Snatched

by Gillian Jackson

  Danny was thirsty, but driven on by his fear, trying to focus on how good it would be to get home; to sleep in his own warm bed and to be with his parents again. But then thoughts of Lewis intruded into his mind and he gulped back the sobs which accompanied such thoughts. He was almost certain that Dave was no longer following him, but whatever comfort that brought was ousted by the thought that he might be heading back to the farmhouse and to his captors yet again.

  Danny stopped again for breath and to listen. This time he thought he could again hear traffic in the distance, but was it just his mind making him hear what he wanted to hear? No, there was definitely something and then the loud sound of a lorry’s horn confirmed that he was near to traffic.

  Tentatively he made his way through the trees to where he thought the sounds were coming from and, yes, they became louder. Soon the trees thinned out, but a grassy bank led up to the road, a steep bank with metal fencing at the top.

  Pausing a moment to breathe and calm his beating heart, he surveyed the obstacle. He could do it normally without trouble, but he was exhausted and weak. Danny purposefully began to think of home and what he would most like to eat when he got there and then he determinedly propelled his body forward to assault the bank. His feet slipped on the wet grass, but the grass was long and he was able to grab handfuls to steady him and pull himself upwards.

  Slipping back a few times he refused to allow himself to slide right back to the bottom. His tenacity paid off and eventually, tired and soaked through, Danny reached the top and clung onto the metal railings, breathing hard.

  The road was fairly quiet with only a few cars driving both ways and the railing wasn’t much above three foot high so didn’t present too much of a problem. With a last surge of effort, he climbed over the fence and dropped, exhausted, onto the grass verge at the side of the road.

  Tim and Shirley Weeks were having a minor disagreement on which was the quickest way to get to Horfield in Bristol. It was Saturday and their niece was getting married but Shirley’s map reading skills were a little rusty to say the least and they were in danger of missing the church ceremony. At least the day was brightening up after the horrendous rain they’d endured during their journey and so far their rather ancient Nissan was running smoothly, which was not always the case.

  Tim focussed on the road ahead while his wife gazed around, looking for a landmark she recognised from previous visits, or a signpost to direct them. Shirley suddenly sat up straight in her seat, surprised to see a figure ahead, climbing over the fence onto the verge at the side of the road and as they drew closer, it became clear that it was a child, a young boy.

  ‘Pull into the side, Tim!’ she instructed her husband.

  By then they were past the boy but Shirley stepped out of the car and began to walk back to where he was. Tim slowly reversed the car and soon they were both near to the boy. He appeared to be sobbing, wet and dirty and obviously out of breath.

  Shirley approached him tentatively.

  ‘Are you alright?’ she asked. The boy looked startled to see her and stood still, looking warily at her like a frightened puppy. Shirley smiled and moved a couple of steps nearer. ‘Do you need any help?’ She spoke softly; the child was obviously in distress about something.

  He nodded and as Shirley reached his side, she could see how wet and dirty he really was. He appeared to have come from out of the woodland beside the road, his clothes were soaked through and he was covered in mud. Her first thoughts were that he had somehow got lost or separated from his parents and she cast a glance over the woodland, seeing nothing to give her any clues.

  ‘What’s your name?’

  ‘Danny,’ he said. ‘Can you ring my mother for me?’

  ‘Come and sit in the car — it’s warmer than out here — and I’ll ring your mother.’

  Danny hesitated, afraid to make the few steps to their car.

  Tim was beside his wife by then, concerned as he asked, ‘What’s happened to you son?’

  ‘I was kidnapped and they’re following me!’ He looked behind him, back into the woods.

  ‘Don’t worry about that, you’re safe now. You can get in the car if you like but if you want to stay here that’s fine too.’ Shirley rummaged in her bag and found her phone which she held out to Danny. ‘You can make the call if you like, or I can do it for you?’

