Hidden ( CSI Reilly Steel #3) Page 21

‘He’s supposed to be in five minutes ago, so I’d expect him in another ten, at least.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘You know what young lads are like these days.’

  ‘Right.’ Chris stepped inside the workshop. There was a long bench running down the middle of the floor, laden with generators and motors in various stages of disassembly. He could see the questions in Wilson’s face. ‘Don’t worry. I meant what I said. He hasn’t done anything wrong.’

  The owner looked relieved. ‘Oh good. He’s a nice kid, works hard. It’s not easy getting help these days – not anyone worthwhile, anyway.’ He led the detectives through the workshop towards the back.

  ‘Ah, speak of the devil ...’

  A young man of about twenty-five walked through the front door with a backpack slung over one shoulder.

  ‘Dan, these two gentlemen want to have a chat with you about that place up near Roundwood with the old Briggs & Stratton,’ Wilson told him. ‘They’re detectives.’

  The engineer’s face automatically reddened, and Chris glanced sideways at Kennedy to see if he, too, had caught the reaction.

  ‘Oh … right yeah, that place. What do you want to know?’ he stammered as he laid his bag down on the bench.

  ‘We are currently investigating some suspicious activity in the surrounding area, and would be grateful for your assistance. What can you tell us about your time there?’

  Dan looked like he’d been punched in the stomach.

  ‘Look, it was a mistake, all right?’ he blustered. ‘I didn’t want to get involved and things just … got out of hand.’

  What the …? Chris was completely taken aback by man’s reaction.

  His boss frowned. ‘Involved in what? What’s going on?’

  ‘Mr Wilson, do you think we might have a minute with Dan alone?’ Kennedy said.

  ‘Sure, call if you need me,’ he said reluctantly, before retreating outside.

  The engineer stepped out from behind the bench and placed his hands deep into his pockets.

  ‘So spit it out,’ Kennedy demanded. ‘What happened up there?’

  ‘Look, she said she was eighteen, OK? I believed her, she looked it… and acted much older … I didn’t want to get involved, I have a girlfriend and a daughter …’ He looked crestfallen. ‘She won’t find out, will she? My girlfriend, I mean,’ he added, his head still bowed.

  All of this was so unexpected that Chris wasn’t sure how to proceed. What girl was he talking about? ‘That depends on you. Tell us everything. And start at the beginning.’

  ‘I only started doing servicing out there about two years ago after Jimmy left. I thought it was strange at first, all the security, and rules.’

  ‘Rules?’

  ‘Yeah. Like there was a certain way things had to be done. I’d have to be there at twelve o’clock on the button, he opens the outside gate but that’s as far as I get. I do my work on the generator, and then I leave.’

  ‘He – you mean the owner?’

  ‘I suppose. He wasn’t much of a conversationalist, if you know what I mean. I know he’s some weird artist type; he’d sometimes have statues and things on pallets inside the gate. He told me he sculpted them himself when I asked him – pretty cool, they were.’

  ‘So you go in, work on the generator. How does he know when you’re ready to leave?’

  ‘There’s a bell on the inside gates,’ explained Dan. ‘I ring that then he opens the outer gates again.’

  ‘So what about this “mistake” then?’ Chris prompted, not wanting to give him too much time to pick his words.

  A look of shame crossed the engineer’s face. ‘That genny should have been long retired, it wasn’t designed to run multiple power outlets, especially not on that fuel combination. Last summer I ended up having to call nearly every other week after it shut down completely, then had to make up some parts here and install them because Mick wasn’t able to source new ones.’

  Dan gazed around the yard, gathering his thoughts. ‘I told your man that it would be cheaper and quicker to just replace the stupid thing, but he wouldn't hear of it. He seemed a decent sort but a bit of a hippy type – I reckoned he just wouldn’t spent the cash on a new one.’

  He paused for breath. ‘So anyway, a couple of times I’m out there I can hear a couple of kids whispering in the bushes beside the gate.’

  The hair on the back of Chris’s neck stood up and he glanced discreetly at Kennedy. ‘Kids? You’re sure?’

