Fear Has Long Fingers

by Jeanette Taylor Ford

  “It’s a mobile phone! Does it belong to one of us? Whose is it?”

  “It’s mine!” said Rowena. She took it and slid it out of the bag. A slip of paper came with it and Adam picked it up.

  “What does it say?” asked Mark.

  “It says, ‘Old boarding school, near Kinnerton. Destroy this note.’”

  Rowena looked at him and then at Gloria. She switched on the phone and scrolled down her contacts.

  “It’s not safe to make a call. You’ll have to send a text and hope someone sees it.”

  Who should she send a text to? Not her mum, dad or Harry, because they weren’t there anymore. Foughting back the tears, she scrolled past her friends; they were no good. Lucy! She’d message Lucy, she would do something.

  Her fingers flew over the letters. The signal wasn’t very strong but she prayed that it would reach Lucy. In fact, Rowena had never prayed so hard in her life.

  **********

  “Sir, you have a visitor. It’s one of the kid’s dads, you know, the one in the SAS?”

  “Bring him in, Julie, thank you.”

  A man strode in. He was of average height but powerfully built. His hair was cut short and he wore combats.

  “Mr Randle?” Dan rose to shake hands.

  “I’ve just returned from our last assignment and found my daughter’s gone missing. My wife couldn’t contact me because she’s not allowed to know my whereabouts. I’m here to find out what you’re doing about it.”

  “I’m glad to be able to tell you that at long last we have a positive clue as to where the youngsters might be. We have to find the place and then hopefully we’ll be able to gather more clues as to where they’ve been taken.”

  His phone rang. “Excuse me,” he said as he picked it up. “Cooke!” he barked. Then his face softened, “Lucy? Really? Tell me!” He scribbled on a pad in front of him as he listened. “Good girl! Thank you.” He put the phone down. “Grant, Collins! We have a real lead! Apparently, Rowena Thompson has sent a text to Lucy – Mrs Baxter! It said: ‘Prisoners. Old Boarding School, near Kinnerton. Moving out tonight, please hurry.’”

  “Kinnerton?” Grant frowned.

  “Near New Radnor,” said Mr Randle

  “Get onto the Welsh police, it’s in their territory. We need an armed squad. Get onto it, Grant!”

  Grant picked up his phone and gave rapid instructions.

  “I can help! My squad, or some of them can help!” Mr Randle was on his feet. “We are trained marksmen and we have experience of this kind of thing.”

  Dan only took a moment to consider. Then he shook his head. “Sorry, I can’t allow it, Mr Randle. If anyone gets shot, one of your friends could be accused of manslaughter or murder. We have to let the firearms officers handle it.”

  Dan’s phone rang. He listened, then,

  “They know the place! It was once a boarding school for boys just outside Kinnerton. It’s been empty for a while. Apparently, a local farmer has seen activity there, vehicles coming and going, and thought the place had been sold.” He relayed the message to his team then spoke into the phone, “We need somewhere to assemble our men.” He listened again and nodded. “Yes, where that farmer lives, ask him if we can use his place.”

  Via a conference phone-call with the Radnor police, they informed Dan the farmer had agreed to let them use his property. He had a field where the helicopter bringing the armed squad could land, well out of sight of the old school. Dan instructed them to move out immediately, for it would take them an hour to get there.

  “As swift as we can, but no sirens or flashing lights,” he warned, “Nothing to give them any indication that we are on to them.”

  “We’ll send scouts in to check it out,” replied the Welsh voice on the other end. “See you as soon as possible. Over and out.”

  “Grant, Julie, you’re with me. We’ll take your car, Grant as it’s the fastest. Tanner, Johnson, and all you others, in your own cars. We’ll relay the postcode to all cars en route.”

  “Can I go with you? I want to rescue my girl.”

  “Yes, but you must stay away from operations, or my head will be on the block.”