  Danny reached out for the phone and snatched it, as if she was going to take it away from him. He sniffed, wiped his tear streaked face on his sleeve and began pressing buttons. ‘I can’t remember the number!’ He looked bereft and began to cry again.

  Shirley put her arm around him and led him to the car. ‘Don’t worry about it, we’ll ring the police and they’ll soon sort it all out. They’re probably looking for you as we speak.’

  Shirley opened the back door of the car and Danny shuffled in, shivering and breathing rapidly. She got into the car beside him and he allowed her to put an arm around him. Bang goes the wedding finery, she thought as the boy leaned into her, his wet, muddy clothes against hers.

  Tim was on the phone to the police and peered into the car to ask Danny his surname. He repeated ‘Stone’ into the phone and was assured that someone would be with them within minutes. When he told his wife and the boy, Danny sighed and allowed Shirley to hold him close and stroke his wet, matted hair, as he sobbed softly.

  Within minutes it seemed that police cars were coming at them from all directions and very soon the side of the road was crammed with vehicles. An ambulance arrived too and Danny was taken into it with a woman police officer accompanying him and assured that his parents would meet him at the hospital.

  Tim and Shirley Weeks hadn’t seen the local publicity about the missing boy, as they lived in Oldham in Greater Manchester. They had unexpectedly been caught up in a drama and were now asked to go to Bristol police station to give formal statements.

  It would mean that they would miss their niece’s wedding ceremony, but would hopefully join the family at the reception. It was of no consequence and they were delighted to have played a part in getting a missing child reunited with his parents. They would have no end of pleasure in recounting the story over the coming weeks.

  Chapter 32

  While Radford and Best raced to pick up Danny, DI Jack Priestly was on his way to visit Janine Parks’ family. There was no fresh news to tell them but he wanted to keep the family informed and reassure them that the police were still looking for the kidnappers, even though the event was now nearly a year ago. Priestly had arranged the visit by phone and thought that he could at least tell Mr and Mrs Parks that they had a possible lead in Bristol, even if there was little else to offer in the way of fresh developments.

  It was a cold, misty morning as he drove into Larkspur Avenue and pulled up in front of the Parks’ neat, detached home. He knew Janine would be there. From his enquiry on the phone, he’d learned from her mother that the girl hadn’t been able to go back to school since the ordeal and was now being home-schooled. Angela Parks had given up her career in order to be with Janine, to teach her full time and do whatever it took to help her daughter get over the trauma she’d suffered.

  Angela opened the door and invited Priestly inside. She led him to the lounge, a large, airy room with which he was familiar from spending long hours in there, interviewing the couple and coordinating the investigation.

  ‘How’s Janine?’ Priestly’s first thought was for the girl.

  ‘As well as can be expected, I suppose. She still sees a counsellor each week and seems able to talk to her, but she doesn’t say much to me yet.’ As if on cue, Janine came down the stairs and crossed the room to sit next to her mother. Angela slid a protective arm around her daughter’s thin shoulders.

  ‘Hello, Janine,’ Priestly said. She managed a slight smile, the first time he’d actually seen her smile at all, which was surely a good sign. ‘I was just asking your mother how you were.’

  ‘I’m gett
ing better, thank you.’ These were also the first words Priestly had ever heard the girl speak. After her ordeal she’d been completely silent for several days. When eventually able to answer questions, her interviews with the police were conducted by a specially trained female officer, so Priestly had had very little direct contact with her.

  ‘That’s good news; I’m pleased to hear it.’ He smiled at her. ‘I know this has been very hard for you, Janine, and I want you to know that we’re still working on finding the men who took you away. It hasn’t been easy for you to think about, I know, but if there is anything at all you can tell me which might help, I’d be very grateful. Did you ever hear them talking to each other? Perhaps one of them said a name?’ he ventured.

  ‘Yes, I heard them talking but no names were ever mentioned.’

  ‘And how did they talk, Janine? Did they sound like they were from round here, or perhaps they had a different accent?’

