The Stealers Page 21

  It was Bradley’s turn to look thoughtful, ‘You know… that may be the best answer.’

  Ryan felt relieved and was bold enough to ask, ‘Have you got my money?’

  Bradley was irritated by this, but he managed not to show it, ‘Erm, tomorrow. I’ll sort it out tomorrow after Crane has been taken care of.’

  They were about to get up and leave when an old Rover zipped past, swung across the road and parked in the lay-by near to Bradley’s BMW.

  ‘That’s him,’ they said simultaneously in hushed tones.

  *

  Crane dashed into the police station and Daniella leapt up from her chair and ran into his arms. A policeman appeared at the desk, ‘Can I be of assistance to anyone?’

  Crane smiled, ‘No thanks, we’re just leaving.’

  The policeman tried not to return the smile, looked down and said firmly, ‘This is not a meeting place you know,’ but when he looked up, they had slipped out through the door.

  Throughout their journey to Palmers Rise in Canford, Daniella calmly related everything that had happened from the time she had arrived at Crane’s cottage.

  *

  Ryan and Bradley stared after Crane’s departing car. Ryan leant across the table and said tentatively, ‘Do you think it’s worth pursuing him any more? I mean, the damage has been done; you know, cut and run, so to speak. After all, you’ve still got his car and we are both leaving the area anyway.’

  Bradley’s dark eyes bored deep into Ryan’s skull, making him shiver inside until eventually he turned his head away. ‘It’s become personal,’ Bradley hissed. ‘I’ll figure something out. There is no way he is going to be let off the hook, and that’s final!’

  The pair sat in front of empty glasses for a while saying nothing to each other until a waitress appeared and scooped up the empties. Looking at Ryan she broke the silence with, ‘Would there be anything else?’

  Ryan flicked his eyes at Bradley for guidance on answering such a mundane question, ‘No we’re leaving. Give us the bill,’ was Bradley’s gruff response as he shuffled back his chair and stood up whereupon she turned on her heels and left.

  They walked towards their parked cars in silence until suddenly Bradley became animated and said, ‘I have an idea. I’ll pick you up this evening about six-thirty.’

  Ryan felt impotent; he did not want any more hassle, but neither did he want to antagonise Bradley and so he replied lamely, ‘What’s the plan?’

  A smile spread across his face as he said, ‘That woman escaped via a path from the back of Crane’s place; there’s no other way she could have got past me.’

  He paused briefly leaving Ryan’s brain to speculate a ‘Not me, don’t even suggest it.’

  Bradley continued, ‘We’ll park my car on the main road and I’ll walk into Palmers Rise and find the pathway that leads right up to Crane’s back door; and then wait to see if she comes out, and if she does, I’ll nab her.’

  Ryan looked at Bradley and was relieved he was talking in terms of the first person.

  ‘What if… ’

  ‘There’s no, “what ifs”, I’ll try again the next day and then the next day, until I’m successful.’

  *

  On the way home Crane leaped out of the car and did a quick shop in the local supermarket, snatching up a copy of a newspaper in the process. Before continuing their journey home Crane lingered in the car park and spread a copy of the Southend Echo across his lap headlined, “Kidnap Girl Sammy Found Alive In France”.

  The little girl told the story of how she was rescued, together with an English woman named Penny, with her nephew and some French children. They were rescued by a mysterious Englishman known only as ‘Jack’. He was helped later by a Frenchman who was now recovering from wounds in hospital, but neither of them knew Jack’s surname. Many arrests were made and the information received by the French police had culminated in the breakup of a major kidnapping ring extending to Algiers.

  Daniella blew some air between her teeth and remarked, ‘The last time I laid eyes on you was barely four months ago. You rescued me from that dreaded sea fort, it was terrible and now you get up to your neck in trouble again.’

  Crane grimaced and said, ‘Not of my choosing.’ And Crane told her how it all started with the theft of his Mustang.

  ‘Well,’ she sighed, ‘hopefully – things will settle down now.’

  Crane looked at her wistfully and said casually, ‘I haven’t got my car back yet.’

