‘The manager let her in, and as he was relocking the front door, a large white van – which may or may not have been a Transit – appeared from nowhere and two armed men dressed head-to-toe in black emerged and forced their way in. A third man subdued the second security guard, and we believe a fourth man remained in the van in the driver’s seat. The gang forced the security guard to unlock the crates with the cash, which was then bundled into bags and shoved into the rear of the van. While this was occurring, a patrol car on its return from a domestic abuse call was passing and saw what was unfolding. They immediately called it in and did what they could to detain the gang.
‘The gang leader called an abort, and fired shots in the direction of the two uniformed officers, with one of the gang still inside. The shop manager and second security guard were able to run to safety, but the robber inside forced the shutters down and has been holed up ever since.
‘Trent was put in temporary charge as the nearest SIO in the area, but having been up most of the night working on Carol-Anne’s disappearance, she’s just holding the fort until an alternative SIO arrives.’
Ray looked over at Trent, still jabbering into her phone, now sitting on the step into the command post van. She looked exhausted, and he could only hope the unfolding scene wouldn’t detract attention from getting his little girl back. The best thing he could do now was help resolve the situation so Trent wasn’t unnecessarily detained.
‘Has she managed to communicate with the thief yet?’ Ray asked, looking back at the shop front, the shutters down.
‘There’s a landline into the building, which has been called every twenty minutes since the cordon was set up. So far he’s refused to answer the calls.’
‘And is he definitely armed?’
‘The manager thinks so. Either way, we can’t take the chance that he isn’t.’
‘What happened to the Transit?’
‘The other two bundled in and it tore off. It was found abandoned at a petrol station five minutes down the road. The attendant inside couldn’t give a description of the vehicle they escaped in. They’re gone. For now.’
Next door to the post office was a takeaway pizza restaurant and a barber’s shop, and across the street a grocers was also still closed for business. The hum of traffic nearby could be heard on the wind. Otherwise the village resembled a ghost town.
‘Ray?’ Trent called out, as she finished her call with the superintendent. ‘Thanks for coming. I know – given everything else you’ve got going on – this is probably the last place you want to be, but I appreciate you coming. I’ve put a call in to a trained negotiator, but he’s coming from Aldershot and his ETA is currently unknown. I want you here so you can help us better understand this man’s thought processes. You’ve had the most recent training, so what can you tell us?’
Ray finished his cigarette and squashed it under foot. ‘He’ll be feeling isolated, and that isn’t a good thing for us or the woman he’s taken hostage. The rest of the gang have abandoned him, and as far as they’re concerned he’s dead to them. These are the thoughts that will be going around in his head. We also don’t know if the security guard will be making matters worse. If she has any sense she’ll keep quiet. We need to get through to him.’
‘We’ve tried calling, but he refuses to answer,’ Trent said, echoing Jodie’s earlier statement.
‘Where are armed response?’
‘They’re waiting for the green light, but they’re a last resource. There’s no reason for this not to end peacefully.’
‘You need to keep them out of sight for as long as possible,’ Ray urged. ‘If he is armed, seeing other men with guns is just going to make matters worse.’
39
Legs burning from exhaustion, Alex marched onwards, with no clue where she was headed.
‘Hey, hey,’ Sophie panted from behind, racing to catch up. ‘Alex, stop!’
She obliged, though more because her legs ached than because she actually wanted to talk. ‘Did you hear what he said? Fucking fraud!’
Sophie rested her hands on her hips, and stooped as she tried to catch her breath. ‘I know … and I’m sorry. I didn’t think he would say … that. I’m so sorry.’
‘There’s no way Carol-Anne is dead.’ Alex brought a hand to her chest. ‘I feel it in here. She’s scared and she’s confused about why I’m not around, but she is definitely still alive.’
Sophie nodded, though the look on her face suggested she wasn’t convinced by Alex’s assertion. ‘Where were you headed anyway? The car is back up by his bungalow.’
‘I just needed to get out of there,’ Alex replied, as the lactic acid in her muscles began to slowly dissipate.
She didn’t know this area of the city well, and looking at the properties lining the hill, she had to assume the residents within must have been fairly comfortable financially. The gardens here were well-tended, the vehicles in the driveways only a few years old at most. It felt like the sort of place she wouldn’t mind moving to one day when Carol-Anne was older. They’d passed a park on the drive up to the bungalow with a large green grass area and a small playground with swings and slides that Carol-Anne would love.
She wondered how many of the street’s residents knew there was a fraud living at the top of the hill.
The two friends set off back towards the bungalow and Sophie’s waiting car. Alex couldn’t escape the feeling of remorse settling in. She’d come here – against her better judgement – hoping to somehow learn where Carol-Anne was being held. She hadn’t stopped to think what she would have done with that information had it been forthcoming. She doubted Trent or Ray would have paid it much heed, in the same way she was now refusing to believe what the socalled psychic had told her.
‘I’m half-tempted to report him,’ Alex said, as she climbed into the passenger seat. ‘It isn’t right that people like him are free to play on others’ emotions. I mean, what was all that claptrap about talking to Mother Nature?’ She pulled a face. ‘We live in an age where meteorologists still can’t accurately predict whether or not it will rain, and this guy expects people to believe that he is on speaking terms with her?’
