The Profit Motive, page 26
part #2 of Sterling and Mason Series
“Not yet, but I’ve spoken to him. He’s got the cash, so don’t worry.”
“I’ll stop worrying when you’ve handed it to Khan. Did you get the extra ten?”
“Of course, please don’t—”
“Yeah, I know you’re more than able to handle it. I’ll ring you as soon—”
“I’ll ring you. Now get back to Adam and Kate. How is she?”
They spoke about what had happened but his thoughts remained on what might go wrong in London. With assurances she’d ring once she’d paid Khan, Louisa ended the call.
“Everything all right at home?” Adam said.
Although he’d told Adam of Theo’s problems, Byron hadn’t given him the full picture. “Yeah, it’s all going to plan. Shall we get some food? I could eat a scabby horse between two bread vans.”
They strolled through into the hotel restaurant and ordered, but both picked at their meals, their normally hearty appetites curbed by their concerns.
“Okay, big man, we know why I’m not eating, but you?” Adam jabbed a fork at Byron.
If he told Adam about Khan’s visit to his home, it would only make him worry. “Have you told Siobhan we’ve found Oliver?”
“Yes, and that’s not going to work, so, what’s up?” Adam put his fork down and crossed his arms.
Byron’s mobile screen flashed, and he stared at it. Had Theo arrived as promised? His desperation to find out what had happened conflicted with reluctance to hear bad news. He wiped his hand on the napkin and picked up the phone. “Louisa.”
“It all went fine, so you can stop worrying.”
He exhaled. “Khan didn’t give you any problems?”
“He didn’t turn up. One of his lieutenants—”
“What do you mean? You gave it to some random person?”
“Give me some bloody credit.” Louisa rarely swore. “I was in Khan’s office and I spoke to him on the phone. I asked him what he’d said when he came round yesterday.”
“Sorry. Well done. I love you.”
“And I love you, but I need to get to work. Ring me later.”
He ended the call and put the handset down.
“Everything okay?” Adam said.
“Sure, shall we get another drink?” The fact Louisa hadn’t given the money to Khan still bothered him. Stop being an idiot and relax.
Tuesday 12 June 2001
The next morning, Jie led the police escort accompanying Adam to the airport. He’d trod on several sets of toes to get the job, but he didn’t want to let the young man leave in handcuffs, something many of his colleagues would have insisted on. They walked beside each other toward the departure gate, like friends. As they approached the gate, Jie signalled the two armed policemen accompanying them to hang back. He doubted they spoke English but no need to take risks.
“Goodbye, Inspector and thank you for…” Adam indicated the two policemen. “Just thank you.” He pumped Jie’s hand.
“Thank you, Adam.” Jie wasn’t sure if Adam had given him an accurate account of Danny’s death, but his demise removed the possibility of the young man making trouble. “I will take care of Miss Kate. Please give my greetings to your uncle.”
Jie watched him walk into the tunnel to the plane, wondering if he’d ever return to China. Why would anyone ignore their heritage? The young man was only half Chinese, but Jie couldn’t imagine ignoring his mother’s side of the family. Adam disappeared and, taking leave of the other officers, Jie returned to his car.
He’d booked a day’s leave and, now he’d seen the young man off, he had to complete a far more dangerous and unpleasant task. After changing into old work clothes, he drove to an unfamiliar part of town and, finding a hardware store, paid cash for strong polythene bags. The rolls of tape, gloves and bricks he bought at different stores, certain nobody would remember a nondescript middle-aged man.
Jie drove to the boat where they’d left Danny, checking he wasn’t being followed. If anyone saw him here, he’d be ruined. He parked beside the boat and finished his cigarette, stubbing it out in the ashtray before getting out. He opened the boot, put on a pair of rubber gloves, retrieved his torch and stared at the other paraphernalia. Should he take it with him? Experience told him to first make sure everything was as Adam had said.
