1 December 2010
She could feel it now, grinding away at her insides. It was like a cold ball in the pit of her stomach; a dull ache of ice that refused to shift, and which every now and then would rise into the back of her throat and make her feel as thought she was going retch. In fact it wasn’t just cold in the physical sense, it was cold in the emotional one - it was cruel, this whole thing was cruel. And it hurt. It really hurt.
What she felt was the bitter pain of disappointment, sadness, regret, and a hundred other emotions which were all bouncing around inside her as the car sped back along the highway. It was the pain of not having what she wanted most in the world - her husband back.
Yesterday it was all so very different. Then the feeling in her stomach, the fluttering and the pounding, had been one of hope, excitement, even relief. She’d thought they had found him. At last she dared think he was coming home.
She remembered the moment. She’d been standing outside the ranch house when Higgins had run out and jumped into the black Range Rover. He’d said the words to Luke “I know where your Dad is”.
The next few hours after those words had been a blur. Luke had dragged her into the cab of the pick-up, and told Higgins they were going to follow him. For a moment Higgins had thought about protesting, but he’d known that it wouldn’t do any good. Luke was going to follow him regardless, and they both knew that even if Higgins drove like a mad-man, Luke would be determined enough to do likewise in order to keep up with him. So Higgins hadn’t protested, even if he hadn’t seemed happy.
The cars had sped off the ranch and half an hour later had pulled into the small local airport. Rachel had assumed they’d be boarding a plane and flying to wherever Higgins thought David was. Indeed one of David’s planes was sitting on the tarmac seeming ready to go. But rather than exit to get on board, Higgins simply slung the Range Rover close to the craft and threw the door open. At the same moment, the door of the plane had opened and David’s chief lawyer, Neil McIntyre, had jumped down the steps and sprinted for the car, jabbering away into a blue-tooth device protruding from his ear.
As he’d neared both vehicles, he’d seemed momentarily surprised to see Luke and Rachel, and Luke had leant from the cab, grabbed his arm, and asked him what was going on. McIntyre was a lawyer and thus an experienced liar, but this time his assurance that it was “nothing to worry about” hadn’t convinced either of them, and Rachel had immediately asked what he was doing here then. The fact that he hadn’t answered, but had simply climbed into the car without another word, had worried her.
Higgins had gunned the engine as soon as the door was closed, and Luke had had to work hard to follow him. Within moments, both cars were back on the highway and heading South East. As they drove, Luke had fiddled with the GPS navigation system, and both had wondered where the hell they were headed. This area of Montana wasn’t exactly over-populated at the best of times. When Higgins turned onto Interstate 15, Rachel had wondered aloud if they were heading for Great Falls. It had seemed like the only decent size town within reasonable distance. She’d tried calling Higgins’ cell several times but he’d refused to answer, so instead she’d tried McIntyre’s. On the first two attempts it had been engaged, but on the third try, he’d answered and she’d demanded to know what was going on.
At first he’d been reluctant to say anything, but eventually he’d revealed that as far as they knew, David had indeed been arrested in Great Falls the night before, and was apparently still being held there. They didn’t know why he’d been arrested, or how he’d got there, but as it was less than a day from the ranch, it was likely he was on his way home.
Just those words, that suggestion, that he might be on his way home, had started her head spinning. Rachel had asked Neil why David had called him or Higgins and not her, and McIntyre had told her that David hadn’t called anyone. Higgins had put Montana law enforcement on standby to look for David a few weeks ago, and they’d called him.
None of this had made sense to Rachel or Luke. How had David been arrested, and what for? He’d been arrested before, once in Canada after a run-in with a stupid officer when he was in a bad mood which left three policemen in hospital, but it was unlike him. And why Great Falls? Though it was reasonably close, it wasn’t a natural stopping off point on the way back to the ranch from anywhere. But mostly, they were concerned with another question; neither had been able to figure out why David hadn’t called them.
So the cars had sped on in silence, and during that drive, Rachel had all but convinced herself that after 3 months of silence and not a word of where he was or what he was doing, she might finally be getting her husband back. Her husband who had changed since they came here to this barren wilderness, and who simply left one morning telling her he needed to find the final bit of the puzzle in himself. She’d allowed herself to think again of hearing his voice, seeing his smile, holding him, hugging him, being with him. She’d allowed herself to believe that was going to happen.
