‘Mr Deans. I know you’re anxious but I really don’t think Bradley, even if it is him behind this, will think they’ve gone to Aberdeen.’
‘Anxious? I’m absolutely terrified,’ he shouted, his composure gone again. ‘It’s all very well for you to say he won’t know they’ve gone there but they’re not your family; they’re mine and it is my duty to protect them from all this.’
Corrieri just looked back at Deans, anxious not to agitate him any further. She reached for her usual mantra in situations where she struggled for answers, the one the CID room laughed at her for: What Would Narey Do? Keep him calm, feed him any old baloney — whatever it took to stop him from losing control.
‘Mr Deans, if it puts your mind at rest, I will speak to the officers from Grampian and get them to increase their tours past your sister’s house. I will also speak to DS Narey and get a progress report on Bradley. Will that help?’
Deans smiled weakly and let his head fall briefly into his hands. ‘Yes. Thank you. It’s a weight off my mind. I know you and your colleagues don’t approve of me but I’ve only ever done what I thought was right for my family.’
Corrieri nodded at him. ‘I’ll call my sergeant now.’
She ducked out of the room, wondering whether to go ahead with a call to Narey or not. The DS might not thank her for a call that was pandering to Deans’ insecurities. On the other hand, pretending to call her would leave Corrieri a hostage to fortune if something went wrong and she had given Deans false information. She’d make the call.
‘Hello?’
The echo on the line and the repetitive rush of passing traffic made it obvious that Narey was driving. Corrieri’s guilt at phoning her immediately doubled.
‘Oh sorry, Sarge. I didn’t realise you were on the road.’
‘It’s okay; I’m hands free. What do you want?’
‘I’m with Deans and he wants to know what’s happening with Bradley. Deans is terrified he’s going to go after his wife and daughter. I wanted to give him something to put his mind at rest.’
A rumble of passing thunder suggested something large, maybe an articulated lorry, had gone by Narey’s car. The line was crammed with the din and it took a few seconds longer before Narey could make herself heard above the noise.
‘Well, either he or you must be psychic. We’ve got something on Bradley at last. He’s at a travellers’ camp in Dumbarton and we’re going to try to pick him up from there. He knows we’ve been asking about him though, so I’m just hoping to Christ he hasn’t gone on the run.’
Another artic rumbled by, causing Narey to pause and repeat herself.
‘I’m taking a team over there when I get back to Glasgow. Shouldn’t be much more than an hour. Meantime you sit tight on Deans… I said, sit tight on Deans… Don’t give him details; just tell him we are on to Bradley. Any worries, then get McCaughey back out of his bed and tell him I said he has to be there too. And tell him… I said, tell him I don’t want to hear any of his whining.’
‘Yes, Sarge.’
‘And Julia? Keep an eye and an ear on that creep Deans. I’ve got a feeling there are still things he hasn’t told us. Let him think you’re on his side. Okay?’
‘Sarge.’
When Corrieri got back to the living room, she found Deans pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace, obviously anxious to hear the result of her call to Narey.
‘Well?’
‘There’s some good news, Mr Deans. I spoke to DS Narey and she says they have a definite lead on Bradley.’
‘Well, that’s fantastic. When are they picking him up?’
‘Soon, hopefully. But there’s no guarantee, Mr Deans. There’s a chance Bradley knows we’re on to him and he may yet do a runner.’
‘What? How can he know? Where is he? Is he anywhere near my family?’
‘No, sir. We think he’s at a gypsy traveller site at Dumbarton — nowhere near Aberdeen.’
Deans hands flew to his head again and his anxiety was clearly greater than ever. He paced more quickly and scrabbled at his hair.
‘That’s not good enough. Not good enough. I can’t believe you people have let him know you’re coming after him. I want officers at my sister’s house. Do you hear me? Once every few hours isn’t good enough. Phone her back. Phone her back — now!’
‘Sit down, sir,’ Corrieri ordered him. ‘If you sit down and show me you can be calm, then I’ll phone DS Narey again.’
Deans stopped still in his tracks, retreated to his armchair and forced himself into it.
‘Please,’ he begged her.
Corrieri closed the door behind her and made her way into the other front room, where she drew a deep breath and said a silent prayer that Narey wouldn’t think her completely useless for not being able to keep the man under control.
‘Yes?’ her voice sounded impatient.
‘Sorry, Sarge, it’s…’
‘Yes, Julia? What now?’
‘It’s Deans again, Sarge. I’m sorry but he’s insisting that we up the patrols round his sister’s house in Aberdeen. He wants you to guarantee it personally.’
‘Chrissake. That man has got a bloody cheek.’
‘I know, Sarge, but he’s bricking it. I think he’s becoming paranoid. And you did say I should let him think I was on his side.’
Narey sighed.
‘Yes. Yes, I did. Okay, tell him…’
‘What the hell?’
Narey could hear the sound of breaking glass in the Deans house even from her end of the receiver.
‘What was that Julia?’
‘I don’t know, Sarge. I’ll need to go…’
Her reply was cut off by a muffled banging, swiftly followed by a scream and a roar of pain that came from a man’s voice further inside the house.
‘Julia,’ Narey shouted down the phone. ‘What the hell is happening there? Julia?’
‘It’s Deans. He’s being attacked. I’m going…’
The next thing Narey could hear was the noise of a door being kicked open and slamming against a wall. She heard Corrieri call out twice.
‘No. No!’
Then Narey was subjected to the sickening sound of something heavy and hard being battered against DC Julia Corrieri.
Then, worse still, she heard nothing.
CHAPTER 51
The line went dead and all Narey could do was pray the connection was the only thing that had done so. She took a quick look in her mirrors and flung the car across two lanes onto the hard shoulder. Horns blared and brakes screeched but she didn’t have time to care.
She punched the numbers she needed into the handset and drummed her fingers impatiently, waiting for someone to pick up. Anyone would have done but she was still relieved to hear DI Addison’s voice. He began to speak but she shouted over him.
‘It’s Narey. You need to get as many cars as you can to Deans’ house in Vancouver Road — now. And a couple of ambulances as well. Deans has been attacked… and so has Julia Corrieri.’
‘Jesus Christ. How do you know this?’
‘I was on the phone to her when she was hit. Look, it doesn’t matter now, Addy. Time for that later. Just get people over there. Please.’
‘Where are you?’
‘On my way back down the road from Dundee. I’m a bit north of Stirling. Let me know as soon as you know anything.’
‘Will do. Get here when you can but keep your car on the road.’
Addison hung up the phone and immediately dialled Control to get the nearest cars on their way to Scotstoun, closely followed by ambulances and as many CID, uniforms and support staff as he could raise. He bolted from his office, stopping just long enough to tell his startled secretary where he was going.
‘Get a hold of Detective Superintendent Temple and let him know that an officer has been seriously injured in an incident in Vancouver Road. Tell him the incident is ongoing and I’m on my way there now.’