Katy and AJ pulled up at Jordan Richman’s house. They were early, hoping to catch him before he had the chance to set off for work.
“That’s a good sign. His car is still here.” AJ pointed to the BMW convertible sitting on the drive.
Katy chuckled. “What’s the betting that belongs to his wife?”
AJ raised his eyebrow. “On second thoughts, you’re probably right. Nice car all the same.”
“You mean you wouldn’t mind adding it to your collection?”
AJ grinned. “One more wouldn’t hurt, would it?”
Katy rubbed her tummy. “You have other responsibilities to take care of now, sweetheart, in case you’ve forgotten. I think the boys’ toys will have to take a back seat until this one is a few years older.”
AJ sighed. “Yeah, and there was me thinking I had my whole life ahead of me.”
Katy pulled a face, letting him know how much his words had hurt.
He gently dug her in the ribs. “I’m joking. I wouldn’t change the situation for all the caviar in Russia.”
Katy gagged. “Did you have to mention food?”
“Sorry.” AJ knocked on the door to the huge converted barn that was part of a complex consisting of four houses, set back off the small village road within a beautiful setting of open countryside at the rear.
A smartly dressed woman in her early thirties opened the door. “Can I help you?”
Katy and AJ flashed their warrant cards.
“We’d like a quick word with Mr. Richman if he’s at home,” Katy told the woman.
“Well, he’s not. He works in the city and has to set off early.” The woman bristled with annoyance.
“Can you give us an address where he can be contacted?” Katy smiled at the woman.
Her eyes narrowed into suspicious splits. “Why? Why do you want to speak to him?”
“We have a few questions, nothing major, we need to ask him. It’s really just to help us with our enquiries.”
“Into what?”
Katy intentionally remained evasive in case the woman got it into her head to ring and warn her husband they were on the way. “About a traffic incident that occurred the other day.”
“He never mentioned anything about that. Are you sure you have the right person?”
Katy’s smile never faltered. “Yes, absolutely sure. If you can give us the address?”
The woman tutted, left the front door open, and walked back into the house, her high heels clicking and echoing in the tiled hallway. She returned a few moments later with a slip of paper on which she had noted down her husband’s work address and phone number. “Here you are. I’ll ring him on his mobile, let him know that you’re on your way.”
Katy nodded. That was not what she’d wanted to hear. If Richman had abducted Hardy’s family, then he might abscond if warned. “You’re very kind. Thank you.”
Katy and AJ returned to the car.
Once inside, AJ said, “Shit! What if he gets scared and takes off?”
Katy sighed and started the engine. “Precisely. I predict Richman not showing up for work today, don’t you? I hope for our sakes that I’m wrong about that, but I doubt it.”
They drove into the city and located the address without much hassle. Katy parked in the underground car park below the office building, and she and AJ rode the lift to the twentieth floor.
Katy flashed her ID at the receptionist. “We’re here to see Mr. Richman. Is he in?”
The bespectacled woman frowned and looked at the appointment book in front of her. “Is he expecting you?”
“No. It’s official police business,” Katy said.
“Just a moment, please.” The receptionist left the desk and knocked lightly on the door behind her.
“Come in,” a voice boomed, and the woman slipped inside the office.
Katy raised an eyebrow and whispered, “Okay, this looks promising.”
The door opened again, and the receptionist reappeared, accompanied by a slim, suited man of around six feet, eyeing them both suspiciously.
“You wanted to see me, Sergeant Foster?” he asked impatiently.
“Yes, in private, if you don’t mind?” Katy replied.
“Come into my office. Can I offer you a drink?”
“No, we’re fine. Thanks all the same.”
AJ followed Katy into the man’s executive office. One of the walls was lined with bookshelves full of leather-bound reference books. Katy suspected there were probably a few first-edition copies included in the display. Another wall consisted of floor-to-ceiling glass, and the view over the city took Katy’s breath away for an instant. She could imagine the scene at night, all the varying shapes and sizes of London’s historical buildings lit up and glistening amidst the midnight sky.