  *****

  The police headquarters emptied rapidly as cars sped out of the car park. Bert the desk sergeant sighed heavily as he watched them go and hoped fervently that no major crimes would be reported in between then and the evening shift coming on at seven or there would be no one to attend.

  Chapter 39

  When they pulled into the large farmyard it was dark but the farmhouse was ablaze with light and loud, thumping music could be heard. A man came to them and introduced himself as Inspector Williams.

  “What the heck is going on?” Dan waved his hand at the illuminated house.

  “Oh, the farmer’s wife, Mrs Llewellyn, had the bright idea of pretending to have a party, in case anyone from the old school noticed lots of cars arriving here.”

  Dan nodded approvingly. “Clever woman! Now, who have we got?”

  “I have ten men. They are over there, assembled in that barn. Two are scouting the old school; they should be reporting back soon. The armed unit is here too.”

  “Great. Let’s join them.”

  Once in the barn, Dan looked at the assembled company. They all wore dark clothes rather than uniforms. The armed squad were with their commander, who came and shook hands with Dan, introducing himself as Morgan Lloyd.

  The two scouts came in.

  “The building does look derelict on the front side. However, round the back, it’s a different story, there’s a large area, once the playground, I imagine, and it’s full of cars,” said one, in his Welsh lilt.

  “I went around the other side, Sir, and, as Evans said, it looks very much lived in. It’s a huge building, forming an L-shape. On the L, there are rooms, obviously a kitchen and other living quarters. One big room is furnished. I could see in the windows easily at the end of the L, which had French windows looking out across the field. I could see at least twenty men, sir.”

  “No young people?”

  “No, Sir, not that I could make out. There were a couple of women. It looked like they were having a meeting as one man stood out from them and seemed to be talking to them. Then they went out, leaving him behind with two others.”

  “Right. That sounds like what we’re doing now – receiving instructions. We need a softly, softly approach, no blaring loudspeakers and threats, we don’t know what they’re up to in there, nor do we know where the kids are. Morgan, do you have any suggestions?”

  “Yes. We’ll have two of my men watching that room, six surrounding the car park and three in the front. We all have night goggles.”

  “ How many cars do we have? I need a driver with each car. So, how many men do we have left? Ten? How many of you have bullet-proof vests on?” Okay. That’s everyone except myself, Grant, Collins and Inspector Williams. I think the best way we can do this – there were no large vehicles?” Dan said, looking at the scouts.

  “No Sir, they were all cars.”

  “Good. Pair up and silently get in between the cars and capture the drivers quietly. You have truncheons? They’re probably going to take the kids in different cars, possibly with a driver and another man to guard them. Morgan’s men will make sure none of them get away. We don’t know if Mrs Townsend is in there. so we also need to look out for her. Keep an ear to your radios and obey all instructions. Above all, keep your heads down. We hope not to use any bullets but it may come to that. Right, we will let Sergeant Lloyd’s men get into place first then make our way to the building. Morgan, if your men see any cars leaving before we get there, feel free to shoot at the tyres, but don’t take any risks of injuring one of our youngsters. Okay?”

  He turned, then added, “Oh, and a couple of police vans will be here shortly. They’ll be parked in the lane on the farm side so the thugs don’t see them.”

  “Okay. Come on men.”

  The group of skilled armed men
went first, out of the barn and onto the lane, moving silently and keeping in the shadows.

  Ten minutes later, Morgan’s voice came over Dan’s radio. “All in place. No movement from the house as yet. Bring your men in, we have all areas covered.”

  The policemen moved as quietly as the others, creeping through the gateway one by one. Silent dark figures could barely be seen as they crept around, keeping under the shadows of the hedgerows alongside the house and disappearing behind the building.

  Then, the first of the vans arrived and Dan went to instruct the drivers quietly. When he came back, he said,

  “Julie, I want you to stay out of the way, I don’t want you getting hurt. I’ll need your help with the kids.”

  “Sir.” She answered, and took a step back.

