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About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1 (#u27513d3a-c07c-56ad-80bb-ba91d095b0ac)
Tina spun around, her eyes scanning the play area and beyond. She turned to her left and then her right, the sensation of being watched searing through her like a hot poker. The park was busy, but no one seemed to be paying her any attention. She was simply another mum entertaining her child on a warm Sunday afternoon. She physically shrugged in a bid to relieve herself of the hunted feeling, her eyes now seeking out her five-year-old son, Dimitri.
‘Mummy!’ he called, appearing at the top of the climbing frame. Tina waved at him, smiling broadly, revelling in her son’s delight as he whizzed down the slide, landing with a bump in the sand at the end. He scampered up and darted back round to the steps.
Despite this momentary distraction, the feeling of being watched remained with her. She waited for Dimitri to complete a second descent.
‘Come on,’ she said, scooping him up as he landed with a dull thud on the ground again. ‘Time to go.’
As they left the play area, Tina took another glance around. Her heart gave a little skip and she drew breath. The figure of a man caught her attention, but before she could look more closely he had disappeared out of view behind the coffee stand.
She closed her eyes for a moment. It was no good. She had to stop this. She should be used to it by now. It wasn’t him. It couldn’t be Sasha. He wasn’t coming back. Ever. A slither of pain spiked at her heart, not as sharp as it once had been, but still strong enough to make her flinch mentally. Five years as a widow had dulled the intensity, or had she simply got used to living with it? She wasn’t sure and now wasn’t the time to analyse the notion further. It never was. Relegating the thought of her husband to the back of her mind, Tina took Dimitri’s hand and headed over towards the kiosk.
‘Do you want an ice-cream?’ She knew she really didn’t need to ask, but it was lovely to see the excited, gleeful expression on her son’s face at the prospect of the treat.
‘Ice-cream! Ice-cream!’ sang Dimitri as he danced along beside her.
Standing in the queue, Tina realised she was doing it again; checking for anyone who might be watching her. As she looked beyond the kiosk her heart threw in an extra beat. There, hurrying away in the distance, was the man who had caught her attention earlier. The logical side of her brain challenged what was rapidly becoming her irrational part. It couldn’t be Sasha. He was dead. Killed in a car accident. Her mind was playing cruel tricks on her. Was it any wonder, though, she thought as the figure continued its hurried departure? He looked the same height and build as Sasha, even had the same gait, his long stride covering the ground with ease.
The tugging of her arm caused her to look away as Dimitri pointed animatedly at the ice-cream he wanted.
‘This one, with sprinkles and chocolate sauce,’ he beamed, tapping the picture.
‘Okay, sprinkles and chocolate sauce it is,’ replied Tina, returning the smile.
When she looked back across the park, the man had gone. However, the sadness in her heart was not so eager to leave.
The call he had been waiting for came in. It lasted two seconds. The words ‘We’re on’ were the only ones necessary. DS John Nightingale dropped the phone back in its cradle, simultaneously standing up. Seven pairs of eyes focused on him.
‘Here we go, lads,’ he said, the calm air in his voice belying the adrenalin rush that kicked at his heart rate. ‘And lasses,’ he added noting the raised eyebrows of his female colleague, Jackie.
John hiked his gun harness onto his shoulders, clipping it in place. He gave the Glock 26 snuggled in the holster a reassuring pat. An action born of habit; a subconscious reassurance.
There was a scuffling of chairs and flurry of action as the specialist organised crime- fighting unit scrambled. Primed, eager and hyped for what could be a particularly nasty encounter with the gang of armed robbers they had been tracking for the past six months.
The black BMW and 4x4 Range Rover sped swiftly through the dusk of the London streets, leaving a deserted headquarters behind them. They wove their way through the rear lights of the bedraggled tail end of rush-hour traffic, homing in on their target with stealth- like silence. No roaring engines, no flashing blue lights, no sirens. Purely an assured confidence in their training, experience and trust of each other.
John had been handpicked to head up this elite unit that operated loosely within the boundaries of London City’s Met. They had been working together as a team for six years now. Faces rarely changed. Once you were in, you stayed in. They likened themselves to a marriage, the unofficial motto between them of ‘Until death us do part.’ And in two cases, it had. John pushed the black-dog memory of Neil Edwards’ death away. Another reaction that had become a habit. He needed to stay focused on the task in hand. He wasn’t going to lose another member of his team.
John headed the unit in the BMW, his partner and close friend, Martin Caslake, at the wheel and two more officers in the back seat, another four in the vehicle behind.
A text message alert sounded from Martin’s pocket. He shifted in his seat, pulling out the phone and glancing at the screen. Reading the message, he cursed quietly to himself before tapping in a reply, all the time keeping one eye on the road ahead.
‘I don’t know why these private banks can’t keep normal hours like the British ones. It would make our hours much more civilised,’ said Martin.
‘It’s ten minutes before closing, the bank staff will be relaxed, on the wind-down for the weekend. It’s the best time for the gang to strike,’ said John.
