‘Okay,’ I said as forcefully as I could muster – mostly for my own benefit. ‘It’s time to go.’
Amanda sounded shocked when she said, ‘Wait, what? We need to have some kind of plan first, surely. You already said this was a trap.’
I paused to tighten the Velcro on my Kevlar stab vest. ‘I have a plan. I’ll explain it on the way.’
‘What about weapons?’ asked Big Ben.
‘We’ll get those on the way too.’
Outside the office, the streets were filled with people excited for Christmas. Midnight was only hours away and the sun was on its way down.
While the world around us revelled in the joys of the holiday season, we were going to storm a madman’s underground fortress, take on a force of unknown size and attempt to rescue three people. It was foolhardy beyond belief, and I felt no choice but to do it anyway.
I had just one ace up my sleeve and it was based entirely on a hunch. The Sandman was too confident. He believed we were going to do exactly as he demanded, and he was right, sort of.
The bunker in Cobham Woods was a trap. A dead end where he could easily trap us, but an underground bunker with just two access points was a trap for those already inside too. Something about it did not feel right, by which I mean, I didn’t believe he was going to allow us to corner him there.
Leaving the back of the office to pile into Jagjit’s car, I fingered the tracking device in my pocket and failed to notice a shadow lean out from the wall opposite.
Quinn. Reason to get Excited? Saturday, December 24th 1441hrs
‘Copeland what have you to report?’ Chief Inspector Quinn had been anxiously waiting to hear from his plain-clothes men. With fifty officers in a hastily requisitioned school gymnasium, the task of sifting through all they had taken from the houses owned by Ramsey Mitchell and from the Blue Moon office was going well, but it was yet to yield a result.
There was just too much data. From the house in New Ash Green alone there was enough paperwork, documents, books, photographs, and other items to keep a team going for a year.
Yet the clock was ticking, and it grew dark outside. He couldn’t tell how much of James Butterworth’s research could be trusted, and it was clear from the odd crossdresser’s notes that he was guessing most of his conclusions about the serial killer. However, his belief that the victims would be killed the night they were kidnapped was not only plausible but likely.
It meant James Butterworth and Constable Van Doorn were already dead. It was annoying but if that were the case, there was nothing he could do about it. Saving Karen Gilbert would be enough to ensure he was recognised. There would be a commendation at least.
Constable Bob Copeland peeled out of the shadow behind the Blue Moon office in Rochester as he watched the utility vehicle gather speed over the cobbled road.
‘They are moving, sir,’ he gasped into his radio as he ran.
He’d been given warning they were heading his way by his partner for the night, Constable Danny Hurst. Danny was watching the front which at least gave him something to look at. Standing in the shadows behind the office was boring. Bob was cold and his feet had gone to sleep an hour ago.
Neither man complained though. They both knew Jan and knew the code: we do everything to protect our own.
Danny was already at the car, clambering into the driver’s seat when Bob arrived.
‘They are in a car, sir,’ PC Copeland reported. ‘We are following.’
‘Good,’ murmured Chief Inspector Quinn. ‘Stay with them. Let me know where they go.’
‘There’s something else, sir,’ Bob added. ‘Two men came to the office about half an hour ago.’
Quinn found he was squinting, desperate to hear what the man might say next.
‘Sir, one opened and shut the back door to get their attention, and the other ducked inside to leave a box in their office. Both then ran away. We didn’t see where they went, but they were wearing black robes, sir.’
Bob didn’t say it but had been worried about revealing this little snippet of information. The chief inspector was a harsh critic and unforgiving if anyone did anything he thought was the wrong thing to do. He discussed what they ought to do with Danny at the time but both agreed their orders were to watch the Blue Moon team so that was what they did.
Quinn’s heart beat a quick staccato. This could be exactly what he was hoping for.
‘Stay on them, keep me informed and whatever you do, do not let them out of your sight. If you lose them, don’t bother coming back unless it’s to clear out your lockers. Out.’
With the call ended, the two constables shared a worried look. They were following the Blue Moon team but had to try to look like they were not following. There was no back up team that could swing into position if the people ahead spotted their tail. Cautiously, and trying to keep at least one car between them, they drifted along in the wake of the utility vehicle.
Big Ben. Tooling Up. Saturday, December 24th 1520hrs
Jagjit’s car could easily seat five, but there were six of us which made it a squeeze. I offered to have Alice sit on my lap in the back. I was just trying to be helpful, but Jagjit eyed me as if I might be trying to
