Enigma of Fire by Marilyn Leach

Author:Marilyn Leach
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christian Fiction
Publisher: Pelican Book Group
Published: 2017-07-27T16:00:00+00:00

9

“Hello, I’m not going to try that.” The cabby stopped his vehicle and nodded toward the narrow alleyway between two small warehouses, where Raheem’s greengrocer vehicle just barely eked through.

Berdie and company were in the heart of Slough’s industrial area, littered with warehouses, outbuildings, and cargo-shipping containers the size of mobile homes.

The fellow spoke over his shoulder. “Besides, just three streets over and not over a week ago, a cabby was relieved of his cash at knifepoint.”

“I see,” Berdie retorted. “That’s fine—we’ll walk from here.”

Lillie reared. “Walk?”

“You know: two legs, one foot in front of the other, that sort of thing.”

The cabdriver laughed.

Lillie didn’t. “Is that wise?”

Berdie got out of the cab, industrial odors assaulting her nose, and handed the driver his promised thirty pounds, plus the fare.

“Are you coming, Lillie?”

Lillie wore a face Berdie would only describe as vexed, but nonetheless, her dearest friend gave a quick glance about and exited the cab.

Berdie knew the untidy litter in the area, stained and broken objects on the verges, windblown papers, to say nothing of the nearby factory odors, wouldn’t appeal to Lillie. But these things were a part of their tracking process. And so be it.

“Want me to send a copper round in a bit?” The cabby closed his window halfway.

“Yes,” Lillie clipped.

“No, but thank you.” Berdie began forward progress into the alleyway.

“It was a doddle, you know, not the chase I imagined,” the fellow yelled from the window opening and rocketed off into traffic.

Lillie watched the retreating cab.

“Come along, Lillie. The more swift we are, the more likely to catch Sundeep up.”

Lillie looked wistfully in the direction the cab had taken, and then stepped after Berdie. “You’ve had some half-witted ideas, my dear Sherlock, but this one takes the biscuit.”

“Look. He can’t be going far now. It looks as if the alley is blocked just beyond us. You see?”

Several yards past the opening where they now walked, a huge metal shipping container sat at a rather awkward angle. Berdie could see the work van pull to the side of it and stop.

“That was hardly an exciting chase,” Lillie mumbled. “Sundeep drove like my granny.”

“When a nineteen-year-old lad drives like that, it tells us he’s into something dodgy. He didn’t want to call attention to his movements because he’s in some sort of trouble. Speeding would be too risky.”

“Didn’t he realize he was being followed?”

“I shouldn’t think so. Our cabby was quite clever about staying covert, and I daresay Sundeep would have put on a bit more speed if he noticed.”

Berdie grabbed Lillie by the arm and pulled her flat against the nearby wall of the warehouse.

Sundeep emerged from the van with a carrier bag, the logo for the Jewel of the Eastern Wind printed on it. He strode to the door of the brown metal storage container and easily opened it, entering without showing any concern.

Lillie took a quick breath. “He’s been living in a cargo box?”

“Give him a moment to settle.”

Berdie deftly began her forward movement and noted that the tire tracks the van had made were the only ones in the area.

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