Separated at Death (The Lakeland Murders) (33 page)

‘It’s not for you Ryan, it’s for Amy. You remember, the young girl who was strangled.’

Ryan looked surprised at Hall’s vehemence, and so did Jane. Hall realised that the tension was getting to him.

‘Anyway, we think we’re on for tonight, so we’ll have everyone in place before it gets dark. Then you can text friend Wayne again. Has Uncle Ian been looking after you?’

‘Uncle Ian has been doing his best’ said Mann, coming out of the kitchen. ‘I’ve explained that as soon as he sends his text we go in to lock down, and that Inspector Sharples will be in command. We will both be in the living room with Ryan. And when we track Hamilton and his crew coming over here then we go dark and silent. The only light on will be in the sitting room. Ryan has a jacket to wear, and we’ve shown him what to do if they do get into the room.’

‘You understand everything Ryan?’ asked Hall. ‘You’re clear about what’s going to happen?’

‘Yeah. Adam or Simon, or whatever you call him, is in for a bit of a surprise.’

Hall beckoned Mann into the kitchen and briefed him on the developments. They both spoke quietly, and Jane stood between them and the kitchen door.

‘So we don’t know who this bloke is then?’ asked Mann. ‘I’m surprised that Carl Nelson didn’t think he could deal with Ryan on his own.’

‘Yes, but perhaps they used this other bloke if they killed that kid out west. Either way it means that we’re going to have to be extra careful, especially when they’re in the house.’

Mann nodded. ‘Where will you two be?’

Hall smiled. ‘Next door, well out of harms way. Sharples has tactical command from the second we go in to lock-down, and I’m not even authorised to deploy a can-opener, so there’s not much I could do anyway.’

‘Bet you’d rather be in here, with us and the artillery eh, Andy. The ladies love it.’

Mann winked at Jane. But Hall still looked tense. ‘Are you OK with this set-up Ian? Anything you want to suggest, or to change? Sharples will be here as soon as he’s finishing reviewing the troops’ boots or whatever it is he does, so this is the time to say.’

‘No, I’m good. Sharples is cautious. He’s had extinguishers placed in every room in this building, and a couple where you are, with coppers there to use them too, if needs be. That’s smart thinking I reckon.’

Hall said nothing, and nodded. Mann went on, ‘and if you’re worried that he’ll be too gung-ho then don’t be. I dare say he was in a few tight corners when he was in Afghanistan. He’s only been out two years, but he got accelerated promotion with us because he was a pretty distinguished soldier. He will react appropriately when the time comes, just as I will. We all know who the bad guys are here.’

‘And what about Ryan? How’s he holding up?’

‘Surprisingly well. His eyes were out on stalks when the armourer’s van arrived. I showed him the flashes and things. He seemed genuinely interested.’

‘He’s probably thinking how useful they’d be if he decides to hold up a bookies in town next week’ said Hall.

‘He’s not such a bad lad’ said Mann. ‘So what time are we getting him to send this text then?’

‘Ideally when we know that they’re all at Hamilton’s place. They should be there by half-four.’

For the next hour they waited, then Hall passed the mobile to Ryan. ‘Wayne’s texted and called a few times, but obviously we didn’t reply. So just send him a text, and tell Simon to come here, alone, at eight tonight. Then give me back the phone.’

Sharples had finished his rounds and was back in the house. The yard was empty. Hall watched as Ryan sent the text. Sharples gave every location instructions to stand-by, and they all waited in the kitchen for news that Hamilton, Nelson and his crew had left his house.

They waited over an hour, and then heard that Simon and his crew had left, in one car. Two of them had put bags into the boot. An unmarked followed them most of the way to Kendal, and another picked them up at Plumgarths. Ten minutes later the car was headed north out of Kendal.

‘This is it’ said Sharples, and gave the instruction for everyone to move into position. The only light left on was in the living room, where Ryan was. The curtains were drawn. Mann went in and turned off the TV. Ryan already had body armour on under his hoodie, which was so baggy that it was hard to tell he was even wearing a vest. Mann checked that Ryan had his radio earpiece in place and did a test.

‘What if they try to get Ryan to come outside?’ asked Jane.

‘No way’ said Sharples. ‘We don’t know who this extra man is, we don’t know what weapons or capabilities they have, so if they give us cause for concern we take them in the yard. I’ve got six guys out there, and friend Hamilton won’t have a clue what’s going on if it all kicks off.’

Hall had instructed the tail to leave Hamilton’s car on the edge of town, and it did, turning into the supermarket car park. Five minutes later the officers covering the drive to the south of the cottage complex reported the car driving past, and then the ones at the top of the drive said that the car had slowed down, but had driven past.

‘They can’t be thinking of coming in across all that boggy ground’ said Sharples. ‘But it makes no odds to us if they do, because we can easily move our people around long before they make it to the yard. If they make it.’

But Hamilton’s car did turn down the next farm track, as if they were going to try to come in from the north, but then backed out and came past the drive again, slowly. Then it turned down the next drive, and did exactly as Sharples had expected.

‘That’s interesting’ he said. ‘They’re being cautious, so they must suspect something. I’d have preferred it if they’d just come down the drive.’

‘I must admit it’s what I’d have expected’ said Hall. ‘It does concern me that they’re being so careful.’

‘Maybe’ said Sharples, ‘but put yourself in the same position, what would you do?’

Hall thought. ‘Honestly, I can’t put myself in their position. How on earth have they got themselves into a situation where they’re apparently planning to kill a kid from a council estate. I do know why Simon wants him kept quiet of course, but those other clowns can’t have any logical reason for getting involved in all this. None at all.’

