized it was Eddie calling.

  "What's wrong Eddie? You got any information for me?"

  "I just had a phone call from Becky the manager at La Luna. Blake Jones body was left out the back of the restaurant. He may well have been alive when the bastards dumped him there like trash but now he is gone. Can you deal with it Detective?"

  "Oh Eddie I'm sorry yes I will deal with it all and I promise you we are going to catch these bastards and they will pay for Angie, for Blake we will have justice as well as revenge."

  "I hope so Jane. Perry always said you were smart and determined so I believe you when you say you won't give up."

  "Good because I am promising you I won't. We have some new leads we can chase from our end and we have a radical plan in motion we just need permission and then I'll be in touch. One question the family notification for Blake do you wants me to handle that as well?"

  "I feel it would be best. I know the family but they may just vent their anger and resentment at me more for the situation. Probably better coming for a diplomatic person on the outside."

  "Ok Eddie take care and I'll speak to you soon. I really am sorry."

  Jane hung up the phone and let out a sigh of disappointment and exhaustion.

  "Jane what is it?"

  "The body of Blake Jones has been found out the back of the restaurant he worked at."

  "I'll make the coffee to go."

  Jane and Ian pulled up at the crime scene behind la Luna. Jane had already called for crime scene techs for here and at her house. The coroner was also on site when they arrived. Stepping out the car, Ian had pulled up to block the view of the alley that led behind the restaurant; Jane was shocked to also find that Eric, Joanne and the Superintendent were already there as well.

  “What are you guys doing here already? I thought you would all be busy.”

  “Well me and Joanne came along with the coroner as he was no longer available to speak us through his examination results. So we will head back with him once he is done here.”

  “Ok that sounds like a plan. Thanks guys. Superintendent shouldn’t you be in front of the board right now pleading our case?”

  “I didn’t have to I presented them with your plan and part way through I got your message about Blake and they had heard enough. They granted us carte blanche. They just want this over with as quickly as possible so it can all be swept under the proverbial rug.”

  “Ok well lets get sweeping.”

  Jane and the team started interviewing the people from the restaurant that had turned up for work. Jane spoke to Becky who was first on scene as the restaurant manager.

  “Hi Becky do you remember me I am Detective Jane Sparrow I am the fiancé of Perry Fierce. We have been in together a few times.”

  “Of course I remember you Detective how are you doing? Thank you for coming.”

  “I’m holding up just hoping our poor Blake here can give us some answers. Perhaps you could help us. Were trying to peace together a bit of a timeline. Perry’s son Parker came in last night with his Nan Angie and I know Blake was working. Can you tell me what time he would have finished shift?”

  “Parker and Angie come in a lot. They had come in after Parker’s football practice and Blake took them over their drinks and was teasing and mucking around with Parker. Angie chastised him like any Nan would. Blake loved all of that homely attention. Comes from being from a big family I suppose. Parker and Angie left around six. Blake worked till eleven.”

  “Ok when Parker and Angie were leaving did you notice anything funny?”

  “Now that you mention it for a while they blocked up the entrance and exit. A man I didn’t learn his name came in alone and handed Angie something. It didn’t seem like she wanted to take it but eventually she did and herself and Parker left.”

  “Ok what about the man?”

  “He sat at the bar talking to Blake. He stayed for a couple of drinks and then he left.”

  “Did he pay by card or cash?”

  “Card. Why?”

  “I’m going to need a copy of those receipts for his drinks.”

  “Sure I’ll go find them. I only remember all this because after he left Blake said what a weird guy he was.”

  “Thank you Becky you have been a great help. I’m sorry for your loss I know everyone regarded Blake with the highest of commendations Perry and Eddie included.”

  “Yeah he was a great guy and so is Boss I hope you find him soon. I’ll go dig out those receipts.”

  “Thanks one more quick question is there any cameras on this alleyway or in the restaurant?”

  “Yeah boss was tight on security on all of his properties. I’ll get you all of the footage.”

  “You’re a star.”

  Jane walked back over to where the rest of her team were standing they had all gathered after talking to their civilians. Jane guessed none of them had been as lucrative as talking to Becky.

  “I take it she had some helpful information?”

