by M A Comley
“I assure you, sir, my team won’t let you down. We’ll do everything in our power to bring your family home to you. I need to ask you a few questions, if I may?”
“Such as?”
“Can you shed any light on who we’re dealing with? I know the man goes by the name of Warrior, but that’s all I know.”
“I have no idea. This has all come as a total shock for me.”
“I hope you don’t mind, but my partner and I took the liberty of scouting around your property today as we were in the vicinity, and I have to say one thing struck us as being very odd.”
“Oh, what was that, Inspector?”
“Your lack of security. Can I ask why?”
“We’ve recently moved. I have it in hand, but the work isn’t due to start for a week or two. The firm I’m using is supposed to be the best around, but they told me that a high volume of burglaries in the region lately has meant they have a backlog of contracts to fulfil before they get to mine.”
“I see. That explains it perfectly. I’m sorry there was a delay.”
“Me, too. The guilt is keeping me awake at night. All I can hear is a mantra playing over and over in my mind... ‘if only.’ Had I been fortunate enough to have a crystal ball in my possession, this terrible incident could have been avoided.”
“There really is no point in blaming yourself, Mr. Hardy. Until we have proof otherwise, we need to look at this case as a spur-of-the-moment act, unless you can give us a reason to treat it as something else, that is?”
“I’m not with you.”
“I need to ask if you’ve upset anyone enough for them to abduct your family.”
“I’m in a high-risk business. Sometimes the need to use cut-throat tactics is high up on my agenda. I can probably name several hundred possible candidates if you’re looking along those lines. I’ve been in this business for nearly fifteen years. As you can imagine, my enemies would stem back to the beginning of my career. Please, please don’t ask me to name everyone whom I’ve ever fallen out with businesswise, because I’m sure I would find it an impossible task.”
“I completely understand. Maybe I can ask you about deals you’ve carried out this year in that case. I’m not sure if you have partners in your firm or not. Perhaps one of them might be carrying a grudge. Anything along those lines? The more information we have at the beginning of the investigation, the better chance we have of catching the culprit, as I’m sure you can appreciate.”
“I do appreciate that. The only person that really comes to mind is Jordan Richman.”
“And who is that?”
“A former partner of mine. He screwed up a major deal we had a lot of money invested in. I was livid when the client sought out and signed a lucrative contract with one of our major competitors.”
“Well, that would be a start. He’d certainly count as an interested party from our perspective. We’ll make contact with him and bring him in for questioning. Do you have his address?”
“Wait a moment. Let me check his file.” A drawer opened, and paper rustled. Then Hardy picked up the phone again. “He lives out in the sticks, travels into the city every day. His address is 28 Foxcroft Road, Leatherhead.”
“Surrey? He travels in every day, you say? That’s quite a commute.”
“Yes, it’s about an hour. He lives in a converted barn complex I think you’ll find.”
“Is there anything else you can tell me about him? Is he married?”
“Yes, wife and two small children. Would he really do something as vile as this if he had kids of his own?”
“Desperate people do desperate, and often, vile acts, Mr. Hardy. We’ll look into Richman in the morning. In the meantime, if you can come up with some other names you might think would be of interest to us, I’d appreciate it.”
“I’ll do my best and ring you in the morning. I’m going home for the first time since my family was taken. Maybe a shower and a good night’s sleep will help me cope with this ordeal better.”
“That’s the ticket. Try and rest when you can. I’ve had orders from this Warrior person to be at my desk at seven a.m. I’ll be in touch soon. Don’t worry; you will be informed of our progress along the way. Sleep well.”
“Thank you and good luck.”
Lorne hung up. “Can you delve into this in the morning, Katy? I think we’ll need to pay Mr. Richman a visit at his residence. If he still works in London, he’s sure to set off early.”
“What if I can catch him at the office instead?”
“That’s just it, I don’t have a clue if he’s found another job in the city or not. It’s best to ring him first thing to find out. Maybe you and one of the boys can pay him a visit, while I’m otherwise occupied with Warrior.”
“Makes sense. What also makes sense is us calling it a day now. I don’t envy you having to tell Tony the news when you get home.”
Lorne’s mouth twisted. “Fingers crossed he’ll be fine.”
Charlie and Sheba, the German shepherd they’d recently welcomed into their home, were exiting the back door of the house when Lorne pulled into the drive.
“Hey, you, where are you off to?”
“Mum! I told you, we’re inspecting that agility club.”
“Of course, silly me. Sorry, sweetheart. I’ve had a pig of a day. Is Tony in?”
“He is.” Charlie sniggered and kissed her mother on the cheek.
“Oh no. Don’t tell me he’s been experimenting in the kitchen again.”
“Okay, I won’t. But he has. Good luck,” Charlie shouted over her shoulder. She placed Sheba in the back of the kennel’s van and hopped behind the steering wheel.
Lorne watched her daughter drive out the gate and prayed for her safe return after the disturbing images that had resurfaced during the day. She didn’t hear the door open behind her, and when Tony’s arms wrapped around her, she squealed with fright. Turning quickly, she looked at him.
