The van came to a halt, and taking no chances, Roger opened the back doors and stepped back while holding the Taser gun in one hand, a powerful torch in the other and a baseball bat on the floor close by as back up.
With no movement, he shone the torch into the van. Slowly the figure sat up. Roger could see the handcuffs and cable ties were still in place. He brought over a large trolley on wheels, the type used by garden centres to haul their plants around. The level was virtually the same as the floor of the van. He tied some rope around Tyson’s legs and then hauled him from the van onto the trolley, making sure he was a few feet away at all times. He couldn’t afford to underestimate what this person was capable of.
Once he was satisfied his prisoner was still secure, Roger pulled the trolley into the nearest of two metal shipping containers placed side by side that had originally been intended to store hay and feed for the horses but had never been used.
Once inside, Roger picked up the Taser and hit Tyson to ensure he would be in no fit state to attack him as he transferred him to the wooden slab he had prepared.
The slab consisted of a piece of solid oak about two metres high and one metre wide and as thick as a door. It was covered on one side with a thin layer of foam. The other side had four square metal plates, about eight inches square. Each one had a bolt attached that went through the wood and on to the side with the foam. Attached to the two lower bolts were metal bracelets that had been specially made to fit around both of Tyson’s ankles. The two other plates had bracelets for his wrists. It would take the strength of an elephant to break any of the short chains. It was virtually upright against one side of the container.
After buying the oak, Roger had taken it to his engineering factory and together with a couple of his best employees, had added the items of hardware. They had shown surprise at the items but had not dared to ask their boss why he was constructing such a strange piece of apparatus.
Roger first cut the cable ties around Tyson’s feet and placed the metal brackets around his ankles. Next, he took out the key and unlocked the cufflinks and transferred Tyson’s wrists to the brackets and locked them.
Just to be sure, Roger then took a length of chain and placed it around Tyson’s waist. Each side then went through a metal-rimmed hole on each side of his body, which he then secured with a powerful padlock.
By the time Roger was satisfied his prisoner was secure, it was 2 a.m. He had been up for nearly twenty hours. He closed the doors to the metal container and padlocked it. The container had air holes, so he knew Tyson wouldn’t die due to lack of oxygen. More’s the pity, Roger thought.
Chapter Thirty-Six
THE EXCHANGE
The alarm Roger had set on his watch announced the time was midday.
His natural reaction was to check his phone, which he’d switched off before driving to the car park the previous night. He was aware the phone could be tracked, and as Phil Jones had reminded him on more than one occasion, the police believed Kevin O’Connor had someone on the inside, and that person might be able to find his location via the movement of his mobile phone.
He had slept in the other container. Earlier in the day, he visited the local furniture store and purchased a folding bed and brought it back in the VW van.
By 2 p.m., Roger had refreshed himself and eaten a meal, although he didn’t feel too much like food, he needed to be alert and ready if he was going to make sure O’Connor didn’t get the better of him.
Roger couldn’t afford to make a mistake if he wanted to see his father alive.
He checked in on Tyson.
“You bastard. My father’s going to cut you up into little pieces and feed you to the fish.”
“From where I’m standing you’re in no position to threaten me. You killed my mother. I would be extremely careful how you talk to me, or I might decide to do the same to you.”
Tyson looked down and went silent.
Roger closed the doors to both containers and got into the van he had parked round the side and drove off until he reached the branch of Tesco’s on the other side of Trentbridge and drove to the far side of the car park.
He dialled the number he had for Kevin.
“Yeah.”
“How’s my dad?”
“Fine and dandy.”
“Let me speak to him.”
“He’s not here.”
“What do you mean he’s not there? What have you done with him?”
“Calm down. What I mean is I’m not at the place where he is enjoying our hospitality.”
“Then phone me back when you are, and I’ll tell you where your son Tyson was last night.”
And with that, Roger hung up.
Let him sweat for a while, he thought.
An hour later, Roger’s phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Hello, son.”
“Is that you, Dad? Are you alright?”
“Yes, son. I’m okay. Don’t let these bastards try–”
Kevin’s voice came on the phone. “See, I told you he was fine.”
“You’d better keep him that way. If any harm comes to him, then Tyson gets the same.”
“What are you on about?”
“Last night. I kidnapped your son. I’m holding him. He’ll come to no harm as long as my father stays healthy. You understand?”
“No, no. My son is at home.”
“I think you had better check before you say that. Last time I saw him he was securely tied up, as I’m sure you have done with my father. Oh, and when we meet for the exchange, you had better bring him a fresh pair of trousers. He’s had an accident in the ones he’s currently wearing.”
“If you harm my son
