‘Chocolate digestives, please,’ Lizzie shouted after him.
Sam raised both hands above his head and waved at the room. ‘Woohoo! I’ll be having at least two of those biccies, I think.’ He stood up and leant over the top of the screen. ‘Sergeant Larcombe?’
‘What’s new?’ Bill asked.
Sam read from the screen, ‘Land Rover Defender, 1975 built, registered to Brian Stewart in 1992, Bristol address. No further changes of owner and no further details on the vehicle until it was declared SORN in 2008,’ he said.
‘Interesting.’ Larcombe scratched his head. ‘If he was already dead in 2008, who declared the vehicle as being off the road? Let’s find out, shall we? Lizzie, get the coffee on, I need to make a phone call to the DVLA, and Sam, send across the Bristol address, someone there may know something. I’ll ring the nick up there, too. Woohoo indeed!’ he said, ‘progress at last, my beauties.’
* * *
Dan and Sally left Solomon to be escorted back to his cell. Bill Larcombe would take him to get his stuff and visit his mother later in the afternoon. For now, he was safe and sound. The chemicals delivery was planned for that evening at eight-thirty. He glanced at his watch, it was almost midday. That would have to be enough time.
In the incident room, he felt the same sense of excitement that had been apparent the day before. ‘Got something else to tell me?’ he asked. Bill Larcombe waved from his desk, miming that he’d finish his call first.
Dan looked at Sam Knowles, who appeared to have chocolate smeared across his mouth. ‘Sam?’
Sam swallowed down his biscuit, which had gone into his mouth whole, and washed it down with a swig of coffee. ‘Sorry, sir,’ he coughed. ‘We’ve identified the Stewarts’ car, have an address in Bristol and sarge is on to the housing people now.’
‘Yes! Impressive work. We’re getting close, aren’t we?’ said Dan. ‘But, and I know you don’t want to hear this; I need you all with me on the Ryan Carr case today, and tonight. It’s taken priority.’ He cast his eyes around the room, ignoring huffs and tuts. ‘Sergeant Bennett not back yet?’
Lizzie Singh answered, ‘Court’s in recess now, so he should be back within the hour.’
‘Right. I need to Google The Retreat and have a look at the site properly. Sally, I’ll need a full team out again tonight, usual procedure.’
‘Armed response?’ she asked.
‘It might be worth having them there, just in case Garrett carries a weapon. Stab vests are compulsory. I’ve seen the knife he carries in his pocket. I will need some sort of aerial surveillance, though, so we can watch the movement on the ground…’
‘I’ll get onto force support group, now,’ she said.
‘Can we use a drone?’ piped up Adam Foster.
‘Too noisy. And I don’t want helicopters hanging about, also too noisy even if we could afford one, which we can’t.’ He scratched his head with the tip of his pen. ‘I don’t actually know what we need yet. Just alert them, Sally. I’ll get back to them with more detail when I have more of a plan.’
He perched on the corner of the table and chewed the skin at the side of his thumbnail. ‘You know, I’m thinking we could attach thermal cameras to a couple of trees, or the motorway flyover strut and watch from round the corner. It won’t be dark until after nine. We’ll follow Moss when he takes the chemicals to whoever is making them and the rest of the team can have a good look round once he’s gone.’
Sam said, ‘I’ll print and enlarge a map and a buildings screenshot and put it up on the board. You can work better on a bigger picture.’ His fingers rattled across the keyboard, coffee forgotten.
‘Right, I’ll inform DCS Oliver that we need a planning meeting. Let’s meet back here at two, and we’ll get it sorted.’ He watched them get back to work, and took himself off to his office to refine his plan.
With the Bog Bodies investigation suspended for the day, Dan had the whole team plus DCS Oliver round the table just after two o’clock. He’d stuck his hand in his pocket and sent Adam out for sandwiches, as he didn’t think they’d get much chance to eat once it all got going. Sam had printed off a map of The Retreat, aerial view, and the Google Earth picture of the buildings and layout. They ate, chatted and studied the maps.
Dan cleared his throat and banged his mug on the table. ‘I’d like to welcome DS Lake back to the team again. Force support group is with us tonight, with a team of four. Let’s hope we don’t need you, Duncan, but you’re very welcome.’ He nodded towards Oliver. ‘DCS Oliver will lead the second team and I’ll be in charge of the other. So eat, and we’ll crack on as soon as you’re finished,’ he said, choosing a cheese and pickle on granary and taking a bite.