“Take a seat. What’s this about, Sergeant?” he asked, tucking himself securely behind his highly polished mahogany desk.
“We’re looking into an incident regarding a former colleague of yours.”
“Oh, and who might that be?”
“Lance Hardy.”
His frown deepened, but Katy didn’t feel as if the man’s reaction pointed to him knowing anything about the case. There again, it was possible that he attended a local amateur dramatic society and gained the ability to act surprised when the need arose.
“Are you telling me that you don’t recognise the name, Mr. Richman?”
“Oh, I recognise it all right. What I don’t understand is where this conversation is leading, Sergeant.”
“Then I’ll fill you in. First of all, I need you to clarify why you are no longer in business with Mr. Hardy.”
“Ah, I get it. That’s police talk to see if our stories match, am I right?”
“You’re very smart, Mr. Richman. So?”
He relaxed back in his chair, not showing any signs of stress or aggravation.
“So. He accused me of screwing up a major deal for our company.”
“And did you?” Katy asked.
“These things happen in business, big business. He was on holiday at the time with his family. I suppose I was an easy target to apportion the blame.”
“So why did you leave the partnership?”
“It was an issue of trust. I trusted him, but it wasn’t reciprocated. Yes, we lost a lot of money on that deal. I’m talking millions of revenue here. But it was no different to the deal he screwed up a few months before.”
“I see. So you felt hard done by. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Not exactly. The kind of business we deal in—imports and exports, that is—well, there’s always some idiot out there prepared to undercut the big boys. And yes, I regarded our firm as one of the big boys. Sometimes you just have to swallow your pride and move on to bigger and greater things.”
“And you’re saying that Mr. Hardy didn’t see it that way?” Katy asked.
“Indeed. It was a case of ‘I can screw up, but when you do it, that’s totally unforgiveable.’ I got tired of all the grief he directed at me and told him to buy me out.”
“Which he did, right?”
Richman nodded. “Yes, without any ensuing slanging match. The whole deal was sorted out within a week.”
“And you found this job quite quickly after you finished working there?” Katy asked as AJ jotted down the man’s answers in his notebook.
A smile broke out on his face. “This is my new business, Sergeant. I could never work for anyone else after running my own business for years.”
“I see. So are you telling me that you’re now in direct competition with Mr. Hardy?”
“I am.”
“Is that even ethical? Isn’t there some kind of law about starting up the same sort of business within a certain number of miles of your preceding one?”
“There is, and I think you’ll find that this office is just outside of that range, Sergeant.”
“That’s good to know, and since setting up this business, have you and Mr. Hardy crossed paths at all?”
“No. There’s no necessity for that to ever happen. What exactly is going on here? Am I allowed to know?”
“We’re investigating a major crime. I’m sorry. I can’t go into further detail at the present.”
“Major crime involving Hardy? I don’t understand. Has he done something illegal?”
“Not exactly, no,” Katy replied cagily.
He flung his arms up in the air. “Then I have to tell you that you’re not making any sense. Are you insinuating I’m involved in this ‘major crime’ somehow?”
Katy scratched her forehead. “We’re looking into the crime from all angles. At this moment in time, that’s all I’m willing to divulge.”
“Well, unless you’re willing to enlighten me on what has gone on, I don’t see what further use I can be to you. So if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend first thing with a client.”
“Okay, thank you for your time. There may be a need to question you in the future if things progress and more information comes to light. Can I count on you coming down the station for an interview should that occur?”
“Of course.” He showed them to the door and shook their hands.
“What do you make of him?” AJ asked after he and Katy had stepped into the elevator.
Katy, feeling a little queasy due to the swift descent, shrugged in response. Once they’d left the lift, she said, “At this point, I’m not sure what to think of him. He seemed rather cool, wouldn’t you say?”
“I agree. It could be a sign of his innocence, though, right?”
“It could mean a lot of things. We’ll bear him in mind as the case continues. We should get to the station, maybe contact Lorne to see what’s going on with her.”
