Tears of frustration had rolled over her cheeks as she had tried to kick and punch at her metal coffin but the boot lid remained out of reach to her bound hands and feet.
And now the car was moving faster, matching the pace of her heart as it beat against her chest.
Now there were no sounds, no stopping and starting but the ride was bumpier. She guessed that they were on country roads. A large vehicle occasionally roared as it passed on the other side of the road, shaking the car from side to side.
She didn’t even know the type of vehicle she’d been put in when Roxanne had taken her out of the cellar and handed her over to Kai. And no amount of begging on her part had changed the woman’s mind.
Seeing the complete lack of emotion on her friend’s face, Ellie had been forced to accept that there was no bond, that Roxanne hadn’t cared for her even for a moment. Every kind word, gesture had been bought and paid for by Kai Lord. Every comment, compliment and sympathetic sound had been perfected and designed to suck her in. The hurt she felt at the betrayal was matched only by her anger at her own gullibility and willingness to believe her mother couldn’t care less.
Every emotion that she’d felt during the journey paled against the fear. It was now as much a part of her as any of her vital organs. Other emotions and feelings visited but the terror never left her side.
Suddenly the journey changed again. The car slowed and was taking one sharp turn after another. Her head bounced off something metal behind her.
She tried to ignore the pain in her thighs from being forced into the foetal position but she knew they were going to cramp at any minute. She tried to shake life into them. She wanted to be ready for any opportunity to escape. Her calf cramped and she cried out as the tears filled her eyes.
Her logical mind told her that Kai Lord would never let that happen but she had to try and hold onto the hope. Otherwise she would have to accept that she may never see her mother again.
She knew the trip was coming to an end. They were close to their final destination. She could feel it. The car was about to stop and Ellie had no clue what was going to happen once it did.
EIGHTY-FIVE
The only remaining car disappeared as the Mondeo turned into the airfield.
She followed the Peugeot that had been in front of her and allowed the Mondeo to continue along the entrance road alone. Remaining behind would have given her away completely.
As she looked to her left she saw the brake lights illuminate on the vehicle just short of the car park at the edge of the site. The headlights rested on a car already parked.
Shit, this was the exchange and she was on her own. The whole thing could be over in minutes.
She took the next left turn and quickly parked at the edge of the airfield and dismounted.
Better known as Wolverhampton Business Airport, the site was a small 400 acre airfield constructed in the mid-forties and now catered to private aircraft, business jets and helicopters.
She took a moment to get her bearings. She knew this field. She’d been brought here to open-air markets with Keith and Erica when she was twelve years old. She could short cut across the field towards the hedge that lined the east side of the car park.
She hung her helmet from the Ninja’s handlebars and began to sprint through the icy grass that was crunching beneath her boots. She trod more quietly as she approached the dense hedge as muted voices met her ears. The wall of trees obscured her vision but she could clearly hear the voices of Jeremy Templeton and Kai Lord.
‘Any problems, man?’ Kai asked.
‘No, any watching police officers would have followed the Beema. My gardener must be wondering what the hell is happening,’ he said, smugly.
Despite her quickening heartbeat Kim had the luxury of rolling her eyes. She was insulted that they really thought she was that stupid.
‘You?’ Templeton asked.
‘Nah, man, that bitch got no clue where I was coming from.’
‘Okay, let’s make this quick. After this one I want to lie low for a while. I don’t like that woman copper one little bit.’
Score one for Templeton, Kim thought, but was alarmed at the speed this transaction was taking place. And they had the advantage of numbers.
‘I got the photo you sent,’ Templeton said. ‘This one’s bound for Ukraine.’
Kim swallowed as she heard a boot pop open.
A single strangled cry reached her ears and Kim closed her eyes.
The sensible thing to do was return to her bike and wait for the Mondeo to exit. She knew that Ellie would be in that car but she couldn’t risk the Mondeo getting away from her. Then she would have no Kai, no Templeton and, more importantly, no Ellie.
