Murder on the Village Green: A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery (6 page)

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Helen is waiting outside in front of her café when Darrell arrives. She beelines it towards him before he’s even exited his Range Rover.

“Try to stay calm,” Darrell says kindly. “Let’s speak inside.”

Helen hurries the inspector inside her café and they sit in the same chairs where Diane and the suspicious woman had been sitting not long ago. Darrell asks Helen to tell him everything that went on, from the time Diane and the woman arrived at the café to the time she saw Diane being pushed inside the car.

“And what did the car look like?” asks Darrell.

“I can’t be sure,” says Helen, who hasn’t driven a day in her life. “It looked big and I think it was dark blue or maybe black.”

“That’s alright. Now, what about the woman?”

“Oh, her I remember well. She was in her late 20s, a little taller than Diane I’d say. And very slender, not an ounce of fat on her. Oh and she had this long, black hair, right striking it was.”

Darrell takes out his mobile phone and brings up the picture message that Diane had sent him not long ago.

“Is this her?” he asks, showing Helen the picture.

“Yes, I think so,” says Helen. “Oh it must be, because look, she’s standing in my café from the looks of the picture.”

Where else had Darrell heard the ‘long, black hair’ description? He quickly remembers the manager at the Farmer’s Refuge Inn talking about the ‘real gorgeous bird’ with ‘beautiful long, black hair.’ The manager, Silas Crocker, had said Paul Tucker was talking to her in the hotel lobby. Could this be the same woman?

“You did the right thing calling me, Ms. Bell,” says Darrell. “And we’re going to do everything we can to find Mrs. Dimbleby.”

Darrell exits the café, his mind immediately working like billy-o to strategize how to find Diane, and before it’s too late. She has no close family relations and does not live with anybody that the kidnappers could contact for a ransom request. Just in case, her cottage needs to be constantly monitored, he decides. Quickly walking to his vehicle, Darrell calls the station.

“Bob, I need you to put in a request to have a CCTV camera installed at Diane Dimbleby’s home in Apple Mews immediately. We’ll need someone watching the monitors round the clock. Better have plain clothes officers circulating around Apple Mews too and Mrs. Dimbleby’s cottage too.  We’ve got a possible kidnapping, so we’re pulling out all the stops. Oh and Bob, see if you can track the location of Mrs. Dimbleby’s cell phone. I think it’s a smartphone so it should have a GPS locator on it. Cheers Bob.”

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At the station, Darrell is sitting with Silas Crocker, the manager of the Farmer’s Refuge Inn. He’s having Silas look at mugshots to see if he can recognize the woman with long, black hair among them. It’s been a few hours since Darrell met with Helen Bell at her café and still there are no leads on where Diane has been taken.

“Look inspector, I pride myself on doing my bit for justice, but how much longer do I need to look through these mugs? The only reason I ask is because I have a date with this gorgeous bird. Beauty like that doesn’t fall in my lap all the time if you know what I mean.”

Before Darrell needs to coax Silas to keep looking at pictures of offenders, Sergeant Bob Webster comes rushing in.

“Sir, we found her phone,” the sergeant says.

Darrell excuses himself from Silas so he can talk Sergeant Bob Webster in private.

“Where is she Bob?”

“About 20 miles outside Apple Mews… in a ditch, sir.”

Darrell goes pale and nearly loses his footing. Diane in a ditch? That can’t be good. Luckily the sergeant picks up on his inspector’s worst fears.

“Oh sorry sir, only the mobile is in a ditch, not Mrs. Dimbleby. I had a nearby officer go to the spot to check. It looks as if the phone was thrown there.”

Sergeant Webster leads Darrell to the board where the map of the area surrounding Apple Mews is pinned. He indicates the location where Diane’s mobile was found. He points out that the road in question leads to a farm and not much else.

Darrell decides he cannot hesitate; he has to follow the lead.