  Daniella raised her eyes skywards at the thought of Crane in trouble yet again, but from past experience, she was confident in his resourcefulness. When they arrived at the cottage Crane set about reinstating the alarm system that had been set up in the lane and, as he tested it out remarked, ‘They may try again so it’s not worth taking any chances.’

  *

  Bradley pulled up on the road just past Palmers Rise. It was quiet and the first shades of dusk, with its long grey shadows, were preceding a cloudy sky. He had left Ryan sitting pensively in the driver’s seat, ready for a quick getaway, whilst he stepped into the lane. He walked slowly at first, scrutinising the thick hedgerows on the right hand side. Within a few minutes, he found what he was looking for; a neatly semi-concealed gap. Amid a tinge of joyful anticipation, Bradley entered and followed the trim path that lead to the rear of Crane’s cottage. It was getting darker by the minute and it occurred to him that, without a torch, it would be foolhardy to attempt a snatch. He also considered bursting in on Crane and shooting him, but wary and forewarned by Crane’s past, he knew the man might also be armed and return fire.

  Bradley’s final decision was to play a waiting game, but he wouldn’t have to wait too long. Daniella suddenly came out of the back door carrying a basket of laundry; she stepped off the patio and walked up to a rotary clothes line. Bradley was waiting concealed in the shadows. Like a cat stalking his prey, he could not believe his luck. She turned, and her back was towards him as she began pegging out the washing on the line, softly humming to herself. A few metres separated them as he inched his way towards her. Then he struck. A hand was pressed firmly over her mouth and a hypodermic needle was plunged into the fleshy part of her upper arm. Bradley held on tight until she gradually stopped struggling and her body became heavy as it began to relax. Using a fireman’s lift, he whisked her up and strode back the way he came, down the path.

  Ryan stared in disbelief when he saw Bradley carrying Daniella across his shoulders. He leapt out of the car and quickly opened the rear door of the vehicle for Bradley to lay the unconscious Daniella unceremoniously onto the back seat. They sped off in the direction of Southend.

  *

  Crane had finished shaving two days’ growth. He entered the kitchen and found the door of the washing machine wide open and the back door ajar. The evening was closing in and the light outside was fading fast. His hand slid towards the rear garden light switch and as he stood by the rear door, called out Daniella’s name, but there was no response.

  He stepped outside with a look of concern spread across his face. A hollow pit occupied his stomach; the laundry basket lay on its side and Daniella’s clothes were scattered over the ground. Crane guessed straight away what must have happened, but he knew it could only have been a matter of minutes ago.

  Rushing back inside, he grabbed hold of a jacket, ran through the cottage and straight out of the front door towards the parked Rover. Jumping in and slamming the car into gear, he raced bumpily down the lane, getting to the end in record time. He reaching the main road and slewed heavily into a right turn. Crane trusted his instinct to make the right decision and sped towards the direction of Southend.

  The raucous sound of his mobile suddenly resounded throughout the interior of the Rover. Crane’s hand flew towards the phone and switched on the loud speaker to hear Bradley’s self-satisfied voice, ‘Ah, so you are there. It’s so difficult to get hold of you on the mobile.’

  ‘What do you want?’ Crane replied bluntly
.

  ‘Surely you must realise by now that I have your lady friend, Daniella – or perhaps you are half asleep inside your delightful little cottage?’

  ‘I’m in the cottage,’ Crane lied, as he peered through the dusky evening sky at a distant set of very distinctive BMW rear lights.

  ‘Well you’d better stay there and I’ll be in touch very shortly and then we can resume my original arrangement. Bye for now,’ and the phone cut off.

  Crane put his foot down hard and the Rover’s twin-turbos cut in and thrust the car into a sprint that would have been appreciated at the Brands Hatch racing circuit. Crane eased his foot off when he clearly saw the BMW turn into an industrial estate. The estate was quiet at that time of the evening. It was deserted and sparsely lit. Crane flicked off the lights and turned into the estate. Keeping his distance, he followed the bright beams of Bradley’s car. When it came to a halt, some hundred metres ahead, Crane swung the Rover into an unlit warehouse parking space and turned off the engine. He surmised that the kidnappers were armed. He had left his acquired weapons in France and without them he knew it would be foolhardy to confront them at this stage.