Lake waved a hand, mumbled his thanks and tucked into the sandwiches and coffee with gusto. ‘Wasn’t expecting grub as well,’ he said to DCS Oliver.
‘DI Hellier looks after his team,’ she said. ‘Although what he’s getting them into now remains to be seen. We have no idea if this Garrett is armed, psychopathic or just a generally nasty piece of work,’ she said, pulling at her lip.
‘Okay,’ said Dan, ‘you can all see the maps, and I know you’d like longer to study them, but we’re pushed on this one.’ He wiped his mouth on a paper napkin. ‘This afternoon I want a couple of people from FSG to put a thermal camera here, and an ordinary one here.’ He indicated a huge oak tree behind the barn, on land belonging to the local boatyard. ‘Ben, will you clear it with the owner, please?’
Bennett nodded and passed Dan the signed search warrant for The Retreat.
‘Thanks for that. Hope you didn’t have to beg for it?’
‘No, she’s a good ’un,’ said Bennett, helping himself to an egg roll.
‘The other camera can go onto the strut of the motorway flyover, or even, if you can get access, to a spot right over the top of the main site, which would give us a good view of any movement.’
Lake pursed his lips. ‘The tree shouldn’t be any problem, but we’d need an abseiler to attach one to the actual flyover.’
‘Oh, okay. Well, let’s get as near to the middle as we can, eh?’
‘I didn’t say we couldn’t do it,’ Lake said. ‘I just need to locate an appropriately trained person. No worries, sir,’ he added.
‘Right,’ Dan said. ‘We have a sort of aerial surveillance, thanks Duncan. But we need bodies on the ground. This is where the rest of DS Lake’s team come in.’ He turned back to the map. ‘I want an armed officer on the roof of the barn. You’ll need to have a closer look at it this afternoon when you put the camera in the tree. It looked safe from the ground, but I don’t want any accidents.’ He pointed to the field behind the animal enclosures. ‘Two officers at the rear of the site. There is no road out that way, so it’s just for back-up if Garrett or his family make a run for it.’
‘I need someone to get in there this afternoon and put a trace on Garrett’s car. We already have his phone covered, but he may leave it behind.’
Lake finished his notes. ‘No problem, although we’ll be cutting it a bit fine.’
‘Can’t be helped, but I really appreciate FSG support on this. Oh, I’m stretching the overtime budget even further with a couple of officers from Team One. They’re on paperwork for the jewellery heist this week, and seemed glad of the chance for a bit of action.’
‘What about us, sir?’ asked Lizzie Singh.
‘We’ll be on Wessex Close and at the front of The Retreat, in the field opposite. ‘Once Garrett leaves the site, we will issue the warrant on Mrs Garrett and set about searching the site as best we can. We’ll drive onto the main car park and that should their outdoor lighting on. It’ll help as the sun sets. Our main area of interest is the barn, where I’m sure Garrett stores his stuff.
‘Lizzie, you and Sam will be with Sergeant Bennett on the barn search. DCS Oliver and Sergeant Larcombe will caution Annie and Merlin Garrett and hold them in the cottage. A fast entry specialist from FSG will get you in and secure the
doors if there’s any problem. Bill, would you supervise the house search? Sergeant Bennett, exhibits officer as usual, please. Base yourself in the barn.’ He flipped the page on his notebook, perusing hastily scrawled notes.
Sally raised her pen. ‘Nathan Solomon will cycle to The Retreat at seven fifty-five pm and enter by the cottage gate, which should be unlocked, he tells me. He has agreed to be wired up so we can hear the verbal exchange. He will then go into the barn and await Moss Garrett, who we assume will come across from the cottage. Once the delivery has been made, Solomon will collect his bike and cycle to the main road where he will be picked up by one of our area cars and returned to a local hotel for the night. I want him to be safe, just in case we don’t catch Garrett.’
‘Garrett is a sex abuser, remember,’ added Dan. ‘If he decides to abuse Solomon tonight, then all bets are off and we go in and take Garrett down there and then. We have promised to protect Nathan Solomon, and if that means we don’t catch the manufacturer straightaway, then so be it.’
