The Secret Child (A DI Amy Winter Thriller Book 2)

by Caroline Mitchell

Amy could almost feel his pain. ‘Are you OK? You don’t sound very well.’ His health was a big factor. If he fell ill and the children were in captivity, their lives could be at risk.

  ‘Just. Stop. Talking,’ he replied. Hesitating, he waited for silence to descend. His mouth sounded close to the receiver, his breath coming in stops and starts. ‘I’m not stupid. Nor am I in the mood for games.’

  ‘I know about the drugs,’ Amy bluffed. It was a risk, but her sixth sense told her she was on the right track. ‘Dr Curtis dosed you with Zitalin during the trials. Used you as a guinea pig to see how you’d react.’

  But the drugs did not appear a subject her caller wanted to tackle, as he failed to respond. Amy tried to second-guess his next move, but all she could hear was his ragged breath. Closing her eyes, she forgot about her colleagues as she put herself in his shoes. ‘It wasn’t just the drugs, was it? It was the childhood you missed out on . . . normal things that kids take for granted. Birthday parties, mixing with friends.’

  ‘You’d know all about that,’ Luka replied. ‘I read the newspaper story about you being a Grimes. Is it true?’

  ‘Yes. We’re not that different, you and I,’ Amy said, the words sticking in her throat. The last thing she wanted was to discuss her past, but she needed to drag out the call and keep him on side. ‘I don’t have any family photos up to the age of four and I was rarely allowed outside.’ A memory bloomed – four-year-old Poppy, her face pressed against the upstairs window, watching children play on the streets below. ‘I know how it feels to be an outcast,’ she said truthfully. ‘The only way you can cope is to become someone else.’

  ‘And did it work?’ Luka sucked in a breath as if experiencing a stab of pain.

  ‘For a while. But these things always come back to haunt you in the end.’ She paused, reminding herself to put a positive spin on things. They needed to find out Ellen’s whereabouts. ‘It doesn’t have to eat you up. Is Ellen still alive? We’re listening. We want to help.’

  ‘It’s a shame you weren’t around when I needed you,’ Luka said. ‘On the days I was allowed outside, I used to pray that someone would notice me. I remember being taken to see Number Ten Downing Street. Police were standing before those tall black steel gates. I screamed so loudly in my head for help, willing them to see me. But nobody was looking because they thought I was dead . . .’

  ‘And trying to escape wasn’t worth the pain if you were caught,’ Amy replied. ‘So many times I wanted to ask for help, but I knew they’d kill me if they found out.’ A beat passed between them. ‘Please. Let me speak to them. Even for a second.’ Amy’s heart faltered as she realised Luka was handing the phone over.

  ‘Hello?’ The voice was that of a boy. In the background, Luka urged him to give his name. ‘My . . . my name is Toby,’ the child continued. ‘We’re in a room with no windows—’

  ‘That’s enough,’ Luka interrupted, but Toby was determined to have his say. ‘He took me in the taxi . . .’ the little boy shouted. ‘I don’t know where I am.’

  ‘Shut up!’ Luka barked before returning to the phone. A door closed in the background, and Amy’s heart was in her mouth as she strained to listen to every sound. Toby’s use of the word ‘we’ had not gone unnoticed. ‘Where’s Ellen? You promised—’

  ‘Think of it as a relay race,’ Luka interrupted. ‘Nicole played the game and handed the baton to you. It’s not my fault you let the side down. You’ll have to be quicker next time.’

  Every muscle in Amy’s body tensed. Officers were already monitoring incoming calls about missing children. Toby was the name of Stuart’s son – why hadn’t Stuart called the police? Another thought loomed, darker than the last. Had Luka given him an ultimatum? Just what state was Stuart in?

  ‘If any harm comes to that little boy, you’re no better than the monsters who made you this way,’ Amy said. But her words were ignored as the kidnapper forged on.

  ‘Stuart earned this call, so I suggest you put it to good use. You’ll get Toby back – if you do what I say. Don’t worry, it won’t involve you speaking to the newspapers – you’ve had enough exposure for one day.’

  Amy glanced at her colleagues, trying to ignore the sting in his words. In the background, her team were working, listening intently to the call. ‘What do you want?’

  ‘I want you to shut up. Your voice . . . it’s grating on me. No more talking, or I’ll finish this, I mean it. I’ve nothing to lose.’

