by M A Comley
Lorne dipped her fork into the goulash and savoured the first mouthful as if she hadn’t eaten for a week. “Wow, I really wish I could cook as well as you, Carol. This is divine.”
Tony leaned over to Carol and said, “So do I.”
Lorne thought about kicking him under the table but stopped herself just in time when she thought about the injury to his leg. “Cheeky sod.”
They chatted about anything and everything, except work, and when the tidying up had all been completed, Lorne settled Tony in the living room in front of a David Attenborough documentary he wanted to see then returned to the kitchen with Carol. “Now, are you going to tell me what’s wrong? I know you’ve been putting a brave face on things all evening. I’m not stupid, love.”
Carol clenched her hands on the kitchen table and wrung them together slightly. “The spirits have been keeping me awake the last few nights, not allowing me to sleep. They’re worried about the girl you’re looking for. I saw your appeal go out on the news, so I have an image of Emma in my mind now.”
“I know you don’t like to be given all the facts, but if there’s anything you need to know, just ask. What have the spirits supplied you with so far?”
“It’s all a bit jumbled.” She ran a worried hand over her face.
Lorne reached across the table and grasped Carol’s other hand. “Just say what you’ve seen, and we’ll work out the rest, as usual. At the moment, we don’t have a lot, Carol. I fear Emma doesn’t have much time left.” She stopped short of telling Carol about discovering Gillian Knot’s body.
“Let me concentrate for a moment… Bear with me.” Carol closed her eyes and nodded.
Lorne could tell the spirits were communicating with Carol by the pained and confused expression on her best friend’s face. However, she knew better than to interrupt the process. No matter how long it took for the messages to come through, Lorne would have to be patient.
Carol inhaled a large breath and opened her eyes wide. “It’s done. I think I can give you what I have now. Like I said, it all seems a little jumbled to me, so hopefully you’ll be able to make more sense of everything.” She placed her other hand in Lorne’s. “The first thing they mentioned was a church. I see a large stained-glass window. I suppose that would just about cover every church in the whole of the British Isles, right?”
Lorne sniggered. “You’re not wrong there. Maybe I should jot things down while you say them. Let me get my notebook and pen.” She crossed the room and withdrew her notebook from her handbag before returning to the table. She jotted down a church with a stained-glass window and then nodded for Carol to continue.
“I see a river. However, I don’t see the church by the river, but that doesn’t mean anything. You know how these things work, love.”
Lorne nodded and smiled. “I know. Go on.”
“Next I have some kind of metal object. It’s strange… It’s large, but I can’t quite figure out what it is.”
“Never mind. Carry on.”
Suddenly Carol gasped. “I see her. My God, the poor girl is naked.”
Lorne’s eyes unexpectedly filled with tears. “Is she dead?”
Carol closed her eyes. “I can’t tell. Show me a sign, spirits, that she’s alive. Wait, no—I mean yes, she’s alive. I can see her moving. Oh no, the poor child is sobbing.”
“I’m not surprised. If she’s naked, she must be freezing. The temperature is barely above freezing at the moment. I’m cold, and I’m fully clothed. Poor Emma. Christ, we need to find her and quickly. Anything else, Carol?”
“I see a car.” Carol let out a gasp again. “It’s on fire.”
“No! Is anyone inside the vehicle?”
Carol shook her head. “I can’t see. Oh, Lorne, I’m not being much help, am I?”
“Of course you are. Carry on, love.”
After a long pause, Carol gave another insight to what the spirits were relaying to her. “I’m seeing an overgrown garden and a forest. This isn’t making much sense, is it?”
“The forest is definitely making sense to me. I’ll tell you why after you’ve finished. Anything else?”
“Why am I seeing cardboard boxes and people living on the street?”
“You’ve nailed it. Don’t discount anything. Just tell me everything they tell you, love.”
“If you insist.” The strain on Carol’s face increased. It wasn’t long before she threw herself back in her chair and let out an exhausted sigh. “That’s it. The spirits have dispersed once more. Are you going to tell me if any of this slots into place for you?”
