by M A Comley
“What an excellent idea. Mind if I tag along?” Sean glanced at a furious-looking Katy, who merely shrugged. Then he added, “Of course you don’t mind. Shall we go in your car, DI Foster?”
Lorne bit the edge of her mouth, suppressing the giggle dying to escape as Sean continued winding Katy up, making her more and more frustrated by the second.
“Why not?” Katy eventually agreed.
• • •
The three of them set off. Katy and Roberts sat up front while Lorne rode in the back. Roberts continually picked fault in either Katy’s driving abilities or her intended plan of action once they arrived at the scene. Eventually, Katy hit the roof.
“I’ll tell you what, sir. I’m always eager to learn from my superiors, therefore, I suggest that you take charge of this investigation when we reach our final destination. You can show us mere mortals how you professional paper pushers run things out in the field.”
Sean Roberts twisted in his seat, his eyes wide and sparkling with amusement.
Lorne shook her head and mouthed, “You asked for that.”
He clapped his hands together and laughed. “Bravo, Katy. Now I know that you are made from the same mould as Lorne Warner. I’m only teasing, by the way. I have never, to date, doubted your competency. I insist you take the lead as usual and simply view me as an eager bystander.”
“Like that’s going to happen,” Lorne said, just loud enough for Katy and Sean to hear.
Katy glared at her through the rear-view mirror but said nothing.
“Thanks for that note of sarcasm, DS Warner. You watch, I will step back and let you ladies continue your investigation without my interference,” Roberts assured them a second time.
Lorne couldn’t help herself—she knew she should have kept quiet. But he’d dangled the carrot, and she couldn’t resist taking a large chunk out of it. “How many times have I heard that line over the years?” she mumbled, again loud enough for the others to hear.
They were relatively quiet as they travelled from a built-up urban area out into the wilds of the rural landscape en route to the cottage. After approximately an hour, they stumbled across the cottage by chance more than anything after one of the numerous wrong turns Katy took during the trip.
A fair distance from the house, Katy parked the car, then the three of them set off towards the cottage, scanning the area around them for any sign of life.
“Let’s hope we don’t regret not organising an armed response team as backup,” Lorne said when they reached the edge of the front garden.
“No need to panic just yet,” Katy replied then whispered, “How do you want to play this? Should we knock on the door and announce ourselves or just snoop around for now?”
Sean glanced at Lorne for a response. “Gee, thanks! I think we should snoop for now. There are no vehicles here at the moment. That’s not to say there isn’t one parked around the back or in a barn somewhere. I’ll take the rear.”
“Good idea. What do you want to do, DCI Roberts?” Katy asked, still looking uncertain about Sean’s role out in the field.
“You tell me what you want me to do, DI Foster. This is your baby.”
Lorne shook her head. “Guys, sort it out and cut the crap, for God’s sake. People’s lives are in danger here. Let’s just get on with the job, please?”
“Right, Lorne, you take the back. Sir, if you’ll go round the side of the building, see if there are any possible escape routes there? And I’ll see what I can find out here. I don’t have to tell you to stay alert at all times. Call out if you sense any danger, okay?”
“Okay,” Lorne said before she took off. Keeping low, she snuck past the side window. She surveyed the area from the shelter of the house. Two huge barns lay just beyond the driveway at the rear. Still no car in sight. Lorne crouched and ran across the driveway, keeping to the grassy verge as much as she could while avoiding crunching along the gravel. She dipped around the side of one of the barns, out of view from the back of the house, and located Felicity’s car. Instead of reporting her findings to Katy, she ventured farther and inspected the other barn, which was smaller than the first. After squeezing through a panel in the side, she rifled through a pile of fabric in the corner. Nothing in the pile indicated that any of the material was old. But all the clothes belonged to men, raising her suspicions that the abducted men were either dead or being kept naked somewhere in the vicinity. After searching the barn, Lorne concluded that she should get back to the house and apprise Katy and Sean of what she’d found. As she left the barn, she heard raised voices, a man crying out in pain, then silence again. She bolted back to the house to find Katy peering through a downstairs window.
Out of breath, Lorne joined her. “She’s here, all right. Her car’s in the barn.”
“Great. Where’s Roberts?” Katy asked.
“He should have returned by now. Maybe he’s made his way back to the car, unless…”
“Unless what?” Katy urged.
“I heard a man cry out in pain. You don’t think…he’s been abducted, do you?”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“No. She wouldn’t, would she?”
Lorne swept a hand over her face. “Shit, shit, shit! I knew we should have called for backup.”
“All right, Lorne. I’ll place the call now. Keep watch for me.”
Lorne looked left and right constantly, her ears pricked for any noise, while Katy contacted the station. She hit her thigh as she thought about Sean’s obvious cry for help. Instinct told her she should have immediately searched for the source of the noise. “Be safe, Sean. We’re coming to get you.”
Katy hung up. “Fuck. There’s something major going on, a hostage situation in London, and all the armed response teams are on standby for that. I’ve pleaded with them to send a small team over ASAP, but I don’t hold out much hope of them arriving anytime soon. Looks like this is down to you and me, hon.”
