At first Marika thought Emily had been assaulted, such was the crippling physical pain she appeared to be in. Marika took hold of her, telling her to take a deep breath.
‘Brayden has gone!’ Emily hollered. ‘My little boy has been taken!’
CHAPTER 18
‘GONE FROM HIS room?’ asked Marika, seeing the horror consuming Emily.
‘The alarm went off – I got straight out of bed, I ran into Brayden’s room, switched on the light but he wasn’t there,’ cried Emily, still gasping for breath as she spoke.
‘Emily, what’s going on?’ called Dame Annabel from the top of the stairs as she emerged from her bedroom.
Emily turned and looked despairingly up the stairs at her mother. ‘It’s Brayden. I can’t find him. I went into his room when the alarm went off but he’s gone.’
Dame Annabel quickly made her way down the three steps to her daughter.
‘Look at me and calm down,’ she said. ‘Brayden’s not in his bed? Is that what you are saying?’
Emily nodded.
‘He’s a two-year-old boy in a strange house,’ said Annabel. ‘He could easily have climbed out of bed and wandered downstairs. It could have been him that set the alarm off. Or maybe he heard the alarm and was scared. I thought it was one of you moving about so I hit the reset button. He’s probably hidden somewhere in the house. Let’s begin a search and we’ll soon have him found.’
‘I don’t think Brayden has wandered off,’ said Marika.
‘I’m sorry?’ said Annabel, looking at Marika for the first time.
‘I came in through the back of the house. The door has been forced open. As far as I can see, somebody’s been in.’
‘No!’ screamed Emily, scrambling back up the stairs towards her son’s room. ‘Brayden!’ The other two women followed her up.
‘First thing we need to do is search the house,’ said Dame Annabel, attempting to remain calm.
‘I really think you need to see downstairs,’ said Marika. ‘Somebody’s been in and we have to assume they’ve taken Brayden.’
‘Wyatt!’ called Dame Annabel. He appeared at his bedroom door, his beer gut hanging over his shorts.
‘What the hell?’ said Wyatt, rubbing his eyes. ‘Enough with the screaming.’
‘Your son is missing,’ said Dame Annabel to her son-in-law.
‘What?’ He appeared only semi-conscious.
‘He’s gone from his bed,’ said Marika.
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I suggest you speak to your wife if you don’t believe me.’
‘Emily!’ shouted Wyatt. Marika smelt the stale stench of alcohol as he pushed past her towards his son’s bedroom. ‘Where is he?’ he yelled. ‘Don’t mess me about. Tell me what you’ve done with him.’
Marika followed Wyatt into Brayden’s room and saw Emily physically shake as she cowered at the side of her son’s empty bed.
‘You’ve taken him, I know you have!’ he yelled at his wife. ‘You wanted to get him away from me! You never wanted me here. We should be back home in Chicago.’ He loomed over her. ‘Where is he?’
Ready to defend Emily, Marika stepped forward. ‘You need to calm down, Wyatt,’ she said, seeing his surprise at her challenging him. ‘This won’t help find Brayden. There’s been a break-in downstairs. Somebody has been in the house.’
CHAPTER 19
SANTA CLAUS SAT resplendent in his red-and-gold sleigh, beneath the magnificent Christmas tree in the marbled foyer of London’s Tribeca Luxury Hotel. Excitement buzzed through the hotel as Tribeca brought its very own special magic to the day. Watching Saint Nick arrive with gifts for every guest and member of staff, Anna Conquest remembered why she loved Christmas Day at the hotel chain.
The first visitors of the day to be greeted by Santa Claus were Harper Ginevra and her big sister, Cal. Anna watched them walk hand in hand across the foyer before Cal, her blonde hair strikingly swept back, crouched beside her sister as they were wished a happy Christmas. Both girls collected parcels that they gratefully accepted before walking away to find themselves a quiet corner of the foyer, where they sat alone.
Thinking of the conversation she had had with Jon on Christmas Eve, Anna couldn’t help but walk across and speak to the two girls. ‘Merry Christmas,’ she said to them.