The metal-framed gangplank from last time rested in the water and in its place lay two planks. They swayed alarmingly when he stood on them, but if they’d taken the weight of Adam’s big friend, he should be safe. He struggled to open the hatch. The stench of sewage and decay assaulted his nostrils. He removed the cover, then stepped back and waited for the smell to disperse.
He needed a cigarette but daren’t smoke one on the boat. Ten minutes later, he stood over the opening and shone his torch into the cavern. He could see nothing. The stink persisted, and he knew it wouldn’t get better so he clambered down the metal ladder.
Danny’s body lay face down in a corner, away from prying eyes. Next to him lay a large automatic. Jie examined it. One bullet spent. A gaping hole in the back of Danny’s head told him where it had gone.
Flies buzzed around the wound. He’d better seal the body in the bags. Now he was down here, he wasn’t sure he could get the body out. Maybe he could leave it down here and secure the lid... A rumble distracted him and he listened. A car door slammed, then a second, followed by voices. Jie flicked off the torch.
The voices came closer. Sweat coated Jie’s back. What were these men doing here? Nothing legal he guessed, but why weren’t they put off by his car? The hull rocked. They were coming on board. He gripped the pistol and held his breath. The voices stopped, but footsteps clanged closer. Jie squinted and aimed at the opening. A bright light shone into his face.
“Drop the gun, police!” a familiar voice shouted.
Although this was the second time Jie found himself in the unfamiliar position of suspect, his situation felt more perilous. Rong kept him waiting an hour before bursting in and sitting opposite, staring at him. Jie ignored him and ground out his cigarette in the ashtray. Tang kept her gaze on the file in front of her.
“You really are in trouble this time, Jie,” Rong said.
Jie took out a cigarette, he had only three left, and lit it, taking his time. “You’ve checked the gun?”
“Ballistics are testing it now. It’s the right calibre, sir,” Tang said.
Rong frowned at the sergeant. “The question is, what were you doing with it?”
“I told you, I found it beside the body.”
“We’ve been looking at the incident where you… where four colleagues died. How come the killer spared you?”
“The report is clear, I hid behind a wall.”
“On your own, after sending Sergeant Tang away. So you were the only witness to what happened.”
“The superintendent investigated the incident. I don’t—”
“Sergeant Tang also tells me someone made sure the assassin escaped from an earlier surveillance. One you instigated.”
Tang glared at Rong but didn’t interrupt.
“You were also with the Englishwoman when he kidnapped her. Conveniently looking away.”
Jie didn’t like the direction of these questions.
“So you went to the boat to get rid of the evidence.” Rong gave a smug smile.
Jie’s stomach trembled. If they searched his car, that’s exactly what it would look like. “I told you I got a tipoff.”
“You were off duty. Why not pass it on?”
“I wasn’t confident about the information. I know how busy we are, so I checked.”
“So a mysterious tipoff. How convenient.”
“How did you know where to go?”
“We had a call from Yichun,” Tang said.
“Looks like we got the same call.” Jie gave Tang a silent thank you.
“Sir, if the senior inspector planned to dispose of the body, wouldn’t he have taken an assistant to help him?”
“Too dangerous to involve another person,” Rong said, scowling at the sergeant.
“He’d at least have materials in his car.”
“Yes, Sergeant, so what did you find?”
Jie ground his cigarette out in the ashtray to stop his hands trembling.
“Nothing, sir, apart from a spare wheel and a wheel-brace.”
“Are you sure?” Rong demanded.
“Yes, sir, do you want to check?”
Rong leaped to his feet and charged out of the interview room, followed by Tang, who avoided Jie’s gaze. Jie slumped in his seat and pulled out another cigarette. He wouldn’t be in there much longer. He owed the young woman.
CHAPTER 40
Saturday 16 June 2001
Manchester
The arrivals board announced passengers from Shanghai were collecting their baggage. Adam hadn’t seen Siobhan much since he’d returned last Tuesday, but her affectionate response to his unexpected return had surprised him. He hadn’t mentioned he was meeting Kate. A few Chinese passengers appeared amongst the holidaymakers from Alicante and Cancun, the other two flights on the arrivals board. Half an hour later, the number of passengers arriving died to a trickle. Adam worried Kate had taken another flight, and was looking for a member of staff when he saw Byron.
