Boldo didn’t answer straight away, but after a pause, he said, ‘Granted, but let me ask you this: did the assassin show you any proof of death? Any camera phone photos of the women before they… went fishing?’
It was Babik’s time to stop and think. He had not seen such proof, and Babik said so, though their meeting at Brockholes had been brief, it did start to gnaw away a little. He would have expected it, had he not forgotten to ask. But truth be known, he trusted Sue so he had let his guard slip a little concerning her man. ‘Look, I trust Sue.’ It was all he could think to say, again; but Boldo had planted a seed of doubt.
‘We’ll soon find out when we all go to collect him, but we just need to be on our guard,’ Boldo said.
This time, Babik didn’t argue, but did ask, ‘How will you know, even if he does have photos to show us?’
‘I will know. Photos can be staged, but regardless, I will know. I have an infallible instinct, especially when it comes to sniffing out filth. I am never wrong,’ Boldo said.
Babik just nodded as he tried to shrug off Boldo’s suspicion. But the seed of doubt was starting to take root.
‘You armed?’ Boldo asked.
‘No, but there is one hidden under the floorboards in the first bedroom,’ Babik answered.
‘Just in case,’ Boldo said, and Babik rushed off down the corridor, where he retrieved the gun and re-joined Boldo near the door to Gill’s flat. They paused for a second and Babik turned to face Boldo. ‘I know you are wrong, but if you are right, I’ll sort it.’
‘OK, I suggest we pick her man up and head for somewhere quiet.’
‘I know the perfect spot, and it’s only two minutes away from where we are meeting him,’ Babik said.
‘So, let’s go meet him then,’ Boldo said, as they both walked back into the room.
Boldo said that he would hang on to Sue’s phone for a while and Babik could see that Sue was more than a little irritated. Perhaps he should step in and overrule Boldo? He was all for good security, but this fellow was taking it to extremes. He also felt guilty at letting Boldo place a doubt in him about Sue. But it would probably be safer to play along — and then he could tell him, “told you so!”
As they entered the car park, Babik grabbed the keys from Sue as Boldo headed towards the front passenger seat. Sue took the hint and got in the back behind him. She could keep an eye on Boldo, Babik thought.
As they drove down Ribbleton Avenue towards the Red Scar Industrial Estate’s main entrance, Sue pointed out her man walking towards them. Babik also saw him a moment later, and started to pull over. As they stopped, Boldo’s phone rang and he busied himself answering it, talking quietly. He turned away from Babik as did so. Sue opened the rear passenger door behind Boldo. Her Mr X rushed over and quickly got in.
‘Best get out of here, the fire brigade and the cops have just turned up,’ Mr X said.
Babik asked why, and he told him.
‘Best duck down until we are clear away,’ Babik said, and he saw him via his rear view mirror hunker down behind Boldo who was still turned away, whispering into his phone.
*
Vinnie did as instructed and slid down in his seat as far as he could go. He risked a glance at Sue and mouthed the words, ‘Everything OK?’
She shrugged. Vinnie nodded once towards the front passenger seat and mouthed, ‘Boldo?’ Sue gave him the tiniest of nods. He asked if the girls had arrived and she nodded once more.
He tried to hear what Boldo was saying, but couldn’t. Then, after a few seconds, Boldo stopped talking, having finished his call.
Vinnie couldn’t see where they were going, but he felt the car take a sharp turn and by the way it bounced around they were now on an unmade road. He tried to get a glimpse of Boldo, but couldn’t. His back was starting to ache now and as they had obviously turned off the main road he asked if it was safe to sit up. Babik said that it was, and pulled the car to a stop.
Vinnie reached into his pocket for his phone; Boldo was with them, the new girls were safe; it was time to call it in. But he didn’t know where they were.
He looked around desperately for a landmark, but saw none. He could hear traffic noise in the distance, so knew they were not far from the main road. But all he could see were built up mounds of earth at the side of the rough track they were on. The earth looked excavated, like the middle of a building site where the diggers had just finished their first day. He saw the Boldo man lean towards Babik and whisper something in his ear. He still only saw Boldo from the rear. Beyond that, he noticed that the track came to an end, a sort of cul-de-sac surrounded by high earth. ‘Where are we?’ he asked Sue as he fished his phone out at last. But Sue didn’t answer. She was staring forwards.
