Chapter Thirty
Suddenly it all made sense.
Stuart gazed at Love as he recalled the nondescript white van passing by. How many times was it? Two? Three? Four?
‘That clever little bastard,’ he said. ‘That was sneaky.’
Love was breathing heavily. ‘Yeah, sure was.’
‘Can’t trust those Germans,’ he muttered in a good imitation of Captain George Mainwaring. ‘Sneaky to the bloody end.’
Love couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He was a fan of the sitcom Dad’s Army especially the actor Arthur Lowe who played the part of the incredibly pompous but endearingly patriotic character so well. ‘You wanker!’
Suddenly the moment was gone.
‘Now what?’ Stuart said. ‘We’ve got him but he has to make the first move.’ He flicked his hair back as he glanced down at the gun in his hand. ‘We have to continue to bait him.’
Love licked his lips. He looked up at the sky. Dusk had fallen. It would be their cover. It would work for them. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘Let’s continue to draw him out.’ He spoke quietly and quickly. ‘Have you got the keys to Emma’s car?’
‘In my pocket,’ Stuart replied. ‘I carry her spare.’
‘Okay, keep your head down, go round the corner, get in the car and start her up.’
Stuart saw where this was going. He nodded, flicked the safety catch back on, lifted his jumper slipped his gun into its holster. ‘I’ll pull up close to the house.’
‘I’ll sneak in. He won’t see me from where he’s parked.’
‘Meanwhile I’ll jump out, close the front door, drive off.’
Love smiled. ‘And our friend will follow.’
Stuart ran his hands through his hair in an effort to obscure his face. ‘Wish me luck.’
Love smiled. ‘Luck.’
Stuart crouched down to make himself look smaller, kept his face hidden from view, took a breath, dashed out and directly into the garage on the other side of the brick wall. The sounds of a car door being opened and slammed shut came from within.
A moment later, it fired up.
Slowly, the little car rolled out of the garage only to pull off the road right outside the house. Hidden from view, Love was able to make a dash for the car, open the door to the passenger’s side and jump in. He crouched down half on the floor half on the seat.
Stuart, who’d found a headscarf in the glove compartment and had tied it loosely around his head, jumped out of the car grabbed a shopping bag that was just inside the entrance hall closed the front door behind him and jumped back into his seat.
It had to look authentic. There had to be a reason for the car to have pulled over and stop.
Keeping his head down he slammed his door dropped the gear into first and released the handbrake.
He glimpsed in the rear-view mirror to see the van slowly making its way towards them.
‘We have lift-off,’ he said.
‘Good. Do you know where you’re going?’
Stuart thought for a moment. ‘I have a place in mind.’
‘Please tell me it’s not far from here because my nuts are already being crunched as I speak.’
‘Here.’ Stuart smiled as he leant over to one side reached into his front pocket and pulled his mobile. He pressed a button and placed it on the seat next to him. ‘Talk to Dave and tell him to keep his distance.’
Stuart had already spied the undercover DC and his partner hovering in their unmarked Range Rover on Kensington Mall close to the entrance of Rabbit Row.
Love picked up the phone, it rang for the second time, was answered, he passed on the message, it was quick but it was painful. Love wasn’t built for Minis.
‘Emma couldn’t be fond of, I don’t know, a Saab or something, anything has to be bigger than a Mini.’
Stuart was concentrating on the game in hand. Slowly he made his way to the end of Rabbit Row. He looked at Dave but didn’t make eye contact. He glimpsed again in his rear-view mirror. Heinrich was still slowly making his way towards them. Stuart adjusted the pretty silk scarf covering his head and neck. He looked left waited for a van and a string of vehicles to pass, ensured there was enough room for him and Pfeiffer to pull out safely before turning right into Kensington Mall.
He glanced up at the sky, twiddled the controls on the steering wheel before leaning forward to fumble with the switches on the dashboard.
Not that he had many to choose from.
‘Hardly any switches and I can’t find the lights! Where are the bloody lights?’ Suddenly the road in front became weakly illuminated in the rapidly approaching dusk. ‘Finally.’ He glimpsed down at Love, he chuckled. ‘You know, it could have been a Smart car.’
