Maguire shrugged. I do OK.
Aye, Ill bet you do. Whats the fund up to now?
He pulled out a packet of Silk Cut. I dont see how-
No smoking. Logan took the cigarettes from him. Answer the question.
Maguire scowled. Two-and-a-bit. Million. But its not like I get to see any of that, OK? Its all downloads. Every penny goes into a marked account, and its for the ransom. I dont even have access to it.
Steel pursed her lips. So what happens if we turn up Jenny and her mum, all safe and sound? What happens to your two-and-a-bit million then?
Maguire cleared his throat, ran a hand across the back of his neck. I suppose itd go to charity or something After administrative deductions.
Aye, Ill bet it will.
You cant just-
Is this all just a big PR stunt? Logan tossed the packet of Silk Cut from one hand to the other. Did you set the whole thing up?
Maguire took off his trendy glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose. Listen, OK? Yeah, the pre-orders for the album are huge, but if I dont have Alison and Jenny, I cant finish recording the bloody thing. Weve got about half the tracks in the can and Ive only got three weeks to get it done.
Dont-
Three weeks after that the bank call in my overdraft. Weve sunk everything weve got into making Britains Next Big Star. Orchestras, backing choirs, classical scores, performance rights payments, cameras, crew, sets The costs are suffo cating. But we cant cut corners because were up against the X-Factor and Britains Got Talent, and the Search for Andrew Lloyd Webbers Next Whateverthefuck. If we pull it off, we make a sodding mint, but right now the whole production companys sliding down a razorblade into liquidation using its ball-sack as a brake.
Maguire ran a hand across his bald head. And youd think my investors would be rubbing their hands at all the publicity, wouldnt you? But no, the thieving wankers are waiting for us to go under so they can step in and take a hundred percent, get some cheap-arsed Lithuanian company in to make the next series, and pocket the difference. You lot are lucky theres honour amongst thieves. TV companies are all bastards.
Steel fiddled with her e-cigarette. So youre no the one who sent us a severed toe?
He closed his eyes. No. I didnt send you a toe. Where the fuck would I get a toe from?
Youve done worse for a wee bit of publicity: like them tampons-
It wasnt even real blood! We dipped them in some fake stuff we got off the internet, OK? Were a small company, we do everything we can to create a buzz. Alison and Jenny dont need it theyre going to win Britains Next Big Star They were going to win. Fuck knows whats going to happen now. He pinched his nose again. Look, I want them back. If they come back, the ratings go through the roof, we finish the record, Blue-Fish-Two-Fish doesnt have to go into receiver-ship, everyone makes a shit-pile of money, and we all live happily ever after.
Steel scowled at him. Aye, well, you know what I think? I think-
The door banged open.
DCI Finnie stepped into the little room. Behind him, Logan could see Superintendent Green and Acting DI Mark MacDonald filling the corridor.
Inspector Steel, Finnies rubbery face pulled itself into something that wasnt quite a smile, I thought you were supposed to be tracking down a paedophile ring. Did I imagine that? Or have you somehow manage to miraculously work your way through every sex offender in Grampian in time for a jolly into town? Hmmm?
Chapter 19
Afternoon, Guv. If youre here for Kylie Minogues autograph youre too late shes buggered off home. Took the hump when I wouldnt give her a seeing to.
Chapter 19
Afternoon, Guv. If youre here for Kylie Minogues autograph youre too late shes buggered off home. Took the hump when I wouldnt give her a seeing to.
Do I really have to remind you, Inspector, that one little girl is already dead, and weve only got five more days to stop Alison and Jenny McGregor joining her?
They stood staring at one another.
Steel sniffed, then stuck the e-cigarette back in her pocket. Im done with Mr Maguire anyway.
Acting DI MacDonald. Finnie turned his fake smile in Marks direction. Why dont you do me a favour and escort Mr Maguire back to the station?
Oh, come on! The producer threw his hands in the air. Ive got a bloody plane to catch! Were shooting a live TV tribute in-
After all, Im sure he wouldnt like anyone to think he wasnt cooperating with the police at this delicate time. Would you, Mr Maguire?
Bloody OK, OK. He barged past into the corridor. Lets get this over with.
Excellent. Finnie gave Logan the once over, top lip curled. If you dont mind, Sergeant, Id like to speak to DI Steel in
private. Perhaps you could use the time to pop past Professional Standards? I hear theyd love a little chat with you about some rape allegations.
Shite. So much for plan A. Yes, right. Logan squeezed out of the room, and Finnie closed the door.
A muffled argument.
Standing out in the corridor, Superintendent Green nodded: as if theyd just agreed on something. So, Detective Sergeant?
McRae. Logan. Sir.
Another nod. I see. He tilted his head on one side, staring, a little crease between his eyebrows. Rape?