Sophie simply shrugged. ‘We’ve all got to have something to believe in, right? I gave up religion as a teenager, and I know he sounded a bit nuts, but there was – at least for me – something in what he said. I like the idea that we’re all heading in the same direction, even if we don’t know where that is. For example, when my mum died a few years ago, I was adamant I didn’t want to live in her house and was all set to sell up and buy a swanky apartment in the centre of town, and for some unknown reason I changed my mind. Had I not done that I might never have met you and Ray.’
‘If his spouting is to be believed, we were always destined to meet at some point. Maybe if you’d bought that swanky flat, Ray and I would have moved somewhere else too. Maybe we would have ended up working together or would have met through a friend of a friend or something.’
‘Exactly!’ Sophie said, fixing her with a stare. ‘That’s my point – or rather his philosophy – that it’s all predetermined. You and I would always have met somehow.’
Alex shuddered at the idea that Carol-Anne was always destined to be snatched, and that all of their actions were essentially controlled by some invisible force she couldn’t see.
Sophie started the engine, and as she did, the clairvoyant suddenly appeared at Alex’s side of the car, tapping frantically on the window.
‘You don’t have to speak to him again,’ Sophie said. ‘I’ll tell him to go away.’
‘No, wait,’ Alex said, before lowering the window. ‘Yes?’
He was swaying, nervously bouncing from one foot to another. ‘I am frightfully sorry if I upset you,’ he said, though it wasn’t an acceptance of blame, more like he was apologizing for the message he had received.
Alex considered her response, before choosing not to let her emotions get the better of her again. ‘Don’t worry about it.
It was my mistake.’
‘That’s kind of you to say, but my apology stands. I hope you find your child soon, and if you do ever decide to return to see me, I would be willing to offer you another reading free of charge. Not now, of course. Maybe when things settle down with you and your son?’
‘It’s my daughter who’s missing. I don’t have a son.’
His eyes twinkled for a moment. ‘Not yet, but it won’t be long now.’
Alex stared into his eyes, searching for any flicker of dishonesty, but he simply smiled through the window before turning and heading back to the bungalow.
‘Everything okay?’ Sophie asked, as Alex felt the blood draining from her face.
Alex didn’t answer, gazing out of the window and wondering how he could have possibly known.
Sophie tentatively carried the tray of drinks over to the picnic bench, lowering a cardboard cup in front of Alex. ‘Here you go, I put a load of sugar in it for you, supposed to be good for shock.’
Alex accepted the cup and strained a smile. ‘Thank you.’
It had been Sophie’s idea to stop at the park for refreshment. The small hut offered hot drinks, cakes and snacks, and was perched on the periphery of the large field of grass, the playground about halfway along and to the right-hand side of where they were seated. Of the six picnic tables near the hut, this one had had the least amount of bird poo on it.
Sipping the drink, Alex grimaced; Sophie hadn’t been exaggerating when she said she’d put a lot of sugar in it.
‘Too sweet?’ Sophie asked. ‘Sorry, you can swap with me if you prefer?’
Alex lowered the cup, keeping her cold fingers wrapped tightly around it. ‘I’m pregnant,’ she said, before she could stop herself.
Sophie nearly spat out her drink as she took a long sip. ‘Crikey.’
Alex allowed her eyes to drift as she took in the wide-open space, wishing she could stand and race towards the horizon. ‘You can’t say a word to anybody. Okay? And I mean anybody. Ray doesn’t know and that’s how I want it to stay for now.’
‘My lips are sealed. How far gone are you?’
‘I don’t know for certain – maybe ten weeks – but that’s an estimate based on my regular dates.’
‘You don’t look too happy about it.’
‘I don’t know how to feel about it. On the one hand, the prospect of a brother or sister for Carol-Anne is something I should be thrilled about. I think because I miscarried last time, and with me trying to return to work, the issues between me and Ray, and of course Carol-Anne still missing, my head’s a bit all over the place.’
‘Have you done a test?’
Alex nodded. ‘Three of them last week when Ray was away on his course. All of them came back with two stripes.’
‘Have you been to see your GP for a blood test?’
Alex shook her head. ‘I don’t want to go until I’ve decided what I’m going to do. You won’t understand – nobody would – but the miscarriage was so painful emotionally that I don’t think I could cope if it happened again.’
‘Are you thinking of … terminating it?’
‘No … I don’t know what I’m going to do.’ Alex looked away as the tears bit at her eyelids, and a shock of bright red in the playground caught her attention.
‘You poor thing,’ Sophie continued. ‘I’m pleased you felt able to confide in me.’
Alex wasn’t listening, still staring at the red anorak rising and falling in one of the swings. Straining to focus, Alex stood and moved closer.
Yes, it had to be.
She’d know that bright red anorak anywhere.
It was the one Carol-Anne had been wearing when she disappeared.
Without a second’s thought, she burst into a sprint, racing towards the playground.
