Netta looked up, shocked. “But I was fine! I was at work.”
“Yes,” said Dan, grimly. “It was a ploy to get George to come home.”
“Oh, Mr Cooke, do you think my George is in danger?”
“I don’t know, Mrs Thompson.”
“Oh, please find him! He’s a kind and gentle man, wouldn’t hurt a fly. I was so horrible to him when Harry had his accident but I love him. Please, please, find him.”
“We’ll do our best. I’ll have uniform search the streets of Hereford for him. We’ll find him, don’t worry.”
He nodded to Grant, who slipped into the kitchen to make the phone call.
Harry got up. “I have something, Sir. It might be useful.” He made his way out of the room. Lucy took his place beside Netta, who gripped her hand. “Oh Lucy, I’ve lost Rowena and George in one day! What will I do?”
“I’m sure Mr Cooke and his team will do everything they can, Netta.”
“Do you have a picture of your husband and daughter, Mrs Thompson?”
Netta looked around the room. “Oh! I had a photograph of us all on the sideboard and it’s gone! Why has it gone?”
Harry came slowly back into the room. “What’s up, Mum?”
“The picture that was on the sideboard, Harry. It’s gone.”
Harry frowned. “It was on that little table beside you, Inspector Cooke. That man was looking at it. He must have taken it. Don’t worry about that, Mum. I’m sure Cessy will give us another one.”
“What did you have for me, Harry?”
“This.” Harry held up an A-4 sheet of paper.
Dan took it and whistled. “My word! Did you do this, Harry? You have quite a talent. Is this ‘Uncle Luke?’
“Yes. I have a very good memory for faces. I would have tried to take a photo of him with my phone but somehow I knew he’d not allow it. As soon as he and Dad left, I went up and did this drawing while the details were fresh in my mind. I had an idea it might be needed.”
“Clever lad! Look at this, Grant and Coombs, Lucy and Ken, isn’t it amazing?”
“I see what Harry means,” said Lucy. “He does remind me of a mafia boss.”
“He does indeed. Did he have any kind of accent?”
“Not markedly so but I was certain I recognised a slight London twang. The occasional word, you know?”
Dan did know. “Can we keep this?”
“Of course. That’s what I did it for.”
“I don’t suppose…?”
Harry handed him two more papers. One was a drawing of Rowena, the other, his dad. Dan nodded in satisfaction. “Brilliant. These will help our officers. Now, can you think of anything else that might help us?”
Netta spoke then. “Not really, Mr Cooke. But I do know that George was not at all happy when he went out. He kissed me and told me he loved me. He hardly ever tells me that. Oh, I know he loves me and he cuddles me and so on but doesn’t often tell me. He had a look on his face that made me think he didn’t expect to see me again.” She started to cry again, and Lucy put her arms around her.
“Did you call the doctor, Julie?”
“Yes sir. He’ll be here shortly.”
“Good. Mrs Thompson, we’ll get the doctor to give you a mild sedative to help you to sleep. It’ll head off the worry for a while. I have a feeling that we’ll have news for you in the morning.”
As he spoke, the doorbell rang and Julie Coombs went to answer it. She came back, followed by a man in a coat and hat, carrying a bag.
“Ah, Doctor, thank you for coming out. This lady has had a shock. Her daughter and husband have gone missing. Can you give her something to help her sleep, please?”
“Yes indeed. Hello, Mrs Thompson. I’m Doctor Gillard, a police doctor. Would you like something to help you sleep?”
Netta nodded. Overwhelmed, she just wanted to stop thinking. “Yes please.”
He gave her two tablets and she took them with water that Kenny brought from the kitchen.
“Will you help her to bed?” the doctor asked Lucy and she nodded “Of course.”
He gave her the eye. “Don’t you overdo it, young lady. I see you are near your time and you’re looking tired. Get this lady to bed and then you should go home to yours. I’ll see myself out. Goodnight, everyone.”
