“Or has somebody else put something down there that they don’t want us to see?” asked Reilly. “What about bolt croppers, boss?”
“According to the packet, not a chance in hell.”
“Do you want to try, anyway?”
“Okay, grab a set off the stand over there.”
Reilly put on gloves and did as Gardener asked. By the time he’d finished, he was sweating, and there wasn’t a mark on the lock.
Gardener glanced at Gary Close. “Have you heard anything from down there? Any noises?”
“No, sir.”
“Who owns the shop, Gary?”
“Mr Armitage.”
“Does he live here?
“No, sir, I think he lives on the south side of the village – about a five-minute walk.”
“Right, we’ll need to speak to him.”
Gardener was about to speak again when a pinging sound came from behind him. He turned, glanced down, and noticed a flashing light coming from underneath the counter.
He reached into his inside jacket pocket and produced a pair of gloves. Slipping them on he bent down and retrieved a phone: the screen indicated a message had come through.
Gardener pressed a button and read the message.
Rearrange the dear nun: it’s where you should be!
Chapter Nine
Gardener read the message two or three times before showing it to his partner. “Any thoughts?”
Reilly said nothing, he simply studied what was on offer.
Gary’s mobile suddenly chirruped. He answered.
“Are you still at the shop, lad?” Cragg asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ve just had some information through that you need to know–”
Cragg completed his sentence, but Gary’s mobile was cutting out. The only words he caught were “station” and “landline”.
“Sorry, sir, what did you say?” Gary asked Cragg.
“I said, the suspicious call made to your phone at three o’clock came from a landline, the one in Armitage’s shop.”
Gary glanced at Gardener and told him what Cragg had said before thanking him and terminating the call.
The SIO thought about everything that had happened so far. A strange call, a message, a video feed on a monitor and, finally, another message.
He stepped around the side of the counter, surveying the shop, before finally slipping outside for a breath of fresh air.
Reilly joined him. It was growing lighter. They were going to have to act if they wanted to close things down. The fact that dawn was breaking meant the town would be full of people before too long. A fancy car drove by and the occupant paid them little attention. Gardener noticed it had a private plate, and asked Reilly to jot the number down in his pad.