by M A Comley
Hero raised his eyebrow but kept quiet. Hmm…we’ll see how that turns out.
“Sir, you might want to see this,” Jason called out.
Hero and Pitt both walked across the room to Jason’s desk. “What have you found?”
“I didn’t bother looking around the post office because I knew how unlikely that would be given its location, sir, so I extended my search to the outlying areas and picked up this.”
Hero leaned in closer to the monitor and watched the Avensis fill the screen. “Jesus, can you get a close up, Jason?”
“I can, but the image starts to go out of focus.”
“Do your best. If we can get a decent image of this man, we’ll run it through the system and contact the media. I’ve had enough of sitting back and twiddling my thumbs.”
Jason whizzed through several more camera angles until he found a clearer image of the two men travelling in the car.
“That’s brilliant. I doubt we’re going to get much better than that,” Pitt said, equally enthusiastic.
“Print it off, Jason, and get it circulated ASAP.” The stirring of excitement churned up Hero’s insides. “This will either make him panic or drive him underground.”
“Let’s hope he doesn’t vent his anger on either the boy or the girl,” Pitt replied, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling.
The team worked longer than usual that evening. Their colleagues from Liverpool had given them a different perspective through fresh eyes. They watched the evening news bulletin displaying the image of the suspect together in the incident room before most of the team dispersed for the evening. Jason and Scully from the Liverpool team volunteered to man the phones during the night shift. Hero had a feeling that the TV announcement would at least furnish them with a name to be going on with. He drove home, resisted the temptation to dip into the pub to down a few pints, and arrived just as Fay was coming down the stairs.
“Hard day at the office, dear?” she asked, sashaying towards him.
“Is that a note of sarcasm I detect, Mrs. Nelson?” He drew her towards him and kissed her.
She wrapped her arms seductively around his neck. “No sarcasm intended.”
“I’m starving…umm, for food. Mind if we eat first and then snuggle up on the couch?”
Fay pecked him on the cheek and pushed away from him. “Whoever said the art of romance is dead was right. She grabbed his tie and dragged him through the lounge and into the kitchen.
“I’m sorry, love. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
“When? On holiday, when we’re crammed in a poxy caravan with three kids and your sister around? I think I’ll give that a miss, if it’s all the same to you.”
Hero smacked her backside playfully. “How was your day?”
“Probably far busier than yours, but I still made it home on time.”
Hero laughed. “You’re nuts. At least your office is within spitting distance of the kitchen and the kids’ bedrooms.”
“Yeah, I know. I just like making you feel guilty for not pulling your weight where our kids’ upbringing is concerned.”
His jaw slackened for a moment before he clamped his mouth shut again. “Bit below the belt, love.”
“Was it? I hadn’t noticed. Keeps you on your toes, though.” She winked and took a bottle of wine from the fridge. “Do the honours while I heat up our meal. Hopefully, it hasn’t spoilt.”
“What’s on the menu?”
“Lasagne and salad.”
It was Hero’s favourite meal, and he salivated in anticipation. He devoted the rest of the evening to making it up to Fay for being late home and missing out on helping to get the kids ready for bed.
Chapter 16
After depositing the boy back to where he was keeping him and ensuring he had enough food and drink to last him until his next visit, Myers dropped by his own house to feed his four-legged friend. While he was there he switched the number plates on the Juke, before he made a huge fuss of Tiger. “Sorry, pal. Just a few more days, and this will all be over. We’ll take off together and start afresh, leave all the memories behind, eh?”
The cat purred and rubbed his body around Myers’s legs. He left the house and drove back to check on the girl he’d left in the wardrobe at the other location. He unlocked the wardrobe door and looked down at her.
She held up her hand to shield her eyes from the overhead light. “I didn’t think you were going to return.”
“The thought had crossed my mind. Do you need the toilet?”
“Yes, please,” she whispered, clearly embarrassed.
He held out his hand to help her stand. She seemed hesitant to trust him, and he laughed at the fear swimming in her eyes. “Be quick. I’ll be waiting outside, listening, so don’t try and open the window and cry for help, or…” He left the unspoken threat dangling between them.
She gulped and walked unsteadily out of the room and along the hallway with him six inches behind her. He didn’t fully close the door to the bathroom but left it ajar, ready to fulfil his threat if necessary. Two minutes later, the loo flushed and the water ran in the sink. “There’s no towel in here,” she complained.
“You’ll have to improvise.”
The girl emerged wiping her hands down her jeans.
“What’s your name?”
Eyes averted, she replied, “Vicki, Vicki Baldwin.”
“Well, Vicki Baldwin, you and I are about to get personally acquainted.”
Her gaze locked with his, and her body trembled. “Please, all I want to do is go home. I promise not to tell anyone where this place is. I’ll tell them it was all a misunderstanding and that you didn’t hurt me.”
“Which is the truth—I haven’t hurt you…yet.” He laughed, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back into the bedroom. “Get in.”
She dug her heels into the worn carpet, and her free arm hit out at him. “I don’t want to be confined in there again. I won’t do anything wrong, I swear.”
