THREE BROKEN BODIES (DI Jack MacIntosh 5) by Michelle Kidd

Author:Michelle Kidd [Michelle Kidd]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books Mystery, Crime Thriller, Suspense
Published: 2024-02-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

Time: 12.30 p.m.

Date: Friday 29 August 2014

Location: Metropolitan Police HQ, London

“There’s no way I can get my hands on that kind of cash.” Jonathan Spearing’s hand trembled as he placed the burner phone back on the table. “Absolutely no way. That’s why I came to you.”

Becky turned the phone screen towards herself. “It is a significant sum. Substantially more than they asked for initially.”

“The ten thousand I could just about get my hands on. Our savings, mostly. But this?” Spearing buried his head in his hands. “There’s just no way. I just don’t know what else to do.”

“We’ll come up with a plan.” DS Carmichael looked expectantly across the table at DI Yates. “Won’t we?”

“Do you have any idea who might be behind this?” Becky turned the phone screen back round to face Spearing. “It’s a different number than before. No doubt a new burner phone at their end. We’ll do our best to trace it.”

“This is just going to make it worse.” Spearing continued to bury his head. “I should never have come to you.”

“Mr Spearing, I appreciate how distressing this is, but time really is of the essence here. You definitely did the right thing in bringing this to us, but I need you to think. Do you have any idea at all why you might be being targeted?”

Spearing merely shook his head, remaining silent.

“A hundred thousand pounds is a lot of money. Why do the kidnappers think you have that kind of cash? In my experience, kidnappers target specifically — if they are asking for this amount then they must think they have a reasonable chance of getting it.”

Spearing didn’t reply, muffled sobs coming from behind his hands.

“Mr Spearing, I can’t help you if you don’t cooperate. Is there any reason why the kidnappers think you have this kind of money?”

The reporter sighed and raised his head from his hands. “It’s Katarina. She has the money — well, her parents do. They’re loaded.”

“Your wife’s parents?”

Spearing nodded. “They’re in the construction business back in Croatia. Own a multi-million-pound company. The pair of them are worth a fortune.”

“And why am I just hearing about this now?” Becky flashed a look in Carmichael’s direction.

“No one asked,” replied Spearing.

Becky took another look at the message on the phone screen. “Well, my guess is that the kidnappers know only too well who your wife is, and which family she comes from. This is where they believe the ransom demand will come from.” She paused and looked up. “I think you need to contact them.”

Spearing’s eyes widened. “Contact Katarina’s parents? Why would I do that? I thought we were keeping this whole thing under the radar?”

“We are. But I still think you should contact them and bring them into the picture. They’re already intrinsically involved. The kidnappers must know that this is the only avenue you have of raising that kind of money. They will be expecting you to make contact with them. We can still keep things discreet — we have protocols that we’re adhering to.

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