“No way. Is the station sending out any uniforms to help us?”
“I think so. Again they’re busy, but they’ve promised me they’re going to try and jiggle things around a bit.”
“Mind if I make a suggestion in that case?” Lorne raced, grasping for a solution. They obviously couldn’t go in by themselves for fear of further endangering Sean’s life.
“Shoot! I’m open to just about anything right now.”
“Let me ring Tony. He’s used to situations like this.”
“What are we, about thirty minutes from your place?”
“Yeah, about thirty. I think it’s our only option. They could be armed up to the hilt in there for all we know.” Lorne took her mobile out of her pocket and dialled home. “Tony. We need your help.”
“In what way, love?”
“We’ve located a suspect for the case we’re working and staking the place out now. The thing is, we think this woman has just abducted Sean.”
“What? Sean Roberts?”
“Yep, he decided he fancied a trip out in the field for a change. He must have let his guard down. We weren’t sure if the suspect was at the location or not.”
“Damn! What can I do?”
“Backup is a bit thin on the ground, some major event kicking off in the city. I wondered if you wanted to join in the fun here?”
“You bet.”
“I’m sure Charlie will be all right there. Just to be on the safe side, give Carol a call, ask her to drop by and sit with her. Tony, I’ve got to go.”
“I’ll organise things here. Where are you?”
Lorne hurriedly told him the address and hung up. “He’ll be here as soon as he can.”
“Yeah, okay. And in the meantime, we just sit and wait?”
“It would be best. Nothing stopping us from snooping around out the back, though, is there?”
“I wonder if this Felicity thinks Sean is alone or has come out here as part of a team?”
“Who knows? Want to make a bet that he drops us in it?”
>
“You underestimate him, Katy. He’s more savvy than you give him credit for, I assure you.”
“Yeah, I guess you don’t get to be a DCI without some nous. Sorry, I don’t mean to be disrespectful of one of your friends, but I’ve seen very little of his leadership skills since my promotion.”
“Er…I’m always available to share problems with. However, now is neither the time nor the place, Katy.”
Her partner slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand. “Okay, let’s make a move. It’ll be best if we stick together.”
Lorne nodded and followed Katy in a crouching position around to the back of the property. She indicated the location of the car and the other barn where she’d found the clothes.
“Let’s see what else we can find, shall we?” Katy said.
Apart from the odd half tin of paint, even upstairs on the mezzanine level, they found nothing. No signs of movement came from inside the house, either.
“We need a strategy, a what-if plan of action,” Lorne suggested.
They crouched by the door to the barn to observe the house.
Katy sighed. “Granted, but without backup, it’s going to be tough. I say we hang out here for now, at least until Tony gets here, then we can decide the best course of action. At the moment, I’m at a loss to know what to do next without putting Sean in jeopardy.”
• • •
Felicity had mixed feelings about holding the latest man hostage. He could deny it all he liked, nevertheless, he was obviously a copper. Why else would he be out here? He claimed he’d taken a wrong turn and was searching for someone to give him instructions back to the main road, but that just didn’t cut it with her. Maybe a little punishment would help loosen his tongue. She thought it best to keep him away from the other men, although there was very little space to house him separately.
Mags had spotted the intruder outside while putting out the rubbish. She’d immediately reported back to Felicity that she’d seen a man sneaking around the side of the house. With the cattle prod she’d just used on Jordan still in her hand, Felicity pounced on the stranger when his back was turned. The element of surprise and the poke in the rear with the cattle prod had caused the man to cry out. Mags and Kaz had knocked him out with the bars they were carrying, caught him before he hit the ground, and dragged him through the back door. Now, he was lying prostrate on the stone floor of the kitchen.
“Let’s get his hands and feet secured, ladies.”
“We should move him first, shouldn’t we, Felicity?” Mags asked.
“Yes, but where to? I don’t want him with the other men.”
“Why?” Kaz frowned.
“What if he’s a copper?” Felicity retorted.
“Well, if you think that, why are you holding him in the first place?”
“Good point. Okay, let’s drag him into the room where the other men are. Actually, before you do that, I need to knock Jordan out. I have something extra special planned for him later. I’ll be right back. If that one comes round, just whack him over the head with something.” Felicity left the kitchen and went to find her handbag. She extracted the syringe with the knockout drug and approached the totally exhausted Jordan. He seemed submissive, for a change, but she injected him all the same. Within seconds, he was unconscious.
Felicity unlocked the stocks restraining Jordan, then Mags and Kaz helped her put the new arrival’s feet and hands into the grooves and clamped the stocks shut again.
“That’ll be a nice surprise when he wakes up. Hopefully, it’ll teach him not to poke his nose in where it’s not wanted. Help me get this one onto the altar. Come on, girls, lend a hand. He’s a dead weight.” He’ll just be dead when I’ve finished with him.
“What do you intend doing to him?” David asked, his voice quaking with fear.
“Keep quiet, or I swear, you’ll be next,” Felicity warned.
The man’s gulp bounced off the stone walls as the women carried Jordan into the next room, placed his body on the stone altar, and put his hands and feet in the cuffs attached to the stone table.