  Keeping her silence, Amy waited for his instructions. This afternoon’s events outside the station had distracted her at the worst possible time. She was pleased Luka had volunteered the information – but, for now, it was safer to stay mute.

  ‘Good,’ he replied, in response to her silence. He sucked in a tight breath as he seemed to undergo another wave of pain. ‘Be at Holland Park tube station. Two o’clock tomorrow.’

  Was he on medication? What would affect him so badly that the level of her voice would cause him pain?

  ‘All right,’ Amy responded. ‘But at least give me Ellen. What have you done with her?’ But she was too late. The line was already dead.

  Her colleagues collectively exhaled the breaths they had been holding. Amy realised her heart was pounding double time. Adrenaline caused her legs to tremble ever so slightly, a barely discernible movement beneath her trousers. Composing herself, Amy issued instructions to her team. ‘Molly, upload the recording of the call and distribute it to all senior officers involved in the case.’ She turned to the others, knowing Paddy would follow up with tasks of his own. ‘If Luka’s taken Toby, then he’s not going to stop there. We need to find and safeguard everyone connected with the case, as a matter of priority.’ Amy glanced at Molly, who withered beneath her gaze. Her discomfort at hearing about Amy’s past was written all over her face. Would things ever be right with her team again? ‘I’ve got a call-on to make. Who’s up for a drive?’ Amy glanced around the room.

  ‘I am.’ The voice belonged to DC Steve Moss. A former inspector himself, he had been demoted following a tribunal with regard to sexual misconduct at work. Regardless of his misdemeanours, he could be relied upon to get the job done.

  ‘In that case, you can come with me.’

  ‘To see Stuart?’

  Amy nodded. ‘You up for a blue-light run?’

  Smiling, Steve grabbed his jacket from his chair.

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  Amy updated Control of her whereabouts as she and Steve jumped into the car. She didn’t want to let his loyalty go unnoticed, and their journey across the city would give them time to talk. After fiddling with her car seat, she spoke her mind.

  ‘I’ll be honest. Out of all the people to back me up, I didn’t expect it to be you.’

  She was referring to his reaction in the office when her team had been talking about the news that she was the daughter of Jack and Lillian Grimes.

  Craning his neck left and right, Steve exited the car park, cutting through traffic as the blue light cleared his path. He was an expert fast road driver, easily capable of holding a conversation while manoeuvring city traffic at speed. ‘I know what it’s like to be judged.’

  ‘Which is why I wanted to speak to you in private,’ Amy jumped in. ‘What really happened to you?’

  ‘You don’t want to go digging around in my past,’ Steve said, checking the rear-view mirror before pulling back into his lane.

  ‘But I have a feeling you’re not content to leave it there. We’ve got ten minutes before we reach Stuart Coughlan.’ She leaned forward, picking up an empty cola can that was rattling around in the footwell. She shoved it into the cup holder, catching Steve’s gaze. ‘Want to tell me about it?’

  Effortlessly, Steve changed gear as he sped through traffic lights. Having cleared the worst of the traffic, he had a relatively straight road ahead. Briefly, his eyes met hers, and he began to relax into his seat. ‘I used to train down the gym with Pike, long before you.’

  ‘I didn’t know you
were friends.’ From the way DCI Pike talked about Steve, she thought they were anything but.

  ‘We were more than that, for a little while,’ Steve said. ‘But she wanted more than I could give her. When I broke things off, it turned ugly.’

  ‘You’re talking about your demotion?’ This was not Pike’s first affair. Amy’s father had fallen into the same trap, and Pike had used Amy to get to him.

  ‘At first, I was grateful for her attention,’ Steve replied, his eyes fixed on the road. ‘I was after a promotion, and Pike promised to put in a good word.’ He glanced at Amy. ‘I hope you don’t mind me saying, ma’am, but you don’t seem very surprised.’

  ‘I’m not,’ Amy said, unwilling to elaborate. ‘I just wish you’d come to me. This sort of thing isn’t tolerated anymore.’

  ‘I didn’t think anyone would believe me. As she used to say, I was the one with the reputation for being a Jack the Lad.’

  ‘So you slept together?’ Amy’s face soured as she pictured the scene.

