Part 29 (1/2)

His head came back down to hers. 'We're waiting for a backup team. We need the place surrounded and there are too many windows. Five minutes, and they won't be going anywhere.'

Maggie felt a jolt of shock. Duncan was in there. What was going to happen? If they caught him now, everything was going to have to come out. She felt helpless and no longer knew what outcome she was hoping for.

The man she now recognised as Tom Douglas put his arm gently around her shoulders and led her towards the door. A thought flashed through Maggie's mind. If only she had told him everything when he had come to see her, perhaps all of this could have been avoided. But it was too late to think like that. Behind her, she heard nothing but sensed the movement of bodies, climbing the stairs silently to the room above.

She signalled to the detective that he needed to bend his ear to her lips. 'Ambulance,' she said softly. He looked at her as if to ask where she was hurt. 'Not me,' she mouthed. His eyes grew wide and strangely frightened. But she had no time to query that as he handed her over to a uniformed policeman, squeezed her arm and moved silently back into the loading bay, heading for the stairs.

The young policeman walked Maggie outside towards a police car, speaking quietly into his radio as he moved.

'Let the family know that we've got the mother. Yes, Mrs Taylor's with me. Let them know she's safe, will you.' He disconnected as they reached the car.

'Tell me about Josh? Do you know where he is?' she asked, pulling at the policeman's arm as his attention was diverted by some activity at the end of the street.

'Sorry, miss,' he said. 'I don't know anything about Josh, but as soon as we're sorted here I'll find out for you.'

He glanced back towards the end of the street where a crowd seemed to be gathering, clearly interested in what was happening. Two officers were manning a temporary barrier, but one or two people had broken through, phones at the ready to take photos.

'Can I put you in the police car?' the policeman said. 'I need to see what those idiots are doing at the top of the road. We could do without their interference.' He opened the car door for her.

'Thanks, officer,' Maggie said. 'I'm going to stand in the fresh air for a moment. It seems a long time since I was able to breathe.'

's.h.i.+t. I'm not supposed to leave you, but I can't let that lot near the building.'

'I'm not going anywhere. I'm the victim, the one who escaped, remember.'

'I know.' He started to reverse down the street, talking to her and checking over his shoulder. 'Well, stay there, and if you see anybody, get in the car and lock it. I'll be right back,' he said, turning round and jogging down the street.

Maggie leaned against the side of the car, watching the policeman as he ran towards the onlookers, but thinking only of Josh. Tom Douglas had said he was safe, and she had to believe him. Thank G.o.d. All she wanted now was to get home to her children and keep them safe.

She thought back to the decision she had been about to make. Kill me she had been going to say. She had known she couldn't watch Duncan kill somebody else, but equally she wouldn't have been able to watch Samil kill Duncan. She had been going to take the coward's way out.

She felt her legs turn to jelly and pulled the car door wide to get in. Before she had the chance to move, a hard body slammed into hers, flattening her against the police car, a hand whipping up to cover her mouth. Maggie felt strong arms dragging her back into the shadows. She couldn't breathe. The hand clamped over Maggie's mouth felt rough and hard.

'Ssshh, Maggie it's me.'

It was no more than a harsh whisper against her ear, but a voice she recognised. She froze, unable to resist or to move away from his grasp.

'Quiet. They'll hear you. I got away down an old fire escape before they surrounded the place. The police don't need to know I was here. Don't say anything, Maggie. I love you. Trust me just for a little longer. Please, Maggie. For our children.'

Maggie saw the policeman turn back towards where he had left her. He stopped, stared and then started to jog back.

She felt a small push in the back as Duncan let go of her. Maggie stumbled out of the shadows back towards the waiting police car, then turned briefly to look over her shoulder.

There was n.o.body there.

61.

Pleased as he was that Maggie Taylor was safe, Tom was filled with a sense of hopelessness. If an ambulance was needed so urgently, Leo had to be in a bad way. Why hadn't he done more?

He had quickly pulled a team together as soon as they had realised that of all the places Adam Mellor might have chosen from his family's portfolio, one stood out as the most obvious of the small number of currently deserted properties. No buildings opposite, right by the ca.n.a.l, and it had what appeared to be a loading bay. They could have searched them all, but Tom had taken a punt by bringing the team here and sending a couple of uniforms to check the other buildings from the outside. He had been right.

Now the team leader was at the top of the stairs, trying to get a visual on the two men. If they were too close to Leo, who knew what they would do. There was shouting coming from the room it sounded as if they had noticed Maggie Taylor had gone and they were blaming each other.

As Tom reached the top of the stairs he saw that there was a sort of window in the door to the room. It looked like it was made of plastic rather than gla.s.s and was scratched and filthy, but it was clear enough for them to be able to judge the moment.

The team leader was holding up a gloved hand, telling them all to wait. Tom couldn't stand it. He needed to get to Leo, but he knew that at this moment he had to leave this to the specialists.

Suddenly the hand dropped, the door was flung open, and six policemen flew through the doors, shouting at the tops of the voices, 'Police, police. Stay where you are. Don't move.'

The team leader had chosen the perfect moment. One man was on the floor, the other kneeling down with his hands around his neck, shaking him. Before they were able to struggle to their feet, the two fastest policemen were on them.

Tom scanned the darkened room, lit only by two dim fluorescent tubes, buzzing and crackling as they flickered. His eyes flashed around, looking for signs of Leo. And then he saw a dark patch half way across the huge pillared s.p.a.ce. A black mound among sc.r.a.ps of debris.

'Dear G.o.d,' he whispered. He ran. He didn't care about the two sc.u.mbags who had done this to Leo. All he cared about was getting to her.

He skidded to a halt, falling to his knees at her side. His voice caught in his throat, but he had to speak to her, to let her know she was safe.

'Leo? Leo, it's Tom. You're safe now, love. We're going to take care of you.'

He gently eased the damp fabric away from her mouth and wet the cloth again, trying in vain to cool the burning skin. What had they done?

'I'm just going to check you, to see what we can do to make you more comfortable.'

Tom lifted his head and shouted to n.o.body in particular, 'Where's that f.u.c.king ambulance!' then his attention went back to Leo.

Gently he pulled back the sleeve of the arm that appeared to be attached to one of the pillars. He bit back a gasp of horror. Leo couldn't know how bad this was.

Her arm was so swollen that the plastic tie securing her wrist was almost completely hidden under the pus-filled, hot flesh that surrounded it. The end of the tie was attached to a chain looped around the pillar, but he couldn't cut the plastic without cutting Leo.

Tom leapt to his feet and raced across the room.

'You b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. You f.u.c.king b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. Where are the keys?'

Tom turned to one of the policeman. 'Give me your baton.' The policeman hesitated. 'That's an order, Constable.' Reluctantly the PC handed over his baton.

Tom walked towards Adam Mellor, the weaker-looking of the two. He pushed his face right up to Mellor's and shouted, 'Give me the f.u.c.king keys, or I'll break both your legs.'

From across the room, close to Leo, Becky watched in horror. She stood up and raced towards Tom. The team leader had started to move too, but Tom had halted him with a warning glance.

'Tom,' Becky said, her voice strong. 'Leave it.'

'Not until this piece of s.h.i.+t tells me what he's done with the keys. b.u.t.t out, Becky. You,' he said, waving the baton close to Adam's face. 'I am looking for an excuse to hit you, and hit you hard. Don't give me one.'