***
Warrior paced the floor, constantly keeping one eye on his watch and the other on the woman feeding her child in front of him. “Isn’t he full yet?” He leaned forward and yelled in her ear.
Bethany cowered away from him and clutched her baby tighter in her arms. “He’s a growing lad. He needs regular feeding, which you’re not allowing me to give him. Please, let me stay up here. If you keep me locked away, my baby will be neglected. He’s young, needs his mother near him for reassurance.”
He leaned in again and raised his hand, ready to hit her. She flinched and shied away. “Less of telling me what I should and shouldn’t do, lady, you hear me? This isn’t some kind of effing holiday camp.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again, I swear.”
“Yeah, right. I’m betting you’ll be tempted to have the same conversation tomorrow morning, too. Well, I’m warning you, don’t. Or I’ll do something to the sprog, right?”
“I understand. I’m sorry.”
He ignored her once his watch registered 8:53. He hit the redial button on his phone. “Simpkins, you there yet?”
“Yes, I’m just going up the steps to the Marriot Hotel now.”
“You’re going to be late,” he taunted.
“Please, give me a few minutes’ grace. The traffic was at a near standstill on the way over here.”
“Just this once, as I’m feeling generous. I’ll call back in two minutes. I want you to locate the restaurant. If you’re not at the restaurant by then, either the kid or the mother will suffer a broken bone or two.”
“Don’t! I’m almost there now,” Lorne shrieked.
He hung up and sniggered. “I love sending you women in a flap. Don’t think that I won’t ever make good on my threats. This woman detective has both of your lives in her hands. If she screws up, I’ll have no hesitation in finishing you both off. Yes, ten mill is at stake, but there’ll be other opportunities for me to get my hands on that kind of dosh.” He hit the dial button again, and Lorne picked up before the first ring ended.
“I’m here.”
He grunted. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. What do you want me to do?”
He laughed at the out-of-breath inspector. “Right, listen very carefully. I worked hard on this cryptic clue. You have thirty minutes to find it.”
“Okay.”
“Food from every nation around the world, but the clue you are seeking is from these shores.”
“Christ, is that it?”
“Yes. You have until nine to find it. If you don’t, you know what I’ll do.”
“I’m on it now.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Lorne hung up and frantically searched the outside of the restaurant. “How the hell am I supposed to work this out, Sean?”
“We’ll do it together, Lorne. Stay calm.”
“Does he mean the clue relates to something inside the restaurant or out here? Can we even get inside at this time of day?”
“I should think so. I’ll ask at reception?”
“No wait.” She clasped his arm, preventing him from leaving her. “Of course we can get inside.” She tried the door and found it locked. “There must be another entrance. I’ve never heard of a hotel restaurant not serving breakfast, have you?”
“You’re right.” Sean ran to the end of the corridor then drew her attention by whistling. “Over here.”
Lorne joined him, and they rushed into the room set out for a breakfast sitting. Lorne scanned the area; only three tables were occupied by hotel guests, who all looked their way with enquiring glances when they barged into the room. She pointed at the buffet-style breakfast. “We should see what food they’re serving up.”
Sean started at one end of the line while Lorne began at the other, and they met in the middle. “What do you think?” Sean whispered.
“It has to be under the English breakfast dishes, yes?”
“Okay, but how would he get anything under the dishes. Isn’t that a bit obvious?”
Lorne tutted. “I don’t know, Sean. I’m open to all suggestions or bright ideas. Feel free to chip in when the need takes you.”
“Now don’t start taking your frustrations out on me, Inspector.”
She sighed. “Sorry. I’m bound to be a bit tetchy. Just ignore me.”
A young female chef appeared behind the counter, holding a plate in her hand. “Good morning. What can I get for you?”
“Sorry, we’re not waiting to be served.” Lorne flashed her warrant card. “Is there a manager around who we can talk to?”
The woman placed the plate back on the pile and raised a finger. “I’ll just get him for you.”
She returned with a man in his early thirties, wearing a tall chef’s hat. “Can I help you? You couldn’t have interrupted me at a worse time, so if you wouldn’t mind being quick, I’d appreciate it.”