He’d expected his friend to take a flight to Heathrow, especially after his troubles at home. Kate’s head bobbed behind the jaunty sombreros of the couple in front of her. Adam wasn’t sure how he’d feel on seeing her. The holidaymakers peeled away and a surge of sympathy made his throat ache. Kate looked to have aged, her skin pale with dark marks under her eyes which seemed huge. Byron must have decided she needed company.
He put on a smile and waved. Byron waved back, his grin strained. The two men hugged, but Kate hung back, wearing a hesitant expression. Adam started to shake her hand but then hugged her. Her thin body trembled as she held on to him.
“Tough journey?” he said over her head.
Byron said, “Kate received some bad news—”
“Your dad?”
“No, he’s fine.” Kate pulled away and sniffed. “Well, no worse.”
“Where is he?”
“On his way to hospital. Ambulance picked him up, that’s why we’re late. I wanted to make sure he was okay.”
Byron scanned the crowd surrounding them. “Shall we get away from here?”
“Sure.” Adam took Kate’s bag and led them back to the car.
“What’s this, you gone into antique dealing?” Byron said on seeing the car.
“TR6 is in for the annual overhaul, they weren’t expecting me back so soon.” Adam opened the back of the huge Volvo estate he’d borrowed from Mal and slid Kate’s luggage into the cavernous boot. “Good thing I brought it, otherwise you’d be walking.”
They left the car park in silence and had joined the motorway heading for the city centre before Byron said, “Kate’s cousin—”
“Daniel?”
“Yeah, he sent her a text warning her—” he turned in his seat and addressed Kate. “You want to tell him?”
“No, carry on.” Kate sounded spent, and she seemed to struggle to keep her eyes open.
“Her brother, Simon, has been having ‘regression therapy’.” Byron made quotation marks. “And, according to Daniel, he now blames Kate for the accident which killed her mother.”
“So?” Adam still didn’t like or trust Daniel.
“Daniel thinks Simon might be behind… what happened…” Kate sounded exhausted.
“He got evidence?”
Kate’s eyes stayed closed.
“So he says, but he wants to discuss it with Kate before taking it to the authorities.”
Adam wondered how he’d react if one of his brothers had put him through anything like what Kate had endured. He’d probably kill the little bastard, but he couldn’t imagine either of them doing anything to harm the family. Mind you, although by no means poor, there wasn’t a lot of money to fight over. “That why you’re here?”
“Yep.”
“I’m still on leave, I could—”
“You’ve got commitments.” Byron gave him a cool look. “Anyway, I could do with seeing my folks.”
“What about her dad?”
“Two of my lads came up, met us at the airport.”
With the death of Fang Jiao, who seemed the brains behind the scam, were these precautions necessary? He suspected Daniel had another agenda when accusing his cousin. Despite this, a sense of unease persisted.
Sunday 17 June 2001
Kate made a large pot of coffee, listening to Byron on the phone in the next room. Not the words, just a rumble interspersed with deeper notes of laughter. An unaccountable feeling of jealousy surged through her. The relationship he had with Louisa and their daughters embodied everything she wanted. Byron ended the call and appeared in the doorway.
She plunged the coffee and filled two mugs. “How are the girls?”
“That was Samuel, my brother.”
“Oh.” The reminder she had to confront hers darkened her mood further.
“I’m planning to stay with him for a couple of days once this is over.”
“You get on well, then?”
Byron laughed. “We do now. We didn’t speak for years.”
“What happened?”
Byron took a sip of coffee and stared out of the window. “To make us stop talking or to make us start again?”
“Sorry, I’m prying.” She busied herself at the cooker. “You ready for breakfast?”
“I spoke to Adam earlier, we’re meeting him… if that’s all right?”
