The Man Everyone Wanted Page 2

  ‘She’s fine,’ said Anna Hunt, referring to Kirsten Stewart. ‘She’s on a slight leave of absence at the moment.’

  ‘Nothing wrong, I hope?’ queried Hope.

  ‘Again, something I can’t comment on,’ said Anna Hunt, stepping past Macleod, looking at the blood on the floor. Her face didn’t seem to show the same horror that had come across Macleod’s. ‘However, I think she could be back to work soon,’ said Anna. With that, she turned around and held out her hand. ‘Thank you, Inspector, but I’ll take it from here.’ Macleod reached forward, gave her hand a firm shake.

  ‘Just make sure the paperwork is over with me.’

  ‘Of course. Now if you don’t mind.’

  Macleod felt he’d been dismissed. Every time he met with the Secret Service, and there had been a few occasions, Macleod wondered about the decision he made to recommend Kirsten Stewart for them. He always thought she could better them, make them a little less dispassionate, able to see other, better pictures. Looking at the scene in front of him, he wasn’t so sure.

  ‘Come on, McGrath, it’s back to the bog-standard murders for us.’

  Chapter 02

  Kirsten pressed the red button on the remote control, switching off the television, and laid back in the arms of her man. She felt them snake around her, and she allowed him to roll his chin into the side of her neck, pulling her close. It had been three months since the shooting and she had received goodbyes from Dom and Kerry-Anne, who had disappeared off together, somewhere around the Caribbean, the last she’d heard. Not that she wished them any ill. In the short time that she had known them, they had come together to save her life on more than one occasion, but that was the past.

  Craig tousled her hair and asked if she wanted another beer, but Kirsten shook her head. The trouble with alcohol in the afternoon was that you began to feel a little sleepy.

  ‘I’ll make a cup of coffee though,’ said Kirsten, looking to roll away from him, but a pair of arms grabbed her back again. The couple kissed for several minutes before he allowed her to get up and walk over to the kitchen. Three months off work, despite the pain that had come from the shooting, meant that she’d been able to relax. Craig, of course, hadn’t been there the whole time, but in the time that he had been, they’d made up for any time apart. As she stood making the coffee, she watched as he switched the television back on in that way that only men can do. He’d gone from being totally engaged in her to suddenly finding himself needing something to entertain him. She laughed a little as she ground up the coffee before tipping it into the empty filter paper. As she filled up the coffee machine with water, she heard Craig swear, something he was not particularly accustomed to.

  ‘What’s up?’ asked Kirsten.

  ‘This. That’s the shopping centre in the middle of town,’ said Craig. ‘Isn’t it? That’s your one.’

  Kirsten strode out from behind the kitchen area, round to the back of the sofa, peering at the television. Craig was right. It was the shopping centre in town. Kirsten could see the clock that entertained so many of the kids. The camera panned across showing the bullet holes that were in it, and a voice apologised and warned viewers in advance for some of the rest of the scenes that were there. Forensics were all over the scene, and Kirsten thought she caught a view of Jona Nakamura, the forensic lead at the Inverness police station.

  She stared at the screen, searching to see if Macleod was there, her former boss, or maybe Hope McGrath, the red-haired six-foot sergeant, who had taken her under her wing when she first became a detective. She couldn’t see either, although she didn’t find that surprising, for Macleod was good at avoiding the cameras. He hated being in front of them. Detested them with a passion.

  After a few moments, a picture of the Chief Constable came on telling everyone what a grievous incident it was. Giving some brief facts such as the time of the incident and the fact that a number of people were dead. Beyond that he said nothing, confirming no numbers.

  Kirsten checked her phone, staring at it.

  ‘What are you doing?’ said Craig. ‘You’re not on duty. This is not yours to deal with. Just let it go.’

  ‘I know, but I thought with Dom and Kerry-Anne out of the way, and a skeletal staff up at this end, that I might get a call. You’re never really off duty in this job, are you?’

  ‘Yes, you are. You’re not signed on fit for duty. Therefore, you’re not doing anything,’ said Craig. ‘Now, go back and make that coffee.’

  ‘Don’t,’ said Kirsten. ‘I want to see this.’

