needed to make sure that they had searched all of the rooms at Macmillan’s club. Including the cellar and those on the first floor and the attic rooms. He just needed reassurance that nothing had been missed. That there were no traces of blood anywhere, or weapons hidden. In particular the hunting/survival knife that was used to decapitate Edita Aginatas. And that they had definitely found nothing incriminating at the buildings and wasteland that Macmillan now owned. He knew Claudia would be getting ready for the dinner in honour of the Lithuanian Ambassador, held by Mayor Macmillan. But Brady had no choice. He had to be sure.
He scrolled down, found her name and pressed call.
As he did so, he shoved his free hand in his trouser pocket, absent-mindedly fingering his wedding ring.
‘Claudia?’ he questioned when the phone picked up.
‘No,’ came the answer. Simple and to the point.
‘Can I talk to her?’
‘She’s busy.’
Before Brady had a chance to answer the phone went dead. He knew it was Davidson. Recognised the voice. And Davidson clearly knew it was Brady.
Brady stood for a moment holding his BlackBerry. He felt as if he had been kicked in the guts. And if the truth be known, he had. DCI Davidson had made it very clear that Claudia was off-bounds to him.
‘Jack,’ greeted Madley as Brady walked into his spacious first-floor office.
Brady knew straight away that he was pissed off. Who with, he didn’t yet know, but he was certain he was about to find out.
He cast his eye over the huge room. Madley was standing with his back to Brady, staring out of the impressive ceiling-to-floor window. Weasel Face was behind the door, watching Brady’s every move while Gibbs waited by Madley’s side.
The tension in the room was palpable. Brady wasn’t sure what he had walked into, but he knew he didn’t like it. There was an edge, a desperation to hold onto power regardless of the consequences, that Brady could feel clinging to the air. Ronnie Macmillan had gone one step too far with Madley and Brady presumed Madley was now in the throes of working out how to get the bastard back.
Brady should have been worried, but he knew Madley could look after himself. He, after all, had been raised on the hardened streets of the Ridges, just as Brady had. A childhood that set you up for anything that life would throw at you; Ronnie Macmillan and his politician brother being two of them. Even ex-military SAS types like the Dabkunas brothers.
‘Problem?’ questioned Madley, still with his back to Brady.
‘You tell me,’ answered Brady as he walked over to the window trying his best not to limp.
The last thing he wanted was Weasel Face spotting a weakness.
Madley didn’t answer.
‘Boys. Leave us alone,’ ordered Madley.
Madley waited until the door was firmly closed.
‘Matthews …’ Brady began.
Madley looked at him and waited.
‘Ronnie Macmillan’s boys went to see him inside. Wanted a word. They knew he worked for you.’ He watched Madley’s reaction.
Madley’s glinting brown eyes narrowed suspiciously.
They stood in silence for a few moments watching through the window the blood-red explosion that lit up the horizon.
‘Bastard,’ Madley finally said.
There was a tone of finality in that one word. Enough for a cold shiver to go down Brady’s spine.
‘Exactly what did he say?’ Madley questioned.
Brady shrugged.
‘Exactly what?’ repeated Madley.
‘Reckons that my old man was stitched up by two of your boys.’
‘And that’s what Matthews told Macmillan’s boys?’
Brady nodded.
‘Visa and Delta are their names. Seems they took the shit my old man’s been saying seriously.’
‘Fucking bastard. Deserves everything he got.’ There was a malevolent menace in Madley’s voice.
Brady couldn’t disagree with him.
‘And what? Matthews is listening to that piece of snivelling shit?’
‘Matthews wants out,’ answered Brady.
‘Heart fucking bleeds. Bent copper and all, he won’t last long inside.’
Again, a chill went down Brady’s spine.
‘Not only that, Matthews identified a photograph they had of Simone Henderson. The copper found in your toilets early yesterday this morning,’ he added.
Madley’s eyes dangerously narrowed as he absorbed this new information.
‘Martin?’
‘What?’
Brady noted that Madley still wouldn’t look at him. His glinting brown eyes were studying the drunken, high- spirited revellers below with predatory interest. He had the look of a man who was out for the kill. And Brady knew that Nick, amongst others, was a target.
‘Why didn’t you say what’s been going on with Ronnie Macmillan?’ ventured Brady.
Madley’s jaw tightened.
‘Because I can sort this out myself,’ he answered.
‘Doesn’t seem that way to me,’ replied Brady.
‘I wouldn’t worry about me, Jack. I’d say you already have your hands full trying to stop that brother of yours. He’s got himself involved with some bad company. Just like before, but this time he can’t come running to me to sort it.’
‘I’ll stop him.’
‘I hope for his sake that you do. If you don’t, then I will. With the help of Johnny and his brother Billy.’
Brady knew the kind of help Johnny Slaughter and his brother, Billy, more notoriously known as ‘Billy Slash Slaughter’, would give Madley.
Madley slowly turned and looked at Brady.
‘Stop him. Because believe me, Jack, I don’t want to hurt him. But if I have to, then that’s what I’ll do.’
Brady knew the score. He couldn’t argue with Madley. Nick had crossed the line, not only with Madley, but also with his own brother. It was now only a matter of time before either Brady or Madley tracked him down. Brady was just hoping that Weasel Face didn’t get to him first. Brady knew that Weasel Face had a penchant for putting the barrel of his gun to his victim’s right eye and blowing their brains out.
‘What do you know about Macmillan and these Eastern European brothers that he’s working with?’ Brady questioned.
Madley turned back to the window, his face suddenly darkening.
‘I know that this is bigger than you imagine.’
‘I already know who they are,’ Brady replied. ‘Ex-military until a year ago. Dangerous fuckers who were in the Lithuanian army’s Special Operation Forces. Last known to be working as bodyguards. From what I heard they’re working for the Lithuanian Ambassador who’s up here just now.’
Madley shook his head. ‘You’re not listening. This is bigger than you can imagine, Jack. Let it go. Find Nick and get him the fuck out of my town. That’s all you have to do.’
Madley turned and held Brady’s eye. The look was hard and dangerous.
‘And leave me to deal with Macmillan and those Dabkunas bastards. Because believe me, those sick fuckers won’t know what’s hit them when I’m done.’
Brady didn’t argue with Madley. It was pointless.
He turned and walked towards the door.
‘And Jack?’
