private education if Fahim wanted one, and he would be provided for up until he completed university, including a gap year, a second-hand car when he passed his driving test and a twenty-five per cent deposit on his first home.
‘It’s the same package that CHERUB agents get,’ Mac said reassuringly. ‘If any of your father’s assets are seized under anti-terrorist legislation, the money will be put into a trust fund for you. Obviously, none of this applies if your mother is found.’
Fahim looked at Lauren. ‘Do you have a trust fund?’
‘Uh-huh,’ Lauren said. ‘My mum owned her flat and had another one she rented out. The insurance paid off both mortgages when she died. She also had some antique jewellery in a safety deposit box and a bit of cash. Me and my brother will get half each when we leave CHERUB.’
‘OK,’ Fahim smiled. ‘Where do I sign?’
‘There’s no such thing as a contract under these circumstances,’ Mac explained. ‘For official purposes, CHERUB doesn’t exist. I could go through the charade of writing out a contract, but it wouldn’t be worth the paper it was written on. All I can give you is my word.’
‘And mine,’ Lauren added. ‘You’ll be looked after, Fahim. I swear on my life.’
Fahim hesitated for a moment, before smiling uneasily. ‘It’s not like I have a lot of options,’ he said. ‘What about my mum? Are the cops looking for her, or trying to find a body?’
‘I’ve put out some discreet feelers,’ Mac said. ‘But it’s difficult to conduct an investigation without letting your father know that we’re on to him. Our first task is to gather enough evidence to arrest your father, then we can launch a proper search for your mother.’
‘Fair enough,’ Fahim nodded. He was trying to stay calm, but his emotions crept into his voice. ‘I couldn’t sleep last night and the more I thought about it, the more sure I was that she’s dead. She knows what my dad’s like. There’s no way she’d just leave me with him, and even if she was in hospital or something she’d have found a way to call my mobile.’
‘You might be right,’ Mac said mournfully. ‘But I’ve worked on many investigations over the years and the one thing I’ve learned is that you can never be sure of anything until there’s hard evidence in front of you.’
‘I hope you’re right,’ Fahim nodded. ‘The good news is that my dad’s left microwave spaghetti and meatballs. He’s got a meeting and when I asked when he’d be home he said he had a table booked at a restaurant at half-seven.’
‘Perfect,’ Lauren smiled.
‘That’s really excellent, Fahim,’ Mac said. ‘So when your dad goes out, he just leaves you alone? There isn’t a neighbour who keeps an eye out, or anything?’
‘The cleaning lady is gone by the time I get in from school and I’ve never even met the neighbours,’ Fahim said. ‘They’re on the other side of a dirty great wall. Dad tells me not to let anyone in the front gates and let the machine answer the phone and not to pick it up unless it’s him or Uncle Asif.’
*
The empty house was a golden opportunity to install surveillance equipment. To maximise the effectiveness of the operation, Mac arranged for three extra bodies to drive down from CHERUB campus. These were Bethany Parker, who was on holiday but keen to spend time with Lauren, plus retired agents Dave Moss and Jake McEwen who were helping out around campus until they went back to university in a few weeks’ time.
As an extra precaution Mac staked out the luxury home from inside a BMW 5-series with blacked-out windows. As Fahim predicted, the cleaning lady left at three followed half an hour later by Hassam and his brother Asif.
McEwen picked Lauren and Fahim up from school in a people carrier, which already had Bethany and Dave Moss inside. Fahim’s presence meant they couldn’t talk openly about life on campus, but Lauren couldn’t resist winding up the two white shirts about how she’d outwitted them in the training exercise two weeks earlier.
‘Don’t tease, sweetcakes,’ McEwen growled. ‘You might be a girl, but don’t think I won’t dip that blonde mop down a shitter if you wind me up.’
Lauren turned to see Bethany drawing a line across her throat. ‘Cut it out, he’s psycho,’ she mouthed.
Fahim and Lauren jumped out of the people carrier half a kilometre from his house. They met Jake on the corner of his road.