The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1062 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

“Hello, darling, no there’s no news at all.”

“You told the plod?”

“I have some very nice policemen and women here now. They think they know the name of the man we saw assault the old lady, but so far they haven’t located him or the children.”

“I have an important meeting tomorrow morning but I’ll be home as quickly as I can afterwards. I wish I could be with you now.”

“So do I, darling, see you tomorrow.”

He rang off and I suspect he’d kept the call brief in case the police were monitoring the calls but also in case the kidnapper was trying to call. He didn’t, at least not for a couple of hours by which time I was becoming slightly hysterical.

The phone rang and I snatched it up before the copper could count me in. “Hello?”

“Hello, Mummy can you come and get me.”

“Where are you?”

“By the back of Debenhams.”

The Chief Inspector pointed at two of his people and they ran off like scalded cats.

“Are you both okay?”

“It’s only me, Mummy, he still has Julie.”

“Okay, darling, go into the shop and wait by the counter until the police arrive, they’re coming to bring you home.”

“I was so frightened, Mummy,” and she began to cry.

“It’s okay, darling.” I heard a police radio crackle behind me. “There’s a policewoman looking for you, when you see her go to her, she’ll bring you home safely.”

“I can see her, Mummy, she looks a nice lady.” Then the phone went dead.

The police radio crackled, ‘Got her, guv, we’re on our way back to the house.’

We all breathed a sigh of relief. We were still concerned for Julie, but I felt she had a slightly better chance of survival than a nine year old–well until he tore her knickers off, then he might have a bit of a surprise.

The twenty minutes it took for Billie to come home was like a life sentence. I have never known time go so slowly–it was even worse than listening to Simon snoring while watching the clock tick by. Finally, a marked police vehicle with blue lights flashing burst into the drive and pulled up by my car. I opened the front door and Billie broke away from the policewoman to almost jump into my arms.

Billie was very distraught for several minutes, and we couldn’t ask her any questions until she’d calmed down. Apparently, they’d been watching Trish’s video on the news in a shop and she had said it was Trish’s video to Julie. Some man had overheard her and the next minute, they were standing by the roadside waiting to cross and a van drew up in front of them and they were pushed inside it by two big men. It sped off and they’d spent all afternoon in it.

That explained how they’d been identified, pure bad luck in having one of Donny Baker’s friends nearby when she commented on the film. He’d obviously followed them and arranged the kidnapping. I suppose it could almost have been Baker himself, for all we knew.

They’d been blindfolded and so didn’t see the men who grabbed them, other than they were rather big. But at nine, most adults probably do seem quite big. The van was dark coloured, which wasn’t much help. If they’d snatched Danny and released him, he’d have known which model and year it was–there aren’t many cars he doesn’t recognise. Billie is more of a girl unsurprisingly, and seems to have little interest in cars and things–though she does seem to like bikes, which makes me rather pleased.

She still had her bag with her and she handed me a note. It was a piece of plain paper with the note scribbled in pencil.

Lady Camron, Dident know you was a lady, an a rich bitch. Games changed. Im sending back the scrawny one, you have two hours to hand over  £250,000 if you want the pritty one back unharmed. Dont try to delay, or she wont be so pritty no more. Keep the cops of the fone.’

“How am I going to get my hands on that sort of money?” I cried, if he harmed Julie I’d have him tracked down and disposed of.

“I’ll give Daddy a ring.” Stella went off to speak on her mobile to Henry.

“There are ways to raise a ransom, but it usually takes a few days,” said the Chief Inspector.

“One advantage of having your in laws own a bank.”

“It’s a bit low, isn’t it, sir?” asked one of the younger officers.

“I think he’s looking to do a runner, false passport across to France or Spain and off he goes into the distance.”

“What does he look like, and is he as uneducated as his letter suggests?”

One of the underlings tapped away on a computer and up came a picture of our most wanted. The best word I can think of to describe him is, nondescript. According to the details he was about five feet eight, slim and a rather bland face with long blond hair. There was something about him that struck me and I tested my theory.

“Has he ever been known to wear women’s clothes?”

The one on the computer tapped away and shook his head. His boss shrugged and said, “If he has we don’t know about it, why?”

“I’ve got a feeling that’s how he plans on escaping.”

“What–in drag?” gasped the younger copper and chuckled, “he won’t keep his hard man image then, will he?”

“Not if they find out in the nick,” chuckled back the Chief Inspector. “Can’t see how you can guess that,” he added, “though he has been known to use disguise before on a job.”

“I have a feeling in my water,” I added and went off to wee. Afterwards, the feeling was just as strong. Stella returned and confirmed the bank was putting together a special consignment for us. It would be treated with a special dye, so ten minutes after exposure to air, the notes would become bright green and any handling after this would make the hands green as well. The dye is indelible and lasts for several days. A special courier was on his way to the house.

An hour later I received an email from a Google account. ’Bring the money yourself to the HS bank and put it in the rubbish bin outside. Once i seen you done it, I’ll let the prity one go–probably. If I so much as smell the filth, she won’t be prity no more. Be there by 6pm tonite.’

“You can’t do it, I’ll have one of my women officers go in mufti,” declared the Chief Inspector.

“I shall do it. But we can’t put a brief case in a rubbish bin. Call Henry, Stella, and tell him not to use the dye, we’ll have to use a plastic bag.”

“But if the guy gets away he can use the money.”

“He won’t get away.” I said through my teeth.

“Lady Cameron, you will deposit the money and walk away or I’ll get one of team to do it. I give the orders on this one.”

“Chief Inspector, I’m not one of your team–so stick your orders.”

“Carry on like this and I’ll have you arrested for jeopardising and obstructing a police operation.”

“If you do, you’ll be drawing unemployment tomorrow.”

“It’s an offence to bribe or threaten an officer.”

“I’m not making threats, I’m stating a fact.”

“Please do as I ask, I want your child returned safely.”

“You think I don’t, Inspector?”

“Of course not.”

“I want her safe and him in custody for a very long time.”

“So do I,” agreed the Chief Inspector, “we don’t have much time either.”

I glanced at my watch, it was nearly five o’clock.