Deadly Intent

large leather swivel chair behind his desk, but Anna couldn't sit, she was so eager to give him the update.Langton listened as she described the sighting at the farmhouse of Adrian Summers, certain she was correct. She gave details of how, after two hours, Gordon had traced a large boat called Maiden to Brighton Marina. The boat had to give the harbormaster details of ownership: the name was one of Alexander Fitzpatrick's aliases. The same boat was now anchored in Chelsea harbor. According to the harbormaster, it had been registered there for only one month.'I went along with your theory, but now I've come up with a slightly different one.' Anna's chest heaved because she was talking so fast; Langton had to gesture for her to slow down. Anna dragged out papers from her briefcase. One of the things that had bothered her was the scrap of paper with directions to the farm—written, they believed, by Damien Nolan. How had that paper got into the Mitsubishi's glove compartment? If, as they believed, Fitzpatrick knew the location, why would there be directions? Unless ...

'The white van hired to collect the drugs: what if that van was driven by Adrian Summers to Honey Farm? We've so far not found any trace of the drugs: what if they were taken there, straight from Gatwick, and the directions were for him to find it? The van is then emptied and driven back to London by Summers. By this time, the stuff from that glove compartment has been put into the Mitsubishi: this includes the directions, money, and maybe one box of drugs—for sales purposes, you know? Fentanyl is not a common street trader's drug, right?' Anna fumbled with her array of papers. 'This would place Fitzpatrick at the farmhouse when Julius D'Anton is sniffing around the cottage, trying

to find some antiques. He takes advantage of the jeep sitting there and nicks it. On board he has, as you suggested, the box of drugs.'

The desk phone rang. Langton picked it up, then switched it to speakerphone. Phil, who had been sent to Chelsea harbor with two other officers from the team, was now able to verify that the boat was occupied by a young blond guy, identified as Adrian Summers. There was no sign of Fitzpatrick, or the children, but the harbormaster said he had seen two small boys on deck two days ago. As the call continued, with Phil obviously somewhere he could monitor the boat, he swore. Walking along the harbor was the au pair, carrying two bags of groceries.

Langton gave out the order to maintain surveillance, and not to approach the boat. He was silent for a few moments before asking Anna to take him through exactly what had happened on her first visit to the farm. She described how they had been lost, so had stopped at the small cottage and spoken to the elderly woman who had directed them to the farm. They had found Honour around the back of the house, tending to the henhouse. Anna went on to explain about the painting of the boat that was subsequently removed.

She took out a map and indicated the route Julia Brandon had taken on her last journey, from Wimbledon out to the A3 and then a loop, as if going back to the M40. 'What if she knew she was being followed and tried to throw off the surveillance vehicle? They kept on saying she was driving at a reckless speed; what if she was trying to head toward Brighton, and the boat?'

Langton stood up. They had enough supposition, he said; now they had to act on the possibility that they had their man cornered. If he attempted to withdraw any of the money that he had forced Rushton to transfer for him, they could track him. So far there had been no withdrawals, and still no sighting of him, so where was he?

As they went down in the lift together, he smiled at her, and touched the nape of her neck. 'Good work, little one. You are working on the adrenaline rush. I know just what it feels like.'The touch of his fingers to her neck sent shock waves through her, but she said nothing. He was right, she was buzzing.

She turned to him. 'They searched the farm, right? Found nothing. If Honour was tipped off by my visit, enough to remove the painting, then she would also know enough to be wary about the drugs. I think they were stashed in the henhouse.'

They were heading toward the patrol car, when Anna stopped in her tracks. 'She was very relaxed when the search went down—because she knew we'd find nothing.' She looked up at him. 'We never searched the cottage, did we! The old lady said it had been refurbished, with all mod cons. She could be connected—I mean, she could have tipped Honour off about me making inquiries, which was why she was locking up the henhouse.'

Anna was rubbing her head so that her hair stood up on end, as the sirens screamed and they sped across London. Langton turned around in the front seat and touched her knee. 'Just relax. I agree with you. I think we've got Fitzpatrick cornered. Now we bring in Honour and Damien Nolan.'