Jane Francis smiled. ‘The first week I was in the job we nicked this bloke who’d stabbed his best mate to death. Frenzied attack it was. And guess what started it? The colour of Superman’s tights. They were drinking and got to talking about the costume, and it all got out of hand. Some people don’t need much of a reason.’

Sharples nodded.

‘So what colour are they? The tights?’ asked Hall.

‘Apparently they’re blue. The pants that he wears on the outside, they’re red. Funny enough the one that died had been right on all along.’

‘That must have been a great consolation to the family’ said Sharples drily.

The radio was quiet for a minute or two, then one of Sharples’ team reported that the four men were out of the car, and were making their way across the field. They only had one torch between them, so there was plenty of swearing.

‘That’s more like it’ said Hall. ‘That’s the great British criminal in action. Ill prepared, incompetent and given to sudden and unprovoked acts of violence.’

‘That’s the bit I’m worried about’ said Sharples. ‘The issue isn’t subduing them, that’s a given, the problem is making sure that no-one on our side over-reacts when this lot are in front of them. Anyway, they’re my problem now. You two better get next door.’

Hall and Jane opened the front door, and walked quietly to the house next door. Hall opened the door and locked it behind them. He nodded to the copper in the sitting room, and then the two of them stood in the hall and waited.

Hall wasn’t a man who’d ever found it easy to live fully in the moment, but for the next fifteen minutes he did so completely. The radios were silent and all he could hear was a faint static hiss in his earpiece. The body armour was heavy and uncomfortable. It was absolutely pitch dark in the hall, and even when his eyes had dark adapted Hall could only barely see the outline of the window in the hall door.

Jane heard them first, and Hall sensed her tense behind him, then felt her hand on his arm. A second or two later he heard it too. Footsteps outside.

‘Hamilton is ahead of the others. Appears unarmed’ one of Sharples crew reported. ‘He’s approaching the front door.’

Then they heard the knock.

‘Ryan, it’s me, Simon. Are you there?’

‘I’m here. Are you alone?’

‘Of course I am. Open the bloody door will you. It’s freezing out here.’

Ryan followed his script.‘I need to see you’re alone. Turn on the yard lights. There’s a switch on the wall just to the left of the door. Do you see it?’

‘Ryan, don’t piss about. Just open the door and let me in.’

‘Not until I see you’re on your own.’

There was silence for a few seconds.

‘The others have moved to the side of the house’ said one of the spotters over the radio. ‘Still no visible weapons’

‘Let them in’ said Sharples. ‘Do not take them in the yard.’

‘He’s going for the lights’ said the spotter.

The outside light came on, and Hall was dazzled. He put his hand up to protect his eyes. ‘Take your time’ he heard Sharples warn Ryan over the radio.

‘Walk in front of the window and hold up your hands’ shouted Ryan.

‘No weapon visible’ said the spotter.

The yard light went out again.

‘It’s open’ called out Ryan, ‘come in, and lock it behind you.’

A few seconds passed, and then the door opened. Hall could hear it very faintly. After that everything happened in a few seconds. Hall heard someone call ‘weapon’ on the radio, and the yard was suddenly lit up with blinding flashes, and Hall heard loud bangs and shouting from outside. It was what he imagined war would sound like, only louder.

In the hall Simon Hamilton made a bad decision, and he threw opened the door and ran into the living room. He saw Ryan standing against the rear wall, and moved straight towards him. But Mann came from behind the door and had Hamilton on the ground before he’d taken more than a couple of steps. Hamilton felt his arms being wrenched back, and Mann cuffed him. Ryan hadn’t  even moved. It felt like being inside a video game, but for once he wasn’t the action hero.

The outside lights came back on, and Sharples ran out of the house. His team had all three men cuffed and on the ground. ‘Clear’ shouted Sharples. Hall didn’t feel the faintest sense of anticlimax, just relief that it was all over.

By the time he got into the living room next door Mann had Hamilton up on the sofa and was arresting him. Ryan was just being taken across the yard. He looked dazed.

‘Shall we search him here boss?’

‘Yes please.’

A knife was in Hamilton’s pocket.

‘And I thought you preferred using your hands’ said Hall. ‘We’ll talk properly at the station.’

Outside Sharples and his men had the other three on their feet. A shotgun was lying on the ground.

‘What’s in the bag?’ asked Hall.

Sharples pulled one open, then the other.

‘Just what you need for a moonlit stroll in the country. Taser, rope, gag, drugs. I think that should do you Andy.’

‘I think so. Do we have a name for the mystery man?’

‘They’re not very talkative at the moment.’

‘OK, can I leave you to get everything tidied up here? I’d like these cowboys to be booked in at Kendal as quickly as we can please.’

Jane Francis stood in the yard and called Mr Jenkins.

‘I’m at a drinks do. It will have to wait until the morning.’

‘We can arrange a duty solicitor if you’re not able to attend this evening sir. We intend to charge your client with conspiracy to murder.’

‘Conspiracy? Not the murder of Amy Hamilton.’

‘No sir, this is a different offence. But we certainly don’t rule out additional charges. Tonight’s events may well make that more likely.’

‘I see. Very well. I will be at Kendal Police Station in an hour. I will have to get someone to drive me there.’

‘Very wise sir’ said Jane.

Hall made sure that a uniformed sergeant, who usually did custody duty, was in the car with Hamilton on the way back to Kendal. Other than a ‘mind your head sir’ on the way in to the car he didn’t say one single word.

Robinson was waiting when Hall, Mann and Jane Francis walked back into the office.

‘You’re charging the conspiracy to murder?’

‘Absolutely. Jenny from the CPS is absolutely sure that they couldn’t use an entrapment defence, because we’ve documented every aspect and followed the approved protocols to the letter, so Ryan’s character doesn’t come in to it. Simon was carrying an illegal knife too, which seals the deal for us. And his cronies will probably give him up too.’