Chapter 5

For the moment, there wasn’t much that Marilyn could do. The two inspectors were making sure that when any tiny bit of information was discovered, it was placed in context and recorded. Everything needed to be kept in eleven murder books, one for each victim, as a trial may just pick one, with the others submitted to the judge before sentencing.

While the case was in limbo, the team were rotated with four taking a day off until they all had a break. Hannah, John and Marilyn had theirs on the same day and spent it catching up with laundry and housework at Old Village. The radios occasionally had a voice stating something about Taylor, and the drone microphones in the field picked up the odd snippet of conversation and short bursts of gunfire. Both Leeds and the York stations dropped back from red status as the threat of gang warfare diminished.

To all intents and purposes, the targets were just going about their normal business. Carruthers had sent Marilyn a report about what he now knew about the ‘Raven’. As well as the Hungarian passport, and her genuine American one, she also had others from Myanmar, Russia, Belarus and Venezuela, all with a surname loosely based on dark birds, which is how a sharp programmer had used AI to locate them. She had not taken very much care with her looks, as if she was certain that nothing would be questioned. They had all been issued in the six-month period between February and August of 2026. The American one showed that she had diplomatic status.

The ‘Police Property Office’ had reported that Taylor was getting frustrated. Hogs’ land was the last one in his sights, the others having held out for very good offers before selling up and moving away. As the houses were emptied and then taken over by more young men, so earthmoving equipment started to arrive. Two of the houses were demolished and a bulldozer started to excavate the entry road. Police, now inserted into houses still owned by original residents, were carefully recording everything going on, and building up a data base of the small army of men.

CI Harrison had kept the drones charged up and was moving them around during the night, recording a lot more conversations. Marilyn and the team cruised for two weeks, unable to move forward until the target decided that something had to happen. That occurred around six weeks after the Coppergate Carnage. The papers had started to wonder if the police would ever break the case open, some family members were screaming for justice, and the team had got used to wearing guns and bullet-proof vests.

The break came when Carruthers’ team monitored Taylor calling a number in Texas. He didn’t ask for an assassin, just that the last delivery had got stale, and there was a need for a fresh supply. A team watching the ‘Raven’ reported that she had booked a flight from Dallas Fort Worth, to Manchester, via Dublin, with Aer Lingus.

It gave the team enough time to set up an arrest at Manchester, with co-operation of the Greater Manchester Police. When the woman went through immigration, she was diverted to a secure site, exclaiming loudly that she had diplomatic protection and would complain to the authorities about this interference in her travel. In an inner office, Marilyn and her two Inspectors were waiting with an observer from GMP. When the woman was led in, she screamed at them that they would all be losing their jobs over this. Marilyn just smiled.

“Please sit down, flower. We are going to have a little talk about the last time you were in the country.”

“What business is it of yours?”

“I am Detective Chief Inspector Houseman, of the North-East Yorkshire police. I’m going to be charging you, madam, with eleven counts of murder. Namely that you drove a Dodge Ram along Coppergate Walk, in York, at around a quarter past nine in the morning, killing eleven and injuring many more. We will be taking you to York in a prisoner transport van and your luggage is being searched at the moment.”

“You can’t do that! I have a passport, issued personally by my Governor, granting me diplomatic immunity.”

“I’m not arresting you as the person shown on that passport. I’m sure that we’ll find others, in your luggage. I’m charging you under the name that you left this country the last time. Anna Feketerigo, I am formally arresting you for the murder of eleven victims in York. Do you have anything to say?”

“This is preposterous! What evidence do you have that I was even in the country?”

“We have vision of the truck with a carry-on case in the tray. We have vision of you carrying that case into Leeds - Bradford Airport, not long after the event, and we have your left handprint, a very good set, on the side panel of the truck when we recovered it from where it had been dumped. On top of that, we have a wealth of information linking you to Derrick Taylor and his little housing development for the rabid right.”