“To be honest, I think most of it does. Emma is a devout Christian, regularly attends her church, plus we believe the man who has abducted her used to do odd jobs at a church close to his flat.”
“Oh my! The spirits were spot on then. Wonders will never cease. I know in the past they’ve led us on a merry dance. I wonder why this time is different.”
“In the past, we were dealing with a dead body and trying to find the culprit. This time we’re looking for a victim who appears to be still alive. How long that will remain the case is anyone’s guess. You did well, Carol.”
“What about the other clues? The forest?”
“We discovered a girl’s body in the forest this morning. It was a case Tony and Joe were dealing with. She disappeared over two weeks ago.”
“Oh dear, how dreadful. Are you linking the girl’s murder to the man who has abducted Emma?”
“At the moment, yes. I’m glad to hear that the spirits have picked up on the cardboard boxes too, as we believe this man is homeless.”
“Well, what do you know? I’m thrilled that all this information has been spot on for a change. I hope it helps your investigation, Lorne.”
“I’m sure it will. I also want to tell you that both Gillian, the girl we found murdered, and Emma worked as volunteers at a homeless centre.”
“Really? Wow, do you think that’s where they met this man?”
Lorne nodded. “I’d say that was a definite possibility. Can you do me a favour? Keep reaching out to the spirits and get in touch with me if they come up with anything else. We’re up against time on this one, especially if Emma is being kept naked. I fear she’s not going to last long if that’s the case.”
“Of course. I’m going to shoot off home now, if that’s all right with you? I’m glad the spirits have been useful this time round. Let’s hope they keep producing the goods that will eventually lead to Emma’s release. I’ll pray for her until that happens.”
“Thanks, love. Will you be all right driving home in the dark?”
Carol rose to her feet and waved a hand in front of herself. “Of course I will. I’ll just nip and say goodbye to Tony before I go. He was looking pretty rough when I arrived earlier this afternoon, Lorne. No matter what he says, I think the pain is worse than he’s letting on, but I haven’t told you that.” Carol winked at her.
“Okay. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll grill him after you’ve gone.”
Carol left the room and laughed when she returned to the kitchen. “Must have been a thrilling documentary because he’s fast asleep in there with his mouth wide open.”
“Typical. He spent the night on the sofa last night. Not to worry. I’ll sort him out. Thanks for all you’ve done today. The meal was superb. You’ll have to give me the recipe.”
“I’ll jot it down for you. Take care. I hope you find Emma soon.”
They hugged each other tightly at the door. Sheba stood alongside Lorne as she waved her friend off.
“Hey, girl, want to go out and spend a penny?”
Sheba jumped around on the spot.
“Let me grab my coat.”
As she watched Sheba run around the paddock under the glare of the security lights, she couldn’t help revisiting the clues Carol had given her. The one thing that puzzled her was the metal object. Is that what Parker is keeping Emma in?
Panting, Sheba headed towards the house. She was
a sweet dog, easily satisfied by a quick sprint around when time was short. Lorne made a note that she owed her beautiful dog a gallop along the sandy beach. Maybe that could take place on a nearby beach on Christmas Day. Crikey! Christmas is only a few days away, and I’ve done bugger all towards it.
The previous year, Tony had surprised her by buying all the gifts for the family, including presents for Jade and her family. He’d even wrapped them, as Lorne had been too busy with an important case, as usual. He was an absolute treasure compared to her first husband, Tom. He was one of the most selfish men she’d ever had the misfortune of meeting. Tony, in spite of his tough ex-MI6 exterior, was a caring and thoughtful man who treated her as every man should treat the woman in his life—with respect and love.
She boiled the kettle and nipped into the lounge to see if Tony was still asleep, and he was. With nothing better to do, she booted up her laptop, made herself a coffee and snuck into the living room. She turned off the TV and trawled the internet, looking for some last-minute bargains. With only a few days to go, it was obvious that she would be paying through the nose to get the items delivered before the big day, but needs must. Lorne had just completed the task when she heard the back door open. She placed the laptop on the floor beside her and walked into the kitchen to find Charlie filling the kettle at the sink.
