CAPTIVE ON THE FENS a gripping crime thriller full of twists

by Joy Ellis

  ‘I’m going to leave this to you, Professor Freud. I’ll wait until we have some nice high wattage lamps.’ Jessie snuggled into her blanket. ‘I’d kill for a cuppa, wouldn’t you?’

  ‘Would you settle for a Mars bar?’

  ‘Not my usual night-time snack, but thank you, I’d love one.’

  As Jessie slept, Joseph sat until the early hours of the morning reading Keel’s extraordinary diary by candlelight. Occasionally a night bird would call or screech outside and Jessie would stir, but she slept on.

  Joseph stayed awake. He knew what could happen if he let his guard down. There were some very bad people out there.

  He closed the book and thought about some of the things that had stood out, mainly the drawings of the building. Where had he seen it before? For the life of him he could not remember. But he had gained a little insight into Keel Chandler, and was even more certain that the young man had witnessed something that would tell them what had happened to Dina Jarvis.

  * * *

  In a hotel room, not far from what was supposed to have been the hub of his new dominion, Freddie Carver sat staring into space. After his nasty experience with the police a few years ago, he had prepared for possible failure. His exit strategy had been set up even before he left Spain. He had ring-fenced a considerable quantity of his assets and protected his most profitable investments, but this was going to cost him dearly. He had poured more money than he cared to think about into planning and establishing a workforce, and he had already kissed goodbye to that. And why? Because, just for the sake of keeping his father quiet, he had been stupid enough to trust a sexual predator like Vic, and generous enough to keep a copper alive. Well, Vic had paid the price, and if everything went according to plan, the copper would suffer too. And this time he wasn’t paying peanuts and using second-rate old lags. He had picked the best, and the best would deliver. It would do his finances no favours, but it would help ease the anger that was eating away inside him.

  He heaved in a rasping breath and held it, then exhaled loudly. He was Freddie Carver. He’d rise from the ashes. He’d done it before and he would do it again. But not in Spain. This time he would choose somewhere sophisticated and elegant. His spirits lifted, then sank again. Could he afford it?

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  With vivid spears of orange and crimson light, dawn tore the grey-black clouds into strips. Nikki Galena was making her way onto Carter’s Fen. With her were three other vehicles. Nikki was at the head of the convoy, with Dave sitting silently beside her. Behind her was Superintendent Greg Woodhall, accompanied by two trusted officers from the armed response team. Next came Niall Farrow and Yvonne Collins, with Cat bringing up the rear.

  Nikki had kept her eyes firmly on the fen lane, while Dave scanned the surrounding area for signs of trouble. Thankfully all seemed quiet.

  They pulled up outside the old cottage, and Nikki felt a stab of nostalgia along with her ever-present nagging concern for Jessie. She really should have done something to save her old aunt’s home from rotting, but there had probably been too many drug dealers on her mind at the time. And now? Not when so much else of importance was going on.

  Joseph opened the door. Jessie was close behind him, and Nikki felt relief wash over her. It was all she could do to stop herself rushing over and hugging him.

  ‘Everyone inside please, except SCO19. If you would keep a close watch on the lane that we came in on, please?’

  The two officers nodded and took up position outside the door.

  Nikki grinned at Joseph and his ward. ‘Both okay?’

  Jessie smiled grimly. ‘Tickety-boo, ma’am. Except for the absence of room service, the accommodation was five-star.’

  Nikki turned to Cat. ‘Have you brought what I asked you to?’

  Cat nodded and opened a shopping bag that was hanging off her arm. ‘Got the perfect thing, ma’am, from my undercover days.’ She looked around and spotted a dusty, tarnished mirror in the hall. ‘Give me a minute.’

  ‘First, get these on.’ Nikki handed out bulletproof vests. ‘Then the plan is to drive back to the main road, then at the first roundabout we split up. I’d like the super to take the main Greenborough exit, Joseph and Niall will take the Spalding Road, and Cat the Castor village exit. I’ll have Jessie with me, concealed in the back of the Land Rover, and be assured, there’s a place all set up to receive her. We’ll rendezvous back at the station, as and when. You can all take the longest, prettiest scenic route you fancy, okay?’

  ‘I’m assuming you saw nothing on your way in?’ asked Joseph.