“Good work Bob! I’m on my way to the farm. Do me a favour and radio for any officers in the area to—”

Before Darrell can finish saying his request, he feels his mobile phone vibrate. He takes it out of his pocket to see he’s received a text message:

If you want to ensure Diane Dimbleby remains safe, keep reading.
Diane’s kidneys and liver will be removed tonight
unless I receive
£
5 million. Money should be delivered to the Midlands Airport. Place the money & an airline ticket for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil inside a suitcase. The suitcase should be waiting for me at the airline counter. No police with the suitcase or the deal is off. Fr. ‘Sergeant’ Benedek.

Lynn Benedek gets off the phone with one of her bosses. She called to let him know the ransom request was issued. The text message to Inspector Darrell Crothers is more or less reflective of what she had been instructed to send, the emphasis being on
more.
Her boss had directed her to request
three
million pounds; she tacked on an extra two million plus a plane ticket to Brazil for herself.

This is the first time in almost ten years that she’s ever rebelled against her ‘crime firm’. She’s hoping it will be the last. Now 27 years old, Benedek had been recruited by The Dissociates, an organized crime element based out of Birmingham, when she was barely 18 years old.

With her above average intelligence and her determination, like that of a bulldog, she could have become anything she had set her mind to; she could have accomplished many noble acts and had many successes during her lifetime. Since she was a young teen, however, she had spent most of her time with the wrong crowd, using her intelligence for bad rather than good. Perhaps it was her rage at the world, which seemed to percolate consistently, just under the surface, and her desire to belong that led her to forge bonds with criminals.

Benedek had been adopted by a British couple when she was about three or four years old. Her new parents were wonderfully loving, but somehow their affection was never able to make the full journey to her heart. It was as if the perceived abandon by her natural parents traumatized the young girl forever.

Benedek’s father had been a Soviet soldier stationed in Hungary, her mother a native to Budapest. When her father was forced to evacuate the country in the early 90s along with the rest of his fellow troops, Benedek’s mother, heartbroken, felt she could no longer care for her young daughter.

In Benedek’s world, being recruited by The Dissociates was a sure sign of success. And even though she had continued to move up the criminal ladder, she has come to the realization that she no longer can tolerate having anyone tell her what to do. But you could not ask to leave an organization like The Dissociates and expect to be able to carry on a normal, everyday life in England. Her only chance to start a new life was to flee the country, to go to Brazil.

In Brazil, Benedek could make a fresh start; perhaps lead a crime-free life. But she doesn’t even have the desire to do that. She’s most gratified, or at least thinks she’s most gratified when she has loads of money—she believes that money can buy happiness. And the crime skills she’s honed most of her life enable her to make a lot of money in a short amount of time, regardless of the people she hurts or maims—even kills—along the way. Benedek does draw one moral line, however; she is adamant against causing any harm to a child.

If she can just get through the rest of the day, outsmarting the police and her bosses, she’ll make it to the other side of the world free from British law and her criminal umbilical cord.

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Darrell is sweating bullets. He knows he should have listened to that little voice inside him saying, ‘Don’t involve a civilian in this investigation.’

But he did not listen. He let Diane get involved in the case of Paul Tucker’s murder which possibly—no, probably—involved a highly organized crime ring of organ traffickers. Not only had Darrell let Diane get involved, but he had also encouraged her to do so. What was he thinking showing up at her cottage multiple times? The kidnapper or kidnappers could have been watching his every move.

If Diane is killed, it will be entirely my fault, Darrell thinks. His paranoia and panic set aside, Diane being ‘eliminated’ is not a far-fetched prediction. She’s seen too much, knows too much, and would surely be able to recognize Benedek in the future.

“Bob, where are we with tracing that Benedek’s mobile number?” yells Darrell, unable to completely hide his anxiety.

“I just spoke to Digital Forensics, Sir. It appears the suspect was using a burner phone so the number is not registered to anybody. Plus the phone’s location cannot be tracked—the mobile must have been destroyed immediately after the text was sent.”