  ‘Well, one of them sounded a bit like they do on EastEnders, but I can’t remember much about the other one.’

  ‘That’s really helpful, thank you. It tells me that one of the men might possibly have come from London. Even these little details can be a great help. It’s rather like a jigsaw puzzle and the more pieces you have the easier it becomes to see the big picture.’

  ‘Yes, but I can’t think of anything else...’ There were tears brimming in her eyes.

  ‘That’s fine, don’t worry about it. What you’ve just told me is very useful information and if you do think of something else can you tell your mother and she’ll let me know?’ Priestly asked.

  ‘Okay.’ Janine looked at her mother.

  ‘Perhaps you’d like to go upstairs now, while Detective Priestly and I have a chat?’ Angela suggested.

  Janine disappeared back upstairs.

  ‘She seems to be doing quite well,’ Priestly commented.

  ‘She is, but the kidnapping seems to have been a catalyst for other problems too.’ She looked thoughtful but said no more.

  ‘If it’s anything you think we can help you with, please say so.’

  ‘It’s really nothing that anyone can help with. Would you like a coffee?’ she asked.

  Priestly’s instinct told him she needed to talk, so he accepted her offer of coffee and followed her into the kitchen.

  Jack Priestly wasn’t at all surprised by what Angela told him. She was a bitter woman who had gone through the most difficult time imaginable, only to be disappointed when she thought it was all over. However, the information Angela gave him necessitated a visit to her husband, Stuart Parks.

  As it was still only midday, Priestly was heading towards the private hospital where Dr Parks worked. It wasn’t ideal to visit someone at their place of work, but if his hunch was right, the information he needed couldn’t wait.

  The hospital car park was full, even though it was Saturday, and Priestly ended up taking a spot reserved for a doctor. He locked the car and headed to the main reception desk where he joined a small queue and waited until the receptionist was free. He asked where he could find Stuart Parks and was directed to the ENT unit where the doctor was holding a clinic. After what seemed like miles of sterile corridors, Priestly eventually found where he needed to be.

  Parks was busy with a patient and two more were waiting outside his room. Priestly showed his ID to the nurse, who was initially reluctant to disturb the doctor. He reassured the nurse that he would take up as little of the doctor’s time as possible.

  After five minutes, an elderly lady came out of Parks’ room and the nurse nodded to Priestly. He followed her into the consulting room. After the nurse left the room, the doctor asked the obvious question.

  ‘Have you found the culprits?’

  ‘No, but we’re working on a few new leads. I’m afraid what I need to ask you is rather personal but could be directly related to Janine’s kidnap.’ Priestly looked at the bewilderment on the doctor’s face and as there was no polite way to introduce the subject, he asked, ‘I believe that just before the kidnapping you were having an affair? Angela told me you’re estranged now, because of another woman.’

  ‘What on earth has this got to do with Janine?’ Parks scowled, his thick eyebrows almost meeting in the middle.

  ‘I need to know about the woman you were seeing; it’s just possible that she may have been involved in some way with the kidnappers.’

  ‘That’s ridiculous! Has Angela put you up to this to get back at me?’

  ‘No, she told me the affair was the reason you’ve parted but I’m not asking this out of curiosity. Are you still seeing her?’

  ‘Not anymore, no. Quite honestly I felt ashamed of what I’d done, especially when our family was going through so much. I told her we should stop seeing each other for a while and she agreed. I haven’t heard from her since.’

  ‘Can you give me her name and an address if you have one?’

  ‘Well yes, but I don’t know if she’ll still be there.’

  Stuart Parks tore a sheet of paper off a pad on his desk and wrote the name and address down, then passed it to Priestly.

  Helena Johnson, Apartment 2, Dene Court, Leeds. The name wasn’t the one DI Radford had given for the woman Stone was seeing, but then he wouldn’t expect her to use her real name.

  ‘Can you tell me when you last had any contact with her?’ Priestly asked.