  “Grant, I want you to go round the right side. I don’t want anyone escaping out of that room at the end of the side wing. Look for any outside doors and make sure there are no escape routes we don’t know about.”

  He nodded and silently made his way through the shadows.

  “Keep an eye on the front door please, Inspector Williams? I don’t think anyone has used that door in many a year but someone might try to use it to give us the slip.”

  “Absolutely.” The Welshman crept silently along the inside of the front hedge. Dan then took himself along the left side towards the car park area. Julie crept just inside the gates and stood in the shadows there.

  Everything was in place and the men were poised and ready. Dan looked at his illuminated watch. Eight forty nine. How long would they have to wait?

  Chapter 39

  The door to the dormitory opened and the two heavies, Jake and Butcher came in.

  “We’re moving out. Get in line and follow Butcher down the stairs. No funny stuff, we both have guns and we love to use them. You first, Goldie.” Jake waved at Gloria, who grabbed her dressing gown ‘I aint leavin’ that behind, me mum give it me.’

  Having been kidnapped in her night clothes, she had been provided with jeans and a jumper.

  When Rowena tried to take her place in the line, she was stopped. “Not you, Blondie. You gotta wait, special arrangements for you.” He winked and laughed. Standing back, she silently watched the others leaving the room and the door was shut and locked again. She sat down on the nearest bed, wishing she was going with the others and wondering what the ‘special arrangements’ were, hoping she wasn’t going with him. A shudder ran through her and she hoped against hope they would yet be rescued.

  **********

  Half an hour passed and Dan felt as if his legs had seized up. He shuffled about, trying to relieve the pins and needles, just as light flooded out through a doorway that had just opened. He stiffened.

  “Here we go, lads,” he whispered into his radio.

  He watched as some figures appeared, a girl, with a man behind her, followed by another girl and man. As they came closer, he realised the girls had their hands tied behind their backs and were being pushed along by the men. As they went towards a car nearest the exit to the car park, he realised the men had guns.

  “Get out of there, quickly! They have guns! Don’t let them see you,” he instructed his men. He radioed Morgan. “We need you, these guys have guns. Let the car come to the front of the house and catch them before they get out the gate. Julie! Can you shut the gates?”

  “Already did it, Gov,” came the reply.

  “Good girl,” he breathed. “Get out of sight and keep down.”

  Although the two guys and girls got into the car, there was no more movement in the open doorway.

  As the car took off, throwing up dust and turning slowly to go alongside the house towards the drive, Dan moved to follow the car, keeping at a safe distance. He heard a low pop, pop, and it stopped. The driver’s side door opened and the man got out. ‘Dammit! Punctures! How did that happen? Get the girls out, we’ll have to take another car.”

  The passenger door opened and the other man got out to open the back doors. Before they knew what had happened, both men had two officers onto them, holding them fast. They were searched and disarmed, then frog-marched away. Julie opened the back door.

  “Okay, girls, I’m a police officer. You’re safe now. Come with me.”

  The two youngsters got out and Julie took them both to one side, well away from the men. Dan nodded in approval and he saw Julie put a finger to her lips to indicate they should be quiet. They nodded. He radioed for car one. The men at the front would keep the prisoners safe until the car came. Inspector Williams drove the disabled car expertly over to the far side of the house and left it close to the dark, derelict part of the building.

  “Gov, the next ones are coming out. It’s four guys, don’t think it’s any of the kids,” came a voice through his radio. Dan made his way back to see.

  “You’re right. It’s just four yobbos. We’ll nab them round the corner. I need three officers to help take care of the prisoners. The vans are in the lane for them. Morgan, I think we might need more marksmen around the front.”

  “Wilco.”

  Dark shapes moved and Dan retrained his sight on the door.

  “It looks like they very helpfully are leaving at intervals. That will make our job much easier. No need for storming. We’ll just pop them off as they go through.”