“Little Housing development! You have no idea of the people who want that development opened. It will be a beacon of righteousness in this godforsaken land. Derrick was sent here to get the development up and running, with a five-year window, so that there is somewhere that the faithful can be free to live as they wish, with the school teaching the only way. We have several operating in America, where our faithful are safe from interference.”

“Surely, that ensures that normal people are saved from seeing your lunatic fringe every day. I bet that some of the states would be happy to see you living on a reservation of your own making.”

“You dare to equate us with Indians. If I had my gun, I would shoot you for that.”

“Talking about guns.”

Marilyn lifted her right hand with the Glock held steadily, pointing at the Raven.

“Please stand up and allow my Inspector to take your bag and handcuff you. Any false move and I will shoot.”

“This is crazy. British coppers don’t carry guns.”

“Something else you’ve got wrong. Stand up!”

She stood, and Ginger cuffed her behind her back, while Jim relieved her of her handbag. They then frisked the complaining woman, removing a number of weapons. The GMP officer went to the door to let a pair of uniformed in to take the woman to the transport. The Raven, now somewhat disheveled and with no pins holding her hair in place, was quiet as she was led out. The desk had a small collection of pointed items. Marilyn stopped one of the uniformed officers.

“When you get her to York, I want all her clothes cut from her and she gets a plain smock. She is an assassin, and not just a little old lady. We haven’t checked her for poison teeth. If she’s dead when you arrive, I won’t shed any tears.”

When they were alone, she re-holstered the gun. Ginger looked strange.

“That was a bit harsh, ma-am. It wouldn’t take long to get a doctor to see her.”

“She could have just blasted Hog with a shotgun, but she killed ten other people because she wanted to send a message. This was my message to her.”

Before they left the office, they collected up the items that they had collected, and Marilyn went through the womans’ bag. She found all of the expected passports, looking at the American one that showed entry into the UK some four days before the Carnage. The same carry-on from before had been put on the floor, so Ginger put it up on the desk and they looked through it. Two three-D printed pistols with ceramic ammunition wouldn’t have made any alarm go off, especially with the diplomatic cover.

There was a knock on the door and Carruthers came in.

“I see that you’ve netted the Raven. Did she get upset?”

“She threatened to have our jobs, so I don’t think she was pleased. This little pile of sharps was taken from various places after she had been cuffed. I’ll let you take this lot, for the moment, so that you can check for spook things that we haven’t found. If you can drop it at the gym tomorrow, I’ll put it into the evidence room. All I want to keep is her American and Hungarian passports, so that I can prove that she was in the country at the time.”

“Will do. What now?”

“Now, Taylor will be worried when his cleaner doesn’t arrive. He wouldn’t be picking her up here. I expect that she would have a car hired and a plan to meet him somewhere.”

“My ghosts will make sure that they stick to him like glue.”

“Without his visitor, he’s likely to do something stupid.”

Carruthers grinned.

“I’m sure that you’re looking forward to that.”

“Not really, but it will bring things to a close. We now have someone to charge with the Coppergate Carnage, which will get the press off our backs and create another shitstorm in the media when we tell them who it is. I suppose that we’ll have to go back to red status in the stations for a while.”

“Make sure that you’re listening to those radios. My ghostly pals will let you know about his movements. I can’t see them attacking the police, but I do see them attacking you. Perhaps it’s time for the Police Property Office to hand the selling decision back to you.”

Marilyn smiled.

“I like your spooky thinking. I will expect a phone call then.”

They went back to York, in two minds as to whether it had been a success or the harbinger of worse days to come. Next morning, Marilyn stood, once more, in the drill hall in front of the media.