‘Adam, you’ll be with me in the van,’ continued Sally. ‘We will follow Garrett to his destination and apprehend him and the manufacturer.
‘According to Solomon, Garrett is careless with the chemicals, has no idea what to do with them, and will try to offload them as soon as possible, so we have to assume he will act tonight.’
Dan scanned the room. ‘Any questions? No? Okay, see your respective team leaders for meeting times, and let’s hope it goes alright.’
In his office, surrounded by paper, Dan took a call from his mother. He knew he sounded distracted, but she’d caught him in the middle of his planning. His sister’s parole board was the following Friday. It was possible that she could be released in as little as two weeks. He thanked her for letting him know and put the phone down. He wasn’t sure what she wanted from him. As long as Alison didn’t expect any help from him, she could do what she liked.
He waited until after four and rang Claire, just to hear her voice. ‘Hi, had a good day?’ he said.
‘Hello you. A very good day, thanks. To what do I owe this honour? A call in the daytime?’
‘I have to work late tonight, and I just wanted to speak to you before I get caught up in it all.’
‘It’s not going to be dangerous, is it?’ she asked. ‘Only last time you did a late night, it was a nightmare. Still is, isn’t it? A nightmare?’ Then she said, before he could answer, ‘No, don’t tell me, I’m better if I don’t know the details.’
Dan chuckled. ‘You learn fast, and no, it shouldn’t be dangerous. We’re at a crucial point with one of our investigations and I’m hoping this will be the end of it.’ He sighed. ‘I’m sorry work keeps getting in the way of us, Claire.’
‘I know, it’s a pain in the neck. But I knew what I was letting myself in for when I took you on, didn’t I?’
‘Yeah, and I hope you don’t regret it every time I cancel,’ he said.
‘Stop fishing. I’ll let you know when I can’t handle it. Alright?’
‘Alright, just making sure you’re okay. Let’s do tomorrow night, then,’ he said. ‘Got to go, love you.’ He put his phone on the desk. He’d said it. Those little words had been hanging between them like a suspect package at a railway station. Dangerous and deadly, or benign and wonderful? He didn’t know, but he’d decided to try them on for size, and they felt good. He had been sure about Claire for weeks. He just hoped she felt the same way. Dan stretched, pulling his shirt free from his trousers, grinned at the polystyrene tiles, and settled back to check through the details of his plan once more.
38
Dan and Sally perched in the back of an unmarked Transit van with both of their teams and DC Lines from Team One. Adam Foster looked young and very small squashed in next to them.
‘Adam,’ said Dan, ‘you’re here as part of your training, but don’t get in the way. Got it?’
Even in the dark of the van, Adam’s eyes were shining with excitement. ‘Got it, sir,’ he whispered and set about adjusting his stab vest for the third time.
Sally stuck out her arm, grabbed Adam round the chin and pulled his face around so he had to look at her.
‘Ouch, sarge,’ he cried, ‘common assault!’
‘Look, trainee DC Foster, you stay behind DC Lines at all times.’ She indicated the heavy-jawed man to her left. ‘If he says stay, you stay. He says run, you run. Have you got that? This is important, Adam; we’re not playing a game, here.’
Adam shook his face free and sat up straight. ‘Yes, Sergeant Ellis, I will follow what DC Lines says. I won’t mess up, I promise. This is what I signed up for.’ He folded his arms and attempted to sit still.
‘It’s alright, Sarge,’ said Lines. ‘I’ll keep an eye on the nipper. He’ll be alright if he does as he’s told.’
Dan studied the laptop feed. It was split screen to cover both cameras. Currently both male Garretts were bedding down the animals, adding food or water to their shelters and locking up the centre for the night. The last volunteer drove from the car park at seven twenty-three pm, and shortly afterwards Annie Garrett stuck her head out of the kitchen door and yelled for the two men to go in and eat.
Taking advantage of the quiet, Dan sent his teams to their positions. Lake’s team approached via the boatyard, clambered over a fence into the field behind the main buildings, and ran. Dan could see the heat signatures from the people and animals on his laptop, except inside the old cottage where the cameras couldn’t penetrate the cob walls, but he had Bill Larcombe and two PCs on the doors, so he would know as soon as anyone made a move. His radio crackled into life.
‘ER1?’
It was Oliver, in charge of Solomon for the evening. ‘ER1 here, ER5. Are you in position?’
