Stephen Edger - Déjà Vu

Stephen Edger

ONE

T he swastika tattoo glistened on the sweaty hand, as the bony finger tensed on the trigger. It was warm too warm for the time of year, and with the usual steady breeze absent, everyone was feeling it. Shirts which had been pristine first thing were now soaked through and clinging to the skin. And it didnt appear that the climate would be softening any time soon, as reports of the years first heat wave continued to dominate the headlines.

The tattooed hand disappeared from the screen, leaving just the splintered panel of wood in view.

Weve lost sight of the target, one of the officers huddled around the tiny monitor yelled.

The image on the screen blurred and sharpened as the auto focus kicked in, searching for any sight of the swastika or any of the other tattoos covering the skin and bone frame of the suspect who had barricaded himself inside the small two bedroom mid-terrace. A variety of furniture had been pressed up against the downstairs doors and windows to block the view inside. The camera was currently trained on the main set of windows the living room by all accounts where a wooden dining table had been unnaturally balanced. But such was the shoddy job undertaken that a small gap between the long edge of the table and the mould-speckled window frame remained. And it was this gap that was their only confirmation that the hostage was still alive.

The Armed Response leader stepped away from his position in the huddle and relayed the latest status update to Gold Command Chief Superintendent Tillman who was safely tucked away in the comfort of her office back at Headquarters. The gap left in the huddle presented DS Jake Knight with his first glimpse of the window.

I dont know why we dont just kick the door in and apprehend him, DC Annie Lockwood uttered to him under her breath.

Because he isnt alone, and because he has the barrel of a gun pressed against his hostages forehead, Jake replied, not that he disagreed with her sentiment.

But shes his girlfriend, Annie countered. Hes got as much intention of killing her as I have of clocking off early.

Jake allowed a thin smile to break out as he considered his protg: twenty-four, her mousy-brown hair cut short in a bob, and the high cheek bones which hid the pit-bull attitude she frequently displayed; God help the potential boyfriend who got on the wrong side of her temper.

Weve been here four hours already, she continued, the frustration showing as the skin tightened around her eyes. If wed gone in straight away hed be in custody and we could be interviewing him, instead of this...shit.

She was right, Jake knew, Logan McGregor had absolutely no intention of killing his girlfriend and business partner, but it wasnt a risk Gold Command was prepared to take. The last thing Tillman needed was more headlines questioning her failure to better handle the growing drug problem in the city.

They know what theyre doing, Jake said, raising the plastic bottle of mineral water to his lips. If you want to go and get a bite to eat, thats fine. Ill call if anything changes here.

She didnt answer, but he already knew she wouldnt leave her spot at his side for something as uninspired as a sandwich. It was the reason he enjoyed working alongside her: he saw a lot of his own youthful bullheadedness in her. He had once been young and impetuous, but he never would have made it to fifteen years in the force had he not been encouraged to curb such tendencies. And so he felt duty-bound to offer Annie Lockwood the same pastoral guidance hed received. Shed learn soon enough that the rules were there to protect them as much as the criminals.

The signed warrant was poking out of the inside pocket of Jakes jacket, which was crumpled on the seat inside the car they were leaning against. That had been the first item of apparel he had dispensed with, and it wouldnt be long until his tie joined the jacket. Unbuttoning his cuffs, he rolled up his sleeves, holding the bottle in his mouth as he did.

A tenner says hes still not out by four, Annie said.

Jake glanced down at his watch. Its only midday; you sure you want to make that bet? Seems like youll be throwing away your money.

All right, twenty quid says he wont be out by three. She offered him her hand to shake.

Jake pressed his skin against hers and made the bet, though he had no intention of collecting when McGregor was led from the building in the next hour or so. In his periphery hed already observed the Armed Response leader ordering his team to check their weapons, a good sign that they were planning to penetrate the building shortly. He could have passed this information on to Annie, but he didnt want to get her hopes up unnecessarily.

Hes shouting something, the officer closest to the screen called out from the Armed Response van, which was the temporary command post for all at the scene. But parked some thirty feet from the property it was impossible to hear exactly what McGregor was slurring through the tiny gap by the window frame.

The Armed Response leader picked up the phone inside the van and tried dialling the landline inside the property, but once again the attempt was in vain as the call went unanswered. We need someone to get closer to the property, he indicated, nodding at one Kevlar-clad member, who jumped from the back of the van and made his way, assault rifle primed, towards the barricaded property.

The approaching officer relayed his position and McGregors message through the vans internal speaker for those in the vicinity to hear. Jake listened, but instinct told him McGregor was just stalling for time.

Today was supposed to be the culmination of a six month investigation into Logan McGregors activities. Months spent interviewing witnesses, undertaking surveillance on McGregor and his known associates, infiltrating the network, and slowly building their case. It had to be watertight if the charges were to stick, so that the defending barrister McGregor had on retainer wouldnt be able to pick it to pieces in court.

But what had started with an arrest warrant being signed off by a local magistrate at the crack of dawn had swiftly gone downhill when McGregor had heard them coming, and fired wildly at the door as Jake and Annie had approached. Diving for cover, they had called it in, and as backup had arrived they had done their best to set up both an internal and outer perimeter, smuggling neighbours to safety. Which left more than a dozen houses on this side of the street and opposite vacant. Many of the residents who had been extracted, were still standing by the outer perimeter, hollering their dissatisfaction at anyone who would listen. The press had arrived shortly after, but even they were now looking bored by the inactivity.

Jake knew why they were waiting. The objective was to get McGregor and his girlfriend safely from the property, and the key was patience. A trained negotiator was now on scene and had been talking intimately with the AR leader and Gold Command ever since, but progress appeared slow.

Food and drink was a standard demand from hostage takers in these situations, so McGregor requesting pizza and beer wasnt surprising, but having personally witnessed McGregors girlfriend carry three bags of groceries into the property the previous afternoon, Jake knew they werent in need of food.