Kim heard a muffled cry before a shout.
‘You fucking bitch,’ Jeremy Templeton shouted.
Whatever Ellie had done earned her a smack around the face.
‘Quiet down, man,’ Kai said.
‘Bitch kicked me in the balls,’ Jeremy said.
Kim had to think quickly. This had to end right here, right now, but she was at a gross disadvantage. They had brute strength, possibly weapons and the motivation to get away. If she played this wrong, her body would be found amongst a pattern of tyre tracks in the snow.
Suddenly the thunder of an aeroplane engine shattered the silence.
Her heart lurched. She had assumed the car park was just the drop off point. Never had she suspected that Jeremy Templeton had a bloody plane. The choice had been whipped away from her. If Jeremy Templeton got on that aircraft they would never see Ellie again.
She silently prayed that Bryant had heard her last transmission.
The sound of the aeroplane engine had dulled to an idling growl.
Kim realised she had to use the only thing available to her. She stepped out of the shadows and placed her hand on her hip.
‘Hey boys, did you miss me?’
EIGHTY-SIX
Kim quickly assessed the scene before her. Kai stood to the left of the Mondeo boot and Templeton to the right. Ellie was kneeling in the middle, her hands tied. Tear stains were evident on her cheeks.
Three startled faces looked towards her, which gave her a chance to speak.
She looked at Kai meaningfully. ‘Thank you, Kai. I can take it from here and I’ll be true to my word. Those charges against you will be dropped.’
Templeton looked at Kai in shock.
Kim took the opportunity to offer the terrified girl what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
Kai held up his hands and shook his head.
‘You crazy bitch.’
Kim was straight-faced. ‘Kai, leave it now. You did what we asked you to do, now step away. Jeremy’s got the idea. He knows we want him more than you.’
Templeton looked from her to Kai. His mouth started to turn upwards and Kim saw that her ploy to buy herself more time wasn’t working. She had to try harder to convince him, to get extra minutes.
‘You were right, Kai,’ she said, ‘when you told me to let the first car go and to follow the second.’
Now Templeton looked back at Kai and his face was thunderous.
‘You sold me out, you bastard?’
Kai was no longer smiling.
‘Get real, man. This deal’s worth far more than snitching to the fucking police. And whatever petty charges she’s talking about—’
‘I’d hardly call abduction and kidnap petty, Kai, but I am a woman of my word. And then there’s your involvement in the recent murders—’
‘Fucking murder?’ Jeremy screeched. He took two steps away from the boot of the car.
‘Man, don’t listen to her. She talking shit. She’s got nothing. Think about it.’
She cut in quickly. The more opportunity she gave Kai to speak the more dangerous this situation became for her. ‘Yeah, think about it, Jeremy. How would I have known what to do? How would I have known that this exchange was going to take place tonight? Jesus, I would have needed some help to put
this together.’
Kim played into Jeremy’s opinion of women. She couldn’t possibly have worked this out on her own.
The three of them stood in a triangle.
Kai’s expression was murderous and then amused.
Dammit, he’d realised there was one clear way he could prove he hadn’t snitched.
He began walking towards her.
‘What are you doing?’ Jeremy asked.
‘Silencing this bitch once and for all. I’m fucking sick of her costing me money.’
‘Hey, what are you going to do?’
Kai took a flick knife from his pocket.
‘No way,’ Templeton said. ‘I am not killing a fucking police officer.’
He stepped towards the driver’s door of the Mondeo.
‘This just got way too complicated. Just let me get out of here and then do what the hell you like. I’m not getting involved in this shit.’
‘Stay where you are,’ Kai said to Templeton but his eyes were on Kim.
‘I’m gonna sort this bitch out once and for all and then we will conclude our business.’
Kim stepped back, away from the advancing blade. She saw Ellie swipe her legs for Kai’s ankles but missed by a good foot.
