Blind pursuit, p.14
Blind Pursuit, page 14
Yet he still opened the door and took the seat and a moment later Hinch was in the back behind him.
Callum first glanced that way – confirming it was Brandt back there – then to his brother.
‘You OK?’
‘Fuck no,’ Aaron said with something close to a chuckle, sounding way cockier than he looked.
‘We don’t want to hurt you,’ Hinch said.
‘Then how about you stop pointing guns at us,’ Aaron snapped back.
A momentary standoff but then both backseat riders lowered their guns, holding them on their laps. Not quite out of sight, out of mind, but a bit better than before at least.
‘But if you do anything stupid,’ Brandt said, ‘I’ll put the first few bullets somewhere I know it’ll hurt like hell without killing you. Make sure you get the point.’
‘We get the point. What do you want?’ Callum asked.
‘Hang on!’ Aaron said. Way cockier than he should be. He turned around in his seat, finding a fight Callum didn’t realise his brother had. ‘Would someone mind telling me what the fuck is going on? Who the hell are you two?’
Fair questions from Aaron’s point of view. Although if his brother was in such a feisty mood, it did make Callum wonder how Brandt had got inside and behind Aaron in this first place. Perhaps the fight was only coming on now he had Callum next to him.
‘Your brother can answer that one for you,’ Hinch said, a little slyly, really.
Aaron set his glare on his brother.
‘These are the two I told you about,’ Callum said. ‘They were at my house yesterday. Shot at the police when they arrived. They claimed to know Lea.’
‘Claimed?’ Hinch said. ‘We didn’t just know Lea, we worked with her. We’re her friends.’
‘Then why the hell are you holding us at gunpoint?’ Aaron asked.
‘One, to get you to listen,’ Brandt said. ‘Two, because last time we tried this with Callum the police showed up and started a firefight with us that got another of our friends killed.’
Silence. Callum replayed those moments. Had the police started the shooting? He hadn’t thought so, but really couldn’t be sure now, it’d all happened so fast, so unexpectedly.
‘Tell us what you’re doing here,’ Hinch said.
‘Actually, no,’ Brandt interrupted. ‘Tell us how you got away from the police yesterday. We saw you on the news last night, so we can only assume they didn’t just let you go and that them naming you is to heap the pressure on.’
Callum thought about both demands before answering. ‘I wasn’t under arrest,’ he said. ‘I wasn’t locked up or anything like that. So it’s not like I escaped a maximum-security cell, is it? I took an opportunity and… left.’
‘Seems like they probably didn’t want you to leave, though, if you ask me.’
He said nothing to that.
‘And what did they say about us?’ Hinch asked. ‘About what happened at your house?’
‘Good question,’ Callum said. ‘Because interestingly, what didn’t make the national news last night was that the police shot dead a man right outside my house after a gunfight with you two. No mention of you at all, as far as I know. Although I got the distinct impression they know who you are.’
Hinch and Brandt shared a look. ‘Who’d you talk to?’ Brandt asked.
‘The detective who came to my door was called DCI Jasper. And I met a man who told me he worked for MI6. Andrew White.’
Another glance at each other.
‘You know him?’ Callum asked.
‘What did you tell him about us?’
‘I don’t have anything to tell. But the impression was that I think he knows a lot about you both anyway. Which perhaps explains why he didn’t need to ask me anything about you. And maybe even why your names aren’t plastered over the news.’
A snort from Brandt.
‘You shouldn’t trust him,’ Hinch said. ‘Nor the police, given they’re getting their orders from him.’
‘But we should trust you two?’ Aaron asked, sounding rightfully dubious.
Again no answer.
‘You know Andrew White?’ Callum asked again.
‘We know who you’re speaking about,’ Hinch said. ‘And yes, he works for MI6, but no, he’s not on your side. Or our side.’
‘But you two are MI6 too?’
‘No, we’re not,’ Hinch said.
‘But you said—’
‘That we knew Lea. Worked with her. We never told you we worked for MI6.’
‘Then who?’