  “Yes some more leads and another question actually. Perry is really hot on security our house is like fort Knox, which is why they had to knock on the door to get in. And another question rose on how they got in the back but that is beside the point. Being so hot on security like Perry is he has quite tight security on all business premises as well. Do you think there would be a central database that all the security footage gets streamed to and where would we be able to get access to it?”

  “Well if all security features are fitted by the same company then we would just need to ring them to gain access to the whole lot.”

  “Brilliant I will find out who it is with. Becky the restaurants manager is getting me all the security footage for here as well as a card receipt for purchases of drinks form a mystery man. Ian obviously your aware but to catch the rest of the team up, I took Parkers statement this morning. In it he told me they came to this restaurant last night, him and Angie, and when they were leaving a man gave his Nan a pen claiming it was hers and she had dropped it. I think it might have had a tracking device in it.”

  “Ok so the receipts are for the guy that gave Angie the pen?”

  “Exactly we might be able to track the card and find and address.”

  “Ok now back up to the part about someone getting into the back of your house? I thought they all came through the front.”

  “That was the assumption made because the door was open when I came home. But Parker also told me it was only Charlene that came through the front door after Angie had let her in but someone else snuck up on his dad from behind and hit him over the head. There is no other way round than where Parker was sitting so he would have seen them as we
ll as Perry. So for this man to get behind Perry he must have come in through the back. I have crime scene techs there now looking over it and for Angie’s handbag for the pen.”

  “Excellent so were starting to get some strong leads. Looks like the coroner is nearly done. Shall we check if he has anything to say before he leaves?”

  Jane and the team headed over to the coroner who was just loading the remains of Blake into a body bag ready for transit.

  “Hi Dave good to see you once again. Is there anything you can tell us?”

  “Well this is definitely the owner of your missing leg. I believe he died somewhere between three and eight hours ago. Body temperature has been a little affected by being outside. It seems he died from blood loss. I’ll know more when I get him back to my office. I believe Eric and Joanne are following me back to collect my report on Angie and anything else I learned from the leg?”

  “Yeah were heading back with you Doc.”

  “Excellent then lets get going.”

  “Were meet you back at my house guys when you’re finished.”

  “Not a problem Detective see you there.”

  As they were about to leave Jane had almost forgot about the extra pieces that Becky was going to grab her for evidence. As Jane and Ian had made it to their car Jane saw that Becky was coming after them.

  “Here Detective I didn't want you leaving without these. The security tapes are everything from yesterday and all last night. A complete twenty-four hour looks over the whole restaurant grounds. These are the two card receipts from the suspicious male suspect I hope they help."

  "Thank you Becky it is a great help can you tell me who the security company is that Perry uses?"

  “Oh his own one his got a head office in Linford. All the properties have their own access to the security feed meaning we can look back or make copies but it is all streamed and sent to the security head office in Linford."

  "That's great."

  “If you don't mind me asking why?"

  "We should be able to use it to keep an eye on all of Perry’s businesses and staff make sure your all safe and check on movements on any suspects if they go near any of his other businesses."

  “That's great the head security chief at Linford is a guy named Bill Rogers. He looks and is a tough old nut. Here take my business card and show him that say I sent you and he might cooperate a bit more. Otherwise he doesn't do anything unless it comes from Perry or Eddie. Even for you Jane you might be the bosses misses but for some of Perry’s colleagues still they are old school and follow and old code so be careful."

  "Thank you Becky you to let me know if you need anything."

  With that Jane and Ian pulled away from La Luna and headed to her house with the superintendent following. They arrived with a list of more questions than answers and a task list of jobs to do, starting with the crime technicians. The crime scene techs were just leaving after checking the back of the property for evidence and searching for Angie's handbag and the mysterious pen.

  “Hi did you find much?"

  “Some partial prints along the back door we might get lucky if the person has been through the system before were more likely to get a hit. We found the pen and I believe your suspicions were correct. There is something off with the way this pen is weighted. The top end is too heavy so I think there could be some kind of GP tracking device but we're know more when I can take it apart back at the lab."

  "How did they get in through the back door? I'm sure Perry would have had all the alarm set knowing the situation he is exceptionally up on security."