  Bradley parked the BMW in front of a small, detached brick building. He quickly got out of the car and hurriedly unlocked the front door. Once inside, he threw back a heavily padded door to reveal a four metre square, windowless room. The two men carried Daniella inside and laid her down on a thick-piled carpet floor. Catching his breath, Ryan looked around the dimly lit room and remarked, ‘No windows.’

  Bradley displayed one of his rare mean smiles and said, ‘This place was once used as a recording studio. It was advertised in the local paper, so I’ve rented it for a month. It’s purpose built – completely soundproof. When she wakes up, she can make as much noise as she likes, no one’s going to hear her through the walls or the two sets of doors.’

  ‘How long are you going to leave her here?’

  ‘Does it matter? I want Crane, that’s all that matters.’

  ‘We’d better leave some water and… ’

  Bradley cut him short, ‘Oh just shut the fuck up!’

  Ryan looked down and was silent. He was getting increasingly concerned over Bradley’s oppressive attitude towards him. He felt this especially so when there was any mention of the money which he considered was due to him.

  Bradley locked the building then the two of them got back into the BMW and drove off.

  Ryan remained quiet for a while, but he was curious and tried to make pleasant conversation, ‘When are you going to contact Crane?’

  ‘After I’ve eaten; he can sweat for a while,’ he snapped.

  ‘What will you do to him?’

  He growled a response, ‘I’m not sure. I’ll either maim him or kill him. Now don’t ask me any more stupid questions!’

  *

  From his place in the shadows, Crane watched them drive off and, as soon as they were out of sight, he started up the Rover, drove up to the brick building and leapt out. It was now completely dark. He removed his pen-light and examined the door locks. They were substantial and he considered that his bunch of lock-picks may not be up to the job of opening them.

  He walked around the building and dismissed the idea of a window entry; they were small and far too high, sited up near the roof line. He tried the lock-picks and, to his surprise, they did work and well-oiled mechanisms sprang back with ease and he stepped inside.

  The door to the soundproof room was fastened with a pair of heavy bolts on the outside, which Bradley had fitted in an attempt to make the room more secure. Crane slid these back and pushed the door wide open. Stale air filled his nostrils and the sound of Daniella’s heavy breathing could be heard within the empty room. Using his pencil beam, he located the light switch and flicked it on. In the dim light he saw Daniella lying prone on the floor. He crouched down beside her and whispered softly in her ear; she was in a deep sleep and did not rouse.

  A raucous, ‘Gotcha!’ startled Crane and the door slammed shut. Bradley could not hide his gleeful expression as he slid the bolts across and locked the outer door then strode back, cock-a-hoop, towards his car. Slumping into the driver’s seat he said, ‘It was a good job I spotted that pile of junk he drives around in. He won’t get out of there in a hurry; it was worth paying the two month’s rent in advance.’

  Ryan felt no sympathy towards Crane, but could not help remarking, ‘Pity about the woman though.’

  Bradley seemed to ignore this and continued, ‘They won’t last very long without water and when their bodies are found. I’ll be long gone.’

  Ryan wished Bradley had included him and had used the word ‘we’, so he tagged on weakly, ‘Me too.’

  *

  Crane heaved his broad shoulders against the padded door; there was no movement at all. There was nothing in the room he could use; it was bare. The ceiling had two small vents, but they were closed. He looked down at Daniella and was thankful that she was still asleep. Eventually he sat down on the floor with his back leaning against the wall. The day for him had been a long one and he was beginning to wilt and succumb to the warm stuffy atmosphere of the room. Apart from the sound of Daniella and his own breathing, the silence was absolute. He squinted at his watch; he had been there for nearly two hours. Heavy eyelids flickered and began to droop, until finally, they closed.

  A sudden rush of cool air brushed against Crane’s face and he opened his eyes. A man with a torch stood at the door waving it around the room, ‘What’s going on?’ he groused.

  Crane straightened up, ‘We were accidently locked in,’ he began.

  ‘Good job I came along then, I keep an eye on the place for Mr Adams, the owner. I didn’t know he had rented it out.’

