Relentless

CHAPTER ONE

London

Being a private investigator was not as Ed Case had expected it to be. Conversations with his friend and business partner, Bob Brown, Detective Chief Inspector now retired, had left him with no illusions as to how the job could be both rewarding and down-right depressing. His last two big cases, which he thought would be run-of-the-mill missing person cases, turned out to be anything but, and his life was thrown into what could only be described as chaos. He never expected to have to pit his wits against a notorious London gangster or get embroiled in a political scandal endorsed by a corrupt senior figure in MI5.

It was with some relief that the case he had just wrapped up was a straight forward missing person case. In fact, it wasn’t really a missing person case at all, as the family had a good idea their son was in London. All Ed needed to do was to find him, assuming he was alive, which was always a consideration. So far Ed had been lucky and had never had to inform the person hiring him that their friend or offspring had died of a drug overdose or worse.

He had been hired by the parents of a local lad, Jacob Betterman, who had been missing for several months. The family had relocated to Cornwall from London a year ago, as both Mr. and Mrs. Betterman ran online businesses and no longer needed to be tied to the city and the high cost of living. Mr. Betterman was a life coach, which as far as Ed could work out from his online searches was an under-achiever who somehow helped people become over-achievers by parting with large sums of money. Mrs. Betterman called herself an influencer. Ed didn’t need to look her up on social media to understand the nature of her work; she was a nobody who thought she was a somebody and was making money from the gullible. Ed knew this was a very bigoted opinion of both the parents, and that many people embraced these professions, but Ed hated them with a passion. Instagram influencer, YouTuber or just influencer as a profession meant talentless conman or woman in this case. It seemed Mr. and Mrs. Betterman were an ideal match.

Their son, Jacob, hated life in Cornwall and after a series of blazing rows with his parents, although from what Ed had surmised, Jacob was mainly at odds with his father, stormed out and told them he was going back to London. Ed could hardly blame him. Their home was a nicely appointed, large cottage, in extensive grounds, but very remote with little to offer a young man who had yet to pass his driving test and who missed his girlfriend back in London, and the excitement the city had to offer. Because Jacob, a few weeks shy of his eighteenth birthday, was classed as an adult, and due to the circumstances of his disappearance, the police were unable to dedicate any resources to assist in finding their errant son, and so the parents turned to Ed for help.

When Ed sat down to discuss the case with Mr. and Mrs. Betterman, Ed knew it would be fairly easy to find their son Jacob, but likely to be impossible to persuade a strong-willed eighteen year old to go back home to a place he hated with over-bearing parents who didn’t understand him. Ed took an instant dislike to his pretentious parents, and couldn’t blame their son for striking out on his own.

Ed travelled to London and arranged to meet with Jacob’s girlfriend Misha, at her parent’s home in Morden. After a long discussion and Ed trying all the emotional blackmail tricks that he could think of, Misha reluctantly called Jacob on his new mobile phone number and he agreed to meet Ed at her house.

Jacob was adamant he wasn’t going back to Cornwall and had no desire to meet with his parents to talk things through. That was OK with Ed. He had been paid to find him and try to get him to see sense, or sense as his parents saw it. Ed had recorded their conversation and taken photographs of Jacob, so the Betterman’s couldn’t refuse payment, saying he hadn’t completed his assignment.

Eventually, Jacob succumbed to Ed’s emotional blackmail and agreed to speak to his parents. Ed called them on his mobile phone and handed it to Jacob. Ed could hear his mother weeping and pleading with him to come home. His father said nothing, but Ed suspected he was there listening in. Ed had wondered from the outset if the father was happy to be rid of his son, who he argued with constantly, and was now enjoying the less combative atmosphere at home.

After much discussion, Jacob and his mother compromised and Jacob agreed to keep in touch with his mother, but refused to return back to Cornwall. All in all, Ed thought it was a good compromise. Jacob had taken a job in a local estate agents, was doing well for himself and was enjoying much more freedom sharing a flat with an old friend. Ed thought he had made a good judgement call by refusing to go home. He was old enough and obviously mature enough to make his own way in life. Ed was the same age when he did likewise after finishing his A-levels.

