Hidden Agenda (DI Kayli Bright Trilogy Book 3)

by M A Comley

  “Agreed. Not sure how we’re going to manage that, but I think you’re right, mate,” Jacko said.

  Kayli scanned the area and spotted a knife in Bandy’s belt. She crossed the floor and smiled at the man before she removed the knife. He stepped back and raised his hands.

  “Crap, don’t kill me for agreeing with my comrades,” he joked.

  Kayli poked her tongue out at him and held the knife out in front of her. “Who’s going to do the honours?”

  The men eyed each other in puzzlement, wondering if she’d lost her mind.

  “Come on, guys, unless anyone has got a pair of scissors, that is.”

  The men only looked more confused.

  “We haven’t got a Scooby-Doo what you’re going on about, love,” Jacko said.

  She sighed heavily. “Giles and I discussed this last night. I saw the way that man looked at me, and he’s supposed to be our ally. God knows how the Taliban or ISIS bastards are going to react when they lay eyes on me. One of you needs to hack off my hair. Who’s going to volunteer to do it?”

  “Hey, I think you’re right. Maybe one of us should do it rather than Giles,” Bandy replied.

  “That’s what I was thinking, because if Giles did it, he’d feel my wrath for the rest of his days,” Kayli joked.

  Bandy stepped forward and removed the knife from her hand. “I’ve always fancied myself as a barber. Hey, maybe we should get the razor out and give you a blade-one haircut instead of using the knife. What do you say, Kayli?”

  “Crap, I’m regretting my decision already,” she replied nervously.

  Giles laughed. “A quick slice will be all it takes, sis. However, it’s going to take you years to regrow it.”

  “Don’t I know it, and with a wedding to look forward to next year too.” She winked at him, trying to keep her spirits upbeat. She stood with her back to Bandy, her eyes closed tightly as if she were about to undergo the most terrifying torture treatment ever discovered by man.

  Bandy pressed her head forward then grabbed her hair and pulled on it. She felt the knife slice through her luscious locks. Moments later, Bandy presented her with the offcut. Tears filled her eyes. There was no going back.

  She glanced over at her brother, who was standing with his mouth hanging open. “Do you think Mark will still recognise me when he sees me?” Do you think he’ll still love me and want to marry me? she was desperate to add.

  The men all laughed, and Giles crossed the room to hug her. “No doubt about it, love. He’ll regard you as his heroine whether you have your beautiful long hair or not. You’re still the most caring, loving person you were before. He’ll realise that from the get-go.”

  Kayli smiled and wiped away the few tears that had dripped onto her cheek. “I can’t believe I just did that. I suppose we all have to make sacrifices in this life. I think that was a major one for me. How do I look?”

  “As beautiful as ever. I bet Mum and Dad will have trouble recognising you when we get back.”

  “Shit! Do I look that different? Is it too masculine?”

  “Hey, that was your intention, right?” Mac called over.

  She grimaced. “Ouch! I suppose so. Okay, what’s done is done. Now what?” She tried to shrug off one of the hardest decisions she’d ever had to make in her life. I’m overreacting. It’s just a bunch of hair. It’ll regrow. It’s not as if I’ve just cut off my arm or my leg, for God’s sake. Get a grip, girl.

  “We sit and wait for Abdul to get back to us. I think you’re right. We’ll treat the information he gives us with caution. I’ve never had a reason to distrust him in the past, but that doesn’t mean to say we shouldn’t consider it going forward. The rebels might have got to him. When a Westerner’s life is at risk, it kind of puts a different spin on things all round.”

  Kayli took the band from her hair and let it fall loose. Instead of her mane falling down to her waist, it was now barely touching her shoulders. She couldn’t remember the last time she had worn it so short, possibly in her teens at school. She held up the offcut and said to Giles, “All right if I put it in the bag and take it home as a souvenir of our trip?” She was determined to keep her mood buoyant to cover the fact that inside, she felt as though she’d lost a limb. She knew how ridiculous that sounded in the grand scheme of things when people around her were losing their lives, but she struggled to get past her emotions, which were all over the place in her new surroundings.

