Hunting the Wrecking Crew: An Eric Stone Novel

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Hunting the Wrecking Crew: An Eric Stone Novel Page 9

by Nick Albert


  Stone stared vacantly into his glass.

  “This is crazy Ed, I just got this file, I’ve never met this Valerie Jenkins, and yet I feel responsible. How can that be?”

  Carter reached across the table and put his hand on Stones arm.

  “Don’t feel bad Eric, it’s not your fault — or mine for that matter. It’s these people; they’re to blame — not us. But now the answer is obvious, we have to do this, we have to stop them.”

  Stone slowly pulled his arm away.

  “No Ed, not ‘we’, just me. It is too dangerous for you to be involved. Charles was my friend. I owe him a debt of friendship. You don’t need to get in the middle of this. You do not need to risk your life. I’m sorry to drag you away from your office. Thank you for coming — but please leave this to me.”

  Carter shook his head and crossed his arms defiantly.

  “Sorry, Eric. I am already involved. I am not just walking away and leaving you to do this on your own.”

  He held up his hand to stop Stone from speaking.

  “And before you say anything else, there is another thing — it’s something I read in the file. Just before I retired, I was investigating a death. It was a young girl. She was just sixteen or seventeen years old. I always suspected that it was a murder, but the evidence was shaky and there was no apparent motive. Eric, it’s right there in the file — not by name, but I recognise the details. It says that she was having an affair with the Prime Minister’s son, he was married, and she got pregnant. After all that policy claptrap about Family Values, it would have destroyed the government. They killed her Eric — the bastards killed her. Now they are going to pay. I’m in this — like it or not!”

  Stone took another sip of his drink and regarded Carter with renewed respect.

  “OK, Ed. What do we do next?”

  “That’s the most important question really — or rather, what do we do first?”

  “How do you mean?” Stone asked.

  “Well — as far as we know, this group has no idea that we have this information, or that we are coming after them — correct?”

  “I would say so. Otherwise we’d probably be dead already,” Stone quipped with heavy irony.

  “Agreed! So if that pleasant position is to be maintained, we must step quietly and correctly.”

  Stone said nothing. Carter continued, like a seasoned detective teaching a constable on his first day on the beat.

  “We don’t know who these people are or even where they operate from, but we have two vague leads, so we must follow them very carefully.”

  Stone frowned.

  “What leads? I didn’t count any leads.”

  Carter smiled.

  “Trust me, there are two.”

  Stone gave Carter a slightly impatient look.

  “Go on then, I’ll play.”

  Carter smiled again, a little wider.

  “OK…First there’s money. In any operation like this there always has to be money. Someone has to pay for the service. There must be an office with staff of some sort, electricity bills, telephones, taxes, cars, and so on. Each transaction that this group undertook would cause a flurry of financial actions and reactions — track enough of them and you will start to see a pattern. That pattern will lead us to their lair!” Carter was known to enjoy certain superhero films.

  “Or office,” Stone corrected.

  “Or office, if you prefer,” Carter conceded with a shrug.

  “OK — sounds like a plan. So how do we track these transactions?” Stone asked sitting forward in his chair.

  “Don’t worry about that, there’s this woman I know. She’s great with computers and all that internet stuff. I’ve used her at the agency several times. She used to work for GCHQ as a forensic investigator, now she has her own company. She’s not cheap, but she really is the best. If anyone can track these buggers, she can. I put her on it yesterday — you can come down and meet her at the weekend, with any luck, she could have something by then. OK?”

  Stone nodded enthusiastically.

  “Great. Don’t worry about the money. Charles is funding this from beyond the grave, so we have a decent budget. If you trust this woman, then give her whatever she needs.”

  Carter handed over a slip of paper.

  “Her name is Megan Smith, big girl — keeps cats. Here is her address, memorise it and then destroy the paper, please. I know it’s rather melodramatic, but given what we’ve learned, I don’t think we can be too careful.”