Harper, her hair tied back in pigtails and already wearing her Christmas party dress, curled into her sister.
‘Hi,’ Cal said. ‘We’re okay sitting here?’
‘Absolutely,’ said Anna. ‘I only wanted to come over to see what Santa Claus had brought you.’
Harper lifted her head and showed Anna a beautiful hand-stitched white teddy bear, personalised with her name.
‘Wow,’ said Anna, crouching down to talk to Harper. ‘He’s a very smart bear, isn’t he?’
Harper nodded and smiled.
‘What are you going to call him?’
‘Frosty,’ said Harper.
‘That’s a great name,’ said Anna. ‘And I love your red dress. It’s very beautiful.’
‘Thank you,’ said Harper quietly.
‘And the ribbons in your hair match your dress. Did your mummy help you with those?’
‘No, Cal did them,’ said Harper.
‘I think they look wonderful,’ said Anna to both girls.
‘Shall we see what he brought me?’ said Cal to her sister, starting to open her parcel. ‘What do you think it might be?’
‘Jewels,’ said Harper.
‘I don’t think it’ll be jewels,’ said Cal, ‘but it is something in a nice box.’
‘A watch!’ said Harper as Cal opened an Orla Kiely gift box. ‘I can tell the time,’ she added proudly, quickly turning her attention back to Anna.
‘Can you?’ said Anna. ‘You are a very clever girl. How old are you?’
‘I’m four but I will be five in March.’
‘Can you remember what date in March?’
‘March ninth,’ confirmed Harper. ‘And then I’ll get more presents.’
‘Hopefully,’ added Cal, smiling at her.
‘And have you got lots of presents today?’ asked Anna.
‘Lots,’ said Harper, her eyes wide open.
‘But we’re not opening them until after lunch, are we?’ said Cal.
Harper shook her head.
‘I hope you get everything you wished for,’ said Anna. ‘Have a wonderful day.’
She stood up and was about to walk away when Cal called her back. ‘Do you work with Jon Roscoe?’ she asked.
‘Yes, I do,’ said Anna.
‘And he’s a good guy?’
‘Why do you ask?’ Anna was intrigued by Cal’s interest.
‘I met him in Chicago and he seemed like a pretty nice guy.’
‘He is,’ said Anna. ‘He’s one of the best.’
‘Is he around today?’
‘He’ll be in later,’ she replied. ‘Is there anything I can help you with?’
‘No, not right now,’ said Cal, getting to her feet and reaching down to pick up her sister. ‘But I have a feeling I might need him later.’
CHAPTER 20
WYATT LEE RAN out the front of Dame Annabel’s house into the middle of the village. Yelling his son’s name, he began to run erratically around St Barnham.
‘Why won’t people leave me alone?’ said Dame Annabel as she supported her frail daughter out the front of the house. ‘They can say what they like about me online, but don’t take it out on my family!’ she cried out into the darkness. ‘Some religious freak has been offended by one of my books and now they’re taking their revenge. That’s what this is all about, I’m sure of it. Don’t you think so, Marika?’
‘It could be,’ replied Marika, not ready to jump to any conclusions.
‘I’m certain it is,’ continued Dame Annabel. ‘What else could it possibly be? I should have done more to protect us. I’ve turned us all into targets.’
Marika said nothing as Wyatt ran t
owards the duck pond and then tore around its frozen edge, calling for his son. ‘Brayden!’ he cried at the top of his voice. ‘Brayden!’
‘He’s gone, hasn’t he?’ said Emily, standing at Marika’s side.
‘The police will be here any minute and they’ll get a proper search started,’ said Marika. She quickly messaged her husband. Then, seeing that Emily was in shock, she looked for Dame Annabel to take her daughter back inside.
She was nowhere to be seen.
Putting her arm around Emily, Marika helped her back towards the house. Her eye was caught by a light in the house opposite. Wyatt’s cries were certain to wake the village but as Marika turned she saw a man standing motionless at the window of that house. As she walked Emily back inside he remained still, silhouetted at the window.
