“Pretty much finished,” said Adrian, with a smirk, before jiggling the phone in his hand. “Lenny had the home security specialists around. Motion detector lights front and back, with a top-of-the-range home security system. Constant surveillance and infrared motion sensors like something out of aMission Impossiblefilm. I can even see everything from my phone—front and back of the propertyandthroughout the downstairs interior. The security company should have registered the address and landline with you at the station, in case there’s any more trouble.”
“Be good to come and have a look at some point,” said PC Morgan.
“You’d be more than welcome.”
“Anything else since the last incident?” asked PC Lewis.
“If there was, you’d have been the first to know. But no, there’s been nothing.”
“Bobby checked the road cameras along the surrounding A roads for that night, but there was no unusual traffic, nobody speeding away from your area.”
“I called Mr Lamperton and told him already, boss. Either they knew to avoid the cameras, or they were on foot or maybe on pushbikes,” said PC Lewis.
“Out of interest, Mr Lamperton, can I take a look? At the camera security system on your phone?” asked PC Morgan.
Adrian didn’t want to hang around chit-chatting. He wanted to get back to the comfort of Bryn Bach and Lenny, but he obliged the older police constable. After all, they would probably be the ones called out if an alarm went off. At some point over the weekend, he needed to talk Lenny through the system operation. Obliging PC Morgan, he opened the app and tapped in the password, displaying a full-screen colour feed of the front driveway. After a glance at the crystal-clear view of the front gate of the house, he passed the phone over to PC Morgan and watched amused as the policeman poked his finger at the screen.
“We’ve had no eyewitnesses to the incident,” continued a playfully grinning PC Lewis, who had clearly seen the humour in his old boss navigating the telephone app. “But honestly, in that secluded part of town I’m not surprised. Bryn Bach’s the only house for about two miles in any direction. I told you we had some reports of vandalism over the holiday weekend—kids, they think—but yours was the only one involving a petrol bomb. If anyone does come forwards, we’ll let you know.”
“Look at that,” said PC Morgan, showing the phone display to his colleague. “Clear as summer’s day.”
“Yes, boss,” said PC Lewis, rolling his eyes at Adrian. “I’ve seen similar set-ups. Much better quality than our traffic cameras.”
“Difficult not to be,” said PC Morgan, chuckling at the screen and swiping awkwardly with his finger.
“Anyway, gents,” said Adrian, wanting to wrap up and get away, “I should be heading back before the food gets cold.”
“Just came from down from your way,” said PC Lewis, standing straight and about to move around to the passenger side of the car. “Almost tempted to pull over a motorcyclist heading for Newbridge. That wasn’t your Mr Day, was it? If so, you should tell him to keep an eye on his speed. Lucky for him we don’t have the new integrated digital speedometer fitted yet. I bet if we’d clocked him, he’d have been over the legal limit.”
“Lenny drives an SUV—”
“And there’s your Mr Day now, talking to his guest,” said PC Morgan, squinting his eyes at the phone as he talked over Adrian.
“Guest?” said Adrian, puzzled. “We don’t have a guest. At least we didn’t when I left the house about an hour ago. Our two friends left this morning.”
“Hang on, let’s look from the other end of the room. Yes, there you go. See if you can recognise—” PC Morgan expression morphed into a frown. After pushing his forefinger on the screen a couple of times, he turned the phone to PC Lewis then to Adrian. “Son, I think we’ve got a problem. Do you recognise this person?”
There on the screen stood a figure carrying what looked to be a shortened shotgun pointed directly at Lenny. Wearing a grey tracksuit with a grey hoodie covering the head and the upper part of the face, the heavy-set figure was impossible to identify. Maybe that had been their intention.
“Shit,” said Adrian, his pulse speeding up, cold dread running down his spine. “I’ve never met the guy but, from how Lenny described him, I think that might be his cousin, Matthew. And he has a motorcycle, so maybe that’s who you passed. Although honestly, the two things might be unrelated, and that person could be anyone. Why the hell would they be pointing a shotgun at Lenny? I have to get back. He needs my help.”
“Hold on, son,” said PC Morgan, placing a hand on Adrian’s arm. Like a switch being flicked, both his and PC Lewis’ comportment changed, both straightening up and becoming serious, their professional training kicking in. “You’re not doing anything. This is our problem now. Does this security system of his record sound?”
“I have no idea,” said Adrian, frowning impatiently. “I think so. Is that really important right now? We need to get to Lenny. He’s in danger.”
“And we will,” said PC Morgan, getting out of the car. “Bobby, take the squad car and call this in. Tell them the intruder’s armed and we’re gonna need AFOs just in case things gets nasty. Head straight to the front entrance and park up. Use your lights, but no siren. Mr Lamperton and I will take his vehicle. I’ll keep an eye on things with the security feed, and I may use the back way to the property. But I’ll need you at the front.”
“Right you are, Charlie.”
Back way? Adrian had thought the house had only one access point.
“We’ll monitor what’s going on from the car. From here to there’s no longer than ten minutes. Whatever you do, don’t spook the intruder. As I say, I’ll keep you posted on what we’re seeing on the security camera.”
“Copy that, boss.”
“Mr Lamperton. Let’s head to your truck.”
Adrian moved quickly, feeling idiotic with the bag of Chinese food still dangling from his hand. As soon as they reached the truck, he unlocked the driver’s side and dumped the bags in the back.