Kim could step back no further. Her back was against the wall of trees. Her eyes remained fixed on Kai. She would not back down. She would not show any emotion. She was not one of his fearful girls.
He stepped closer so that only a foot of space existed between them.
‘I like ballsy women,’ he whispered. ‘Up to a point.’ He raised the blade so that it glistened between them. ‘And this is the point.’
Kim knew she could have run as he had advanced towards her. She’d had just a few seconds to make that decision but there had never been a choice. Not when a teenage girl lay bound and trapped on the icy ground right in front of her.
‘You’ve been a pain in my fucking ass for months,’ he said.
‘Fucking hell, Lord, back off,’ Templeton shouted.
He stroked her cheek with the blade.
‘You’ve cost me money and lost me trade but I’m done, now, bitch.’
Another stroke.
Kim didn’t look at the blade. She continued to stare into the hard cold eyes. He would get nothing from her. Any effort on her part to make a grab for the knife would end in serious injury to her, or worse.
But she had to at least try.
She flexed her right hand and splayed it, ready to make a move for the knife.
She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer as she felt the weight of Kai Lord’s torso fall against her.
EIGHTY-SEVEN
‘Stuuurike,’ Dawson shouted.
Kim turned quickly to see her colleague stepping out of the bushes to her right. In his hand was a second rock, much like the one that now lay beside Kai’s head.
Kim had never been so happy to see anyone in her life.
She stamped on Kai’s wrist as Templeton made a run for the car. This time Ellie’s aim and timing with her foot swipe was spot on and he tumbled to the ground.
‘Oh no you don’t, sunshine,’ Dawson said.
Dawson flipped him onto his front and put a knee in the small of his back. He grabbed Templeton’s wrists and cuffed him.
Kim did the same thing with Kai who was groaning. There was a gash to the back of his head that was not bleeding enough to be life-threatening.
Kim and Dawson both reached Ellie at the same time. Dawson used Kai’s knife to cut through the tape binding her wrists and Kim ripped the cloth from the girl’s mouth.
Ellie burst into tears and scooted into Kim’s arms.
Her arms automatically closed around the trembling form. ‘It’s okay, Ellie, you’re safe now, I promise.’
The girl inched further in and Kim had to steady herself not to fall backwards.
‘Did they hurt you?’
The girl didn’t answer so Kim quietly stroked her hair soothingly.
‘How’d you find me?’ Kim asked Dawson over the top of the girl’s head.
‘Bryant called. He got your last message and knew I was only four miles away. Glad to get the call. Those fox cries were scaring the shit out of me.’
Kim allowed herself a small smile of triumph. There were two scumbags cuffed on the floor and a young girl sobbing in her arms, instead of embarking on the next leg of her journey to Ukraine.
She’d take that.
Kim guided the trembling girl to the back seat of the Mondeo. ‘Sit in there. You’ll be fine now, I promise.’ She reached into her back pocket and handed Ellie her mobile phone.
‘Ring your mum and tell her you’re safe.’
Ellie took the phone and sat sideways on the back seat so the door couldn’t be closed. Kim could understand that.
‘How’d you stall them?’ Dawson asked.
‘Tried to convince Dumb over there that Dumber over here had ratted him out.’ She nudged Templeton’s arm with her foot. ‘And you were stupid enough to fall for it, weren’t you, hot shot?’
Templeton squirmed and called her a few names.
Dawson nudged his other arm. ‘The boss was asking you a rhetorical question.’
Dawson turned back to her. ‘Risky though?’
‘It was all happening too quickly. I couldn’t risk them getting away with Ellie.’
In truth, it had given her no more than a couple of minutes but thanks to her team that had been long enough.
And talking of her team she turned to the young detective sergeant.
‘Kev, enough already. Stacey’s a big girl and it wasn’t your fault.’
He smiled. ‘Yeah, pretty much what she said, too.’