Vinnie instinctively looked ahead. Boldo was back in his seat, hidden behind his chair back and headrest. Babik had turned fully around from the driver’s side and was facing them both. Vinnie realised something was wrong as he pulled his mobile phone out in front of him and Babik spoke.
‘I’ll take that,’ he said.
‘Just need to make a call to a mate,’ Vinnie replied.
‘No you don’t,’ Babik said.
‘What?’ Vinnie shouted, as Babik pulled a semi-automatic pistol from his rear waistband and pointed it directly at his chest.
‘Phone, now,’ Babik demanded.
Vinnie handed it over.
‘And your gun; left hand, finger and thumb only, and very, very slowly.’
‘I’ve no longer got it,’ Vinnie said.
Then he saw the fire of discharge leap from the end of Babik’s gun, just before he heard the roar of its report.
Chapter Sixty-Three
Christine finished the paperwork for the new hire car and then rang June in the office to update her. Then, she headed out in the direction of Deepdale.
She had been looking for a derelict building the last time she was there, and it had been dark. Vinnie had said it was a working textile mill, situated in a recess off Deepdale Mill Street, so it should be easy to spot now. She wasn’t entirely sure what she would do when she found it, but twiddling her journalistic thumbs back at the hotel was not an option.
Once there, she soon found a likely-looking venue, set back from the road with a small car park in front. The building’s gable end faced the main road. She risked driving past twice, but couldn’t really see anything of note, so she started to look around for somewhere to park up, from where she might see some of the comings and goings.
It was then that she noticed an recess on the opposite side of the road. It had a lone car parked in it, but looked big enough to take two or three vehicles.
Then she recognised the place, it was where she’d found that punter’s van empty — the guy who had been thrown from the motorway bridge. Damn, if she’d only realised how close she’d been at the time! Then she got her second surprise. The lone car had someone in its driver’s seat. She was about to abort her turn, to try to find somewhere else, when she realised the driver was smiling and waving at her. It was Harry. She parked her car and joined him.
‘What’re you doing here?’ he asked, as she closed the passenger-side door. She told him and he said she could double up with him. Harry said he’d be glad of the company.
‘Any sign of the women?’ she asked.
‘No, but to be honest I could have missed them. Apart from the limited view there are an unusually large number of wagons that keep traversing this road and blocking the view.’
Christine asked if Harry had heard from Vinnie, and he told her that Vinnie had called him quickly as he was waiting for Sue to collect him from Red Scar. Harry also told her that he’d seen Sue leave the mill in a car with two men whom he took to be Boldo and Babik. But that was a while ago.
‘Did you get the car number?’ Christine asked instinctively, before feeling her cheeks redden as she remembered she was talking to a detective superintendent. But Harry didn’t show any annoyance and confirmed that he had. He added that
he had also passed the details over the radio with strict instructions for patrols to note and report any sightings only, and not to intervene or show any undue attention or reaction to the vehicle. He was just awaiting confirmation that the women had arrived safely, then he could call in the armed arrest teams, which were circling the area.
Then Harry’s phone rang and Christine watched as he took the call. He didn’t say much, but appeared to be listening intently and Christine saw his visage darken. A long pause was followed by the words, ‘I’m close by, let me scope it out as you move the arrest teams up to Red Scar ready to be called in.’ Harry ended the call and turned to face Christine.
‘Women found?’ she proffered.
‘Not yet, but the car I saw leave here has just been seen turning down a rough track near Red Scar, with four on board.’
‘Sounds like they have picked up Vinnie,’ she said.
‘I know we should let Sue and Vinnie control things, but I don’t like the sound of this,’ Harry said.
Christine had to admit that neither did she, but she trusted Harry’s instincts just as she trusted Vinnie’s.
‘We going for a nosy?’ she asked.