  ‘Roads are almost empty, and there was no one out there that we could see,’ Dave said. ‘Although that doesn’t mean to say that someone wasn’t observing us from a concealed position.’

  ‘We have to assume that they were,’ Nikki chipped in. ‘We drive as if we are being followed and take evasive action to lose them, just as a precaution. With Carver’s depleted forces, he won’t be able to follow us all, that’s for sure.’

  ‘How’s this?’ Cat appeared from the hallway, the tension broke and everyone laughed.

  Her old talent for disguise had not deserted her. ‘Jessie? Meet Jessie!’

  Cat wore a long blonde wig that she had carefully fashioned into an exact replica of Jessie’s style of ponytail. She had caught it back with a similar tie and was sporting a short navy jacket, slightly different in design, but the same colour as the one Jessie was wearing. ‘Through a car window, I’m pretty sure I’d fool them.’

  ‘I’ll say,’ said Jessie. ‘That’s amazing!’

  ‘Well, we aren’t quite finished yet. It’s your turn now.’ Cat threw Jessie another wig, this time in a dark brown, shoulder length, bob style.

  ‘For you, when you reach your destination,’ Nikki said seriously. ‘You are no longer Jessie Nightingale, your name is Michelle, okay?’

  ‘I’m a brunette? That’ll make a change.’

  ‘And you wear my parka,’ added Cat. ‘It will cover up your vest and you’ll look completely different.’

  ‘Right, Cat, you go with Joseph, and Yvonne will drive your vehicle. If nothing else, if we do have company, our cavalcade should confuse them.’ Anyway, Nikki hoped that would be the case. ‘So, if we are all set, let’s get off this fen before it’s fully daylight. And good luck everyone. I’ll see you all later.’

  * * *

  As Nikki’s team set out across the Fens, a lonely woman sobbed into her stained pillow. He had not come home at all, and this time she knew he had deserted her. She had always known that one day this would happen. He had sworn he loved her, but he was a man, and she still had just enough sanity left to know that she was a hopeless, unkempt and vile creature that didn’t deserve love from anyone, especially him.

  She had once done something terrible, she knew, but couldn’t remember exactly what it was. But he had stood by her. He had done everything he could to make things right again. He had protected her and hidden her. But now . . . ? She curled into a tight ball and wondered how long it took to starve to death.

  * * *

  When Nikki finally stepped back into Greenborough police station, she was almost on a high. The “special delivery” of her precious charge had been textbook, and she knew that Jessie was in the very best of hands. Eve had been the perfect choice. The highly experienced officers who were now “decorating” Eve’s house had been drafted in from a different area and were tried and tested according to the super, which was good enough for Nikki. For the first time in days, she felt as if she could breathe again. She went to grab a coffee before going into the CID office, and found Joseph already at the machine.

  ‘Thank you for what you did last night.’

  ‘No problem, and the time wasn’t exactly wasted.’ He put down his coffee and took a notebook from his pocket. ‘Keel Chandler’s rather obscure diary of events surrounding the disappearance of Dina Jarvis.’

  ‘Really?’ Nikki took the notebook from him and flipped throug
h it. ‘Oh my! Am I supposed to understand any of this?’

  ‘I did say it was obscure. But funnily enough, given a little more time and a quick word with Yvonne Collins, I think I might just have found a way into this young man’s thought processes.’

  ‘Now that is worrying. This is very weird stuff.’

  ‘Then maybe I have a weird mind too.’

  ‘Let’s not go there on an empty stomach. I need breakfast. I’m starving.’

  ‘You have a meeting in fifteen minutes.’

  Nikki grinned. ‘Perfect. That leaves just enough time for someone to go out and get me a croissant, or a nice big pain au chocolat.’

  Joseph pulled a face. ‘Okay, ma’am, on my way.’

  ‘They are on me.’

  ‘I should think so too. I missed dinner and breakfast, you know.’

  ‘Ah, the policeman’s lot is not a happy one.’

  ‘Shut up, Nikki.’

  * * *

  The CID room was full of officers waiting for the nine o’clock meeting, and Joseph was anxious. Someone here was not who he or she seemed, so they would have to be extremely careful about everything they said and did until the bastard was routed out. Nikki had told him that the best they could do was concentrate on hunting down Carver as if nothing were amiss, and keep up the Dina Jarvis investigation, concentrating mainly on searching for Gibson Ash. She did not want the mole to know that she was aware of their existence. Hence, anything pertaining to Jessie was to be spoken about only in private or off the premises. Even Joseph didn’t yet know her location, but he could tell from Nikki’s mood that she was happy with it. He smiled to himself. If Nikki was satisfied, then he would be too.

