Hunted (15 page)

“Thank you. Sorry, we’re always asking you to come to the rescue.”

“Anytime, you know that. It’s not a problem.”

“I haven’t told Jez yet.”

“I’ll do it. Don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll sort things out this end and I’ll take care of the Katia lead. If she has him she’s giving him back.”

“If she hasn’t killed him already.”

“How long has he been missing?”

She glanced at her watch. “Two hours. I know it sounds stupid but he didn’t pick Leah up from school, he’d never do that.”

“If you say he’s missing Rach then he’s missing and you’re right, there’s no way he’d leave Leah stranded.”

Rachel wished she could reach through the phone and hug him, she needed his reassuring presence. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you Rach. I’ll get right on it.”

“Thank you Mikey. Bye.”

She hung up and stared at the phone, willing the nausea to subside. It was starting again only this time Ryan was the one who’d been abducted. He’d come for her three times. She would not fail him now it was the other way around.

“We’re going over to your spa,” said Battler, popping his head around the door. “That was where Ryan was last seen. We’ll speak to the staff and look at the CCTV.”

She was on her feet in a second. “I’m coming.”

“No Rach. Sorry but I’m putting my foot down on this one. You’re too emotionally involved and you need to wait at home for news. Leo’s already there on guard duty.”

“Battler, please…”

“I know it sounds tough but it’s important that you do this. If someone has taken him and they’re trying to make a call and if no one’s there to answer…”

“Fine, I get it, I’ll wait at home but please keep me informed.”

“Of course we will.”

He followed her back through to the main office and Rachel’s heart went out to her daughter, who looked so small and scared.

“Do you know where Dad is yet?” said Leah.

“No sweetie. Battler and Bruiser are going to find him, don’t you worry.”

Leah looked up at the brothers with pleading eyes. “You’ll find him, I know you can.”

“We will honey,” replied Battler, settling a big hand tenderly on her shoulder. “Now I need you to go home and wait by the phone, just in case your dad calls. That’s a very important job. Can you do that for me?”

Leah was pleased to be given some responsibility and nodded. “Definitely.”

“Good girl,” he said, chucking her under the chin, eliciting another tiny smile.

The brothers walked the four of them out to Rachel’s car and watched them drive off.

“Ready?” said Battler.

Bruiser nodded.

CHAPTER 17

“We’ve called you all here because we’ve got something extremely urgent we need you to do,” began Jez. He and Mikey were in the latter’s office at the compound, Grant, Hayden Brody and Mark Cameron sat before them looking serious and all-business. Mikey was letting Jez do the talking because this was his brother they were trying to find. Jez hadn’t taken the news well, in fact it had knocked him for six, he simply couldn’t believe it was happening.

“My brother, Ryan, has gone missing in Devon,” continued Jez. He paused to gauge their reactions but they were all too professional to betray any emotion. “There’s a possibility Katia is involved, who Alex Maguire had an affair with. He had twin boys with her. She ran to Essex after he disappeared.” Officially no one was supposed to know he was really dead. “She wants revenge on Ryan and Rachel, we’ve already been told that by a reliable source.” He didn’t think Jules could be called reliable but he was pretty sure she was right. “We need you to go down there immediately and see if she has him. She’s working for Jared Slattery now, you know who he is?”

They all nodded.

“It’s possible she’s got him to do her dirty work in exchange for information about our family and businesses. Alex told her a lot of things he shouldn’t have,” he said with a shake of the head. “We need you three to get down there and make sure they don’t have him. Your flight leaves in two hours.”

The three men rose and left the room quietly, their silent, solid ways assuring both Mikey and Jez that they’d get the job done.

“Our flight leaves in the morning,” said Mikey after they’d gone.

“Why so late?” said Jez impatiently.

“Because we’ve got calls to make, feelers to put out. We have more enemies than Katia and the Slatterys. We can’t leave any stone unturned and we don’t want anyone knowing where we’re going. I’ve had to arrange to take a private plane from a quiet landing strip.”

“Sorry,” said Jez with a heavy sigh.

“Don’t apologise to me mate. No matter where Ryan is we’ll find him.”

“Maybe we should go down south too? It’s more likely the Slatterys have him than a serial killer.”

“Not according to Battler. I spoke to him. He’s pretty sure.”

“If I didn’t know Battler better I’d say he’d lost the plot.”

“He’s deadly serious.”

“Let’s hope the serial killer isn’t,” sighed Jez. “What about Jules? She’s good at tracking people.”

“She’s not stable enough to put in the middle of this. She’s not tactful enough and after what happened to Leighton…”

“What you did to him you mean.”

