Chapter 47: Chapter 47

Five Years Ago “Chad, can I talk to you.”

His eyes lift to hers. "Hello, Jenny. What is it?”

“I wanted to tell you, I'm leaving.”

“I ... kind of expected it.” His words come out all in a rush. “Jenny, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault….”

“When I first came here I thought I was in heaven. It's different now.”

“You’ll want the divorce of course.”

“Yes, I do. I want to be free. I want my life back.”

“Just send the papers. I'll sign whatever you need…. You can tell the lawyer to send the bill to me as well. I’ll pay it.” He bites down on guilt and shame, tries to focus. “What will you do?”

“I’m not sure. I'll probably go to the City. Find work. Take it from there.”

“When are you going?”

“Tomorrow. I just want to leave quietly. You won't tell anyone will you? Not yet anyway.”

“No, not if you don’t want me to. I won't tell anyone.”

*****

The following morning, she rises early, everything already packed. She thinks to leave alone but as she slings the rucksack over her shoulder and walks down the track, at the end, Chad is waiting for her.

“Let me carry that for you. Walk you to the bus stop.”

“I'd like that.”

They don’t talk much. What is there to say?

“Are you still angry with me?”

“I have my moments, but no mostly I'm not. I think maybe I should have done this a while ago. I thought I belonged here, but I don't. It’s best this way.”

The bus rumbles up, hissing as it stops. Chad slings the rucksack up onto the luggage rack.

“Have a good life Jenny. I hope you find someone you deserve.” He brushes her cheek. “I still think you're the most beautiful thing I ever saw. You take care.”

“You too.”

And with a grinding of gears, throwing dust into the air, the bus pulls away.

Chad stands and watches until it vanishes from sight.

*****

The Present Getting in is easy, everything as planned.

At the door, I tap the buzzer. A muffled voice comes through and almost immediately, the door opens….

No sense of security….

It’s the Haswell woman. As she sees us, her face contorting, she tries to scream, but a pad of chloroform over her face muffles her voice and has her struggling weakly. Kjelle knocks her out properly with a jab from his hypo.

Where are the men?

In the background - the hiss of a shower running.

Leaving Magnus by the door keeping watch, pushing the Haswell woman inside with us, we enter, quickly.

And our Jennifer is there, but sitting at a desk, looking at a laptop screen.

As we enter, her expression of intense concentration morphs, horror and fury warring on her face, as she struggles to stand….

“Hello again, Jennifer,” I grin.

…. but she’s trapped between seat and desk and can’t disentangle herself before Gunther is on her.

She’s trying to scream for help. “Micha….”

Michael? The blond one….

In the shower…?

I keep an eye on the bathroom door, in case he hears and comes out. He can’t be discounted. He took out two of ours on a previous occasion.

But you’ll not have an axe with you in there….

…. Or will you?

Better just to take them and go….

… but Lars is fast, getting the pad over her mouth, gagging her racket and making her woozy, or at least forcing her to hold her breath.

I nod Kjelle across and again, a jab from the syringe and she goes limp.

Kjelle and Gunther tape them up, gag, ankles, wrists, then, a flash from Magnus; the way out is clear, pressing a finger to my lips, I nod them out with the women.

I leave, grinning….

Payback time….

*****

Outside, quickly and quietly, we put the women in the back of the van.

“I need to report back at the station. Make sure I’m not missed.”

Gunther nods. “No problem. We’ll deliver them. You got a message or anything?”

“Just tell him I’ll join you at the end of my shift. Now go. Drive normally and don’t do anything to get yourself noticed.”

He gives me an old look. “Bech….”

“Alright, alright you know what you’re doing. I’ll see you later.”

*****

James My phone rings, Michael’s avatar flashing up. “Hi, Michael, what can I…?”

His voice is urgent, fast. “James. Charlotte and Beth are gone! Are they with you?”

Christ!

“No. They’re fucking not!” I flag Richard, whose eyes widen as I jam my mobile onto loudspeaker. “I thought you were supposed to be keeping an eye on them?”

Richard is already moving, slamming at the panic-button he had installed to get Security moving.

Michael sounds as near to panic-stricken as I’ve ever heard him. “I was in the shower. When I came out, about a minute ago, they were gone, and there’s signs of a struggle. Where’s Richard?”

“He’s here…. raising the alarm as we speak.”

There’s a rustling at the other end of the phone. “Oh shit!”

“Michael? Michael, what is it?”

And now there’s terror in his voice. “James. We know who the police spy is. He’s among the faces Charlotte was looking through. It’s Corby.”

Corby?

“Corby? Who.… Oh, fuck! That police officer that interviewed her? The one that tried to go after me?”

“Yes, him.”

Richard, already with his own mobile pressed to an ear, slow blinks, rubbing the back of his neck. “Will, we’ve found your leak. It’s Corby….”

I’m still talking with Michael. “Get outside to the back. I’ll go around the front. The security guards should be there ahead of us.”

But there is nothing to see.

As we run, meet, run the other way, still there is nothing.

*****