‘Why is this guy’s office outside the unit?’
‘I’m no psychiatrist, but having met him, I think it would be his choice,’ said Steven. ‘Although the room’s attached to the unit, it’s outside it and I think that would be important to him — a sort of psychological barrier between him and them. It certainly wasn’t because it’s a pleasant room, it’s grotty.’
‘Does the secure unit extend back through the entire width of the old building?’
‘I think not,’ said Steven. ‘It extends along most of the front elevation, but looking at the side elevation of the original building, it probably only reaches half way back.’
‘I tried to get plans. No luck,’ said Macmillan.
Macmillan summarised. ‘Entry through the back of the building should be achieved with the objective of gaining access to the first floor. Once there, it would be a case of... moving to where it’s thought the room above the office is situated. How do we know that?’
Steven said, ‘Without plans, I agree that could be a problem. All I can suggest is that I make a rough sketch of the layout as I remember it and we wing it from there.’
‘Sounds good,’ said Andy, ‘we’ll have to drill small holes in the floor anyway to see what’s below, whether there’s a light on, whether it’s the right room, whether there’s anyone in it.’
Steven accepted the pen and paper Macmillan found for him in his briefcase while the others discussed what they would need for the operation and who should do what. He thought carefully through his one and only visit to Moorlock, trying to remember in detail his route through the main gate, the pause at the first security halt, the entrance to the main hospital building, the walk along a short corridor parallel to the front elevation... how long?... twenty metres, thirty metres? The right turn into Groves’ office just outside the modern, combination-guarded entrance to the secure unit.
Steven said, ‘You know, it would help to have a photograph of the hospital building.’
One of the police commanders radioed Steven’s request and a photograph was transmitted back within eight minutes.
‘Just one man on the ground who knows what he’s doing,’ said the commander, noticing the look on Steven’s face, which seemed to question the wisdom of anyone getting too close to Moorlock.
Steven nodded and accepted the photo. He matched his calculations to the first floor of the building and found his best guess took him along to the third window in from the corner at the east end. That room would not be directly above Groves’ office — his office had no window facing the front — it would have to be the room on the other side of the corridor. He said so to Macmillan.
‘Providing it is a room,’ said Macmillan, ‘It’s an old hospital, the window might well be in what was an open ward.’
‘Good point,’ said Steven. He did another calculation in his head and said, ‘Okay, as we don’t know what’s behind the third window on the first floor, it would be safer to say that the area we are looking for should be around fifteen to twenty metres back from it in a straight line.’
With this clear objective established and general agreement that everyone had what they needed in terms of equipment and personnel — Andy reported back to his unit that no back-up was required — attention turned to details. After a short discussion, Macmillan listed them.
The operation would begin at midnight. Those detailed to enter the building — Steven and the six soldiers — would be dropped off at the end of the lane leading up to Moorlock by the army Land Rover and left to make the final approach on foot. On achieving a successful entrance to Groves’ office, two of the soldiers would deploy to explore the possibility of opening up the front entrance — hopefully armed with codes and combinations obtained either from the office or the security stop just behind the entrance. Steven and the remaining four soldiers would effect entry to the secure unit. Again, it was hoped that this would be achieved with codes found in the office. If not, the explosives expert of the group, Luke, would do his thing and the others would follow up with stun grenades.
If they did manage to enter the secure unit without the use of...
Steven’s old mobile phone rang and caused a heart-stopping interruption. His blood turned to ice as he faced his worst fears — Barrowman wasn’t in Moorlock at all, he was somewhere else entirely. He was about to give instructions for an exchange meeting he couldn’t possibly keep.
Everyone seemed hypnotised, rendered immobile like figures in a renaissance painting.
Steven snatched at the phone. ‘I’m here, Barrowman.’
‘You took your time, Dunbar. And here was me thinking you’d be worried out of your mind.’
‘Where’s Tally? What have you done with her. If you’ve hurt her I’ll...’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Dunbar. You’re in no position to do anything... Oh, and if you have a little squad of elves trying to trace the call, tell them not to bother, I’m using a shielded satellite job.’
‘What’s the deal?’ asked Steven with his eyes tight shut and afraid of the coming reply.
‘There is no deal, Dunbar. There never was. I must say I like your lady a lot, I’m enjoying her... and I’m going to keep her, I just thought I’d give you a bit of a whirl on the old mental roundabout.’
‘You bastard.’
‘Tut tut.’
‘You need your data.’
‘No, you do. It’s true I’d rather you lot didn’t have it, but maybe you’ll never break it. I don’t need to. I already know what I know and how to apply it.’
‘Is there no decency left in you, Barrowman? No hint of the person you once were? Is there really no way back?’
‘Boring. Bye.’
Steven was left staring at a silent phone. He felt as if he’d just cut his one and only lifeline to Tally.
Macmillan quickly broke the silence. ‘Let’s concentrate on the positives. He didn’t ring to make a rendezvous you couldn’t keep and Dr Simmons is still alive. What’s more, you could still be right about Moorlock Hall and surprise is still on our side. Until we know different, nothing changes.’
‘Absolutely,’ agreed one of the policemen.
‘We’ll get her back, mate,’ said Andy.
Macmillan’s briefing resumed. ‘We can assume that members of staff, if alive, are being held under lock and key. Any man moving around freely can be regarded as the enemy and shot without question — all the inmates are killers. We know that Barrowman is armed. It’s reasonable to assume that any firearms normally held on the premises are now in the hands of the prisoners. No chances are to be taken. Armed police officers will continue with their cordon round Moorlock and deal with any escape attempt should things go wrong. The same policy will apply. Shoot to kill.’
The relief at finally being on the move after what seemed like an eternity waiting for darkness to fall and the midnight hour to register was almost palpable in the long-base army Land Rover taking them up to the end of the lane. The moon wasn’t full but it gave them some light when clouds weren’t passing across it. Two SAS men equipped with night vision equipment led the way and the others, carrying a variety of equipment, followed along in their footsteps, listening out for murmured warnings of any major obstacle. Steven was excused donkey work — one of the soldiers suggesting this was in deference to his age to the amusement of the others. He affected a half-hearted laugh, so half-hearted that Andy said, ‘Don’t worry, mate, you wouldn’t be with us if we thought you couldn’t cut it.’
Steven had dressed in the clothes he’d brought with him, close fitting black gear, and balaclava and his shoulder holster promoted to the outside of his clothing. Lightweight Berghaus hill boots gave him security underfoot.