by Jack Steele
Then my phone vibrated with Jasper’s name on display. What he told us next would not only risk his life but ultimately the safety of our colleagues captured by Blood.
Chapter 69
‘You remember when you first gave me the lead in this you said ‘the way we catch a Chameleon is fish him out with another, and then bring him in.’ Well that’s exactly what I have in mind to do.’
Carl and I listened as Jasper went through his flawed plan to save the day.
‘I have arranged through Jez Cross to meet Geb Blood and offer myself in place of Stella. After the trade off and unbeknown to Blood, Jez will take Stella back to headquarters and then report the location of the hideout to you guys and the media.’ It was then he abruptly ended the call and we had no way to stop him.
Carl looked at me with horror written all over his face. Clearly Jasper didn’t know that Jez was working with Blood and he was walking into a trap. Worse still, if Mary Pepper was correct about the numbers, Jasper would be the sixth to be captured.
‘What do we do now Joe?’
Carl was stunned by what just happened and he leaned forward shaking his head. I wanted to reassure him that he knew what he was doing but we knew otherwise. He could be the catalyst to set off the chain of events that would end the lives of so many people including our friends.
Chapter 70
Jasper checked his appearance in the wing mirror before he stepped away from his four by four. The alleyway was dimly lit except for the lights from the corner café. A large figure stepped out from the shadows and walked towards him. This person has such a deadly reputation that Jasper would need all his manipulative skills to stay alive.
James Stern had given him the benefit of his wisdom gained from military combat in the armed forces as well as crime fighting undercover. He had been introduced to various operatives who performed under the radar through a network of secrecy. He would have to be at the top of his game this evening if he was to save the day.
Geb shone a torch onto Jasper’s face and then gestured for him to follow. They reached an old Ford Escort 5S Van and Jasper got in. Behind him was a grill through which he could see into the back of the van. He shuddered with fear when he realised it was another body. It made him start to bounce his left leg up and down as he always did in times of stress.
The look from Geb was that of a sly fox. The eyes were screwed up and a snarl showed he was not at all impressed with his new passenger. It began to unsettle Jasper sitting next to a man so warped in mind and he realised that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.
Geb then thrust a handwritten note into Jasper’s midriff and he read the words which were in large capital letters. ‘MY HIDEOUT IS IN A SECRET LOCATION. PUT ON THIS BLINDFOLD AND DO NOT REMOVE IT. I WILL DO THAT.’
As he went to put the piece of cloth over his eyes he noticed through the wing mirror; the headlights of another car light up and slowly tag along behind them.
The plan was working and there was no going back. Already he felt like a pawn in a strategic game of chess. His opponent may believe they had the upper hand but Jasper had a few moves of his own.
The van choked and spluttered but soon they were on their way. He sat quietly and wondered where they were going as they headed presumably out of the City. Unable to see where they were travelling meant that Jasper had to work on the theory that the longer the journey the less likely the hideout was in London. It was then that the van came to a halt.
Chapter 71
Jasper felt uneasy as he surrendered his mobile phone to Blood. He wondered if Jez was nearby and would save him if things became violent between Blood and himself.
Geb opened the rear door and it sounded like he was removing a body from the van. The wait was excruciating. All Jasper wanted to do was to lift the blindfold up so that he could see where they were. Each time he went to adjust the blindfold a noise could be heard outside. Maybe Geb was looking through the window, studying his passenger for a breach of the rules. Jasper thought it best to just sit and wait for the next instruction.
It must have been at least thirty minutes before Blood returned to the van and then he started the engine once again. So this was an unscheduled stop and now we are heading further North or South to the hideout. Whatever just happened back there Jasper could only guess.
Eventually Geb slowed to a stop and turned off the engine. He then clawed at the blindfold and unceremoniously pulled it up and signalled for Jasper to get out of the vehicle.
Jasper stepped out and looked towards some large black metal gates which led into the courtyard he was standing in. The building resembled an old hospital. It was only when Geb gestured for Jasper to join him at the entrance door that he realised this was the place where his hideout was. People were milling past going about their business as Geb went up to a padlocked door and removed the lock. Windows had been boarded up and a sign read that this building was due for demolition. Jasper followed him inside and waited for the door to be bolted shut. Fear and exhilaration swept over Jasper as he realised that inside this building were his colleagues
He would be known from now on as the man who brought in Geb Blood and rescued Graham, Miranda, Stella and perhaps many more from the psychopath’s laboratory.
The sporadic metal thuds from corrugated roofing sheets shifting in the high winds made for an eerie atmosphere. The creaking pipes running along the corridor almost breathed life into the dormant surrounding.
Geb appeared to be smiling. It was as if he knew that the seemingly endless corridors would temporarily disorientate him. Jasper had forgotten where the exit was by now due to the many turns and doors negotiated. As they turned the corner yet another door greeted them and Jasper wondered if they had come to the final part of their journey.