  Stone glanced at the address and handed the slip of paper back to Carter with a nod.

  “I’ve got it.”

  “You’ll remember it — that quickly?”

  “I’ve still got my memory and good looks!”

  “Thanks!” Carter laughed and gave a half-smile. Then he became more serious. “I know that Charles gave you a list of friends that he thought you could go to for help, but I think that we should keep them in reserve for now, particularly as we don’t really know who we can trust. I also think that we should stay away from texts and emails.”

  He reached into his pocket and placed a mobile phone and charger on the table.

  “This is a burner phone — pretty much untraceable, I have one as well, my number is on speed dial one. If we need to communicate then use this phone, but always assume that someone is listening, so keep it short and vague.”

  He produced a second slip of paper.

  “This is a list of simple codes that we can use to arrange a meeting. Just say the number and the time and I will meet you there.”

  Stone glanced at the list. It had twenty entries all numbered, most appeared to be for pubs, car parks, or hotels. Those that he recognised were near to junctions on motorways.

  “I’m impressed. You said two leads. What was the second one?”

  “Darren Jeffers. In his video, Charles said that he thought he was being followed and that he recognised someone called Darren Jeffers. If the Wrecking Crew were following Rathbone then it would make sense…” Carter left the thought hanging.

  “To use someone local!” Stone added triumphantly.

  Carter gave an expansive smile. Stone picked up the mobile phone and charger and pushed them decisively into his jacket pockets as he stood.

  “Then we need to speak with this Darren Jeffers as soon as possible — today if we can.”

  “My thinking exactly,” Carter responded as he got to his feet and patted his pockets. “I have his address here. He lives in Wethersfield, that’s about sixty miles from here. We’ll need both cars in case we have to follow him, so I suggest that we meet up at the entrance to the old US Air Force base and work out our strategy from there.”

  “OK, I know where that is, I’ll meet you there. I need to use the washroom and I’ll have to stop for petrol, just in case we have to follow this guy.”

  “Good thinking. Anyway, there’s no rush. The old copper in me wants to look around the village a little, before we meet up.” Carter gave Stone a cheeky wink and headed out to his car.

  After he had finished in the washroom, Stone paid for the drinks and, guessing it could be a long night, bought sandwiches and a bottle of water. He stuffed them into his jacket pockets and headed out to his car. As he walked out into the afternoon sunshine, he immediately heard the sharp sound of a female scream. Twenty feet away, at the entrance to the car park, a woman was struggling violently with a man. Stone stopped dead, slipped off his jacket, and dropped it to the ground, in preparation for what may follow. Not wanting to blunder blindly into the middle of a legitimate arrest by some undercover police officer, he allowed himself five seconds to assess the situation.

  The woman wore white running shoes, black spandex running shorts and a red top. She was slim, quite short, and she wore her blonde hair in a ponytail. Around her narrow waist there was a belt securing a small black bag to the small of her back, presumably for carrying valuables. The belt appeared to be of an excellent quality, as it refused to break, des
pite being violently pulled by the man who Stone now recognised as being the passenger of the tatty car he had noticed earlier. He was still wearing his white hoodie, and unaware of Stone’s presence, was shouting at the woman.

  “Give it up you bitch, fuckin’ give it!”

  Stone thought that the woman was putting up a magnificent fight, given that her attacker was probably a foot taller and over eighty pounds heavier. She was screaming loudly, with her head down, trying to butt the man in the face. At the same time, she was wildly slapping and kicking at any body part that came close enough. Despite her valiant efforts, it was clear that she would soon lose such an uneven contest.

  Looking to his right, Stone could see that the red Toyota sports car was still in the car park, he guessed that it probably belonged to the woman. Parked next to it was the tatty Rover 200, the passenger door was wide open, the engine was running, and the driver was smiling as he watched the screaming woman struggle. Stone suspected that the two men had seen the woman parking her expensive sports car a little earlier and decided to wait, in the hope of stealing her car. Judging from her clothes, she had probably gone for a mid-morning run, using the pub as a convenient parking spot. Stone decided that this was not a lawful arrest. He had walked into a violent robbery in progress. It took him just five seconds to make these observations. With a sigh he realised that for the third time in as many days he was about to break his rule and get involved.