40
It was impossible to see any movement inside the shop from where the command van was parked. To move any closer risked painting a target on his back. Ray tried to get a better viewing angle. With the shutters down and lights off inside, they could only guess where the security guard and her captor were located.
Ray picked up the phone and tried the number to the shop again. The line was engaged. Their suspect must have grown fed up of them trying to call and left if off the receiver.
He turned to face Trent. Her face bore the strain of leading the uncertain operation.
‘Are we able to take a look at the back door, to see what the group did to disable it? Maybe if we could get it open from the outside we could get a better idea of what we’re dealing with.’
Trent considered the question, before calling over the tactical command leader and relaying the instruction.
‘Be careful,’ Ray added. ‘You can’t let him know what you’re doing. Any sound could make him nervous.’ He turned back to Trent. ‘We need to get him to communicate with us. We don’t know if he’s definitely armed, and what state either of them are in. Communication is the key to resolving these situations peacefully.’
Trent fought a yawn. ‘I’m open to any and all ideas. They’ve been in there for four hours already.’
And that meant four hours had passed where recovering Carol-Anne wasn’t at the forefront of her mind. He had to get things moving, no matter the cost.
Stepping out from behind the van, he removed his jacket so his shirt and tie were in full view. He then proceeded very slowly out into the road in front of the shop.
‘Ray, what are you doing?’ Trent called out from the van.
He didn’t respond, his eyes scanning the shuttered windows for any sign of movement.
The sun was still relatively low in the sky for the time of day, and even though a cool breeze was blowing, his forehead was dripping with sweat. Keeping his hands raised in a nonthreatening position he continued along the road, stopping only when he was directly in front of the shop.
‘My name is Detective Sergeant Ray Granger,’ he called out. ‘I am unarmed and want to speak to you. It is in everyone’s best interests for this situation to be resolved peacefully.’ Ray lowered one of his hands, reaching slowly into his pocket and carefully withdrawing his mobile phone. ‘I am going to phone you now. Please answer so we can talk and I can help you.’ He typed in the number and placed the phone to his ear.
He was greeted with the engaged signal again.
‘Please return the phone to the receiver so we can talk. I assure you, we are going to stay out here for as long as necessary.’
He waited a moment before pressing redial. The engaged signal again.
‘I only want to talk,’ he called out again, louder this time. ‘I understand you are not alone in there, and I want to check on the condition of the security guard with you. Her name is Vicky. Is she okay?’
No response, and no sign of movement beyond the shutters.
With Trent and Jodie watching from the cover of the van, he’d never felt under such intense pressure. It was one thing attending the training, enacting role-plays, listening to the constructive feedback of the trained tutor, applying that knowledge to a real-life situation was nothing like he’d expected.
He tried the number again. It still didn’t connect.
‘Your friends aren’t coming back for you. They’re long gone. They took off and left you here, didn’t they? Left you to take the fall for their crimes. They dumped the van and are long gone. They can’t help you now, but I can.’ He paused, staring at the phone in his hand, trying to recall what they’d practised on the course last week.
‘Listen, I know you’re scared. We – you and me – can work out a plan for you to come out safely. I’m going to call again so we can speak without me having to shout. Please return the phone to the receiver so we can talk man to man.’
He waited fifteen seconds and pressed redial.
From within the shop he could hear the faint tone of a phone ringing inside.
He breathed a sigh of relief. The phone rang three times before finally connecting.
‘Yeah?’ the
voice said, the tone gruff, and with a definite Scouse twang.
‘Hi, who am I speaking to?’
‘No names.’
‘Okay, I understand you might not want to give me your real name. Is there any name I can address you by? I don’t mind if you want to give me a false name for now. My name is Ray.’
‘John.’
‘Thank you, John. How are you in there? How is Vicky?’
‘She’s fine.’
‘That’s good to hear. Are either of you in need of any medical assistance?’
‘No.’
‘Again, I’m really pleased to hear that, John. Now, given that I’ve asked you a couple of questions, which you’ve willingly answered, is there anything you’d like to ask me?’
‘I want you to let me go.’
The sweat continued to cling to Ray’s neck. ‘There’s nothing more I’d like, John, but I’m not the one keeping you in there. I’d prefer to speak with you face-to-face than over a phone. To do that, you need to open the shutters and the door.’
‘You’re going to shoot me.’
‘Nobody is going to shoot you, John. You have my word.’
‘I don’t believe you. There’s armed police out there.’
‘I’m not going to lie to you, John. Whatever happens from this point, you have my word I will only tell you the truth. You’re right that there is a weapons-trained team out here. That’s a natural response given you and your friends entered the post office with semi-automatic weapons. Are you armed now, John?’
‘Yeah I am,’ he said, his tone rising, ‘and I’ll fucking kill her if you try and come in.’
‘Nobody wants Vicky or you to be hurt, John, so we won’t try and come in without your permission.’
‘I’m sorry.’
The sudden change in tone caught Ray by surprise. On the one hand, it was positive that ‘John’ hadn’t put up any barrier to their talk, or made any ridiculous demands; on the other hand, sudden remorse could be a symptom of darker thoughts.
Little Girl Gone Page 19