‘On the football ground car park with subject 1, ER4, and the chemicals, ready to go. Subject was very nervous, sweaty and shaky, so I got the doc to prescribe a mild Valium about an hour ago. Just hoping that’s going to do the trick. He’s not great at any kind of subterfuge, is he?’
‘I hope he can do this,’ Dan said. How hard was it to deliver and get out? He must have done it lots of times. Dan blew air out through pursed lips. Another weak link. At least Foster, impulsive as he was, was job; he’d signed up to put his life on the line. But Solomon was just a sad case in the wrong place at the wrong time. ‘Okay, ER5, thanks. We just have to trust him, don’t we? Let him go at five to eight. All in place. ER1 out.’
DS Lake radioed his team’s readiness. Dan checked the time. Fifteen minutes to go.
* * *
Annie Garrett collected the empty plates and placed them in the sink. She looked at the kitchen clock. ‘You’ll be late, Merlin,’ she said, ‘if you don’t get a move on.’
Merlin looked up from his contemplation of the crossword. ‘Oh, I’m not going tonight. Half the team’s on holiday, so there’s no darts.’
‘You could just go for a drink, watch the match,’ she said, running water into the sink. The pale blue of the evening sky beyond the kitchen window reflected both her sons back to her. She caught Moss’s eye. He didn’t stir. ‘You need to get out a bit more, son,’ she said, ‘if you’re going to find yourself a nice girlfriend.’
‘Him? Find a girlfriend?’ Moss spluttered tea back into his mug. ‘I don’t think so, Ma.’
‘Stop it,’ she said, turning from the sink to glare at them. ‘Don’t start again. I’ve had enough of the pair of you. You should go out, Merlin, but I won’t force you if you don’t want to go.’ She threw down the dishcloth and stormed out of the kitchen.
‘What did I say?’ said Moss. He watched the clock tick round towards the top of the hour. ‘Right, gonna lift a few weights out on the barn. So what are you gonna do then?’ he asked, slurping down the last of his lukewarm tea and dumping the mug in the sink.
‘Watch the match on telly, I guess. Might have a beer.’ Merlin stood and stretched, easily grasping the ceiling beams and using them to stretch out his long frame. ‘I could do w
ith lifting a few weights, myself,’ he said, ‘I’m getting flabby.’ He wobbled a gut that was definitely larger than it had been the year before.
‘Well, do what you like, long as you don’t think you’re using my stuff.’ Moss threw back the last of his mug of tea and slid it into the washing-up bowl.
Merlin gave him the finger and a sneer, and set to finishing the washing up. ‘Ma’s a bit tetchy.’
‘Yeah. Must be her time of life or some woman stuff. She’ll be alright after a lie-down.’ Moss hesitated at the door. ‘I’ll come in and watch the match with you later. Catch the second half, maybe.’ Leaving Merlin to the washing-up, he pulled on his boots and went out through the back door into a cool summer evening.
Dan picked up the movement on the screen. He watched Moss Garrett walk swiftly across the main thoroughfare, unlock the five-barred gate and go into the barn. ‘We are go,’ he said, adrenaline starting its journey from the pit of his stomach. ‘ER5, send him in. All; get ready.’
Nathan Solomon wheeled his bike through the small gate that led to the front door of the cottage. He left the bike leaning against the wall and made his way carefully around the cottage and into The Retreat. Dan willed him on. His walk was hesitant and painful to watch.
Sally nudged him as DCS Oliver dashed across the road from the football club car park. ‘Open the door, Mark,’ she said to DC Lines, and Oliver climbed in and folded her slight figure into an increasingly tight space.
‘That was tricky,’ she said. ‘Glad I got the doc to give him the tranq. He’s slow, but at least he’s in there.’
Dan nodded and turned his attention back to the images and the conversation he was hoping to hear.
* * *
Moss Garrett perched on one of the big bales of hay in the centre of the barn. He was stripped to the waist, his huge, almost hairless body gleaming as he pumped the weight in his left hand. Where was dickhead? He looked up when Solomon pushed open the barn door and then just stood there, inside the doorway like the moron he was. ‘Get in, you tosser,’ he said, ‘and bring the stuff over here.’ He got up, dropped the weight and mopped his face and body with a towel before pulling a sweatshirt on.
Death on Dartmoor Page 21