  Unaware that he was being watched, the robber was still shouting obscenities at the woman and pulling at her belt. Stone covered the distance to the attacker in just five strides. Using his momentum like an Olympic high jumper, he bounded into the air, and drove the sole of his right foot down onto the man’s wrist. There was a substantial scream of surprise and pain, as the robber’s grip on the belt was broken. Quickly reversing direction, Stone drove his elbow into the centre of the man’s face, breaking his nose with a satisfying crunch.

  Shocked and confused, the robber staggered backwards, trying to cup his bloodied face with his now useless right hand. Realising that the odds were no longer in his favour, he turned and ran towards the waiting Rover, but not before the woman had kicked him squarely in the arse. Propelled by her fierce attack, the man literally threw himself onto the front seat of the car. Perhaps inspired by the violence of what he had just witnessed, the driver slammed the car into gear and roared out onto the road, narrowly missing a passing bus with the still open passenger door. The feisty woman kicked at the car as it passed, and continued to shout expletives until it was out of sight.

  Stone waited until the woman stopped shouting before asking in a clam voice.

  “Err... Ma’am, are you injured?”

  As if realising his presence for the first time, the woman spun to face Stone, and he took an involuntary gasp in surprise. In an instant, the pain and sadness of the last few days were forgotten; replaced by a feeling of such exquisite bliss that Stone feared that his heart would explode.

  The woman was much younger than he had first thought, probably under thirty. She had a small, delicate face with the kind of high cheekbones that made her look like an elfin teenage model. Although she was athletically slim and muscular, her tight running shorts and sweat soaked t-shirt clearly revealed her petite but sensual curves. Even with her tousled hair and dishevelled clothing, he thought she was the loveliest creature he had ever seen.

  With his mouth hanging open like a schoolboy on a first date, he stared deeply into her emerald green eyes, still fiery with excess adrenalin and, found himself totally lost for words. The woman quickly gathered herself and regarded Stone with a quizzical expression. She tipped her head slightly to one side and decided that he was not a threat.

  “My hero!” she said in a voice thick with mockery.

  Stone continued to stare into her dazzling green eyes, for once unable to connect his brain with his mouth. The woman leaned forward and stared intently into Eric’s eyes as if she were checking for some sign of consciousness. She spoke again snapping her fingers in front of his face.

  “Hello! Are you in there? — Hello, Linda to space head — can you hear me?”

  With an involuntary shake of his head, Eric snapped back to reality.

  “Wugh... Err — I’m sorry, are you alright, Miss?”

  The woman raised her eyebrows in genuine surprise.

  “Am I alright? I’m fine thank you, but I think you may have taken a knock to the head.”

  Stone shook his head.

  “No — I didn’t get hit, you just surprised me. I didn’t realise you were so beautiful.” His eyes suddenly went wide and he slapped a hand to his forehead. “I can’t believe I just said that!”

  “Me neither,” she laughed warmly. Stone thought it was the most wonderful sound he had ever heard. She put her hands on her hips and regarded him openly, as if she were inspecting a racehorse prior to purchase.

  “Well, I suppose I should thank you for saving me — Mr Hero, even though I had the situation under control.” She held out a delicate hand. “Linda.”

  As he took her soft hand in his, Stone worried that his wildly beating heart would burst out of his chest.

  “Stone — Eric Stone.”

  “Well, Stone — Eric Stone, Linda Smart thanks you for saving her from the naughty boys that wanted to steal her car.”

  “I was happy to be there for you — Linda.” Stone smiled widely. He realised that his knees were suddenly weak, there was blood pounding in his ears, and his face was flushed. Although he had just met this woman, he was already smitten.

