“I don’t like it, Dad, but I agree. No police.”
Francis walks back into the house. He goes and sits next to his wife as if to comfort her. It seems the police are still busy on their computers in the kitchen.
“Listen, darling,” he whispers, “Dad’s been on the phone. The girls are alive. The kidnappers sent a video to Dad with Leona holding a copy of yesterday’s newspaper. They’ve contacted him because they know the police are here. They’ve demanded a million and Dad’s got the money. We’ll have the girls back by tonight. He said not to involve the police and I agree.”
“Oh Francis, thank God for-”
“Schhh. We need to go through with this so they don’t think something is happening. Who knows, by the time we get to the police station, Dad might ring with news they’re safe. But we need to keep up appearances. Can you do that?”
“If it means the girls will be safe, of course I can.”
“All this about only sending one of the girls back, they told Dad it was done to scare us into paying. Dad will handle it while we’re doing this bloody TV thing. We can’t risk anything going wrong.”
The TV press appeal shows a photograph of the two girls dressed in skin-tight ripped jeans and figure-hugging tops with their long blonde hair and full lips.
The police are well aware the public tend to respond best to people who look good in photos so the photographs have been carefully chosen.
Within minutes, the ten phone lines set up in the control room at Trentbridge police station start ringing. It is the usual mixture of people trying to help and the crank calls that always follow a TV appeal.
People saying they have kidnapped the girls and they are in their basement, men saying they want to marry them, psychics claiming the girls are already dead and they can locate the bodies, and even someone who says he is a famous film producer who wants to feature them in his next film.
Chapter Fifty-Four
The kidnappers told Albert they would phone at one o’clock. That was twenty-eight minutes ago and so far no call. Albert double checks the dialling tone is working. He is getting worried. What if something has happened? How can he tell his son he got it wrong and the girls are not coming home?
Two minutes later the phone rings.
“Hello. Albert Mitten.”
“Have you got the money?”
“Yes, yes I have. It’s right here. I’ve got the million in cash. It’s all in £10 and £20 notes, as you wanted.”
“Listen very carefully. Don’t write anything down. Come alone. We are not stupid and we are not nice people if we are crossed. Don’t forget, if the police get involved and one of us gets caught, you’ll never see your granddaughters again.”
“I understand. Their safety is paramount. We haven’t called the police. I promise.”
“Take the mobile I sent and get in your car and drive to Pickstone and on to the Old Quarry Road. Go out of town towards Stonebridge Road and turn left. Drive along to the first layby that’s about one mile past the turn-off for Trentbridge Road that leads to Asbury Park and pull in and wait for my call. Got that?”
“Yes. Perfectly. I understand. We just want Erica and Leona back. We won’t do anything silly to jeopardise their safety.”
“Leave your house now.”
The line goes dead.
Albert pulls his car into the lay-by. He switches off the engine and waits for the call. A couple of cars drive past but they don't stop or even slow down.
Without warning, one of Albert’s rear passenger doors opens and a man with a mask jumps in. Albert can see him in the rear-view mirror and is about to turn round.
“Stay looking ahead. Have you got the money?”
“Yes. It’s in the boot. All of it.”
“Listen carefully. After I’ve taken the money, you drive on to Stonebridge and park on the market square and wait until I call you.”
“What about my granddaughters?”
“They’ll be released unharmed when I know it’s safe. Remember if I’m caught, one of my team will deal with the girls and you wouldn’t want that, would you?”
“No. No. Please let them go. I’ve done everything just as you instructed. The police know nothing. I haven’t told anyone. The girls, they’re all that’s important.”
The rear door opens and then the car boot. Albert can feel the rear of the car lift as the four suitcases of cash are taken out. The lid slams down. The man opens the rear passenger door.
“Remember, if anything happens to me…”
“Yes. I understand. I promise you, I haven’t told the police.”
“Okay. Drive at normal speed and wait for my call.”
Albert checks his side mirror, nothing is coming, and he drives off looking in the rear-view mirror and seeing the man drag the suitcases into the hedge. Then Albert loses sight of him as he drives on.
Two miles further down the road Albert fails to spot the Black BMW hiding behind a hedgerow. The car waits for thirty seconds and then drives out, heading back towards the lay-by and the money.
Albert drives into Stonebridge and parks on the market square as the kidnapper instructed. He waits for a phone call that will never come. But he isn’t to know that.
Chapter Fifty-Five
As so often happens, it can be down to one phone call from an