*****
Kenny helped Netta up the stairs and Lucy helped her to undress and into bed. After she was covered up, Lucy smoothed Netta’s hair from her forehead. “Try not to worry. I’m sure there will be news in the morning.”
Netta nodded sleepily. She was practically asleep and Lucy crept out, quietly shutting the door behind her.
Dan and his team had gone. Harry sat with Kenny, talking softly. Lucy’s heart went out to the lad. He’d already been through so much and now this, two terrible things happening at once.
“Shall we stay with Harry, Ken? I don’t like to leave you, my lad.”
“The doctor is right, Lucy, you should go to bed,” said Harry. “I’ll be fine. I’m here if Mum wants anything, or, or if we get a call.”
“Well, if you need us again, just ring. Let us know if you get any news.”
“I will. Don’t worry about me. I’m very grateful to you for being here with us and for looking after Mum.”
“Lock the door after us,” said Kenny as he picked up his coat. He and Lucy made their way to the front door, with Harry just behind.
Lucy enveloped him in a big hug. “We’re here for you, Harry. Just call us.”
Kenny helped Lucy into the car. Harry briefly waved and shut the door.
“Poor kid. First his accident, now this.”
“I know. It’s strange how everything seems to happen to some people, isn’t it? I do hope his sister will be found, and George.”
“It’s odd, isn’t it? I mean, if the sister has been taken by the kidnapping gang, why has George gone missing too?”
“No good asking me, my love. I’m not the detective. Poor Mr Cooke was looking tired, don’t you think?”
“Not surprising, with all those youngsters missing. I bet he can hardly bear to go home to sleep.”
Chapter 28
On the way out of the Thompson house, Dan ordered his team home to bed.
“We can’t do anything else right now. I don’t think there’ll be any point in getting search parties out again. They never turned up anything with the last six and I don’t think they’ll have any luck with this one. In the morning, Grant and Coombs, I want you to team up with Johnson and another constable, maybe Tanner, and do some house to house round the area at the back of the Thompson house. I’m going to send this drawing to Thames Valley Police and the Met to see if this man is known to them. I’ll ask uniform to continue searching Hereford for George Thompson. Now, go home. We need to be fresh for the morning.”
**********
George had no idea where they were going but it seemed they drove a long time. The black outlines of hills and trees meant they must be near the border of Wales, or even over the border. At last they pulled into a dark driveway of a large building that looked deserted. Some of the windows had been broken and others were boarded up. It had a desolate air, made worse by the deep shadows cast by tall trees all around. George shivered; there was something about the place that spooked him.
“Cold, Jimmy?” Lucian was amused.
“No, not really. It’s this place, gives me the creeps. What is it?”
“That’s for us to know and for you to wonder. Get out.”
Startled, George got out of the car. Could he make a run for it? But when he felt the poke in his back from Jake behind him, he thought better of it.
“Walk.”
George didn’t have to walk far. In front of the house stood another dark coloured saloon, the number plate obscured by what he assumed was mud.
“In.”
He bent his head and got into the back seat of the car. It didn’t have the luxury of the first car, but then he realised a vehicle like th
e first one would attract a lot of attention if anyone spotted it in the village. Lucian got in beside him.
“Now. You’re going with Jake and Butcher to Sutton-on-Wye and you’ll meet with Sally in the lane. You will arrive before her so she doesn’t see a car and you’ll embrace her. No funny stuff mind, or you will be punished – and you will never see your girl again, understand?”
George nodded miserably.
“Don’t worry about the kids, they’re okay. I don’t deal in that kind of business now, although that kid called Gloria is Something; I could do a deal with her. Her old woman is a pro and I’d like to bet Gloria would be a good one too, given the chance. She could make me a few quid. Your girl is great too. If you do anything stupid, I’ll keep her. She’ll be a good replacement for Sally.”
George leaped on him then, and his fist smashed into that smug face. Strong hands pulled him off and he was held in a vice-like grip. Lucian put his hand to his mouth and felt the blood.