“Hey, how’s it going, sweetheart?” She pecked her daughter on the cheek and stood back.
“I’m fine, Mum. Brandon wanted to go out for a pizza after work. How’s Tony doing?”
“Carol was here cooking dinner when I got home. She said he was pretty bad when she arrived this afternoon, but he’s told me his leg is getting better by the hour. He’s in there giving it some z’s now.”
“Do you want me to give you a hand getting him upstairs?”
Lorne shook her head. “I think I’ll let him sleep on the sofa again tonight. It would be a shame to wake him. I’m tempted to have a peek at his leg. Not sure how I could do that without waking him up, though.”
“Not good, eh? Maybe you should ring the doc after all. Let him deal with him rather than let Tony fall out with you, especially with Christmas around the corner.”
“Talking of which. I’m super behind, as usual. Just done all my shopping online, to be honest. Don’t judge me or hate me when you open your pressie on Christmas morning, will you?”
“Crap! At least you’ve done yours. I haven’t even thought about Christmas. Why does it have to come around every twelve months? Why can’t it happen every other year to give us a break?”
Lorne laughed. “All right, Mrs. Scrooge, wind your neck in. Don’t fret about buying presents for us this year. We all appreciate how busy you’ve been, completing your course. We’ll have a nice meal on the day and just spend time together. I’m feeling pretty guilty about not seeing Jade and the kids. It’s been months since we saw each other.”
“She accepts how busy you are, Mum. No one keeps London more safe and sound than you do. She understands that.”
“I hope you’re right. I doubt it, though, knowing my sister. I’ll give her a ring tomorrow, since she’s probably bathing the kids right now. Oops, there I go again, putting off yet another call.”
“You’re terrible. Do you want a coffee?”
“Please. How was work? Have the team welcomed you with open arms?”
Charlie poured the boiling water over the instant coffee before she answered. “There are a few strange ones, but basically, the team have all done their bit to make me feel welcome. I’m still being handed all the shitty jobs, but I managed to spot a clue that one of the guys had missed. Pretty pleased to say that clue broke the case, and my boss went out to arrest the culprit. He seemed chuffed with my contribution.”
“That’s my girl. I’m thrilled for you, love. I can see you rising up the ranks quicker than I did. I’ll be calling you ma’am soon enough.”
Charlie laughed and punched her mother in the top of the arm. “Yeah, right. You’re full of bullshit at times, Mother.”
“Want to place a small bet, between us?”
“Are you serious?”
“Deadly. I bet you a hundred pounds that you make it to DI before you’re twenty-five.” Lorne held her hand out for Charlie to shake.
“Bloody hell, that’s only four years away. Okay, deal. I bet I don’t.”
“We’ll see. You’ve got my genes, remember? That’ll go for you in the eyes of the bosses.”
Charlie raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure it won’t go against me?”
Lorne cringed. “Oh damn, you could be right. Is it too late to change my mind?”
“It is. We shook on it, remember?” Charlie said with a cheeky grin.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lorne ended up tossing and turning all night. She never slept well when Tony wasn’t in the bed beside her. She crept downstairs to let Sheba out before checking on her husband, whom she could hear snoring in the lounge.
The quilt was covering him, and he was lying in the same position as she’d left him. She felt relieved to know he’d had a good night’s sleep. She made a couple of coffees and shook his shoulder gently. “Tony, are you awake?”
“I wasn’t, but I am now,” he replied, stretching.
Lorne watched him carefully, searching for any telltale signs that he was in pain. She detected a small wince but nothing major. “How’s your leg this morning?”
“Give me a chance, Lorne. I’ve only just woken up. Is one of those coffees for me?” he asked.
“It is. I need to get a wriggle on. Said I’d be in work early today after arriving late yesterday. Do you want me to help you shower before I go?”
“No, I’ll be fine. You sort yourself out and get off.”
