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Sinclair stepped forward. “Are you going to believe him over me?”
Hobson raised the gun at the doctor. “Stay right where you are!”
“I might,” said Gardener to Sinclair.
“This is outrageous,” said Sinclair. “Do you know who I am?”
“I know who you think you are,” said Gardener.
“I am a leading member of the community. I’ll have your badge when this is over.”
“Assuming you’re still alive. As for who you are, it’s my guess from what’s been happening that you think you’re The Lord Chief Justice Dunne. Ring any bells?”
Sinclair’s expression remained unchanged, but his eyes flamed. Gardener felt he’d touched a nerve.
“You can cut out the act, Mr Sinclair. We know all about your wife and son.”
“Hey,” shouted Hobson. “I know who that is.” He reached inside his running suit.
Gardener backed away slightly.
Hobson pulled out an envelope and tossed it to the ground. “In there.”
Gardener glanced at the envelope, then back at Hobson.
“Go on, pick it up.”
He was about to, but Reilly rejoined him. He retrieved it and showed Gardener the card inside. Although they had not seen it used on any of the victims, Gardener remembered it from the game in Simon Walker’s study.
“Your shout, Mr Hobson. Tell me what you know.”
Hobson seemed to be having trouble. Gardener could see the terrified expression in his eyes, which turned to tears as his bottom jaw started to quiver. Perhaps it had all become too much.
“I’ve been here fucking ages. I don’t even know how long.” He stared at Gardener. “What date is it?”
“August 3rd,” he replied.
“Oh Christ,” said Hobson, defeated, trying to compose himself. “That bastard took me from outside my house back in May.”
Sinclair said nothing. He continued to stare at Hobson.
Gardener noticed that the armed response unit had taken positions, their rifles raised. He stepped to one side, trying to make sure they had a clear shot at Hobson.
“Do you know what he’s done to me?”
“Judging by what he’s done to others, I can imagine,” said Gardener, sensing the situation was defusing.
“He kept me in his basement, locked in a wooden frame.”
Gardener could see that Hobson was close to breaking point when he heard another car pull up. Officers Thornton and Anderson jumped out. They joined the armed response unit.
He glanced at the house. Mabel Bradshaw had gone. Where, he wasn’t sure. Hopefully inside, if she had any sense.
Hobson had actually lowered the gun. “He had a computer wired up to my body, and the frame. I had to answer questions in order to free myself. He also had me wired up to some fucking pacemaker, with wires running all over my body, touching nerves, so that when he wanted, he could press a button and give me pain like I’ve never had.”
Hobson turned to Sinclair and screamed, “So where is it you bastard? How come you haven’t given me a blast?”
Sinclair remained calm. “Lucky for you, it’s in the house.”