Kim laughed. ‘She caught you?’
He nodded and raised his eyebrows.
She’d seen him parked up a couple of times. Just when she’d been doing the odd drive by herself.
‘You know, Kev, you’re not nearly as much of a selfish bastard as you think you are,’ she said, meeting his gaze.
‘Hey, boss,’ Dawson said, looking behind her. A set of headlights dimmed and then died.
Bryant stepped out of the car as the noise of the aeroplane died away. Someone had clearly informed the pilot that his fare had been delayed.
‘Better late than never,’ Dawson called to his colleague.
‘Transport van is a few minutes away,’ he said as he approached.
‘Bryant, check his pockets,’ she said, nodding towards Kai. ‘Dawson, check Templeton.’
‘Forty-five quid,’ Dawson said.
She looked at Bryant who was still counting the contents of a white envelope from Lord’s pocket.’
‘Forget it, Bryant. We can safely assume that the money changed hands.’
She walked over to Templeton. ‘Get him up.’
Dawson and Bryant lifted him. His face no longer held any of the boyish charisma that had almost drowned her the previous day. Gone was the overt sexual confidence and what was left was an unattractive, spoilt, scared little boy.
He didn’t even have the bollocks to glower at her. His mind was already trying to calculate damage limitation.
She stepped over to Kai. ‘Leave him where he is. Kev, over here.’
Dawson came over to stand beside her.
‘So, what do you think of the guy that didn’t have the bollocks to take you one-on-one?’ she asked.
Dawson tipped his head and sighed. ‘You know, he’s much smaller than I remember,’ he said, pulling his eyebrows together.
‘Say that again, you fucking—’
Dawson laughed and walked away, giving his threat the attention it deserved.
She knelt down closer to Kai Lord so she could see the murderous look on his face.
‘Kai Lord—’
‘Don’t,’ he said
‘Don’t what?’
‘Do something you’re gonna regret.’
Kim laughed.
‘How am I gonna regret putting away a piece o
f shit like you? Once I get you two back to the station we’ll find out who has been murdering those poor girls.’
Kai surprised her by laughing out loud.
‘Yeah, good luck on that.’
Kim felt the rage swirl in her stomach. She didn’t like his confidence.
‘Excuse me, officer,’ said a small voice behind her.
She turned to find Ellie wrapped in Bryant’s long overcoat. She was holding out Kim’s phone.
‘A lady named Stacey wants you.’
Kim took the phone.
‘Sorry, Stace, meant to call. We’re all done here. You can stand down and—’
‘Not yet, boss,’ Stacey said, breathlessly.
‘What is it?’
‘I only looked away for a minute and—’
‘And what, Stace?’ Kim asked, urgently.
‘It’s Sal and Gemma, boss. They’ve disappeared. Both of them.’
Immediately the whiteboard back at the station flashed into her mind. The names, the thick lines, the dotted lines linking all the players. Nausea rose in her throat as she realised there was one crucial line missing.
‘Oh shit,’ she cried, running towards her bike.
EIGHTY-EIGHT
Kim tried the handle of the metal door. If she could get one piece of luck she prayed for a quick entry to the premises.
The knob turned in her hand. Of course, they were not expecting visitors.
Kim closed the door quietly behind her. She blinked three times to adjust her eyes to the darkness. She could make out vague shadowy shapes and that she was in a small reception area no bigger than her bathroom. An open door led into a larger area filled with metal racking. Kim’s sight was assisted by a shaft of light from a doorway at the far end of the warehouse.
She traversed a path through the narrow corridors of shelving. Odd boxes of discarded nails and tacks littered the shelves from when the hardware business had gone into liquidation.
She neared the lit doorway and saw evidence of a struggle. A box of tacks had been spilled all over the floor.
Kim attempted to step around them as she heard a voice from the other side of the door.
Broken Bones: A gripping serial killer thriller (Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller Series Book 7) Page 27
