Chapter Thirty-One
16:35 hours
Stuart and Love pulled off to the side of the road and came to a stop in the other entrance to Winchester Court.
Love snapped off his seat belt, opened the door and was out of the car and round to the front of the Mini the same time as Stuart ended his call and was easing himself from his seat.
Suddenly, the horn stopped.
Love looked at Stuart, nodded, reached for his gun and pulled it from its holster. Stuart lifted his jumper and eased his gun out. The safety catches were flicked off. Together they approached the van.
An uneasy quiet settled around them.
The front of the vehicle was pretty much buckled. It was a mess. Stuart’s eyes flickered towards the driver’s seat. His gun held steady in front of him he ducked and sprinted to the rear of the vehicle. Love was already approaching from behind the van on the driver’s side and slowly making his way to the front. The two men edged their way alongside the vehicle, arriving at the same time.
Stuart looked over the roof at Love who nodded.
‘One, two, three,’ Love whispered.
A moment later, both men with eyes trained on the driver’s seat suddenly whipped round, guns pointing directly at Heinrich.
‘Drop it,’ Stuart said through the open window.
The windscreen and side windows were shattered. Glass littered the seat in front. Blood spattered the interior of the van. Stuart didn’t take his eyes off the old German army pistol Heinrich held in his lap. Love nudged the driver’s door with his foot and the remaining fragments of glass fell to the ground. He cocked his gun three feet from Heinrich’s head.
‘You heard the man,’ he said. ‘Drop it or I’ll shoot.’
‘Go ahead,’ he said. ‘You’ll be doing me a favour.’
‘Drop the weapon now,’ Stuart said. ‘You shot me once don’t think you’re getting another chance.’
Heinrich smiled. ‘It’s not you I want to shoot,’ he said.
Love and Stuart momentarily exchanged glances. As he continued to stare at Heinrich, Love inclined his head to the left. Stuart got the message and began to edge his way to the back of the van. His gun trained on Heinrich’s head the whole time. He had a clean shot. He would pull the trigger if he had to.
Heinrich laughed then winced. ‘I think my legs are broken,’ he said. ‘Shouldn’t you call for an ambulance or did you fine and efficient detectives do it already?’
‘Drop the gun.’ Love moved a fraction closer.
‘Enjoy the chase?’
‘Drop it.’
‘I don’t think so,’ he said, and lifted his left arm.
Love squeezed, his gun fired, and it was over.
Stuart gazed down at Heinrich. ‘We weren’t about to let you take a third life even if it was your own.’
‘I wanted to die in glory.’
Stuart shook his head and winced as a sharp pain shot down his entire arm. The ambulance’s siren could already be heard in the distance along with a plethora of police vehicles racing to the scene.
Following Stuart’s call, Dave and Paul pulled into Vicarage Gate two minutes later and were now standing either side of the van guarding Heinrich.
Not that he was going anywhere fast. Two broken legs and a fractured pelvis would make sure of that along with a sprained wrist sustained when Love shot the pistol from his hand.
Love gazed down at the old Luftwaffe pistol inside the plastic evidence bag and at the fresh nick on the tip of the barrel where his bullet had clipped it. He handed it to Dave, looked over at Stuart who was now leaning against the Mini, his legs crossed, holding his right arm.
Love walked over to him and smiled. ‘All right, mate?’
Stuart nodded. ‘Couldn’t be better, partner.’ He chuckled. ‘I certainly got this little thing to go some, didn’t I?’
Love laughed. They sure had. He glanced back at the van. Yeah, Heinrich sure had tried to lead them a merry dance but he’d failed.
When Love shot the gun out of Heinrich’s hand Stuart had stepped forward flung open the door and retrieved the pistol. The bullet from Love’s gun embedded in the side panel of the passenger door.
At the same time, Love yanked open Heinrich’s door and despite Heinrich’s protests had searched both the van and Heinrich. No other weapons were found. Love didn’t expect them to find any if he was being honest. He’d gazed down at Heinrich, his gun still trained on him, and asked why he’d done it.
Heinrich had laughed and said nothing.
A moment later a cacophony of sirens announced the arrival of the ambulance and four police cars. They’d be needing more than that, Love figured. Crowds were already gathering to get a better look. He scanned the cars as the vehicles approached the crime scene. He found who he was looking for, murmured to Stuart he’d be right back, and ambled on over to have a word with the individual.
Stuart pushed himself away from the car as an Emergency Transport Attendant, an ETA, approached him.
‘Looks like you need some attention yourself there,’ the ETA said.
Stuart glanced down at his shoulder. ‘It’s just a scratch.’
‘Well, let’s just take a quick look anyway,’ he said, and pulled open the loose threads on Stuart’s jumper. He slipped a pair of scissors from his pocket and snipped at Stuart’s baseball shirt underneath. As he peeled it away he apologised where the blood had already dried and the shirt was stuck fast to the wound.
‘I’m more concerned about my jumper,’ Stuart said, and chuckled. ‘Ouch!’
‘Sorry. Right, I’ll just clean it up with some disinfectant.’ He took a closer look. ‘There we go.’ He bent down to retrieve a small padded bandage from his kit. ‘You’re right, it’s nothing too serious, no stitches needed but you’ll be very sore for a few days.’
‘Great.’
‘Although as far as grazes go it is a nasty one,’ he said as he stood up. ‘The bullet sliced off a nice little top layer of flesh,’ he said. ‘You’re lucky it just missed the bone.’