  Dan shrugged. ‘Yeah. I figured there was a family living there. But the kids wouldn’t talk back when I spoke to them, so I ignored them until one day she got brave and started talking to me.’

  Was he referring to Sarah? Desperate as he was to get to the point, Chris decided to let Dan ramble on. They needed to let him tell his own story.

  ‘Anyway, to cut a long story short, she was nice, a little bit shy, always asking me questions, but she would never answer mine. I didn’t mind, she was cute and it was someone to talk to while I worked. Sometimes she’d ask if I wanted to hear her sing which was a little weird, and at first I thought she might be a bit … you know… special.’ He said the last word in a low whisper.

  ‘Because she sang?’ Kennedy asked sceptically.

  ‘No, no, not just that but the way she acted. It’s hard to explain really, she just wasn’t like any other girl I knew, kind of innocent, you know?’

  ‘Until you came along like Prince Charming.’ Chris said, guessing that they’d made an unexpected breakthrough in finding not only the father of Sarah’s baby, but also the reason she had decided to fly the nest.

  Dan shook his head. ‘It wasn’t like that. When the genny broke I spent a couple of weeks back and forth working on it. So anyway over the course of that time I’d call and sometimes she would answer the buzzer to let me in. I thought he must be out, delivering his sculptures or something, but didn’t pay much attention. So instead of talking to me from behind the fence, this time she would come out and sit on the grass beside the generator while I worked, asking me constant questions like a three-year-old – where did I live, could I dance … all sorts of random stuff. I enjoyed it and she was funny; not all self-obsessed like most of the girls you meet nowadays.’

  Chris could hear genuine fondness in his tone.

  ‘Go on. I’m guessing we’re getting to the part where you tell us how you showed her to tango.’ Kennedy was clearly getting impatient.

  ‘Look, what do you want me to say? I’ve got a steady girlfriend, it was a mistake, it just happened.’

  ‘You’re saying she came on to you?’

  Dan took a deep breath. ‘Kind of. I went out there one day and again she opened the gates, and sat beside me while I worked, but saying nothing this time. It was unusual, because she’d been getting chattier each time I called. I asked her why she was so quiet, and she just burst into tears.’ He moved away from the bench that he was resting against. ‘I felt sorry for her, I put my arm around her to calm her down, she was in quite a state, talking about how she wanted to leave and would I take her with me. I asked her what was stopping her from leaving herself and she started talking about being afraid that the beasts would get her and all this weird stuff. Anyway, she was shivering, so I gave her my jacket and told her she could sit in the van if she wanted. She asked me to sit with her for a while and I did, I was just finished working anyway…’ Dan took a gulp of air. ‘So we were in the van still talking, when out of the blue she just plants one on me. One thing led to another and it just … happened.’

  ‘Did you use protection?’ Chris asked, already guessing the answer.

  ‘No offence but I don’t bring condoms out on jobs with me. I’m not some kind of Casanova …’

  ‘OK, so you had sex. Then what?’

  ‘Well, it’s not everyday a girl like that throws herself at you, but then right after we got into it she got all crazy, started sobbing and yelling, telling me to get off her, calling me weird names and stuff. I stopped straight away, honestly, I wou
ld never rape anyone, you have to believe me…’ he said, sounding desperate.

  ‘Is that why you think we’re here, because you’re being accused of rape?’

  ‘It wasn’t like that, I swear. She ran back in and I didn’t see or hear from her again. I was shitting it, but then when nothing happened after a few weeks I started to forget about it. Then when the next service call from there came in, I gave the boss some excuse and he said he’d get one of the other lads to do it. I didn’t rape anyone, I swear.’

  Chris exhaled deeply.

  ‘OK, Dan, calm down, that’s not why we’re here,’ he said, putting the man out of his misery. ‘But the information you’ve given us may prove very helpful with our investigation. What else can you tell us about the property? And how many children were there?’

  Chapter 28

  ‘So now we know for sure that it’s the right place,’ said Chris. The team had reconvened in the incident room for a meeting with O’Brien to update him. ‘And more importantly, we also know that this guy is holding more kids captive.’