‘Good point,’ Love muttered, and grinned to himself. Now he knew what it felt like to be a human paper clip. Paper clip! And now he’s thinking of that stupid icon from his PC and although the cat is a vast improvement as reassuringly annoying as it is they could have made it a dog!
Stuart pumped the little brake pedal and as an afterthought the clutch as the car leapt forward like a grasshopper. He paused briefly at the zebra crossing as he bore left into Kensington Church Street.
‘How’s the traffic?’ Love asked from the general vicinity of Stuart’s knees.
‘Heavy,’ Stuart said. He glanced in the rear-view mirror. ‘And we still have company a car but one behind us.’ He slipped smoothly into third gear.
‘Better,’ Love remarked. ‘How often do you drive this thing?’
Stuart chuckled. ‘Try never!’
‘Great, really had to hear that.’
Stuart continued to concentrate on the traffic ahead and Pfeiffer behind. He slowed down as the car in front of him stopped briefly at another zebra crossing. He checked his rear-view. Pfeiffer was still behind about twenty feet back, his white van visible in the soft light of dusk. Stuart played with the pedals and shifted into first gear.
‘I never thought I’d say this but I actually miss my paddle controls.’ He drove on. The pavements were fairly busy with individuals taking advantage of the sales a few of the shops were offering and doing a spot of early Christmas shopping, regular shopping, or simply getting from A to B.
He passed Berkeley Gardens on his left and another zebra crossing. He’d never before realised how many there were.
He continued to drive on. ‘Any minute now,’ he muttered to Love, ‘just a little longer.’ The traffic cleared in front, Stuart touched the accelerator and the car shot forward. He heard a bump from the passenger side. He grinned. ‘You all right, partner?’
A moment later, a muffled voice said, ‘I’ll live.’
The car gave another spurt as Stuart shifted into third gear. He wanted to put some space between them and Heinrich.
‘Love, in a second I’m going to turn off the main road and stop the car.’ He glanced to check for any pedestrians. The immediate area was clear. ‘Then we run like the clappers, get out of sight, and await our friend.’
‘Got it.’
‘You ready?’
‘With pleasure, mate.’
Stuart checked in front of him one last time then checked the rear-view mirror. Heinrich was three cars behind. He flicked his indicator down, hit the accelerator and yanked the wheel hard left into a small dead-end road called Melon Place. He stopped halfway down on the left. He slammed on the brakes, yanked the handbrake, grabbed the key from its ignition, opened his door and shouted, ‘Run!’
Love was already halfway out the car. The two men sprinted to the end of the road ducked to their right behind the corner of a slightly protruding building offering them coverage, and waited.
The only sound to be heard was their heavy breathing.
They stood waiting, watching, when a few seconds later a white van approached the entrance to the road. It slowed right down and turned in, stopping outside the entrance to a shop which specialised in selling rare books.
The van door opened.
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It creaked.
Slowly, Heinrich got out. He blended well into the deepening dusk in his black polo neck jumper, black jeans and black hoodie. He glanced round before pulling up the hood over his head and well down over his face.
He closed his door quietly. He placed both hands in his coat pockets, strolled silently over to the Mini, bent down to peer in through the driver’s side window. Seeing the car was empty he tried the door.
It opened and he leant inside.
Love and Stuart were still watching from their hiding place at the end of the road. Slowly, Love pulled his gun slipped off the safety catch and replaced the weapon in his holster. Stuart lifted his jumper and performed the same action.
They didn’t know what to expect.
The man wasn’t just a criminal he was quite possibly insane. He could open fire on them. He could take a passing pedestrian as a hostage.
The situation needed to be handled with care.
Anything could happen.
They didn’t know what to expect but they were prepared.
Love turned to look at Stuart. He nodded and whispered one word, ‘Now.’
The two men came out from behind the brick wall and began to walk towards Heinrich. They were a few yards away when Heinrich suddenly pulled backwards out of the car.
His left hand concealed in his pocket. He stood facing Love and Stuart.
‘Where is she?’
The two men stopped. ‘Where’s who?’ Stuart said.
Heinrich slammed the door of the Mini. He took a step forward, his hand still in his jacket pocket.
