No Second Chances: A British police dog-handler mystery (Daniel Whelan #4)(2)

He could hear voices from the rear of the building and almost immediately a door opened and a heavily built man appeared in the opening, haloed by the light from the kitchen beyond.

‘Mr Myers?’ the man enquired, looking at Daniel.

‘No, sorry.’ Daniel took a couple of steps towards the man and peered round him. In the kitchen he could see another male figure in a heavy leather jacket standing between the door and a slim woman in jeans and a loose cotton shirt.

Daniel’s senses came to full alert. Something about their body language didn’t look right.

‘Lorna? Is everything OK?’

‘Daniel?’ As she took a step towards him, the man put out a hand to stop her and she flinched. She was wearing her long sandy blonde hair tied back and even in the half-light Daniel could see the stress in her face and hear it in her voice as she said, ‘These men are looking for Harvey but I told them he’s not here.’

‘In that case, I expect they’ll be on their way, then,’ Daniel observed mildly, wishing he had Taz at his heels rather than a couple of dizzy spaniels.

‘We’ll leave when we’re fucking ready to leave,’ the man in the doorway growled, curling his lip at Daniel. He was fortyish with razor-cut dark hair and rather coarse but otherwise unremarkable features.

‘Do you want me to call the police?’ Daniel asked Lorna, but her reply was sharp with alarm.

‘No! Please, Daniel, don’t! It’s OK.’

‘Listen to the little lady,’ the closest man advised. ‘She knows what’s good for her.’

‘What do you want with Mr Myers?’ Daniel asked.

‘I think that’s between him and us, don’t you?’ was the reply. ‘Who did you say you were?’

‘I didn’t.’

‘He’s a friend,’ Lorna said.

‘Well, in that case,’ the man said, leaning close to Daniel, ‘the best thing you can do is make sure the little lady gives our message to her hubby and keeps her pretty little mouth shut or we’ll be back to visit her again and next time we mightn’t be so polite! My mate, here, has an eye for a pretty lady.’

To accentuate his words, the man in the leather jacket leaned towards Lorna and winked suggestively. He had a face only a mother could love and she shrank back with a look of deep disgust. One of the spaniels, sensing a game, fawned round the man’s feet and he aimed a kick at it.

Lorna cried out as the dog yelped and scurried under the table.

‘Touch her and I will call the police,’ Daniel stated calmly, though he knew that, due to the location, the chances of them arriving before the two men made their getaway were close to nil, unless they just happened to be in the area.

Leather Jacket obviously knew this because he sneered, ‘Yeah?’ and reached out a hand in Lorna’s direction.

‘Leave her alone!’

‘Or what?’

Quick as a flash, Daniel swayed towards the man in the doorway, grasped his arm and twisted it out and up behind his back. Intent on the scene in the kitchen, the man was caught off guard and found himself turned and slammed face first into the wall with his hand somewhere in the vicinity of his shoulder blades. He grunted his discomfort and swore viciously at Daniel.

‘Or … I break your mate’s arm,’ Daniel replied, leaning all his weight on the bigger man to hold him still.

Leather Jacket froze, his bovine face registering shock, and Lorna took her opportunity to duck under his outstretched arm and retreat to the far side of the kitchen. She was now near enough to the garden door to open it and get out but she made no move to do so.

Leather Jacket appeared to have lost interest in her now and he began, instead, to advance towards Daniel and his captive.

‘I don’t fink you will,’ he said.

Daniel leaned harder on his man, noticing a small tattoo on the back of his neck as he did so. His victim squealed, ‘He bloody will! Stay back!’

Leather Jacket stopped and raised his hands a little.

‘All right. So what now? Way I see it, you’ve got to let ’im go sometime and then you’re dead meat, incha?’

Daniel was aware that his position wasn’t great but he had an ace up his sleeve that neither of them knew about. Thankful that he had left the cab window open, with a shrill whistle he summoned the cavalry.

Just seconds later there came the clicking of claws on the stone flags and a low rumbling growl sounded.

‘Shit!’ Leather Jacket exclaimed, backing off. ‘The size of the fuckin’ thing!’

‘And he has teeth to match,’ Daniel promised him, confidence surging now his partner had his back. Looking past the two men to where Lorna stood watching, he asked, ‘Are you sure you don’t want the police?’

She shook her head, quickly. He wondered what threats they had used to inspire such a look of desperation but he had to respect her wishes and besides, he had no great desire to bring himself to the notice of the authorities, either.

He returned his gaze to Leather Jacket. ‘OK. Now, this is what’s going to happen. You are going to very slowly and quietly walk past me and the dog and head for the door. You will get into your van and start the engine. When I hear the engine, I will let your mate here go and he will follow you. You will then both drive away and not come back – now or ever. D’you understand?’