“Crothers!” shouts the superintendent before Darrell can yell
Bloody hell
! “In my office...now!”

Darrell takes a deep breath and pauses for a moment to look at the picture of his family on his desk, before going in to see Superintendent Alan Moore.

Superintendent Moore could have retired last year, but probably will not do so for at least another five, nor should he. He is as fit to serve as head of the police station as he was when appointed to the rank ten years ago. He is scrupulous, and very much a no-nonsense kind of leader, but he is also fair.

“Crothers, please sit,” the superintendent starts. “I understand you know this Diane Dimbleby from previous cases, and that you’ve involved her in this case beyond what is expected of a material witness. Have I gathered the right information or am I mistaken?”

“Yes sir, you are correct on all counts,” says Darrell glumly. He understands that his actions could cost him a suspension, a demotion or even permanent dismissal. But this seems to pale in comparison to the possibility of Diane being killed. He would never forgive himself.

“Well, we will deal with that later,” says the superintendent pragmatically. “First let’s deal with finding Mrs. Dimbleby… and hopefully finding her alive.”

Darrell is once again reminded why he respects his superior. He too will worry about how he himself will be reprimanded later and focus on the crucial task at hand.

“I’ve just been on the phone with the chaps down in the evidence room, and they’ve shared something quite fortuitous,” the superintendent continues. “It turns out there is a substantial sum of forged notes down in the evidence locker. Remember that major counterfeiting case?”

Darrell remembers it well. It was a big win for the force. The money had fooled most counterfeit experts, which explained why the phony pounds had been very difficult to track or to catch the culprits. But the counterfeiters had been caught, convicted and have now behind bars for years.

“That’s great news Sir,” says Darrell, his mood suddenly changing to optimism. Normally he might worry whether it is too risky to use counterfeit funds, but not with these true-to-life notes. “How about the plane ticket to Brazil, Sir?”

“Yes, I’m authorizing the purchase of a one-way ticket to Rio de Janeiro. Now, what’s your strategy to bring Mrs. Dimbleby home?” asks the superintendent, as much to boost the inspector’s confidence as for protocol’s sake.

It’s done the trick. Darrell’s fear is overtaken by his characteristic tenacity to close the case. He tells the superintendent that he is quite certain Diane was, and possibly still is, being held at the isolated farm down the road from where her mobile was discovered. The way he sees it, he can take two approaches.

One is to go immediately to the farm with armed police assistance and catch the kidnappers by surprise so he and his team can arrest them before they kill Diane. The alternative is for Darrell and several undercover officers to go to the airport, blend in with the crowd and then arrest Benedek (or whoever goes to pick up the ransom) before she can alert any of her accomplices.

Both plans are risky, and neither guarantee that the suspects will be apprehended and that Diane will be saved. But police operations are very much like life—there are very few guarantees. Plus Darrell and his team can no longer hesitate.

After talking it out with the superintendent, Darrell realizes he does not need to choose, nor should he. He will execute both plans, and the superintendent agrees that this is the best strategy. Darrell thanks the superintendent and hurries out of his office. He needs to get the two teams ready for the farm and the airport operations as soon as possible.

“Attention everyone,” he says, gaining the attention of the detective sergeants and constables around the room.

He gets the two teams organized arranging for armed assistance to accompany those headed to the farm and telling the airport group to prepare to change into plain clothes. Darrell will lead the farm team. He has his best man, Sergeant Bob Webster of course, lead the other group. He also tells Sergeant Webster to make sure they purchase the plane ticket, collect the ransom from the evidence room and place it in a suitcase before heading to Midlands Airport.

Once all the details are finalized, the superintendent imparts his full confidence to all of his officers, including Inspector Crothers. Darrell shares the sentiment with his constables and sergeants. Without wasting any precious time, the two teams depart.