“Sorry, we realise you’re busy.” Lorne glanced over her shoulder at the meagre occupancy of the restaurant. “I just need to ask a few questions.”
The man smiled briefly and clarified his previous statement. “The rush is about to happen any minute.”
“And we’re on a deadline to save two people’s lives, so if you’ll just bear with us for a few minutes.”
“Okay, you’ve got my attention.” The man stepped closer to the counter and rested his hands on the metal shelf.
“We’ve been given a clue from someone regarding this restaurant. We think it has to do with the English breakfast you’re serving. Will you allow us to take a peek under your serving dish?”
“Of course.” He lifted the silver dish off the hotplate.
Lorne inspected the area only to find the element and nothing else. “Hmm... okay. Well that’s scuppered that idea.”
“Anything else you wanted to ask? I really need to get on, Inspector.” the chef asked, replacing the dish.
“We have this clue: ‘food from every nation around the world, but the clue you are seeking is from these shores.’ Hence me thinking it had a connection with the English breakfast. Any ideas?”
The chef shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’ve never been one for crosswords. That does seem to be a very cryptic clue.”
Lorne nodded. “Thanks for your help. If we promise to keep out of the customers’ way, would you mind if we continue to search the restaurant?”
“Feel free. Sorry I couldn’t be more help.” The man smiled and returned to the kitchen.
Lorne faced Sean and shrugged. “What next?”
“I have no idea. Let’s think about the clue logically.”
“I have—over and over, and still, nothing is coming to mind.”
“Then we’ll have to search every corner of this restaurant before it gets any busier.”
Lorne nodded. “I agree. The question is, Sean, what the hell are we looking for?”
“I’m sure it will become obvious once we find it. Until then, I’ll go from left to right, okay?”
They separated, and under the watchful eye of the patrons already seated at the tables and any new arrivals coming into the restaurant, they began their search. Lorne picked up everything she could find on each of the vacant tables, but it was useless. She was nearing the edge of her designated search area when she heard Sean call her name.
She rushed over to him. The smug look on his face made her want to slap it. “Stop milking it, boss. What have you found?”
“See for yourself.” He pointed at the menu on the table they were standing alongside.
Lorne picked it up and found a keyring attached to it. “A keyring? What’s that all about?”
Sean shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out once Warrior rings you.” He glanced at his watch. “Which should be anytime soon.”
Lorne went up to the girl behind the counter. “I’m taking this as evidence, okay?”
“Sure. I’ll let my boss know. Glad you found what you were looking for.”
Lorne and Sean walked down the steps of the hotel. “Come on, ring, you bastard.” As if Warrior had heard her, her mobile rang. Is he watching us? No, he can’t be. He’s at a location with the woman and child. “Hello.”
“Got it?”
“Yes. I’m confused, though. It’s just a keyring,” Lorne replied, surveying the immediate area to see if they were being observed by anyone. If not the abductor he might have an accomplice following and watching them. No one stood out amongst the commuters on their way to work.
“You’re supposed to be. All will become apparent over the next thirty-six hours. How are you standing up to the task, Inspector?”
“Don’t concern yourself with my well-being. Let’s get on with things.”
He snorted. “Eager, aren’t you? I have a feeling you’re the kind of person who doesn’t appreciate being out of control of a situation. Am I right?”
“Tell me who wouldn’t feel the same way I do in my current situation.”
“Granted. Right, here’s an easy trek for you. Make your way over to Hamleys Toy Shop. Got that? I hope you recognise how nice I’m being. Get it while you can, sweetheart. Things will become more difficult as the day progresses.”
“You think this is easy? Battling the traffic at this time of the day, are you crazy?” Lorne bit down on her tongue, knowing she shouldn’t have tried to goad the kidnapper.
“Feisty bitch. Mind you, I have been warned about that.” He laughed and hung up.
“Quick, we need to get back to the car.”
“Did he give you a time limit on this trip?” Sean asked, trotting after Lorne back to the car.