“You’ll pay for that, Jimmy-boy. I didn’t think you were stupid, but I can see you are. Butcher here is dying to get his hands on you, aren’t you, Butch?”
George heard the cracking of knuckles and blanched. He braced himself for what was coming. But all that happened was Lucian got out of the car and Jake got in beside him. Butcher climbed into the driving seat and they pulled away, leaving Lucian standing on the cracked tarmac.
George was uncomfortably aware of his silent companions, but smiled to himself, glad he’d punched his step-brother’s smarmy face, he’d wanted to do it years ago. It was about eleven twenty when Butcher drove into the village of Sutton-on-Wye and pulled his car around the corner from River View Lane, out of sight. Pushing the revolver into George’s back, Jake ordered him out of the car. Keeping in the shadows, they went into the lane.
“Right. Stay here, and don’t try anything, otherwise you will get a bullet. The woman won’t see us in the shadows.”
It seemed an age to George as he shuffled from foot to foot just inside the lane, out of range of the lamplight. He wished and prayed she wouldn’t come. But come she did. He heard the sound of light footsteps and saw her in the light of the street lamp. Taking his courage in both hands, he ran towards her.
“Run, Sally, run!”
He just had time to see her turn and run and a shot rang out. George felt an explosion of pain and he hit the ground.
**********
The phone was ringing. Kenny opened one eye and peered at the clock. It was just after twelve. Who could it be? Perhaps it was Harry, having heard something. He picked up the phone.
“Hello? Alex? Calm down, man! Stephanie’s disappeared? How? When? Oh, my goodness! Have you called the police? Well, call them! I’ll come right away, don’t panic! I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Wha’s going on?” said a sleepy voice beside him.
“It’s Alex. He says Stephanie’s disappeared!”
“Are you serious?” Lucy was wide awake and sitting up.
She watched Kenny get out of bed and started to follow him.
“No, Lucy, you stay, you need your rest.”
“I’m coming! Stephanie is my friend!”
As they pulled on the clothes they had not long taken off, Lucy put her hand to her mouth and gasped.
“What is it?”
“You – you don’t think Stephanie and George have run away together? You did say you saw them that time!”
Kenny paused for a moment, then, “No, I don’t. In any case, Alex needs us. Are you ready?”
They hastened downstairs. “We’ll take the car as it’s so dark.”
“I’m so relieved your mum took John home with her.” Said Lucy as Kenny drove, grim-faced, out of the drive.
“What’s that?” Kenny said, as the headlights picked out a dark shape in the middle of the lane. He stopped the car and ran to the still form. He bent down to look closer. Lucy had climbed out, holding a torch. She shone it on the figure.
“It’s George! He’s badly hurt – don’t move him! Call an ambulance.”
With shaking hands, Lucy dialled 999 and swiftly gave directions then asked for the police.
“Leave me here with him! You go to Alex.”
“No! I don’t want to leave you here in the dark on your own. What if whoever did this to him is still around?”
“They won’t be! They’ll be long gone. They probably think he’s dead – he almost is. I’ll be alright. Alex needs you and someone must be here to signal the ambulance or they’ll run him over! I’ve got my phone, I’ll keep in touch! We can’t get the car around him so you’ll have to go to Alex’s on foot. Don’t worry, darling. Go on – go!”
Kenny kissed her. “Don’t be a hero, don’t do anything stupid.”
“I won’t! I’ll sit in the car until I think they might be near. There are a couple of blankets in there. I’ll cover him up.”
Kenny hugged her again and left her. Lucy watched him jogging under the lamplight. She went to the car and pulled out a couple of blankets she always kept there in case John was cold and carried them back to tuck around George, careful not to move him. A dark pool of blood had seeped into the rough tarmac under his lower body. She went back to sit in the car, shivering a little, but whether from cold or nervousness, she didn’t know. It seemed a long time until the ambulance came, although it was only about twenty minutes.
The police arrived before the ambulance, along with the paramedics. While they saw to the injured man, Lucy told the police what she knew. They called in for DI Cooke, who arrived in remarkably quick time, looking dishevelled and driven by his wife, Linda.