  Mac handed her a hip flask. “Here, you look as though you could do with a proper drink.”

  Kayli took a swig of the burning liquid, lowered the flask, and had a coughing fit, much to the men’s amusement. “Crap! What kind of shit is that?”

  “Their own brand of whisky. It’s not very refined, is it?”

  She handed the flask back to Mac. “Thanks, I think.”

  Her act of self-sacrifice helped her bond with the group of men. Over the course of the evening, they asked her about her role as a DI and how she came to join the force instead of choosing the army like her brother.

  “To be honest, I’ve never thought about joining the army. Maybe that has something to do with being brought up by a general and moving from country to country every couple of years. Perhaps Giles appreciated that side of his childhood more than I did. I can’t really tell you the reason behind me joining the force.” She fell silent as she thought back. No one had ever really asked her that question. “Wait... there was quite a high-profile case in the news about a serial killer bumping off prostitutes in the Suffolk area that caught my interest when I was in my teens. I suppose that must have sparked more than my imagination at the time.”

  “How do you get on with your male counterparts?” Bandy asked. “The reason I raise the question is because a distant relative of mine joined the force about twenty years ago. She found it really tough. Actually, she left after a couple of years, found it impossible to work alongside the blokes. She said they were treated differently to her, if I recall.”

  “I can understand her saying that. Back then, I think it was super tough being a female copper. Maybe it’s better now because some of those women serving during your relative’s time on the force went on to become DCIs and DIs. My own DCI is a prime example. Sometimes she’s really tough on me, but I know she’s only doing it for my own good.”

  “Kayli’s a top-notch inspector, guys. She runs a tight ship and has an excellent arrest record. She’s just too modest to share that piece of news.”

  Kayli smiled at him. “I love that you’ve always got my back, bro.”

  “Too right, and I know that’s reciprocated.”

  Kayli smiled. “It is. Anyway, I’m hoping to have a job to go back to upon my return.”

  “Is there any doubt about that?” Mac asked. “What with you being so proficient?”

  “I’m not sure. I suppose there’s always that niggling doubt in my mind. My DCI willingly suggested I take two weeks’ holiday. Some holiday, right, guys?” She sniggered.

  The men laughed. “You know what, Kayli? You’re an all right kind of girl. Mark should count himself lucky for having you in his corner. Not every girl would go above and beyond the way you have. Risking their lives to rescue their fella,” Jacko said, a look of admiration in his dark-brown eyes.

  Kayli’s cheeks flushed. “Thanks, guys. That means a lot coming from you.”

  “Time for some scran. Bandy and I will go. Mac, you stay here with these guys. Everyone hungry?” Jacko asked.

  The room filled with raised thumbs and enthusiastic nods. Kayli watched the two men leave, but her stomach tied in knots pretty soon after, as she was fearful when the group parted. She needn’t have worried, though, as Giles and Mac armed themselves and stood guard at the window and the door until Bandy and Jacko returned. In their absence, Kayli had gathered the few plates they had and given them a quick wash.

  Jacko and Bandy entered the house again twenty minutes later. The smell of roasted meat wafted into the room with them. Kayli
’s stomach growled. She was hungrier than she’d realised. Jacko handed her two bags. One contained a round loaf of bread, and the other a chicken that had been roasted and was coated in all sorts of spices.

  She divided the meal, taking a smaller portion for herself, and handed the plates around. Ravenous, they all tucked into the feast. At first, she was unsure whether she liked the spices, but with each mouthful, the taste grew on her. The bread was harder than she was expecting, and sometimes, if she took a large bite, it got lodged in her throat.

  They were nearing the end of the meal when Mac’s phone rang. He hurriedly answered it and placed the call on speaker. “Abdul, what do you have for us?”

  Everyone’s attention was drawn to what the man was telling them.

  “I hear he’s going to be moved tonight.”

  “Where are they moving him from?” Mac asked.

  “Close to library in town. They keep him in house in alley there.”

  “Do you know where they’re taking him?”

  “I hear Kabul.”