While racing to the farm with lights and sirens on, Darrell hopes they have not forgotten any important details needed for the successful execution of these operations. It brings to mind the expression ‘the devil is in the detail’—an expression Darrell often ponders. While he prides himself on often being able to catch a criminal through identifying their smallest of mistakes, he hopes this does not apply to his police force’s current operations.

Darrell passes by the site where Diane’s mobile phone had been found. He slows down to get an ample view of the ditch, just to make certain that Diane is, in fact, not lying there.

“Don’t go barmy on me now Darrell,” he has to tell himself momentarily before returning to original speed.

As they approach the farm, he gets on the radio telling his fellow officers to turn off their sirens and lights. “We don’t want to give them any sign we’re coming,” he adds.

Darrell closes his Range Rover door as quietly as he can. He signals for the armed police team to surround the farmhouse and barn.

“All in place?” he whispers over the radio. “Remember, hold your fire unless absolutely necessary. And go!”

The armed officers burst into the farm buildings and move from room-to-room as they have been meticulously trained to do. Over the radio, Darrell can hear various voices yelling “Clear,” denoting the absence of a threat in the series of sections they are traversing through.

When they determine that both buildings are completely deserted, Darrell immediately calls his sergeant. “Bob, at the farm here… no sign of Diane or Benedek or anybody else… you’ve just arrived at the airport? Got the suitcase in place? Good. Cheers Bob. I’ll be heading there soon.”

Before leaving the farm, Darrell asks his team to look for any signs that Diane and the kidnapper, or kidnappers, had been there. While searching the upstairs bathroom, Darrell himself finds something under the claw-foot tub. He picks it up. It looks almost exactly like a Shropshire Police badge—looks like, but Darrell can immediately tell it feels lighter. It must have been the badge Benedek was carrying whilst pretending to be a police sergeant.

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Benedek pushes Diane out of the back seat of a car. Behind the driver’s wheel is one of The Dissociates’ soldiers.

“I’ll wait for you in Section A of the parking lot,” he tells Benedek.

She nods her head and the soldier drives away. What he doesn’t know is that Benedek is not going to meet him afterward. She plans on leaving three of the five million pounds for her bosses in an airport locker—she will always feel at least some sense of loyalty, even gratitude towards The Dissociates—and when she arrives in Brazil, she’ll send them an untraceable note letting them know the money is waiting for them. Any of the firm’s soldiers have been trained to open such a locker in at least a dozen different ways.

“Move,” hisses Benedek, discretely revealing to Diane that she is still carrying a sharp knife, as if Diane needs a reminder. “And if you show any sign of distress, say goodbye to your future as a best-selling author.”

“I understand,” says Diane calmly. Thank goodness for her yoga classes and her optimistic nature. After arriving at the farmhouse, Diane had made a conscious decision. It would do no good to panic or show any fear or anger. Her best chance of survival would be to be at peace with the situation, as much as one can be when they are kidnapped. Instead of wondering whether she will get out of this alive, she is watching Benedek’s mannerisms and movements as if she is conducting character research for her next novel.

Humming show tunes under her breath has also been a godsend. As Benedek is ‘escorting’ her through the airport with the spine of the knife pressed into her back, Diane is softly humming “I’d Do Anything” from the musical
Oliver!

Benedek walks them towards the airline counter where she sees the unclaimed suitcase waiting for her. She looks around to check if any security or police are in the vicinity. Secure in the fact that she does not see any uniforms, she picks up the suitcase.

Walking away, while nudging Diane along, Benedek says, “We’re at an airport, and you’re going to take a very long voyage, Diane.”

Something in the way Benedek says those words sounds ominous to Diane. She knows she has to think fast or Benedek will get away and Diane… well, she could be gone forever.

“Bomb!!!!” screams Diane at the top of her voice, whilst simultaneously pushing Benedek away from her as hard as she can.

Diane’s outcry is heard by practically everyone in the airport terminal. Within seconds, Sergeant Webster and two other undercover officers run towards the two women. Before they can even grab Benedek, armed police surround them and demand that they all drop to the ground.