Chapter 35
CHAPTER 35
LUKE SAT BESIDE Nick in a nondescript black SUV as they drove to the specified location. He rarely visited this part of London, and right now, he never wanted to set foot in the city again. If—when—he got Tia back, they could move somewhere far away from this life and its many complications. Their mother, Ash, a criminal who’d turned their lives upside down. Luke should have been on holiday in the Bahamas right now, sipping a beer with Ash lying next to him in a bikini, and the injustice of it all brought a pulse of anger that overrode his fear for a second.
But only for a second.
The bag containing the ransom jiggled up and down on his lap as he bounced his feet, trying to dissipate some of his nervous energy. A million pounds was a lifetime’s work for most people, yet it all fitted in one small holdall.
Where had the cash even come from? Luke still didn’t know, but Nick assured him it was genuine. At least Luke hadn’t had to try and withdraw it from the bank. The manager had been as suspicious as anything about his tale of buying a second-hand Ferrari last time, and Luke doubted the man would have fallen for it if he showed up at the branch claiming he wanted to buy a Bugatti Veyron as well.
But the bundle of cash was of little comfort as the driver pulled up a little way from the shopping centre with five minutes to spare. Luke would walk the last part alone with Nick as his shadow.
As he exited the car, he felt giddy, dazed almost, and he couldn’t help thinking of the disaster in the woods. What would happen if he messed up this time? Would he receive Tia’s hand? Her foot?
“Careful, buddy,” Nick said, pressing down on Luke’s head in time to stop him hitting it on top of the doorframe.
“Thanks,” Luke muttered, preoccupied with thoughts of his sister. What if they couldn’t get her back?
Outside the car, Nick patted Luke on the back. “Good luck.”
He melted into the darkness before Luke had a chance to reply.
Luke walked slowly along the pavement, his eyes darting from side to side. Where was the kidnapper? A door slammed, and he jumped sideways, splashing dirty water up his legs as he landed in a puddle. Why had he agreed to this? Why did he turn down the offer of a decoy? Shabby homes gave way to derelict buildings, and his hand trembled as he gripped the handle of the bag tighter. Nick and his people may have been in the surrounding shadows, but Luke had never felt more alone in his life.
He’d always thought he could look after himself, but recent events had shaken him. First, his misjudgement of Ash, then his injury in the woods, and finally his inability to get Tia back all left him racked with self-doubt.
What if he failed?
No, don’t think like that.
At the appointed time, Luke stood beside the entrance to the shopping centre, desperately trying to look more in control than he felt. Nick had returned his phone to him in the car, fully charged, and at one minute past six, it vibrated with a message.
Unknown: Follow road to left of shopping centre two hundred metres. Self-storage unit on left. Key at desk in name of Johnson.
Luke relayed the instructions to Nick over the radio, keeping his voice to a whisper in case the kidnapper was nearby.
Nick’s voice came back through his earpiece. “Copy. I’m right behind you, and I’ll send a couple of teams ahead to the storage place.”
Luke increased his pace as he walked, anxious to get the drop over with. A hundred yards to go, then fifty. Could Nick hear his heart hammering over the airwaves?
Ah, there was the storage place, a neon sign out front proclaiming “ elf S ore.” Like the surrounding area, it had seen better days, but possibly not this century.
In the faded lobby, an old lady sat at a desk with the remains of a cheese sandwich on a cracked plate in front of her, cackling at an episode of The Jeremy Kyle Show . She squinted up at Luke through rheumy eyes and attempted a toothless smile.
“Do you have a key for Johnson?” he asked.
“Oh, yes, your brother said you’d be by. Look just like him, you do.”
Really? He looked like the guy? That thought gave Luke the creeps, but he made a mental note to mention it to Nick in case it provided a clue. And what about the name Johnson? Did that mean anything?
Following the old lady’s directions, Luke took the stairs to the first floor, where he found himself outside a shabby wooden door secured by a hasp and a shiny padlock. Was anybody watching? He looked both ways along the corridor, squinting into the gloom at the far end. Nothing, at least, nothing that he could see. The key felt cool in his palm. Should he open the door? What if it was a trap?
His voice shook so much, it took three attempts to speak.