  ‘Is everyone here?’

  There was a murmur of assent.

  Nikki stood in front of them, her manner casual and easy.

  Nice one, thought Joseph. Keep them relaxed.

  ‘As you will have heard . . .’ Nikki proceeded to elaborate on the collapse of Freddie Carver’s claim on the Derbyshire underworld. Then, for the benefit of anyone who had not been present yesterday, she announced the discovery and rescue of PC Graham Hildred.

  As she spoke, Joseph watched his fellow officers carefully. There was a chance someone would act out of character or display discomfort. He hoped and prayed that it wasn’t someone they knew and trusted, but there was always that small chance. As it was, the lost policeman’s miraculous reappearance was met with huge delight and utter amazement.

  When things had calmed down, Nikki went on to talk about Dina Jarvis’s disappearance. ‘We have decided that she is now considered to be at risk. We believe that she was abducted, possibly by a man named Gibson Ash.’ She told them what she had discovered about the man, including his involvement with Freddie Carver. ‘As we now know that Carver was responsible for the abduction of Fern, Lilli and Sophie, we can assume that he was probably behind Dina vanishing from Greenborough. I have issued an attention drawn, so hopefully Ash will cross someone’s radar in the not too distant future.’

  Joseph stood up. ‘Ma’am? I have unearthed a few more facts about Dina Jarvis. May I explain?’

  ‘Please do. Go ahead, Joseph.’

  ‘It has been confirmed that she had an excellent singing voice, and was also a very good dancer. We also know that her brother Dominic was never keen on her exploiting this talent in public. Now we know that Gibson Ash was a “scout” for Freddie’s clubs, so I suggest he did exactly what we originally believed, and promised Dina a sparkling career in showbiz.’

  ‘And the poor kid didn’t want to upset her brother, so she attended these “auditions” without Dominic’s knowledge,’ added Yvonne.

  ‘She fell in love with Gibson Ash en route?’ asked Niall. ‘After what I witnessed, I’d say she was more than smitten.’

  ‘Well, you’d know, wouldn’t you, Romeo?’ called out a voice from the back. There was a ripple of laughter and Niall blushed.

  ‘Okay, joke over,’ Nikki interrupted. ‘I think Niall is correct. Indications are that Dina fell for her baby-faced entrepreneur — hook, line and sinker.’

  ‘So what happened to her then?’ asked Dave. ‘Why kidnap her when she would have gone willingly?’

  Joseph answered as best he could. ‘We don’t know exactly, but I think Gibson Ash fell for her too. Possibly things went a little too far? Whatever, I suspect something else happened, and I also believe that a young man with learning difficulties, a man called Keel Chandler who had a big crush on Dina, was a witness to it, or some of it. One thing is for sure, he knows more about Dina Jarvis than we do. And given his poor mental health, it’s going to be the devil’s own job getting to the bottom of it.’

  ‘But you will try?’ asked Nikki.

  ‘Oh yes, ma’am.’ He looked over to Yvonne, ‘And with your local knowledge and help, we’ll fathom it, one way or another.’

  ‘The oracle is at your disposal, Sergeant.’ Yvonne grinned.

  ‘Thank you. Now, we have two other men who were also very attracted to Dina, and we cannot rule them out as having been involved in some way. We have a care-worker male nurse called Arthur Kirkby and a farmer called Robbie Lyons.’ He passed around memos with their details. ‘I haven’t had time to do any background checks on these guys, so perhaps someone would take that on.’ Joseph looked around the room and in a sombre voice said. ‘Our biggest concern right now seems to be, are we looking for Dina Jarvis, or her body?’

  A low murmur echoed around the room. Joseph felt sure he knew what most of his colleagues were thinking, and he sincerely hoped they were wrong.

  * * *

  At exactly eleven o’clock Nikki received the call she had been hoping for.

  ‘As quick as you can, Inspector Nik! He’s in a hotel called the Alma on Station Approach, and he’s packing up to leave.’

  ‘You little angel!’

  ‘I think I preferred being a star, but you need to hurry! See you.’