“No. Which makes me suspicious. We need to get on the road ASAP.”
Sean opened the car, jumped behind the steering wheel, and set off.
Lorne held her hand out. “Give me your phone. I’ll ring the station, see if Katy has arrived yet.” He threw the phone in her lap. “Hi, Katy. It’s me.”
“Lorne, I didn’t recognise the number. How’s it going?”
“I have a feeling, by the end of our stint, we’re going to feel like we’ve been slowly tortured to within an inch of our lives.”
“Agh... that bad. Anything we can do to help from this end?”
Lorne thought for a second. “Actually, I’m calling for an update of how you got on with Richman. However, now you’ve raised the point, I think we should sort the team into shifts. I need to have someone on hand in the incident room twenty-four-seven. Can you arrange that?”
“Sure. What about the overtime? Can we afford it?”
Lorne turned to look at Sean, who was busy lane hopping, manoeuvring the car through a gap in the traffic. “I’m sure the chief will agree to that in this instance. He’s a little busy right now to confirm it.”
“Yes, I agree,” Sean shouted to Lorne’s amusement.
“Ooo... so you can multi-task after all.” She giggled then straightened her face again when she renewed her conversation with her true partner. “This guy is taking pleasure in making us run the length and breadth of London. We’re already en route to our third location of the morning.”
“Shit! Right, I’ll make this short. AJ and I set off early to try and catch Richman at home; we were too late. We caught up with him at the office instead. Didn’t really get anywhere. To me, he seemed surprised by the events unfolding. No sign of recognition, leading me to think he has nothing to do with the crime. I don’t think we should discount him out of hand just yet, though.”
“I agree. Look, someone is either pulling this guy Warrior’s strings, or he’s plucked up the courage to abduct the Hardys off his own back. I’m inclined to believe it’s the former. We need to chase up any CCTV footage regarding the car he pinched. Can you sort that for me?”
“Sure. What about calling a press conference. Shall I organise that, too?”
Lorne nodded and clicked her tongue. “Yeah, go for it. Someone might know where the car is or the route it took. At the moment, we have no idea. That car is going to be the key to this investigation.”
“That’s what I think, too. Let’s get it out in the open as soon as poss. Want me to run that past Hardy first or just go ahead?”
“Maybe it would be wiser to ring him. Perhaps he’ll volunteer to show up to make a personal plea for his family’s safety.”
“I’ll do that. Will you check in regularly?”
“If I’m able to, yes. Sean’s taking the pressure off me a bit by driving to each location.”
“What if the kidnapper asks you to take the underground at some point?”
“Then we’ll figure that out, if and when, it happens. Let me know via Sean’s mobile how things go at your end, okay? We need to stay abreast of things, Katy. The bastard has already showed us his intent by making the baby cry. I dread to think what he’d do to the little mite if he really wanted to get his point across.”
“The bastard. There’s no chance of us taking this lightly at this end; you have my word on that. Be in touch soon. Be careful.”
“Thanks. Good luck, hon.”
Lorne ended the call and tipped her head back against the headrest. “I’m already bloody knackered.”
“I have a feeling that is this guy’s intention, Lorne.”
“Mind if I ring Tony at home?”
“Sure, we’re about fifteen minutes from our destination.”
She paused to remember her home number. When she used her own phone, all she had to do was hit one, and the phone dialled it automatically. “Hey, Tony. Everything all right?”
“Yep, I was just thinking about you. How’s it going there?”
“Exhausting, and we’ve only just begun.”
“Crap! Well, don’t worry about us; we’re fine. I’ve run through everything with Charlie, and she said to pass on a message not to worry about her. She’ll be extra vigilant during the day.”
“Gosh! Was she all right about that? I avoided telling her at breakfast this morning.”
“She’s fine. You worry too much. She did ask if it would be okay for her to go to the agility club again this evening, though.”
Lorne’s interest piqued. “Again? Why so soon? Do you think she’s met someone? I tried to worm it out of her this morning but didn’t get very far.”
