Trentbridge Tales Box Set

by Lee Wood

  Daniel walks to the door of the bedroom and glances back at the two girls lying on the bed side by side.

  He whispers, “I have to go. I’ll be back soon. Promise.”

  Daniel locks the door of the apartment. He drives to his bedsit.

  After what has happened, he wants to make himself more presentable and he has presents for the girls. He’s going to be their hero. The girls will be so grateful. So will their parents. They will all love Daniel. The girls are safe and he’s their knight in shining armour.

  He also needs to phone the police and tell them the girls are safe and explain what has happened. He can tell them where the boss will be at five o’clock so the police can arrest him.

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  Daniel rushes up to his room. He has a quick wash in the small basin. He puts on fresh deodorant and changes his shirt. It got dirty when he dragged Dragos over to the side of the pit.

  There is a knock at the door. Daniel opens it and sees two men he recognises. Before he can move, he is punched in the face. It knocks him back across the room. The men walk in and close the door.

  Chris takes the gun from Daniel’s pocket. They tie him to the chair.

  “Think we wouldn’t find you, eh? When you work in the car industry you know the ways to find someone from a registration number. And the car hire company were most helpful with your details and address. So tell us where you have taken the girls.”

  “They’re in a secret place where they’ll be safe. You won’t find them. I’ll be taking them back to their parents later.”

  “Well, well. So you still have the girls. There’s a bonus. Now you’re going to tell us where they are.”

  “No, never.”

  “Oh, I think you will.”

  Twenty minutes later, Daniel’s landlord goes upstairs to find out what all the noise is about. Someone is screaming. At first he thought it was a couple enjoying themselves but then he realised it sounded like someone in a lot of pain. It is coming from Daniel’s room. It is most unlike him to make a noise.

  The landlord knocks at the door. No answer but he can hear someone is inside.

  “Daniel? Daniel, what’s going on in there? Are you alright?”

  The door opens and two men rush past and down the stairs.

  He sees Daniel slumped in the chair. There is blood everywhere.

  The landlord takes out his mobile and dials 999.

  “I need an ambulance and the police.”

  The police arrive as Daniel is being helped into the ambulance. When he sees the female police officer, he beckons her over.

  “Tell the detective I didn’t tell them anything. I didn’t tell them where the girls are. I promise. Make sure to tell him.” Daniel repeats the message over and over until he collapses.

  The paramedics put him in the ambulance and one of them places an oxygen mask over his face. They close the doors and the vehicle rushes off with its siren blaring.

  PC Pauline Underwood calls in the details of the incident to the control room officer.

  “He kept saying something about not telling them where the girls are.”

  Chapter Sixty

  Eden and the team who have been working round the clock on the case are in the incident room. Everyone looks shattered. All the long hours and hard work they put into the investigation has come to nothing. Everyone is trying to come to terms with the discovery of the girls’ burned bodies.

  Eden and Tracy are discussing the best way to inform the parents.

  One of the control room officers approaches Eden and Tracy.

  “We’ve had a report of a guy who has been attacked and he kept telling officer, ‘I didn’t tell them where the girls are.’ Apparently he kept repeating it over and over.

  He has been beaten and severely tortured and stabbed several times. According to his landlord, his name is Daniel Zugravescu. The officer says there are photographs of the girls all over the walls of his room. She thinks he could be involved in their kidnapping?

  “She’s checked every inch of the bedsit but hasn’t found much. But the officer spoke to his landlord and he mentioned a hire vehicle. She’s checked the vehicle. On the floor on the passenger side, she says she’s found a set of keys with a tag ‘Old Phone Exchange, Lensfield’.”

  “I know that place. Tell her we’re on our way and to meet us there with the keys.”

  Ten minutes later, they arrive at the old phone exchange and the female police officer, PC Underwood and her colleague PC Frank Edwards are standing by the front door.

  “I didn’t want to go in just in case of forensics.”

  “Well done, but no time for that. Be careful if you see anything.”

  She and PC Edwards lead the way in followed by Eden and Tracy. They spread out and start searching. After a couple of minutes, there is a shout from PC Underwood from the first floor.

  “Sir, I think I’ve found something up here.”

  The two detectives, rush up the stairs.

  “There’s a video camera, a recording device of some sort and a pair of binoculars. He’s been watching someone or something. What’s in that building opposite?”

  Eden uses the binoculars. He can see people in forensic suits crawling around. “Crikey. It’s the old vehicle repair garage where the girls’ bodies were discovered. He must have witnessed it. Maybe he recorded who did it. Get the video camera over to the tech team and have them go through it frame by frame.

  “He was watching them. That’s what he was on about when I spoke to him on the phone yesterday. He said he would phone back at four today and tell us where the kidnappers would be at five. It looks like something went wrong and the girls were killed earlier.

  PC Underwood turns to Eden. “There’s something else here, sir. It’s a notebook with times and observations he’s made of the events in the factory. The last few entries read: Ugly man says boss is coming at five o’clock. Maybe I can rescue the girls and take them to Mitcham’s.”

