The Fourth Friend (DI Jackman & DS Evans #3)(45)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Danny Hurley paced the big empty storeroom.

His heart raced. For the tenth time in as many minutes he checked his watch. They had said two hours. And those agonising hours were now up.

He listened for the sound of an engine, but all he heard was a tractor churning up and down some distant field.

Had something gone wrong? Had the police changed their observation routine? He doubted it. They had been doing their checks on the dot. He checked his phone, then shoved it angrily back into his pocket.

They should be here.

His own car sat waiting, ready to carry his girl away from this horrible town. They were going to a place where they could be alone and get to know each other properly. He laughed, and it echoed around the high, timbered ceiling. There was very little he didn’t know about Leah Kingfield, but she had a lot to find out about him.

He laughed again, then resumed his pacing. He checked his watch one more time.

*

Carter drove across town and drew up outside a seedy-looking house on the edge of Saltern’s only council estate. The place was pretty rough, but not too bad, considering. The residents tended to be older, and they did their best to keep it looking reasonable.

Carter slammed his car door shut and locked it. He loped up the garden path, skirting a rusty wheelbarrow and a rustier bike, and hammered on the door.

The moment it opened, he pushed his way in and grasped the man inside by the shirt front, propelling him back into the hallway.

‘A word, my friend, and I’ll be gone.’ The man was short and overweight, and he put up no resistance. Carter bundled him inside and threw him down onto a tattered sofa.

‘I’m in a hurry. I haven’t got time to mess around.’

The man stared up at him open-mouthed. Carter never behaved like this.

‘I need to find someone, and fast. I’ll give you a name, and you tell me exactly where I can find him and do not say you don’t know, because I know you do.’ He leant closer and smelled sweat. ‘This is no joke, so don’t piss me about.’ He whispered a name.

The man licked his lips nervously. ‘He’ll be at Ramsey’s Bar. The snug.’

Carter believed him. ‘And the other one, if you please?’

This time the man looked worried. ‘He doesn’t have a regular routine. I’ll tell you where he lives, but that’s all I know.’

‘That will do.’

The man reeled off the address of a small house on the edge of the estate.

Carter nodded and backed off. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a note. ‘For your troubles.’ He flung the ten-pound note onto the sofa and strode out of the house.

He started up the car and thought for a minute. He had to get this right. His fingers beat out a tattoo on the steering wheel. Why had this happened? He had been so sure. His face was set hard as granite. No point in recriminations now. He needed to sort this bloody cock-up before Leah got hurt.

*

Marie stared at a long list of names. ‘When he and Bill were working together he always had a lot of people on the ground. He used to say that if you managed them right, they’d save you a lot of legwork.’ She gave a half smile. ‘Carter’s motto was “speculate to accumulate.” My Bill wasn’t all that happy about the way he manipulated some of them, but he did get results.’

Jackman stared at the list and shook his head. ‘There’s too many. We can’t go tearing round Saltern hunting them down on the off-chance. We’ll be better off getting some vehicles and bodies out there watching for a sighting of him or his car.’

‘I’ve already told uniform. They are all aware he’s done a caped crusader, but I have told them to back off if they see him, and ring us. If he really is onto something, we don’t want to gatecrash his party.’

Jackman massaged his temples. ‘What the hell is he doing?’

‘My best guess is that he’s mobilising his informants. I reckon he’s calling in old favours, big time.’

‘Has he got that much clout with the villains?’

‘He certainly had back then. Carter was never snow-white. But now?’ Marie shrugged. ‘Who knows?’

‘Maybe we’ll find out. By nightfall, is that what he said?’

She nodded. ‘By nightfall.’

‘Not too long to wait, but we have to go by the book. Grab the team and we’ll try to find her the regular way, shall we?’

*

Danny was beside himself. He’d finally received a text saying there had been unforeseen holdups, but all was well. They just needed to lie low for an hour or so, then they would meet him as arranged. The merchandise was safe and secure.

Dark thoughts crept into his head. If they had harmed one hair on his girl’s head, he swore he would kill them.

Danny sat down on a pile of plastic storage boxes and put his head in his hands. Never in all his life had he been so utterly consumed by desire. This waiting was purgatory. He wanted to touch the face he had photographed so many times, the skin that looked so much like porcelain. He pulled a crumpled photo from his jacket pocket and stared at it. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Soon . . . oh, soon . . .

He straightened up. An engine!

He ran to the big double doors and peered out. The security lights came on, illuminating the grey VW hire van that was pulling in. Danny pulled back the heavy doors and waved the vehicle inside.