Ro swallowed. “Just doing like you told me.”
“Hear that, Billy, she was just following orders.”
“She’s a good girl, mum.” Billy sounded like he was trying not to laugh.
“Maybe not that good, eh?” Mary rose to her feet and came around the desk. “Your brother came to see you this morning. What was that about, then?”
Ro paused, startled. “He… he wanted to talk about mum. She’s not been well,” she said quickly, trying to cover her hesitation. They’d been watching her – why? Then it hit her. They suspected her of something. That was why the Godfreys were here. Extra muscle, just in case.
“Is she feeling rough then, been in the wars? That’s a genuine shame.” Mary sat back on the desk and turned her attention to Holden. “Albion are after you.”
Holden blanched. “And that’s why I’m here.”
“You were the one working with our Colin?”
“One of them, yes. And I can tell you all about that, if you promise to get me out of here. I’ve got names, dates… I know everything.” He looked around. “The information I’ve got, you could use it. Something big is going to happen. The whole city…”
“I don’t care about the whole city – just the parts I’m partial to,” Mary interjected. “Anyway, I already had a very productive chat with some new associates, who told me everything I needed to know about what that fucking toerag Wilson was doing on my clock in one of my vans. Might even be some decent business to be done there.” She shot Ro a humourless grin. “See, Miss Bloodhound: you ain’t the only one who knows how to winkle out the properly useful information round here.”
Holden glanced at Ro in confusion, then cleared his throat and tried again.
“But there are others who might pay good money to know what I know, especially about what Albion are planning. And I’ll sell it to you, at a discount. I just want to get far away from here.”
Mary peered at him. “Word is, there’s a target on your back. I’ve been where I am long enough to know when someone is cleaning up after themselves. Your name is on a list somewhere, sunshine, and that means you’re in no position to call the odds.” She smiled. “So here’s how we’re going to do this. First, you’re going to tell me everything. And then, assuming you actually tell me anything I don’t already bleeding know, I’ll decide whether it’s worth keeping you alive afterwards.”
Holden took a step back. “I was promised protection…”
Mary laughed. “Who by? Her? She can’t promise shit.”
Ro flinched, but said nothing. There was still a chance for her to get out free and clear, and that meant doing her best not to piss off Mary.
Holden nodded. “Fine. What do you want to know first?”
“Oh, I’m not going to ask you. They are.” She indicated the Godfreys. Saul – or maybe Reggie – stepped forward and cracked his knuckles. “But first…” She pressed the tip of her knife to his throat. “Give me your Optik.”
Holden did as she asked, and she tossed it to Billy.
“It’s encrypted,” Holden said.
“That’s what hackers is for,” Mary said. She glanced at Ro. “You brought the phone? The one you found in Colin’s place?”
“Yeah, but–” Ro began as she fished the phone out. Mary took it from her.
“Shut it. There are numbers on here. We can track them. Which means we can find everybody else Holden here was dealing with.”
“Unless they’ve already gone to ground,” Holden said.
Mary smiled. “This is my manor, Mr Holden. No one hides from me here.” She put the phone on the desk and gestured. “Saul, you and your brother know what to do. I want everything out of him before we hand him off.”
“Hand him off?” Ro asked, looking at Holden. “What do you mean, ‘hand him off’?”
“What do you think I mean?” Mary stepped back as the Godfreys moved up to either side of Holden. “We’re turning him over to Albion. The only question is whether we’re turning him over warm or cold.”
Holden made to protest, and one of the Godfreys hit him – hard. Holden folded over and fell onto all fours, wheezing. The Godfreys took turns kicking him for a few moments, and then hauled him back to his feet. Ro started forward, but stopped as Billy put himself between them. “You’re in more than enough trouble as it is, love,” he said. “Don’t make it worse.”
“This ain’t right,” she said.
“Hark at this one,” Mary said. “Right and wrong are what I say they are, luv. And this is right, for us. Albion have been breathing down our neck since they set up shop in East London, and this is a quick way of getting them off our back so we can all get on with our business. We turn him over, they leave us be. Good for everyone, good for future relations.”
“And what if they don’t agree?” Ro said.
Mary shrugged. “That’s why I’m wringing him dry first. And it’s not like we’ll be any worse off for it.” She looked at Ro. “But now then, what do we do with you?”
Ro’s hands tightened into fists. “I did what you asked.”
“That you did, that you did. Which is why you ain’t floating in the canal.” Mary pointed at her with the knife. “How long did you think this was going to last, luv? Your brother’s with Albion, and they’re looking to put us out of business…”
“I don’t even like my brother,” Ro protested.
Mary smiled. “Once, I might have given you the chance to prove that. Put a shooter in your hand, and set it all up nice. But we’re doing things differently these days. We’re not ready to go to war with them – not just yet.” She leaned close. “But before I decide, I want to know whether you’re a grass.”
“I’m not an informer,” Ro said.
“Billy?”
Billy hit Ro with a