  The system worked like a dream. One by one, the cars were disabled by discreet popping of tyres and prisoners were taken quietly with no fuss. Guns were collected and each man was handcuffed to an officer and taken to the vans that drew up to take them away. The youngsters were gathered and Julie took them to sit in the disabled cars parked well out of the way. The door was shut but they only had six of the seven youngsters. Rowena was still missing. Dan was worried; where was she and where was Stephanie?

  There were two cars left in the car park, a limousine and another dark-coloured car. They waited a while. Why was nothing else happening?

  **********

  Rowena waited almost an hour before she was taken downstairs to the large sitting-room, where Lucian Avery was waiting. Flora and Karen were also there, each with a bag at their side.

  “Ah, my lovely niece has come to join us,” Lucian kissed her on the cheek. Rowena felt sick but resisted pulling away. She had seen what he was like when angry and didn’t want to start him off again. Where was Stephanie? Had he killed her? And what was going to happen to her? She was loath to go with him. Surely Lucy had seen her message? She noticed the two women had their fingers crossed behind their backs – what could that mean?

  Jake rushed into the room. “Boss!”

  “Jake, be calm. What’s the matter?”

  “I’ve tried to contact some of the others to find out how far they’ve got and I can’t raise any of them.”

  “What? They are supposed to keep in touch. We must leave soon and need to know they’re getting through! What are they playing at? Get Butch and see if you can catch them up! Keep me posted. Be quick now!

  Jake left the room at a run. A few minutes later, Jake appeared outside the French doors, staggering against them.

  “He’s bleeding!” cried Flora, and rushed to open the doors and he fell in.

  “Cops!” He gasped and fell down. Moments later, a man appeared at the open French window. Lucian pointed his gun. The two women lunged, and one stuck something into his side and the other swung a fist at his neck just as he pulled the trigger. He staggered and collapsed to the floor.

  The man who Lucian had intended to shoot, came in, followed by two other men in dark clothing, guns pointing.

  “Police!” shouted Grant. “Stay right there, ladies.”

  He bent down and examined Lucian on the floor. “Hmm, I think he needs an ambulance. Good work, ladies, you saved my life and for that I thank you. Unfortunately, you still have to come with me. Gentlemen, would you escort these two ladies out?”

  The two army men went off with Flora and Karen. Grant strode over to Rowena.

  “Are you Rowena Tho
mpson?”

  “Yes. I thought you were never coming. I’m so happy to see you. But I don’t know what’s going to happen to me now that all my family are gone.”

  He leaned towards her and whispered. “Your family are alive and safe.”

  “They are?”

  Smiling, he nodded and then laughed out loud when she squealed and threw her arms around him. He lifted her off her feet and then set her down, offering her his arm, and they walked out of the room into the darkness. She skipped happily along beside him until they got to the car park, where they met another man.

  “This is Rowena, Sir,” said Grant. “Rowena, this is my boss, DI Cooke.”

  “Thank you for rescuing me. I was so afraid Lucy wouldn’t get my message.”

  “She did, and we acted at once. I think we have everyone.”

  “What about Stephanie? She’s still in there, I think, but he might have killed her,” said Rowena, anxiously.

  “The guys are searching the building. They’ll find her if she’s there. But we need to get you kids home.”

  “An ambulance is needed, Sir. There’s an injured man in the house,” said Grant.

  “We have a couple of ambulances standing by. I’ll call them.”

  A voice shouted, “Hey! There’s a severely injured woman in here. Get an ambulance, quick!”

  They rushed into the building and along a corridor, which was familiar to Rowena. Although she was behind them, she gained the room moments after and gasped. Stephanie was crumpled unconscious in a corner, practically naked, her clothes torn into rags, her face pale between the purple bruises, one eye swollen and bleeding. Blood seeped from underneath her. Rowena watched, crying, as Dan snatched the cover off the bed and covered her up.

  “Get the paramedics here, on the double!”

  *****

  Dan and Grant were the last to leave after he men had combed the house. and made sure it was all clear. They shook hands with the armed squad and thanked them, also Inspector Williams and his men.