His mind raced. He needed the girl to be compliant—would that be in jeopardy if he kept her locked up? “Okay, come downstairs. Give me any form of crap, and you’ll be locked up in the wardrobe again.”
She let out a relieved sigh. “I promise.”
He pushed her ahead of him, and they descended the stairs. He pointed for her to take the door ahead of them. Once in the lounge, he paced the floor, deep in thought. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. The girl watched him with a puzzled frown. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes, ravenous.”
“Sit,” he ordered. Dipping his hand into the carrier bag he’d brought with him, he withdrew a sandwich and a can of Coke and threw them at her. “Here. You need to keep your strength up for what I have in mind for you.”
She ripped open the packet and took a huge bite out of the sandwich. Once she’d finished the first mouthful, she asked, “Can I ask what?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. We’ll see then how far you’re prepared to go to save not only your own life, but also your parents’, too. Just Mummy and Daddy at home, is there?”
“Yes. Please, I’ll do anything as long as none of us are hurt.”
“What a wise girl you are. Eat your food. I need silence to run a few ideas through my mind.” By the time she had consumed her sandwich and gulped down her drink, he’d come up with a plan he thought would put the inspector working on his case in a quandary what to do next about capturing him. He glanced out the window; dusk was already descending fast. If his aim was to keep the coppers on their toes he had to use the kids frequently and wisely, unless…
“How wealthy are you?”
“Me, personally? I don’t have much in my bank account.”
He tutted. “Your family? They must be fairly well off if they’ve put up a reward for you,” he said, remembering the snippet of news that had caught his attention on the radio during the drive over there.
“They’ve put up a reward? I knew Mum and Dad wouldn’t let me down.�
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“Cut the melodramatics, just answer the question. What are they worth?”
The girl shrugged. “They keep their finances a secret from me.”
He glared and took a step towards her.
She backed away. “No, wait. I can only give you a rough estimate.”
Myers tapped his foot impatiently. “Go on.”
“About five million or so, plus there’s the house.”
A satisfied smile stretched his mouth apart. “Hmm…now that’s worth considering. Let me think about that one for a few minutes.”
The room fell silent. He continued to stare at the girl, who fidgeted under his gaze. He switched on the TV as several plans ran through his mind. The female newsreader was talking about the sad deaths of the two police officers and announced that their funerals were going to be held the following morning at ten a.m. The plans he’d formulated dissipated and gave way to a new and much improved one that would coincide with the coppers’ funerals.
Chapter 17
“What do you think?” Hero ran a finger underneath his collar.
Unexpected tears welled up in his wife’s eyes, and she walked towards him. “You look wonderful—dapper even. I always get a thrill seeing you in your proper uniform.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had to wear it. Thought I better make the effort to give the boys a send-off they deserve. Maybe I should take a change of suit for after the funeral. What do you think?”
Fay smiled and kissed his cheek. “Would it really hurt you to wear it all day, as a mark of respect?”
“I guess not. Forget I said anything. Okay, I better shake a leg and get to work. Be good for your mum, kids. See you later.” Hero spent the next few seconds kissing his wife and three children goodbye before he hopped into his car. His drive through the heavy traffic that morning was full of memories of the time he’d spent with Chris Portman on duty with the Territorial Army. His thoughts lay with Chris’s fiancée, Fiona, on this very sad day. He felt extreme pride being a member of the Greater Manchester Police Force, as the planned funeral for the boys was going to be conducted with full honours. Several of the surrounding forces had volunteered to cover the shifts of those officers wanting to attend the funerals, and Hero’s heart swelled with pride. It wasn’t every day people chose to give up their days off to cover a colleague’s shift, but then it wasn’t every day a copper got killed in the line of duty, although it was becoming more prevalent.
The second he stepped into the incident room and saw the rest of his team in uniform, a large lump wedged in his throat. Pitt was sitting in his office and jumped out of his chair the moment Hero walked in.
“Stay there. I don’t intend dealing with any post or mundane paperwork today. Any news on the investigation from the guys on the night shift?”
“Nothing really. While you’re out, I’m going to get my lads to trawl through the criminal database, see if we can get a name for this bastard once and for all.”
“If we can find that out, we’ll be laughing. Jason managed to work his magic to obtain a pretty clear image in the end.”
“He did well. Do you want me to call Mr. Walker? Maybe he should hear about his son’s involvement in the last crime before the media start shouting about it.”
“Good idea. A little tact might be called for when you place the call.”
Pitt nodded. “Would you rather I went round there to see him in person?”
“If you get the chance, I think the personal touch would indeed soften the blow.”
“I’ll do that. What time are you off?”
“The funeral is around ten. I thought we’d leave around nine-thirty, if that’s all right?”
“Whenever you want. It’s going to be a tough day for everyone. I could sense the sombre atmosphere when I walked through the station’s entrance this morning. Glad to see so many officers have volunteered to cover for you guys.”