“Ladies and gentlemen of our great media. I know that there have been many articles wondering why we hadn’t announced any arrests over that awful day in Coppergate Walk. The reasons had to be kept secret because, as I told you at the time, the driver of that truck had left the country. Yesterday, they returned to carry out other killings, and was arrested when they arrived at Manchester. We arrested Anna Feketerigo for the murders of the eleven dead, and the attempted murders of all those injured that day. She had arrived in England a few days prior, and left the same day as her murderous drive, going to Poland on a genuine Hungarian passport, which is why I have arrested her under that name.”

There was a lot of shouted questions and flashing from cameras. Marilyn held her hand up.

“There are other reasons why I used that identity. She also holds genuine passports from other countries. Myanmar, Belarus and others. All were issued in a six-month period after she was given her American passport, which she has told me was a gift from her State Governor in Texas, in 2026, with diplomatic status. When we went through her luggage, she was carrying two plastic pistols with ceramic ammunition.”

There was a clamour again as the implications sunk in. Marilyn held her hand up again.

“While we’re still unsure of why she was here, I do have to thank the officers of our wonderful security agencies for tracking her down and monitoring her movements, which allowed us to be present when she landed. No questions, please. The officer will hand out a sheet with her photo and pictures of her two passport information pages. If your own investigators come up with a likely reason for her coming back, we’ll be happy to hear it. Thank you.”

Carruthers walked beside her on the way back to the gym.

“I hand it to you, Marilyn, that was a beautiful piece of misdirection. You still have that bait hanging out there for Taylor to think about biting. You do realise that there’s now a good chance that he’ll do something drastic.”

“A month ago, I wondered if I’d shown him where a target should be painted. Today, I wielded the paintbrush myself. This is where we need to be totally focussed on watching our backs. I expect a call from him in the next few days.”

The next day, Marilyn sat with Ginger on one side, with the Raven across from her and a lawyer beside her.

“Anna, I’m glad to see that you’re settled in. It’s a place where you’re likely to spend the rest of your life.”

“You wish, copper. I’ll be out of here before long.”

“Who is likely to let you out, flower?”

“I’ m not your flower, copper. I have friends in high places. At most, I only have to hold out until the next election and my friends get into power.”

“I have a transcript of your friends’ speech, after he realised that you killed eleven of his countrymen. It seems that he doesn’t hold the same thoughts about collateral damage that you do in your country. You can take it and read if you want. Now, I am showing you some pictures, which is for the benefit of your lawyer, as he needs to know what sort of case we have against you.”

Ginger opened up his laptop and spun it to face the others, starting with the first view of the truck entering the Walk.

“This is vision of you driving over innocent people to get to your target. Note the carry-on bag in the tray. Please note how you veered off to murder your target. We have scraping of paint from where you grazed the wall.”

“That doesn’t prove a thing.”

“Correct. The picture that I now show you is a high- resolution picture taken from a camera on the M1. It shows that truck, and also shows you driving, with a man beside you. Next vision, please, Inspector.”

The next vision showed the Raven entering the airport terminal, followed by others with her having a meal before her flight.

“On top of these pictures, we have a handprint, matching you, on the side of the truck tray when you lifted the bag out. I expect that by this time, you were realising that you were being helped by rank beginners.”

“You can say that, again!”

“Now, we know that Derrick Taylor rang you, in Dallas, and told you that the shipment was stale and needed a new delivery.”

“Don’t you need authority to tap phones in this country?”

“Not when it’s deemed a case of national security, that’s when that sort of thing is taken over by people who have all the authority they need. Now, back to Derrick Taylor. Here is a picture of the girl living with him. That was taken in the Walk a couple of minutes before you appeared on the scene. She was there as the spotter to tell you when your target was in open air.”

“I have to say, copper. I’m impressed! You seem to have a good case. I hope that you live long enough to enjoy your success. Take me back to the cells, I’m finished talking. We’ll see what happens.”

“Let the record show that the prisoner has just threatened me with death. Interview ended.”

Two days later, she was in her office, shuffling paperwork, when her phone rang.

“DCI Houseman.”

