Ewan couldn’t let the kid go alone and Paul had made it clear he was only the driver, so he turned to Lennox. ‘So, what’s the plan?’
Lennox leaned in and spoke under his breath. ‘They’re here. Inside.’
‘How do you know?’
Lennox tapped his ear. ‘They talk to me.’
‘Christ.’
Paul cranked the window and lit a cigarette, blew smoke out.
Lennox nodded across the road. ‘The gate doesn’t look too bad. There’s bars across the middle I can use as footholds.’
‘And big metal spikes on the top,’ Ewan said.
‘Hang on,’ Paul said. The cigarette hung from his lip as he reached behind the seats. He opened a toolbox and rummaged. Ewan watched him and thought about how he didn’t own a toolbox. Some guys were toolbox guys, and he wasn’t one of them. He wondered if he would ever see his home back in Edinburgh again. It seemed an impossible dream.
Paul held up a pair of heavy bolt cutters. ‘These will work on the fence.’
Lennox reached across and took them, then he was out of the truck, Ewan scrambling behind. They crossed the road, Lennox with his hood up, head down, bolt cutters hidden up his hoodie. He had an empty backpack on his shoulder that had been stuffed in the footwell for the journey.
‘Hey,’ Paul said from the cab.
They turned.
Paul nodded at the fence. ‘Between the lights.’ Then he looked at a CCTV camera on a pole. ‘And away from the camera.’
‘Thanks,’ Ewan said and it sounded pathetic. He turned up the collar of his jacket but he was still obviously recognisable.
They reached the fence, knelt down in the weeds by the verge. Litter was caught in the scrub grass and fence links. Lennox pulled out the cutters and began snipping sections in a vertical line from the base up. When he’d done enough he bent one side away. Ewan bent the other and they stepped through.
There was enough light overspill to see around. The lot was flanked on the left by a cement works full of angular machinery and connecting funnels. Over the back were what looked like huge grain silos. It felt like they were being watched over by ancient gods. Dozens of cars and vans were parked up, squeezed into the space. Lennox walked along the first row, looking for any vehicle that was the right make and age. He had his finger to his ear like a bodyguard.
They moved to the next row. They found one camper but it was the wrong colour, much newer, bonnet caved in from an accident. Lennox jumped to the third row, ran up to each vehicle in the gloom, then away. Ewan moved to the fourth row, thinking about cameras. Maybe they weren’t on CCTV when they cut the fence, but surely there was coverage here. But what else could they do? He tugged at his collar again, kept his head down, checked the vehicles he came across. When he got to the end of the row, Lennox was there.
‘It’s not here,’ Lennox said.
Ewan looked around. Two articulated trucks were parked to the side of the lock-up garage, but there were no other vehicles.
‘It must be in the garage.’
Lennox was already on his way, bolt cutters ready. The large, corrugated-iron door was padlocked at the bottom and he cut through the bolt easily. He pulled the door up, the crank and rattle was almost deafening.
‘Jesus,’ Ewan said.
Lennox lifted the door a couple of feet off the ground then rolled under like Indiana Jones. Ewan followed. Inside was darker so he switched on his phone torch, swept it around. There were a dozen vehicles in here, some on risers for mechanics to work underneath. Lennox disappeared into the gloom at the back and Ewan searched in the other direction. He found the campervan against the wall and felt a thrill run through him.
‘Here.’
Lennox jogged over as Ewan got the spare keys out and opened the side door.
As soon as he did, he saw a shimmering light show, sinuous blues and greens pulsing into yellows and oranges, spotted patterns expanding and contracting, ripples over Sandy’s body as they launched themself into Lennox’s arms, tentacles swimming around him, touching his face, wrapping him in a hug, pulling him close. Lennox’s face was lit up and grinning.
‘Hello?’
This was from outside the lock-up, followed by the grind of the door opening further. A torch beam played over the vehicles.
‘Shit, get down,’ Ewan said, crouching behind a Nissan and yanking Lennox’s sleeve.
Lennox dropped with Sandy still in his arms. He stared at them and the light show faded to muted greys then disappeared.
‘Is someone in here?’
Inverness accent, rough and gravelly.
Ewan sneaked a look around the Nissan, saw a security uniform. The torch beam swept towards the car and he ducked back.
‘Get them in there,’ Ewan whispered, pointing at the backpack.
Lennox opened it and Sandy slid inside, shrinking their body and settling in, pulling tentacles inside.
Lennox zipped it closed. The noise of the zip was louder than Ewan expected.
‘Hey,’ the security guard said, torch sweeping in their direction. ‘The police are on their way. You’re in a lot of trouble.’
Ewan edged his head around the bumper, ducked back as the light swept past again. The guard was walking in their direction. The beam swept towards the back of the building and Ewan spotted their chance.
‘Go.’
He shoved Lennox who bolted off, bag on his back, bolt cutters in hand. He was fast. Jesus, to be a teenager again. Ewan scurried towards the open door, looking in the direction of the guard. He didn’t notice the oil canister until he tripped over it, heavy clang as oil sprayed over the ground and Ewan’s legs, making him slip and fall.
‘Hey.’
The torch beam lit him up and he could see the way to the door, where Lennox was already ducking under and away. He picked himself up and sprinted as fast as he could manage, slipping on the oil but righting himself.
‘Come back,’ the guard said, but Ewan didn’t turn. He slid to the ground and rolled under the door, his knees grazing the tarmac. He stood and ran for the fence where he could see Lennox crouching to get through.
Beyond the fence, Paul had the engine running.
‘We’ve got you on camera,’ the guard shouted behind him. ‘The police will get you.’
Ewan reached the fence and climbed through, heart pounding, knees aching, legs weak, but feeling more alive than he had in years. He heard a laugh and was surprised to realise it came from his own mouth.