CRIME ON THE FENS a gripping detective thriller full of suspense (19 page)

A soft knock on the door made her look up.

‘What am I missing?’ Joseph’s benign smile entered the room before he did, and he was greeted by a roar of laughter.

‘Bagsy you tell him, Dave!’ called out Cat, and Dave blushed even deeper.

‘Come in, Sergeant,’ said Nikki. ‘And believe me, you’ve missed nothing of importance. Well, nothing any of us are prepared to share with you right now.’ She turned to the others. ‘Okay, you two get onto those contact details, and let me know what you come up with. The sergeant and I are going out for a while.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The private hospital was concealed at the back of a small industrial estate. From the front it looked like an upmarket office block, nothing like a fancy clinic, and that was perfect as far as Nikki was concerned.

Mickey, now known as Jonas (from his favourite group) Lincoln (his favourite football team), was in a small private room on the first floor. When he saw Joseph, his eyes lit up. Then a sullen look spread across his face when he saw that his hero had not arrived alone.

‘Hi, champ! How’s the pain?’

‘Okay, I s’pose,’ he mumbled. ‘Who’s she?’

‘Well, that’s a nice way to talk to my boss!’ He grinned at the boy, then leant down and whispered something in the child’s ear. After a moment or two, Mickey gave her a half-hearted smile, and Joseph continued. ‘Right, let’s start again, shall we? Allow me to introduce Detective Inspector Nikki Galena. Guv’nor, this is Jonas Lincoln.’

‘Hello, Jonas. Do you like your new room?’

‘It has TV, loads of channels, look.’ He pressed a handset and the screen shot dizzily from programme to programme.

‘Mm, good stuff, and they tell me the food is ace, as well,’ said Nikki, hating the small talk, and desperately wanting to get on and grill the child.

‘I guess,’ he said miserably. ‘But everything tastes weird to me. The doc says I swallowed a lot of blood.’

‘It’ll pass and you’ll soon be enjoying whatever you want, you’ll see,’ said Joseph with a grin. ‘Now, are you up to answering just a few questions for us?’

‘I’m pretty tired.’ He closed his eyes, and blinked a few times for effect.

‘Then we’ll get it over very quickly, and you can rest,’ said Nikki. ‘Now, I’ve heard from my sergeant here that you’re a really smart kid, and I’m wondering if you know something about someone, something that no one else seems to know.’

Mickey drew himself up on his pillow and looked at her suspiciously. He reacted to the compliment, but was obviously wondering who she was talking about.

‘Ever heard of Frankie Doyle?’

Mickey didn’t even need to consider his reply. ‘I don’t like her!’

‘You know her?’

‘I’ve seen Marcus talking to her, and, hey, have you guys found Marcus? Is he okay?’

‘Sorry, sport, we’ve got no news for you yet.’ Joseph looked apologetic, then turned to Nikki and with a tiny wink, said, ‘See, ma’am, I told you this was the boy to ask! Not much gets past Jonas here! So you’ve actually met this Frankie Doyle?’

Mickey/Jonas visibly inflated when he heard Joseph’s words of praise. ‘I know her well enough to stay clear of her, and the people who do mix with her say she’s not right.’

‘Not right about what?’

‘Not right in the head, is what I mean.’ He shifted uncomfortably and clutched at his damaged ribs. ‘I don’t want to talk about her.’

‘Has she ever hurt you, Mickey?’ asked Nikki.

‘Don’t call me that! My name is Jonas! Sergeant Joe said so.’

‘I’m sorry, Jonas, but I have to know about her. Does she live near you?’

‘No. She moved away, but she’s been hanging around again.’

Nikki had a strong feeling that the boy had had some kind of dealings with her at some point in his young life, and she had not exactly made a good impression. ‘Does she hang around with Fluke?’

‘Maybe, but I’ve never seen them together.’ He looked at Joseph pathetically. ‘I’m really tired, Sergeant Joe. Can we leave it at that, please?’

‘Sure. One last question and we’ll be off. Have you seen her with anyone in particular?’

The boy shook his head slowly. ‘No. No one. But they say she’s hooked up with a drug dealer. Someone from out of town. That’s all I know. Honest.’

‘That’s cool, Jonas old buddy. You get some rest, I’ll check in on you later. Okay?’

As they left, Nikki spoke briefly to the two officers outside, then walked down the corridor to the lifts. Behind her she heard the ever-changing background noises from a dozen different television channels.