That was why it hurt so much now.
They’d screamed into Great Falls in late afternoon and headed straight for the Police Department. She may have been out of the truck before it had even stopped, and as one they’d barrelled into the station, McIntyre leading like the expensive big shot lawyer he was, demanding to see his client and quoting statute in one continuous flow. Luke shouting for his Dad. She’d doubted that Great Falls saw anything like this too often, but they were all focused on one thing – they wanted to see David and get him out of there.
And then the sergeant had told them, slammed the door on her world.
David wasn’t there.
He had been the previous night, but now he was gone. He’d posted his own bail that morning arranged through the local bondsman, and he’d walked out of the station just after sun-up.
They had no idea where he was.
That was the point when Rachel’s legs had betrayed her, and she’d collapsed on the floor of the Police station, her body wracked with sobs. She’d gone numb, broken at the one string of hope being cut from under her. She’d been vaguely aware of McIntyre ranting and raving at the hapless sergeant, but none of it mattered and none of it would do any good.
David was gone. They were no closer now than they’d been before.
The others had made plans. Higgins had gone to find the bail bondsman, McIntyre had got them checked into the only hotel in town for the night, and they’d split up to scour the town in case David was still around there somewhere. But night had fallen with no sign, and so she’d spent a night in the hotel room staring at the ceiling unable to sleep, and - though exhausted - they’d resumed the search in the morning. The bondsman had been little help. Once freed, David had paid him in cash to cover his costs, and given no indication of where he was headed. From the man’s description they at least knew he seemed to be well and in good health, and they had a description of the clothes he was wearing - jeans, work boots, and a thick check wool work jacket. Luke had interestingly commented that it was almost like the clothes had been picked specifically not to stand out in the surroundings.
By lunchtime, they’d decided there was little to be gained from staying in Great Falls, and had reluctantly agreed to head back to the ranch. That was what they were doing now, and with every mile, the cold hard ball in her stomach seemed to grow.
Luke had said little on the trip back. This morning he’d been overly cheerful and upbeat, choosing to believe that if his father was this close to home, it must mean he’d be back soon, and confident they’d find him again. However, Rachel knew that this was just for her benefit. She could tell by the fact that his smile didn’t extend to his eyes, and now on the journey back, every now and then when the sun caught his eyes, she could see they were wet. She’d offered to drive, but he’d refused and she knew why - it gave him something else to concentrate on.
So they’d driven, and the sun had fallen back behind the mountains, leaving the inky blackness of the Montana night lit only by a pale moon and the myriad stars of the night sky.
She didn’t know how long the drive back had taken, couldn’t hope to say what the time was, but eventually they had turned off onto the private road that lead to the estate. As they’d neared the house though, Higgins car had screeched to a halt, and he’d leapt from the driver’s seat and waved them to a stop.
Higgins walked up to the side of the pick-up truck on her side. Keeping his voice low, he asked
“Rachel, did you leave any lights burning in the house when we left yesterday?”
She took a moment to think, and then shook her head. “No, and anyway, the motion detectors in the house are programmed to switch lights off if they don’t detect movement”
Higgins nodded “Precisely, so I’m wondering why there is a light on downstairs in the house”
Luke leant across “One of the dogs could have set it off?”
“The system’s calibrated for the dogs. They wouldn’t trigger it. Besides, they were all in their enclosure by the barn when we left. Also, more importantly, the dogs wouldn’t need to force the lock on the door leading onto the back porch”
Rachel was surprised “What. How do you know its been forced?”
Higgins held up his smart-phone. On it there was an email message alert
“All part of the automated system. The entire house is monitored”
Luke sat more upright in his seat “Wait a minute, are you saying some bastard’s trying to rob us?”
Higgins shook his head, choosing his words.
“I’m not saying anything, yet, but it looks as though it’s a possibility we have to consider. I want you two to stay here with Neil while I go and check it out”
Luke reached to unbuckle his seat belt. “No way, I’m coming down there with…”
Higgins held up a hand to quieten the boy “Luke, with all due respect, that was not a request.” Luke was about to bristle, but Higgins’ tone was firm. “Look. We don’t know who’s down there. It might get….serious”
“Serious?” Rachel asked, wishing she hadn’t as Higgins’ hand came into view from behind his back. In it he held a matt-black hand-gun.
