No Second Chances: A British police dog-handler mystery (Daniel Whelan #4)(3)

‘I’m not going anywhere near that fuckin’ dog!’ Leather Jacket averred, eyeing Taz nervously.

‘He won’t hurt you unless I tell him to. Just don’t touch me or make any sudden movements.’

Still the man hesitated, licking lips suddenly gone dry, but Daniel’s captive was losing patience.

‘For fuck’s sake hurry up and get out! The bastard’s breaking my arm!’

‘What he said,’ Daniel agreed. ‘Only I wouldn’t hurry, if I were you.’

His eyes never leaving the dog, Leather Jacket walked in almost comical slow motion towards Daniel and his captive and sidled past, maintaining his crablike progress as he drew level with the German shepherd, who bristled and licked his lips.

‘Let him go, lad,’ Daniel said to the dog.

Clearly disappointed, Taz did as he was told, turning his head to watch the man pass and, just as the manoeuvre was completed, produced one of his most blood-curdling snarls. Forgetting Daniel’s warnings, Leather Jacket turned on his heel and ran for the door. Daniel had to suppress a smile. It had to be said, the dog had excellent dramatic timing.

Moments later Daniel heard the sound of the Transit’s engine and leaned forward to speak close to his captive’s ear, ignoring the fresh spate of swearing the extra pressure provoked. ‘Your turn, now. Do exactly what your charming friend did and make sure you don’t do anything my partner there might consider threatening, got it?’

The man nodded and Daniel leaned again. ‘Sorry. I didn’t hear you …’

‘Yes. Fuck you!’ the man said sullenly.

Daniel released his grip and stepped back, poised for trouble, but the man had evidently had enough. He rubbed his sore arm and edged past the dog with respect but not quite the degree of trepidation his colleague had displayed. At the front door, he paused and looked back to where Lorna watched from the kitchen.

‘This doesn’t change anything,’ he told her. ‘When you see your husband, don’t forget to tell him the boss wants to see him, like yesterday! If we don’t hear from him by the end of the week you’ll both be sorry. And you, mate,’ he added to Daniel. ‘You’d better hope I never see you ever again, cos I never forget a face and I owe you, big time!’

Without waiting for reaction from either Daniel or Lorna, he disappeared into the gloom and seconds later they heard the van accelerating away up the drive towards the road.

Taz padded to the door and looked out, as if to assure himself that the men really had gone, and then returned to Daniel, grinning widely and tail waving.

‘Good lad,’ Daniel told him, ruffling his fur, but his attention was quickly claimed by Lorna who, now that the crisis was over, buried her face in her hands and began to sob uncontrollably.





TWO


‘Hey, it’s over now, they’ve gone,’ Daniel said, going to her side and putting an arm round her shoulders. The two spaniels crept out from their hiding places and shimmied towards their mistress, their tails doing overtime.

‘But you heard what he said,’ Lorna managed, between sobs. ‘If Harvey doesn’t get in touch, they’ll be back.’

‘So where is Harvey?’ Daniel asked. ‘Why can’t he get in touch?’

‘He’s abroad, working. Hong Kong. I told them that but they wouldn’t believe me. They said I was lying and that he’s here – back in England, but he’s not. I should know, for God’s sake! I’m his bloody wife!’

‘Well, he’ll have to come back, now, won’t he?’ Daniel stated. ‘Did they say what they wanted with him?’

‘No. Oh. God, Daniel! I was so scared! I was terrified that Zoe would walk in while they were here.’

She began to cry harder again and he put his arms round her and drew her close, feeling her body trembling, even between the sobs. Zoe, he knew, was Lorna’s fifteen-year-old daughter, who attended day school in nearby Tavistock. She was the product of a previous relationship but had been accepted into the family at age five by Harvey, who had a son and a daughter of his own from his first marriage.

‘It’s OK. Nobody got hurt. Well, not very much, anyway,’ he amended.

‘Thank God you came! You were amazing!’ Lorna said pulling back and fishing in her pocket for a handkerchief. ‘What made you come into the house?’

‘Well, the gate was open and I found these guys heading out on a hunting trip,’ he added, glancing down at Scotch and Bailey, who grinned back at him with a total lack of shame for their misdemeanours.

‘Oh my God! They must have slipped out when the men came in. They’re no bloody good at all as guard dogs!’

‘How did they get in? Were the gates open?’

‘No. I opened them,’ Lorna admitted ruefully, dabbing her eyes with the handkerchief and then using it to blow her nose. ‘They buzzed and I thought it was you, so I just said, “Hi, Daniel,” and one of them said “Hi” back. It never occurred to me that it was anyone else.’

‘Well, it wouldn’t,’ Daniel said. ‘Don’t beat yourself up about it. From what I saw of them, they would probably have just driven through the gates if you hadn’t opened them.’

‘I just don’t understand why they were here,’ she said, her eyes filling with tears again. ‘What did they want with Harvey? What has he done?’