‘One of those wary types, you know. Bloody waste of time.’
He claps me on the shoulder. ‘A few drinks later will make you feel better.’
I can’t refuse again.
‘Sure,’ I say. ‘I’ll call the babysitter.’
***
Josie
The first thing that hits you when walking into the offices of Lance and Holland is the huge sign bearing their logo behind the reception desk. The whole place is set up to impress. The foyer is a spacious and elegant area where visitors are welcomed with an air of style and high status. The floor is covered with polished marble tiles, which reflect the natural light that floods through the large windows. A grand staircase leads to the upper floors, where the offices of the executives and managers are located. There is a brass plaque in the reception area with their names. Daniel Neal is the third one down.
The receptionist, who is friendly and well-dressed, welcomes me from her desk in the centre of the foyer. ‘Hello there. Can I help you?’
‘I’m here to see Daniel Neal,’ I say.
‘Of course,’ says the receptionist. ‘What is your name?’
‘Josie Blackford.’
She taps at her computer and frowns. ‘You’re not in the appointment book.’
I can’t pull rank and make everyone suspicious. ‘If you call him, I think you’ll find he’ll see me.’
Her expression quickly changes when she sees I’m not budging.
‘Can you tell him I’m here?’ I say firmly.
She gives me a cool stare. ‘Of course,’ she says, picking up the phone, her nails sparkling in the sunlight from the windows. She mentions my name, hangs up, and then says, ‘Please wait here. Someone will escort you to Mr Neal’s office shortly.’
***
Daniel Neal doesn’t even smile when I walk in. ‘DS Blackford, please have a seat,’ he says.
The office is warm and inviting, with plants, paintings and personal items. I notice the photo on his desk of Joanna Neal and her son hugging. I close the door behind me, and his expression changes instantly.
‘What are you doing here?’ he snaps.
‘Mr Neal, why did you remove your wire and turn off your phone?’
‘You know exactly why.’
‘Mr Neal, your wife’s life is at stake. You’ve paid the kidnappers a fortune. The longer they keep her, the more danger she faces.’
He stands up. ‘Jo will be released soon.’
It’s all I can do not to slap him. ‘At least tell us where you made the drop. There could be CCTV cameras there. Someone may have seen him collect the ransom. We could get him.’
‘Are you bloody mad? He spotted you. Why else would he suddenly change the location of the drop? If anything happens to Jo, you’ll have blood on your hands. By the way, her name is Joanna. OnlyIget to call her Jo.’
‘When did he change the location of the drop?’ I ask. I am finding it hard to work out where the kidnapper could have spotted us.
‘I’m not discussing it with you anymore,’ he says. His face is glowing red with anger.
I stand up. ‘Think yourself lucky we’re not doing you for running a red light.’
‘Yeah, whatever,’ he says. ‘That’s the least of my worries.’