Her heart gave a flutter. She’d wanted to hold Adam at the airport but could see he wasn’t comfortable. The night he’d spent in her room in Wenzhou seemed long ago. She was not a predator who chased other women’s partners. “Sure, will—?” The girlfriend’s name escaped her. “Sorry, I’ve forgotten her name.”
“Siobhan?” Byron shook his head. “She’s working; I don’t think Adam’s impressed.”
Her spirits lifted. “Where did you plan to meet?”
“Didsbury. We can go on to the clinic, see Oliver.”
“Sounds a plan.” She drained her coffee. “I’ll get ready.”
She left a grinning Byron and returned to her room. The dark smudges under her eyes had faded overnight, but she still looked a fright. She dithered over what to wear, trying to strike a balance between looking her best and not appearing to be trying too hard. She settled for a pair of high-waisted linen trousers and a fitted cream blouse. As she chose earrings, her phone rang.
“Daniel, how are you?”
“How are you? You sleep okay? You sounded exhausted last time we spoke.”
“Yeah, I did thanks.”
“Are you planning to see Oliver today? I thought we could meet.”
“Can I ring you?” She hoped Adam would come with her, and remembered their mutual antipathy.
“Of course. What about Simon?”
The thought of confronting her brother made her feel sick. “I’m going once I’ve seen Dad.”
“Great, we’ll go together. I wouldn’t see him until we’ve spoken.”
“Why can’t you tell me what you’ve found out?”
“Well… I’d rather we were face-by-face.” Daniel used a phrase favoured by one of their suppliers, and despite her mood, she smiled.
She ended the call and realised she needed to make sure Simon didn’t visit Oliver. If what Daniel said was right… The thought made her dizzy. She’d better tell Byron to warn his men.
Adam sat in the window of the trendy café reading the back pages of the Sunday paper. He’d grabbed a table for four, receiving dirty looks when he’d refused to let the large group of friends on the next table spill over. Kate arrived and he stood to greet her. She looked almost back to normal, still troubled, but the exhaustion etched into her features had faded. Guilt tinged the surge of pleasure her smile triggered. He’d not mentioned she’d be there when he told Siobhan he planned to meet Byron for breakfast.
An awkward beginning soon eased as he fell into conversation with Byron. Kate seeming happy to spectate. Adam turned the conversation to Byron’s brother. Samuel had rung earlier asking him to persuade Byron to visit his brother’s house today, but not to say he’d rung. Adam guessed he planned some kind of surprise family celebration.
“Are you seeing them?” Adam said.
“Once we’ve sorted Kate’s problem.”
“Why don’t you see them today? He’s only five minutes away and I can take care of Kate.” Adam worried he sounded too eager, but Byron would assume he wanted to spend time alone with Kate.
“Won’t Siobhan mind?” Kate said.
“She’s at a policing conference.”
“How’s she getting on with the investigation into the break-in at my flat?”
It seemed so long ago. Adam didn’t want to admit he’d not asked about it. “They investigated someone for receiving goods bought with your dad’s stolen card, but it led nowhere. Anyway, it’s not her case anymore.”
“They won’t tell Adam anything,” Byron said, coming to his rescue. “We can follow it up tomorrow.”
“If you’re sure you don’t mind babysitting me?” Kate said.
“I had nothing else planned.”
“Samuel did invite me for lunch. I’ll only be a couple of hours, if that’s all right with both of you?”
“Sure,” they said together.
Byron left them in the café to take Adam’s borrowed Volvo.
“What do you want to do?” Adam said into the suddenly awkward silence.
“It’s visiting time, I want to see Dad.”
Kate drove the hire car with studied concentration. Adam’s attempts at conversation elicited monosyllabic answers, so he stopped trying, focussing instead on his role as bodyguard. The familiarity of the surroundings made this difficult, but the memory of recent events in Wenzhou helped put him in the right frame of mind.
The clinic stood in its own grounds. A range of more recent extensions clustered round what must have been the home of a very wealthy nineteenth-century landowner. Signs led them to visitor parking and, as they followed them to the back of the complex, Adam realised the scale of the recent additions.