‘We can tell you everything you need to know about that later,’ Hinch said. ‘Right now, we need to know why you came here and what you found.’
Neither Callum nor Aaron said a word.
Brandt thumped the back of Aaron’s seat.
‘Seriously, we don’t have time for crap. We know you’re looking for something, Callum. You ran from the police, headed straight to your brother’s house. Not to lay low, but to get some assistance because before long you were travelling across the country together. Next thing you’re at Lea’s parents’ place. Then here. Explain that.’
‘We were watching your brother’s house,’ Hinch said, as if the clarity was needed. ‘When we saw the news breaking, we assumed it meant you’d got away from SO15. Assumed you might turn up in Berkshire given the proximity.’
Did that simple explanation make sense? Kind of, but it also made Callum feel really stupid if they’d figured out his moves so easily.
And if they had, why hadn’t the police and White?
‘And what… you’ve followed us all that time without us spotting you?’ Aaron asked.
‘We’re good at this shit,’ Brandt said. ‘You two aren’t. So why here?’
Callum pondered the question. He really didn’t trust these two, no more but perhaps no less than Andrew White, but he also knew he couldn’t bullshit this one away, given they’d followed his every move and given they still had the upper hand here.
It didn’t mean he had to tell them everything though.
‘Lea has a safe-deposit box here.’
‘How’d you know that?’
‘She was my wife.’
‘So she told you to come here?’ Hinch.
‘She’s dead. How could she tell me anything?’
‘Not really what I meant.’
‘What about the parents?’ Brandt said. ‘They have anything to do with this?’
‘I don’t really know what you’re asking. Like me, her parents had absolutely no idea who Lea really was.’
‘Then why’d you go there?’ Brandt asked.
‘Because she asked me to. If anything ever happened to her she wanted me to go see them.’
‘So you did know—’
‘I knew absolutely nothing!’ Callum shouted. ‘Nothing at all about Claire Simmonds. Only that Lea wanted me to go see her parents – Claire’s parents – if something ever happened to her.’
Both Hinch and Brandt glared at him, obviously not believing his words, and he didn’t know how else to persuade them. Given everything else that was transpiring, it really did sound like bullshit.
‘They know nothing,’ Callum said. ‘They’re not involved in anything. And we came here… I thought, maybe… maybe she’d left something here. A clue to what was going on. Who killed her and why. Or the information that everyone’s telling me is now missing.’
‘A message from the grave,’ Brandt said, tapping his head. ‘Makes sense.’
‘No. Not from the grave, idiot. I think she knew she was in trouble before she was killed. And I thought maybe there was evidence of why here.’
‘And what made you think that?’ Hinch said. ‘If she never told you anything.’
They really weren’t buying into any of what he was saying, even if it was mostly true.
‘Because for the past twenty-four hours I’ve had you two and the police and MI6 chasing me across the damn country telling me she had something that you all need! Something that got her killed. It doesn’t take a fucking genius to put those pieces together and think maybe if she did have that something that she hid it somewhere!’
‘OK,’ Hinch said. ‘So now tell us what she had here.’
‘Nothing,’ Callum said. ‘There was nothing at all.’
An uncertain glance from Aaron, as though even he didn’t believe that.
‘You sure about that?’ Brandt asked.
‘Yes.’
‘OK, you, out of the car,’ Hinch said to Callum before opening her door. He didn’t move until she tapped on his window with the butt of her gun.
He slowly got out, no sudden moves, even though he really wanted to do something.
‘Face the car.’
He did so and she quickly patted him down. He only had his phone and his wallet. She didn’t seem interested in either and after a brief look through each was finished.
‘I told you,’ he said to her. ‘There was nothing.’
‘Then show me. Inside.’
Callum turned around to face her but otherwise didn’t make a move away.
‘We haven’t got all day, arsehole. Move!’
‘Be quick,’ Brandt called out, tapping on the glass with his gun before Callum and Hinch made their way towards the bank’s entrance.