Ed thanked Jacob for seeing him. Before leaving, Ed told him he had lost his own parents to a road accident when he was younger, and that one day his parents wouldn’t be around and to think about his actions carefully. Act in haste repent at leisure were his parting words of wisdom. Misha seemed to understand what Ed was saying as she was obviously the real brains of the relationship. Jacob just nodded and gave him a whatever look. Ed hoped Misha would talk some sense into him at a later date.

He had spoken to Mrs. Betterman afterwards who was upset, but not inconsolable, as she had been when they met initially to discuss the case. The outcome was a good compromise and Ed tried to persuade her it was a favourable outcome and could well lead to a full reconciliation at a later date, once Jacob had thought things through, and realised how it was important to have parents in his life.

It was another minor case that Ed took to build his portfolio and reputation. Bob advised on these cases but never got involved. He told Ed, he’d seen it, done it, and got the T-shirt when he was a serving police officer so didn’t need the hands on experience or heartache of a missing person case. It was a fair point and Ed realised he needed these cases to build his own case experience. Ed was just happy for any case that didn’t result in the mayhem of his last two major cases, where he had been in some of the most frightening situations of his life.

While Ed was in London he thought he’d look up an old friend of his and his wife, TJ, called Pandora. He’d known her as long as he had TJ as they’d all worked in the same club together, Ed albeit for a short time. Ed had been a bouncer for a couple of weeks and TJ and Pandora had been pole dancers and lap dancers. Ed had called TJ and she was fine with Ed taking her to dinner, despite her knowing Pandora had a bit of a crush on Ed. She trusted Ed completely and also knew that Pandora wasn’t his type. Ed liked his women more natural, whereas Pandora had surgically enhanced breasts and lips. She was however a very likeable person with a vivacious personality and Ed was looking forward to meeting her again.

Pandora had given Ed his first big case. It was a missing person case to find her best friend Jade Wickham, which resulted in Pandora being shot, inadvertently saving Ed’s life. Fortunately the wound was superficial and passed harmlessly through her side missing any vital organs. The last time he saw her she was convalescing in hospital, and despite promises, neither he nor TJ had seen her since. She hadn’t suggested a visit to Cornwall either so Ed didn’t feel too bad about it.

Ed arranged to meet her in a pub-restaurant near to her home, which as luck would have it, wasn’t too far from his hotel close to Kings Cross Station.

When Pandora walked in all eyes turned to her. She had her peroxide blonde hair loose which flowed over her bare shoulders. She was wearing, barely, a vivid pink boob tube and her trademark skin-tight faded blue jeans. Ed smiled, as apart from lipstick and a little eyeshadow she wore very little make-up. Ed once told her she looked better with less. Something she seemed to have taken note of he was glad to see.

Ed got up and gave her a hug and she kissed him on each cheek leaving behind what Ed suspected was most of her lipstick, which he wiped off with a paper napkin.

‘How do I look?’ she asked.

‘Do I need to tell you how fabulous you look? I thought you would know how you looked by the number of men who mentally undressed you as you walked in,’ Ed replied.

‘Including you?’ she asked giving him one of her pouts.

Ed smiled. Thinking it didn’t take too long for her to start her overt flirting.

‘I didn’t need to. I know what you look like in just a G-string from when we worked together.’

‘Ever the diplomat.’ She replied.

Ed shrugged and grinned back.

‘So how is married life with a kid?’ she asked changing the subject.

‘Life is good. Anna is fifteen now and doing really well. She’s settled in far better than we expected. I’ve got to say life is pretty much perfect and I’ve never been happier.’

‘I’m pleased for you. TJ is a very lucky lady,’ she replied and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

‘What about you, are you in a relationship now?’

‘I am. A nice guy called Kevin. Things are pretty good. He’s a super nice guy: tall, handsome and caring.’

‘I hate him already,’ Ed replied jokingly.

‘He told me to send you his regards, when he knew we were hooking up,’ Pandora replied.

