A Tangled Web

by A L Fraine

  “Is it?”

  “Oh yes. I mean, that’s why you’re down here, right? That’s why you joined the SIU?”

  “That’s right,” he replied, wondering where she was going with this.

  “Well, I might be able to help you.”

  “With what?”

  “With Olivia, of course. I might be able to help you find her.”

  “Is that right?” Was she lying?

  “Don’t be so suspicious, Jon. I bear you no ill will.”

  Her word games were tiring, and he was starting to lose his patience with her. “Get to the point, Sydney.”

  She seemed to sense that and stood. Walking over, she came close, taking a sip from her wine glass. “I have a lead to follow up, on a personal matter, but providing that pans out, I think I might be able to help you get what you need.”

  “You’re saying Russell’s involved?”

  “I never said that,” she replied, and then smiled. “Russell’s an interesting man, but my ambitions are much bigger than just him.” She raised a hand and traced her finger along his tie. “You intrigue me, Jon Pilgrim. A keen, dogged detective, not afraid to stand up to the rich and powerful. I like that.”

  “Like I said before, I’m currently in a relati—”

  She pulled the tie, yanking his head closer, and kissed him.

  Jon pulled away instantly and backed up, shocked. “Get off me.”

  “That was nice,” she replied.

  “Get out.”

  “I’m going to be a very rich woman, Jon. Very rich. You could share that with me. I don’t want to be alone, you know.”

  “I have no interest in you beyond this case,” Jon replied. “Now please leave.”

  “Think about it, Jon. I will be in touch shortly. Enjoy the wine,” she replied, placing her empty glass down on the side table, and walking past him to the exit.

  She glanced back once as she walked out, a wicked smile on her ruby lips. And then she was gone.

  “Holy fuck,” Jon cursed, releasing a long breath as he sank down onto the bed. What the hell was that all about? How on earth could she be interested in him, they’d only met twice before?

  She was stunning, that was true, just as Kate had said, but beauty was only skin deep, and she seemed as crazy as they came.

  But the woman was quite clearly a conniving, dangerous person, and he really didn’t want anything to do with her. However, he was also quite sure this wouldn’t be the last he would see of her.

  Turning, he regarded the bottle on the table. For a moment, he briefly considered having a drink, but then decided not to and poured it down the bathroom sink.

  His bed was calling him, and he had no desire to resist it.

  27

  Opening her eyes, Olivia woke from another nap. She slept in fits and starts, grabbing short periods of sleep here and there, whenever her sheer exhaustion was just too much for her to bear anymore.

  Sleeping was not something she wanted to do, not here. She didn’t like the idea that she didn’t know what was going on around her. She wanted to keep alert and awake.

  But it was nearly impossible. He kept pumping her full of drugs, making her delirious, making her question what was real and what was a nightmare.

  Whenever possible, she fought him, made it difficult for him, but he’d just hit her or threaten her with a knife. The one time she’d struggled while the needle was in, had led to a nasty wound in her arm. She’d not done that again.

  She sat up to find the room in darkness, but something was different.

  Something was wrong.

  “Hello?”

  She wasn’t alone, she could feel it, someone’s eyes, watching her.

  Squinting, she peered into the shadows, hunting for signs that someone was there, only to have a figure step from the far wall, into the faint light coming from the single small window.

  “I wonder if you’re more trouble than you’re worth,” he said. “I might kill you tomorrow, put you out in the garden with the others and find someone new.”

  Without another word, the figure turned and walked out, leaving her with a gnawing terror deep inside as she contemplated what was to come.

  28

  Standing on the side of the street, Yana pulled her coat tighter to keep the cold out while she waited. It had been a long shot, calling them, but as it turned out, they seemed pleased to have heard from her, and quickly arranged a meeting.

  She’d arrived early and kept checking the time on her phone until finally, the glossy black car pulled up, and the rear passenger door opened. Inside, a man looked up at her and then scooted over to the far side of the back seat.

  “Get in,” he said in a broad Russian accent.

  Yana checked the street one last time. No one seemed to be taking much interest in them, but then the threat was most likely going to be inside the car, not out here on the street.

  The dark interior of the vehicle loomed before her, and for a brief moment, she considered turning and walking away, but she quickly discounted that idea. She was well aware of who she was dealing with here, and the Russian Mafia did not take kindly to people wasting their time.

  Steeling her nerves, she stepped into the car and sat down, closing the door behind her.

  “So, Yana. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Vassili has mentioned you before.”

  “Favourably, I hope?”

  “I did not expect your phone call. I had thought that maybe you had been taken in along with Vassili.”

  “No. I wouldn’t allow that to happen. Vassili thinks he is immune to the law, but I know better.”

  “I’m glad to hear it Yana, because Vassili has outlived his usefulness, and as of tomorrow, I will be cutting him loose. Jacob and the others too. We’re cutting our losses.”

  “The police have witnesses.”

  “We know,” the man replied. “The girls are of no consequence to us. We can find more girls.”

  “And me?” Yana asked, suddenly worried that this could be her end. She glanced to her left at the two silent figures in the front seats, before looking back at the man beside her. He smiled.