Julian Templeton was eager to observe the commotion breaking out in the village. He dimmed the lights in his living room in the hope of not being seen but as Wyatt ran around the pond, the American looked directly at him.
Julian shivered and quickly stepped away from his window, out of sight.
But it was too late.
‘What are you looking at?’ screamed Wyatt. ‘I can still see you,’ he shouted as Julian edged further behind his blind. ‘You’re never away from that window. What did you see?’
Wyatt started to move towards Julian’s house, walking at first and then breaking into a run. ‘Tell me what you saw!’
Dame Annabel appeared in the doorway of her house and gave her arm to her daughter. ‘Come inside, darling,’ she said. Then she and Marika turned as, without warning, Wyatt charged at the front door of Julian’s small house. Running forward, he slammed into it with his shoulder. The door shuddered but stood firm. Wyatt retreated, pacing back up the path before turning and charging again.
Once more the door stood firm.
‘Open the door!’ he yelled, hammering his fists against the door. ‘Get out here and tell me what you saw!’
Inside the house, Julian Templeton held his breath. He prayed the door would hold.
Wyatt walked out of the garden to the edge of the pond. ‘You can hide away as much as you like,’ he yelled up at the window, ‘but I’m coming to get you!’
Marika ran across the road as he grabbed a rock from beside the pond and made his way back into the man’s garden.
‘No!’ she shouted as he walked back towards the house. ‘This won’t help find Brayden.’
But Wyatt Lee never broke his stride. He ran at the house. This time, though, he hurled a rock through the living-room window. The glass smashed, shards flying into the house.
Julian Templeton froze.
‘You know something!’ roared Wyatt. ‘I’ve seen you at that window, hour after hour. Whatever you saw, I’m going to find out!’
Julian Templeton felt a single bead of sweat run down his spine. Closing his eyes, he prayed that Wyatt never would.
CHAPTER 21
THE EARLY-MORNING WINTER darkness still hung over the village as Roscoe drove into St Barnham. With his son Martin by his side he was looking forward to Christmas Day with his wife and children. Pulling up outside the home of Marika’s parents, he picked up his phone and read the message she had just sent him.
Today wasn’t going to be the day he had imagined.
Stepping from his car, he looked across the road and saw Marika standing by the gate of the small house that neighboured the village pond. Beyond her, he could see the damage done to the window of the house. He walked across to her and as he did Wyatt Lee came running from the garden.
Oblivious to his arrival, Wyatt crashed into Roscoe as he charged out into the village, still calling the name of his son.
‘Enough,’ said Roscoe, taking hold of him. ‘You need to calm down.’
‘My son has been taken!’ screamed Wyatt.
‘I know,’ replied Roscoe with an authoritative calm. ‘And we will all need to work with the police to find him. Tell me what’s happened.’
‘He knows something, I know he does!’ shouted Wyatt. He flailed his arms and struggled to free himself.
Roscoe tightened his grip, locking his hands on Wyatt’s shoulders and looking directly at him. ‘I said enough. Who knows something?’
‘That freak,’ said Wyatt. ‘Always standing at his window, looking out day and night. He must have seen something. Somebody must have seen something.’
Roscoe eased his grip. ‘The police will talk to him; they’ll speak to everyone in the village.’ Hearing the sound of police sirens approaching, he put his arm around Wyatt and turned him back towards Dame Annabel’s home. ‘Let’s go in the house. It will be easier for you to talk to the police inside.’ Turning to Marika, he asked if a proper search of the village had begun.
‘Nothing yet,’ said Marika.
‘We can help with that,’ he replied. ‘Brayden could have just wandered outside.’
‘I don’t think so,’ said Marika. ‘Somebody’s broken through the boarding at the back of the house – and it wasn’t a two-year-old boy.’
Walking towards the front of the Montgomerie house, Roscoe looked at Marika with genuine concern. ‘Missing children are nearly always found somewhere near their home,’ he said. ‘Let’s hope that’s the case here.’
Suddenly Dame Annabel appeared at the door of her home. ‘Marika, come quickly!’ she called. ‘Emily’s not breathing!’
