The Taken (Detective Jane Sparrow Book 3)

by Claire Merrington

  “Very check your email. Did you want to talk to her about Parker she says he is more than fine and a delightful boy to have there so don’t worry about that.”

  “Ok tell her I’ll ring this afternoon to talk to Parker I want to try and keep him in the loop a bit so he knows I’m doing everything to look for his dad.”

  “Will do Jane.”

  When Ian walked back in the room after finishing his phone call with Amy you could visibly see the positive influence she had in him. He was brimming with more confidence and happiness. Jane half expected that Amy had told him to radiate more positive thoughts to help keep her spirit up but Jane would never suggest that out loud. Like Ian and Jane had discovered that morning between friends some things just didn't need to be said they were just done for each other. Jane was distracted from her deep thought by the sound of her doorbell. Jane could feel the tension spike in the room. Jane suspected it wasn't necessarily at the guests they were expecting but more at the remembrance of the package the night before that they had at the door. Jane decided it would be best and probably the most diplomatic approach if she answered the door.

  "Hey, Eddie I take it?"

  “Yeah hey Jane this is Tony, Mark and Charlie."

  "Nice to meet you all I'm sorry it's under such circumstances why don't you come on in and take a seat I'll make the introductions to the rest of the team and then I'll get explaining."

  Once the general pandemonium had finished and everyone had taken a seat and grabbed a coffee from the pot that Jane had made Jane began. Calling in Eric and Joanne from the other room Jane pointed round the room making the introductions so everyone was aware of each other's names.

  "Ok first things first I would like to extend our condolences for the loss of Blake. I know you all must be feeling it."

  “Yeah and we would like to offer ours for Angie. She was a great lady."

  "That she was. But for now the best way we can honor the people we have lost is to fight to get Perry back and to bring these bastards down."

  “We're listening Jane what's the plan?"

  "Ok Perry in his ever so helpful state already did a lot of the groundwork in investigating who was involved in the uprising against him. What you see on this board is a list of names and businesses. What we would like you to do is extract some extra information in an oh so delicate way."

  “Jane what your suggesting does not sound like a Detective or like something Essex police would agree to. How do we know that we can trust you all?"

  "I can answer that I am Superintendent Steve Barrow. This idea was pitched by the Detective last night and supported by all of us you see in this room. This morning I took it before the board to get permission. Now there are rules that apply. You can only hit a target that we name if you start going off the books and out on your own you could face charges even if it turns out to be probative for the investigation. The only way we can protect you and keep it legal is if you do it by our orders."

  “And you can trust us because we want to end this as much as you do. I want Perry back and that isn’t something that will ever be up for questioning.”

  “Ok I didn’t mean any offence this is just a different relationship with the police than what were used to.”

  “Point taken. Carry on.”

  “Ok so what your saying is you line up the targets we knock them about a bit get the information we need to help find Peter Ray’s hiding place and we're all good."

  "Exactly I'm Joanne just in case you forgot my job on this team is a press liaison as such. I'm good with people. The second part of our plan is you rough them up and we take them into protective custody, they are not then technically arrested. The public image that we will sell to the press will be a turf war that we are doing our best to minimize and control for the safety of Essex."

  "What about the safety of Perry?"

  "Mark right, I'm Perry's fiancé not just a Detective his safety is my number one priority. But I also know the only way I'm going to get him back alive is to find him sooner rather than later. To do that I need to bang on doors loud and make people see I'm not just going to back away and wait for the dust to settle. These are not ordinary criminals. From our own research and from everyone I have spoken to about Peter Ray and Charlene they are described as being ruthless and callous. So we need to be the same and the only way we can do that is through you."

  “Ok I think I can answer for all of us being Perry’s right hand man were in. Who is our first target?”

  “Jane you might want to hold that thought until you has seen the information that Amy has sent through.”

  “Ok well let’s take a looks at that first. What about you lots you know these people who do you think we would be better off starting with?”

  Eddie, Mark, Charlie and Tony all got up from their seats and drifted closer over to the boards where all the information on the people and businesses were pinned up. Jane went over to one of the computers that had been set up and logged into her private email address and pulled up the information that Amy had sent her through. Jane could hear the guys discussing different ideas through. The main constituency seemed to be that if they attacked to high up the chain too fast it could spiral out of control and put Perry in danger but the same consensus was that if they attacked to low it could take them longer to get the information that they needed.

  “Ok guys I can hear you having trouble trying to work out where up the chain to hit but I got some extra information here that might help us. I had one of our colleagues, she is on maternity leave, but she’s great with computers, anyway I had her digging into the files and business registrations see if anything weird came up. There is one garage that is showing that should have been open the last couple of days but it hasn’t been. The bloke that owns it has had a suspicious lack of phone, credit and debit card activity; he hasn’t popped up online at all. All things we look at to monitor people of interest’s movements he isn’t pinging on any. Which raises the question what has he been so busy doing for the past forty-eight hours that he hasn’t even spent any money.”