“I’ll stop worrying when you’ve handed it to Khan. Did you get the extra ten?”
“Of course, please don’t—”
“Yeah, I know you’re more than able to handle it. I’ll ring you as soon—”
“I’ll ring you. Now get back to Adam and Kate. How is she?”
They spoke about what had happened but his thoughts remained on what might go wrong in London. With assurances she’d ring once she’d paid Khan, Louisa ended the call.
“Everything all right at home?” Adam said.
Although he’d told Adam of Theo’s problems, Byron hadn’t given him the full picture. “Yeah, it’s all going to plan. Shall we get some food? I could eat a scabby horse between two bread vans.”
They strolled through into the hotel restaurant and ordered, but both picked at their meals, their normally hearty appetites curbed by their concerns.
“Okay, big man, we know why I’m not eating, but you?” Adam jabbed a fork at Byron.
If he told Adam about Khan’s visit to his home, it would only make him worry. “Have you told Siobhan we’ve found Oliver?”
“Yes, and that’s not going to work, so, what’s up?” Adam put his fork down and crossed his arms.
Byron’s mobile screen flashed, and he stared at it. Had Theo arrived as promised? His desperation to find out what had happened conflicted with reluctance to hear bad news. He wiped his hand on the napkin and picked up the phone. “Louisa.”
“It all went fine, so you can stop worrying.”
He exhaled. “Khan didn’t give you any problems?”
“He didn’t turn up. One of his lieutenants—”
“What do you mean? You gave it to some random person?”
“Give me some bloody credit.” Louisa rarely swore. “I was in Khan’s office and I spoke to him on the phone. I asked him what he’d said when he came round yesterday.”
“Sorry. Well done. I love you.”
“And I love you, but I need to get to work. Ring me later.”
He ended the call and put the handset down.
“Everything okay?” Adam said.
“Sure, shall we get another drink?” The fact Louisa hadn’t given the money to Khan still bothered him. Stop being an idiot and relax.
Tuesday 12 June 2001
The next morning, Jie led the police escort accompanying Adam to the airport. He’d trod on several sets of toes to get the job, but he didn’t want to let the young man leave in handcuffs, something many of his colleagues would have insisted on. They walked beside each other toward the departure gate, like friends. As they approached the gate, Jie signalled the two armed policemen accompanying them to hang back. He doubted they spoke English but no need to take risks.
“Goodbye, Inspector and thank you for…” Adam indicated the two policemen. “Just thank you.” He pumped Jie’s hand.
“Thank you, Adam.” Jie wasn’t sure if Adam had given him an accurate account of Danny’s death, but his demise removed the possibility of the young man making trouble. “I will take care of Miss Kate. Please give my greetings to your uncle.”
Jie watched him walk into the tunnel to the plane, wondering if he’d ever return to China. Why would anyone ignore their heritage? The young man was only half Chinese, but Jie couldn’t imagine ignoring his mother’s side of the family. Adam disappeared and, taking leave of the other officers, Jie returned to his car.
He’d booked a day’s leave and, now he’d seen the young man off, he had to complete a far more dangerous and unpleasant task. After changing into old work clothes, he drove to an unfamiliar part of town and, finding a hardware store, paid cash for strong polythene bags. The rolls of tape, gloves and bricks he bought at different stores, certain nobody would remember a nondescript middle-aged man.
Jie drove to the boat where they’d left Danny, checking he wasn’t being followed. If anyone saw him here, he’d be ruined. He parked beside the boat and finished his cigarette, stubbing it out in the ashtray before getting out. He opened the boot, put on a pair of rubber gloves, retrieved his torch and stared at the other paraphernalia. Should he take it with him? Experience told him to first make sure everything was as Adam had said.
The metal-framed gangplank from last time rested in the water and in its place lay two planks. They swayed alarmingly when he stood on them, but if they’d taken the weight of Adam’s big friend, he should be safe. He struggled to open the hatch. The stench of sewage and decay assaulted his nostrils. He removed the cover, then stepped back and waited for the smell to disperse.