  ‘It was while... Janine was still missing, the second day I think. I rang her to tell her that I couldn’t see her for a while. I already knew by then that it had all been a mistake; she was more concerned that I would continue paying the rent on her flat than what had happened to Janine.’

  ‘You were paying for the flat?’ Priestly asked.

  ‘Yes, but not anymore, which is why I’m not sure if she still lives there.’

  Priestly was pretty certain she wouldn’t be there either.

  ‘And can you describe Helena to me?’

  Stuart Parks sighed. ‘She’s about five foot five with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Quite striking really, with a good figure and always turned out well, which was probably at my expense.’

  Priestly thanked the doctor and left the hospital to make his way to Dene Court Apartments, on the other side of Leeds.

  It was an impressive building, a waterside conversion on the river Aire which was popular with young, professional singles. There was a door entry system and intercoms to each apartment.

  Priestly pressed the buzzer for Apartment 2. Not surprisingly there was no answer. He tried again, still without success. Finally, he pressed the buzzer for the caretaker, who lived in Apartment 1. This was answered immediately and when he said he was a police officer the door was opened to allow him inside.

  The caretaker was a middle-aged man with a bald head and wire-rimmed glasses. Priestly showed his ID and asked about the occupant of Apartment 2.

  ‘Ah, the lovely Helena! I’m afraid she’s gone, left without a word. I think there could have been man trouble there.’ The caretaker tapped the side of his nose with his finger.

  ‘What makes you think that?’ Priestly asked, sensing that the man was dying to tell him.

  ‘Well, when she first moved in here there was this gent, rather well to do sort. He visited a couple of times a week, maybe more. Then one day another guy turns up, rather a rough sort this one, and they have a blazing row. The air turned blue, believe me! But then he went and shortly after the posh gent stopped coming as well. It’s my view that she was trying to get away from the second guy, could have been a jealous husband ... and the other one was warned off. Then, next thing I know she’s gone, no notice, not even a thanks and goodbye.’

  ‘Did she have other friends, girlfriends, parents perhaps?’

  ‘Not that I ever saw, kept herself to herself generally. I tried to offer my services when she moved in, you know, to help with any little jobs about the place, but she refused, not even wanting to enter into conversation.’
r />   The caretaker knew nothing of real importance, but Helena had long since gone, which was exactly what Priestly expected and there was apparently no trail to follow.

  Priestly thanked the man for his help then got in his car and made a call to Radford.

  ‘Don, what’s the latest?’

  ‘We’ve got our boy back! He’s okay, but sadly though another boy was shot and killed. We think he had some connection to the kidnappers, or at least his mother did. I’m actually at the hospital now; Danny’s getting checked over by the medics before we can talk to him. Shall I ring you this evening to update you?’

  ‘Yes, that would be great, but I think there’s something you need to know now. I visited Janine’s parents earlier today and apparently they’ve separated since the kidnapping. Dr Parks was having an affair. The name’s Helena Johnson, although that’s probably not her real name. The address, a rather nice flat by the river which the doctor was paying for, is now unsurprisingly empty; she left without notice and no forwarding address, right about the time that Janine was missing. The good doctor described her, long blonde hair, blue eyes, good figure, a bit of a dream woman! Now I don’t believe in coincidences, Don, do you?’

  ‘Absolutely not, I think I need another word with Richard Stone and perhaps pay a visit to his girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend as he now claims. Thanks for this, Jack, I’ll let you know what happens.’

  Chapter 33

  DI Radford pulled Richard Stone from the hospital room where he was visiting Danny with Martha and Elaine, and questioned him in a private room.

  ‘Look,’ Richard Stone protested, ‘you’ve found Danny and I’m really grateful for that, but shouldn’t you be out looking for the kidnappers instead of going over old ground?’

  ‘Well, the thing is, we have reason to believe that Serena Murphy may be part of the kidnapping gang.’

  ‘That’s ridiculous, why would she do that?’

  ‘For money, the usual reason for a kidnapping,’ Radford replied.