Free Impeding Justice by Mel Comley Page A

few
hours…'
    'No way. Absolutely not. While
there’s a breath left in my body, I intend to do all I can to find
my daughter. Please don’t insist I go home, sir, because I’d hate
to defy your orders.'
    'Of course, you’d never do that would you,
Lorne?' Roberts replied with a smile and a knowing glint in his
smoky grey eyes. If the tables were turned, he’d have responded in
exactly the same way, who wouldn’t have?
    DS fox knocked on the Chief’s door.
    'Come in, John, come up with anything
interesting?' The Chief asked as the other man stepped into the
room.
    'Well, we searched every car park in that
area like you said. Our guys were just about to call it a day, when
uniform located the car. The tape is being brought in as we
speak.'
    'At last, could this be the breakthrough
we’ve been waiting for? Get SOCO over there ASAP. Impound the
vehicle; see if any matches come up on the DNA database.'
    'Yes, boss, I’ll get onto it straight away.'
John was about to turn and leave when Lorne stopped him.
    'John, on my desk there’s a list of
addresses. MI6 gave them to me. There’s a possible link with
Abromovski. I want a twenty-four hour surveillance put on each
one.'
    Fox hesitated for a moment unsure whether to
accept the order or not. When he glanced at the Chief, he nodded
his approval.
    'Get on with it, Fox, what are you waiting
for?'
    'Me, sir, I’m not waiting for anything, sir.
Ma’am… I’m on my way now, sir.'
    When he left the office, Lorne and Roberts
exchanged awkward glances.
    'Thanks for backing me up, Chief. I didn’t
have time to tell you that snippet of information.'
    He shrugged, 'Don’t mention it. Now, all we
have to do is find something to keep you out of mischief. Any
ideas?'
    'I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’m going to
grab a quick bite to eat, do a few miles on the treadmill in the
basement gym, then have a long hot shower.'
    'Why, Inspector, I think that’s a mighty fine
idea. I’ll see a renewed you in about an hour then.'
    'You could always join me,' she said blushing
when she realised her mistake. She hastily corrected herself, 'Um,
I meant the bit about grabbing a bite to eat, and visiting the gym,
sir…Not the rest of it!'
    'Oh and there was me thinking you were
inviting me to take a shower with you, for old time’s sake,' he
teased, enjoying her obvious discomfort.
    His laughter followed her all the way down the hallway as
she headed for the canteen. You stupid, stupid woman, you’re seriously losing it
Lorne. She was still cursing
herself twenty minutes later as she attacked her rubbery Lasagne.
    After only managing to eat half her meal , she pushed her plate away and
sipped her warm coffee in a daze. She found herself focusing on the
graffiti plastered wall of the building opposite for a while, tears
misted her eyes as the black pattern somehow morphed into Charlie’s
terrified face. Hold on
Charlie baby, mummy’s going to find you, just hang in there and
stay strong sweetheart!

 
     
    Chapter Eighteen.
     
    Refreshed and rejuvenated after her gym
visit, Lorne found the Chief and the team engrossed in the details
of the case once more.
    The Chief smiled at her. At least outwardly she had
settled his mind. Inwardly, she felt she would
never settle her emotions back into place again.
    ‘ I was just saying,
Inspector, that AJ has been checking through the addresses Tony
gave us and something very promising has turned up. Actually, AJ,
why don’t you fill everyone in?’
    The young man, whose character had been in
question only hours before, stepped up to the white marker board at
the front of the room.
    ‘ Of the four addresses we
were given. Two of them flagged up as being of interest to the Vice
Squad. In fact, they’ve had them under surveillance for the last
couple of months. I contacted a mate of mine who works with that
team and, off the record, he informed me that the ‘clientele’ enter
the place as bold as brass. As unconcerned, as if the building
housed