Dead Crude (Danny Verity, PI Book 2) by Chris Blackwater

Author:Chris Blackwater [Blackwater, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Catisfield Books
Published: 2024-05-23T00:00:00+00:00

She set out at four a.m. to be sure of getting in position well before the birds and the flying squad. Ellen knocked together a pack-up breakfast that would have fed a family of four. Gemma had a bad feeling there would be haggis in it somewhere. She hated all traditional Scottish delicacies that weren’t deep-fried.

Cycling along the coast road, she reached the turn-off for the Kerr’s fiefdom. She didn’t fancy taking that track in case she ran into the polis or one of the Kerr’s making a run for it. Fortunately, there was a winding deer track a hundred metres further along the road. Despite the gradient, Heather’s bike made short work of the hill with the help of the twenty-seven gears. Gemma found a convenient place to perch behind a chambered cairn and waited for the fun to start.

In the pre-dawn glow, a thrush began to sing at the top of its voice. It was joined by a duet of robins, then a cacophony of tits, finches, and God knows what else. Almost worth getting up for. It was positively deafening, though. So much for the peace and quiet of the countryside. Early morning at her city centre apartment was quieter than this, even on bin days.

Rumbling tyres on the rough track cut through the birdsong. A couple of Orkney polis Land Rovers were followed up the hill by a tactical unit in an armoured van. The Orkney boys stuttered to a halt just before the rise and let the van trundle on up to the bay doors. A bunch of gun-toting polis leapt out the back and lined up against the warehouse wall while some poor sod dressed in Kevlar tried to jemmy the door open. Finally, at the third attempt, there was a dull clunk, and he ran off to one side. Two officers, either side of the door, hauled it open and their pals piled in shouting ‘armed police’ and pointing their guns in all directions.

After a few shouts of ‘clear’, the lights came on and they lowered their weapons. The Orkney polis came jogging up the hill with an eager-looking German Shepherd. Gemma wasn't sure whether it was there to sniff for drugs or scare the villains. It tracked a few rodent trails and poked its nose in all the corners. Then, satisfied, it sat down and waited for someone to offer it a treat.

With the bay doors fully open, Gemma had an excellent view of the interior. Using Danny’s expensive binoculars, she could even make out the manufacturer and part number of the pumps lined up on the warehouse floor. Exactly as per the loss adjustor’s inventory. Someone would be happy. Danny could even get paid, and then might not whine so much about paying her.

There wasn’t much else of interest. An overhead crane and a forklift truck. Some metal cabinets off to one side and a single table and chair by the fire exit at the rear. There were only three doors that she could see.

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