50
Dan was still smiling at Gerald Dunsfold’s expression of horror. Having duped so many people for so long, the man had probably started to believe he really was a professor. He’d actually gone to Sheffield University, where he’d been awarded an exit pass for completing the first year of the degree course, but that was it. His PhD didn’t exist either, but that hadn’t stopped him from creating a successful career in the sciences. Why didn’t employers check potential employees’ credentials? All Dan had done was ring Oxford University – Christ Church College – and ask for verification of Dunsfold’s supposed first-class honours degree, and he’d immediately been alerted that Dunsfold wasn’t what he claimed.
Dan shook his head at the fallibility of humans as he walked back to Max’s. Three miles or so, but he didn’t want to use public transport. He loved London, loved walking its streets and inhaling sounds and sights that were far removed from his remote country lifestyle.
On the next corner, he passed a vibrant-looking Italian pizzeria and restaurant. Since Lucy wouldn’t be joining him tonight, he decided to stop and get something to eat. He ordered a beer. A pepperoni pizza with extra chilli. He rang Jenny and Aimee, checked in. All was well.
After a coffee he paid the bill, resumed his walk. It was dark, but light shone from windows on either side. People were at home, unwinding after a day at work, putting their kids to bed. He could smell suppers cooking and was glad he’d eaten.
He was on the corner of Redcliffe Gardens, pondering whether he and Jenny might ever move back to London, when something began tapping his consciousness. He didn’t look around immediately, but slowed his pace, pretending to fiddle with his phone to see if anyone slowed down with him. He then put his phone away and started walking briskly. Behind him, the man who’d slowed when he had also speeded up. Probably not a professional or Dan might not have noticed him so quickly.
Dan turned left at the next street and paused in front of a shop window, sliding his eyes left. He wasn’t surprised to see Gerald Dunsfold appear around the corner. He was just yards away, and the second Dunsfold realised it, his face turned panicky and he bolted back where he’d come from. Dan almost laughed, the man looked so comical.
What to do about him? Dunsfold wouldn’t have known Dan had pinged him and would no doubt continue to follow. He didn’t want to lead him back to Max’s flat and supposed he’d better lose him. He started walking down the street towards Fulham Road, planning to jump on a bus and then catch a tube. From there he’d continue to dry clean until he was sure Dunsfold was no longer behind him, but he doubted he needed to be so assiduous. Just catching the bus should be enough.
Halfway down the street, he heard a car behind him, watched it sweep past. A van followed, pulling over just ahead of Dan and stopping. Automatically Dan switched to cross the road but to his astonishment, the back doors of the van swung open and two men in dark clothes, faces obscured in balaclavas, spilled out. They came straight for him. Both held weapons.
For one horrifying moment Dan was frozen, unable to believe it, but then instinct kicked in and he turned and ran.
Dunsfold had friends. Nasty friends, whom he’d called. They’d responded fast. Dunsfold had power, or knew someone who did. Someone who didn’t like it that Dan knew their precious professor was a fraudster.
He had to get out of the neighbourhood. These men might not have come alone.
Footsteps pounded behind him. Just the two men. No Dunsfold.
He ran at full throttle. Hurtled down the street. He needed to get to Fulham Road and its bright lights, cars, buses, people. His breath was hot in his throat, his heart pounding.
Was he gaining on them?
Just ahead, someone opened the front door of their house, spilling light outside. Dan pelted straight for it and whoever was there. He had to get to the house, leap inside and slam the door shut on his pursuers. Then he could call the police.
Dan veered into the front garden and at the same time the door closed. Had they heard his pounding footsteps? Please God they hadn’t locked their door…
He was halfway up the path, powering for the door, when he felt an electric rolling wave travelling up his body and into his groin. His body exploded into unbearable pain.
His body stiffened, every muscle contracting into a penetrating cramp.
His legs locked.
He dropped like a stone, sprawling across the path.
‘Police!’ Dan tried to shout. ‘Call the police!’
But all that came through his lips was a wheeze.
Suddenly, the pain went. Vanished. He knew what had happened. He’d been tasered, with 50,000 volts. But the electricity had stopped and he could now function again.
Dan forced himself to get to his feet and run.
‘Get down,’ a man said.
Dan powered forward, every cell, every vein leaping, reaching for the safety of the house.
A blistering pain felled him again. He couldn’t crawl, couldn’t move.
‘Yeah, grab him. Quick.’
He felt hands on his arms and legs. He tried to lash out, but his legs wouldn’t work. Bodily, the men hauled him upright. Dan tried to fight but his limbs were soft, his head lolling uselessly to one side.
He was shouting, yelling, but his throat was jammed. He didn’t make a sound.
The pain stopped once more. He braced himself to fight against his captors. Began to unwind his muscles from their tension, their shock.
He uncoiled as hard and fast as he’d been trained all those years ago. Grabbed one man’s hand and snapped it straight backwards. Heard the crackle as it broke. The man screamed. Dan kneed him savagely in the groin. He didn’t wait for the man to topple but flew for his other opponent.
Another blast from