“Yeah, alright. After what I did she’s even more unhinged. It’s best if she stays here.”

“Maybe you’re right. We can’t have her opening her big gob and upsetting Rachel, she’s going to be upset enough as it is. Christ, can you really believe Ryan’s been kidnapped by a fucking serial killer?”

“I believe anything’s possible.” Mikey cracked a humourless smile. “Do you think the killer’s realised what he’s taken on yet?”

Ryan could feel the cold, hard floor beneath him, could vaguely see the roof above him. Wood. The walls too. A wooden box, like a coffin.

His arms felt heavy, weighed down, his body like lead, refusing to move. A shape loomed over him accompanied by a blur of bizarre blinking lights and swirls of colours. He wanted to talk, to ask what was going on but his tongue was thick in his mouth, his lips seeming to have forgotten the premise of teamwork.

“Too soon, go back to sleep,” said a distorted voice, like a tape being played in slow motion. He felt a sharp prick in his arm and everything started to ebb away.

He struggled against it but his eyes were trying to close again, his body unable to fight against whatever drug he’d been given. The shape continued to loom over him, voice muffled. The darkness closed in around him, his thoughts going to Rachel before he lost consciousness again.

“Shit, his car’s still here,” sighed Battler.

Ryan’s black Range Rover was parked outside the gym, gleaming in the sun as it always did. He kept the car immaculate and peering inside they saw it was as clean as always and locked tight with no sign of the keys.

No one at the spa could tell them anything. Ryan had done a quick tour of the premises to make sure everything was in order and chatted with the staff. The receptionists said they saw him leave by the main doors at quarter to three. He was alone and no, they didn’t notice anything unusual outside but the glass was tinted so they didn’t have a clear view.

The brothers were stuck in a tiny back room to view the CCTV footage, which was very uncomfortable with their two big bodies crammed in together.

“Shift up will you, you’re nearly sat on my knee,” grumbled Battler.

Bruiser rolled his eyes and managed to edge his way another half inch along the stool he was already precariously perched on, wedging one big shoulder against the wall to prevent himself from toppling off.

The CCTV covered the entrance of the gym. On the screen they saw Ryan leave alone at precisely three forty four pm, confirming what the receptionists had said, then he simply vanished off the edge of the screen.

“Is that it?” scowled Battler. “Who the hell set that camera up? It only covers the door. Two steps beyond it and he goes out of range. Rachel and Ryan are very particular about security, that camera should have covered the whole car park.”

They headed outside and peered up at the camera.

“It’s been pushed down. Someone’s tampered with it,” said Battler. He nodded when Bruiser pointed to the woodland surrounding the spa. “Just what I was thinking. Let’s round up the troops.” After getting on his phone four men arrived in two big black cars to commence a search.

They returned inside to speak to the staff.

“Who’s been tampering with the CCTV camera above the door?”

The young receptionist’s smile dropped at Battler’s angry tone. “No one, we don’t touch it. A company deals with it.”

“Who? I want details.”

“I don’t have them, Mr and Mrs Law deal with them directly.”

“Fine, we’ll speak to Rachel. Now, we need a list of everyone who was working when Ryan was last here including any deliveries that day and a list of clients…”

“Mr and Mrs Law won’t allow that, they insist on client confidentiality.”

“We have Mrs Law’s permission to get whatever we need so if you don’t get us that list we’ll come round there and take it.”

“I’ll get it,” she quickly replied.

“Good girl.”

Her curiosity overcome her fear of his brusque manner. “What’s this about? Has something happened?”

“That’s not for you to know. List. Now.”

Fletch, one of their men, popped his head round the door. “Have you got a minute?”

“You get on with that list,” said Battler, jabbing a digit at the receptionist, who nodded and began frantically stabbing at her computer.

The brothers walked outside and found their men staring down at something on the tarmac close to the door. “What is it?”

“We’ve found blood,” said Fletch. “Not a lot, just a few drops, but it’s enough.”

“Oh bugger,” sighed Battler, his heart sinking. He looked to his brother. “Time to call in the police.”

Bruiser nodded sadly.

Rachel poured herself a glass of wine and slumped into a chair at the kitchen table. She tried Ryan’s number again simply because she had to keep herself busy but frustratingly it was still going to voicemail. She sighed and tossed the phone onto the table.

“Ryan, where are you?” she murmured.