‘Thanks,’ Stuart said as he glanced at the snowy white mound on his shoulder. ‘This’ll put my Hugo Boss out of shape not to mention my cashmere.’ He looked at the ETA, his hair flopping over his eye. ‘Best leave it off for the next few days, what do you think?’
‘I think that’s best,’ the ETA said, and grinned. ‘Try and keep your arm as immobile as possible at least for the next few days.’ He grabbed his kit and glanced behind him. ‘Right then! I’d better go and help the others.’
As he began to make his way over, Stuart called out, ‘Thanks again.’
He turned back, and said, ‘Don’t mention it.’
A few minutes later, Love ambled back over to where Stuart was once again leaning against the Mini. As he approached the car he turned briefly to watch the scene unfolding in front of them. He glanced at Stuart who was looking pale and shattered.
‘Get in mate, I’ve briefed Wanjohi, we’re done here.’ He pulled open the driver’s door and eased his frame into the seat. ‘And this time I’m driving.’
Stuart walked round to the passenger’s side and slid into the car. He glanced over at Love, and grinned. ‘I was hoping you’d say that.’
On the way out of there they stopped at Melon Place. Love pulled off into the first parking space on the corner of Gloucester Walk before sprinting across the road. Three police cars, two unmarked, had arrived two minutes earlier and were already cordoning off the area, the FST preparing to hunt for the spent bullets.
Whilst Stuart waited in the car, huddled over the heater, Love pointed out the general areas in which they should first conduct their search, had a quick word with the officer in charge, wished them luck and sprinted back to his partner.
‘Here you are, mate.’ He handed Stuart Emma’s scarf. Some thoughtful person had picked it up from the street and hung it on the wrought iron fence belonging to one of the residential properties situated there.
/> Stuart smiled as he gazed at the multi-coloured floral silk creation held in his hand. Slightly crumpled but would soon be put right. Just like him. ‘Thanks, partner.’
Love turned to look at his friend. Shock was now setting in and Stuart was visibly shaking.
‘Right, mate!’ he said. ‘I’m taking you straight home where I’m going to give you a very large brandy and a very sweet, strong cup of tea…’
‘No, I’m all right, really.’
‘Really? Stop talking and listen to me.’ He fired up the car. Shoved the gear in first looked right over his shoulder and then in front, made a perfect U-turn paused to let a double-decker bus and three cars go by, and shot across the road into Vicarage Gardens.
Love’s whole frame appeared to fill the space in the car. He figured he would feel like a sardine in a tin but surprisingly he had more room in which to manoeuvre and operate the pedals than he gave the car credit for, although, it was still a snug fit.
‘I want to see Emma,’ Stuart said.
‘Okay, I can go and get her and pick her up, Shannon too if you like.’ Love slowed the car and changed down a gear as he approached a parked lorry in front of him. He waited for the oncoming Mercedes to drive past, he pulled out overtook the lorry and continued down the pretty tree-lined road.
‘No, I thought I’d join Emma at the hotel.’
‘Yeah, good idea,’ Love said. ‘Let the hotel look after you.’
‘Shannon is more than happy to be with her grandma,’ he said. ‘She loves staying with her.’ He flexed his shoulder at the pain that was now throbbing like a beating drum. ‘I thought we could pick her up tomorrow morning go home and have brunch together. But as for now, I’d just like to be on my own with my wife.’
Love nodded, and said quietly, ‘Of course, mate, I can appreciate that. I hear you.’ Goodness knows he would do the same. Stuart had been through a lot. He needed to recharge his batteries and reconnect himself. ‘Don’t bother coming into the office tomorrow I can handle it.’
Stuart smiled. ‘We’ll see.’
The car revved loudly as Love hit the accelerator and then the brakes, turned left sharply where the road led into Palace Gardens Terrace. Nothing was said as he bummed down the road, passing his Volvo on the right. He stopped to let the traffic go turned left at The Mall Tavern and five seconds after that was turning right into Rabbit Row. The little car zoomed down the road echoing briefly in between the tall buildings.
A moment later, Love pulled up outside Stuart’s house. The garage doors open just as they’d left them. Love hesitated, then said, ‘I’m not even going to try it, mate!’
‘What’s that?’
‘Reversing this in.’
‘Not even a Mini?’
‘Yeah,’ Love said, and grinned. ‘And your point?’
Stuart chuckled quietly. ‘Just drive in nose first that’ll be fine.’
‘That,’ Love said. ‘I can do no problem.’ He swung the car out to the left turned right and drove straight into the narrow garage. He shoved the gear into neutral, pulled on the little handbrake, turned the key in its ignition. A pulsating silence settled around them. He eased himself from the car. ‘Hang on, mate, I’ll give you a hand.’
‘No, I’m all right.’ Stuart had managed to open the door and get out by himself.
Together they shuffled along past the car and to the front of the garage. Love looked over to the other side of the road. Opposite was a small courtyard belonging to a block of flats and offices. He glanced at Stuart who was holding his hand out for the keys.
‘You can reverse out in a straight line and on to the courtyard,’ Stuart said. ‘Should give you plenty of room to botch it up!’
‘Wanker!’ Love said, and grinned. ‘No, I’ll do it.’ He held the small bunch of keys in his hand. ‘Which one is it?’
‘That one,’ Stuart said, pointing to a Yale key.
Love slipped the key in the lock, opened the door, they let themselves in, closed the door and walked upstairs.