“What do you think?” Luke asked after he’d finally explained the situation. “Should I go in?”
“Not sure you’ve got a choice. Just go slowly and carefully, and stop if you feel any resistance.”
“All right.” Luke slid the key in the lock. “I’m not sure if it means anything, but the old lady on the desk reckoned I look like the man who rented this storage unit. Does that help? Maybe we have the same colour hair?”
“We’ll bear that in mind. Now, try the door.”
The padlock was well oiled, and the door swung open smoothly. A single, bare bulb lit the small space, swinging in a hint of a draught. Ahead of him, Luke saw a bag, a pile of clothes, a cheap mobile phone, and a note.
He picked up the note first.
Swap the money and the software into the bag on the floor. Strip off all your clothes and shoes and put on the ones next to the bag. Don’t even think of keeping any electronics on you other than the phone supplied, or your sister dies. And smile, you’re on camera.
In the far corner above Luke’s head, the red light of a CCTV camera blinked among the cobwebs. Great. He didn’t dare speak to Nick—he wasn’t a ventriloquist, after all. And what if the camera also had a microphone?
Instead, he followed the instructions and began transferring the ransom into the new bag. His hands shook so much he dropped a handful of bundles on the floor, and one burst open. He didn’t bother to hold back his curses as he wasted precious time retrieving the notes. When he got his hands on this guy, he’d…he’d… Okay, so he didn’t exactly know, but it wouldn’t be pretty. Worse even than making him sit through the Fifty Shades of Grey movie without the ability to mute or fast-forward.
Next, Luke needed to change. The kidnapper had left a pair of jogging bottoms, a T-shirt, and a red sweatshirt, plus cheap trainers. Should he take off his underwear and socks? He glanced at the camera again, its beady eye steady, then stripped to his skin.The scratchy sweatshirt was too small, and the shoes slopped around on his feet. How far would he have to walk in them?
As he tied the second lace, the phone on the floor vibrated, signalling the arrival of a message.
Unknown: Go back to the shopping centre and take the 180 bus. Use the travel card in the trouser pocket. Run - you have 2 minutes.
Luke took off down the stairs, reaching the bus just as the doors were closing. Nobody boarded after him. Had the following team kept up? He looked out the window, but all he could see was the glare of headlights and the occasional glow from homes on the tired street.
Was Nick in one of the vehicles nearby? Or the kidnapper?
The bus wound its way through South East London for forty minutes. Luke tried to memorise the route, but he wasn’t familiar with the area and soon lost track of where he was. Ten stops, twenty, and after the twenty-third, he received another message.
Unknown: Get off at next stop. Take the ferry.
Ferry? What ferry? Was he near the Thames?
He hopped off the bus at the twenty-fourth stop, clutching the bag as if his life depended on it. Or rather, Tia’s life. At the end of a nearby pier, a boat floated gently on the river, and he dashed in that direction. Please, don’t go without me . A sign told him the ferry was free to use, and he leapt on among the multitude of cars, lorries, and foot passengers.
Exhausted both by the wild run and a lack of sleep for the last few days, Luke sank into a seat beside a businessman in a rumpled suit.
“Can you tell me where this boat goes?”
The businessman raised an eyebrow but answered anyway, his voice weary. “It’s the Woolwich ferry. It’ll dock on the other side of the river in five minutes.”
“Thanks.”
Did Luke dare to call Nick? Was the kidnapper watching? He studied his fellow passengers, but none seemed to be paying the slightest attention, and this could be his only chance. He punched the number Nick had made him memorise into the cheap phone the kidnapper gave him.
No credit!
Feeling desperate, he turned to the businessman again. “Any chance I could borrow your phone?”
The guy just stared. Understandable, since even making eye contact with a stranger in London was frowned upon.
“Please. I’ve got a family emergency.”
“You’re not calling overseas, right?”
“No, just local.”
The man sighed and handed his phone over. “Make it quick, okay?”
The last of Luke’s hope leached away when Nick’s number went straight to voicemail. What was he playing at? How could he call himself a professional if he didn’t even answer his phone?