CHAPTER 22
WITH TWO YOUNG daughters spellbound by the excitement of Santa Claus and the magic he delivers on Christmas Day, Marika knew she had to continue her family celebrations even if only in a perfunctory way after the horrors of the morning.
Sitting at her parents’ dining table as Martin cleared the dessert plates from the family’s Christmas lunch, she felt she had an enormous amount to be grateful for. Umi loved to tell her what a fine young man Martin had become and Marika had no reason to disagree. The great maturity he showed as a fifteen-year-old boy was in huge part due to his father, and with them all sitting around the dining table Marika had realised how much she missed having all of her family together.
She couldn’t help thinking of the devastation the Montgomeries were suffering. And while her own daughters sat in the corner of the dining room sharing the delights of Barbie’s Malibu beach house, she found it impossible to imagine the agony being suffered by Emily, Wyatt and Annabel. A police car was parked outside their house and interviews continued, but there was still no trace of their missing son.
Emily had fallen into extreme shock and once Marika had stabilised her, she had been taken to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where she remained sedated and under observation.
‘Dad, what will happen next in the search for Brayden?’ asked Martin as he collected the plates from around the table.
‘The police will keep going with house-to-house; it’s possible somebody did see something during the night. Forensics will work inside the house and should be able to find traces left by the abductors, but they’ll need more than that to bring him home.’
‘Poor Annabel,’ said Umi. ‘We are so lucky to have such a wonderful neighbour. She doesn’t deserve this.’
Marika glanced at Roscoe.
‘I was thinking I might drop round later this afternoon, just to see how she’s coping,’ continued Umi.
‘It might be a little bit soon, don’t you think, Mama?’ said Marika. ‘Maybe you should wait until we’ve had some more news.’
‘Perhaps you’re right,’ said Umi. ‘I can’t begin to think how guilty she must be feeling. After all, it’s her writings that have created this whole horrible situation.’
‘Do you think it’s some kind of religious group?’ asked Marika, looking back at Roscoe.
‘It’s possible,’ he replied. ‘But there has been no claim of responsibility or demands made. So if it is a religious group, what do they want?’
‘I keep thinking about the night before,’ said Marika. ‘I was stood at my window and I saw the man run from in
front of the house out into the village. He must have been the one who sprayed the car. But it was over two hours later when the alarm went off.’
‘I’m surprised you didn’t go outside chasing after him,’ said Umi. ‘Just think what might have happened to you. You should leave all that chasing to Jon.’
‘Mama, I didn’t go chasing after anybody.’
‘Didn’t go chasing? First they threw a brick through the back door, the alarm was ringing and there you were outside in your nightclothes. And then the boy goes missing and you were first into the house. You behave like a policewoman, not a doctor. I worry about you up in Edinburgh. You’d be so much safer back here in London, wouldn’t she, Jon?’
Roscoe smiled at his mother-in-law. ‘I’m sure Marika can look after herself,’ he said, ‘although it would be nice to have everyone back home in London.’
‘I can only wish,’ said Umi. ‘I would sleep so much better at night if I knew that was the case.’
‘What I don’t understand is,’ said Marika’s father, leaning back in his chair at the head of the table, ‘if they attacked the house the previous night, why didn’t they take the boy then?’
‘Maybe the alarm scared them off,’ said Martin.
‘And why spray the car and then come back later to smash the door?’ asked Marika.
‘Maybe it wasn’t them who came back,’ said Roscoe.
‘Not two sets of crazy people!’ said Umi. ‘Surely not, Jon, please God.’
‘Talk me through what happened this morning,’ Roscoe said to his wife.
‘I was outside, getting some air.’
‘Smoking,’ said Umi. ‘Don’t think I don’t know. You’ve started that again since living in Edinburgh.’
‘I was outside getting some air,’ repeated Marika. ‘It was around seven, just before, I think, and the alarm went off for no more than five seconds.’
‘And that’s when Dame Annabel says she hit the reset button?’ asked Roscoe.
‘Yes. And then less than a minute later I heard screams coming from Emily.’
Kidnapped: BookShots (A Jon Roscoe Thriller) Page 5