Rifles and shot-guns were par for the course on a ranch, and there were a couple of guns in the house. But what Higgins was holding was definitely not standard farm issue, and both Luke and Rachel decided at that point they would listen to his advice.
“Just stay here” he said in a low voice, and returned to his car. They watched as the Range Rover drove forward slowly, its headlights turned off. They could just make out when it stopped, and Higgins jumped from the seat, moving carefully toward the house.
Higgins was keenly alert as he crept down the side of the road leading to the house. His past military training had kicked in, and it was now you would be acutely aware that this man was much more than the simple estate manager his job title suggested. He was content to fill in as a de-facto butler much of the time, and enjoyed the relatively quiet life, but at the end of the day, he was paid as much as he was because when the chips were down, no butler could do what he could do. Training with a certain regiment in Hereford had seen to that.
On the face of it, it might seem strange for Higgins to be so cautious. A light on in a house could mean anything, and even if was simply a burglar trying his luck, then some crashing and banging would probably scare them off. But David Shand had made a number of enemies over the years, in both his lines of business. Inevitably, as Shand Holdings grew, some smaller companies were pushed aside and their owners and CEOs fell by the wayside. Shand had also invested in Asian markets – China, Japan, Russia, places where a Western face taking so much money from them might not be appreciated. Shand had cared little for brushing people aside in the pursuit of business dominance, and there had been threats before; nothing too serious, but enough to be careful.
As if the business dealings weren’t enough, there were the enemies he’d made in wrestling. He’d maimed and injured a great many men, retired several, and this wouldn’t be the first time that one had dared enter his home. David had returned the favour on more than one occasion as well, even going armed into Myron Fox’s LA home a couple of years ago.
Higgins’ job was to protect Luke and Rachel at all costs and under all circumstances; to take care of business for David. So yes, he had reason to be cautious.
As he approached the house now, Higgins looked for signs of a vehicle. It was a long walk out of this ranch, and if someone was there to rob the place, they’d probably have a vehicle to get out. Eventually he found an old dirt bike abandoned on the left side of the house, its engine still warm. Whoever was inside hadn’t been there long. Sweeping around the house, no other entrance seemed touched, and there was no sign of life, but as he approached the back porch he could clearly see where entry had been forced. Subtle it was not. The door had been kicked in, off its hinges, and glass was spread across the deck. Either the intruder knew there was no-one in the house to hear him, or he didn’t care about being heard. Worrying on either score.
Higgins decided to enter the house through the wet room entrance on the other side. He used a remote control to open the lock, and to ensure that the motion sensors didn’t trigger the lights, and then crept through the wet room, utility room, and larder, into the kitchen. This was a large open-plan affair which swept through an open dining room area to an informal lounge and then out onto the porch, and now he saw it was the a cloak room light on the far side which was on, casting the dining room and lounge in half shadow.
As he was half way across the kitchen, he saw it...
…….A slight movement, up ahead in the corridor which lead from the lounge to David’s study. Just a shifting of the small amount of light reflected onto the wall.
Higgins raised the gun to his eye-line, ensuring now that wherever he looked, it pointed. He started across the dining room.
And that was when he felt it. The sharp pain as a boot collided with the back of his knee, buckling his leg.
How? How did that happen? Where did he come from? He’d heard nothing.
Shifting his weight, Higgins pivoted and spun with the gun, trying to draw a bead on his attacker. But as he did so he felt a blow land like the sledgehammer to the small of his back. As he grunted in pain, he was aware of his arm being trapped by a pair of large hands. Before he knew what was happening, he felt his weight being shifted as he was flipped into the air. He slammed hard into the wooden floor, wincing at the air being driven from his body, and before he had time to recover he was on his back and a boot was being firmly pressed into his throat.
Then he heard the gun click. He opened his eyes, looking up into the dark black barrel……… and beyond it, highlighted and shining in the moonlight, the ice blue eyes of his employer, David Shand.
“Hello Higgins”.
Subject: 1 December 2010 
Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:34 am