Forty
Google McDougall sat in the hall and waited.
He could still hear ‘Oh Bondage! Up Yours!’ blasting from the Bose speakers in the kitchen, which told him that Jacqui did not want disturbing quite yet.
He’d heard her phone ring fifteen minutes earlier, and when, a few minutes after that, ‘Pretty Vacant’ had started to make the crockery jump, immediately followed by ‘White Riot’ and ‘No More Heroes’, it was obvious that his employer needed some thinking time.
Those old punk songs always cleared her head. Enabled her to focus.
Once the X-Ray Spex classic had finished, he gave it half a minute to be sure there was nothing else coming, then ambled into the kitchen.
‘Everything OK? I know you had a call.’
‘How’s it going?’ Jacqui asked the question as though she wasn’t quite with it; like she still had plenty to be thinking about. ‘All our stock …’
In the hours since it had become clear what form the ransom was going to take, and Jacqui had given the order, Malky McDougall had been tearing about the place like a blue-arsed fly.
Making calls and firing off emails and text messages, talking to manufacturers and suppliers in several different countries as well as everyone on the payroll closer to home.
‘It’s coming together,’ he said. ‘We’re closing down the weed farms in Thornton and the old bingo hall behind the Vic, I’ve got vans on the way to clear out all our lock-ups, and obviously we won’t bother unpacking that shipment we’ve got arriving at Fleetwood later tonight.
Like you wanted … right?’ He would never have dreamed of defying her, of course not, but he hoped she could hear the disapproval in his voice; the scepticism, at least. He’d tried to make it clear enough earlier, after the video had arrived.
The people who’d snatched Justin would never be happy with a single payoff, whatever form it took.
They’d be coming back for more, and if Jacqui gave them everything straight away, who could say what they’d be after next?
‘Fine,’ she said. ‘Thanks, Googs … but you’ll be relieved to hear that you can put the brakes on a bit, because with any luck we might not have to hand over anything.’
‘OK …’ McDougall waited.
‘The call I got was from a source on one of the county firearms units,’ Jacqui said. ‘You know, the daft sod with the gambling problem and a very nasty crack habit.’
‘I still think that’s shocking.’ McDougall shook his head. ‘You’d think they’d drug-test firearms officers, at least. It’s just asking for trouble.’
‘Cutbacks, I’m guessing.’
‘Aye, I suppose.’
‘Anyway … he told me that they’re being briefed right now about an operation at a house near Claremont Park. It sounds very much like it’s the place where Justin’s being held. So, with any luck, this could all be over very soon.’
‘That’s fantastic news, Jax.’
‘Yeah, it is, but here’s the weird thing. The address in question is the same one I gave you a while back. The one where you got a little carried away with a knife.’
McDougall said nothing, processing it.
‘It’s the house where that ex-soldier lives.’ Now Jacqui was very clearly thinking hard, staring past McDougall out of the kitchen window, her brain racing like the reels on a slot machine.
‘That doesn’t make any sense,’ McDougall said.
Jacqui turned and looked hard at him. ‘It doesn’t, does it? Not unless Miller was completely wrong and that ex-soldier was the one who had it in for us all along. Ever since Ezra Simmons “accidentally fell” into the lake.’
‘Why, though? He’s just some random bloke with a dog.’
‘Unless he isn’t,’ Jacqui said. ‘Whatever he is, though, it sounds like we might be close to finding out.’
‘Maybe Miller wasn’t actually wrong, and he’s playing some strange game of his own,’ McDougall said. ‘Taking us for mugs, maybe working with one of the other dealers. Ralph Massey, do you think?’
Jacqui shook her head. ‘No chance. Miller’s an oddball for sure, but he’s definitely not bent. Believe me, everything would be so much easier if he was.’
‘Bent or not, do you trust him?’
‘Well, he’s a copper, so not a lot. More than most, though, and right now he’s the best hope I’ve got as far as getting Justin back goes.’ She began to tear up again. ‘So I haven’t got a lot of choice.’
McDougall stepped towards her and opened his arms. ‘It’s going to happen, Jax, I know it is.
You’ll have him back before you know it, mooching around and eating cereal in here at all hours.
’ He closed his eyes as she stepped into a hug.
He squeezed, and held on just a little longer than he ought to have done, but Jacqui didn’t seem to mind.
‘I spoke to Wayne,’ she said, finally stepping away.
‘Oh, aye?’
‘He said he’s going to kill him. Whoever’s taken Justin. Once he’s been caught, obviously.’
‘He’ll have to get in the queue,’ McDougall said. ‘As soon as we know who it is, whether it’s that ex-soldier or anyone else, I’ll kill the animal myself.’
‘Oh, Google, that’s so sweet.’
‘I mean it.’
‘I didn’t know you and Justin were that close.’
‘Well, he’s family, isn’t he?’ McDougall found himself beginning to redden and stammer a little. ‘Kind of. He’s your family, which sort of makes him my family. You know, as good as.’
Jacqui nodded, and leaned across to squeeze his arm. ‘I don’t know how I’m going to get through the next few hours. Waiting for news.’
‘When was the last time you had something to eat?’
‘I haven’t been hungry since Justin was taken,’ Jacqui said. ‘Actually, it’s funny, because I say that and now I’m suddenly starving.’
‘Stay where you are.’ McDougall moved to grab a set of car keys from a row of hooks near the door. ‘You whack on the Clash and I’ll take a run down to the Taste of Bengal.’
‘I don’t know what I’d do without you,’ Jacqui said.
‘I’m just doing my job, Jax.’
‘Don’t forget the poppadoms …’