‘I’d take the one on the left,’ Harris said.
‘They understand what we’re saying, or she does. Did you see her reaction when you mentioned her? We used to control everything, and now we’re here, no more than children waiting for the parent to decide what to do with us.’
‘We may not leave here alive, have you considered that?’
‘I have. What do you suggest?’
‘For now, nothing. Bateman had the right idea. If we leave here, then we have the Russians to deal with. If we stay here, then it’s Cojocaru. I trust neither, but we must wait and hope that the cards are in our favour.’
‘You are an optimist when there is no reason for optimism. We’re sitting ducks in here, targets out there.’
‘Then I’m taking the one who pretends she doesn’t understand English. You can choose amongst the others.’
The woman who had previously resisted any advances by the three men stood up and took hold of Harris’s hand. The other gang leader sat in his chair, pensively weighing up the options.
Chapter 17
Emotions were running high at New Scotland Yard in Commissioner Alwyn Davies’s office. The man could see from the reports that the investigation into the murders at Briganti’s was far from resolved. Goddard had nothing to say, not in defence of his position, and for once the blustering, belligerent and political animal Davies was right.
‘We’ve got a lead on who killed Inspector Buckley in Ireland,’ Goddard said.
‘What’s Ireland got to do with this? It’s London I’m concerned about, and especially your part of it. I put you back there against my better judgement, and this is how you repay me. You could have got rid of Cook. The man’s a walking liability with his laid-back approach to policing.’
‘I don’t believe that’s a fair assessment of the situation and of DCI Cook.’
‘Fair! When did fair come into it? We’ve got hoodlums running around the streets, arming themselves from what I hear, and you talk about fair. Get real, man. You’re a chief superintendent, not a welfare counsellor. You need to ride your men, be there every minute, following up on every aspect of the case. But what do you do? Leave it to them, and now this. This Cojocaru, how long’s he been in the country?’
‘Nine to ten years.’
‘And he’s a major distributor of illicit drugs?’
‘He is.’
‘Why? You’ve had long enough to get him under control.’
‘Attempts are being made to get him deported.’
‘You can’t deal with men like him through the courts. More QCs than you and I have had hot dinners. You need to bait him, let him show his true colours, force him to commit a crime. Time’s against you on this one, and Caddick’s waiting for the say-so from me. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t dump your Cook and put Caddick in. He’ll not mess around.’
‘Sir, with all due respect,’ Goddard said, ‘Superintendent Caddick is the last person we need at Challis Street at this time.’
‘Don’t give me “with all due respect”. You don’t like Caddick, nor does Cook, but that’s not the point. We need to show action on this matter, and you’re telling me it’s under control and we have a suspect. Frankly, it does very little to quell my nerves. A gang war is the last thing we want at this time.’
‘That’s what we’re trying to prevent. Isaac Cook is in France with Serious and Organised Crime. Inspector Hill is in Ireland checking on the Frenchman, gathering evidence.’
‘I read the report of Stanislav Ivanov. A nasty piece of work if Serious and Organised Crime is correct.’
‘They invariably are. We can’t touch the man, not legally, and he’s well-protected.’
‘Why do we let such scum into the country?’
‘You’d better ask the government. Obscenely rich and you’re welcomed in. Poor and desperate and the doors are bolted.’
‘Yes, we know all that, but what are you going to do? And don’t give me your usual platitudes. The situation is not under control. Are we going to have a repeat of what happened at the hairdressing salon?’
‘It’s unlikely.’
‘And how do you know this? The reports indicate that Ivanov is probably involved, yet you can’t make the connection. So how can you say it’s unlikely?’
Davies paced around the room, did not speak for what seemed to be an eternity to Goddard, but was less than twenty seconds.
‘One week,’ Davies said.
‘And then what, sir?’ Goddard asked.
‘To come up with some results. And if there are any mass murders in the interim, don’t bother reporting, just send me your resignation, an email will be fine.’
Davies had broken every rule in the book by his dismissive and derogatory dressing down of a chief superintendent. Goddard knew he would be wasting his time taking the matter forward.
***
With Larry in Ireland and Isaac in France, Wendy Gladstone was in the office with Bridget Halloran. One variable remained outstanding: the presence in Briganti’s of Sal Maynard.
‘If she was there as a distraction,’ Wendy said, ‘she wasn’t looking to get herself killed.’
‘Her life wasn’t that good. Was she stable, mentally?’
‘According to Ralph Begley, she was.’
‘You reckon that if the woman was in there, it was because of Ion Becali?’
‘Yes. Which would mean that he was involved.’
‘Becali’s playing it both ways?’ Bridget said.
‘Men have died for less, but why? Becali’s a disgusting man, but he’s not stupid. If you cross Cojocaru, you end up dead. If you cross Ivanov, you end up dead. Not good odds whichever way you look at it.’
‘If you’re faced with two imponderables, you choose the path of least resistance, the winning side.’
‘Who’s the winner?’
‘Us, hopefully. But if I had to stake money, I’d say Ivanov.’
With no more to discuss, Wendy went back to her desk.