Just a junkie making stuff up. Thinks she can blackmail me into giving back the drugs we seized off her boyfriend.
I see And have you ever investigated a kidnapping before, Sergeant? I mean a real one, not just drug dealers grabbing each other off the street: ransom notes, body parts in the post, that kind of thing?
No, but you have, havent you, you smug bastard. Not really, sir. Kidnappings not that common in the north-east.
More nodding. Then Green patted him on the shoulder. Walk with me, Sergeant.
The Superintendent turned and marched out into the afternoon. The graveyard was slowly emptying now the TV cameras were turned off and all the celebrities had gone, the crowd would all be scurrying away home to check their DVD recorders. See if theyd managed to get on the telly.
Green looked down at his feet as they walked along the path from the church big grey slabs laid in a wide, meander ing walkway. He stopped just in front of a large rectangle of granite. It was a gravestone laid on its back in the middle of the path, the name nearly worn into obscurity by generations of scuffing feet. When I was small, my father would take me to church every Sunday, after Mother Frown. Well, anyway, one day he said, You see that? That name beneath your feet? Were walking on dead people. And I nearly wet myself. I was about five, I think. Had nightmares for months. Green took a step, so he was standing right on top of the head-stone. Why does the inspector call you Laz?
Private joke.
Green raised his chin, shoulders back, staring out across the empting graveyard. Were going to need to pull out all the stops on this one, Sergeant. Its vital we get Jenny back before anything happens to her.
Well, duh. Yes, sir.
Normally Id expect the kidnappers to grab some rich kid, send a ransom note to the parents telling them not to get in touch with the police or the kid dies. A demand for money to be handed over at a clandestine location. All done in complete secrecy. His eyes narrowed. But this
He looked as if he expected stirring theme music to swell up at any minute.
They grab two people in the public eye people without any family and instead of conducting their seedy business in the shadows, they send their ransom demands to the newspapers. They want the police involved.
Go on, say it Were not dealing with ordinary kidnappers here, Logan. Dun, dun, daaaaaaaaa! No, sir.
As if they hadnt worked that little gem out for themselves.
NO! NO! NO! NO! She tries to wriggle free, but the monster in white holds her tight, wraps his papery arms around her, lifting her up off the ground.
Hold still, you little bitch! His voice is all weird: hard and metal like a robot, like the silver monsters on Doctor Who, like a Cyberman.
Her heel smashes into something soft and squishy.
A buzz, a crackle. Oh, fuck And the arms let go.
She tumbles to the bare floorboards. The monster staggers against the wall, one hand on the paint-sprayed wallpaper, the other grabbing his willy.
She scrambles to her feet and runs for the door. Get back through to Mummy, where the bed is, where-
Ulp
Her feet fly out in front of her as the chain around her neck snaps tight.
Come back here you little cow.
Mummys voice, shouting in the other room: Dont hurt her! You promised you wouldnt hurt her!
Kicked me in the bloody balls!
Shes dragged backwards across the floorboards, arms and legs thrashing.
MUMMY!
YOU PROMISED!
Thump. Shes lying on her front, with a heavy weight on her back warm and rustling. The monster grabs her wrist, wraps something around it and pulls. It makes a Vzzzzwip noise. Then the other wrist, and both her arms are stuck behind her back.
MUMMY! MUMMY, THEYRE-
A purple hand covers her mouth. It smells like bicycle tyres on a hot day.
Tom: dont just bloody stand there!
More weight, pinning her legs to the floor.
Vzzzzwip. Vzzzzwip. And now her ankles are stuck together. A scritchy, ripping noise, then the hand lets go of her mouth and a strip of something sticky is jammed into place. She cant even open her lips. All she can do is hiss and mumble and cry.
Then the monsters let go.
She wriggles as hard as she can, flopping about like a gold-fish on the bathroom floor. Thats what happens to Bad Little Girls
Bloody hell. Looks like shes having a fit.
Wriggle. Thrash. Flop struggle twitch. Lie panting on the floorboards, tears dripping from her nose.
Another monster steps into the room and clunks the door shut behind it. Will you two stop pricking about? A lady monster its difficult to tell from the Cyberman voice, but she has boobies. She has a name badge stuck to her white crinkly chest, with HELLO MY NAME IS at the top, and WILLIAM
underneath.
All the monsters are wearing them. TOM and SYLVESTER stand back, staring down at Jenny.
WILLIAM crosses her arms. Every move makes a rustling sound. Its not skin, not like she thought in her bedroom when they came for her its that stuff the police wear on the television when something bad happens. Sticky purple gloves, blue shower-caps on their feet. Plasticy masks that hide their faces and make them look like robots. It goes with the horrible metal voices. Wheres Colin?