Fifty-Seven
Miller was halfway down the drive leading to the Cutler house when he saw Sara Xiu step out of a car up ahead and flag him down. He stopped the moped alongside her and took off his helmet.
‘You’re cutting it fine,’ she said.
‘I had a bit of business to deal with at home.’ He saw the question on her face.
‘I’ll tell you later.’ They looked at each other, and he waited for her to tell him what she was doing there, but it looked as if she was struggling to formulate the words.
‘Come to wish me luck have you, Posh? Because—’
‘I don’t think you should do this.’
‘Been talking to Chopra, have you?’
‘Of course not. I just think … well, the thing is that actually this is as much my case as it is yours. We caught the Ezra Simmons case together – in fact, I was at the scene before you, if you remember.’
‘So you get first dibs because your bike’s faster than mine?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Miller. I was there, that’s all I’m saying.
It was our investigation. Same thing with the Darren Grant murder.
So, bearing all that in mind, on top of the fact that we’re colleagues of equal rank, it doesn’t seem fair that you’re the one doing this.
Getting all the glory of recovering a hostage.
That’s it, really.’ She pushed the toe of her shoe through the gravel. ‘It’s not … fair.’
‘And that’s what you’ve come out here to tell me, is it?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘Just so I’m clear, it’s because you want to assert your right, as an officer who’s been every bit as involved in all this as I have, to be considered for this handover operation. It’s definitely not because … I don’t know … you’re worried about me.’
Xiu blinked. ‘The first one.’ She nodded once; twice. ‘The first thing you said.’
Miller tried to hide his smile. Had he the time to have milked the moment, he would definitely have done so, and he would certainly remind her of it down the line. As it was, he put his crash helmet back on, fired up the moped and said, ‘I’ll be careful, Posh, I promise. Thank you, though.’
As he drove away he could hear her shouting after him.
‘Thanks for what, Miller? I don’t understand …’
A minute or so later, Miller took in the scene as he puttered into the courtyard outside Jacqui Cutler’s house.
Jacqui herself was near the front door, standing a few feet away from Malky McDougall and smoking furiously.
Amar Chopra was prowling around at the rear of a large white van, its back doors open, revealing an interior stacked to the roof with dozens of stuffed bin bags and gaffer-taped packages.
Heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, fentanyl, ketamine and a humongous amount of cannabis.
Miller got off his moped and wandered across. ‘It might just be me, but can you smell weed?’
‘We don’t have time for your nonsense, Miller,’ Chopra said.
‘I knew I should have got here earlier.’ Miller saw McDougall begin moving towards them, then turned at the sound of a vehicle approaching and saw an unmarked car pull up. Everyone watched as Barry Cheshire stepped out and waved, like he was greeting mates in a pub car park.
‘He’s too casual by half if you ask me,’ Chopra said.
‘I wouldn’t worry,’ Miller said. ‘He’s dealt with more stressful situations than this one.’
‘So has Battersby, and he’s still dealing with them, only not in a good way. That’s what worries me.’
‘Barry won’t be a problem,’ Miller said.
When Cheshire had joined them, Chopra introduced himself. ‘All set?’ he asked.
‘Yeah, I think so.’ Cheshire looked at Miller. ‘What about Ruby?’
Chopra raised his arms, exasperated. ‘The dog?’
‘It’s sorted,’ Miller said.
‘Right, let’s get down to it.’ Chopra stepped close to Miller and Cheshire, then became aware of McDougall hovering. ‘Who the hell are you?’
‘My name’s McDougall,’ Malky said.
Miller watched Barry Cheshire carefully, but saw no reaction.
He had never mentioned McDougall’s name to him, so there was no reason Cheshire would know that he was standing next to the man who had knocked on his door a couple of weeks earlier with every intention of killing him.
Cheshire certainly did know that the woman a few feet behind him had given the order, so either way he was demonstrating remarkable self-control.
