Hard Landing (The 1st Spider Shepherd Thriller) (The Spider Shepherd Series) by Leather Stephen

Author:Leather, Stephen [Leather, Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Crime, recent
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Published: 2008-09-17T23:00:00+00:00

Hal Healey opened the cell door at a quarter to eight. Shepherd had put in an application to shower and he was on the way out when Healey stopped him and handed him a plastic bag. It contained a Walkman and a set of headphones. ‘Your lawyer sent this in,’ said Healey. He thrust a clipboard at Shepherd. ‘Sign for it.’

Shepherd did so and put the bag on his bunk.

He went along to the shower room, and after he’d changed into a clean polo shirt and jeans, he waited until Lee had left for labour before checking the Walkman. It was a device he’d used before. It functioned as a cassette-player and radio, but the pause button activated a separate recording system that could store up to twelve hours of audio on a hidden chip.

He clipped it to his belt and hung the earphones round his neck. All he had to do now was to get Carpenter talking and activate the recorder.

He went downstairs to collect his cleaning equipment. Weston and Ginger were already cleaning the ones. Amelia Heartfield was standing by the supplies cupboard. ‘Come on, Bob, the early bird . . .’

‘Sorry, Amelia,’ said Shepherd. She grinned at him and winked.

Shepherd took out a mop and a bucket, which he filled from the tap by the boiler. He looked up at the threes. Carpenter was at the head of the stairs, working with his mop. Shepherd pressed the pause button, activating the recorder, then headed up the stairs. He nodded at Carpenter and began to swab the floor. ‘Never thought I’d be grateful to have a mop in my hand,’ he said.

‘Beats being in the workshops with the muppets,’ said Carpenter.

Shepherd moved closer to Carpenter. ‘What you said about getting a message out for me . . .’

‘I’m a bit pushed at the moment,’ said Carpenter.

‘But you can do it, right?’

‘I’ve got a few problems need sorting.’

Carpenter moved away and Shepherd followed him. ‘Are you okay?’

Carpenter leaned on his mop. ‘Look, Bob, I’m not your nursemaid, right?’

‘Yeah, but you said you’d help me out, right, get a message out for me?’

‘I said I’ll think about it. And I’m thinking about it.’ Carpenter looked around, but there were no prison officers within earshot. ‘Let me take care of my business, then I’ll help you with yours, okay?’

‘Anything I can do?’

‘I’ve someone taking care of it for me as we speak.’

‘On the out?’

Carpenter nodded. ‘Until that’s done, I’m keeping my head down.’

‘Getting rid of witnesses, yeah?’ Carpenter frowned, and Shepherd realised he’d pushed him too far. ‘None of my business,’ he added.

‘That’s right,’ said Carpenter.

‘Best of luck with it, anyway,’ said Shepherd. ‘Just don’t forget the shit I’m in, that’s all.’

Shepherd moved away. Carpenter had said nothing that could be used to build a case against him, but the hint had been clear enough: he was getting ready to move against Roper. He got on with mopping the floor, keeping to the far side of the landing, away from Carpenter, not wanting to crowd him.

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