“There, he won’t get out of that. Let’s see if any of the other men have changed their minds about signing over what you ladies are owed yet.”
The group returned to the room where the other men were captive. Felicity revelled in the shock and apprehension written on their faces. The newcomer was beginning to stir. He’ll wait. Transferring Jordan out of the room proved to be an ingenious stroke by Felicity. As soon as she approached the other men, they willingly signed the documents necessary to stave off any further torture, much to Felicity’s amusement. The devil inside her was determined to keep striking fear in the men despite their cooperation, and she approached David with a smirk on her face, the cattle prod in her hand.
His scream startled the newcomer into life.
“What the? Stop that.” He glanced down at his restrained hands and feet then looked up at Felicity. “What the hell is going on here? Some form of witchcraft? Release me at once.”
“Ah, our new guest is awake. Missing out on the fun, are you, dear? Take that.” She sharply prodded his bare midriff, and he cried out.
“You can’t do this. I’m a detective chief inspector in the Met.”
Felicity tilted her head back and laughed as the other women in the group gasped. “A DCI, nonetheless. How nice of you to join us. Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“And what, pray tell me, is a DCI doing out in the wilderness?”
“I was lost. I stopped to ask the way. I didn’t envisage being stripped and trussed up like this. Let me go now, and I promise not to take any personal action against you.”
“Personal action against me? Meaning what?”
“Meaning that you’ll have abduction charges brought against you for what you’ve done to these men, but as far as I’m concerned, I’d be willing to drop all charges, only if you let me go now.”
“I’m sorry. That’s just not going to happen. I’m not letting anyone go, not tonight, not ever. The lot of you will be punished for how you treat women, even you.” She pointed at the police officer. “I bet you’ve been guiltier than most for treating women abhorrently in your role. It goes with the territory, doesn’t it? Exert your manly power, and the women fall into line or get demoted and kicked out of the force. Am I right?”
“No. I’ve always treated women fairly.”
Felicity noticed a faint grimace when he spoke. She stepped forward a few steps and waved the prod in his face. “Truth or consequences?”
The copper closed his eyes in defeat as if he’d been rumbled. “All right, I guess I’m guilty of exerting my male dominance or trying to, over the female members of my staff, but it has always been done without intention, and I’ve regretted my actions immediately.”
“Poppycock! What kind of idiot do you take me for?” She jabbed him, and this time, left the metal against his skin for a few more seconds.
The officer twisted this way and that as again he cried out. Then the pain overwhelmed him, and he fell unconscious.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Oh my God, are my ears deceiving me, or did I just hear a man cry out, scream even?” Lorne strained her ear towards the house.
“Not deceiving you at all. I’d say that it sounded like Sean. I could be imagining it, though.”
“I hope you’re wrong. There’s Tony. Let me get his attention.” Lorne picked up a stone and hurled it at a patch of ground near Tony’s feet. He looked up, and she motioned for him to join them in the barn. After giving him a brief hug, she filled him in on what they knew so far. “So, we’ve got to find a way of getting in there, quickly, Tony.”
“It’s going to be tricky without the necessary backup. We should get in there soon if you think you heard Sean crying out. Let me do a quick reccy of the area, and then we’ll decide what to do for the best.”
Before Lorne could stop him, he took off towards the house. He peered
through the windows then disappeared around the side elevation of the house. He returned moments later, looking thoughtful.
“Anything?” Lorne asked eagerly.
“As far as I can see, there are three possible ways in. The front and back doors and a kind of trapdoor around that side, which I’m presuming is the way into a cellar.”
“Trouble with that scenario is that any likely activity is probably taking place in the cellar. We want to surprise them if we decide to make a move before backup arrives,” Lorne pointed out.
“I agree. The cries we heard seemed very distant, like they came from deep within the house. What do you suggest, Tony, using your experience in similar situations?”
He puffed out his cheeks. “I’m not sure, to be honest. For a start, I’m usually loaded up with weapons.” He held up his empty hands. “Also, I generally have an indication what I’m dealing with. Intel on how many people are involved, maybe schematics of the property.”
“Ha, spoken like a true MI6 operative. Hey, welcome to our world, hon. Most of the time, we have to go into these kinds of situations empty-handed and unsure of our surroundings.” Lorne grinned and tweaked his cheek.
“That’d be ex-MI6 operative with a bum leg, to boot, dear wife.”
“All right, we don’t have time for a domestic. We need to come up with a plan and pretty damn quick if we want to get Sean—and the other men, of course—out of there soon,” Katy said.
Lorne shrugged. “Apart from each of us taking one of the ways into the property and hoping for the best that one of us gets to Sean before something drastic happens to him, I’m at a loss how to proceed.”
Katy took her mobile out of her pocket and walked to the back of the barn.
“What do you think she’s doing?” Tony asked.
“My guess is she’s chasing up the ART unit. Time is of the essence, after all. Everything all right at home?”
“Yeah, Carol turned up just as I was leaving. She looked grim but didn’t enlighten me as to why.”
“Crap, that doesn’t bode well for us then,” Lorne said as Katy returned.
