“Any reason?”
“He’s close to Sarah Harrington. At the moment she’s centre stage and we need to know all her associates. He has a smartphone.” Sean gave the number copied from his own. “He could be no one, could be involved.”
“OK, leave it with me. Victoria should be there by now. Remember, she’s in charge.”
“Would I forget?” He switched off. Minutes later he entered the station. One female officer stood behind the desk, two plain clothed officers in front. Sean showed his ID and was led to an office. He knocked once before entering. Sarah sat before a desk, Victoria beside her, a plain clothed CID opposite.
CHAPTER 22
“Do you have any idea why your child would have been taken in this way?” The CID woman asked.
Sarah shook her head. She appeared in a state of trauma, her head and body minutely shaking, her eyes wide and staring. Victoria took her hand.
Sean could see the interview would go nowhere. He showed the officer his card.
“With due respect, we´ll take over from here. If you and your team could just concentrate on the house for any lead to, or identification of the kidnappers. We´ll look after Sarah.”
“As you wish, sir, but can you please keep me informed of progress as we will do likewise for yourselves.”
“Agreed.”
The officer stood, gathered her notes and left the room nodding her head to Sarah.
Sean knelt and clasped her, feeling minute tremors.
“Sarah, we´ll get her back safe. We have teams working round the clock. I believe the kidnapper will contact you very soon and make their demands. I also believe I know what this is about. The contents of that brooch. Once they make contact we will have positive leads and avenues to investigate. Believe me, we will find Grace and bring her safely home.”
“I want my Grace. My child, my life. Give them whatever they want. Just bring Grace home.”
“Sarah,” Victoria said. “We have a place for you to stay. I or my friend Denise will stay with you. You have had a terrible shock but we will find her, I promise.”
Sean stood. “OK, if you remember anything or think of something that might help, please let us know. We´re on your side, Sarah, fighting for you and Grace. And we will win. I´ll be in touch.”
When Sean had gone Victoria helped Sarah stand.
“OK, let´s go to the safe house. You´ll feel better there, maybe able to relax,”
“That won´t happen ´til I´m holding Grace safely in my arms. Any news on Libby?”
“The hospital will phone as soon as they have anything.” Victoria hugged then led her from the room.
“I didn´t take you as a caring person,” Laura said.
“I´m not. I just hate squealing brats and this brat won´t shut up. It´s easier on me to sedate both her and the dog. The dog calms her but they better go soon or I´ll kill both,” Jerak said. “So you didn´t answer my question. How did you find me?”
“You forget I was your father´s wife for many years. I knew exactly who your father kept as a mistress. When you were born, his first and only son, he was ecstatic and threw a big party in celebration. He wanted to adopt you into the family but your mother hid you away, thinking she´d profit more by keeping you hidden. Later he bribed her enough so you were brought up by his cousin. From then on I had you watched all your life. I knew when old enough you´d join him for his money. But I helped him hide that money. It´s mine. What I want to know is, are we going to work together?”
“Of course,” Jerak smiled. “But will you do as I instruct?”
Laura returned his smile. “No, Jerak, you do as I instruct because I will control the DJP.”
“But I will control the money. I have the child, via her the mother will give all the documents and papers left by my father. He left them with Sarah´s mother because no-one believed he would trust a woman. The woman held them for years without knowledge of their importance. Now his daughter possesses them and very soon I will. Within those document are the bank codes. Codes that even you don´t know.”
Laura nodded. “Very well, so let us trust each other. You hold the master key, but I will hold the DJP and consequently the country. And that is where the true money lies.”
“Agreed.” Jerak offered his hand feeling no grip in her fingers.
“OK, so what do we do about Aguzzi?” she asked.
“Kill him.”
“Not yet,” she said. “We need his money. Also, who will run the casinos?”
“I will. Once we have my father´s wealth Aguzzi will no longer be needed.”
“Killing him will not be easy, but I have the perfect assassin.”
“Good. So for the immediate future I leave the assassination with you. But once the killing is done, terminate the assassin also.”
“We will make a good partnership, Jerak.” She touched his shoulder. “When do you expect to hear from the mother?”
“I left her a message. Now she´s had time to think, I will send her a contact number.”
Sean drove straight back to Sarah´s house. The spectators had gone but the Forensics team were still hard at work.
“Anything new?” Sean asked the leader.
He shook his head. “The intruders got in through a back window, true professionals. Well gloved up. Information from your lady suggests all they took were some document boxes. Jewellery, watches and such they never touched, so they were after something within the boxes. But as yet, no evidence of who they are.”
“With info already obtained that indicates what they´re after. Keep up the good work.” Sean left the house and phoned the Witch.
“Any news on the codes I gave you?” he asked.
“We´re down to about five companies. The code in the watch was not from a bank but a City group supplying safety deposit vaults. Nearly there, we´ll have it in another hour or two. As for this guy called Jerak, one team is working on the possibility each letter of his name stands for a first letter in his full name. That´s produced a number of possibilities and assuming his age is between thirty and fifty, we´ve produced a number of likelihoods, but we still have work to do. We can´t identify the service provider for his phone ´til we have a full name to give them. Then we´ll get some answers. And you needn´t phone your boss, I´ve already updated him.”