Luke left a garbled message telling Nick his whereabouts then got swept up in the exodus of passengers as the ferry reached the opposite bank. Thirty seconds after he stepped onto dry land, another message arrived. He was to travel on foot this time.
Unknown: Two miles, twenty minutes. Go down the road next to the hair salon then take the first left, second right, third left, fifth right, second right, fourth left. Don’t be late.
Luke set off at a sprint. He may have been fit, but the heavy bag banged against his legs and slowed him down. Running the ten-minute miles specified would be uncomfortable, especially in a pair of shoes that didn’t fit. Worse, he had no idea where he was or where he should be going, and he didn’t even have street names to confirm whether he was heading in the right direction.Was he alone now? He hadn’t seen a familiar face since he left the storage place.
Could things have gone any more wrong?
Luke had been running for eighteen minutes when a police car overtook him, blue lights flashing and siren wailing, closely followed by a second and then a third, all rushing in the same direction as him. What was going on up there?
A few seconds later, the phone rang.
Luke skidded to a halt, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath and answer at the same time.
“Yes?”
The voice on the other end was harsh. “I said no police. Such a simple instruction, and you screwed it up. I’ll tell your sister you said goodbye.”
“Wait! I didn’t call the police. I don’t know why…” Luke started, then realised he was talking to dead air.
His heart hammered against his ribcage, and not just from the exertion. He’d messed up, and his sister was about to die.
What were his options? He had no phone to call for help, even if he knew where he was. Sure, he had cash, but if he waved a fistful of twenties around in this place, he’d probably get mugged. He tore at his hair in despair.
Think, Luke, think.
Okay. He’d been two minutes from his destination when the kidnapper called, and the man assumed the police were there for him. Which meant the police must be two minutes away. If he… Hold on. What was that? Something the size of a grain of rice clung to his finger. He tried to flick it off, but it was stuck fast. What was it? He moved under a streetlight to get a better look at the tiny black object.
“I see you found the extra tracker, then.”
Nick’s voice coming from behind made Luke jump out of his skin, and he dropped the bag on his foot. Curses turned the air blue as Nick’s words sank in.
“Tracker? You put another tracker on me?”
“Call it an insurance policy. So, what’s happening? Why have you stopped?”
“The kidnapper got spooked by the police ahead, and he’s going to kill Tia. Did you call them? Did you call the cops?”
Nick scoffed at that idea. “Of course not. We got unlucky. They’re doing a drug bust. A bunch of potheads have turned a family home into a cannabis factory, and it looks like they’ve called half the force in to pull the place apart. Must have been a slow day at the station.”
Images flashed through Luke’s mind—his sister as a baby, a toddler, her first day at school, her twelfth birthday party. He couldn’t give up. Not now.
“The guy must be nearby, and so are the police. Can’t they set up a roadblock or something?”
“That’d take too long. I need to make a call.”
“Who to?”
“Just give me a minute.”
Luke paced the dirty pavement as Nick spoke. Who was on the other end? Luke had no idea.
“Things have gone to pot here. Quite literally. If you’re going to act, you need to do it now because the kidnapper told Luke he’s on his way to Tia.”
Luke strained his ears but couldn’t catch the reply.
“Right, I’ll let you get on with it,” Nick said, then hung up.
“Who were you speaking to?” Luke asked again. “What are they doing?”
“The other team. The one out looking for Tia.”
“What do you mean? What other team? I thought there weren’t any leads?”
Before Dan left that morning, he’d asked her if there was anything new. Her apologetic shake of the head had left him close to despair.
“Well, you’d better hope our esteemed leader’s back on form and her hunch of a couple of hours ago turns out to be right,” Nick said.The words, “Because that’s the last chance Tia has,” were left unspoken, but the implication was clear.
“What can we do to help?”
Luke wanted to keep busy, anything to take his mind off what could be happening to Tia at that moment.
“Nothing. We can only wait.”
How many times had Luke been told to do that? He hated being kept out of the loop like this. It was his sister in trouble, for goodness’ sake.
A car pulled up, and they both climbed in, Luke on his own in the back while Nick sat up front with the driver. Luke hadn’t felt so alone since his father died, or so scared.