She walked by his side now, no sign of her weapon, and she seemed pretty nonchalant, confident. The exact opposite of how Callum felt.
He headed through the revolving door first. The same man greeted him on the other side.
‘Forgot something,’ Callum said with a smile.
No particular reaction to that, although his gaze did linger on Hinch for a second or two longer than necessary.
Soon they were both in front of the woman’s desk in the corner.
‘Oh. You’re back?’ she said, no doubting her suspicion. ‘You’re…’
‘She’s with me,’ Callum said. ‘We just needed to get something else.’
‘OK,’ the woman said, and Callum knew the look beyond him was to her colleague at the front door. They didn’t like the situation. Something Callum or Hinch had done had already tipped them off. Did they know Hinch?
But how would they?
Callum glanced to her. A clandestine operative? She stuck out like a sore thumb, all edgy attitude.
‘Please give me the account number again,’ the woman said.
Callum passed the test at the first attempt, and the woman took them into the back room and moments later the box was unlocked and he and Hinch were alone.
‘See for yourself,’ he said to her.
She pulled the door open and took out the tray and looked inside.
‘It doesn’t make any sense,’ she said.
Callum said nothing.
‘She wouldn’t have this box with nothing in it,’ Hinch added.
Callum still held his tongue.
‘And you’re telling me you didn’t already come here, clear it out?’
‘If I did, then why would I be back here today?’ he said.
‘Then someone else did.’
‘You know who?’ Callum said. ‘Because I certainly don’t. And I’m guessing the bank aren’t going to tell us.’
‘No, they won’t,’ Hinch said. She sounded and looked even edgier than before. ‘Let’s go.’
They moved for the door, exited out into the foyer.
‘You’re all done this time?’ the woman asked.
‘I’m certain of it,’ Callum said, although something about the way she’d asked the question…
The man at the front door stared at them as they made their way over.
‘Get to the car as quickly as you can,’ Hinch whispered.
Something was wrong.
And as they stepped out into the open, Callum saw the police car pulling into the car park. No siren, no flashing lights, but he’d bet his life the bank had called them.
Why?
‘Move!’ Hinch shouted, prodding him in the back to get him going. Not with the gun, just her hand. They began walking down the steps at the bank’s entrance.
Two officers got out. They spotted Hinch and Callum straight away. No doubt why they were there.
At least it was only two police officers, not an all-out armed response unit. Two regular, unarmed police officers.
‘Hey,’ one of them shouted over, but both Hinch and Callum ignored him and kept moving for the car.
‘Turn the fucking engine on, idiot,’ Hinch whispered, as though Aaron would sense the instruction.
He didn’t. But he’d definitely seen the police, by the panicked look on his face.
The next moment he flung his door open and kind of flopped out onto the floor, staying low as he scuttled towards the police.
‘They’ve got guns!’ he yelled.
The passenger door burst open next. Callum saw the gun before anything else of Brandt.
He fired. Two booming gunshots which sent both the police officers and Aaron cowering towards the squad car. Callum spun and shoved Hinch as hard as he could. She stumbled and tripped and banged down the remaining three steps into a heap as Callum raced forward to Brandt.
He fired another two shots towards the hunkered police before he realised Callum was bearing down on him. He couldn’t adjust his aim quickly enough as Callum launched his foot to the door. It swung wildly on its hinges and slammed into Brandt, squashing him against the frame. Enough to stop him shooting. Not enough to stop him fighting. Callum went for the gun, but Brandt’s grip was too tight and when the weapon blasted again, harmlessly into the air, Callum let go and darted away, towards the road.
Shouting behind him. Stop. More than one voice shouting that or similar. Hinch. His brother. The police too, perhaps.
He ran for his life. Where to? Right into the road. A car horn blasted. Tyres screeched. He was nearly at the other side. Then what?
No idea. But Aaron was safely with the police. Wasn’t he?
He certainly didn’t want to be. Not again.
‘No!’
Another shout from behind. Hinch.