‘That bitch you’re married to, I followed her here…’ he broke off as he spied the pretty floral scarf lying in the road. It had fallen from Stuart’s head when he and Love had made their mad dash from the car to their hiding place behind the wall.
Heinrich stared at it for a moment before slowly lifting his gaze. ‘You tricked me, you bastards!’
He pushed his left hand forward and up. A clicking noise filled the air and a shot rang out. Stuart fell backwards, his body smashing down hard on to the ground beneath him.
Love pulled out his gun, dropped to his knees and fired a shot in return. Heinrich threw himself down on the ground to roll behind the Mini. The bullet missed him by a hair.
Love glanced down at Stuart. ‘Talk to me, Stuart.’
‘I’m all right,’ he said. ‘Go get him.’
Love’s full attention snapped back to where Heinrich was hiding. His eyes trained on the back of the Mini. His arm holding the gun outstretched in front of him he half rose and took a step forward.
Slowly, Stuart sat up and staggered to his feet. The bullet had grazed the top of his right shoulder leaving a trail of blood, a few layers of missing skin and a jumper that was fast unravelling. Shaken, but now in control, he pulled his gun took a step forward and joined his partner.
At that exact moment, a door to their left suddenly flew wide open. The door was the side entrance belonging to a large antiques shop on the corner. A group of about six men and women stepped out into the road talking and laughing and at first didn’t see Stuart or Love.
Suddenly, a scream filled the air.
‘We’re the police,’ Love shouted. ‘Get out of the way and go back inside right now.’ The woman continued to scream whilst pointing her finger at Love. ‘Lady, would you stop that goddamn awful noise and all of you get out of the way!’
The woman ceased her screaming but the group stayed where they were, milling about, everyone talking at once, and standing directly in the path of Heinrich and the two detectives.
The woman started screaming again when she spied the blood on Stuart’s shoulder.
Heinrich stood up from behind the Mini.
Love shouted for everyone to get down and aimed his weapon. The woman continued to scream lost her balance and fell to the ground. Heinrich, taking advantage of the moment, turned round and ran the few steps back to his van.
Love held his gun aloft and pushed his way past the bodies. Some were still standing, a couple now lying prostrate on the ground. He lowered his weapon and pointed it at Heinrich, felt his finger squeeze the trigger, didn’t take the shot. There were too many pedestrians and too many vehicles about and if he happened to shoot a passer-by it wouldn’t look good on his work record. ‘Shit!’ He lowered his weapon and started to run over to the van.
Heinrich had already pulled open the door and jumped in and a second later was reversing on to the road behind him.
Love came to a stop midway. He hesitated for a second before turning round to witness Stuart reversing the Mini precariously towards him. A high-pitched screech filled the air as the little car tore backwards to where Love was standing near to the entrance of Melon Place.
Stuart leant over and opened the passenger door. He swore loudly as it pulled on his wound. ‘Get in,’ he shouted.
Love sprinted the couple of steps over to the car threw himself inside slammed the door and whipped round in his seat. ‘He’s heading towards the High Street.’ As he clicked the safety and thrust his weapon back into its holster he glanced at Stuart, and said, ‘What about the screamer and her friends?’
Stuart, sitting in a half-twisted position was looking out through the rear window, his hand gripping the back of Love’s seat as he maneuvered and reversed the little car towards Kensington Church Street. He hit the brakes and winced as he spun into a right angle in front of the book shop stopping two feet short of a woman pedestrian.
She glared at him with disbelief all over her face.
He grinned and mouthed ‘sorry’ turned round in his seat to face the front, slammed the gear into first, released the clutch and with a huge spurt the car shot forward off the pavement and on to the road narrowly missing a taxi on its rear left.
‘Unless he turns off at Vicarage Gate.’ Stuart winced as he yanked the wheel round to overtake a bus. ‘Can you see him? Love searched the traffic ahead. ‘Can you see him?’
‘Got him!’ Love said as he shifted in his seat to get a better look. ‘He’s going straight he’s about four cars in front.’
‘I told them to stay put,’ Stuart said belatedly as he pressed hard on the accelerator and the car screamed as if in protest. ‘Christ!’ A BMW in front suddenly slowed right down.