The station was on full alert as Langton arranged for a helicopter to get to Oxfordshire fast. The local constabulary were on standby to assist in the arrests, and to instigate the search of the cottage. Via their surveillance officers, they were told that both Damien and Honour were still at home. Langton had said he wanted to go in very softly, no sirens blazing. He spent considerable time orchestrating the hit. In the meantime, the surveillance on the Maiden in Chelsea harbor was stepped up and they ran a check on the cottage, specifically the old lady.

By the time the helicopter had landed in a field over a mile from the farmhouse, Anna's stomach was in a tight knot. At the Chelsea Marina, there was still no sighting of Fitzpatrick, so the surveillance officers were instructed to stay back and wait. Langton was using his mobile, listening to a call; when he shut it off, he gave one of his strange short laughs. 'She's his fucking mother! Mrs. Doris Eatwell—previously married to Alistair Fitzpatrick—and she's owned that cottage for forty years. 'The patrol cars were lined up at the end of the lane, leading into the dirt track to the farmhouse. It was a clear sunny day. As everyone waited for orders, it was the sound of birds twittering that Anna found extraordinary; on the surface, it was all so peaceful. Langton was concerned that somehow Adrian Summers might have been contacted, so decided that they should move in to the boat at the same time. The two sisters were dressed as boys, so he made certain that Phil had photographs to prove their identity, though he was sure that they were Julia Brandon's children.It was now 4:15 P.M. Langton and Anna, in the lead patrol car, drove past the cottage and stopped. Behind them came two more patrol cars and a van, with four locals to begin the search of the cottage and outhouses. Anna watched them heading up the flower- bordered pathway. Before they reached the front door, Mrs. Eatwell opened it. She appeared frightened as they showed their warrants; then they were inside. At the same time, two more uniformed officers with sniffer dogs approached the garage. Snapping off the padlock, they heaved open the old wooden door, which swung upward and back into the small garage. Two more uniformed officers went over to the tumbledown greenhouse and lean-to sheds.The search began.It didn't last long. The officer who had entered the garage walked out and signaled to Langton. They had found the 'mother lode,' protected by only a cheap padlock and covered by a tarpaulin. 'Crates up to the ceiling, about thirty of them.' Langton clapped his hands and gave the go-ahead to the driver to continue up the lane. Anna looked from the rear window to see Mrs. Eatwell being led to a patrol car and helped inside. She appeared to be crying.It took no more than five minutes to drive up the narrow lane and reach the open gate. The car behind Langton drove around to the rear of the farmhouse. Hemmed in, with more officers still in their surveillance positions, Langton and Anna walked around the side of the house. Honour was baking bread, her hands covered in flour. Damien was sitting at the kitchen table, marking up papers from his lectures. Langton leaned on the half-open stable door and showed his warrant card.Anna was fascinated by Honour's reaction. On hearing she was being arrested, she asked if she could wash her hands. Damien screwed back the top of the fountain pen he had been using and carefully placed itdown on top of the papers. They were separated and led to two different patrol cars, and driven past the cottage that now looked as if it was under siege, with so many uniformed officers around. Honour showed no reaction when she was told that Mrs. Eatwell had also been arrested. Damien sat with his head bowed, hands held loosely together; he glanced at the action around the cottage but then, like his wife, chose to say nothing.At the local station, they were read their rights and the charges against them, and told that they would be driven to London to answer questions. Neither said a word; they did not appear resigned or scared about their situation, but quietly confident. Damien had written down names of two solicitors he wished to represent him and his wife. Phil had gone on board the Maiden at exactly four-fifteen. The two children were watching a DVD on a small TV in the main cabin. Adrian Summers was lounging on a bunk bed, reading some maps. Mai Ling was cooking their tea; she started screaming hysterically when they showed their warrants. The little girls had short, boyish haircuts, but were well and, although initially frightened by the appearance of so many officers, were excited to be driven in a patrol car with the siren wailing, their au pair seated between them. Adrian Summers acted the innocent, but then grew quiet as he too was led out to a patrol car. By the time arrangements had been made for the children to be placed in care with a family liaison officer, Adrian Summers had been read his rights, and the charges of drug trafficking and perverting the course of justice. He had become very agitated, and was placed in a holding cell. When Langton and Anna questioned Mrs. Eatwell, she