  “Ok well who is this guy?”

  “We are looking at one George Mason. He owns George’s Garage down in East Thurrock. What do you know on him?”

  “Ok well he is kind of a middle runner probably would be a good first hit. If he hasn’t had any activity over the last couple of days I agree it does raise suspicions that he has been involved. What would you like us to do?”

  “Pay him a visit. Remember you haven’t got to be gentle with him but we don’t have the same scope to deal with like they do.”

  “So no removing any limbs or appendages?”

  “As much as they deserve it and as much as I would do anything to get Perry back, no. Try and do it with using the least amount of force possible but get as much information as you can.”

  “Will do Detective.”

  “Call in once it’s done that way we can send a police unit and an ambulance. That way it can set the second part into play. And guys stay safe.”

  Eddie, Mark, Charlie and Tony each gave them a nod of the head and walked off. Jane was unsure what she had started here but there was no time to back out.

  “Ok now they are gone there is something else that we need to discuss. Parker had said to me this morning when I took his statement about some things Charlene had said. Charlene told him that this was also an act of revenge against me. That I have taken someone that she loved and relied on and she wants to make me feel the same way. Apparently if I can work that out I’ll be able to realize where they are holding Perry. But we have no clue really about Charlene’s past. So that was one of the other things I have had Amy dig into.”

  “Has she found anything?”

  “Charlene has a sealed adoption record. It may have something to do with the family that adopted her or it could have something to do with her real family. For the moment that is all Amy has managed to work out. I’d like to see if I could get a court order to unseal the files
and get the information we need.”

  “Ok but if the file is sealed how can we be sure that Charlene knows what’s in it?”

  “Well the adoption file is sealed to the outside nobody else can look in on it. But Charlene apparently was granted access to it nearly thirteen years ago. After she left Perry and Parker Charlene seemed to be on the hunt for her real family. Perhaps that was one thing that had always haunted her not really knowing where she came from. Could be why she turned to drugs and ended up prostituting.”

  “That sounded almost sympathetic towards her.”

  “It did, didn’t it? Sometimes it helps though to understand ones path where they are going we must first look at the line they’ve walked. And Charlene’s path has been one filled with mine fields. It’s no surprise she has snapped.”

  “Jane what’s that beeping?”

  “Oh the fax machine I told the crime techs to send any information here. Should be from them.”

  “Jane we also need to discuss what we watched in the DVD.”

  “Oh right I suppose we do. Did you manage to watch it all then?”

  “Yes it wasn’t the longest but they were trying to access more information from Perry.”

  “How did he hold up?”

  “He was alive but in a bad way. You know the whole towel over your face and water. It essentially feels like your drowning. They were doing that stopping seeing if he was ready to answer some questions he gave them nothing Jane.”

  “But he was alive at the end of it?”

  “Yes alive Jane his face looks like it has taken more of a beating probably in response to him and Blake the night before. They were asking for people on his side like the men we just met. If Perry didn’t name names they were threatening to go shoot up one of his establishments.”

  “Well that’s bad. But I know Perry he is too loyal he saw what they did to Blake he isn’t going to name one of his friends.”

  “I know I can’t say I blame him but the risk is greater that more people are going to die.”

  “Ok I can see that. The only thing we can do is see if we can get a police presence on the entrances to Perry’s establishments. Up the police patrols in the area and just try and deter them from following through with their threat.”

  “Ok I’ll go to the station and set that in motion and they I’ll go see a judge about unsealing Charlene’s records. Joanne why don’t you come with me.”

  “Sure Superintendent.”

  “Ok were stay here and work through the information that the crime techs have sent hopefully there something probative there.”

  Jane collapsed down in a chair Perry was holding out but Jane wasn’t sure if she could much longer through this ordeal. She wanted Perry back. To do that, they needed to work. The Superintendent and Joanne left Ian, Eric and Jane set about collecting the faxes and pouring themselves each another cup of coffee. Jane just hoped the Judge granted them access to Charlene’s file. Jane needed to know who she was so she could work out what she had done to her. Jane was just praying that this had nothing to do with Thaddeus. She didn’t think she would be able to handle it if it turned out this had all sprang from him.

  Chapter 14

  Jane, Ian and Eric all sat round looking through the files that had been faxed through from the analysis lab. No one was saying much they were each engrossed in the information they were reading and their brains were still reeling from the new information they had heard. Jane had in her hand what she believed some very key vital information.