‘Dead right, and I’m glad you are here, it will look less suspicious if we are seen. You can pretend to be my daughter,’ Harry said.
Christine was excited and fearful in equal measures, but it looked like she might get her scoop after all. She suggested that she drove, so Harry could work his phone or radio, should he need to.
*
Vinnie’s ears rang from the noise of the gun’s discharge in such a confined space. He looked with incredulity at the hole in the rear seat between him and Sue as it rained stuffing particles all around them.
‘Next time, it’ll be through your gut. Gun, now,’ Babik said. Vinnie was aware that Boldo was now looking directly at him, too, but only through his peripheral vision. He couldn’t take his eyes off the gun; Babik was aiming it at him at point blank range. He knew he had no options and couldn’t risk Sue’s life. The warning shot had narrowly missed her. He gingerly withdrew his gun as instructed and handed it over.
Vinnie had no idea what had gone wrong, but if he was compliant and remained in character, maybe he could talk this situation around. Babik took the gun and passed it to Boldo, who looked down as he checked it and then pointed it at Vinnie.
‘What the hell is all this?’ Vinnie asked, speaking for the first time since the shot. He let his gaze lift from both the guns and took in Boldo for the first time properly as his words came out. Then he got the shock of his life, and he knew it may well be his last.
As he stared Boldo in the eyes, he immediately recognised the face of Detective Sebastian Fernandez of the Nacional Policia from Majorca.
His mind whirred, trying to take the information in. He could see from Boldo’s, or should he say, Fernandez’s, eyes that he recognised Vinnie from that ill-fated holiday, which had ended just a few days earlier. Though it seemed like an age ago, now. Then, Vinnie’s brain started working as he hauled it above the shock. Fernandez must be working the case undercover. He’d told Vinnie back in Majorca that he’d been in charge of investigations into people trafficking. Vinnie would have to suppress his astonishment; or he risked giving both of them away.
‘OK, I’ve gone along with you, but you need to tell me what is really going on,’ Babik said to Boldo.
‘I’ve told you. These two are cops,’ Boldo replied.
‘What?’ Vinnie shouted, as he tried to understand what Fernandez was playing at.
‘This is Detective Inspector Vinnie Palmer. And I know this because I too am a cop,’ Fernandez said to Babik, who suddenly turned white.
‘But panic not, Cornel, I am as bent as your saying of the dog’s front leg.’
‘It’s hind leg,’ Sue said, speaking for the first time in ages.
‘Don’t be funny, cop woman,’ Fernandez said, before addressing Babik again. ‘Don’t forget how long we have done business and all the business we have done.’
Babik looked confused and Vinnie noticed that he had moved his gun ever so slowly towards Fernandez now.
But then Babik said, ‘That’s true, I suppose.’
‘And why do you think I am so secretive? Why have only a handful of people ever actually seen me?’ Fernandez said.
It looked to Vinnie that Babik was starting to buy it, he certainly had. No wonder the bastard had wanted Christine and him off the island as soon as possible. Then he noticed the tattoo on the inside of Fernandez’s wrist. He’d never seen it whilst he’d had dealings with him in Majorca. Fernandez had always worn a suit jacket. Then he recognised the design of the inking; it was the same as the emblem on the ornate green-handled knife, and the man’s arm, from the beach attack. Now, it all made sense. But this was still one hell of a coincidence, not that he normally believed in coincidences, or fairies for that matter.
The situation was dire, but if Vinnie could keep the threat away from Sue, then that may be all he could do. His mind raced as he knew what his next move would have to be.
‘So, my friend, we need to take these two cops over that mound and kill them,’ Fernandez said.
Worryingly, Vinnie saw Babik nod his head.
‘Wait!’ Vinnie shouted. Both Fernandez and Babik stared at him. ‘OK, there is no point in me denying it, Fernandez. You know I’m a cop and I’ve no way out of that, but Sue here is not. I infiltrated her.’ Vinnie looked at Sue and widened his eyes at her.