‘They are a week early.’
‘Do you want to mention that to them?’ said John. True, the original intel had said next week, but the update when he had gone into work that morning was that it was all happening tonight. He looked over at Martin. ‘You got trouble?’
‘I promised Maxine I’d take her out for dinner this evening. I forgot to let her know I wouldn’t be able to make it after all.’
This provoked some jibes from the lads in the car. Mentions of ‘hen-pecked’ and ‘under the thumb’ banded about.
‘Fuck off, you lot,’ said Martin. He jabbed at the keyboard with his thumb.
‘That was a long text just to say you were working,’ said John, fighting to keep the smile from his face. ‘You’re very conscientious all of a sudden.’
More ribbing from the lads ensued.
‘Well, some girls are worth it,’ said Martin. ‘Not that any of you would know, with your chuck-away, disposable love lives.’
‘Sounds serious,’ said John.
Martin shrugged in response without commenting. John didn’t push for an answer. Personal relationships in the police force were difficult enough to maintain. Relationships within this specialist unit even more so. Hence why most of them were either single or divorced, John falling into the latter category.
As a car in front of them unexpectedly made a sharp right turn, causing Martin to swerve violently to the left, a tirade of comments on the other driver’s Highway Code knowledge, or lack of it, followed. Martin’s love life quickly forgotten. Subject matter no longer of any consequence.
‘How long?’ said John, checking his watch. The traffic was heavier than expected into the City.
‘Less than five,’ said Martin.
‘Make that less than three,’ said John.
Martin’s reply was to downshift the gears and accelerate, overtaking the cars queued at the lights. Flashing his headlights, he bullied his way through, ignoring the tooting car horns protesting at the move.
John took a look over his shoulder to check that the Range Rover was still with them. It was.
The ambush was quick and efficient. The tip-off had come at the eleventh hour, but John and his team were prepared. Each knew their role. Screeching to a halt outside the private bank in Knightsbridge, John was out of the car and exchanging shots with the getaway driver before Martin had even cut the engine.
John and his team rushed to the entrance to the bank, the armed robbers meeting them in the foyer. Rapid exchanges of fire rang out throughout the hallway. Bullets bounced off walls and took nips and chunks out of plasterwork.
One of the robbers was taken out almost instantly whilst another took cover behind the reception counter and a third raced back up the marble staircase. The sounds of screams coming from the upstairs banking room and a rapid tap, tap, tap of gunshots followed.
John was huddled behind a marble pillar, Martin on the opposite side in a doorway.
John indicated to Martin that he and two others would go upstairs whilst Martin and the others gave them cover and dealt with matey behind the counter.
Covering gunfire gave John the chance to race through the foyer and up the stairs. He recognised the sound of a semi-automatic going off. The armed robbers’ weapon of choice. The bullets rattled over his head, embedding themselves in the plasterwork. Ducking low, John ascended the staircase with speed. He heard the yell and groan of one of his team.
Taking a quick glance behind him, he saw Jackie sprawled on the steps, her hand clasping her leg, blood seeping through his fingers already.
‘I’m okay! Go!’ she shouted.
Another cry and as John’s eyes swivelled in the direction of the counter, he caught a glimpse of the robber stumbling out from behind the counter. His finger closed over the trigger, gunfire spraying the foyer like a water sprinkler.
The next second a bullet shot through his forehead, exploding the back of his skull open. He was dead before he hit the floor.
John didn’t waste any time. He sprinted up the remainder of the stairs and into the banking hall, his gun sweeping the room. Staff and customers were huddled together in one corner. Someone gave a small scream of alarm. Another whimpered.
Standing in the middle of the hall, the third gunman held a young woman in front of him, a gun at her head.
‘I’ll shoot her!’ The gunman yelled through his ski mask.
‘No you won’t,’ said John, steadying the Glock. ‘Put the gun down.’
‘You’re not going to shoot me.’ It was a jeer.
John weighed up the situation. The hostage was a good three inches shorter than the robber. It gave him just enough clearance above her shoulder.
‘Are you going to do what I think you are?’ It was Martin’s voice behind him.
‘Yep,’ said John, his eyes fixed firmly ahead. ‘You going to do your bit?’
‘Yep. Already clocked her name badge.’
‘Well, do you want to get on with it?’
‘Alisha,’ said Martin, his voice calm and low. ‘Listen very carefully. You are going to be okay. I promise. All you have to do is stay very still. Do you understand?’
Alisha gave a small sob and eked out a sound of acknowledgement.
‘Shut the fuck up!’ said the gunman. ‘Don’t talk to her.’ He cocked his gun. ‘I’m not messing.’ John could see his opponent’s forefinger begin to squeeze the trigger. John’s training now automatic, he zoned out his surroundings, focusing only on the man in front of him. He breathed for the count of three and as he exhaled he fired off one clean shot.
The gunman cried out and spun backwards. Alisha screamed and fell to the other side.
John fired off another shot.