“It certainly gladdens the heart. I’m going to have a chat with my team.” He leaned across the desk and whispered, “I have a few sensitive souls that I need to keep an eye on throughout the day. My partner is one of them.”
“Her exterior seems pretty harsh, if you ask me.”
Hero smiled. “She can be like a ferocious lioness one minute and resemble a tiny vulnerable kitten the next. It’s a full-time job managing her moods, I can tell you,” he said light-heartedly. He left the office and circulated the incident room, ensuring everyone was aware what time they’d be setting off. “You all right, Julie?”
She nodded and brushed a piece of white cotton off her black skirt. “I’ll survive. Am I riding with you, boss?”
“Yes. Sally, do you want a ride, too?”
“That would be wonderful, sir. Thank you.”
The rest of the travelling arrangements were sorted out swiftly, and people got back to their tasks until the clock hands read nine-thirty. The Liverpool team bid them a solemn farewell, and together Hero’s team, along with the rest of the regular officers based at the station, including Cara, left the building. Hero led the line of cars to the church. He was in awe at the number of civilians standing outside the church in the rain, waiting to pay their respects.
The service was being broadcast through speakers rigged up on high poles so the public could follow it. Hero was flanked on either side by the three tearful women, Sally and Julie on one side and Cara on the other. His heart went out to his sister, who would have to go through it all again when they buried Darren in a few days. He held her hand tightly during the service. At Fay’s suggestion, Hero had chosen to read Remember Me by David Harkins during the eulogy. He also added a little speech about how Chris had been a huge part of his life outside working hours, praised him for his role as a TA officer, and even shared a few funny anecdotes of their time together. They had once airlifted a naked couple off their sinking yacht out in the North Sea, and the mourners laughed at that particular tale. Chris would have wanted the day to have lighter notes sprinkled in between the seriousness of the proceedings.
After the service, the mourners moved outside. The two men were buried alongside each other under a gun salute. Even Hero’s eyes were damp.
Myers left the house with the girl. He’d warned her that if she didn’t comply with his orders he would take her to her parents’ mansion and kill them in front of her, emphasising that it would be a long, drawn-out death.
Her hands shook in her lap during the drive to the location. He intended to use her for one job then contact her parents to see what they were prepared to pay to get their daughter back. They arrived at the shopping precinct in Swinton and watched the flurry of shoppers walk past the vehicle and up the ramp to the shops.
“You know what to do?”
“Yes, I’m scared. Are you sure I won’t get hurt?”
He shrugged. “Can’t guarantee no one will hurt you out there, but if you refuse to do it, I’ll string you up from the nearest tree and leave you there until you die—after I’ve killed your parents, of course. Am I making myself clear?”
“Yes.” Her voice shook, and she licked her dry lips.
“Have you got the weapons tucked away?”
She opened the carrier bag he’d given her and showed him the gun, the knife, and the can of pepper spray.
“Good. Now go forth and enjoy. I’ll give you thirty minutes to complete the job. Any later, and I leave here and make my way over to your parents’ gaff. Clear?”
She swallowed and nodded. “I’m going. What if I get caught?”
“Not my problem. Your parents will be killed by the end of the day.”
The teary-eyed teenager left the car and ran up the ramp towards the larger shops as instructed. He stared in that direction for the next twenty minutes until she ran at full speed towards him. He started the car, and as soon as she hit the passenger seat beside him, he put his foot down. “How did you get on?”
“I robbed the till, like you said. There was a burly security guard on duty. He tried
to stop me, but I aimed the gun at his head, and he backed off.”
Myers laughed. “Good, glad to see you’re capable of following instructions. I have another job for you. This time, you’ll have a partner with you.”
“What do you mean ‘a partner’?”
He turned sharply to face her. “Did I give you permission to ask questions?”
Vicki turned to look out the side window and mumbled, “I’m sorry.”
The team arrived back at the station, along with the rest of their colleagues. Life went on, even in such sad circumstances.
DI Pitt and his team welcomed them with sympathetic smiles. Hero set aside his grief when Pitt explained what they’d discovered about the suspect.
Hero sat on the edge of the desk next to where Pitt was seated. “So, have you got a name?”
“Yes, one of my guys found his profile not long after you left. We’ve had the chance to do a full background check since then.”
“Excellent news. Let’s gather the team around; they should all hear what you have to say.”
“My guys are aware. Leave them to continue digging while we bring your team up to date.”
Hero nodded and clapped to gain the room’s attention. “My team please, gather around. Our friends have been very productive in our absence, and DI Pitt is about to share what they’ve uncovered about the suspect.”
The team shuffled their chairs to face Hero and Pitt.
DI Pitt cleared his throat then pointed at the image of the suspect on the incident board. “Say hello to Bob Myers, folks. He’s forty-two, known to us through a petty-theft charge and a case of attempted forgery. Got put inside for a six-month stretch.”
Hero halted him with a raised hand. “How do minor charges grow into robbing post offices and murdering our boys?”
“We’re not sure on that yet. Scully is trying to track down his prison record; that seems to be the most plausible reason.”
Hero nodded. “Go on…what else have you found?”