Hard Place - The Prequel by Douglas Stewart

Author:Douglas Stewart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: murder, serial killer, detective, series, organized crime, drug war, drug dealing, british detective, crime action, drug baron

CHAPTER SIX

New Scotland Yard, London

“Adnan Shirafi is toxic. Got it? This is politically sensitive with a capital S. One mistake and it won’t just be the Home Secretary after us. It’ll be the PM himself plus the White House and Pentagon.” Wensley Hughes did not need to thump the table but he took in the sullen faces. “Listen Todd, I know all about your nephew’s death. Tragic. I understand how you must feel.”

“Thank you, sir.” Ratso’s hooded eyes closed tighter and then opened, looking away.

“From our viewpoint, those Afghan poppy fields should be destroyed permanently.” As a copper’s copper, the AC’s eyes, hand movements and tone showed he shared his listeners’ frustration. He shook his head sadly. “But this is politics, so trust me, it ain’t gonna happen, not now or soon. So forget it. Forget Shirafi. Zandro is our target. Operation Clam must never stray into the politics of war. Not with the fighting going on. Understood?”

Ratso and Jock Strang muttered agreement.

“Right then, let’s turn to Erlis Bardici. Your idea, Todd. Give!”

Ratso’s start was faltering, his head still resisting a Shirafi no-go zone. Every sinew told him the supplier deserved to be banged up and strung up for the thousands of lives he had destroyed, not least his nephew Freddie’s. “Dead-ends everywhere, sir. I mean, well, er. Put it this way—if we can’t kill off Shirafi’s supply, then we need to …”

“Try again to track Bardici,” Jock helped out his boss.

Hughes looked surprised and sheltered his face behind his hands as if in prayer. Once again, Ratso was reminded of the AC’s monk-like aura. “But Todd. Your guy, Shalford tried and failed. Only escaped by luck and no thanks to the support team.”

“Sir, I’ve spoken to Neil. He’s agreed to try again. There’s just one condition.”

Hughes looked irritated. “I am not doubling his money.”

“Not an issue, sir.” Neil did want more money but Ratso sensed that now was not the moment to get into that.

“What is it then?” The AC did not like being wrong and his tone was unusually tetchy.

“He’ll only go in alone. No support team. He blames PC Gerry Vernon for last time.”

“Rightly, sir.” added Jock Strang, his florid cheeks reddening as he spoke.

“Alone? Alone?” The AC’s voice rose an octave. “Impossible. Alone is not permitted. He can’t trespass on Bardici’s property to place the tracker. Not without back-up.”

Ratso’s confidence had returned as he counted down on his fingers. “One, our job is to bring down what we suspect in Europe’s biggest drug syndicate. Two, we cannot raid Zandro or even get close to him. Three, we cannot bug Zandro. Four, we cannot touch Shirafi. Five, some evidence points to Erlis Bardici as Zandro’s go-to man, his enforcer. Sir, this is our only immediate hope of a break.” Ratso met the stony look, the AC’s mouth shut tight and his eyes narrowed behind his spectacles. “And sir, you’re telling us some arsehole, in Brussels presumably, has made a rule that stops Neil Shalford flying solo.”

“Last time it was the back-up that screwed up.

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