Ed furrowed his brow; then the penny dropped.

‘Kevin Holt, as in Detective Sergeant Kevin Holt?’ Ed replied barely containing his shock.

‘Sure. The very same. Unfortunately he’s away on some course or he would’ve been here. I met him a couple of times with you and I knew he liked me. I could tell the way he acted around me and looked at me. After I was shot, he came to visit me in hospital a couple of times and well….he’s kind of sweet and he asked me for a date and we’ve been together since.’

‘Bloody hell, it’s a small world. I’m glad you’re happy. Is it serious or just a bit of fun?’ Ed asked.

‘Yeah it’s serious. He doesn’t like what I do for a living, but he knows I just pole dance and lap dance and don’t do any extras. Not like some of the girls, but he’s not a jealous man and accepts it’s just a job, Just like you accepted it with TJ.’

Ed couldn’t argue, but back when he worked at the club called Johnny’s, Pandora did a little more than just dancing. He hoped Pandora was being honest as Kevin was a decent bloke and Ed hated to think he was being taken for a ride. He thought he knew Pandora pretty well and that she was being honest.

‘Well that’s good, I’m glad that’s all you do now,’ Ed replied.

Pandora frowned seemingly remembering Ed knew a lot more about her than her boyfriend actually did.

‘Honest Ed. I’m a changed person. No more funny stuff for me. Dancing only. By the way Jade said to say hello too. She’s working tonight otherwise she’d be here too.’

‘That’s a shame it would’ve been good to meet her too, and thank her properly for her help at Aldbury House. So is that arsehole of a boss, Keith, still in charge of Emmanuelle’s?’

‘Nope. Shortly after you went back and rearranged his face, he disappeared. We’ve got a new boss now and he’s straight up. Treats everyone really well and as far as I know, isn’t linked to any dodgy mafia types.’

‘That’s good. If you’d told me you were working I would’ve come to your club for a beer and also gone to Electric Blue to see Pam Easton. I promised her I would one day as she wanted to know all about what went on at Johnny’s when I was there,’ Ed said.

‘She’s still the owner. Not much changes in Soho, not now anyway. Now that Kovac woman and her cronies are history.’

‘Bloody awful woman. The world is a much better place without her,’ Ed replied. Just the thought of her made his skin crawl.

They ordered their meals and ate and chatted, the way old friends do. Pandora was interested in the cases he’d been involved in and he gave her an overview of his last big case but omitted a few names as he was sworn to secrecy, due to the nature of the case and another MI5 cover up. He did tell her about the visit of a mysterious man who threatened him with his life, if he didn’t stop interfering in things that he didn’t understand.

‘Who was the man?’ she asked.

I’ve no idea but he claimed to belong to some ruling elite that control the world.’

‘You don’t seem worried.’

‘You know me. I don’t worry about what I’ve got no control over and besides, I’ve kept my nose clean since. For once I’ve been following orders.’

Pandora laughed. Knowing Ed rarely followed orders and hated being told what to do. It was one of the things she admired about him. He never took any bullshit from people, but despite that he was one of life’s true gentlemen.

After dinner Ed walked Pandora home and was invited in for coffee. It wasn’t late so Ed accepted. As he expected she went to get changed, and came back into the living room wearing a baggy crop top that barely covered her ample breasts, with matching shorts, which in comparison to the top were skin-tight and left little to the imagination. She continued her outrageous flirting throughout and offered to put him up for the night. Ed said he needed to get back to the hotel and made his excuses.

On the short walk back he phoned TJ as he saw she was still on line and brought her up to date with all the news from Pandora, neglecting to tell her about her endless flirting of course. He asked about Anna and TJ told him she was really happy as she got a hundred percent in her English test that day. They chatted until Ed reached his room. Ed told her he missed her and would hopefully see her around mid-morning or lunchtime at the latest, as he was planning to leave around 5am to avoid the start of the rush hour. TJ told him she loved him and Ed told TJ the same. Ed smiled and went to bed a happy man. Life couldn’t be any better, he told himself as he drifted into a contented sleep.