Stuart slammed his foot down hard on the brake. The car staggered violently. Love was thrown forward in his seat, took a side glance at Stuart, whipped his seat belt on just as the car bunny-hopped one more time and stalled.
Stuart slammed the wheel with the palm of his hand. ‘Oh, I don’t f...’
At that moment a taxi from behind blasted his horn. He had a fare in the back seat of his cab that he had to get somewhere in a hurry and he didn’t have time for a couple of jokers to mess about having a laugh in their racing green Mini.
‘…ing believe this,’ Stuart cried. He pressed down hard on the clutch, the gear in first, turned the key and got her going again. ‘Can you still see him?’
‘I have him in view,’ Love said. ‘It looks like he’s still going straight.’ He reached down to a small open compartment in front of the gearstick. Space enough for a couple of small items. He grabbed Stuart’s mobile. ‘What number?’
‘One.’
Love pressed the key. It rang once and was answered. ‘Where are you?’
‘On Kensington Church Street,’ came the reply.
‘Do you have us or the assailant in sight?’
‘We have you in sight, just spotted, when you pulled out to overtake the bus.’
Love grinned. Yes, that was a hair-raising moment. If he didn’t gleefully strangle Stuart when this was all over he was sure Emma would.
‘Okay stay with us and call in for backup,’ he said.
The car lurched as Stuart changed gear. He pressed the right stick to activate the horn at an oncoming vehicle but instead accidentally activated the windscreen washer.
‘Between us we
’ll try and cut him off.’
‘Will do.’
‘Cheers, Dave.’ Love turned questioningly to face Stuart as water squirted all over the windscreen.
‘Don’t say anything,’ Stuart said. He flicked the stick and the windscreen wipers sprang into action. ‘First the clutch and now I can’t find the blasted hooter.’
Love chuckled. ‘Try the other stick.’
Stuart pressed hard and winced. The action caused a bolt of pain to shoot right across his chest before ending up at his wound. He opened his mouth to mutter something but it was obscured by a funny high-pitched sound as the Mini’s little hooter finally blasted into action.
It’s the same with dogs.
The larger variety of dog always has a low-pitched bark with plenty of bass whereas the smaller a dog gets the higher in pitch their bark goes. A chihuahua could happily yap along with the Bee Gees.
‘Madam, please hurry out of the way!’ Stuart shoved his head through the open window to shout at a woman crossing the road on the zebra crossing in front.
She was in her mid-seventies, well dressed, chatting to a friend, taking her time and she took no notice of Stuart.
He leant on the horn again and gestured with his left hand.
The two women stopped and stared at Stuart. One of them continued on her way the other one walked to the front of the car.
‘Young man,’ she said. ‘How dare you honk your hooter at me when I have every right to be here.’
Stuart searched ahead. The white van was now about six cars in front. He watched as it came up behind a double-decker bus. He tilted his head out of the window. ‘I apologise, madam, but this is urgent police business now kindly step aside at once.’
‘Police business?’ She looked questioningly at the Mini. ‘Forgive me but this hardly looks like a police car. You don’t even have any flashing lights!’ She folded her arms in front of her. ‘I’m not going anywhere until you apologise and then I want to take down your names and details and furthermore…’
‘To hell with this,’ Love said. He snapped off his seat belt opened the door strode over to the woman put his arms round her waist lifted her bodily off the ground and placed her squarely on the pavement off to the side. ‘Thank you, ma’am,’ he said, grinned, ran back to the car got in, they drove off.
‘Feisty old bag,’ Stuart muttered, then smiled. He did admire her spirit. He searched the cars in front. The white van was still in view. ‘We’re gaining on him no thanks to Miss Marple.’
‘Stay with him, mate.’
‘Oh bloody hell!’
‘What is it?’ Love desperately looked about him as his hand reached to the inside of his jacket.
‘I don’t believe it,’ Stuart muttered under his breath. ‘He’s ruined my jumper.’ He took his left hand momentarily off the steering wheel to flick the fraying pieces of wool. ‘I love this jumper.’
‘Mate, I thought it was serious.’
‘Like this isn’t serious?’ Stuart said mockingly, and grinned.