“By the way she’s been going around whistling this morning. I’d say you’re on the right lines. Look, going back to your investigation, I know I’ve said it already, but I’m here if you need me. Don’t forget, both Joe and I can call on extra resources from ‘the mob’ if you need a hand.”
“Thanks. For the time being, I think we’ll just go with the flow. I have a suspicion this guy has all manner of weird and wonderful things he’ll want to challenge us with later on. You’ll be the first number on my list if things escalate out of our control, okay?”
“Right, when have I heard that before?” he replied, sounding a little disgruntled.
“I’ll be in touch soon. Love you.”
She hung up and glanced sideways at Sean.
Her boss was smirking and mimicked her. “Love you!”
“Shut up and drive. It’s good to know he’s willing to lend us a hand if needed, eh?”
“We’ll stick with our own options first, I think. Let’s play this by the book where we can, all right?”
“Yep, I agree. I was just stating a fact.”
Sean pulled into Regent Street and drew up outside the world famous toy store at 10:15. “Damn, where the hell are we going to park?”
“See if you can find a friendly traffic warden perhaps. Not my problem,” she said, getting out of the car.
“Lorne, wait there. Do not move,” Sean ordered out the driver’s window.
However, Lorne pushed open the glass door to the toy store and rushed inside. At the base of the escalator, she had no idea what direction she should be going in, as Warrior hadn’t informed her during his last call. As if reading her mind, the man rang her mobile.
“Hello, I’m here.”
“Good. Glad to see that you can arrive at your given location efficiently, with or without time constraints, Simpkins.”
“It’s Warner, not Simpkins,” she objected, distracted by her bustling surroundings.
“You’re Simpkins to me. It suits my purpose to think of you as Lorne Simpkins. I know you married that MI6 agent and that you took him on in spite of his gammy leg.”
Lorne gasped. “You know? Who are you? Have we met?”
“Ah, always the inquisitive copper. You’ll find that out soon enough when our paths finally cross.”
“How are the woman and her child holding up?”
“I think you’re forgetting who’s in charge here, Simpkins. Now quit gabbling on and listen. Go to the first floor. You’re looking for Serengeti. It will be the key to your success.”
The line went dead before she could say anything else. She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt someone tap her shoulder.
Breathless, Sean leaned over with his hands on his knees. “You could have waited.”
She grabbed his arm and ran towards the escalator. “We have to get up to the first floor. Am I right in thinking that Serengeti is in Africa?”
“It was the last time I heard, unless it’s moved of course. Why?”
“Warrior told me to go to Serengeti, metaphorically speaking, I believe, and the key to our success would be there.”
The second Lorne stepped off the escalator, she realised the extent of the mammoth task ahead of them. “Jesus, the whole bloody floor is like a scene from Out of Africa. Where the heck do we begin?” Lorne heaved a large sigh.
“At the beginning. Are you sure he didn’t hint at a certain area?”
“What, like he did with the menus you mean? Think about it, Sean, this guy’s sole intention appears to be to give us the bloody run around.”
“Maybe not his sole intention, Lorne, but I hear what you’re saying.”
“I had a chance to tackle him about using Simpkins instead of Warner, and he seems to know an awful lot about me and my private life, hinting that we have indeed met before. That reminds me—the next time I talk to Katy, nudge me to tell her to look into the villains on that list. The quicker we start eliminating suspects, the better. Let’s go hunting!”
“What are we hunting for?” Sean asked.
“I don’t know, perhaps a key to go with the keyring already in our possession.”
“Sounds plausible. Want to split up again? You take that side of the room, and I’ll take this?”
“Good idea. Shout when you think you’ve found something, and I’ll do the same.”
“Did Warrior say how long he’s giving us to find the clue?” Sean asked.
Lorne frowned and shook her head. Then she quickly scanned the area, still under the assumption that someone might be following them. “No, strange. Isn’t it?”
“We should crack on in case he surprises us by ringing in ten minutes or something. He’s bound to try and keep us on our toes.”
