Lockdown

Thirty-one

What Federal Plaza really needed was a bigger set of revolving doors, thought Lock as he pushed Don in one direction while Ty was being led out by Frisk in the other.

‘Trade you,’ said Lock, propelling Don towards Frisk.

‘I was letting him go anyway,’ said Frisk with a nod of the head towards Ty.

‘Really? I thought damaging federal property was a serious offence.’

Ty took in Don’s limp hand. ‘So’s breaking some guy’s wrist.’

Frisk reached down to tickle Angel’s ear and noticed the scar. ‘So what’d the dog do to you?’

‘She was like that when I found her,’ Lock said. He glanced back at Don. ‘For the record, so was he.’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘I don’t think he believes you,’ said Ty.

‘Being suspicious is what I’m paid to be,’ Frisk said. He jerked his head towards Don. ‘What’s his story?’

‘Black sheep of the Stokes family.’

‘That must take some application.’

‘That’s what I thought. But he did find Cody Parker for me.’

This seemed to pique Frisk’s attention. ‘Where is he?’

‘Gone,’ said Lock.

‘But you saw him?’

‘Briefly.’

‘You see the boy?’

‘I don’t think he has him.’

This got a reaction from all three men. Don seemed the most surprised. ‘That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,’ he said.

Lock silenced him with a glance. ‘When I want your opinion, Donald, I’ll be sure to give it to you.’

‘So how come you think Parker doesn’t have the boy?’ Frisk asked.

‘He’s not the type.’

‘That’s it?’

‘Hey, I spoke to him. More than you guys have managed.’

‘And then you let him go.’

‘He escaped. There’s a difference.’

Frisk put a hand on Don Stokes’ shoulder. ‘OK, well, let me see what I can get from this chump.’

‘You might want to get him some medical attention for that wrist. He caught it in the car door when Parker was making a run for it.’

Ty and Lock waited until they were a block clear before they spoke.

‘So what’s really going on?’ Ty asked.

‘What I told Frisk. Apart from Don getting his hand stuck in the car door. I broke it.’

‘Well, duh.’

‘Ever decreasing circles, Tyrone. Whisper it, but I don’t think the animal rights people have Josh Hulme.’

‘So who does?’

‘Maybe it’s just a straight K and R.’

‘Mighty big coincidence.’

‘Or not. Meditech’s in the news. Everyone knows they’re big enough to have a sizeable policy. Kidnapper’s not going to go near someone like Van Straten for fear of getting offed, so they grab the kid of the chief research scientist. Week before, it could have been the CEO of Microsoft. We just got unlucky.’

‘Only Richard Hulme isn’t covered.’

‘Could be they didn’t know that.’

‘So where does that leave us?’

‘I can’t get past the au pair.’

‘Because she’s Russian?’

‘What’s one of the fastest growing crimes for profit internationally over the past five years?’

‘Kidnap for ransom.’

‘And who has led the way?’

‘Islamists, Colombians and Russians.’

‘Except the Colombians stay on their own turf, as do the Islamists — which leaves the Russians. The wave’s been moving west though. Remember that banker’s family they took in Frankfurt? And the stockbroker in London? He traded half his firm’s cash reserve without anyone knowing. It was only going to be a matter of time before they made it to North America. And not knowing the territory, they go after whoever has the highest profile and the lowest security.’

‘But there ain’t been no ransom demand or warning of any kind, man. I don’t buy it,’ Ty said.

Lock chewed his bottom lip. ‘No. . but explain Natalya getting into that car with Josh Hulme for me.’

‘I can’t.’

‘Me either.’