Of Lights and Shadows (Book 4)

8) Their Kidnapping Consultant

Night completed dripping, and it was Dastardious's first night out in the open, fresh air. No more concrete cell for him, he was free and that was all he cared about as he headed home. He still had things to do before he went to bed, and as soon as he was back home he set about tidying up the plastic lying over everything, folding the sheets up he placed them in a corner to work out what to do with them later. After his bed was made he lay down and focused on writing a to-do list. He wouldn't be doing anything on the list tonight, it was too late, he would do it all in the morning.

When morning came he was up early and using his usual manner of persuasion to get what he needed, and fast. There were bank accounts to open, subscriptions to subscribe to, and a passport to update. You never knew when you would need it. By one o'clock he was done and free to head into the office, the next part of his day was about to begin.

The bureau didn't seem quite as full when he entered, but that didn't concern him. What the other teams did in their time was up to them, except Mulligan. He was the only man Dastardious had any interest in knowing what he was up to.

Grabbing a coffee he sat down at the desk and started his search, using what Silence had suggested the night before in what they needed for a consultant. There were a few people who popped up straight away on the search that seemed to fit the bill he needed, but they all asked for the same thing in return for their work: freedom. He had no inclination nor the time to both fighting a judge for their freedom so he scrolled past them. No, he needed someone else.

Turning his focus to further fields he moved on, not quite sure the exact specifications he was looking for. All the men and women he found who had kidnapped their victims and killed them, had done so for specific reason. It was as he was scrolling through them did he realise what he was looking for, he needed someone who had done it for no reason.

It took a little time, but by the time three o'clock rolled around he was satisfied that he had found someone to fit the bill. The man lived in a cell in Queensland, Australia, but he was just what he wanted. After printing out the information on Benjamin Dutch, Dastardious booked a ticket leaving at seven that evening for Brisbane, Queensland before heading off to tell Gallapolo what he was doing. Despite his eagerness to just head of without telling anyone, he thought that if he did then people might get suspicious and believe he had made a run or it. He had, after all, only been released the day before.

'Gallapolo,' he said, entering the man's office and seating himself down in the chair in front of the desk.

Placing down the book he had been reading, the Commissioner frowned at him. 'Because you've spent so long away I'm going to ignore your impudence and just ask you what you want, but I will tell you that as your superior you will refer to me as Commissioner or Sir. Kindly do not permit yourself to call me anything other than those without my permission.'

'Thank you,' Dastardious told him, placing the folder of information he had about Benjamin Dutch in front of Gallapolo as the man let out a small sigh and asked, 'What is this?'

'I need to go see this man,' Dastardious explained. 'He lives out of the States but I do believe he will be of some help to me in this little case of ours.'

Picking up the folder, the Commissioner looked through it. 'This man is in a cell in Australia.'

'I said he didn't live in the States,' Dastardious told him, temper rising slightly. One of the things that really annoyed him was people who didn't listen. 'I've already booked a ticket to Brisbane; the plane leaves this evening in two hours. I'm just telling you so you don't end up getting any funny ideas.'

'You said you believe he will be of service to us?'

'No, sir, of help to me,' corrected Dastardious. 'He has committed a number of murders and one case of kidnapping, and they all seem to be without reason. If I can talk to him I might have more of an idea of how to stop our Shadow.'