He was ignored, so he leant over and pulled the front passenger door closed, then reversed to straighten the car up and drive off.

‘Stop!’ the unarmed man snarled.

He grabbed the shotgun from his colleague’s lap and opened the car door.

*

‘Central 888 from MP, receiving, over?’

Kingston picked up the radio mike. ‘We’re a mile away at the Langthorne Park end of the High Road and nearly on scene, MP.’

‘Received . . . I’m linking you up with Juliet 1, who are in pursuit of suspect vehicle Sierra Lima Mike 273 Romeo,’ the radio operator replied.

‘Listen up for their location, Colonel, and find it in the A–Z,’ said Cam.

The calm voice of the PC in Juliet 1 came over the radio. ‘Suspect vehicle has turned right into Grove Road . . . heading towards junction with Mornington Road.’

‘Got it. Cam,’ the Colonel said, ‘Grove Road is the next right after Aylmer Road. Your best bet to catch up is a right into Lister Road, which leads into Mornington Road. I’ll tell you when Lister is coming up.

‘Thanks, mate.’

Cam was now swerving in and out of the inside lane to the offside lane to overtake other vehicles. Jane was clutching the back of the driver’s seat with one hand and the door pull with the other, to stop herself from being flung about the back seat. Although the speed and manner of Cam’s driving scared her, the adrenaline rush to her body was strangely stimulating. She felt excited to be involved in the apprehension of four armed robbers on her first day with the Flying Squad.

The radio operator on Juliet 1 came back on the radio, the pitch of his voice becoming slightly higher as the pursuit progressed.

‘Suspect vehicle accelerating. Forty . . . forty-five . . . fifty miles per hour. Jesus Christ, he’s gone straight across the junction without stopping.’ There was a brief pause before the officer continued, ‘Suspect vehicle has been hit by another car and now stopped in Woodville Road.’

‘We’re gonna get the bastards. Next right, Cam,’ the Colonel said, and Cam turned into Lister Road.

‘They’re probably about to bale out and do a runner,’ Kingston surmised.

‘They won’t get far if Teflon’s after them – he’s quicker than Allan Wells,’ Cam replied, referring to the British and Commonwealth sprint champion.

‘All units from Juliet 1 . . . a suspect is decamping from the front passenger seat towards the rear of the vehicle. Lima 1 under attack: suspect armed and firing at us!’

The distress in his voice was obvious to everyone listening in. The sound of gunfire could be heard over the radio, as well as the impact thud of the bullet.

‘I’ve been hit! I’ve been hit!’ the radio operator cried out.