  Mac’s brow furrowed. “Why Kabul?”

  “I know not why. The Taliban know you in area.”

  “When?” Mac asked the only other question that needed to be asked.

  “In twenty minutes. You must hurry. I go now.” With that, their contact hung up.

  Kayli’s gaze darted between the men. “Do we believe him?”

  Giles shrugged. “We have to. It’s all we have.”

  Jacko nodded. “Agreed. We need to ensure we’re properly armed, plenty of backup ammo before we set off. Move it.”

  Kayli stood up and watched the men load their weapons, unsure what her role should be.

  Giles stood alongside her and smiled. “This is it, sis. Hopefully, we’ll get Mark back without much hassle.”

  “What do you need me to do? Can I have a weapon? I’m coming with you, right? I don’t want to be left behind.”

  Jacko tapped his gun once it was loaded. “You’ll come with us, but stay in the car in case there’s a shoot-out.”

  “Okay,” was all she could think of to say as her mind whirled and her heart rate escalated at the thought of seeing her fella within a matter of minutes.

  Giles’s arm crushed her to him. “We’ve got this, Kayli. We’ll be on the plane back to Blighty soon. I promise you.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  They left the house and piled into the car, Jacko and Bandy up front and Mac and Giles either side of her in the rear. Moments later, they parked in the road next to the library. They had a good view of the alley Abdul had mentioned, but darkness had descended, making it impossible to see.

  Jacko hit the steering wheel. “We’re going to have to get closer. Can’t take the risk of them leaving here. Agreed?”

  Please, don’t put Mark’s life in danger. The words rattled around her head, but she knew better than to voice them. The men would do everything they could not to endanger Mark’s life further.

  Giles leaned over to whisper, “You should come with us. Stick behind me—close, all right?”

  Kayli’s head bobbed up and down, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and excitement at the thought of seeing Mark after all these weeks.

  “Are you ready, guys? On the count of three. One... two... three.” Jacko rallied his men into attack mode.

  The five of them flew out the car. Kayli grabbed her brother’s jacket and stuck to him like glue. They found a safe position close to the library and watched the other men sneak closer in the darkness. A car’s lights lit up ahead, and the men darted for cover.

  “We can’t let them get away, Giles,” Kayli whispered.

  “They won’t. Let us deal with this, sis.”

  “Okay. I’ll keep quiet.”

  They heard men laughing, close to the vehicle ahead. The car door opened, adding extra light to the alley. Kayli’s heart was in her mouth when two men removed a hooded man from the building and shoved him into the back of the car. “My God, it’s him. Why aren’t Jacko and his men attacking them? Please, please don’t let them get away.”

  “Ssh... keep quiet. Let us think.”

  Kayli saw Jacko and Bandy crouch and begin to move down the alley towards the car. Mac remained where he was on the other side of the alley, his machine gun placed across his arm, aimed at the vehicle.

  “I hope they’re going to make a move soon,” Kayli whispered in her brother’s ear as she peered over his shoulder.

  “Be patient and ssh...”

  The men got into the car, then the engine started up. Kayli gripped Giles’s shoulder. He shrugged her off and kept his position intact, aiming at the car’s tyres.

  Seconds later, Jacko and Bandy ran at the vehicle, shouting at the men to get out of the car. Gunshots were fired. Everything was a daze for Kayli once she heard the guns going off, and unexpected tears dripped onto her cheeks. Please be careful. Don’t hurt Mark!

  Mac ran down the alley to join the others as yet more gunshots were fired. “Giles, we need to get in there. What if the Taliban kill Mark rather than let him escape?”

  “Ssh... it’s all in hand. Be patient.”

  After more gunshots, Kayli heard men shouting Allah’s name. She couldn’t stand it any longer. She broke cover and ran down the alley.

  “Come back here, Kayli, you idiot.”

  More shots were fired, then there was silence. In the silence, Kayli heard only her heavy breathing and the sound of running feet. Bandy pulled her arm before she reached the vehicle.

  “Don’t go any closer, Kayli. Stand down.”