The traffic in front slowed down to a crawl. Stuart glanced in his rear-view and started to overtake the line of assorted vehicles. The car screeched as he pumped first the accelerator and then the brakes to swerve out of the path of an oncoming van bearing down upon them. He pulled in dangerously close to the side of the car he was attempting to overtake.
Love glanced out of his side window to see an astonished face staring back at him.
The van thundered on by, the driver shaking his fist. Stuart pulled back out, pressed hard on his horn, couldn’t leave it alone now he’d found it, and revved and pushed his way forward until they were just three cars behind.
‘Can you see Dave and Paul?’ Stuart said.
Love swivelled in his seat. He searched the long line of vehicles behind them. He turned back to face the front. ‘Negative.’
‘Damn! He’s turned off into Holland Street,’ Stuart cried. In preparation he hit the indicator to turn right.
‘Quick, don’t lose him,’ Love said, reaching out in front to grasp the dashboard.
Stuart slammed his foot on the brake pedal once again forgetting the clutch. The car bunny-hopped twice and died. It simply sat at a right angle in the middle of the road. And considering they were causing a hold-up in both directions the other drivers were remarkably polite refraining from any verbal abuse or blasts on their car horns.
They were more amused than anything else.
‘Bloody hell,’ Stuart cried.
He pushed the clutch, turned the key, it fired up, he let off the clutch hit the accelerator, turned the wheel right, winced as a sharp pain shot through his shoulder, the car leapt forward slamming the two men back into their seats with a g-force seen only in space travel.
He tore down Holland Street in hot pursuit of Heinrich who’d rounded the bend in the road and was already close to approaching The Elephant & Castle pub.
Delightful properties. Affluent area. Beautiful architecture, predominantly early Victorian and Georgian. A smattering of shops and art galleries added variety and interest to the pretty tree-lined road.
Not that Stuart or Love had time to appreciate any of that right now.
Stuart continued to race down the narrow one-way road at an incredible pace gripping the steering wheel in both hands as he negotiated the car past the intermittent line of parked vehicles.
Love, meanwhile, was still gripping the dashboard in front of him once he’d realised it was the best way to stop being yanked forward, thrown backwards, or from bouncing off the side of his door.
The car momentarily slowed down as they approached a side street, Stuart’s foot hovering over the brake pedal just in case he had to make an emergency stop, his eyes searching for any unsuspecting traffic pulling out. Seeing the coast was clear he’d once again slam his foot down hard on the accelerator resulting in the car vroom, vrooming its way down the entire road.
Fast, slow, fast, speeding up. Like a waltz gone wrong.
‘I see him,’ Love said, and pointed.
Stuart nodded. ‘Got him.’
‘Watch the dog!’ Love suddenly cried indicating to a little white Scottie dog appearing in the doorway of a jeweller’s shop.
‘Got it,’ Stuart muttered as he swerved to the right narrowly missing a young tree. Love glanced behind. ‘It’s all right he’s on his leash, his lead… and he’s sitting down.’
‘Okay, no flattened Scotties today.’ Stuart grinned. Suddenly, he cried out. ‘I don’t believe it!’
‘What?’
‘The silly bastard has only gone straight across Hornton Street and down a one-way road.’
Stuart approached the crossroads and slammed on the brakes. He watched in disbelief as Heinrich tore across to the other side and the continuation of Holland Street except it was a no entry road and oncoming traffic was already bearing down on him.
The two men watched as the van careered to the left and mounted the pavement. As soon as a scooter and a dark green economy car passed by he pulled off the pavement with a loud thump and tore off down the road.
Stuart slammed the gear into first, flew across the road, the car screeching like a bird going after its prey.
‘Watch it!’ Love shouted as a yellow vintage 911 Porsche appeared in front of them. He hooted his horn. A sophisticated sound filled the air. He snapped his headlights on beam and flashed Stuart and Love repeatedly.
Stuart did the same as Heinrich. He quickly mounted the pavement cruised along until the Porsche had safely passed, yanked the steering wheel to the right and the car back on to the road. He sped along finally catching up with the white van.
‘We’re nearly on him.’
‘Careful,’ Love said. He stared ahead as the van neared the end of Holland Street. Thankfully, he surmised. Suddenly the road came to an intersection. Four roads spread out before them. Granted two of these were no entry not like that would stop Heinrich. ‘Which one is he going to take?’