  ‘Well I’m certainly glad you didn’t know,’ Crane replied. ‘Do you have Mr Adams’s phone number?’

  ‘Certainly, sir,’ and the watchman produced a notepad and writing the number down handed it to Crane.

  Crane looked at the number and noting it was a local one, thanked him and gently lifted Daniella up to carry her outside. The fresh air caused her to stir from her repose. Her eyes flickered responsively, as Crane set her down in the front passenger seat.

  Crane thought for a moment and had to admit to himself that he had underestimated Bradley’s resolve. Putting himself in Bradley’s shoes, Crane guessed that his adversary would check up some time later by driving past the building and so he thought it best to leave his old car parked there as a decoy. Making use of his fully-charged mobile, he called a cab. Crane’s surmise proved to be right, when later Bradley cruised past the building he felt smug and reassured when he saw Crane’s old Rover still parked there.

  By the time the taxi arrived Daniella was awake and reliving the moment when she tried to hang out the washing.

  Although tired, Crane had more than enough adrenalin flowing through his veins and, with plenty of fresh evening air, Daniella seemed to have fully recovered from her induced sleep. It was approaching midnight when Crane and Daniella flopped into bed. After a shower, they lay naked for a while, content to remain quiet, nestling against each other’s arms under the cool covers which moulded around them. Their bodies gradually warmed from under the quilt, it was then, Daniella propped herself up on one elbow and ran her soft lips down the side of Crane’s face. ‘You haven’t shaved properly,’ she chided gently, ‘but I don’t care.’

  Crane sat up and rubbed his whiskers. ‘I did earlier on’, he offered. Then, as their eyes met briefly, he left it at that and gave her a gentle peck on the cheek. She reacted by throwing her arms about his waist, nearly tilting him off balance, before they embraced and kissed, gently at first and more passionately as they explored each other’s nakedness. He was aroused by the feel of her warm breasts heaving sensually against his chest. Daniella responded passionately, moving slowly but purposefully into the act of love as they rolled over from edge to edge of the bed, until exhausted the pair drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

&
nbsp; The morning came too soon; they were both awake at first light. After coffee, Daniella insisted on accompanying Crane wherever he went and, in the light of her recent experiences since arriving in Canford, Crane readily agreed. He was anxious to nab Bradley, however he was unsure where to start. For openers, he would try to find out his address and he dialled the telephone number, of the building’s owner, that had been given to him by the nightwatchman. Unfortunately the response was on answerphone and Crane was reluctant to leave a message in case the owner contacted Bradley to sanction it.

  The notion of keeping watch on the building, where he and Daniella had been incarcerated, was perhaps the only other alternative; in the hope that the villainous pair would check up to see if their prisoners were still in situ. Crane decided to use his Transit van and found an ideal parking place, partially concealed in a nearby cul-de-sac, as an observation post.

  After several hours Crane was reluctant to quit, but having consumed two flasks of coffee, Daniella began fidgeting and was keen to visit the toilet. ‘There’s a bucket in the back of the van,’ Crane remarked casually. Daniella gave him a look that only women can accomplish in such a situation and crossing her legs, remained firmly in her seat.

  A few minutes went by and they saw Ryan drive past and pause outside the building; one glance at the Rover satisfied him enough to drive off. Crane’s hand darted towards the starter and he pulled the Transit into the road; keeping a steady distance behind Ryan’s Ford Mondeo. They followed him through Southend until he pulled up outside a boarding house in Westcliff with a “Vacancies” bedsit sign outside. Crane drove past and, checking his rear-view mirror, watched Ryan enter the building. Daniella seemed to have forgotten her needs momentarily and looked anxiously at Crane as he left the parked van and strode up to the bedsit.

  Crane walked up to the front door and, trying the handle, found the door to be unlocked, so stepped inside. He was surprised at the neat and tidy hallway. A name plate was typed and fixed to each of the four doors. Not knowing which name Ryan was using, Crane paused at each one, listening for sounds of movement. He did not have to wait long, Ryan’s voice could be heard and Crane, listening intently, guessed he was reporting back to Bradley on the phone.