  “You?” he said, regarding her with appraising eyes. “No, I have plans for you. I am impressed with your skills, Yana. Skills that will work well for us.”

  Yana breathed a sigh of relief. “What do you have in mind?”

  29

  “How did you sleep?” Kate asked.

  “Alright, actually,” Jon replied, thinking back to the night before and how he’d sent Sydney on her way. After that, he’d managed to get into bed and slip into a deep slumber that had actually resulted in a proper night’s rest.

  He felt grateful for these small mercies.

  “Good, so you’re rested and ready to get going then?”

  Jon nodded as he sat at the table in the incident room, his team filing in for the morning briefing and update.

  “What’s this I hear about ‘Finger-Girl?’” Rachel asked.

  “Finger-Woman, and Gravy-Man,” Kate replied, correcting her.

  “You know that sounds all kinds of wrong, right?”

  “It’s so wrong, it’s right,” Jon said, nodding his head.

  “No, just wrong. Very, very wrong.”

  “I don’t want any part of your gravy… sir,” Dion said.

  “Or your finger,” Rachel added, with a raised eyebrow at Kate.

  Jon put on a deep, gravelly voice. “Gravy-Man considered the words of his trusty sidekicks but found them to be small-minded and petty. Gravy-Man was only concerned with ending crime on the streets of Surreyburg, and bringing justice to the people.”

  “I think he’s finally lost it,” Rachel said.

  “It’s sad to see,” Dion added. “He’ll be fondly remembered.”

  “I think fondly is a little strong. Maybe just remembered?”

  “Occasionally thought about?” Dion suggested.

  “Or referenced?”

  “Oi, Dion, smar
t arse, tell me what you’ve got, or you’ll feel the wrath of…” he put on the deep voice again, “…Gravy-Man.”

  “That is a scary thought,” Dion replied, glancing at Rachel.

  “Terrifying,” she agreed. “I think you should do as the crazy man asks.”

  “Good idea. Right, well, I got the phone records of Russell, Blake, and most of his staff, and started going through them. I couldn’t find Sydney’s, though.”

  “That’s okay,” Jon replied, unconcerned about her for the moment. “What did you find?”

  Dion sighed. “Nothing. Not a thing. No suspicious activity at all.”

  “And you’re sure you had the right people?”

  “They were the records for their contract phones, yes. Which obviously doesn’t cover landlines or burner phones. So it’s hardly comprehensive.”

  “No, not really. What about the CCTV from the Dance Fever Club?”

  “I’ve only just got it, and I’m going through it now. Hopefully, I’ll have something for you before too long.”

  “Good man. We’ll make a sidekick out of you yet.”

  “Oh, I’m so happy,” he replied, his voice flat and emotionless, giving Rachel side-eye.

  She smirked.

  “Anything to report, Rachel?”

  “I’m afraid not,” she answered. “Jacob is still missing, with no sign of him so far, and there’s been no sightings of Olivia either.”

  “Kate?”

  “Zack, Tyler, and Vassili were singularly unhelpful yesterday. We didn’t really get anything out of them. The girl we picked up is still in a bad way in hospital, but we might get to talk to her today. She’s under guard by uniformed police round the clock too.”

  “Nathan, tell me you have some better news.”

  He smiled. “Actually, I think I do.”

  “Oh?” Jon replied, perking up.

  “Okay, so I kept on hunting, looking for that case I mentioned of the girl who went missing under similar circumstances to Olivia. I was sure I hadn’t imagined it, and it turns out, I was right. This one was nearly a year ago. A girl called Maya Reid, who had no prior link to Russell at all. She was young, still in her teens, and was out clubbing with her friends when they started hanging out with Russell and his entourage one night. The evening went smoothly, and Maya went home, only for her to disappear a few days later. There were other leads in the case other than Russell, of course. In fact, Russell was a very minor one, and everyone who’d been out, including Russell, had an alibi for the time of her kidnapping. So that line of enquiry died a death right there.”

  “I’m guessing they never found her?”

  “You guessed correctly. The case is still technically ongoing, but they don’t have any leads.”

  “Right, I think there’s something to this. Two missing persons were suspicious, although probably coincidental, but three? I don’t know what’s going on here, but something isn’t right.”

  “I agree,” Nathan replied. “Also, I’m willing to bet that if I kept digging, hunting through old files, I’d find more. In fact, I kind of want to.”

  “For now, go ahead. I see no reason not to keep looking. The more proof we have against him the better. Good work—”

  “Actually,” Nathan interrupted. “There was one other thing I think you should be aware of.”

  “There’s more?”

  “After Alan got locked up, I’ve had a friend in the prison keep an eye on his visitors. Over the last few years, he’s let me know when anyone comes to see him. Turns out, he had another visitor last night.”

  “Another?” For a moment, Jon felt perplexed, and then a terrible thought occurred. Oh no.

  “Yep,” Nathan continued. “A woman paid him a visit claiming to be on his legal team. She needed urgent access and had ID on her. But my friend got suspicious and looked into it. He couldn’t find anything obviously wrong, but things didn’t add up. So he sent me a CCTV print out of her.”