“Hey, that’s not exactly the welcome I was hoping for, especially as we have the place to ourselves tonight with Charlie out on her doggy mission. Are you all right?”
“Let’s go inside. I have something to tell you.”
He backed up and muttered, “Crap! That sounds bloody ominous.”
Lorne inhaled and exhaled a few silent breaths then smiled when she ordered him to sit at the kitchen table. “Can I switch off the dinner for a while?” she asked, surveying the bubbling pots on the stove.
He shrugged. “Do what you want. Looks like the beef I was cooking is off the menu anyway.”
“You worry too much. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She opened the oven door and was greeted with a plume of smoke that gave way to the blackened piece of topside she’d been looking forward to cooking for their Sunday roast. She switched off the oven, closed the door, and went to sit next to him. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I love you for at least trying to help out, hon. Not every man would think of cooking for his wife after a long day at work himself.”
“Okay, now that you’ve softened me up, hit me with it.” His face beamed with the brightest of smiles.
Again Lorne was reminded how lucky she was to share her life with him. They’d lived through so much anguish over the years after his tussle with the Taliban in Afghanistan. He’d been captured during a covert operation, and they had tortured him and ultimately cut off his leg. Tony had overcome the disability well, and instead of tearing their relationship apart, the adversity had only made it a thousand times stronger. Lorne had never loved her first husband, Charlie’s father, Tom, with as much intensity as she loved Tony. She had always said that she and Tony were true soulmates.
“Well, the first part I think you’ll find interesting.”
“Stop procrastinating and get on with it.” He gripped her hand gently in his.
“Okay. I’ve been promoted... again!”
He laughed and shook his head. “And you think I’d be disappointed to hear you say that? I couldn’t be more delighted
for you, darling. You deserve to be an inspector, with all your experience.”
Lorne’s head fell onto the table as the huge breath left her body. She pulled upright again and saw the love shining in his eyes. “I’m so bloody relieved to hear you say that. I know we made promises at the start, when we first bought this place. I just feel I’ve negated on those promises.”
“Don’t be foolish. Hey, so what’s going on with Katy? Is she leaving?”
“No. We’re just swapping roles for now. That might change once the baby is born, but I somehow doubt it.”
“Are you saying that you doubt she’s going to find motherhood easy?”
“I’m not speaking ill of my friend. Don’t put words into my mouth, hon. I’m just saying if she’s struggling with morning sickness now, the odds are she’s going to find dealing with a newborn a darn sight harder. Speaking from experience, it’s bloody hard bringing up a child, a demanding role too many people in our society today take lightly. I’m not saying Katy hasn’t thought things through properly, and I know that once the child is born, AJ is going to step in and take over, but I do wonder if they fully appreciate the demands involved in bringing up a child.”
“Well, maybe this will be the making of them. Put it this way—it will either make them stronger or tear them apart.”
Lorne shook her head. “I really didn’t want to get into this tonight. I’m truly not speaking out of turn here, just telling it how it is. The poor girl is really struggling to cope with the important changes her body is going through. Anyway, that aside, I’m extremely glad and grateful to have your agreement on this. It means the world that you support my decisions.”
“That’s a given, Lorne. The same way that I appreciate your backing on me starting up the PI business you set up. We’re a team, full stop. What’s really going on here?”
“You know me so well. I’m incredibly lucky to have found you.”
“Yeah, we go together like cheese and biscuits, salt and vinegar...”
“All right, enough of the food analogies.” She swept a hand over her face. “Something happened at work today.”
His brow furrowed, and his grip around her hand tightened. “Like what? A new case? Something to do with the team?”
“A new case. Oh hell, again, I’m just going to come out and tell you what’s on my mind. Once it’s out in the open, we can debate it, all right?”
“Of course. What’s wrong, love?”
“I think the team’s newest case has something to do with the Unicorn.”
He withdrew his hand from hers and slumped back in his chair. Confused, he stated, “It can’t be. He’s dead. You killed him!”
“Tony, you don’t have to tell me that. You know how I have a tendency to work on gut instinct? Well, right now, that instinct is super high, almost off the scale, to be honest.”
“You better tell me the whole story. What’s the case?”
She spent the next twenty minutes going over every detail of the case.
“Well, the similarities are there,” he said. “I can’t dispute that. I think you need to hold back those suspicions until you’ve had a chance to look into this Richman’s background first and any other probable candidates that Hardy comes up with overnight. You say you’ve got to be at work at seven in the morning?”
“Yep, that’s when the ‘party’ is going to begin.”
“Eek, I don’t envy you there.”
Lorne fell silent, lost in her own convoluted thoughts until Tony left his chair and knelt on his good knee beside her, forcing her to look into his face.
“Whatever—and I mean whatever—shit comes our way, Lorne, we’ll deal with it. Together. I’ll always be here for you, no matter how much someone tries to come between us. We’ll remain solid. Okay?”
She smiled and touched her forehead to his. “That really isn’t my concern right now, Tony, although the guarantee you’ve just given me is very reassuring. It’s Charlie I’m worried about. With us both out, she’s a sitting target running this place by herself.”
