Free Blazing Obsession by Dai Henley

got to rely on the Met getting the maximum co-operation from their US colleagues to follow up swiftly. I’m not convinced they will.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œEven if they do find them, you’ve then got to go through the courts. You told me that’s at least three months’ delay at best, right?” I nodded.
    â€œSo it seems to me the quickest route is to get Nick to return with the boy
voluntarily
.”
    â€œRoger, you must be joking. Why would Nick do that?”
    â€œHear me out. Lynne’ll do
anything
to get Georgie back, true? Why can’t she go to Florida with you? I can get the credit card info too. I’ll update
you
and you can track him down. Once you’ve located Burrows she can meet up with him. Tell him if he returns with Georgie, she’ll give him another chance at saving their relationship – become lovebirds – possibly even set up home together again.”
    â€œYou can’t be serious?”
    â€œI know she’s expecting your child, so it won’t be easy to convince Burrows this is a good idea. But, he’s obviously obsessed with her and of course he’ll have Georgie all to himself. He
may
go for it.”
    â€œWhat about the abduction and possible drug-dealing issues? Surely the police won’t let them go?”
    He answered without hesitation. “I admit this is the weakest part of the plan. Lynne will have to sound totally convincing when she says she’s persuaded the police to drop any charges providing Nick returns with Georgie on a voluntary basis immediately. They probably won’t, but she’s got to persuade him there’s a chance. She needs to put in an Oscar-winning performance.”
    I considered the implications of what RP had said.
    The obvious thought sprang into my head. “What happens when they arrive back in the UK? How does Lynne extricate herself from the position she’s engineered? I can’t believe she’d really want to set up home again with that sick bastard – well, at least I hope not.”
    Pouring more tea, RP said, “Well this is the good bit. When they land, we’ll tip off the police or do it through Crimestoppers, which is better – it’s anonymous. The police will immediately arrest Burrows and charge him with the abduction. They’d possibly need more evidence for charging him with drug dealing. But given the fact he’s tried to abduct the boy once, he most likely won’t be granted bail.”
    â€œHow long will he get?”
    â€œHard to say. Based on what we know, maybe three, four years if it’s proven that he planned to keep Georgie in the States long-term. You can add on a couple more years if the drug dealing is proved.”
    He opened his desk drawer and, reaching inside, he pulled out a white foolscap piece of paper and wrote in bold strokes with his Mont Blanc pen.
    â€œWhat I think we need to do is this. Point one: assuming Burrows uses a credit card, the police can get a warrant to get the information from the provider if they suspect criminal activity. I can get the same information as the police. Don’t ask how.
    â€œPoint two: I’ll keep you updated with the data so you can track him. The information will always be two or three days out of date, so it won’t be easy but at least you’re on the ground in the same State. Means a bit of legwork for you.”
    Scribbling down the next item, he said, “Remember, no one’s more motivated than us, which is more than can be said for the Orlando Police Department or any other PD for that matter. To them it’s just another job. Believe me, they’ve got their hands full with their current crime rates.”
    When he finished scribbling, he said, “Point three: once you’ve found him, you’ll need to arrange a reunion with Lynne and she can turn on the charm. Convince him to return voluntarily.”
    â€œHow can I do that?