  ‘Pike is ambitious,’ Steve continued. ‘Ruthless, at times. But she didn’t set the world on fire as a DC. It makes me wonder how many people she stepped on to get so far.’

  Amy was flattered that Steve could be so candid. Then she realised he was thinking like a DI and less likely to be intimidated by her rank. Regardless, it was nice to have the limelight off her personal life. ‘She once told me that I was either with her or I was—’

  ‘Standing in her way.’ Steve finished her sentence as he negotiated a bend. ‘Yeah, she fed me that line too. I’m a dinosaur when it comes to this politically correct stuff, but it pisses me off that because she’s a woman she’s come out of this squeaky clean.’

  ‘Go on,’ Amy said, withholding judgement.

  ‘She pressured me into sleeping with her, using promotion as leverage. We both used each other, but I came off the worst.’

  ‘The probationer,’ Amy replied. ‘You can hardly blame Ma’am Pike for that.’

  ‘I can when she set me up.’ Changing gear, Steve risked a quick glance in her direction. ‘And I know you probably won’t believe me, but Pike orchestrated the whole thing.’

  ‘How?’ Amy shifted in her seat, keeping one ear on the police radio. Updates were flooding in, confirming Stuart Coughlan was alive and well.

  ‘I didn’t have sex with that probationer. It was all lies.’ Steve’s brow creased as he seemed to recall the moment that had sent his career spiralling out of control. ‘One late shift she came into my office. She was acting all flirty and plonked herself on my knee. I thought it was a wind-up and was about to tell her to get off when Pike burst in. I’d been set up. Pike doesn’t even work late shifts.’

  Amy watched Steve’s expression as he recounted his story.

  ‘I like a bit of banter as much as the next person, but I never touched that girl.’ He slowed the car as he paused at a junction, deactivating the sirens. They were almost at Stuart Coughlan’s address and, given he was safe, the justification for the blue-light run had changed. Steve was confident in his decisions, and Amy had come to know him better in the last few weeks. It was unlike him to jeopardise his career for a quick fumble in the office, and he was right, Pike rarely worked late shifts.

  ‘Why didn’t you fight it? Tell the truth?’

  ‘My federation rep told me to tread carefully because Pike had some powerful friends at the top. Pike must have got nervous, because she took me aside and said she’d transfer me to our unit if I let the matter drop. I knew I would never get promoted unless I fixed things. I hoped it would be a fresh start.’

  ‘What happened with Molly . . .’ Amy began, referring to an incident when he had first joined the team.

  ‘It was banter. For Christ’s sake, the girl is gay and dippy as hell. I was joking with her.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Amy said. ‘I didn’t give you the warmest of welcomes when you joined.’

  ‘You were only going by what everyone else had told you.’

  ‘I should have checked the facts.’ Amy had spoken to a couple of Steve’s ex-colleagues who had been keen to repeat the gossip they had heard. She should have gone to the source of all this – the probationer who made the report.

  Steve flicked on the indicator as he pulled over at the address. Before them, a high-rise tower loomed. ‘I’ve got a fifteen-year-old daughter, responsibilities of my own. I know it’s no excuse, but . . .’ They exchanged a glance. ‘The culture has changed massively since I joined the police and I’m still getting to grips with it all.’

  The big question was: Why? Why was Pike gambling her career and marriage by having mindless affairs?

  Steve pulled up the handbrake after parking behind a marked police car.

  ‘I’ll make some inquiries,’ Amy said, knowing she would have to handle the situation with kid gloves. If Steve was telling the truth, she would get to the bottom of it. For the hundredth time, she wished her father were there to help. He had left very big shoes to fill.

  Unbuckling his seat belt, Steve placed a hand on the car door. ‘Feel free, but don’t make things any worse for me.’

  ‘I’ll be discreet,’ Amy replied. Stepping outside, she was rewarded with a cool, crisp breeze. She focused her thoughts on the job ahead. Whatever had happened with Steve would have to wait. She had two children to bring home, and Stuart Coughlan was giving her answers – whether he liked it or not.

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  As he paced the confines of his flat, Stuart felt as if his heart was going to explode. It was beating at a rate that seemed impossible to maintain and his guts were all twisted in knots. Dr Curtis didn’t want to know. Deborah was only thinking of herself, and Christina . . . she had freaked out when he called her with the news, saying that her family were next. The only person who genuinely cared was his girlfriend, Jodie, who knew little about his past.