  Craig raised his hands in defeat before leaning back on the sofa, letting Kirsten stare at the screen. There was another two minutes of reporting where a woman who had been in the shopping centre told of men firing guns, people hitting the floor, and blood running here and there. She said there’d been men, women, and children all around and she didn’t know quite what had happened, for the shooting seemed to be coming from several different figures.

  Kirsten took all this with a pinch of salt, for the report that had not been properly interrogated, and the press always picked out the best bits to sensationalise. Trouble was, she thought, it was rather dour by comparison. You really wanted a hysterical figure for your news report, not someone who seemed to be fairly calm. Maybe it was because she got out alive, thought Kirsten, that she could be that calm. Maybe she hadn’t seen any friends or family die.

  The news moved onto a report about a nuclear reactor and the upgrade it was receiving. Kirsten turned back and walked to the coffee machine. She realised she hadn’t switched it on, for Craig had sworn before she’d done that. She now hit the button and stood waiting for it to complete. Craig looked over at her.

  ‘Stop. It’s not your problem. This is not one for you to do.’

  ‘It’s my town though. I could phone Macleod. I mean, I’m sure he’d tell me.’

  ‘No,’ said Craig. ‘You took a bad one last time. Sure, you’re up, you’re on the move, but you’re still not as frisky as you were before.’

  ‘I thought I was frisky enough for you last night,’ smiled Kirsten, giving a laugh and turning back to the coffee machine.

  ‘But you’re still not right,’ said Craig. ‘I know you’re not, and they haven’t signed you off, so at this point in time, you and I are taking time out. I’m on my leave, you are on special leave, so let’s just leave it, shall we?’

  Kirsten nodded, for he was right. She reached over to a hairbrush sitting in the kitchen and began brushing her hair back. It was true that she was getting back somewhere towards peak fitness, but she didn’t feel she was sharp enough yet. She’d not only been exercising with Craig in the bedroom, he’d also been taking her out for runs, and down the gym. He’d even picked up a pair of sparring gloves for her. Unfortunately, he was no match and she really needed somebody to test her strength against. She thought about going back down to the mixed martial arts gym, but given the condition she was in, she wasn’t sure Anna Hunt would have taken that too kindly. Kirsten lifted up her top, looked at the mark the bullet had left behind. The skin would never be the same. Neither would she. Maybe bikinis were out.

  She heard footsteps behind her, and a hand went round and ran itself around her wound before lifting and embracing her in a completely different fashion. She laid back into him again, taking his advice, enjoying the time alone. She’d have taken her arm off for this quiet time previously and yet, there was part of her wanted back in the game. Still, it wasn’t a bad way to spend your down time.

  Kirsten realised that things were about to take a twist for the exciting when there came a knock at the door. Craig broke off his embrace, stepped back and she believed he swore again. Kirsten reached for the hairbrush, gave her hair a couple of strokes, put it down and walked over to the door. She glanced through the peephole and nearly swore when she saw who was standing outside. Craig wasn’t going to be happy.

  The door opened and Anna Hunt stepped into the room, looking immaculate in boots, a black skirt and a business-like jacket over the top.

  ‘I thought you might call.’

  ‘She’s off duty,’ shouted Craig. ‘She’s not ready. She needs more downtime.’

  Kirsten wanted to turn around and tell Craig to keep out, mind his own business because she was desperate to get involved, but she knew he was protecting her and sometimes she needed protection from her own keenness.

  ‘I’m afraid I need to talk to Kirsten alone,’ said Anna. ‘Business.’

  ‘She’s not signed back on,’ said Craig.

  ‘No, she’s not,’ said Anna, ‘but I need to speak to her. If you don’t mind.’

  ‘Is the bedroom far enough,’ said Craig. ‘Should I hide in there?’

  ‘The way you can hear and your skills, no it’s not. Why don’t you go get a coffee somewhere?’

  ‘Why don’t you get the hell out?’ said Craig, causing Anna to raise an eyebrow.

  ‘I’ll let that one slip, but just that one. You’re still in my employ, no matter how much you care for this woman. Go get a coffee.’ Craig looked over at Kirsten, who turned and walked towards him. She wrapped herself around him and whispered in his ear that it was okay. She’d tell him everything later on.