  Nikki grabbed the photo of Gibson Ash and ran out to the CID room, where Cat and Dave were working away on their computers. ‘Both of you! With me!’

  The Alma was a seedy, rather tired-looking small hotel. Dead summer plants still hung over the edges of window boxes and hanging baskets, and the signage had begun to peel away.

  The lobby was no better, and as no one was at the desk Nikki leaned over the counter and leafed through the visitor’s book. ‘Can you believe he used his own name?’ she asked Dave. ‘Room twenty-three, let’s go visit!’

  As it was they met Gibson Ash, suitcase in hand, at the top of the stairs. Before he knew what was happening he was wearing handcuffs and heading towards their waiting car.

  ‘Was that too simple, or what?’ muttered Cat.

  ‘We deserve a bit of good luck, don’t we?’ replied Dave.

  ‘True.’

  As Nikki drove back to the station she glanced in the rear-view mirror and tried to read the expression on Ash’s face. He was scared, that was for sure. In fact, he looked terrified, and that wasn’t generally the case for a nicked villain. Usually the least you could expect was a stream of abuse, sometimes referring to you and sometimes to your parentage, but always accompanied by colourful and sometimes quite creative bad language. Gibson Ash had not spoken, and he looked more likely to cry than to hurl verbal abuse at them. Did he realise that he was about to be unmasked as an abductor, maybe the killer, of a young woman who had loved him? Nikki wasn’t sure, but she couldn’t wait to get him into an interview room.

  * * *

  At the same time as Nikki was checking out the décor at the Alma, Ben Radley was thumbing through reams of information on Lewis Rosewood, the bent lawyer. Ben’s boss had categorically refused to cut a deal with the man, but Ben had seen another way to use him. After scrutinising one or two interesting pieces of info that Graham had supplied, Ben decided to have a quiet word with Rosewood. His idea was to let Rosewood think that other members of Carver’s gang had admitted to having taken part in certain jobs, all o
nes that Ben already knew Rosewood had played a part in. Then Ben would intimate that if he denied his involvement, he could be taking the blame alone.

  He walked down to the custody suite and arranged with the sergeant to have a few moments with the prisoner in an interview room.

  Rosewood looked gaunt. Getting caught was something he had clearly never considered.

  ‘Sorry to hear you were refused bail.’ Ben kept his voice free of sarcasm. ‘That’s tough.’ He sat down opposite the brief. ‘Look, I wish this could be just between you and me, but as you well know, I’m obliged to record it.’

  Ben activated the recorder and raced through the introductions.

  ‘Lewis, if I may call you that? I need to tell you that after Freddie Carver’s father, Rick Cavacini, was taken to a specialist hospital for care and his minders taken into custody, we have had several men and women come forward, all prepared to testify against Carver for a whole variety of jobs.’

  Rosewood sounded sharp and mocking. ‘I wasn’t born yesterday, Detective. Men don’t just drop Carver in it. Well, not if they want to live a long life and keep their looks.’

  ‘So far I have spoken with five witnesses, and between them we have discussed the robbery in that Mayfair jeweller back in March, the drugs shipment that came in on the Zeebrugge ferry last month, the blackmailing of a high profile politician in the Peterborough area, oh yes, and the murder of two women and the unlawful imprisonment and rape of a third.’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Together we have linked Carver to all of these, and I should mention that they not only talked about Carver, your name cropped up in dispatches on a regular basis.’

  ‘Along with Santa Claus and the Grinch, no doubt.’

  ‘I can’t say I recall those names, but Lewis Rosewood . . . now that’s one I do remember.’ Ben leaned closer to the man and said, ‘I have proof that Carver called you on the night of September the tenth at eleven seventeen hours, and you discussed how you would provide an alibi for him for the Zeebrugge incident. I have all the details. Phone records, and unfortunately for you, someone else heard it too and they are very willing to testify to it in court. My advice to you is to cooperate with us. Freddie Carver is no longer your best friend. He no longer has any clout anywhere or with anyone. He will not save you. But you could save yourself from the harshest sentence.’ Ben stood up abruptly. ‘I need to go. While I’m away, take some time to consider this.’ He stared straight at Rosewood. ‘If you confirm some information that has come into my possession, I will make sure that Carver does not know that you were involved. We have enough grasses around here right now to sow a lawn, but he does not have to think that you are one of them. Your cooperation would be noted and recompensed.’