  Following extensive questioning of the engineer, and based on his account of events, they’d learnt of the existence of at least three other children at the property, all redheads.

  O’Brien peered at the image on his computer screen, then scowled. ‘Last thing we want is a stand-off like at Ballycastle.’ He was referring to an incident from a few years back whereupon some local detectives had called to ask a young farmer a few questions about a recent fracas outside a nearby pub. Taking exception to their presence on his land as well as their questioning, the farmer had threatened them and tried to force them off with a shotgun. The armed response unit were called out, and a long stand-off ensued, resulting in the farmer being shot dead after firing a bullet into the air in a fit of rage. There had been a huge outcry and it had all ended up a public relations disaster for the force as a result. The ensuing internal inquest had changed the manner in which all similar investigations had been handled since.

  Reilly, Chris and Kennedy stood in a semi-circle around O’Brien, looking over his shoulder.

  ‘We have no reason to believe that there are any weapons there, sir,’ Reilly pointed out.

  ‘And no reliable intel to say that there aren’t either,’ he growled. ‘Everyone seems to be armed these days, and if this guy is as serious about security as you say… I mean someone like this, who has created his own little fortress – we have to assume he is armed. So what do we know about this guy?’

  ‘Land Registery details just came back,’ said Chris. ‘He’s a self-employed sculptor, headstones mostly but some bespoke pieces too. Tax records are minimal as he’s a registered artist and benefits from tax exemption, so has remained out of the net for the most part.’

  ‘He’s originally from Glasgow, but has been living here since the late eighties,’ Kennedy added. ‘But the big news is that his family died in a car crash a few years back.’

  And this crucial piece of information, Reilly thought, was what made this farm most likely to be the place.

  ‘According to the locals, they were a family of redheads,’ she said, ‘so Knight may well be spot on about our guy trying to recreate such a situation.’

  ‘So this McAllister sounds like our man then.’ O’Brien stood up and gazed out of the window. ‘I read Knight’s report too. Someone like this can be unpredictable.’

  ‘For what it’s worth, sir, he doesn’t sound like some Fritzl-type who keeps kids locked up in a cellar; in fact he seems more your garden variety psycho, fencing them in with fear instead of walls.’

  O’Brien nodded. ‘Knight mentioned that the abductor may himself have come to believe these scare tactics he’s using on the kids to keep them in check.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘So I don’t want us to go knocking at the door with a bunch of uniforms, getting him all riled up.’

  ‘We have reasonable cause though, based on what the engineer told us about there being kids in there,’ Kennedy pointed out. ‘I vote we bring the Armed Support Unit and get in and out before the guy knows what’s happening. It’ll be like pulling off a plaster.’

  O’Brien glared at him. ‘I think you’ve been watching too many Jerry Bruckheimer films, Detective. There are children there, we don’t know the layout, and certainly don’t know how this fella will react. The last thing we want is him holed up somewhere in there, the kids held hostage, and the press all over it. Before we know it, we’ll be the stars of Sky News’s latest reality show. No, initally we’ll just have to make a low-key approach and see if we get a response.’

  ‘I can’t see him opening up for us if he’s already had four opportunities,’ Kennedy argued. ‘The locals reckon that he’s a bit of a recluse. Incidentally there are no kids from that address registered in any of the local schools.’

  ‘No surprise there,’ Reilly said.

  ‘Makes you wonder how he’s pulled this off for so long though, doesn’t it?’ Chris ventured. ‘What happens when the kids get sick?’

  ‘Maybe they don’t,’ Kennedy said. ‘My two only started picking up bugs when they started school. And clearly these kids don’t mix.’ He was distracted by an incoming call on his mobile.

  Chris shook his head. ‘I don’t know. The more I think about this, the stronger I’m leaning towards tactical forced entry.’

  ‘Absolutely not,’ O’Brien retorted. ‘I say we give McAllister one more chance to talk to us, but no uniforms this time.’ He looked at Reilly. ‘You don’t look anything like a cop, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. What would you say to approaching via the front gate with Detective Delaney to see if he’ll talk?’