CHAPTER TWO

Cornwall

Around ten miles from home, Ed noticed a police car behind him with its lights flashing after he glanced in his rear view mirror. Ed slowed and pulled over as far as he dared to the edge of the tarmac on the narrow back road. The police car pulled out, cut in front and put on its indicator, letting Ed know he needed to stop.

Ed stopped, put the handbrake on and cursed. He hadn’t been speeding as the roads were too narrow with too many treacherous bends to drive too fast; there was always the chance of coming head to head with a tractor or something bigger like a combine harvester, depending on the season. It was mid-morning and a bright day, therefore he didn’t have his lights on and he wasn’t being pulled for a faulty rear light. The only possible fault with his car could be a faulty brake light, although even that was unlikely as the car had only been serviced the previous week.

Ed had never been pulled over by the police and was unsure what to do. He opted to sit patiently, wound the window down and waited. A few seconds later two officers approached his vehicle and asked him to turn off the engine and step outside.

Ed did as he was told and waited for the officer to tell him what was going on. The officer asked him for his driving licence. Ed pulled his wallet out, took out his licence and handed it over. The officer took it and walked back towards the patrol car. He gave no instructions to him so Ed followed, assuming that was what he should do. It was Ed’s assumption that when pulled over by the police they always asked the driver if they knew why they were being pulled over, but perhaps that was just a myth.

While one officer was busy checking Ed’s driving licence, the other remained by Ed’s car and began checking the tread on the tyres. Ed frowned as it was obvious the tyres were well within the legal limit. Something didn’t seem quite right, but there seemed little point in arguing. He didn’t want to create a problem for himself, with the police making up some trumped up charge.

The officer handed Ed his driving licence back and asked him if he had been drinking. Ed shook his head. The officer reached into his car and produced a breathalyser anyway. Ed was told to blow into the tube in a continuous stream until told to stop. Ed took a deep breath and blew. As expected was result was negative.

The second officer, finished with inspecting Ed’s vehicle, nodded to the other officer and got into the patrol car. Without saying a word the officer nearest to Ed was about to do likewise.

‘Excuse me,’ Ed said. ‘Would you mind telling me why you pulled me over?’

The officer looked at Ed and turned away. Ed put a hand on his sleeve.

‘I asked you a question,’ Ed said annoyed at being ignored.

‘I don’t have to give you a reason. And if you don’t take your hand off me, you’ll be charged with assaulting a police officer. Now do yourself a favour sir and go back to your vehicle and be on your way,’ the officer said.

Ed removed his hand and the officer got into his patrol car saying nothing else and drove off, leaving Ed standing by the side of the road, wondering what that was all about; something was definitely not right. He didn’t recognise either of the officers. Through his connection with Bob, he knew or had met most of, if not all of the officers from Padstow. Perhaps they were from another station. If that was the case why were they pulling him over outside of their patch? Perhaps they were allowed to. Ed shrugged. What did he know?

It was at that moment his car disappeared in a fireball, the force of the blast knocking Ed to the ground.

‘Fuck me, not again,’ Ed said to himself.

Ed got to his feet and stared at his car, astounded it had just exploded right in front of his eyes, when just a few minutes ago it was driving perfectly. He shook his head in bewilderment, pulled his mobile phone from his pocket and dialled the emergency services. The call didn’t connect. Ed looked to make sure he had a signal, and noted it was showing no service where he was. He was somewhat surprised as these days there were very few network black spots. He thought it odd and opened up the internet browser on his phone. He selected the first item on his search history but nothing happened. Ed thought all phones regardless of whether they had credit or a SIM card were able to make an emergency call. Perhaps the phone was damaged in the explosion, he thought. With nothing to do but wait to flag down a passing car, Ed sat down and watched his car burn.