“By herself? Are you forgetting Carol’s input? Hey, with her psychic powers, I predict Charlie will have a dozen guardian angels watching over her once Carol is aware of the problem. Maybe you should have a word with her, see if she can see any link to the Unicorn?”
“That’s a great idea. I might call her after dinner. Okay, enough doom and gloom. How did your day go?”
He kissed her on the lips, walked back towards the cooker, and turned on the gas under the saucepans containing the vegetables once again. “Well, we finally managed to track down Shirley Black.”
“That’s brilliant news. Where was she?”
“Hiding out with her lover.”
“Oops, not so brilliant news for the hubby then.”
“Exactly. I don’t need to tap into Carol’s abilities to foresee what direction that marriage is heading in.”
Lorne chuckled and crossed the room to join him. She placed an arm around his waist and stirred the gravy with the wooden spoon. “Has anyone told you lately what a wonderful wife you’d make?”
“Ha! What? Serving up burnt offerings every night? I suppose I should get my act together soon if you’re going to accept that promotion.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Did you seriously have doubts that I would, Lorne? I know you’re an independent lady, on the verge of being stubborn most of the time, but I also know that your love for the Met ranks highly in your life. I’d be the dumbest fool around if I ever stood in your way over that, love.”
“That’s not quite how I would have put it myself. However, you have hit the nail on the head.” She placed her hand over her heart. “I don’t see my career as just that, never have really. You know how some writers and artists say their chosen career paths were a calling? I feel pretty much the same way. I was born to be a copper, to rid this world of the vilest of criminals. The trouble is, I don’t ever think that will be accomplished in my lifetime.”
“You sound like one of those superheroes—which one would you be now?” He thought over the options for a while then snapped his fingers. “I know! The Dark Angel of the Night.”
“What? Are you serious? You make me sound like a superprossie!”
They both laughed raucously and together dished up the dinner.
After their passable meal had finished, Tony washed up the dishes and instructed Lorne to do what necessary paperwork she’d brought home, so that they could spend a few hours together curled up in front of the TV, making the most of their time alone.
Lorne didn’t need telling twice. She went in the living room, removed two spare sheets of paper from the printer, and sat down at the kitchen table again. She wrote out a list of the names the team had gathered, covering all the angles in case her intuition about the Unicorn turned out to be wrong.
At the top of the list, she placed Bella Croft, whom she jailed after her involvement in the Internet dating case that had been thought up by, of all people, her sister Jade’s psychiatrist. Lorne shuddered as she recalled her sister’s lucky escape.
Then she noted down Felicity Randolph, who had formed a bizarre witches’ coven under the guise of drawing together a team of women who’d been ill-treated by their partners to exact their revenge.
Next on the list was a powerful man, and upon reflection Lorne actually moved his name to the very top. Joseph Syposz had run a number of illegal businesses, which included forging residency documents for illegal immigrants.
She discounted Danny Smalling, the man guilty of killing his girlfriend, Noelle, who’s spirit had led Carol to help convict him. Lorne didn’t think he would have it in him to retaliate. The last names she added to the list were another truly probable couple who had used the foster care system in the UK to feed their lust for abusing children. But Courtney and Cathy Platt had proven to be only the tip of the iceberg.
After compiling the list, she jotted down a plan of action for her team to ca
rry out the next day while she would be otherwise engaged with Warrior. The tasks included completing thorough background checks on Richman, sending Katy and another member of the team to question him, and getting Karen to ring around all the prisons where the listed suspects were residing at present, to see if there had been any kind of incidents lately involving those particular prisoners.
The only lingering doubt she had was what to do about the Unicorn scenario?
CHAPTER FIVE
Lorne woke after a fitful night’s sleep to a beautiful dawn chorus. It was one of the main reasons she loved living out in the country. She stretched beside Tony, hugged and kissed his back, then leapt out of bed to take a shower. At six thirty, she crept downstairs only to find Charlie sitting at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of cereals.
“Wow, you’re up early,” her daughter said.
Lorne kissed the top of Charlie’s head and made a mug of coffee, which she topped up with cold water so it was cool enough to down in a few gulps. “Busy day ahead. How did it go last night?”
Finishing a mouthful of cornflakes, Charlie replied, “Good. Sheba was fab. I think I’m going to enjoy it there.”
“Ah! That’s young person’s lingo for ‘I might have seen a nice boy there,’ isn’t it?” Lorne tapped the side of her nose with her finger.
Charlie’s cheeks immediately flared up.
“No need to reply, sweetheart. Your face is telling me all I need to know.”
Charlie poked her tongue out at her, and Lorne laughed.
“Okay, this conversation needs to be revisited when I get back tonight—if I get back, that is.” She added the final part quietly.
Charlie wasn’t easily fooled, though. “Oh? What’s going on? A huge case?”
“Yep, very huge! I’ll have to fill you in later, sweetheart. Stay vigilant throughout the day, as usual, okay?”
“Sure. But you can’t just tell me that and run. What gives, Mum?”
“I really don’t have the time, love. Just do as I ask. I think Tony will be hanging around today anyway.”
