Driving was one of the pleasures of Daniels’ life. She never tired of it. But there was stuff she had to do and even she couldn’t work and drive at the same time, at least not on a laptop. So she took the unprecedented step of asking Gormley to drive down to the Mansion House as fast as the Toyota would carry them, calling Naylor from the car to give him an update and receive one in return.
‘Lisa’s squared things with Bryony Sharp,’ he told her. ‘And she’s also been doing some digging into the MAC Flying Club. They are up to their wings in shit, within an inch of being wound up – there’s possible motive there.’
‘Except there’s been no demand for a ransom and no further contact from Jess’s abductors since the very first day—’
‘According to Finch!’ Naylor reminded her. ‘Bright tells me he’s a bit of a maverick. Always was. Maybe he’s going it alone.’
‘Don’t think so.’ Daniels went quiet, reminded of her conversation with Finch in the early stages of the case. Even if they continue, I will not be blackmailed! He refused to be intimidated, didn’t strike her as the sort who’d submit to the demands of others, under any circumstances. No. He’d see that as a weakness, something to resist at all costs. ‘The note he received was never about money, guv. It was designed to torment him. Think about it: he didn’t have the best relationship with Jessica and I gather she was pretty headstrong. So when she disappeared he wouldn’t have known whether she’d gone off of her own free will or not.’
‘So if it weren’t for the note, he’d never have known that someone had taken her?’
‘Precisely! Receiving that note – and the text sent from her mobile – guarantees ongoing pain and suffering. Mental torture, if you will. His imagination will be working overtime for as long as she remains missing. Is she alive? Suffering a horrible lingering death? What do these people want from him? You get what I’m saying?’
‘Seeing as you put it so eloquently.’
Daniels dropped the subject. ‘Is there any other news?’
‘The Durham lads interviewed Freek.’
‘Did they get anything from him?’
‘Maybe. They’ve gone back to Aykley Heads to mount an operation of their own. He’s still in custody, but he’s their problem, not ours.’
Daniels shook her head in frustration as Gormley was forced to slow to a crawl in a long line of cars stuck in roadwork hell. The mention of Durham HQ reminded her of the last time she was there, at a Bike Wise event run by the constabulary’s motorcycle section. A great day out, one of few she’d had in the past twelve months. If she was on her bike now, the roadworks she was staring at through the window would melt away.
Sensing her irritation, Gormley pulled on to the hard shoulder and shot past the line of cars. Unadulterated road rage contorted the faces of the other drivers as they sped away.
Daniels liked his style.
‘Did Andy manage to get hold of Finch’s army records?’ Daniels asked.
‘He did, but only after a monumental battle with the MOD.’
‘Pearce and Townsend’s too, I hope! Did Lisa tell him I wanted Cole’s too?’
‘I believe so. How’s it going your end?’
‘We’ve interviewed Cole and Fairley, guv.’ Daniels felt awkward calling him guv. Somehow it sounded wrong. Bright would always be her guv’nor, despite his bad temper, his bad manners and latterly, she’d learned, his spectacular bad judgement in relation to Adam bloody Finch. She was still really angry with him. ‘I have to say, the business looked to be thriving to me. I’m on my way to see Finch right now.’
‘Because?’
‘I wanted to run their names by him and see the whites of his eyes when I do.’
‘Interesting.’ Naylor’s voice was drowned out by an internal phone ringing somewhere close by. ‘Kate, I’ve got to—’
‘Damn!’ Gormley swore under his breath. ‘We missed him.’
Putting his foot on the brake pedal, Gormley glanced in the rear-view mirror. Daniels asked Naylor to hang on. She swivelled round in her seat, just in time to see a Jaguar XJ Portfolio disappearing round the bend.
‘Want me to turn around?’ Gormley asked.
‘Sure it was him?’
‘Positive.’ Gormley smacked his hand on the dash in anger. ‘What a bloody waste of time! Told you we should’ve phoned ahead!’
‘Push on, Hank.’ Daniels was calm. ‘There’s method in my madness. It’s Brian Townsend I’d really like a word with.’
Gormley’s brow creased. ‘Why?’
‘Let’s just say he’s a bit more truthful and lot more pliable than the rest.’
‘Kate?’ Naylor was back in Daniels’ ear. ‘Is everything OK?’
‘Everything’s fine, guv. I’ll catch you later.’
Naylor told her to take care and she hung up.