Sue widened hers back and shouted at Vinnie, ‘You bastard! I wondered why you killed those women so quickly and moved their bodies so fast.’
‘Did you ever see the bodies?’ Babik asked.
‘No I did not,’ Sue answered.
‘Or were you shown any photos as proof of death?’
‘No,’ Sue added.
Babik nodded.
‘No matter,’ Fernandez said to Vinnie, adding, ‘You have just told her my true name. And for that she must die, cop or no cop. Out of the car, now.’
‘Do as he says and it’ll be quick. Mess about and you will be shot many times,’ Babik said.
‘And in many places,’ Fernandez added.
‘Cornel, for God’s sake!’ Sue pleaded.
Babik merely shrugged his shoulders.
Chapter Sixty-Four
Harry directed Christine to Red Scar and she drove slowly past the entrance to the rough track where Sue’s car had been seen. It looked like the start of a new development site, and a large advertising hoarding confirmed the area of land was to become an exclusive estate of four- and five-bedroomed properties, and bore an artist’s impression showing an elite cul-de-sac with open fields to the rear. She glanced down the track as they passed, and saw the rear of a stationary car.
‘That’s it,’ Harry shouted.
‘What do we do?’ she asked.
‘We need to get an eyeball, come on daughter; let’s go for a walk.’
Two minutes later, Christine and Harry were walking down the track and Christine linked arms with him. But when they were 50 feet away they came to an abrupt halt. People were getting out of the car, so they took cover behind a large clump of earth. Christine nearly cried out aloud as she realised what she was seeing. Vinnie, being led at gunpoint by one man as a woman she recognised as Sue was being led likewise by another. As her emotions took over, Christine heard Harry whispering into his phone. She turned and ran back up the track as quickly, and as quietly, as she could. She just hoped the gunmen didn’t turn around.
A minute or two later, she was back at the car. She quickly turned it around and then headed back. She entered the rough track as fast as she could and hit the accelerator hard once the wheels were straight again. She flew past Harry’s position and was nearly at the parked car when the startled group spun around in unison to face her. She saw one of the gunmen raise his weapon towards her. Instinctively, she slid down into the driving seat, but was struggling to see. So she popped her head back up just
enough to steer.
She saw Vinnie react and dive on one of the gunmen as Sue dived clear. The remaining gunman stood his ground facing her and started firing. The windscreen shattered as a round pierced it and Christine felt hot air as the bullet passed her head. That was way too close. And now she could no longer see through the windscreen. Then she felt a collision at the front and hit the brakes a moment later as all the front airbags exploded into life. Then, she felt a second, more violent impact as the car was brought to a halt.
*
Vinnie recognised that the driver was Christine in an instant, and took full advantage. He knocked Fernandez hard with his shoulder and then wrestled him to the ground with both hands grasping at the man’s gun arm. The arm flew all over the place in an effort to free itself from Vinnie’s grip and Vinnie felt like a novice sea angler trying to land his first marlin. The marlin was winning.
Then, Sue arrived at his side and with a full kick into Fernandez’s chin the arm lost its strength, long enough to allow Vinnie to take the gun from his hand. He aimed the weapon at Fernandez, who became compliant, begging Vinnie not to shoot him. The thought did flash through his mind, but death was too good for this monster. Vinnie wouldn’t have shot him, but it was good that Fernandez believed he might. Judging Vinnie by his own standards would keep Fernandez restrained.
All this took place in an instant but as time slowed, Vinnie risked a glance to where he’d last seen Babik before the car hit him. Nowhere to be seen.
Payback for Christine.
Harry arrived from somewhere with a pair of handcuffs in his hand, and as he manacled Fernandez, Vinnie raced over to the car. Its front end was buried into a large mound of earth with what was left of Babik squeezed between the two. He ignored him, rushed to the driver’s door and opened it to find Christine wedged in the driving seat, shocked and breathing deeply, but otherwise alright.
Then he heard the sound of more vehicles rushing down the track as time caught up with him. He looked up to see two saloon cars slew to a halt and several armed police leap from them.
The Badge & the Pen Thrillers Page 81