Chopra appeared entirely uninterested in McDougall and continued talking to Miller and Cheshire. ‘So, what’s your story going to be?’
Miller just stared for a second or two, confused. ‘Story?’
‘When Battersby calls Cheshire with instructions and Cheshire tells him, because he has to, that he has someone else with him. When he turns up with you on board.’ He pushed a finger into Miller’s chest. ‘He can hardly tell him that you’re a police officer, can he?’
‘I’m someone who works for Mrs Cutler,’ Miller said. ‘Simples.’
‘Battersby’s never met Detective Miller,’ Cheshire said. ‘So it shouldn’t be a problem.’
Chopra did not look convinced, but was clearly becoming irritated at McDougall’s continued presence. ‘Why are you here, Mr McDougall?’
‘I’m here because I do work for Mrs Cutler, and I’m going to be getting into that van with these two.’
‘I don’t think so,’ Chopra said.
Now it was the turn of Jacqui Cutler to step forward. ‘I’m sorry, Detective Inspector, but I do think so, and I’m pretty bloody sure that my authority as Justin’s mother trumps yours. This man knows my son and I want him there when the ransom is delivered.’
‘Mrs Cutler—’
‘I want him there.’
Though Chopra was focused on what Jacqui Cutler was telling him, and clearly less than happy about it, Miller was rather more intrigued by the body language between her and Malky McDougall.
The two of them had always been close, but now Miller sensed a …
frostiness, for which there was no obvious explanation.
He decided that there wasn’t really the time to worry about it.
‘So, we happy then?’ McDougall asked.
‘Far from it,’ Chopra said, ‘and I must stress my objections to these last-minute changes of plan.’
‘Yeah, yeah,’ McDougall said. ‘Now, are we going to do this, or what?’
‘Not before you can assure me that you are not carrying any firearms.’
McDougall grinned. ‘I am not carrying any firearms.’
‘You won’t mind if I check?’
McDougall spread his arms and legs and stared at the sky as Chopra patted him down. ‘Told you,’ he said, when Chopra had finished.
‘I will tell you and Mr Cheshire what I’ve already told DS Miller. There will be no attempt to apprehend Neil Battersby until after Justin Cutler has been safely delivered to us. Is that clear?’
‘Oh aye, of course,’ McDougall said. ‘This Battersby bloke’s dangerous and I’m not stupid.’
Miller was not thrilled to see McDougall winking at him.
‘Right, pay attention and I’ll talk you through the logistics.’
Chopra opened the passenger door and pointed out the assorted radios and microphones.
He assured them that, as team leader, he would be in constant touch from a nearby control centre and that the progress of the van would be monitored via GPS, with visual contact maintained from a drone that would be launched once they were on their way.
He then walked round the van and closed the back doors.
‘You should get going,’ he said. ‘There are no obvious traffic issues, but it’ll be dark within the hour and I’d like to make sure you get to the first location before the light goes. ’
Miller, Cheshire and McDougall looked at one another, having realised that, for all the briefings and logistical information, nobody had ever talked about who was going to drive the van.
After a quick discussion, they decided that Cheshire – who had driven large military vehicles during his time in the army – would be the safest bet.
‘I’ve certainly never driven one legally,’ McDougall said, holding open the passenger door.
Miller clambered across into the middle seat. ‘Have you ever done anything legally?’ he asked.
Cheshire got behind the wheel, started the van up and slowly turned it around. Miller gave Chopra a thumbs-up, but the DI from the Kidnap Unit turned away. McDougall waved to Jacqui Cutler, but she did not wave back.
When the van was halfway down the drive and well out of sight, McDougall leaned down and began pulling at something underneath the seat nearest the door. Miller watched, listening to the noise of tape being ripped, until McDougall popped up again, brandishing a handgun.
Cheshire’s eyes were fixed on the road and Miller could do no more than shake his head.
‘Like I told your boss back there,’ McDougall said. ‘I’m not stupid.’