Ed didn’t have to wait too long for assistance. He heard a car in the distance and stood up to flag it down. The driver seeing Ed’s burning car had slowed to do a little rubber-necking so it was difficult for the man to ignore him. Ed explained to the man that his car had caught fire and exploded into an inferno and it appeared his phone was damaged as a result of that. The motorist called the emergency services for him. Ed told him he had no injuries and thanked the man for his help but didn’t need any further assistance. The helpful driver carried on his way leaving Ed alone again to sit and wait for assistance and watch his car burn, albeit with a little less intensity than it was previously.

By the time the fire engine arrived the blaze was just about out. The crew doused the smouldering wreck with plenty of water and when they deemed it to be safe left, leaving Ed to talk to the police.

A young police officer, who Ed knew as PC Kelvin Mortimer, approached him and asked what happened.

Ed shrugged and began to explain, while the other police officer arranged for a tow truck to clear the wreckage.

‘I’m not sure. I got pulled over by one your lot and was breathalysed. While I was doing that the other officer was checking tyre depth and having a nose around my car. They hardly spoke to me to be honest. I passed the breath test and as of half an hour ago there was bugger all wrong with the car. They just got back in their patrol car and drove off. A few seconds later my car burst into flames,’ Ed told him

‘I’m pretty sure it wasn’t one of our boys, we all know you and if it was a faulty brake light or something we would’ve just warned you. We wouldn’t have even given you a ticket and certainly wouldn’t have got you to take a breathalyser test. Anyway, we only have a few traffic patrols and they don’t do the back roads or very rarely. Most of the speeding happens on the major roads, but even those are mostly caught by cameras these days: cutbacks. You know how it is?’

Ed nodded. He used to have to listen to Bob ranting about cutbacks all the time, back when he was a serving DCI.

‘So who were they then?’ Ed asked.

‘I would say it was likely to be a patrol car coming back from a call, but unless you were driving erratically or they caught you using your phone, they wouldn’t bother with a random breath test out of the blue like that, but like I said, we all know you. If you didn’t recognise them, perhaps it was a patrol from another force nearby; Bodmin perhaps?’

‘The tone of your voice, says you think that unlikely. Also they were heading towards Padstow not away. It all seems very fishy to me Kelvin.’

‘I’ll ask some questions when I get back to the station.’

The tone of his voice made it obvious to Ed he thought it very suspicious.

‘Thanks Kelvin, but don’t go to too much trouble, I’m sure the insurance will cover everything. Nobody was hurt; that’s the main thing.’

‘You don’t have a lot of luck with cars, do you? I remember the last one you had got blown up in the car park in Padstow.’

Ed gave him an ironic laugh.

‘Yeah that was a bit of a shock, it blew me halfway across the car park. I had a sore arse for days. The one I had before that got written off by your old boss, DCI Brown. We were in a car chase, only we were the ones being chased and shot at. Brown reckoned he was a great driver and for the most part he is, he just lacks spatial awareness so as well as being riddled with bullet holes it was minus both wing mirrors and most of the paintwork. Reckon I should stick to public transport. It’s cheaper that way.’

Kelvin forced a polite laugh not knowing how Ed was really feeling. He knew if it was his car, he’d be livid, but he also knew money wasn’t a problem for Ed so maybe that was why he seemed so cool about it.

‘Can I give you a lift home? It’s a long walk from here,’ Kelvin asked.

‘A lift into town would be good. I need to go and get this phone looked at or buy a new one as this one seems to have been damaged in the explosion. Everything seems to be working but I can’t get a signal. I couldn’t even make an emergency call. Maybe the SIM card got damaged, but I need to get it sorted as I use this one a lot for business.’

‘OK, no problem, jump in the back, we’re going back to the station.’

‘I hope nobody sees me. They might think I’ve been arrested.’

‘I can cuff you to make it look good, if you want to get them worried.’

Ed laughed and got into the car.

In the back of the police car, Ed thought about the strange events. It seemed ridiculous that a police officer would sabotage his car, but on face value that’s what seemed to have happened. He wished he had asked the officer for his name or made a mental note of his collar number. Everything was crystal clear with the power of hindsight.

Ed thanked Kelvin and made his way to the mobile phone shop in town. It wasn’t busy and he was seen to