Chapter 59
LAUREN
She finds Stratman as he’s leaving the custody block.
‘Carrie Finder’s taking a meal break.’ He glances around, making sure they’re alone.
‘How are you holding up?’ There’s genuine compassion in his eyes and for a second Lauren feels untethered.
She rarely feels at breaking point and, when she does, it’s Fraser she turns to.
Her mother doesn’t understand the pressures of her work and nor do her friends. Who will Lauren lean on now?
‘I’m okay.’
Stratman holds her gaze. ‘Really?’
‘Well.’ Lauren gives a dry laugh. ‘No. But it’ll soon be over, right?’ By tacit agreement, they start walking towards the CTU office. ‘I think I’ve identified New Dawn’s target.’
‘As have we.’ Stratman holds open a door for her. ‘Echelon Warehousing is running a job fair today and tomorrow. A local pressure group has stirred up some trouble in relation to the foreign--born workers they employ. We think New Dawn might—’
‘It’s a school nativity.’ Lauren cuts across him. ‘Bishop’s message to Fraser – all ready for Christmas? He was talking about the nativity. Nadeeka’s daughters are performing in one tomorrow.’
‘But New Dawn claim their entire raison d’être is the preservation of Christian values – why would they target a nativity?’
‘Because it’s a multi-faith production. Seven primary schools. Every religion is represented.’ Lauren thinks of Nadeeka’s wry explanation. The shepherds are buskers, and the wise men are a rabbi, a Buddhist monk and a Hindu priest.
Stratman stops walking. ‘Okay, now I’m on board.
Although we intercepted a message from Fraser’s personal phone to Mike Bishop this morning which might conflict with your theory.
He told Bishop he was going early on Christmas.
We’re taking that to mean today; we’ve got explosives dogs at -Echelon now. ’
There’s the briefest of moments when Lauren feels relief at being wrong – thank God it’s not the children!
– before it evaporates. Scott can’t make it, Nadeeka had told her when Lauren had been admiring the girls’ costumes, but he’s going to the dress rehearsal the day before.
‘No.’ She turns to face Stratman, her words rapid and urgent.
‘They’re rehearsing today. There are two hundred kids rehearsing right now. ’
‘Jesus . . . Where?’
Lauren’s about to say she doesn’t know, but she realizes she does.
I’ve booked the Civic Centre as a back-up venue, Fraser had said after Foxleigh Manor had double-booked their wedding.
Had the Manor double-booked them? Or had Fraser simply been using their wedding as an excuse to conduct New Dawn business on work time?
‘The Civic Centre,’ she says.
This is precisely why I checked out a back-up venue, Fraser had said, barely an hour ago. I’m going there now to confirm timings.
‘And I think Fraser’s there too.’