  “Your right he is but the kind of sensors you have on your back door can be easily fooled. It's a top of the range system with one flaw. It can be tricked with a piece of tin foil. If you cover the sensors with tinfoil as you open the door, window what ever it won't notice and won't trigger the alarm."

  "Jesus I had no idea ok thanks. Let us know if you learn anything new."

  “Will do is there a fax machine here you want us to send the data to or at the station?"

  "No here would be perfect. Here's my personal card it's got this home office fax number on it plus home number and mobile if there is anything urgent."

  “No problems Detectives were work fast. And Oh there was a DVD on the front step when we came in I left it on the side for you I thought it might be important."

  "Yeah thanks Mitchell."

  Jane and the team headed into the house and dumped their stuff in the living room; the superintendent had a load in his car as well. Jane couldn’t believe she had another DVD already and she wasn’t excited to have to see or hear any of another one. With just Ian and the Superintendent with her Jane knew that was the first place they were going to have to start. Today though Jane made the promise to herself to make sure that Perry knew she was coming for him. Today was a day to make noise.

  Chapter 13

  The superintendent finished unloading the bits from his car, with the help of Ian, he had grabbed a load of supplies from the station that they thought they could use to set up a command center at Jane's house. Jane was surprised to find that he had managed to fit some boards in his car for them to pin up the information. Jane started with this as the two men set up the computers Jane placed all the mug shots and info on the men involved that Perry had given them. Jane rang Eddie and asked him to come to her house. She told him if there was anyone else that wanted to come and help they were more than welcome to do so, so Jane could explain the action plan. Now all they had to do was wait. Jane hadn’t prepared herself enough to put the DVD on yet, so she carried on working on the board. In that time Eric and Joanne arrived back from the coroners office with the report on Angie and the preliminary report on the leg and now the body of Blake Jones.

  "What did the coroner say?"

  “Angie died from a GSW to the abdomen. It would have been quick, nothing you could have done Jane, it perforated the abdomen and the diaphragm. Other than the fact that it was a small caliber 20mil weapon there wasn't anything else that could tell us from Angie. She can rest in peace now."

  "That's one thing at least. What about Blake?"

  “Trace evidence from his body along with his clothes has been sent to the lab for analysis. Hopefully there will be some trace materials and residue there that can help us narrow down a location. Obviously the duct tape residue long with the tape itself has also been sent for analysis. The good doctor has taken a cast of the wound tract in the leg and hopefully we can narrow down a tool. There were particles of rust left behind in the wound. Dave is waiting for the blood analysis to come back but he is pretty certain that even without dyeing from the blood loss he certainly would have septicemia from the state of the injury."

  "Ok well we have CCTV footage from the restaurant hopefully it will give us an idea of how they got to him and a vehicle to search. We also have some bank details to check. Eddie is on his way he may bring some other colleagues with him try and remain friendly, these people as law abiding as they are becoming, they run on an old code and it has been hit pretty hard by the fact that Perry has been kidnapped and by Blake being killed. We also have another DVD to watch I’m guessing it contains god knows what of Perry."

  “We can understand that boss. The coroner has an idea on how Blake was taken but we will confirm with CCTV. Dave said he could feel a trauma wound to the skull. It probably came from a blitz attack from behind. A snatch and grab scenario, the coward’s way. Blake was a young physically fit male probably the only way they could overcome him. We need to know what is on that DVD do you want me to watch it?"

  "Definitely cowards. Would you Eric take it into the Dining room there is a TV with a DVD player you can play it on. When Eddie, and whoever, get here I’d like to sit them down and explain the plan. I'd like you all here for it so if we can pull the chairs in from the dining room in case just so there is plenty of seating. After that we're getting started. Ian has you heard from Amy at all?"

  “No I'll check in now make sur
e she is ok and you can ask about Parker."

  "Thanks."

  Ian wandered off to call Amy as Jane continued to load the board with all the information. Eric went into the dining room to put the DVD on, with the help of Joanne. He also went and fetched the extra few chairs that they were going to need in the living room.

  “Hey Jane what email address shall Amy send some information she has found to?”

  “Oh send it to my personal one I’ll be able to access that all here. Has she found something interesting then?”