Tears prickled her eyes but she forced them away. Ryan needed her to be strong right now, not blubbing into a glass of wine. She didn’t feel strong. Without him she felt depleted, empty, less of a person. He was the other half of her and his absence meant she wasn’t whole any longer. One of his shirts was draped over the back of her chair and she had the urge to wrap it around herself in a sad parody of a hug. She didn’t give into the impulse because that would be stupid.

“He’ll be home soon,” she told herself for the tenth time.

But Ryan didn’t come home. That night Rachel lay awake in her cold bed staring at the empty space beside her, reaching out intermittently to touch his pillow. A timid knock at the door indicated Leah was unable to sleep either. The girl crawled into bed with her and nestled into her arms. Rachel envied the boys their extreme youth, which meant nothing worried them apart from when they could watch their favourite cartoons and play with their favourite toys.

She and Leah got no sleep and were up with the sun the following morning. Ryan still hadn’t returned or even called.

Rachel decided to keep all three kids off school and nursery, she couldn’t face setting foot outside the door.

As they sat down to breakfast Leah started to cry. She’d been so brave for so long but she couldn’t keep it in anymore.

“I want Dad,” she sobbed into her mum’s shoulder.

“He’ll be back, I promise sweetie.”

Concerned, Ethan hugged his sister too, which only made her cry harder.

“You can get him back Mum, just like he got you back.”

“Yes I will,” she said determinedly. “Battler and Bruiser will be here soon, they’ll have turned something up.”

The brothers arrived later that morning looking tired and slightly rumpled. It was clear they hadn’t slept.

“Anything?” said Rachel hopefully.

They both shook their heads. “No, sorry Rach,” replied Battler. “We’ve spoken to everyone who visited the spa yesterday afternoon - staff and visitors - we disturbed a few sleeping people who were a bit pissed off but nothing. We’ll talk to the delivery drivers and the CCTV company today. It looks like someone messed with the camera over the main door. The company might want to get your permission for us to talk to them.”

“Let me know when you’re going and I’ll phone on ahead.” She got the feeling there was something they were holding back, which meant it wasn’t suitable for Leah’s ears. “Why don’t you get dressed while I make Battler and Bruiser some breakfast?” Rachel told her.

“Okay,” she muttered, slowly plodding upstairs.

“Alright, what is it?” said Rachel, folding her arms across her chest to stop her hands from shaking.

“We did a thorough sweep outside the spa. Ryan was last seen leaving it, someone actually saw him go through the door from the inside, but no one saw him outside. We found a bit of blood in the car park.”

Her knees went weak and she clung onto the worktop. “No.”

“We don’t know it is Ryan’s, it could belong to anyone. We called in the police. Sorry Rach, we had no choice. That blood needs to be analysed and we don’t have the facilities.”

“Blood,” she whispered. “A lot?”

“No, just a small splatter.”

“A bullet wound?”

“There wasn’t enough for that.” He caught her as she started to slide down the unit, scooped her up and carried her to a chair. “Take it easy, it probably isn’t even his.”

“Was it fresh?”

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “Last few hours anyway.” He watched Rachel wrestle with herself, desperately trying not to give way to tears.

“He’s out there somewhere hurt Battler. He needs help. We have to find him.”

“We will.” Battler looked to his brother, who was equally stricken. He recalled the time Danny had died, shot to death by a lunatic copper. He’d been their bodyguard and had been helpless to save her first husband so he was buggered if he was going to let her second husband die because if Ryan died Rachel would too. She would continue to soldier on for the sake of her kids but she’d be empty inside, a shell. They all knew that blood was Ryan’s. He hadn’t come home all night, someone was keeping him away and the clock was ticking. If he had been abducted he could soon be dead, if he wasn’t already. Battler refused to let himself think that way. That wasn’t going to happen.

When Ashley arrived the brothers were still there, sedately eating the breakfast Rachel had made them.

“I’ve made Ryan’s disappearance official,” he said quietly, conscious of the children watching cartoons in the living room.

“Thank you,” said Rachel, relieved they were taking it seriously.

Ashley took her hands. “I’ve got everyone out looking and we’re doing everything we can. We will find him. Can you think of anyone who would want to harm Ryan? Did he have any enemies?”

Fucking loads.
“No, we live quiet lives here. We’ve not upset anyone.”

“Has he mentioned anyone following him?”

“No, although…”

“Although what?” encouraged Ashley.

Battler and Bruiser’s ears pricked up with interest as they got the feeling she was about to say something crucial.

“I was in the kitchen of the house we were renting a couple of days ago and I got the feeling someone was watching me, out there,” she said, pointing to the kitchen window.

Even though she was talking about a different house all three men peered outside, Ashley jumping when he saw two figures marching through the garden. “There’s someone out there.”