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‘Where are we headed?’
‘Honestly, I don’t even know yet. Need-to-know principle applies, and I don’t need to know, yet. You’ll find out as soon as we do. Let’s go.’
Frankie sighed, but he didn’t complain. He just held his wrists out compliantly as the cuffs were snapped into place.
51
DROOPY WAS SITTINGin his Mondeo at the far end of the prison car park, watching the vehicle entrance through a pair of binoculars. He’d seen the two cop cars turn up forty minutes ago, the black BMW X5, with the darkened rear windows, had gone through the gates and out of sight. The Lexus saloon had remained outside in the car park, right by the gate. One of the occupants had got out of the car, cop lanyard around his neck, and smoked a cigarette, and even from this distance, Droopy could see that the cop was armed. Good tactics, he’d thought. The BMW would have Frankie in it, and the chase car would probably contain two or three armed cops. It was a shame that they’d stayed with the car, as he’d have liked to have snapped a tracker underneath it, but it was just too risky. He’d no doubt start making his way once Frankie arrived at wherever they were planning to take him.
His being here was belt and braces, as he knew he’d find out where they were taking Hardie, one way or the other. He always found a way of making things work, which was why he could charge the rates he did. Once he knew where they were taking him, he’d be able to plan how to take him out. He had some guys at the end of the phone waiting, but they’d need to plan carefully. Whether to take him out at the debrief location, or intercept the return convoy, was the decision he’d make once there was more actionable intelligence.
Then, movement caught his eye, as the external gate began to slide open, and the BMW eased its way out pausing by the Lexusfor a moment, before both cars moved off, in convoy and heading towards the car park exit.
Droopy picked up his phone and dialled.
‘Yeah?’ a heavily accented voice said.
‘Piotr, they’re moving. Two cars, one a BMW X5, the other a dark blue Lexus. Heading towards the exit now.’
‘Okay, I’m ready,’ said Piotr.
Droopy watched as the cars headed out of the car park and onto the service road, eventually stopping at the junction that led to the main road.
‘They’re at the junction. I see a right-hand indication, and they’re off onto Newmill and Canthill Road, south towards Glasgow. Are you ready?’
‘Yeah, I’m ahead and waiting.’ Piotr, an old comrade from the Legion, was a good man, who like so many had left after his time, and gone into the specialised private security sector. Specialised really meaning that he was essentially a mercenary. Piotr was a good surveillance operative, as was Droopy, so he was confident that between the two of them, they could follow the convoy to the destination, and from there they could make a plan. Hopefully this job could be all wrapped up in a couple of days. Droopy started the car, and moved off, steadily and smoothly, a smile stretching across his face. The money was great, but it was the adrenaline rush that he really did it for.
‘I have them in sight, they’re driving hard, I suspect they’ll be putting in some anti-surveillance,’ said Piotr, his voice coming out of the speakers.
‘Stay with them, I’ll move up and be ready to take over from you and we can rotate the visual on the convoy.’
‘Roger, heading towards M8 and generally towards Glasgow. I hope they don’t use a big central police station.’
‘They won’t. Too many leaks at big police stations,’ said Droopy as he drove hard until he could see Piotr’s Vauxhall ahead of him.Looking beyond he could see the escorting Lexus, driving hard towards the M8, the traffic was getting heavier and heavier, and Droopy knew that this wasn’t going to go well. He was hoping that they’d stay under the radar and attract minimal attention, but it looked like they were intent on shaking off any possible followers. He felt his gut tightening, with the realisation that they may not be able to follow them without getting compromised, which he couldn’t let happen.
Droopy eased past Piotr as they joined the motorway, keeping a few cars back from the Lexus, a sense of inevitability beginning to bite as the BMW accelerated again.
Then it happened, and Droopy knew it was all over. An arm snaked out of the window of the Lexus, and a blue light with a curly flex snaking from it was stuck onto the roof, and began to oscillate. This was made worse when the familiar howl of a siren erupted from the car. It was over, he couldn’t follow any more, as they’d be spotted in seconds.
‘Break off, Piotr. We can’t follow. Go back to the safe house, and I’ll join you later.’
‘Roger,’ said Piotr.
Droopy eased off the accelerator, a sense of disappointment rising. It would have been ideal to have followed them to the secure location, but it wasn’t worth a compromise.
Droopy turned up the radio, and Elvis Presley blasted out of the speakers. A setback, that’s all. Nothing to worry about.
Frankie Hardie was still a dead man walking.
52
MAX AND JANIEwere sorting out their kit in the office ready to head north whilst Ross and Norma were poring over phone and financial evidence that had been filtering through after all the applications had been submitted.
‘Much in any of it?’ said Max, hoisting his ballistic vest and stuffing it into a kit bag.
‘Well, Droopy ditches his SIMs daily from what I can see, sometimes multiple times, but he keeps the same handset.’ She paused, and looked across the room, her glasses a little askew. ‘A bit slack that, eh?’
Max paused, furrowing his brow. ‘Yeah, it is, I’d say. He’s not a traditional villain though, is he?’