  “Who the fuck is Mitcham’s?”

  “It’s not a ‘who’ sir,” says PC Underwood. “It was a furniture store. It closed down a couple of years ago. It’s been empty ever since.”

  “I’m not sure what we’ll find there but we need to check it out.”

  Eden’s phone rings.

  Tracy and the officers listen in to the call.

  Eden seems excited about something. He smiles then gasps. “Are you serious? You’re sure about that?”

  He ends the call then turns to the women. “That was head of the forensics team. The burned bodies they found. They are not the girls. Both bodies are male. That means there is a chance the girls could still be alive. Maybe that’s what he meant by ‘I didn’t tell them where the girls are.’ We need to go and check out this furniture place right away.”

  The police arrive and after a phone call from the chief constable they are given permission to use a forced entry. The front doors are broken open. The alarm goes off but the police will deal with that later. The entire shop is searched but they find nothing.

  PC Underwood goes up to the first floor and checks around but still finds nothing. Looking out of the window at the rear she notices the courtyard and how tidy it is in comparison to the rest of the building.

  She walks downstairs and finds Eden.

  “Sir, it may be nothing but the courtyard at the back–”

  Eden interrupts. “Courtyard. What courtyard?”

  You can see it from upstairs. There’s a courtyard, and some steps down to a doorway. I thought it was part of the shop?”

  “Has anyone seen a door leading out to a courtyard at the back?”

  “No, there’s only the storeroom with a tall shelf unit.”

  “Move the shelf unit.”

  They see the door as soon as the unit has been moved. There is no key in the lock. PC Underwood notices a key on the floor. She picks it up and tries the lock. The key turns.

  She walks into the courtyard and down the concrete ste
ps leading to the basement door. She notices it is metal lined.

  She tries the handle, but finds it locked.

  She shouts out, “Police, hello, anyone there?”

  Nothing. She tries once more. “Hello, this is the police. Anyone in there?”

  It’s a female voice. “Hello. Yes, we’re here.”

  “Is there a key in there?”

  “No. He took it with him when he locked us in. We can’t get out.”

  “Stand back. We’ll get you out.”

  One of the male officers returns with a door battering ram from his patrol car.

  It takes eight hits before the door gives way. The male officer stands aside. PC Underwood walks inside.

  “No need to be alarmed. We’re the police. I’m Police Constable Underwood. You’re safe now. Is anyone else here?”

  “No, we’re alone. Someone brought us here. A man. He locked us in and left. But he said he would be coming back.”

  “Okay. We need to get you checked over by the doctor and then we can take you home to your parents. In the meantime, we will let them know we have you and that you’re safe.”

  Chapter Sixty-One

  The police doctor has checked the girls over and has detected a drug in their systems.

  Leona tells him, “We haven’t taken any drugs. It must have been put in the pizza we were given for lunch.”

  He advises them as far as he can tell the effects have almost worn off. They will be fine in an hour or so. No reason they cannot go home.

  It has only been forty minutes but seems like their mother has been hugging them for hours.

  Everyone jumps as the phone rings.

  The police still have their equipment set up.

  Francis picks it up.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, it’s Miles Tyler. I’ve just seen the TV appeal. I’m sorry to trouble you. It must be a difficult time but I just wanted to say if there’s anything I can do to help then–”

  Francis cuts him off.

  “Hang on a sec.”

  He turns to Erica.

  “It’s Miles Tyler.”

  She takes the cordless phone from Francis and walks into the kitchen.

  Five minutes later, she hangs up.

  “Terry. It’s Miles. I need some new photos of the Mitten twins. There is a huge story about to blow. You probably know that after they got back from Ibiza, they were kidnapped at the airport. I’ve found out they got away. They are fine. The story will be breaking tomorrow. I need some snaps pronto.”

  “Fuck me. That’s big news. Seriously, they were kidnapped? This wasn’t you pulling one of your stunts?”

  “Of course it fucking wasn’t. Do you think I’m that stupid, or desperate? They’re so in demand at the moment, I don’t need to do anything. People love them. And those photos you took in Ibiza are fabulous. I assume you’re going to continue to drip-feed them out over the next few days.”

  “Yeah, but this is dynamite. Where are they?”

  “At their parents in Trentbridge.”

  “Great. I’m leaving Sunderland now. It’ll take me about three hours to get there. I’ll think about the best shots to take while I’m on the way. Text me the details.”

  Terry Keagan, or king of the celebrity photographers, as he likes to be known, is one of the best lens men around. He could make Donald Trump look attractive.

  Nowadays he isn’t a paparazzi, he only does set-up shots and then feeds them to the media. It pays extremely well, and he gets to meet all the rich and famous, as well as the infamous and rude. Still, as long as he gets the shots.

  The following day when the story breaks across social media and TV and the national press, it takes the girls’ career to the next level.

  They certainly come across well in TV interviews and prove they are intelligent and have a good sense of humour as well as being extremely attractive. Cameras love them.