“Okay. You start searching while I have a word with the assistant. She might have seen someone hanging around acting strangely.”
She left Sean to wander off to the other side of the display and approached the young assistant unpacking a box at the counter. The young, freckled girl in her late teens smiled broadly and asked, “Can I help, madame?”
She fished out her ID and showed it to the woman as she spoke. “We’re dealing with a huge case at the moment, and our investigation has led us to this floor. Can you tell me if you’ve noticed anyone hanging around here in the last few days, acting suspicious?”
The girl chewed on her lip. “Yikes, lots of people mill around the display. Not sure they actually look suspicious while looking at stuffed toys, though. Sorry I can’t be more helpful than that.”
“Never mind, it was worth a shot. My partner and I will be searching the area if that’s okay?”
“Sure. Can I help at all? Do you know what you’re actually looking for?”
Lorne shrugged. “That’s just it—no, we don’t. But thanks for the offer.”
“Just give me a shout if you need a hand.”
Lorne smiled at the woman and headed for the stuffed giraffe section. Some of the creatures dwarfed her and were an incredible seven feet tall. She could imagine only rich people being able to afford to pay the two-thousand-pound price ticket as a gift for their kids. Lorne tried not to disrupt the display too much, but every now and again, one of the flimsier animals toppled to the ground. Embarrassed, she glanced over at the shop assistant, who giggled and looked the other way, while Lorne quickly reassembled the display in case the girl called security and requested their removal.
Waving to get Sean’s attention, she mouthed, “Anything?”
“Nothing,” he mouthed back, shrugging his disappointment.
They searched the entire section from the floor displays to the numerous shelves lining the walls without success.
Sean joined her. “What are we going to do now?”
“If only I had his number, I could ring him back.” She continued to scan the area as they contemplated their next move. Something hanging from the ceiling glinted and caught her eye. She rushed over and stood beneath the nursery light that featured a scene from a safari. “Here. Lift me up, Sean.”
Lorne was thankful that she’d decided to wear a pair of jeans to accompany her trainers for the occasion. Her boss grabbed her around the thighs and hoisted her up, groaning unexpectedly beneath her. “Christ, when did you put on so much weight? I don’t remember you weighing this much when we dated.”
Lorne unhooked the key. “Let me down. I’ve got it.” When her feet hit the ground, she clouted Sean across the chest. “Cheeky bugger! I’ll have you know that I’m the same weight now as when we dated all those years ago.”
“Liar,” he muttered. “A key, eh? I wonder what it opens.”
Lorne glared at him through narrowed eyes and made a mental note to pay him back for his offensive comment once the case was over. “I’m sure Warrior will be ringing us soon with further instructions. For now, I’ll slip it onto the keyring. We should get back to the car in case he rings.” They ran down the escalator and out of the building. “Where did you park my car?”
“Round the back of the store on double yellows. I hope there’s not a traffic warden waiting for us.”
“Jesus, I don’t suppose you thought to stick the police light on the roof of the car just in case, did you?”
He cringed. “Sorry. I didn’t think.”
“Paper-pusher brain in action, I see.” They marched to the end of the building, and when they reached the back alley, Lorne’s heart skipped a beat. “Damn and blast. Right, leave this to me. I’ll have to flash him more than my ID to get us out of this fix.”
Sean chuckled in spite of his straight face. “He’s all yours.”
Lorne sashayed up to the young traffic warden and smiled enthusiastically. “Hello there. I’m sorry. It was a police emergency.” She showed him her ID.
“Not my problem. You guys know the rules better than anyone.”
“Really, you’re going to give me a ticket for carrying out police duties.”
The warden continued to note down Lorne’s car details. “Rules are rules. You’re damn lucky I didn’t get around to calling the tow-truck.”
Lorne raised her arms then slammed her palms against her thighs. “Christ, we’re busting our bloody guts to try and save a woman and her son’s lives, and you’re pulling your jobsworth act on me.”