“I sent my team home,” he explained, “and I’m not fit to drive. So my darling wife here brought me. So, we’ve found George then? What’s the verdict, gentlemen?
“He’s been shot,” said a paramedic. “He’s bleeding badly and he looks like he has a head wound too, likely caused when he fell. We’ve no way of knowing how long he’s been here, but he needs to get to hospital right away, he’s in a bad state.”
“Right. Constable, would you go with him, please?” The man climbed into the ambulance and it drove away, blue light flashing silently.
“Dare I ask what you are doing here in the middle of the night?” said Dan to Lucy.
“Well, I was in bed, we both were. We had a phone call from Alex, who runs the restaurant here. His wife, my friend Stephanie, has disappeared.”
“What? Another disappearance? This is getting beyond a joke!” Dan growled. “Where is this restaurant? Oh, don’t bother, I know! Linda, will you go to Lucy’s place with her and wait until I come back for you?”
“Oh, but I was going to join Kenny at Alex’s,” protested Lucy.
“You are not! You are going home and Linda is going with you. I’m going there now. Get off back up the lane, do as you’re told, girl!”
He stomped off, giving her no chance to object. Linda took her arm. “Come on, better do as the boss says.”
Lucy had to drive down the lane and turn round in the road, grimacing as she had to drive over George’s blood, which was a dark puddle creeping across the lane. Moments later, they were back in the farmhouse.
“Wow! This is a lovely place,” said Linda, looking around.
“It is. I’m very lucky my Aunt Bea left it to me. Even luckier that I found Kenny.”
“Well, I’ve always wanted to come out here to visit you, but I never thought it would be in the middle of the night!” laughed Linda. “Harry told me so much about you and so has Dan. He’s very fond of you, you know.”
“Who is?” Lucy was startled. “Harry?”
“Well, yes, certainly Harry has a crush on you, but I think Dan is fond of you too.”
“Oh, he just likes my cakes!” Lucy flapped her hand at Linda, embarrassed.
“That could be it!” Linda laughed again.
“Do you fancy a hot chocolate or a Horlicks or something?”
“That would be lovely. But you shou
ld sit down and rest. I’m sure I can find my way around your kitchen.”
“No, I’ll do it. I have a lot of cupboards and things and I know where everything is.”
Linda sat at the table while Lucy busied herself.
“Don’t you have a little boy?”
“Yes. Fortunately, his grandma, Kenny’s mum, took him to sleep at her house because Harry called us go there. At least I don’t have to worry he’ll wake up. I wonder how DI Cooke, Kenny and Alex are getting along. Poor DI Cooke, he looks so tired.”
“Oh, do call him Dan to me! Yes, he is tired, he’s been working practically non-stop since those youngsters started disappearing. He’s so frustrated, there seems to be so few leads.”
“And now Harry’s sister’s disappeared and George has been shot and Stephanie has disappeared too. It’s all very strange, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I have to admit, I can’t make head nor tail of it, can you?”
Chapter 29
Dan was thinking something very similar, When he reached the Wyeview Restaurant, the place was ablaze with light. Kenny was there with a man that rather resembled a human spider, so tall and lanky was he. The spider was pacing about restlessly.
“Please, sir, come and sit down,” Dan said in a commanding voice. He felt sorry for the man but he needed to get to the bottom of things.
They all sat down. The officer who had attended the scene of George’s shooting was also there, notebook at the ready.
“Now, as calmly as you can, tell me the events of this evening. When did you know your wife was missing?”
“She was here until the restaurant closed at eleven thirty, I think. Although the kitchen staff told me she left them to finish clearing up and said she needed a few minute’s air. They didn’t think anything of it because she does that sometimes. They finished cleaning the kitchen and left. They probably thought she would come back in and go straight up – we live in a flat above here. But she hasn’t come back. Oh goodness, what shall I do? Where can she be?”
Fear Has Long Fingers Page 14