He needed a cigarette but daren’t smoke one on the boat. Ten minutes later, he stood over the opening and shone his torch into the cavern. He could see nothing. The stink persisted, and he knew it wouldn’t get better so he clambered down the metal ladder.
Danny’s body lay face down in a corner, away from prying eyes. Next to him lay a large automatic. Jie examined it. One bullet spent. A gaping hole in the back of Danny’s head told him where it had gone.
Flies buzzed around the wound. He’d better seal the body in the bags. Now he was down here, he wasn’t sure he could get the body out. Maybe he could leave it down here and secure the lid... A rumble distracted him and he listened. A car door slammed, then a second, followed by voices. Jie flicked off the torch.
The voices came closer. Sweat coated Jie’s back. What were these men doing here? Nothing legal he guessed, but why weren’t they put off by his car? The hull rocked. They were coming on board. He gripped the pistol and held his breath. The voices stopped, but footsteps clanged closer. Jie squinted and aimed at the opening. A bright light shone into his face.
“Drop the gun, police!” a familiar voice shouted.
Although this was the second time Jie found himself in the unfamiliar position of suspect, his situation felt more perilous. Rong kept him waiting an hour before bursting in and sitting opposite, staring at him. Jie ignored him and ground out his cigarette in the ashtray. Tang kept her gaze on the file in front of her.
“You really are in trouble this time, Jie,” Rong said.
Jie took out a cigarette, he had only three left, and lit it, taking his time. “You’ve checked the gun?”
“Ballistics are testing it now. It’s the right calibre, sir,” Tang said.
Rong frowned at the sergeant. “The question is, what were you doing with it?”
“I told you, I found it beside the body.”
“We’ve been looking at the incident where you… where four colleagues died. How come the killer spared you?”
“The report is clear, I hid behind a wall.”
“On your own, after sending Sergeant Tang away. So you were the only witness to what happened.”
“The superintendent investigated the incident. I don’t—”
“Sergeant Tang also tells me someone made sure the assassin escaped from an earlier surveillance. One you instigated.”
Tang glared at Rong but didn’t interrupt.
“You were also with the Englishwoman when he kidnapped her. Conveniently looking away.”
Jie didn’t like the direction of these questions.
“So you went to the boat to get rid of the evidence.” Rong gave a smug smile.
Jie’s stomach trembled. If they searched his car, that’s exactly what it would look like. “I told you I got a tipoff.”
“You were off duty. Why not pass it on?”
“I wasn’t confident about the information. I know how busy we are, so I checked.”
“So a mysterious tipoff. How convenient.”
“How did you know where to go?”
“We had a call from Yichun,” Tang said.
“Looks like we got the same call.” Jie gave Tang a silent thank you.
“Sir, if the senior inspector planned to dispose of the body, wouldn’t he have taken an assistant to help him?”
“Too dangerous to involve another person,” Rong said, scowling at the sergeant.
“He’d at least have materials in his car.”
“Yes, Sergeant, so what did you find?”
Jie ground his cigarette out in the ashtray to stop his hands trembling.
“Nothing, sir, apart from a spare wheel and a wheel-brace.”
“Are you sure?” Rong demanded.
“Yes, sir, do you want to check?”
Rong leaped to his feet and charged out of the interview room, followed by Tang, who avoided Jie’s gaze. Jie slumped in his seat and pulled out another cigarette. He wouldn’t be in there much longer. He owed the young woman.
CHAPTER 40
Saturday 16 June 2001
Manchester
The arrivals board announced passengers from Shanghai were collecting their baggage. Adam hadn’t seen Siobhan much since he’d returned last Tuesday, but her affectionate response to his unexpected return had surprised him. He hadn’t mentioned he was meeting Kate. A few Chinese passengers appeared amongst the holidaymakers from Alicante and Cancun, the other two flights on the arrivals board. Half an hour later, the number of passengers arriving died to a trickle. Adam worried Kate had taken another flight, and was looking for a member of staff when he saw Byron.