  ‘Happy to,’ Reilly agreed immediately.

  Chris looked horrified. ‘With all due respect, sir, that is not in the GFU’s remit. A direct approach could be risky, especially when we don’t know what we’re up against.’

  O’Brien shushed him into silence. ‘Steel’s not in the least threatening, and it would be good to get an idea of who we’re dealing with before we go barging on in there.’

  ‘And what if he doesn’t take too kindly to us?’

  ‘Chris, I’ll be fine. I’m happy to do it,’ Reilly insisted, eager to be a part of the action. She turned back to O’Brien. ‘Sir, how about if ASU back us up but stay back, and out of sight? They could discreetly inspect the surrounding area in the meantime, and see if they can confirm the presence of any children inside. Then if McAllister does decide to get hostile, we’re covered.’

  O’Brien looked at them all then slowly nodded. ‘All right. But don’t foul it up. I don't want this to turn into a stand-off, you hear me?’

  Kennedy hung up the phone. ‘That was the station. Seems one of the neighbors in Clondalkin called in this morning with a tip-off on the van from the other day.’

  ‘The one from the abduction attempt on Jade Carney?’ Chris asked. ‘Did the neighbor get the registration? Was it McAllister?’

  ‘Seems she only got a partial on the plate, but they’re checking CCTV cameras for around that time, see if they can find anything that matches the description. With luck, we might pick up the reg then.’

  He looked at O’Brien. ‘Still want to go ahead with a softly softly approach, sir, or should we wait until we get confirmation on the van?’

  The inspector was thinking hard. ‘I think we go ahead now, see what the response is.’

  ‘And what’s the plan if McAllister answers?’ Chris asked.

  ‘I think you’re going to have to play it by ear, see if it feels threatening or not.’ The inspector looked back out the window. ‘We’ll move first thing in the morning, give me a chance to get ASU into the mix.’ He nodded, indicating that the meeting was over. ‘And good luck,’ he threw at them as they closed the door.

  ‘We’re going to need it,’ muttered Kennedy. ‘There are so many ways this can go wrong…’

  Back at the GFU, Reilly was heading towards her office when she heard footsteps b
ehind her in the hallway. Hanging up her coat, she turned around to find Lucy waiting in the doorway.

  ‘Come in,’ she said, guessing what was coming.

  Lucy slipped into the room, and closed the door behind her. ‘I heard about tomorrow and—’

  Reilly cut her off. ‘I know what you’re going to ask, and I’m not sure it’s a good idea.’

  ‘How do you—’

  ‘You want to come up there tomorrow – to the McAllister place.’

  Lucy gazed at her hands, restlessly rubbing at them. ‘But what if—’ she whispered softly, unable to get the words out.

  Reilly exhaled. ‘Lucy,’ she said gently. ‘I understand that this has all been very difficult for you, and has brought back a lot of painful memories but the chances—’

  ‘I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not stupid,’ Lucy interjected. ‘I don’t think Grace is there. For one thing the age profile is all wrong…’ But Reilly guessed that there was still a tiny part of her that held out a faint glimmer of hope, futile or otherwise. ‘It’s just … I’ve practically memorized every missing children’s file there is since all of this began. If there’s a chance that even one of those kids is in there, and could be saved … ’

  Reilly looked at her dark, intense eyes and understood. ‘The operation is strictly limited in scope,’ she said. ‘It’s just a small team going out there to make initial contact. We have no idea how this guy is going to react. If our information about this place is sound, and McAllister is holding kids in there, then things could get messy.’ She looked at Lucy.

  ‘You don’t have to tiptoe around me, Reilly. But I know I have to be there.’

  Reilly wrestled with herself. A GFU van would be needed on standby anyway, just in case everything went to pot. She nodded reluctantly. ‘OK, you can be part of the unit tomorrow. But you stay in the van and follow the rules.’

  Lucy face brightened. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘I mean it; it’s the only way,’ Reilly said firmly. ‘We have one shot to get McAllister to talk to us. If we spook him, who knows what he might do? As self-sustaining as this guy seems to be, he could dig in tighter than a tick if we get him rattled.’