Callum would have ignored it. Would have kept on running were it not for the ominous thud a moment later. More screeching tyres. Another thud. Another. Those last two were metal on metal. Not like the first strike. The first strike was definitely a person being hit.
Callum stopped. Turned. Expected the worst. Expected to see his brother in a heap on the road, even though he’d already convinced himself he was safe with the police.
No. It was Brandt. A van had smacked into him, tossed him several yards away. Two other cars had shunted one another as they tried – unsuccessfully – to stop becoming involved.
Hinch rushed to her colleague. Scooped him from the ground. Waved her gun at the police officers and bystanders to keep them at bay.
She whipped around to Callum, thunder on her face. He thought she’d shoot him there and then…
Instead, she dragged Brandt, barely able to stand, towards their car.
Callum flinched when a car sprang into his periphery and slammed to a stop right by him.
‘Callum, get in!’ his brother shouted.
So Aaron wasn’t with the police. What the fuck was going on?
Callum jumped in and Aaron floored it and they were off down the street. His eyes remained glued to the wing mirror as he watched the police car, the terrified police officers, the chaos in the road fade into the distance. No sign of Hinch or Brandt at all. Had they gone off in the opposite direction? On foot? In their car?
Certainly, they weren’t on Callum and Aaron’s tail.
Aaron flung the car around a corner, barely braking before accelerating off again.
Callum stared a few seconds longer, but no one was following them. They were in the clear.
But Callum strongly doubted it’d be for long.
‘And what the hell do we do now?’ Aaron asked, the anger in his voice clear. The question seemed a little rhetorical, as though he was saying there was nothing they could do that was going to make things better, keep them safe.
‘I have an idea,’ Callum said.
‘You do?’
‘Yeah, I do. But I don’t think you’re gonna like it.’
15
LONDON
Two years ago
Drizzle pattered down on Lea as she stood on the banks of the Thames, looking out across the murky brown water, her thoughts wandering, her personal life on her mind as much as her job.
Saying yes to marrying Callum was one thing, the easy thing, but figuring out how to tell her boss had been a much harder task, although actually one which had gone far more smoothly than Lea had expected. Not that she had to get Goldman’s approval. There was nothing in Lea’s contract of employment that specifically stated she couldn’t have a relationship or marry. But there were so many reasons why so few field agents did. Predominantly because what was made very clear in the contract of employment was that anything and everything an agent did in the line of work was strictly classified, and couldn’t be divulged to anyone, family members included, and the penalty for doing so ranged from immediate dismissal to a life sentence in jail. And, maybe not officially, but Lea wouldn’t even put it past the big machine to simply have an offending agent quietly despatched under certain circumstances. Not that she had any specific evidence of that happening in the past, but still…
In any case, the upshot was that most field agents were young, most had no long-term relationship or spouse and it wasn’t because they were all playing the field, but because of the obvious difficulties of living a double life.
Regardless, Lea had genuinely found love, whether for better or worse. Perhaps long term that meant the writing was on the wall for her life out in the field. But wasn’t that an inevitability for all field agents? It was undoubtedly a young person’s game, always had been and always would be.
Lea’s nerves and hesitations about telling Goldman had ultimately been unfounded, because her boss had given her the nod of approval. Not that she seemed happy for Lea, but she’d said she wouldn’t stand in Lea’s way, so long as Lea stuck to the rules of engagement.
After the hurdle of getting Goldman’s approval, Lea soon found out that everything that came after was way harder than she’d expected when she’d said yes to Callum six months ago. Firstly, when would they get married? Callum wanted sooner, she wanted later, because putting it off meant more time to properly prepare herself and not have to face the added challenges the new life would bring. Head in the sand, that sort of thing. Plus, he wanted big, she wanted as small and intimate as possible. Not for any romantic, idealistic reasons or anything like that, but because she literally had no clue how she could invite anyone she knew. Her parents? Absolutely not. Her MI6 colleagues and assets who were, sadly, about the only people she could consider anything close to friends of her own in recent times? But why would any of them even want to come and get caught up in Lea’s world of lies?