Nick put in an earpiece and spoke to someone, presumably a colleague. “Patch me into the feed from the control room, would you?”
A giant’s fist squeezed Luke’s chest, and he struggled to breathe. Outside the window, dark streets passed by, and his head filled with “what ifs?” What if he’d spent more time with Tia? What if he’d insisted she didn’t go out alone? What if they’d lived in an area that wasn’t so isolated?
Luke had never advocated violence, but sitting alone, impotent when it came to saving his sister, he dreamed of throttling the kidnapper with his bare hands. His fingers tightened around his thigh, imagining it was the man’s neck.No, that wouldn’t bring Tia back, but it would stop the guy doing the same to another girl.What if she didn’t come home? What was he supposed to tell their mother? She’d have another breakdown, wouldn’t she?
“We’ve got her,” Nick said.
“What?”
“Tia. The other team’s got her.”
“Is she alive?”
“She was tied up and dehydrated, but the only damage seems to be to her fingernail.”
Tension seeped out of Luke like water from a sponge.
“Can I see her?” He wanted to confirm the news with his own eyes.
“Give it a few minutes. They’re not fully extracted from the scene, and I don’t know where they’re taking her yet.”
Nick put the audio from the control room onto the car speakers so Luke could listen too. The first voice he heard was Dan’s, her harsh New York accent crystal clear.
“Are you staying behind?”
“No point.” This voice was female too, but English and softer. “There were cameras everywhere, transmitting wirelessly. A hundred bucks says he knows we’ve found her and he won’t be coming back. I’d also bet money on him being pretty cross.”
“I’d tend to agree with you,” came a man’s voice, American this time. “Leave one team, and we’ll start planning the next phase.”
“Next phase?” Luke whispered.
“We still need to find the man,” Nick said.
The soft voice spoke again. “In that case, I’m gonna take Tia home—it’s where she said she wants to go. Nye, can you arrange for an ambulance to meet us there? She could do with a check over.”
“Will do. Do you want the police involved now?”
“I’ll call Jason. Might as well utilise our tax dollars and get them to look for Mr. Howard too, even if all they’ve managed to do so far is prove they can’t fill in the details on a witness statement properly.”
What witness statement? And who was Mr. Howard? Luke had a lot of questions, but right now, his first concern was getting to Tia.
“Any chance of a lift home?” he asked Nick.
“No problem, buddy.”
They weren’t sharing in the rest of the team’s luck, and ten minutes after they got on the M25, the motorway came to a standstill.
“There’s a lorry crash up ahead,” their driver said.
“Can we go around it?” Nick asked.
“They’ve closed the motorway. We’ll have to wait it out.”
An hour passed before they reached an exit, but Tia was safely back in Lower Foxford, complete with a team of bodyguards, and that was all that mattered. They were crawling along in a never-ending line of cars when Nick’s phone rang. A few muttered words, and he held it out to Luke.
“It’s your sister.”
Luke grabbed the phone and held it to his ear. “Are you okay? I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“I’m all right,” Tia said, although she sounded exhausted. “I just want something to eat, and then I want to go to bed.”
“Where were you? What happened?” Luke heard the muffled sound of a yawn and felt guilty for asking questions. “Or we can talk later.”
“Yes, later, when you get back.”
“Okay. Are you being looked after?”
“There’s loads of people here. Did you tell Mother I was gone?”
“Why? Do you want me to call her?”
“No way! I can’t deal with her tonight.”
“You don’t have to, and no, I didn’t tell her you were missing.”
“Thank goodness.”
“Just stay safe, okay?”
It was after nine o’clock when Luke arrived in Lower Foxford, tired now that the earlier adrenaline rush had worn off. He looked forward to seeing Tia, having dinner, and getting some sleep, in that order. Everything else could be dealt with tomorrow.Luke didn’t even want to think about the rest of the mess.
As the car pulled into the drive, he pictured the glass of wine he was going to pour after he’d seen his sister. After such a horrid day, he deserved at least one drink. Then Tia’s idea of going to bed was a good one.
Luke’s thoughts turned to the future, a future with his sister, no hassle, no drama. Perhaps she could take Ash’s place on that holiday he’d booked? The danger was over now, right?
Wrong .