<
br /> Stuart was approaching closer and closer coming up behind the van. He came to a screeching halt behind Heinrich just as the van started off again. At first it looked like Heinrich was going to turn left down a no entry road as he bore in that direction when suddenly he turned a sharp right and drove a tight circle right back into Holland Street.
He sped past the Mini staring straight ahead.
‘Son of a bitch!’ Love turned as he watched the van disappear down the road behind him.
Stuart let his foot off the brake, the car shot forward, he spun it round on two wheels leaving half the tyre tread behind on the road and was on Heinrich’s heels in seconds flat.
‘Where is he going?’ Stuart pushed the gear into second, missed, the car belched and protested, he tried again and got it. ‘I mean, it’s not like he can get away.’
‘It doesn’t stop him from trying,’ Love said, as the car sped down the same road they’d been driving on only seconds before.
Moments later, the two vehicles approached the crossroads. Heinrich turned left into Horton Street not bothering to wait for any traffic. Stuart screeched to a halt. He glanced left to observe a silver-grey Yaris making its way down the road. Stuart pulled out and pushed his horn. The road was two-way but was only slightly wider than Holland Street making it a tight squeeze for vehicles to pass one another.
The Yaris slammed on his brakes and pulled in behind a parked car. Stuart revved his way forward. The little car screaming as he pushed the clutch and gearstick into second.
The van had made good progress and was disappearing into the distance.
‘What do they do - run that thing on Concorde fuel?’
Love chuckled. He was carefully watching the van’s movements. He glanced up at the sky. Soon it would be fairly dark.
‘We’ll be all right if he stays within well lit areas.’ Not long now and the van could easily disappear into the dark of the night. ‘He’s turning right,’ Love shouted, and pointed ahead of him.
Stuart swerved and missed an oncoming Audi by mounting the pavement before clunking his way back on to the road. ‘I could get used to this.’ He chuckled and snapped on the indicator but turned the windscreen wipers on instead. ‘Oh, bugger it!’ He turned them off yanked the wheel hard right into Campden Grove narrowly missing a psychedelic-coloured Smart car parked on the corner.
He sped down the road, gripping the wheel, lips pursed in concentration. Moments later, they came to the end of Campden Grove as it met with Kensington Church Street.
‘He’s having a laugh,’ Stuart said. He momentarily relaxed his grip as he looked about him. ‘He’s only gone and ended back at Melon Place.’
Love looked across the road and to his left. Sure enough there it was. The road where they’d set off from.
‘What is he doing?’ Love looked back to observe Heinrich nudging his way into the road. A plethora of car horns filled the air like an orchestra warming up.
‘This is coming to an end right now,’ Stuart said.
He touched the accelerator and the car spurted forward right into the path of a taxi who was equally determined to get to where he needed to go. The taxi slammed on his brakes and came to an abrupt halt. He was completely stationary apart from his hand repeatedly making rude gestures in between leaning down hard on the hooter.
Stuart continued to push his way forward until he was alongside Heinrich. Love looked out of his side window and straight into the younger man’s face. Inches separated the two vehicles. He grabbed the sporty chrome handle that operated the window, his arm going round and round, up and down, until finally it was open.
‘Pull over, Heinrich, pull over now,’ he shouted.
Heinrich ignored him. He simply looked straight ahead.
‘Pull over,’ he shouted again.
Heinrich continued to drive with Stuart keeping up with him right by his side.
Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes turned a sharp left into Vicarage Gate and accelerated. Stuart hit the brake pedal and yanked the steering wheel in the same direction. On the left, a maroon-coloured Peugeot had parked momentarily in the horseshoe-shaped driveway of Winchester Court, an attractive block of art deco-style flats.
Heinrich thought the vehicle was pulling out and swerved sharply to avoid him. He lost control of his van narrowly missing a BMW Mini parked opposite. He skidded over to the other side to where a house on the corner of Vicarage Gate was undergoing some renovations. The van was going too fast, he was driving recklessly, he smashed head first into the skip parked on the road to the side of the property, bounced off, skidded round in a tight half circle and ended up facing in the opposite direction.
His car horn went off as his head fell forward and stayed there.