He’d expected his friend to take a flight to Heathrow, especially after his troubles at home. Kate’s head bobbed behind the jaunty sombreros of the couple in front of her. Adam wasn’t sure how he’d feel on seeing her. The holidaymakers peeled away and a surge of sympathy made his throat ache. Kate looked to have aged, her skin pale with dark marks under her eyes which seemed huge. Byron must have decided she needed company.
He put on a smile and waved. Byron waved back, his grin strained. The two men hugged, but Kate hung back, wearing a hesitant expression. Adam started to shake her hand but then hugged her. Her thin body trembled as she held on to him.
“Tough journey?” he said over her head.
Byron said, “Kate received some bad news—”
“Your dad?”
“No, he’s fine.” Kate pulled away and sniffed. “Well, no worse.”
“Where is he?”
“On his way to hospital. Ambulance picked him up, that’s why we’re late. I wanted to make sure he was okay.”
Byron scanned the crowd surrounding them. “Shall we get away from here?”
“Sure.” Adam took Kate’s bag and led them back to the car.
“What’s this, you gone into antique dealing?” Byron said on seeing the car.
“TR6 is in for the annual overhaul, they weren’t expecting me back so soon.” Adam opened the back of the huge Volvo estate he’d borrowed from Mal and slid Kate’s luggage into the cavernous boot. “Good thing I brought it, otherwise you’d be walking.”
They left the car park in silence and had joined the motorway heading for the city centre before Byron said, “Kate’s cousin—”
“Daniel?”
“Yeah, he sent her a text warning her—” he turned in his seat and addressed Kate. “You want to tell him?”
“No, carry on.” Kate sounded spent, and she seemed to struggle to keep her eyes open.
“Her brother, Simon, has been having ‘regression therapy’.” Byron made quotation marks. “And, according to Daniel, he now blames Kate for the accident which killed her mother.”
“So?” Adam still didn’t like or trust Daniel.
“Daniel thinks Simon might be behind… what happened…” Kate sounded exhausted.
“He got evidence?”
Kate’s eyes stayed closed.
“So he says, but he wants to discuss it with Kate before taking it to the authorities.”
Adam wondered how he’d react if one of his brothers had put him through anything like what Kate had endured. He’d probably kill the little bastard, but he couldn’t imagine either of them doing anything to harm the family. Mind you, although by no means poor, there wasn’t a lot of money to fight over. “That why you’re here?”
“Yep.”
“I’m still on leave, I could—”
“You’ve got commitments.” Byron gave him a cool look. “Anyway, I could do with seeing my folks.”
“What about her dad?”
“Two of my lads came up, met us at the airport.”
With the death of Fang Jiao, who seemed the brains behind the scam, were these precautions necessary? He suspected Daniel had another agenda when accusing his cousin. Despite this, a sense of unease persisted.
Sunday 17 June 2001
Kate made a large pot of coffee, listening to Byron on the phone in the next room. Not the words, just a rumble interspersed with deeper notes of laughter. An unaccountable feeling of jealousy surged through her. The relationship he had with Louisa and their daughters embodied everything she wanted. Byron ended the call and appeared in the doorway.
She plunged the coffee and filled two mugs. “How are the girls?”
“That was Samuel, my brother.”
“Oh.” The reminder she had to confront hers darkened her mood further.
“I’m planning to stay with him for a couple of days once this is over.”
“You get on well, then?”
Byron laughed. “We do now. We didn’t speak for years.”
“What happened?”
Byron took a sip of coffee and stared out of the window. “To make us stop talking or to make us start again?”
“Sorry, I’m prying.” She busied herself at the cooker. “You ready for breakfast?”
“I spoke to Adam earlier, we’re meeting him… if that’s all right?”