  Chapter Sixty-Two

  With a million pounds in cash and the police no nearer to catching them, the two remaining kidnappers meet up at Mr Gee’s rented apartment.

  “Okay, with the other two out of the picture it’s a simple 50/50 split. Half a million each.”

  “That might be fine for you, Chris, but I still haven’t got my revenge.”

  “We can’t do anything now. The police will be everywhere and the family will be on their guard. At least they’re a million pounds down, that has got to hurt.”

  “I want total revenge for what happened to me. What I’ve had to go through.”

  “It would be stupid to do anything now. Let’s go off and enjoy the money for a while and then come back in a few months when they think it’s all over. It will be much easier then.”

  Chapter Sixty-Three

  One of the things the police had asked Albert was where the money had come from to pay the ransom. Albert told them he had £300,000 and borrowed the rest from a friend at short notice.

  They didn’t ask him but one of the things they would need to check was who would have nearly three-quarters of a million sitting around in cash.

  Most people had never seen that amount of money. And certainly not in cash!

  Tracy found PC Rachel Nason sitting in the police station canteen.

  “Rachel, I need someone to come with me to see the grandfather.”

  “Okay, Tracy, no problem.”

  The pair drive to Albert Mitten’s house. They walk to the front door. Rachel rings the bell. The pair look around the front garden and admire it.

  “I don’t think I could ever afford this on my salary,” said Rachel.

  “Way out of my pay grade too.”

  Albert answers the door. “Hello ladies.”

  Tracy, holds out her ID, although it should be obvious who they are as Rachel is in uniform.

  “Please, won’t you come in?”

  Albert leads them through to the lounge at the rear of the house which looks out through the conservatory and over the vast beautifully manicured lawn. “Can I get you some tea or coffee?”

  “Yes. It’s been a long day and that would be extremely nice.”

  “Please have a seat while I go and arrange it.”

  Albert walks back in holding a light-wood-coloured tea serving tray with handles at both ends.

  “Here we are a pot of tea and coffee and a few assorted biscuits. Please help yourselves to milk and sugar.”

  Tracy and Rachel sit back while sipping their drinks. Rachel picks up one of the Jaffa cakes.

  “Now then, tell me, what brings you here? Is there an update?”

  “There are still a lot of loose ends to tie up. But we are making progress. One thing we need to know Mr Mitten is who supplied the money for the ransom? We know you were able to raise £300,000 but that leaves a large chunk to find. So we need to know who it was.”

  “I’m not sure it’s relevant or that the person concerned would like you to have that information.”

  “Mr Mitten. We’re not with the Inland Revenue. We’re not interested at this stage in where the money came from. We just need to know who. Remember, the two main people behind the kidnapping are still out there. We are trying to find them. Every piece of information helps.”

  “I suppose it can’t do any harm in you knowing. It came from a man I’ve known for over twenty years. Harry Richardson.”

  “Was the money a loan?”

  “No. He is a friend but this was done as a business deal. I had to agree to sell him the site on Tennis Court Road. He’s been pestering me to sell it for years. It’s worth far more than the 700,000 but I was in a fix. He helped me out. I would have gladly sold everything I have to get my granddaughters back safely.”

  “Thank you, Mr Mitten. That’s all we need to know. You’ve been extremely helpful.”

  “I’m not sure how but you’re welcome.”

  Tracy and Rachel get up to leave.

  “Thank you for the tea Mr Mitten, and the biscuits,” said Rachel.

  “My ple
asure, my dear. Why don’t you take a couple of the biscuits with you?”

  “Not good for my diet but thank you all the same.”

  As Rachel drives out of the gates, Tracy is thinking she has come across the name Harry Richardson before. She recalled it had been one of the names on the guest list of the Mittens’ fiftieth anniversary party. But no, it is in connection with something else. It will come back to her.

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  A lot has happened since the twins were found safe.

  Sadly, the only witness, Daniel Zugravescu, has died in hospital but the police found his journal and several photographs of the kidnappers he had taken from the window of the old phone exchange that overlooked the hideout.

  His journal listed the coming and goings of four men. Daniel managed to take photos of them all. Two of the suspects are confirmed as dead, having been killed by someone as yet unknown and their bodies burned in the inspection pit.

  The two remaining kidnappers are still free. And none of the million-pound ransom money has been recovered.

  DI Eden Gold and his partner DS Tracy Archer are on their way to see the Mitten family in the hope they can identify the two suspects who are still at large from the photographs taken by Daniel.

  After arriving and being shown through to the lounge and Mrs Mitten bringing through a pot of tea, a plate of biscuits and some homemade cake, they all sit down.

  “Thank you for seeing us today, Mr Mitten, Mrs Mitten. How are things with the girls?”

  Francis Mitten nodded. “Yes, they’re fine. I think kids handle these situations better than us. They are back in London for the moment, following their dreams. The publicity seems to have helped their careers even more. But, of course, it brings problems. They now need security wherever they go. But it’s the life they have chosen. They seem to be alright with everything.”