The Locker by Adrian Magson

team is on its way. They’re also sending someone to stay with you—a woman named Gina Fraser. If you’re agreeable, she’ll use Tiggi’s room.”
    She’d been surprised by the selection of Gina Fraser for this job. A former member of the Diplomatic Protection Group responsible for guarding government ministers and foreign embassies, she had only recently returned to work. After joining Cruxys she had been assigned to support a wealthy Qatari family who had incurred the wrath of a rival family by denying the marriage of their daughter to the other family’s son. The marriage had been aimed at healing a historical tribal rift. What had at first seemed an inter-family spat had quickly turned violent. Two of the spurned son’s uncles had arrived from Qatar, threatening consequences for the perceived insult. Gina Fraser, seen as the outward “face” of the family, had been targeted and shot twice as a warning.
    She had nearly died. After two operations and months of therapy, she had come back, but Ruth wondered if she was back to full form. If anything blew up here, the consequences could be awkward. But she bit her tongue; it wasn’t her job to second-guess the Cruxys selection process.
    â€œWhy send someone else?” Nancy looked worried. “I thought you’d be staying here.” She didn’t include Vaslik, his presence clearly discounted.
    â€œWe can’t, not all the time; we need to be out there looking for Beth, following up any leads.”
    â€œLike what? What have you found?” She leaned forward, instantly alert.
    â€œNothing yet. There are a number of things we have to do, such as checking Tiggi’s background, talking to the people at the gym … and to the charity Michael’s working for. For that we’ll need a contact number and name.”
    â€œOh.” Nancy’s shoulders slumped at the mundane sound to the list.
    â€œYou have to realise that the kidnappers might wait a couple of days before contacting you again. It’s better if Gina’s here full-time to support you. You can trust her—she’s very good at what she does. She and the team will come in through the back gate. They know what to do, so you don’t need to do anything. Right now I need to go over a few things with you about your husband.”
    â€œWhy?” She seemed disconcerted by the sudden change in tactics, and Ruth put it down to stress. It was something she was going to have to get used to.
    â€œSimply because he was mentioned specifically. They want him to know what happened. Why? Like I said before, this is not about you and not even Beth. It’s about something else … maybe something your husband knows or did. But until the kidnappers come back and tell you what they want, we’re in the dark.”
    â€œYou think they will contact us?”
    â€œFor sure.” Vaslik spoke from by the front window, his voice was soft. “Kidnappers work for profit—for an outcome. The note they left tells us that. We have to find out what that outcome might be, what they’re willing to risk being caught for. Maybe they’ll tell us soon. If we can make a connection, it gives us a lead on who could have planned this. Who stands to gain by it.” He spoke fluidly, clearly experienced with such events, then added carefully, “I want to apologise for what I said earlier. It was rude of me.”
    Both women looked at him in surprise, Ruth especially.
    Nancy shrugged, said nothing.
    â€œRight,” Ruth said, to puncture the silence, and took out the recorder and placed it on the table. “Let’s do this. Have you tried contacting your husband again?”
    â€œYes. Just now.” She indicated the cordless phone on the seat beside her.
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œIt went to voicemail. He’s probably out on a field trip. The local coverage could be patchy or nonexistent. I left a