  “I’m not one of your men. I have a right to be here. I need to see if Mark is okay.”

  Jacko stood in front of her, his eyes blazing into hers. “Stand back. That’s an order.”

  Kayli covered her mouth with her hand as Jacko and Bandy cautiously approached the car. They opened the back door, and Bandy shot into the car. Kayli’s heart skipped several beats and her breath caught in her throat.

  Giles arrived and yanked her round to face him. “Don’t you ever do that to me again, you hear me?”

  She nodded. Her gaze shot back to the car as Jacko reached into the back seat. Giles rushed past Kayli. They hauled the hooded man out of the vehicle, and Giles removed the cloth from his head. Kayli’s legs gave way beneath her. She rocked back and forth as tears cascaded down her cheeks. It wasn’t him. Mark was gone. They had been led into a trap.

  The man was grinning at them. Giles punched him in the mouth. His head snapped back then quickly returned to the same position. He glared at Giles, blood dripping from his mouth, and spat at him. Then he started shouting in his own language. Every other word was Allah, or so it seemed to Kayli.

  Mac helped her to her feet. “Come on, don’t let him see how much you’re affected by his vile actions. Show strength even in your weakest moment. Don’t let the bastards think they’ve won.”

  “But they have won. For all we know, Mark is dead. Why do that? Why toy with us like this?”

  “They’re a different brand of soldier. They’re cowards, really.”

  “What happens now?” Kayli asked.

  “We’ll take him back. Force the little shit to tell us where Mark is,” Mac replied.

  “Good. He deserves it. What about Abdul? I knew he looked shifty.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll deal with him before the day is out. He’s obviously forgotten that I know where he lives. We’ll pick him up on the way back. With two of them there, one of them is bound to talk.”

  Giles joined them. “Are you all right?”

  She shook her head. “Of course I’m not. We have to find Mark quickly. Remember my dreams, Giles.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll have these pricks singing before daylight.”

  “But it could be too late to save him by then,” Kayli said, swiping at the fresh tears rolling down her face.

  Jacko and Bandy dragged the man towards them. They came to a halt in front of Kayli. She spat in the man’s face. “You
’re despicable. May you rot in hell for what you’ve done.”

  He shouted back at her in his own language as Jacko and Bandy marched him to the car.

  “Let’s get back to the house,” Jacko shouted over his shoulder.

  “Wait. I need to check the vehicle for myself.” She tore open the car doors to find three dead men: two in the front, one in the back, all with bullet holes in their foreheads. She rushed to the back of the car and opened the boot. It sprang open. Inside was a cache of weapons and ammunition. Giles looked over her shoulder then pushed her gently aside to retrieve the weapons.

  “We can never have too much. We need to get out of here before reinforcements arrive.”

  “Where is he, Giles? Do you think they’ve killed him?”

  “We’ll find out soon enough. Let’s go.”

  Giles placed the weapons in the back of Jacko’s car, and they all squeezed into the vehicle. The decision had been made that they would take the rebel back to the house, then Mac and Bandy would go and pick up Abdul.

  ~ ~ ~

  At the house, half an hour later, the two men were bound by rope and sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. Bandy had a towel in his hand, twisting and untwisting it in front of him. Mac brought the jerrycan of water closer. The two men glanced at each other then at Bandy and Mac.

  “Which one of you is going to be first? Believe us, you will give us the information we need or die.” Jacko sneered at the two trembling individuals.

  “Our men will come. They will kill you if you harm us,” the man who had pretended to be Mark said.

  “We’ll see about that. If they come, we’ll be ready for them. We killed your men and sustained no casualties of our own, remember?”

  The man’s bravado wilted, and his head sank.

  “Right, you’re first, mouth almighty.” Jacko gave the nod for Mac and Bandy to grab the man.

  They positioned a small boulder on the floor and placed the man on top of it, the boulder pressing into his spine, then they draped the towel over his mouth and nose. Jacko unscrewed the jerrycan and emptied the water over the towel. The man tried to turn his head and kick out, but Giles was holding his legs firmly.