She closed one eye and squinted before moving out of his light beam. She held a sleeve over her nose for a few seconds to dampen the smell of stagnant water. ‘Where’s the boat?’
‘There’s one just back there. See.’ He pointed. In the darkness, she could just make out the shape of it. She pointed her torch in its direction. It was blue on the top. ‘Is itRaspberry Pi?’
‘Let’s go and check.’
A uniformed officer reached the boat, treading carefully so as not to alarm Evan Bryson, knowing that the situation could easily get out of hand. The officer shook his head. ‘This is old chipped paint.’
‘Damn.’
A white-haired man opened the back of the boat and could just about see Gina. ‘What’s going on? Clear off or I’ll call the police.’
Gina ran forward and the uniformed officer stepped into view. ‘We are the police, sir.’
‘Oh.’ He stepped out. ‘What do you want?’
‘Have you seen a boat calledRaspberry Piat all? Maybe it passed you at some point.’
‘Oh yes. It’s hard to miss the big raspberry next to its name. That arsehole nearly wrecked my boat earlier. I’ve come back from Kings Norton and I was a bit tired but he woke me up. He looked distracted and almost crashed into my side as we passed. Probably drunk. People try it on the canals. They think it’s okay but it’s not. More should be done about drunk boating.’
Gina exhaled. She didn’t have time to discuss anything other than where the boat was. ‘How long ago was that?’
‘Only ’bout an hour or so. His kid was having a bit of a tantrum too. I could hear crying. No wonder with the way her dad was steering that boat.’
‘Thank you.’ She turned and ran back, almost bumping into Wyre. ‘It has to be the boat on the other side of the village and Cally’s with him.’ Her phone went. ‘Hello.’
She ran as fast as she could until she stood at her car, panting and out of breath.
Wyre hurried past. ‘Meet you there.’
Her caller had told her that the boats moored up at Wootton Wawen had been checked.Raspberry Piwas not there, but Evan’s car had been found. The witness that she’d just spoken to had seen Evan within the last hour. He had to be no more than four miles away. Gina suspected he had to be at the far end of Wootton Wawen. The last boat the helicopter saw was too far away for the speed the boats could travel. They had him.
She grabbed her phone and spoke to the officer who had just called. ‘Don’t approach him. Everyone on board could be in danger and I don’t want this to turn into a hostage situation. Children’s lives are at stake. Stay back until I arrive and we’ll take it slowly. We need an ambulance on standby. Do not approach him until I give you further instruction.’ She took a deep breath and started up her engine, ready to step into the unknown.
SIXTY-THREE
Annabel
Cally starts to fuss and I begin to shake. ‘Mummy.’ With one eye open, she tries to stand but stumbles like she’s half sleepwalking.
‘Baby, stay there and pretend to be asleep.’
Her bottom lip quivers and the rope at her ankles falls away. She cries as she staggers across the boat, holding on to anything to get to me, her little wrists bound together loosely. There’s no use me trying to tell her what to do. She’s confused and half drugged. She plonks her little bottom next to me on the bench and leans her head on my shoulder, yawning.
Evan bursts through the bedroom door, dragging Omar under the arms. I place my arm over Cally’s eyes, trying to nestle her in my armpit, which is all my tied hands allow me to do. ‘Don’t look.’ I kiss her on the head and hope that she can’t see what’s happening right in front of us. Under the table, Cally has managed to get free of the rope around her wrists. In haste, Evan hadn’t tied them properly, relying on the drug to control her.
‘Please,’ Omar says, his wavering voice sounding drunk. The blood on his wrist has partially crusted. It would be a relief if I knew that Evan wasn’t about to throw him overboard to his death. I wonder if Omar would have the strength to float or swim.
Evan dropped him on the floor and repositioned the kitchen knife that he’d been keeping in his belt, then he grabbed the boy again. ‘What are you doing there?’ He stares at Cally.
‘It’s okay. She woke up and came to me. She’s scared. Please leave her with me.’ I pause. ‘You don’t have to do this. Please, Omar is just a child. He hasn’t done anything. If you leave him out there it will be hours before help arrives and he’s too weak to get far. You have me. Do what you like to me. I’ll come willingly. None of this is needed.’
He looks at me and then at Omar.
‘I’m all my mum has. She needs me.’ Tears slip down his cheek and little bubbles form under his nose as he cries like the child he is.
‘Evan, you are not this person. I know you, you’ve been a brilliant neighbour and friend. Cally thinks the world of you and I don’t want her to be scared of you. If you hurt him, she will be. She’s a child too and she needs to feel safe with you.’
Evan shakes his head and runs his fingers through his hair. As he focuses on Omar, I begin to prod and pull at the rope around my wrists and it becomes even looser. Cally begins to play with it under the table. In my mind, I could lunge at him and simply hope that Omar could escape with my petrified child. I’d fight him to the bitter end, not caring if I die. My daughter is everything to me and I’m prepared for what may come.