Geb pushed open the door and they entered a room which resembled an old workshop. There were lathes, drills and knives - lots of knives - some of which were stained with blood. Geb’s attention was drawn to an old wardrobe in the far corner, it looked totally out of place there but Jasper realised that this must be the access point to where his colleagues were being held. There was a wooden backing to the wardrobe that had been removed. When Jasper pushed it open he could see what was inside. He had never seen such a hideous sight. His legs began shaking and he felt sick. He backed away in horror just as an arm swiftly met his neck and a knife was pushed against his back. In that precise moment Jasper realised he had made a terrible mistake.
Chapter 72
Carl had served up another large breakfast and I was sitting at the table telling him about a dream I had last night.
‘It was such a vivid nightmare Carl.’
‘Was it about Gemma like before?’
‘No not this time. Although we did have a brief chat last night and I promised as soon as this investigation is over I will drive up to see her again.’
‘You mean I will drive you up.’ He gave me the pretend death stare. I thanked him for his kind offer and then continued to tell him about my nightmare.
‘I was outside a building with the feeling that whoever was inside were our targets. It was daylight but then a voice behind me said ‘keep low, we are going in.’ I turned around to see who gave the order and it was Norman, the concierge, he was wearing night vision goggles and it suddenly became night. You know one of those dreams. Anyway Paratroopers are running along a small wall and surrounding the building. We run up to the window and you take the first look and you squat back down with a scared look on your face. You tell me they are in there with someone shouting at them with a meat tenderiser in his hand. We storm inside but Blood has rigged up smoke bombs to go off when we go in. When the smoke clears they are all dead. It was horrible.’
‘I wish I could remember my dreams Joe. I wake up and totally forget them. Guess I haven’t had late night snacks. What was in that pizza you had last night?’
‘Well you wouldn’t have liked that one. It has made me feel all on edge today. Let’s hope for
good news and that we can safely bring in Blood’s former drama teacher.’
We finished off breakfast and headed down to reception with plenty of time to get across London before the traffic built up. It was still dark and I just prayed that we had some success today.
By the time we reached Heathrow the hectic commute was in full swing. We headed into the terminal and checked the arrivals board. The armed police units were dotted all around the airport, so if either of them turned up to abduct Johanne Julious then they were in for a huge shock.
We made our way to the information desk and showed our I.D. to the young blonde haired man on duty. Pinned to his white shirt was a round badge with the words ‘How may I help?’
We explained our reason for being there and he checked the passenger flight list to locate if she and her friend, Ruth Pasmore were on the flight. He tapped a few keys and looked puzzled. My heart sank when he told me some disturbing news.
‘There is a Joanne Julious but not a Ruth Pasmore. Joanne’s flight is due later this evening from New York.’ He tapped a few more keys and then he turned the monitor around to show me and that’s when an icy cold shiver ran down my spine.
Chapter 73
Scott tried to reason with me that it was such an unusual coincidence.
‘Who would ever expect a ‘Joanne Julious’ and a ‘Johanne Julious’ to catch a flight into London on the same day?’
It would be a bitter pill for him to swallow if Johanne was murdered due to his incompetence. As a result I had to send armed response units into every airport in and around London, including Luton and Stanstead. It would take thirty long minutes before Scott found out that the real Johanne was flying into London City Airport. Even more frustrating because it was just around the corner from where Carl and I had originally started out.
Now we were really up against the clock and I despatched all available units to that airport. Scott established contact with the Central Communications Command once again with a direct link to the National Air Support Unit. A helicopter was airborne and on the way.
Scott kept us in the loop confirming that the aeroplane had landed fifteen minutes ago. Now we had hit the rush hour and as Carl tried to negotiate the morning traffic it was so frustrating with all the routes congested.
When were around five minutes from the airport we received a message from the helicopter hovering over the terminal.
‘Identity confirmed, Jez Cross is driving from the scene and there seems to be two persons in the back of the car.’
It was the news I had been dreading. I roared out in frustration. If only the intelligence had been better to begin with. We could have stopped the abduction. Now it was up to us to find the car he was driving and pursue it to Geb Blood’s hiding place.
The helicopter kept track of the car and we were informed that it was a white Vauxhall Corsa. Just as we received the information it drove past us.
My mind raced as we set off in pursuit into the heart of London. We crossed the Thames via London Bridge and then turned off the main road into side streets. The air support was providing us with great directions.
‘Suspect is driving down Swan Street and now turning into Trinity Street.’
‘Keep your distance Carl. We can’t afford to be seen.’
The adrenaline was pumping as we turned down several streets maintaining a sufficient gap so as not to be spotted. As we reached the end of Dickens Square the white car we were pursuing was nowhere to be seen. It was a no through road so there was no way out for Jez Cross. The hideout had to be here. It was time to park the car and search on foot. Carl chose the left and I slowly walked to the right of the junction. We kept in contact through our ear pieces.
