Dead if You Don’t

81

Sunday 13 August

13.00–14.00

It had been a long time since Sussex Police had been involved in a kidnap with a ransom demand at this level. Roy Grace hated the idea of the kidnappers getting away with a ransom, but if it meant the safe return of Mungo Brown, so be it — his primary goal was to protect the boy’s life. The worst possible result would be the family paying the ransom and Mungo being found dead. From the evidence he had so far, the kidnap was professional and well thought-out, which made him optimistic. If they were after money, it was unlikely the kidnappers were going to let Mungo die, regardless of their threats to the father.

He thought about Mungo’s original plan, hatched with his mate, Aleksander Dervishi. Was this boy’s criminal father, well-known to Brighton police, the mastermind behind it all? Some kind of elaborate double-bluff going on? He didn’t think so. He had grounds to arrest him, but what would that achieve at this moment? He had hoped the man would say something to Norman Potting and Velvet Wilde that would give them a lead. But so far, nothing.

He looked at his watch. It was 1 p.m. If the tide chart was to be believed, in less than five hours’ time Mungo Brown would drown. However much he doubted the people behind this would let that happen, he wouldn’t bet the ranch on it.

Giles Powell suddenly hurried over to Roy Grace. ‘Sir,’ he said, with excitement in his voice. ‘We have a development.’

‘Tell me?’

‘Following the alert that was put out for the Audi and Golf, an NPT car crew spotted both vehicles on Dyke Road Avenue, twenty minutes ago. They turned and followed — at a safe distance — and observed both vehicles turn into the entrance of Boden Court.’

‘Those blocks of flats at the top?’ Grace asked, his adrenaline surging.

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Dyke Road Avenue is the same street Kipp Brown lives in — can’t be more than about half a mile away from his house,’ Grace said, then wondered. Was this deliberate? The kidnappers staking him out from there? Whatever. He balled his fists and banged them together. ‘Brilliant, Giles! Do we know if the vehicles are still there?’

‘They are, sir — Oscar-1 instructed the unmarked car to park up and keep watch.’

Grace thanked him, went over to his desk and hurriedly scribbled out the paperwork for a search warrant. He didn’t strictly need one, but it was belt and braces; all officers had the power to force an immediate entry into premises where life was believed to be in danger. He dispatched DC Davies to the on-call magistrate to get it signed. Then he called the Force Gold and Critical Incident Manager, in turn, to inform them of the development. Next, he called Oscar-1, requesting the vehicles and personnel he needed.

As soon as he’d ended the last call, he told DC Hall to accompany him, and raced out to the car park.