  Nathan placed a sheet of paper on the table, and everyone stood to get a better look. Sure enough, Jon’s suspicions were confirmed.

  It was Sydney.

  “How the hell?”

  “My thoughts exactly,” Nathan replied. “What on earth was she doing going to see Alan? I mean, I know she’s with Russell, so maybe she has links to the group Russell belongs to? And if that’s the case, then access to him isn’t that unlikely. But still, why? And why her?”

  Jon listened as he thought back to her visit the night before, and some of the things she said. So, that was the lead she mentioned? Why would she go to see Alan? How on earth could that help her?

  As he started to think it through, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Plucking it out, it said it was a withheld number. He frowned.

  “Are you going to answer that?” Kate asked.

  “Um, yeah, hold on,” he replied, and left the room, putting the phone to his ear as he walked to his office. “Hello?”

  “Good morning, Jon,” Sydney said on the other end of the line. “It’s a bright and lovely day, is it not?”

  “How on earth did you get in to see Alan?” he asked, stepping into his office and shutting the door behind him.

  “You know, it’s amazing what you can do with the right ID, contacts, and a bit of money.”

  “What the hell were you doing there? What are you playing at?”

  “I told you I had a lead, Jon. I wasn’t kidding.”

  “But Alan?”

  “He was quite talkative, once I laid out my plan. He quite liked it, really, and then he was really very forthcoming, a joy to speak to, actually. He had what I needed, and now the deed is done.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough. In the meantime, I suggest you get to Russell as soon as you can. I think you’ll find him more than ready to talk,” she replied, and then hung up.

  Jon pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it for several long moments before putting it back in his pocket. They needed to get to Russell, and luckily, with Nathan coming through with the second case, they had a really good reason to go there.

  Was Russell the kidnapper? Would they find Olivia finally? Jon strode out of the office and made for the incident room. They needed to get going.

  30

  “What the hell do you think she was playing at, going to see Alan?” Kate asked. “Who is she? I didn’t take her to be a lawyer.”

  “Neither did I,” Jon replied as they drove through the Surrey landscape into Kingswood, towards Russell’s estate. “I think that was just her cover. As for what she was doing there, I’m not sure. But I don’t trust her.”

  “Damn right.”

  “At least Nathan had the foresight to keep tabs on him.”

  What had Alan given her, he wondered, and how might this affect their hunt for Olivia? Hopefully, it wouldn’t affect the hunt at all, or maybe it would even help them.

  “I think it’s all linked to Russell, somehow,” Kate said. “The other cases of missing girls, his girlfriend meeting with Alan, it’s all very suspicious.”

  Jon nodded. He had to admit, it didn’t look good for Russell, and as they turned into the driveway of Russell’s house and saw the front gates smashed in, he realised just how right she might be.

  Kate picked up the pool car’s radio and pressed the button. “Look lively, guys. Looks like something’s up.”

  “I see it,” an officer in the patrol car behind replied. “What do you want to do?”

  Jon considered his options as he slowed the car for a moment and glanced in the rearview mirror at the police car behind them. “We go in,” he replied and gunned the engine. He had no idea what they were going to find. Someone like Russell probably had more than a few enemies, so they’d need to be careful.

  Speeding up the long driveway, they soon reached the front of the house to find a beat-up looking car abandoned at the end of a series of skid marks on the tarmac.

  Jon jumped
out and grabbed his stab vest from the back. Kate did the same, and they threw them on as they formed up with the pair of uniformed officers and strode towards the entrance.

  “I don’t recognise the car,” Kate said. “It’s not a flashy one.”

  “No,” Jon agreed, and stepped up to it and peered inside. The interior of the car was a mess, with used food cartons and rubbish everywhere. There was a blanket in the back too. Had the owner been sleeping in here?

  “Look,” Kate said, pointing through the window without touching it. “Someone’s been doing research on Russell.”

  Following her gaze, Jon could make out printed-off maps of the local area with notes scribbled on them, several of which mentioned the name, Russell.

  Someone had been very keen to find him, and it looked like they were inside. Was Sydney inside with him? Were they both in trouble? Ahead, the open front door loomed large.

  Where was Blake, Russell’s security guy? Surely he should be here?

  With his stab vest in place, he grabbed his baton and extended it with a flick.

  “Police,” Jon shouted as he stepped cautiously through the doorway. “We’re coming in.”

  Jon heard a scuffle, movement, and some grunts from a room to his right.

  He inclined his head towards the door, and Kate nodded her understanding as they set off across the entrance hall. As they neared the door, the living room where they’d first interviewed Russell came into view. Towards the middle, Russell struggled against the grip of a man Jon had only seen in mug shots.

  Jacob.

  He had his arm around Russell’s neck, and a gun jammed up against his temple.

  Crap, why is it always guns? Jon thought.

  “Don’t come any closer,” Jacob called out.

  Replacing his baton, Jon raised his hands. “I only want to talk.”

  “No, get lost. I need to talk to Russell, alone.”

  “We can’t do that,” Jon replied. “We can’t leave you with him.”

  “Let me go… Ow,” Russell hissed as Jacob pressed the gun into his temple.