‘Oh my God!’ She clasped Joseph’s arm in horror. ‘What if he sees the news about Marcus’ death!’

‘It’s okay.’ Joseph touched her hand reassuringly. ‘I’ve already thought of that. I’ve tuned it in to specific channels, cartoon, film and kid’s stuff. It’s all pay-as-you-go, so I’ve set it up myself. He’ll get no nasty surprises from that particular television.’

Nikki relaxed, and he released his hand.

‘Oh yes, and what exactly did you whisper to him when we went in?’

‘Oh that! I told him that you were the really big cheese, and if I didn’t impress you, you could send me back to Fenchester.’ He gave her a rueful smile, ‘I told him to make me look good, or I’d be history.’

‘Mm, many a true word, and all that, Sergeant Joe. Maybe you should remember that for the future.’

* * *

On their return the station yard was packed with vehicles, and Nikki had to drive with great care through the crowds of officers and volunteer helpers.

‘What, more reinforcements? This looks like organised chaos!’ Joseph said in surprise.

‘The super said they were going to send us help from other forces.’ She looked around at the sea of uniforms. ‘At least they’ll be able to extend the search for Kerry out to the fen villages.’

‘About time,’ said Joseph gravely. ‘This is day four, if we don’t find Kerry soon, we’ll be searching for a body, not a survivor.’

They made their way up to the relative peace of the CID room, where they were met by a disconsolate Cat.

‘The officers who went out to my possible site for a mask making factory have found it totally cleared out, ma’am. It was definitely the right place, they’ve found odd pieces of rubber and a few damaged masks, but the trail ends there, I’m afraid.’ She looked down at the floor, clearly angry at herself. ‘It was gutted. All the equipment, the moulds and the basic ingredients have gone. If I’d just got on top of it a bit quicker, we may have got them.’

‘You did better than most, Detective. Don’t beat yourself up over it.’ Nikki stared at her thoughtfully. ‘I suppose they paid their rent in cash, and under a bogus name?’

‘Naturally. And scarpered owing most of it.’

‘No one saw them go? No one could identify their vehicles?’

Cat sighed. ‘Nope, and the area is dead seedy, no cameras, no security. They just disappeared into the night. It’s like they’d never existed.’

‘Cheer up. You did your best,’ said Nikki. ‘What are you working on now?’

‘Helping Dave to trace Lisa Jane’s movements on the CCTV.’

‘Good. Stick with that for the time being.’

As Cat left the room, Nikki was suddenly hit by a frightening thought, and one that left her mind reeling.

‘Something wrong, ma’am?’ Joseph stared at her.

For a moment she could only look at him, then she said, ‘I’m not sure. Grab us a drink, if you would. Something’s just occurred to me, and I could do with a hefty shot of caffeine to help me get my head around it.’

As Joseph went to the coffee machine, Nikki carefully removed a large map of Greenborough from the wall, took it into her office and tacked it up where they could see it.

Joseph placed the mugs on the desk then threw her a puzzled glance, but remained silent.

Still trying to rearrange her thoughts, Nikki pulled a tin of coloured marker pins from her drawer, and began to stick them in various parts of the map.

‘Think about this, Joseph, and tell me what it says to you. One, the mask factory shuts down. Two, the distributors of the masks are both disposed of. So?’

‘They’ve finished with them. No more use for them. Whatever they set out to do, has either been achieved, or for some reason they’ve given up,’ he paused. ‘And I don’t think it’s the latter.’

‘Nor do I.’ She fixed him with a steely stare. ‘And I’m pretty sure they have done
exactly
what they planned.’

‘Which was?’

‘You answered your own question as we drove into the car park. Chaos. Organised chaos, you said.’

Joseph stared at her uncomprehendingly.

‘What if . . .’ Nikki rubbed hard at her temples with her middle fingers and tried to concentrate. ‘What if this whole damn manic scenario, is just a smoke screen for something else? Something bigger!’ She began to pace the room, and suddenly felt other things start to slot into place in her mind. ‘Oh my God!’ She stared at the map. ‘Why didn’t I see this before!’

‘What?’ demanded Joseph. ‘What the devil have you seen? And what could be bigger than multiple murders and abduction?’