“Derrick Taylor. I’ve been told that a decision on the sale of that farming property is back on your desk. Can we meet to finalise my purchase?”

“That’s possible. Where do you suggest?”

“Where we first met, say, about ten, tomorrow?”

“I’m sorry, I have meetings tomorrow, how about the next day?”

“If that’s how it is, I’ll see you there.”

Ten minutes later, her phone rang again.

“Carruthers here, we recorded that last conversation. How do you want to play it?”

“Can you come in, this afternoon, and bring CI Harrison with you. Warn him to deploy his team tonight, in the sheds, as I expect that the site will be watched around the clock tomorrow.”

“Thinking like a spook, are we? I’ll let him know the plan. Those sheds have enough holes in them to be able to set up mini cameras to monitor the site and record them looking around. They don’t have much to stop them coming in from their side. See you later.”

That afternoon, they had a meeting. Marilyn and her Inspectors, Carruthers, Harrison and the York Chief Super, plus John and Hannah. Marilyn had a big overhead picture of the meeting place.

“I expect that Taylor will have his men arrive earlier in the morning and set up in hiding. He will probably arrive before me and park in a position where he can leave quickly, so will be on the northern side of the parking space. That will entice us to pull up next to the shed. That will put my driver on his side but will also allow my second guardian to be able to exit the front seat with the car between them and Taylor. I expect that he’ll get his guys to hide behind the small sheds behind him, with some more behind us, hidden by the bigger sheds.”

Harrison looked at the picture and nodded.

“If we put our teams into the two sheds tonight, they can make it look as if they’re tightly locked. We’ll put cameras to view the meeting place, as well as to observe where they hide. What do you think will happen?”

“I think that he’ll make an offer, which I’ll reject. I’ll keep upping the price until he snaps. At that point, I think that he’ll either call his men to appear, or else he’ll threaten me with a gun.”

“That could be dangerous.”

“He’s an office person. Nowhere has it been reported that he has trained with his troops. He’ll go for a body shot. I’ll be wearing two vests and a parka over the top, so will probably end up with a bruise. After that shot, we have reason to retaliate in kind. I can’t write the script that far.”

Harrison laughed.

“There’s an old Hilux in that big shed. My boys have a fifty-calibre that we confiscated. They’ve been talking about building a ‘technical’. This may be their chance. The doors open directly onto the parking area, so don’t park in front of them.”

They made more detailed plans. The Chief Superintendent insisted on making sure that an air ambulance would be close, along with others in the Funtime carpark. CI Harrison was to be the overall commander, with everyone following him on earbuds.

That night, the meeting area was overflown by the police helicopter, with heat-seeking cameras, who reported that there was nobody close by. The Tactical team were dropped off in the road, and went in on foot, carrying all the food and other items they needed. When dawn arrived, there was no sign that anything had happened.

During the day, Harrison reported that the area was being looked at, and some items to the north of his hide was being moved to provide cover. Other than that, the day passed quietly.

Around eight, the next morning, the radio reported that Taylor had left his house. Marilyn was having breakfast. Anton looked at her.

“Is this what it sounds like?”

“Yes, my darling. We have set a trap for the man behind the Coppergate Carnage. I’m meeting with him, this morning. If everything goes to plan, he’ll be in a cell, or the prison hospital, before lunch. I doubt that I’ll even have to point my gun at him. After today, they’ll be going back into the Armoury.”

On the way to the office, she put a second vest over her usual one, and covered them with a parka that she’d bought at a cheap shop, about two sizes too big. The radio was chattering now. Reports from those following Taylor, and reports from the watchers in Long Marston. At nine, Taylor was talking to about twenty of the men on-site, as they headed north over the fields, guns in full view. The watchers were able to inventory the firepower, with just two carrying assault rifles.

At half-past nine, a hushed Harrison reported that the men were deploying at the meeting place, with the bulk going to behind the northern sheds as expected. At ten to ten, Taylor arrived at the parking area, pulling around as expected and getting out. Harrison reported that he had a gun in his hand, which he was now holding behind him.