“Are you going to hang around here today?”
“Nope. I’m going back to work. My leg will be fine. If it gives me any jip, you have my word that I’ll come straight home.”
She bent down to kiss him. “Make sure you do. You wouldn’t want to get on my bad side,” she reminded him with a wink.
“That’s true.”
~ ~ ~
Forty minutes later, when she arrived at the station, she had a feeling Sean would be waiting for her. He glanced up at the clock on the wall as she stepped into the incident room.
“I’m fifteen minutes early, unlike yesterday, which I apologised for. Everything all right? Only you look like you have the weight of the world sitting on your shoulders, Sean.”
“Not really. I have some news that I need to share with you. Can we do that in your office? I’ll grab the coffees.”
Lorne nodded, and with every step she took towards her office, her heart pounded harder. She paused in the doorway. The smell of Pete’s aftershave was faint. Make him keep his distance from me, Pete.
She was seated behind her desk when Sean walked into the room. He placed the two coffees down then flopped into the chair. He looked defeated, drained of energy.
“Are you going to continue to act like a drama queen, or are you going to tell me what’s eating you?” Her words sounded harsh to her own ears. She winced then smiled, making out that she was only joking.
“I don’t think much of your sense of humour at a time like this, Lorne.”
“I’m sorry. What’s wrong?”
“I paid Nerys and Warren a visit last night after work, which was pretty fraught with emotion. Warren received a call.”
Lorne tilted her head. “Are you going to tell me who from?”
“The kidnapper. It was a bloody ransom demand.”
Lorne had mixed feelings about ransom demands. In her vast experience, they rarely turned out well. “Did you listen to the conversation?”
“Yes, Warren put the phone on speaker. The guy said either he gets a hundred thousand within twenty-four hours, or he’ll end Emma’s life. Plus, he warned them not to involve the police. That part is pretty hard not to do, considering we’re involved anyway.”
“That’s a pretty typic
al demand. If he’s seen the media appeal, he’s already aware that we’re involved. Did you ask for proof of life, Sean?”
His gaze dropped to the desk, and he clenched his hands across his midriff. “No, I forgot. We were all pretty gobsmacked when the call came in. I just froze. I was less than useless. I left the house feeling shit, like I had let them down. I’ve hardly slept a wink all night. How the hell did you continue to function when Charlie was kidnapped?”
Lorne quickly revisited the time she’d locked away in her memory, and the truth was she hadn’t, really. The Unicorn had kept her on her toes for days during Charlie’s abduction. It was around that time that her marriage imploded too. If it hadn’t been for Sean and Tony having faith in her abilities, she felt sure she would have frozen like Sean had. “I had you and Tony keeping me going and Dad, of course.”
Sean looked up when she mentioned her father. “I miss old Sam. You’re right. He was instrumental in bringing Charlie back home safely.”
“He was always there for us. Knew the right calls to make and when to enforce the actions. I miss him too. He was one in a million.” She wiped away a stray tear that had escaped her eye.
Sean attempted to leave his seat, and she feared he was about to try to comfort her, but she held up a hand to stop him. “I’m fine. This isn’t about the past. This conversation is about what we’re going to do to get Emma back. Tell me what Parker said.”
He shrugged. “Just that we have twenty-four hours to come up with a hundred grand. The call came in at eight fifteen last night.”
“Okay, you should have rung me last night with this information, Sean. That’s almost thirteen hours we’ve lost already.”
“Shit! I’m sorry. You’re right. I should have done. I was busy trying to come up with the money.”
“You? Why you?”
“Because Warren is on the verge of filing for bankruptcy.”
“What? Does he run his own business then?”
“Yes. He and Nerys run a small printing firm together. The business has been going through a tough time lately, and now, with Emma missing, they’re spending more and more time away from it. They’re out there searching for her at every opportunity. They really are truly devoted to their daughter. I said I’d help them out by raising the funds myself. Have you ever tried raising five grand overnight, let alone a hundred grand? It’s a nigh impossible task, Lorne.”