  ‘I don’t get it,’ she said. ‘Why did you make those coppers leave?’ She put a halt to his pacing as she stood in front of him. He was several inches taller than her, but she glared at him with an insistence that was hard to ignore.

  He paused, considering his answer. ‘Because they couldn’t help. There’s a detective on her way over. She knows things about Toby’s case. I won’t talk to anyone but her.’

  ‘Toby’s case? What aren’t you telling me?’ Jodie looked tired. She had already torn a strip off him for leaving it so long before involving the law. Her hair was unwashed and her eyes red-rimmed, but she held it together for him. She loved Toby with all her heart, but she would leave them both if she knew the ugly truth. A sharp knock at the door made him jolt. Exchanging a glance with Jodie, he turned to answer it.

  A determined-looking woman in a business suit raised her warrant card in the air. ‘I’m DI Winter. Can we come in?’ She was short but authoritative, and Stuart had a feeling he’d seen her somewhere before. Behind her stood a broad-shouldered man who introduced himself as DC Steve Moss. Their combined presence was commanding, and Stuart found himself allowing them into his flat.

  ‘Maybe you lot can explain what’s going on.’ Jodie looked from Stuart to the police officers, her voice sharp with concern.

  ‘And you are?’ DI Winter began.

  ‘Jodie Attreed. She’s Toby’s childminder.’ Stuart sighed. Jodie was not leaving until she knew that Toby was safe. ‘She’s also my girlfriend. You can say what you like in front of her.’

  Stuart led them into his old-fashioned living room, which had been decorated with things from charity shops. Flowery pelmets hung over the windows and the fireplace was cluttered with trinkets and ornaments that Jodie had bought to give the place some warmth. He watched as DI Winter took in the family photos on the wall.

  ‘I need your full cooperation,’ the detective said, finally turning her gaze to him. Her eyes were piercing, icy grey, but there was heat behind them. Fire and ice. ‘I have an update on Toby,’ she continued, and told him about a call from the kidnapper. ‘We believe he’s safe –
for now.’

  Stuart swallowed, his throat feeling tight. ‘Is it the same person who took Ellen? Is it true? Is Luka really alive?’

  ‘You tell me,’ DI Winter replied. ‘Apparently, you’ve spoken to him.’

  ‘What?’ Her hip jutting to one side, Jodie leaned against the doorway. ‘Who’s she talking about, Stuart?’

  ‘Why don’t we all sit down?’ Steve interjected, leading Stuart to the tired-looking leather sofa. ‘Look, mate, I know you’re in bits over this, but we can help each other out. There’s nothing to say we can’t bring Toby home. But we need to know who we’re dealing with. Who have you spoken to? What did they want?’

  Home. The thought of seeing his little boy made tears spring to Stuart’s eyes. As the officer took notes, Stuart found himself relaying details of the package he had received.

  ‘I don’t get it,’ Jodie interrupted. ‘Why would anyone take Toby? And who’s this sodding Lucas you keep talking about?’

  ‘You need to tell us everything,’ DC Moss said, ignoring Jodie’s outburst. ‘Social services will be involved. They’ll insist you cooperate.’

  Stuart’s nostrils flared. ‘You’re calling the social on me? You think I don’t care about my boy?’

  ‘Sit down,’ DI Winter commanded as Stuart leapt from the sofa. ‘A referral is par for the course. It’s no reflection on you. But it’s like my colleague said, we can work together to bring your son home.’ She hesitated, exchanging a glance with her fellow officer. ‘The suspect is due to telephone me tomorrow about Toby’s whereabouts.’

  ‘But?’ Stuart said. ‘There’s a but, isn’t there? I can tell by the look on your face.’

  ‘We believed Ellen was placed in a dangerous situation and we were working against the clock. I don’t want that happening to Toby. The kidnapper’s calling himself Luka. I need to know everything about him.’

  Stuart wrung his fingers, beads of perspiration breaking out on his hairline. Deborah had warned him to say nothing. But what the police said made sense. Ellen was able-bodied and they still hadn’t brought her home. What chance did Toby have from the confines of a wheelchair? A warm hand was placed on his back. It was Jodie.