‘There’s no sign of his car and there is just a brick wall at the end of this street….Nothing parked at this end. He is definitely not here.’ Carl informed me while I continued in the opposite direction. Black wheelie bins were lined up along the pavement. A gentle nudge of one revealed they had already been emptied so at least a large dustcart wasn’t going to cause havoc during our surveillance. There was a damaged wooden fence at the end of the street which led onto an open field. A hoarding pictured the promise of another housing development on this site. Then, as I drew nearer to the end of the road, I spotted his car parked up between the last house and the field.
Elation coursed through my veins as I told Carl that our search had ended. It was now time to call in the Tactical Response Unit for backup. It was a wait of around thirty five minutes which could be a matter of life or death for his two prisoners and those inside but it wasn’t worth the risk of being spotted and all hell breaking loose. This part had to be carried out by the book.
The police turned up and set up a road block while Carl and I scanned the property for any sign of movement.
It’s a strange feeling knowing you are the mouse and the cat is somewhere watching you, eyes wide and ready to pounce, although it may play with you for a while, then let you escape, to make the thrill of the kill last longer than necessary.
That’s why I had the uneasy feeling that we were being watched. Maybe he was among the observers peering from behind the blue and white tape at the far end of the road. The rooftops provide a great vantage point and I have been a snipers target on one too many occasions.
We ensured that we kept a low profile while waiting for the Tactical Response Unit to arrive which eventually turned into our street a few minutes earlier than first predicted. I felt, at last, that this was a pivotal moment in our investigation to bring in the fugitives and rescue our colleagues as well as any others they were mutilating in their sick depraved form of justice.
Chapter 74
We liaised with the TRU to ensure they knew exactly what they were dealing with. I explained how we should enter the house using the battering ram and target both Jez Cross and Geb Blood before they had time to either act or escape. Carl and I would remain outside the property ensuring we cut off the lines of escape should everything not go according to plan inside. They were prepared for scenes of torture and other unthinkable visual horrors.
The time had come as they reached the front door with the ‘big red key’, as they liked to call the battering ram. In an instant they broke open the front door and charged in shouting at the top of their voices to cause confusion and submission.
After a few minutes the lead officer called us in. I saw Jez Cross on his knees with his hands cuffed behind his back.
‘Can you confirm this is your guy?’
‘Yes it’s Cross.’ I replied to which he slowly raised his head and looked me square in the eyes. There was a commotion coming from an adjoining room which sounded like the two women he had just abducted.
‘How many women are in here?’ I asked hoping the answer would be four but what I heard next totally turned my world upside down.
‘You have got this all wrong!’ It was Johanne, ‘Jez is innocent. He has saved us!’
Chapter 75
Johanne and her best friend Ruth were deeply tanned and still dressed in their tee-shirts and cropped jeans. Apart from Johanne being blonde and Ruth a brunette, they could have passed for sisters such was the resemblance. The main difference between them was that Johanne remained silent while her friend was animated and spoke on her behalf. Ruth must have noticed that my attention was focussed on Jez Cross who was now sat on the couch opposite with his hands cuffed. Two officers stood behind him ready to respond should he try anything. I was staring at him unable to come to terms with the fact that his motives were friendly.
‘Jo and Jez met during an initiative run by the prison called restorative justice, but initially Jo was supposed to meet that horrible person Geb Blood who had abducted her. She was his teacher of course and wanted to know what she had done to upset him.’
It was something that had puzzled me and if I could get anything from her friend that would later be corroborated by Johanne, then I was happy for this charming but chatty woman to continue.
She gulped in a large mouthful of air and I wondered why the silent Johanne Julious sitting beside her would have Ruth as her companion? They appeared to be chalk and cheese in the personality department but I put her silence down to the shock of our sudden appearance.
‘Jo told me that at first they didn’t connect or discuss much and it was awkward with neither of them having much input. She heard that he was sceptical of a government led initiative and he couldn’t apologise to her as his crime was with another person whose family didn’t wish to take part in any forgiveness programme. So this didn’t look likely to be a success at first but they still kept attending the classes nevertheless.’
Ruth broke off for a minute as Jez stared across at her. He was probably unhappy at this woman speaking on behalf of the two of them as if they weren’t present in the room. Ruth however, was in full flow and I was pleased that she decided to continue.
‘The fact that they had nothing in common helped because over the months they began to accept each other’s situation and that was when they began to open up. It gradually became clear, according to Jo that they connected.’
Johanne looked at Jez and he gave her a half smile. As usual I remained sceptical about his true intentions. Was this a reciprocal relationship or was it a clever piece of manipulation on his behalf to dupe her and thereby stay out of hospital?
There were critics of restorative justice and Carl was one of them. He believed that offenders feigned contrition to obtain a lesser sentence. We often debated the issue whenever we heard about it. I told him that the victims craved for closure and this was one way of achieving that.