Nikki grabbed another handful of coloured pins. ‘Where do we believe Lisa Jane met with her killer?’ She stabbed a pin into the map. ‘Somewhere close to this area, right? Now,’ she didn’t wait for an answer, ‘we have the university, here.’ Another pin. ‘Kerry walked off from here, and was accosted on the seabank, at this point where her phone was found.’ A red pin. ‘Lisa Jane’s body was left in the barn way out here.’ She jabbed a blue pin into a spot close to the coastline. ‘And all those pins I’d already placed indicate Mickey’s list of where the masks were delivered and the specific places where the boys were told to take them.’ She drew in a deep breath and pointed at the map. ‘Notice anything, Joseph?’

For a moment, he frowned and stared unblinkingly at the pin-spotted map. Then his eyes widened, and his mouth made a silent ‘O’.

‘Exactly.’ She slowly circled her finger around the one area that was pin-free. ‘The docks! The
only
location in Greenborough that isn’t either heaving with flat-footed policemen, or being patrolled both day and night by vengeful criminals.
Something
is going to happen at the docks!’

Joseph sank down onto a chair. ‘I don’t believe it! You mean all these petty crimes, the gang fights, the mask war, the murders? All orchestrated just to keep us chasing our tails and tearing our hair out?’ His face paled. ‘Dear Lord! Even Kerry Anderson’s abduction?’

‘What better than a missing girl to tie up every man and woman on the force? And even our natural enemies, the Leonards, have been thrown into disarray while they hunt for the killer of one of their own. As you said, total chaos!’ She picked up her coffee, and drank it back. ‘And another thing,’ she picked up Joseph’s earlier report of his talks with Mickey and leafed swiftly through them. ‘I know exactly why they tried to kill your boy!’

She found what she was looking for, then flung the folder on the desk. ‘I thought so! Mickey Smith was selling masks to his cousin, who lives here.’ She stabbed a finger on the map. ‘In a small estate of cottages,
right
on the edge of the docks.’

Joseph puffed out his cheeks. ‘That’s why they were so specific as to where the masks were distributed! And why they chose the Carborough! The damned place is located way across Greenborough, at the farthest point from the docks.’ He leant forward, head in hands, ‘And Mickey, the silly little sod, was introducing the masks straight into their
mask-free zone
.’

‘And where there’s masks, there’s coppers, so he may possibly have corrupted their whole plan.’ She grimaced. ‘No wonder Fluke lost his rag. He could see the whole operation going straight down the pan.’

‘And the whole operation is . . . ?’

‘Drugs.’ Nikki almost whispered the word. In her world, it always came back to drugs. ‘Listen, I have to go speak to the superintendent. Meantime, do you have any mates in Peterborough CID? Someone both in the know, and that you trust implicitly?’

Joseph thought for a moment. ‘Yes I do. What do you want me to ask them?’

‘Word from the city street. Rumours of an incoming consignment, probably cocaine. A big one, and I mean really big. To go to all this trouble, it has to be massive.’

Joseph jumped up. ‘I’m onto it, ma’am.’

With her head still spinning, Nikki ran up to the superintendent’s office and told him everything that she suspected.

‘Would you ring that friend of yours, the one in the Met, sir? He helped me once before with information regarding a big drugs ring.’

Before she’d even finished speaking, Rick Bainbridge had picked up the phone and asked to be put through to London. Five minutes later, he carefully replaced the receiver on the handset, and looked at her squarely.

‘It looks like you are right, Nikki Galena! The undercover drugs squad have intercepted information that a huge amount of cocaine will be hitting the streets in the next few days. They just have no idea where or how it’s coming in.’ He ran a hand through his iron-grey hair and shook his head. ‘You really mean all this . . . this carnage, is a distraction?’

‘I do, sir. What would focus us more than a murder enquiry? What would stretch us to the limits more than a hunt for a missing girl?’

‘And what would use up our remaining manpower more than trying to quell a gang war? What’s the old saying? Divide and conquer?’

‘Well, sir, they’ve divided us, but I’ll be damned if they’ll conquer!’ Nikki’s brain was moving into overdrive. ‘The drop is obviously imminent, isn’t it? They’ve stopped making the masks, and killed off their distributor.’ Her eyes lit up. ‘But they have no idea that we have sussed what they are up to, and that puts us in the driving seat, sir! We need to get onto HM Customs and Revenue, and the Port Authorities and see what ships are due to berth in Greenborough Port.’