Cold Revenge (Willis/Carter #6)(95)

‘Any more cameras to get a look at who was driving the van?’ asked Tucker.

‘No, I’m sorry,’ replied Raj, ‘not on the vacuum station, just on the fuel and he didn’t get any fuel. He never came inside the kiosk.’

Baldwin took a call on his radio. ‘The van’s been found abandoned half a mile from here,’ he said. ‘No one’s inside. I’m so sorry.’

‘We are done in here,’ said Willis.

‘This wasn’t opportunistic. Archie was targeted,’ said Tucker. ‘We need to get back and co-ordinate the search from Fletcher House. If this is an abduction we have to be ready for their call.’

Willis nodded but her heart was telling her there would be no call. She knew what they wanted already. They got back outside and walked across to Cabrina who was shaking her head as she watched the two detectives come towards her.

‘I’m not leaving here, Eb, it’s all my fault, isn’t it? I didn’t lock him in? It’s all my fault.’

Willis held Cabrina tight. ‘No, it isn’t your fault. They targeted you and Archie, there was nothing you could have done.’

‘I can’t leave here, what if he comes back?’

‘He’s been taken, Cabrina, he’s not going to be walking back in here. We need to go and find him. Zoe will stay by your side and Tucker and I will find him.’

‘Tell Dan to find Archie, you promise me? You promise?’

Willis nodded. Tucker hugged Cabrina and told her not to worry.

‘Zoe, take Cabrina and drive her car to her home please,’ said Willis. ‘Take a statement from her, any tiny details she can remember about who she might have seen driving behind her, parked near her – anything.’

Zoe nodded and led a trembling Cabrina away.

Tucker and Willis walked back across to the petrol station office. Baldwin came off his radio as Willis opened the door.

‘We’ve already had confirmation,’ said Baldwin. ‘The van was bought a few hours ago on eBay. We’re looking into it now, the new owner’s name on the logbook is a false one. I’m sorry. This was obviously planned. No one will rest at MIT 19 until we find him, you know that?’

Willis nodded. ‘We’re going to have to work together on this. I’m not trusting anyone else with this, my friend’s son’s life is at stake. Within a couple of hours Archie could be dead, could be on a boat to Europe or could be back at his mother’s side. Everything we do now will determine that. Okay, Kev?’

‘I understand. You tell me what you need me to do. We’ll work together.’

‘I need every port, every station alerted,’ said Willis. ‘Every boot of every car checked on every ferry that leaves here. I need cupboards ripped out and floorboards pulled up, I cannot have Archie leaving this country, otherwise that’s the last we’ll see of him.’

‘Understood,’ said Baldwin. ‘What’s this really about, Eb? Tucker?’

Willis looked at the phone in her hand. ‘It’s about Douglas.’ She showed them the phone and a text message that consisted only of an icon of a face with rivers of tears coming from the eyes.





Chapter 48


‘Should we send someone around to talk to the farmer?’ Hector asked, as they pulled in down a back road to Margery Farm. Inside the car was Stephanie Davies, who was in charge of an elite firearms team.

Carter took out his binoculars and got on top of the jeep to look above the hedge.

‘I can’t see the container but I can see a cowshed and old farm machines. I think I can see the back of a van. I think Heathcote could be here.’

‘We’ve had confirmation that his van came off the road at the last junction. We have to assume it’s him,’ said Davies.

‘It looks from the satellite picture as if the container is tucked in beside the cowshed,’ said Maxwell. He had a box full of printed images of the site and Ordnance Survey maps.

‘How do you want to approach it?’ asked Davies. ‘You know the people concerned here, you tell me what way is best to come out of this with no loss of life.’

‘I know we’re not going to be able to risk a show of force,’ answered Carter. ‘If he feels like it, Heathcote will kill Yvonne.’

‘Okay,’ said Davies. ‘Then we go in there, from the bottom of the field, and work our way upwards, a softly-softly approach. At the same time we have people ready at the main exit via the farm and the way across the other fields. I will radio in now. We have a camera drone ready to go up, do you want to use it?’

‘I think we should,’ answered Carter, ‘as long as it’s high enough that he can’t hear it.’

‘I agree,’ answered Davies. ‘Just remember if we need back-up it will take seven minutes for it to reach us.’

Whilst Davies was relaying the instructions to her team, Carter got a call on his phone.

‘What is it, Eb?’

‘Yeah, Dan, something major has happened here. Archie’s been taken, abducted in a slick operation when Cabrina stopped for petrol. The van was traced straight away, just been bought and was dumped nearby. We’re pretty certain it’s Douglas and his disciples . . .’ Willis paused when Carter didn’t answer or even try to interrupt, ‘. . . so, what I’m saying is, I’m on this, Tucker’s on it, everyone from MIT 17 and MIT 19 is on this and Bowie is running it. We will get him back, Dan. Dan?’