  “Well thank you again, Stone — Eric Stone. Now if I can just have my hand back, I will be on my way.”

  Stone reluctantly let go of her hand, but he continued to smile like an idiot.

  “Are you sure you are OK? Can I get you something? Maybe some water?” he blurted, the words pouring out of his mouth in an unchecked tide of desperation, “Perhaps you should sit down for a while.”

  “Thank you very much, but I’m fine,” she said with a knowing smile. “I just want to get home and have a shower.”

  Stone had a momentary image of Linda Smart taking a shower and he had to make a conscious effort to stop his knees from buckling. Regaining his focus, he made a final desperate attempt to keep her company.

  “Could I call you some time — perhaps we could go out for a drink or something?”

  Linda Smart regarded him as you would a sweet but naughty puppy.

  “Really? You’re hitting on me N-O-W?”

  Stone shrugged and gave a self-conscious smile.

  “Well, I just thought…..”

  “Look, thanks again Mr Hero, you seem very sweet, but I’ve just got rid of two stalkers, and I don’t need to inherit another one.”

  She gave him another look up and down before quickly leaning forward to give him a kiss on the cheek.

  “Even if he is rather cute.”

  FIVE

  As he drove along the A12 towards Wethersfield, Stone had difficulty concentrating. His mind relentlessly returned to meeting Linda Smart. He remembered her soft blonde hair, her exquisite face, her captivating green eyes, and of course her athletically exciting figure. He remembered how she had smiled sweetly and thanked him when he politely opened the door of her car, and the way she had blown him a goodbye kiss as she drove out of his life. Eric was a healthy heterosexual guy, who enjoyed the company of a beautiful woman as much as the next guy. In the last few years, Charles Rathbone had introduced Eric to several women who were both physically and intellectually desirable. Somehow, none had sparked an interest even close to what he had felt when he had met Linda Smart.

  In retrospect, he had concluded that his emotions may have been clouded by an excess of adrenalin, but at the same time, he was sure that Linda Smart had felt something as well — he had seen it in her eyes. Something primal had happened between them. He had seen a reaction in her; there was some shock and some surprise. Something unexpected about meeting Eric Stone
had made her heart beat faster. For a moment, they had shared a connection — and now she was gone.

  “Oh well — perhaps in another life,” he mumbled to himself. He reached over and gently stroked the kitten that was curled up asleep on the passenger seat.

  There was a steady autumn drizzle, which had combined with the rush hour traffic and several miles of traffic cones, to slow his progress to something slightly faster than a brisk walking pace. Consequently, it was almost 7pm and completely dark when he pulled up behind Ed Carter’s black BMW.

  “Sorry — got held up,” Stone apologised as he climbed into the car.

  “Not a problem,” Ed said with a wave of his hand. “I figured you would be a while. It gave me enough time to check out this guy’s flat.”

  “Anything interesting?”

  Carter held up a finger to capture Stone’s full attention.

  “Before we go any further, there is something I want to discuss — something that needs to be said.”

  “Sounds ominous,” Stone replied glumly. “Go on.”

  Carter turned in his seat to face Stone so he could look directly into his eyes.

  “Eric, I know you can handle yourself and I know that you have taken a life in the past. I wouldn’t be alive today if you hadn’t. However, that was in self-defence, a situation that was thrust upon you. We went to deliver that ransom and walked into a cluster-fuck, and if it wasn’t for you, several innocent people could have died. The thing is…that was OK because it just happened. We were victims, and that’s what made it OK.”

  Stone’s mind flashed back to his earlier altercation in the car park.

  “I know what you mean, Ed. Even so, I still have bad dreams about that night.”

  “Me too,” Carter said sombrely. “Anyway, the thing is, this is different. When you get out of this car, we are deliberately going to initiate a chain of events that will probably end with some people dying. This is not something to be undertaken lightly, or without careful thought. If we do this together, you have to understand — and I mean fully understand, what this will mean for you.”

 

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