Her heart gave a flutter. She’d wanted to hold Adam at the airport but could see he wasn’t comfortable. The night he’d spent in her room in Wenzhou seemed long ago. She was not a predator who chased other women’s partners. “Sure, will—?” The girlfriend’s name escaped her. “Sorry, I’ve forgotten her name.”
“Siobhan?” Byron shook his head. “She’s working; I don’t think Adam’s impressed.”
Her spirits lifted. “Where did you plan to meet?”
“Didsbury. We can go on to the clinic, see Oliver.”
“Sounds a plan.” She drained her coffee. “I’ll get ready.”
She left a grinning Byron and returned to her room. The dark smudges under her eyes had faded overnight, but she still looked a fright. She dithered over what to wear, trying to strike a balance between looking her best and not appearing to be trying too hard. She settled for a pair of high-waisted linen trousers and a fitted cream blouse. As she chose earrings, her phone rang.
“Daniel, how are you?”
“How are you? You sleep okay? You sounded exhausted last time we spoke.”
“Yeah, I did thanks.”
“Are you planning to see Oliver today? I thought we could meet.”
“Can I ring you?” She hoped Adam would come with her, and remembered their mutual antipathy.
“Of course. What about Simon?”
The thought of confronting her brother made her feel sick. “I’m going once I’ve seen Dad.”
“Great, we’ll go together. I wouldn’t see him until we’ve spoken.”
“Why can’t you tell me what you’ve found out?”
“Well… I’d rather we were face-by-face.” Daniel used a phrase favoured by one of their suppliers, and despite her mood, she smiled.
She ended the call and realised she needed to make sure Simon didn’t visit Oliver. If what Daniel said was right… The thought made her dizzy. She’d better tell Byron to warn his men.
Adam sat in the window of the trendy café reading the back pages of the Sunday paper. He’d grabbed a table for four, receiving dirty looks when he’d refused to let the large group of friends on the next table spill over. Kate arrived and he stood to greet her. She looked almost back to normal, still troubled, but the exhaustion etched into her features had faded. Guilt tinged the surge of pleasure her smile triggered. He’d not mentioned she’d be there when he told Siobhan he planned to meet Byron for breakfast.
An awkward beginning soon eased as he fell into conversation with Byron. Kate seeming happy to spectate. Adam turned the conversation to Byron’s brother. Samuel had rung earlier asking him to persuade Byron to visit his brother’s house today, but not to say he’d rung. Adam guessed he planned some kind of surprise family celebration.
“Are you seeing them?” Adam said.
“Once we’ve sorted Kate’s problem.”
“Why don’t you see them today? He’s only five minutes away and I can take care of Kate.” Adam worried he sounded too eager, but Byron would assume he wanted to spend time alone with Kate.
“Won’t Siobhan mind?” Kate said.
“She’s at a policing conference.”
“How’s she getting on with the investigation into the break-in at my flat?”
It seemed so long ago. Adam didn’t want to admit he’d not asked about it. “They investigated someone for receiving goods bought with your dad’s stolen card, but it led nowhere. Anyway, it’s not her case anymore.”
“They won’t tell Adam anything,” Byron said, coming to his rescue. “We can follow it up tomorrow.”
“If you’re sure you don’t mind babysitting me?” Kate said.
“I had nothing else planned.”
“Samuel did invite me for lunch. I’ll only be a couple of hours, if that’s all right with both of you?”
“Sure,” they said together.
Byron left them in the café to take Adam’s borrowed Volvo.
“What do you want to do?” Adam said into the suddenly awkward silence.
“It’s visiting time, I want to see Dad.”
Kate drove the hire car with studied concentration. Adam’s attempts at conversation elicited monosyllabic answers, so he stopped trying, focussing instead on his role as bodyguard. The familiarity of the surroundings made this difficult, but the memory of recent events in Wenzhou helped put him in the right frame of mind.
The clinic stood in its own grounds. A range of more recent extensions clustered round what must have been the home of a very wealthy nineteenth-century landowner. Signs led them to visitor parking and, as they followed them to the back of the complex, Adam realised the scale of the recent additions.