“Right, now my concern is for the child,” Sean said. “Victoria is with the mother and I´m going there now.”
Sarah woke from a troubled sleep on hearing her phone ring. She lay alone in the bedroom, given a little privacy by Victoria. She hugged herself, Grace in the forefront of her mind. Then she recalled the message left on Libby´s unconscious body as she read the text message on her phone.
“We have checked all documents taken from your house, nothing. You must have something we have not seen.”
For moments she thought of her brooch and the code inside. She removed it from her pocket and considered inputting the code on the back, then stopped. Instead she texted “I have a possible code. I will bring it to you but only if you bring me Grace.” She sent the message then waited.
The reply came almost immediately. “Go and stand outside Harpenden Fire Station, I will send a car. Be there in fifteen minutes.”
Sarah leapt from the bed and raced to the living room.
“Victoria, I have a contact, they are going to send a car to the fire station. I must be there in fifteen minutes.”
Victoria grabbed her arm. “OK, but we play this carefully. What do they want from you?”
“A code found in my brooch. It must be that.”
“OK, go there. I will follow, but don´t worry, others you won´t see will also be following.”
Sarah grabbed her coat and ran out of the house, Victoria behind, already on her mobile. The fire station stood straight across the common but a good five to eight minutes fast walk.
The Witch answered on the third ring.
“We have contact,” Victoria said. “Harpenden Fire Station, fift
een minutes. We need discrete surveillance. At least four operatives. A car will arrive for Sarah, she´s about fifty metres in front.”
“What do they want?”
“We believe something which was in Sarah´s brooch.”
“Yes, that figures. I have a standby team at Harpenden Police Station. I´m despatching them now. Will contact when in place.”
“Roger that, over and out,” Victoria said, almost running to keep up. Her second call went to Sean. “Contact front of Harpenden Fire Station in about ten minutes. Covert team moving in ready to follow.”
“OK,” he answered. “Heading there now, but I´ll not make it so soon, I´m in St Albans.”
“Don´t worry, we have the situation covered. Contact when close.”
“Will do.” He switched off.
Sean left the Council Records Office with a copy of John Edward Kirkwell´s birth certificate. Born thirty-four years three months ago. It gave his mother as Judith Kirkwell but his father as unknown. That put him higher up the suspects list. Silverman would not have had his name on an illegitimate birth certificate. That, or his mother got careless in her sexual activities.
Victoria phoned six minutes later. “Sarah´s got into a car outside the fire station. Now driving down to the St Albans Road. Position yourself where it enters the city. Number plate, 32IQ85. Left hand drive.”
“Foreign, probably false and untraceable. Make?”
“Blue Mercedes. Besides Sarah, only one other inside.”
“OK on my way.” Sean drove to the first city traffic lights, turned then pulled into a layby. Two minutes later the Mercedes passed and he followed at a discreet distance until the car stopped in St Alban´s station car park. Sean pulled in six slots away. No one left the car. Sarah was gesticulating at the driver until he handed her an Smartphone which she held in front of her.
Grace immediately appeared on the Smartphone screen, her face red with crying, her expression clamped with fear, Scamp clasped in her arms.
“Mummy, help me. They hurt Libby and took me away. I don’t know what’s happening.”
“It’s OK my sweet, I’m coming to get you. They’re bad men but they won’t harm you,” she said, praying, hoping.
“Will it be soon? I want you.”
“I’m unsure, my sweet. Maybe an hour, maybe two.”
“That’s a long time, I want you now!”
“I’ll hurry as fast as I …” The driver snatched the Smartphone away.
“We catch train, no time for talking. And give me your mobile.”
Sarah followed him out of the car and into the station. He bought two tickets, then led her to the platform. She judged him of East Mediterranean origins, clearly an immigrant or refugee from war. He said nothing and when the train arrived, he guided her to vacant seats where he sat immobile and in silence. Sarah noted that several men of similar appearance stood in the area and by the doors. Clearly, they were not alone. She clasped her fingers and closed her eyes, praying, praying that Victoria followed.
CHAPTER 23
Sean sat in a seat six rows behind Sarah. He had seen Victoria board the train and knew she would be close. Where other team members lurked, he had no idea. After a few minutes he called Cobbart.
“On the train to London. It’s a fast one so the next stop, St Pancras. Have more surveillance ready to take over and cars waiting outside the station. If they don’t get off, I’ll let you know. Better be ready for every station down the line to Brighton.
The pick-up driver I’d say is East Mediterranean, thirties, light beard, blue suit, white shirt. There are several guys lurking close who might be his accomplices. I’ll report when we arrive.”
“I’ll keep all ready.”
“Roger, over and out.” Sean switched off. He had maybe twenty minutes before St Pancras.
Browsing the news on his Smartphone Silverman considered if he should venture out again. Being dead had become very boring. Being dead and closeted in his flat made it even more so. Searching for real news amongst the items he suddenly sat up. Burglars had abducted a child in Harpenden and almost killed the nanny. What made him gasp was the name of the mother. Sarah Harrington. The child had to be his granddaughter.