  "Guys Blake had trace analysis on his clothes."

  "Great did it give us a location?"

  "In all honesty I don't know they found trace analysis of fibers which they have traced back to a car. A Mercedes, an m class. There was also soil deposits in the tread of his trainers, which showed he walked through wet mud, so we're looking somewhere more off road hence 4x4 as well. They analyzed the soil samples and deemed it matched the soil description of Essex. But there was something else a residue that they are still analyzing that may give us use of building that he was held in. They analyzed the duct tape and it was of the duck brand. Which can be purchased in any hardware store like home base or b & q. So that hasn't really helped but there was a hair and a fingerprint they have managed to pull that did not belong to our victim. They are running it now."

  "Excellent well that has yielded some useful information I'll run through the system and see if any of the names on our list match a dmv record for a Mercedes m class. The CCTV footage from La Luna may also help with that so I'll do a run through in that. If I upload the footage to the laptop I should be able to run the facial recognition software over it and see who jumps out."

  "Excellent ok well I have been looking at the pen that they gave Angie. It did have a tracking device in it a small transmittable GPS signal. It is quite unique being as small as it is but I have looked devices like this can be ordered off the Internet. One idea the lab has had is that we could try and ping the signal to see where it has been transmitted. The only problem it includes the risk that they will know we have done it. What do you want me to tell the lab to do?"

  "Ping it let them know we're looking for them."

  "Ok will do."

  "I was looking at the analysis of the back of the house they found fingerprints on the back door as well as a boot print in the mud. We're looking at a size eleven-boot print possibly from a timberland. Fingerprints are still running."

  "Ok excellent so Eric you phone the lab tell them to ping the signal for the GPS and watch out for that. Ian you look at CCTV footage and the car list. I'll look at a map and see what buildings are registered somewhere more off road where wet mud could have been picked up. Hopefully the Superintendent and Joanne should be back soon with the court order to open Charlene's adoption files and the patrols and police presence at Perry’s establishments."

  "Well we have all got our bits to do lets go."

  Jane liked this part, the effortlessness of working alongside her team the only part missing was Amy otherwise they were a well-tuned machine as always. Jane started pulling up a street view on Google maps of all the properties listed, many of them were along the high street such as the garage that Eddie and his colleagues had gone to. There was one that seemed to be sparking an interest in Jane, even though it was one of Perry's, the security company. Jane decided it was time she called them. Jane stepped off into Perry's office taking in the scent of his aftershave that still lingered in the air as though a bitter reminder not to forget that he was missing. Rather than using the mobile phone she had Jane decided to call from the desk landline phone that Perry had sitting on the top right hand corner of his desk. Jane hoped it would give her more of an edge ringing of a number that would be recognized.

  "Hi can I speak to Bill Rogers please?"

  "Speaking who is this? You are definitely not Perry Fierce and this is his personal office number?"

  "I'm Jane, Perry's fiancé, perhaps you heard that he has been kidnapped."

  "A rumor had made it my way but I was unsure whether to believe it not. So you’re the Detective why aren't you looking for him?"

  "I am, your name and your business popped up in my investigation. Becky the manager from La Luna pointed me in your direction she said you would be able to help."

  "Did she now and what exactly do you need help with?"

  “Perry has all his CCTV from his buildings linked directly to you. You have a live stream of everything going on in any range of one of the cameras. So you should be able to give me access so I can look across the board for any sign of Perry.”

  “And what makes you think I would grant you access like that? You know there may still be some wheeling’s and dealings inside these buildings that you might not want to see.”

  “In all honesty I don’t give a crap about any of that. You could be trading meth, guns, prostitutes under my nose and I wouldn’t give a shit all I want is Perry back. Plus there has been evidence of a threat made by the people t
hat have Perry. A potential mass shooting is going to take place at one of his establishments, now you would like to prevent that wouldn’t you? Now you are either going to co-operate out of the goodness of your heart and for missing your boss. Or I will make sure that when I get him back, which you can guarantee I will, you will be the first one I have fired for being an ass.”

  “Hahaha Perry said you were a lady with spunk. I like it, I like you little mam so I’ll give you what you want. Have you got an email address I’ll send you a link and access codes to get in the system. You will be able to check any camera across a complete twenty-four hour rotation for as long as you need.”

  “Thank you Bill. I will certainly remember your help.”

  Jane gave him her email address and had to smile. Even now when everything was going tits up Perry had some excellent people working for him. Jane felt like she had been put through another test and passed and gained the trust of what hopefully will be an ever-helpful source of information. When Jane had hung up the phone she made her way back into the living room area where Eric and Ian were still working away. Eric had come off the phone but his face was looking more grim than hopeful.