Speeding up, Tom glanced in the rear-view mirror at Callum sitting behind Tamara. He was staring out of the window, his expression unreadable. “Why don’t you tell us about it.” Callum knew the question was directed at him for he glanced forward, locking eyes with him in the mirror for a brief second before he returned his gaze to the road. “You know what I mean. What’s the story between you, Ken and Jane? We know there is one.” Callum stared straight ahead, as if he was looking through Tamara in front of him and eyeing the road ahead. His gaze drifted back to the landscape passing alongside them.
“Aye and what would you know?”
So far, he wouldn’t take the bait but Tom was certain that he had captured Callum’s attention. “We know about you and Jane.” Tamara cast him a sly sideways glance, circumspect but clearly willing to let him run with it. “How long has that been going on?” Choosing his words carefully, not wanting to overplay his hand.
“You should nae be listening to gossip, Janssen,” Callum replied, looking forward once again. His tone dismissive. “That was all a long time ago.”
“A few weeks back wasn’t so long ago, was it?” There was a softening of Callum’s expression rather than the hardening of it that he’d anticipated once scratching the surface. “Jane’s not one to hold back.” Still no response was forthcoming. “I guess she took offence at the letters you’ve been leaving?” The suggestion was something of a gamble but delivered with confidence, masking his fishing expedition.
“She told you about that, huh?” Callum sniffed loudly, drawing the back of his hand across his nose. “Sometimes it’s the only way to get tae people, make ’em see what they’re doing wrong. Jane and that daft husband of hers.”
“Sending them threats is a bit… childish for you, isn’t it?” Janssen eyed the mirror. The accusation hit home. He could tell by the sideways half-smile crossing Callum’s face.
“Is that what she said?” Janssen glanced over his shoulder at him. “I’ll bet there’s a lot about the lass you din nae ken.” Callum shook his head, glancing out of the window. “I never threatened her and that’s the truth. Her husband… now that’s a different matter but he deserves it.”
There was a steadfastness to the response that set him thinking. All the letters they’d seen were threatening in both words and tone. However, all were aimed squarely at Ken with no mention of his wife. From what they understood Jane learned of the letters from Ken at the same time as he told the police. Callum’s reaction was indicative of an altogether different turn of events. The short drive to the Francis house took less than five minutes with Janssen pushing hard. Approaching, he pulled the car to a stop on the grass verge fifty yards short of the property. Jane’s Range Rover could be seen parked to the rear with the charred remains of Ken’s studio taped off beyond it.
“Wait here,” Janssen said to Callum who was preparing to get out. He began a protest but it tailed off as Janssen glared at him. Tamara got out and came around to his side of the car.
“The ARV is ten minutes away,” she advised. “We could wait or…”
“A full tactical unit could spur him into doing something rash. Let’s remember he’s still a kid. This isn’t his type of thing. We stand a better chance of talking him down with a softer approach.”
“What if he’s already been?” He could sense stress in her voice and she was right. If they were too late, Mark could have been and gone leaving a trail of devastation behind. Alternatively, he may not have arrived yet and could be in the surrounding trees keeping watch for a moment of opportunity.
Taking out his mobile, Janssen called the house one more time. The call was picked up by the answerphone. He looked to Tamara and shook his head. “To stay or to go?”
“We go,” Tamara replied. He was pleased. Looking back at Callum, he pointed at him making it clear he was to stay in the car. “Let’s head to the rear. We’ll get a far better view of the interior from there.”
Aware that under a watchful eye their approach would be easily seen, they walked briskly through the gate and into the rear yard, hugging the wall of the main house just in case. Thankfully, the children would be at school. That gave them some measure of comfort. The first window they came to was positioned in the hallway leading to Ken’s home office. That door was closed and they could see into the boot room, the main access point into the property from the rear. The angle of view gave them only a slither of sight into it and the kitchen beyond. A shadow moved in the interior but who cast it was unknown.
Moving further along, they reached the entrance door. Janssen slipped past it and sidled up to the windows lining the kitchen overlooking the yard. Casting a last glance at Tamara for approval, she nodded and he chanced a peek into the house. Jane was in the kitchen, preparing some food on a chopping block, knife in hand. He let out a sigh of relief. Ken Francis was at the dining table, poring over a newspaper. Smiling at