“Jerak, you bastard, how dare you?” Immediately he grabbed his phone and scrolled the list of names. “Luca, it’s Silverman. I need you immediately.” He heard the man gasp.
“You’re dead.”
“Do I sound dead? A trick for business reasons. I have an urgent job. Come to the new city penthouse immediately.”
After a moments contemplation Silverman again input a phone number.
“Jerak,” he said when the called connected. “I wish to speak with you. Come now. It’s urgent and good news for you.”
“To do with what?”
“Money, my money.”
“OK, I come now.”
After leaving St Pancras Sean watched Sarah guided to a waiting car parked illegally outside. Two men who had stood in the train also climbed in. The moment it moved he walked to the kerb and immediately a CAT car drew up beside him. Sean climbed into the passenger side, judging the pick-up both slick and professional, the driver clearly briefed on Sarah’s appearance because he followed her car without instruction.
“How many other vehicles do we have?” Sean asked.
“Four now picking up the rest of your team, plus three surveillance drones,” the driver answered, then spoke over the phone to give the target car’s licence number.
London’s traffic presented its usual chaotic jungle, causing difficulty for the pursuit cars to keep a discrete distance. Occasionally it swopped places with a second vehicle as slowly they made their way to Bayswater and eventually Moscow Road. Sean’s driver drove straight past and turned into the street ahead.
“Not easy for surveillance,” Sean said. “Though the Greek Orthodox church might help.”
He climbed out the car and walked back into Moscow Road, seeing Sarah led into a house. The first drone flew high overhead and circled. He phoned Cobbart.
“OK, we have our location. Now waiting to see the outcome.”
By the door bells he noted that the house had been converted into flats. Turning into an adjacent street he saw all three follow-up vehicles had parked, the driver of one arguing with a traffic warden, Joe Carver climbing out of another.
Cobbart phoned. “Should we raid?”
“Not yet,” Sean answered. “Let’s assess which flat they’re in and how many oppositions. We want no risk to the child or woman.”
* * *
Sarah ran when she heard Grace wail in anguish. Scamp began to bark on sensing her arrival.
“My darling, I’m here.” She burst into a back bedroom. Grace leapt from the bed as they threw arms around each other.
“Mummy, Mummy, they’re nasty men.”
“’S OK my love. I’m here to take you home, we’ll soon be safe.”
“Only if you give me the information your mother had,” a male voice said behind.
Still clasping Grace, Sarah turned to see a smartly dressed man, again of Middle East appearance.
“You mean the brooch?”
He raised his hands then stretched one towards her.
Luca entered the flat with six of his men. Silverman led them to the drawing room where panoramic windows overlooked the city.
“Take a seat.” Silverman pointed. “I am faced with a dangerous situation. A certain woman and child have been kidnapped by Jerak. I want you to rescue them, then kill Jerak.”
“Kill your son!”
“He has betrayed me and his family. He will be arriving here at any time. You and your men will hide in the adjacent rooms on the left side of this, then await my signal.” He extracted his mobile. “I will call. You will shoot everyone but myself, the woman and child. You will have the advantage of surprise. Jerak and his men must all die. Do I make myself clear?”
“Absolutely, sir. All die. They will come in here?”
“Yes.” Silverman stood. “This room has three others off it. You will conceal yourselves there and, in the room beyond. I will go to the right-hand room with woman and child. Kill on sight. Your rewards will be substantial.”
“Yes, sir, I understand.” He pulled out an automatic and nodded for his men to follow.
When Jerak entered the flat with four of his men, Silverman sat gazing out the window.
“OK Father, you’re going to tell me where the money is.”
“First, bring my daughter and grandchild here. You endangered and used your own sister.”
“Father, I have a brooch with a code in. I intend to bring your girls here. If the code leads to your money, fine. If not, unless you tell me what is needed, your girls will die, one by one.”
“Jerak, you are a bastard.”
No, Father, I am your son. Like father, like son. How many families have you killed? How many children have starved because of your greed and corruption?” He held up the brooch, the back open. “What a loving couple, Father. The code better be correct. The deposit company is Trust and Sons. True?”
Silverman nodded.
“And very close to here.” Jerak’s smile showed pure evil as he took out his phone, dialled then spoke. “Bring both to the penthouse in the city, immediately.” He turned to his men. “Guard him, the woman and child. I must go out. I will be back in maybe thirty minutes.”
“OK,” Sean said into his mobile. “Standby for immediate action. But remember, priority is woman and child, they must be kept safe at all costs.”
“Roger that,” each team at the back and front of the flat replied in return.
Sean nodded to Joe at the same time one of the team spoke in urgency.
“Wait boss, something’s happening. They’re leaving the building, getting into a car.”
“Stand down, stand down. Pursuit vehicles stand to.” Sean peered from the doorway of the Greek church. “Drones lock on. OK, follow but don’t intercept. Too many people and we don’t want a public shoot out.”
He left cover of the church and entered his own pursuit vehicle. When the target car moved, six CAT vehicles followed.
The Black Rose Conspiracy Page 16