The first had hit the gunman in the shoulder, the second in the arm as he had tried to reach for the gun he had dropped. John raced over, kicking the gun away. Alisha was scrambling across the carpet, sobbing in relief, frightened but unharmed. John stood over the groaning gunman and placed a boot on his chest.
‘To coin a phrase,’ he said, pointing his gun at the robber’s chest. ‘You’re nicked.’
Chapter 2 (#u27513d3a-c07c-56ad-80bb-ba91d095b0ac)
It was a couple of hours later that John and his team regrouped back at HQ. The statements and paperwork could wait until the next day. The one surviving robber was under armed guard at the local hospital for the night. Interviewing would also wait until the next day.
‘Well done this evening, everybody,’ said DI Brogan, John’s boss, coming into the open- plan office. ‘No civilian casualties, despite that stunt you pulled, John.’
John gave a slight nod of apology. ‘How’s Jackie, Sir?’
‘Flesh wound. They’ve removed the bullet, fortunately no long-term damage. You’re obviously going to be a man down for a while.’
‘Don’t let Jackie hear you say that,’ said John. ‘Person down. We’re going to be a person down for a while.’ He stood up. ‘We’re going for a drink, Sir. Are you coming?’
‘Before you go,’ said Brogan. ‘CID sent over some photos. Wondered if you could translate them, given your expertise on gang tattoos.’ He dropped the brown envelope he had been carrying onto John’s desk.
John picked up the envelope and pulled the half a dozen or so black-and-white photos out. He gave them a cursory glance and slid them back inside. ‘What’s the history?’
‘Unidentified. Found dead, at the docks, yesterday. No ID, only the body art.’
‘Okay, I’ll take them home and have a look at them tonight,’ said John, pocketing the envelope.
‘Right, well, I’ll leave you all to it,’ said Brogan, turning and walking out of the office. ‘Well done again, everyone.’
‘It doesn’t look very nice out there now,’ said Tina as she began clearing the last of the tables at the café. She looked out of the window at the slate-grey clouds hovering overhead.
‘Looks like it’s about to rain,’ said Fay, following Tina’s gaze. ‘And I haven’t got my umbrella with me.’
‘Why don’t you get off early? I can finish up here.’ Tina carried the tray of dirty cups and saucers out to the kitchen. She came back out a moment later for the remaining crockery. ‘We’re not exactly going to have a big rush on in the last half an hour. And Old Grumpy has gone.’ She grinned at her colleague. Old Grumpy was their nickname for their boss; one he had earned with ease.
Fay was already untying her apron. ‘Only if you’re sure.’
‘Of course I’m sure. Now go on, otherwise you’ll get soaked.’
‘Thanks, hun,’ said Fay. She paused. ‘Don’t look straight away, but there’s a man standing across the road – in a baseball cap.’
Tina smiled to herself as she placed the teapot onto the tray. Was this another unsuspecting male to add to Fay’s Lust List? Fay’s recent fall into singleton territory had made her practically a predator to all men. Tina looked cautiously out of the window from under her fringe.
It took her a moment to spot the man in question, but when she did it forced a sharp in-take of breath. She raised her head some more and looked closer. The man’s eyes were hidden underneath the peak of the cap and the collar on his leather box jacket was pulled up. Although she couldn’t see his features, instinct told her the man had spotted her. For a moment they were both suspended in time as they appraised one another. Then the man stepped back into the shadows of the disused shop doorway behind him.
‘You all right?’ said Fay. ‘Tina?’
It took a second for Tina to register Fay’s voice. ‘Oh, yes, sorry.’
‘Creepy, isn’t he?’ said Fay. Tina nodded. She didn’t share with Fay that the man had reminded her of her ex-brother-in-law, Pavel. She didn’t know what it was. Maybe it was his build, his stance. Possibly even the clothing. Whatever it was, Pavel had come straight to the fore of her mind.
‘Why did you say creepy?’ asked Tina, unsure if she really wanted to know.
‘He was hanging around the other day. In fact, this is the third time I’ve seen him.’
‘Really? Perhaps he’s waiting for someone.’
‘Hmmm, then why does he keep staring in here?’
‘Stop it, Fay,’ said Tina, flicking her friend on the arm and feigning a grin. ‘I thought you were going anyway?’
Tina couldn’t deny the uneasy feeling resurrecting itself again, her moment of generosity in telling Fay to go home, now a regret.
‘I’ll see you in the morning, then,’ said Fay as she picked her jacket from the coat peg and hooked her arm through the handle of her bag.
Tina watched Fay disappear out the door and hurry off in the direction of the bus stop. She shivered at the rush of cold air, which had streaked in and was now winding itself around her body. She took another look across the road, the passing traffic partially obscuring her view.
There was movement in the darkened doorway. Tina narrowed her eyes, trying to get a clear view, but the traffic building up in the road was against her, the arrival of a bus making it impossible.
Drops of raining began to splatter against the glass and speckle the pavement. Within seconds the rain was pounding down, long stair rods of water hitting the tarmac and bouncing back up. Still the bus blocked a clear line of sight to the doorway opposite.