A brief smile of satisfaction tugged at the young warden’s lips. “Yep. I have targets to meet. Besides that, you have deliberately parked in a no-parking zone. Maybe you should refresh your reading skills.” He tore off the ticket, thrust it in a plastic wallet, and slapped it on the windscreen of the car.
Lorne seethed, and her eyes bulged as she struggled to find the words for a quick retort. Sean came to her rescue. “It was my fault. Like the Inspector told you, we’re on an important case, and lives are in danger.”
“Thems the breaks. Good day to you both. A word of advice: next time, read the signs carefully. And here’s another tip for you: watch out for the double yellow lines, too. They have a habit of biting folks in the arse.”
Lorne took a step forward, but Sean restrained her. The warden tipped his hat and bade them farewell.
“Of all the pig ignorant... what’s his name? I’ll make sure we pick him up on a speeding charge or something,” she threatened, her cheeks flaming the more irate she became.
“Let it go, Lorne.” Sean laughed and jumped in the car. Lorne joined him before he threw a further insult at her, “You’re obviously losing your touch in your old age.” He kept his eyes on the alley ahead and started the engine.
Lorne crossed her arms and looked out the window. At the end of the alley, her mobile rang again, adding to her foul mood. She swallowed her anger and answered brightly, “Hello. We found the clue. What’s next?”
“You’re getting good at this, Simpkins. Let’s see if we can make the next clue a little more cryptic to up the pressure. I’ve made this too simple for you. I was expecting you to be more stressed about your adventure.”
Lorne exhaled noisily. “If only you knew,” she mumbled.
“Oh, I know,” Warrior retorted, laughing. “Okay, drive to Soho. You’re looking for a certain establishment, The Happy Cock.”
Lorne groaned.
“What’s the matter, Simpkins, don’t you approve of your next destination?”
“No. But I have a feeling you’re not going to be concerned about that.”
“Bull’s-eye! Got it in one, lady. You’ve got exactly fifteen minutes.”
“What? We’ll never make it; not in this traffic.”
“‘We’? Did you say ‘we’?”
Lorne punched her thigh in frustration. She’d been careful not to let on about Sean. After thinking fast, she confessed, “Yes, we. But then you knew that already, didn’t you? I know you have a pair of eyes out here reporting back to you. Grant me with some sense.”
“Yes, I knew. I was just seeing if you had the decency to own up to your inept actions. From here on, you’re going it alone, you hear me? Dump your boss and find your own way from now on. Got that?”
Lorne heard the baby crying in the background.
“Okay, you’ve got your wish. I’m ordering him out of the car now. Don’t hurt the child, please. It was stupid of us to underestimate you.”
“You’ve got that right. This is your final warning, lady. Don’t do it again. Now, you have wasted two minutes of your valuable time. Be there at ten forty-five, no later.”
After Warrior hung up, Lorne pressed the End Call button and turned to face her boss. “Get out. You’ll have to find your own way back.”
“I’m not leaving you, Lorne.” Sean put his foot down.
“For God’s sake, you have to. He’s watching our every move. If he thinks I’ve gone back on my word, he’ll kill them. Listen to me, Sean—we can still do this. Go back to the station, and I’ll keep in touch with you.”
Sean slammed on the brakes, unclasped his seatbelt, and threw open the driver’s door, while Lorne clambered across the gearstick and settled behind the steering wheel.
“Stay safe, Lorne. Ring me at every opportunity you get, okay? Use your siren if you think time is against you.”
“I will. But I need to keep the line open to him. There’s no telling what will happen if I don’t.”
Sean withdrew his mobile from his jacket pocket and threw it onto the passenger seat. “Use that.”
“All right. One last thing I want you to do for me, Sean.”
His head tilted. “Which is?”
“When you get back to the station, ring Tony. Tell him I need his help.”
“There’s no need for that. We’ll have your back, Lorne,” Sean insisted.
“He’s ex-MI6, Sean. It’s his covert operational skills I’m thinking about. I better go. Just do it, please?”
He nodded then did something unexpected. He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Good luck.”
Her cheeks warmed. She smiled, slammed the door shut, and sped away from him.