  ‘Liar,’ he said in her ear, ‘you know you can’t. Just be careful and don’t do anything until you’re ready.’ With that he let the embrace slip, walked to the bedroom before emerging back out with his jacket around his shoulders. ‘How long do you need?’ he asked Anna Hunt.

  ‘Just give us half an hour,’ said Anna. ‘For what it’s worth, sorry.’

  ‘I don’t believe that for a minute,’ said Craig. ‘Just be gentle with her.’

  Kirsten saw Craig walk to the door and slam it, making the point as he then disappeared down the stairs.

  ‘You’ve really gone under his skin,’ said Anna.

  ‘And he, under mine,’ said Kirsten. ‘And he is right. I’m not signed back on duty. Why are you talking to me?’

  ‘There’s been an incident,’ said Anna.

  ‘Hell of an incident,’ said Kirsten. ‘I saw it. I think I saw Jona Nakamura on the TV; couldn’t see Macleod.’

  ‘I’m afraid Inspector Macleod has been removed from this one. Not his to follow up.’

  ‘You’ve taken it?’ queried Kirsten.

  ‘Yes, we’ve taken it. You see the police think it’s a crazy gun attack, but it’s not. Looks like there’s been a shootout, but I can’t tell you here why.’

  ‘You can’t tell me here? You’ve just sent Craig off to have a coffee and yet you can’t tell me what’s going on?’

  ‘No, not secure. I need you to retreat to a safe house. When you’re there, we’ll send a package with a detail and also your assignment.’

  ‘My assignment?’ said Kirsten. ‘What, you going to have me chasing some people down?’ Anna Hunt’s face didn’t flinch. ‘Come on, Anna. I’m not ready yet. I’m not up to peak fitness.’

  ‘People like you don’t need to be at peak fitness. People like you are tenacious. That’s why we brought you in. I can’t wait on this one. I need somebody that knows the terrain up here. I need somebody who’s able to act on their own and I need someone who I can trust.’

  ‘Why trust? Surely, there’s plenty of people you trust.’

  ‘I trust your boyfriend,’ said Anna, ‘but he hasn’t got the capacities I need.’

  ‘I’m sure he’d be charmed to know, but why trust? We’ve got agents everywhere, plenty you could use. What’s this about?’

  ‘You won’t know until the package arrives,’ said Anna. ‘Sorry, where are you going to go?’

  ‘Where’s the field of operation?’

  ‘Currently, that shopping centre. We don’t know a lot. We haven’t got a lot to give you, but a lot will be in the package. You’ll have to be operating out of Inverness.’

  ‘Then I’ll go to safe house seven on the edge. You know the address, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes, I do,’ said Anna. ‘That would seem a reasonable one to go to, but one thing you need to know, you cannot discuss this with Craig. You cannot discuss this with anyone.’

  ‘I’ve got nothing to discuss at the moment,’ said Kirsten.

  ‘No, except that you’re going to a safe house. Craig needs to know you’re coming back. You can’t hide that from him, but that’s it. Nothing else.’

  ‘I thought you said you trusted him,’ said Kristen.

  ‘Trust is a sliding scale. The moment you’re involved, somebody knows that’s your boyfriend. Somebody knows who to go after. When you’re in bed together, you’ll talk, you’ll drop the odd thing. It happens to us all. You can try and focus on the physical, but we all need that connection, be it spiritual or be it emotional. We talk, we’re human; therefore, Craig becomes a liability.’

  ‘I would say much more than that.’

  ‘But you’re not a head of a department at the moment. You’re on leave and that’s why you’re not thinking with your head.’

  ‘He wouldn’t cough anything up.’

  ‘He would cough stuff up,’ said Anna. ‘I would. The techniques some of these people have, you can’t stop it. All you can do is control the information and who’s got it. Therefore, you can tell him nothing. This one’s up at the top level. We’re talking possible diplomatic problems with what’s coming. I want you out of here in the next hour. I’ll have the package sent over in two.’

  ‘You don’t really give me time to say long goodbyes, do you?’