Harrison then did a rollcall, with the men in the other shed calling ready, the back-ups across the road calling ready, and the watchers in Long Marston reporting that work was continuing on the access road. John was driving, and looked worried as he pulled into the property, parking by the first shed and away from it.

“Don’t worry, John, this is all scripted. Are we ready, right, go.”

She got out of the SUV, on the passenger side, along with Hannah, Hannah stood beside the front wing, MP5 hidden. Marilyn walked around the back of the car.

“Good morning, Mister Taylor. Are you prepared to do a deal. I have to warn you that we have valued this property as important to you, and the asking price is indicative of that. Do you want to make an offer?”

He made an offer.

“Is that per acre?”

“Of course not. That’s for the lot!”

“If you double it and make it per acre, we may be in a position to do a deal.”

“Not at that price!”

He brought the gun into view.

“How about we meet in the middle, and you get to take home a nice little bonus.”

“You must be thinking of the police in Texas. We do not take bribes.”

“Do you have the deeds with you?”

“In the car.”

“Well, I’ll just have to forge your signature, and then you, and your two friends, will be buried in a big hole my men will be digging.”

He fired, and Marilyn was knocked on her back with the force. Hannah brought the MP5 up and fired a shot which caught Taylor in his upper body, spinning him around and then falling against his car. His men rose as one as the doors of the shed burst open and the Toyota was backed out with the machine gun firing a long burst over their heads. Other police came around the shed behind the other five.

There was a couple of bull horns calling for guns to be lowered and to get ‘face down and starfish’. With the bulk of them already traumatised by having half-inch shells passing over their heads, it didn’t take long before those orders were obeyed.

The reinforcements pulled into the area, with paramedics going to Marilyn and Taylor, while others went to the spreadeagled men with handcuffs. It was all quiet in five minutes.

Harrison went to Hannah, still standing there in shock.

“Good shooting, Brightman. You got him across his gun shoulder. I’ll take your weapon, now, as it will be needed for the report. Where’s Marilyns’?”

“Thank you sir. Back seat of the car. Is it always this quick and this loud?”

“That was the machine gun. My lads have been wanting to see if it worked, but the range officer wouldn’t allow it. I think we’ll be having a meeting in the pub in a couple of days. You three will be invited, as temporary AFOs who were willing to put their lives on the line. That isn’t something that happens a lot. Your boss, there, will be up for a Bravery Award. What she did takes a lot of guts. I think that our team will make her our mascot.”

Relieved of the guns, Hannah joined John where Marilyn was sitting against the car. The paramedics had taken the parka and the two vests off, with holes in the parka and the top vest. They were treating the impact point with soothing gel and had given her a pain-killing injection. Her holster had been removed and Hannah took charge of it. She was still groggy when she was loaded into an ambulance to be driven to hospital. Taylor would be in Leeds before her, travelling by helicopter and heading for an operating table to repair the bullet hole by his collar bone.

Harrison came over and retrieved all three unused weapons and holsters, to be put back into the Armoury. He also picked up Taylors’ gun and the four vests, looking closely at the two that Marilyn had been wearing.

John was still trembling as Hannah drove the two of them back to the office, where the whole team had been watching the vision on the big screen.

“That was the most frightened that I’ve ever been. How on earth did you stay so calm, Hannah?”

“Because I had something I had to do, John. I had to concentrate on that, and to fade everything else into the background. I nearly shot Taylor before he fired. Mind you, that big machine gun is warfare on steroids.”

At last, John laughed.

“I looked at that team and they all had grins, ear to ear. I think that they enjoyed themselves.”

“John. They were grinning because nobody died this morning. We all came away without being shot. We just faced down a gang of twenty armed men this morning. Prepare to be feted when we get back to the office.”

Marianne Gregory © 2026