  ‘No,’ said Anna. ‘This is what we do.’

  ‘Why aren’t you doing it? I saw you last time. You can go with the best of them.’

  ‘There’s too many people know me on this one. I’d be marked. Besides, I’ve got plenty of other things I need to be doing.’

  ‘It can’t be that important, then, can it?’

  ‘Let’s just say my face doesn’t fit this particular task,’ said Anna. ‘I’ve got a lot of history with a lot of people. As far as they’re aware, you’re the girl that comes running to the rescue. They got your picture when you stopped that train. When you stopped the cruise ship, there were photographs. People are identifying you, but there you go. You’re the hero. The person that steps in to prevent things. This time, however—’ Anna Hunt’s voice trailed off.

  ‘Other work?’ asked Kirsten.

  ‘Our package will be with you, too. Stay safe. You report nothing to anyone except me, understood?’

  ‘Of course,’ said Kirsten, and Anna turned on her heel and walked to the door. She opened it, stepped out into the hallway and looked down to the stairs. ‘Craig, you can come back up,’ she said and heard the footsteps coming back.

  Anna Hunt watched him walk past and into the flat, the man giving a cold stare at her.

  ‘I’ll leave you two together.’ With that, Anna descended the stairs. Kirsten moved to close the door.

  ‘That seems serious,’ said Craig.

  ‘I’ve got to be somewhere in an hour,’ said Kirsten. ‘Sorry, but you’ll have to—’

  ‘How long for?’ asked Craig.

  ‘Don’t know. Haven’t got instructions yet.’

  Craig’s eyes narrowed. ‘She couldn’t tell you the instructions here?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘And she couldn’t handle it herself?’

  ‘No, Craig. She just said she couldn’t. It’s on me.’

  ‘She’ll have told you not to talk to me,’ he said. ‘You’re going to be out on a limb on this one. If you need me, you call, understand me? You call.’

  Kirsten stepped forward, put her arms around her man and pulled him tight. ‘I know,’ she said. ‘I know.’

  Chapter 03

  Craig told Kirsten that he would remain at her flat for the next five days because that’s all the leave he had. After that, he would have to return to London. She thanked him, put her arms around him, kissing him once again. Having left the family of Macleod and McGrath and the rest of the police at the Inverness station, finding Craig had been a godsend. She felt she had some sort of stability in her life. Her previous rock or at least her previous devotion had been to her brother.

  These days, she didn’t visit him much because he didn’t know her, his mind having gone. When he stood there questioning her, sometimes becoming enraged that she was in his room, Kirsten found it too hard to deal with. It was like somebody had died, and yet the person was still there. As much as she dealt with the horror of her new job and the terrible things that had gone on with it, she struggled to deal with the basic premise of dementia.

  Kirsten had taken her car, parked it up away from her flat, and picked up a hire car, renting it for the next two weeks. It was from a company that was not particularly reputable, and she signed very little paperwork when she took it. Having checked over three cars at the site, she knew she had one that would respond if she put the foot down.

  She parked on the edge of Inverness in what was a rather rough estate. Kirsten then walked to and entered a building that had the smell of blocked drains outside it. She’d chosen this building specifically because it looked a mess and had been cheap, but it wasn’t the only safe house she knew of. She also had a few of her own. If her boss, Anna, wanted to send her a package, there was no way she was giving those up.

  On entering, she went straight to the cupboard to find the coffee—instant—and boil the kettle before making her way to the patchy sofa and putting her feet up. There was nothing to do until the package arrived. She flicked on the battered old telly and sat, watching some soap, trying not to cloud her mind with news reports at this time.

  She heard a knock at the door, jumped up from the sofa, and walked steadily over to look at the peephole. There was no one there. She drew a gun from behind her, opened the door slowly, and looked down to see a package resting on the doorstep. There were no postal marks on it, no address, nothing to indicate who it was for. Kirsten bent down, picked it up, and closed the door behind her, locking it tight. She placed the package on a little coffee table in front of the sofa and took out a small pen knife, cutting through the parcel’s wrapping. She soon had the rather small box open to find a number of packages inside, one of which she recognised.