Chapter 94
‘Did you have to hit her so hard?’ Poe said.
Towler booted Susan in the ribs. She groaned. He said, ‘She’ll be fine.’ He reached down and heaved her onto Indica’s tattoo table. Secured her hands and feet with cable ties. ‘Where’s everyone else?’
‘Still upstairs. I’ll send Tilly a text. Tell her it went to plan.’ He did. They immediately heard movement on the floor above. He looked at Towler’s gun. ‘The Desert Eagle is a stupid weapon,’ he said.
‘It is. I only use it for show. It looks scary as fuck, but I prefer something a bit lighter. I quite like her snubby, actually. Think I’ll keep it.’ He put on a pair of disposable gloves and slipped Susan’s revolver into his pocket.
‘Gilliard will want that for evidence.’
‘Yeah? Well Gilliard can kiss my clinkers.’
The door to Indica’s studio burst open. Estelle, Bradshaw and Detective Chief Inspector Gilliard stepped through.
Gilliard looked at the semi-conscious Susan. Frowned and said, ‘What happened?’
‘She pulled a gun on me,’ Poe replied.
‘Where is it?’
Towler said, ‘I have it.’
‘I’ll need that; it’s evidence.’
‘Fuck off, mate. It’s mine.’
Gilliard frowned again. He did that so much he’d need his forehead Botoxed soon. ‘Did she admit anything?’
‘Apart from pulling a gun on me, you mean?’ Poe replied.
‘Yes. Apart from that.’
‘Not really. She asked for her money back, but not much else.’
Gilliard stared at Susan. ‘I hate bent cops,’ he said. ‘I think I hate them more than I hate the criminals they work for.’
‘Estelle, when’s she going to wake up?’ Poe said.
Estelle reached forward. Lifted Susan’s arm and held her wrist. Took her pulse. Counted thirty seconds. She then opened Susan’s eyelids and shone her iPhone’s torch into her eyes. Checked her pupillary reflexes. ‘She’s awake,’ she said, her voice harder than edged steel.
Susan opened her eyes. She looked groggy, although she was probably faking some of it.
‘Sir, I don’t know what’s happening, but this man assaulted me,’ she said, pointing at Towler.
‘Save it, DC Hawksworth. I know everything.’
‘I was trying to get Océane Blue’s address. That’s all. OK, I took some extreme actions, but that’s only because we know how contrary Poe is.’
‘You deleted the information that Special Agent Melody Lee put on the investigation portal.’
‘Only so—’
‘You did it under a different name.’
‘I did not, I—’
‘We watched you do it, DC Hawksworth. Miss Bradshaw showed us your financial transactions. We’ve been through the records, and every leak can be traced back to you.’
Susan glared at Bradshaw, then at Poe. Then she relaxed and smiled. ‘Seems my goose is cooked,’ she said. ‘Let’s deal.’
‘Deal?’ Poe said woodenly.
‘I want access to my safety deposit boxes and three properties of my choosing. I need a new identity and I want immunity from all charges, admitted or not, up to and including pulling an unregistered weapon on Poe.’
‘And what do we get?’
‘You get the Red Chamber.’
‘I only want the girl,’ Poe said.
‘The girl’s dead.’
The room went silent.
‘She was alive this morning,’ Poe said eventually. ‘I got proof of life.’
‘And she’ll be alive now. But they can’t let her live. She’s seen their faces.’
Towler reached for his phone. Began a whispered conversation with someone he called Tick-Tock.
‘How did you even find out about Esmerée?’ Estelle asked Susan. ‘About who she really is?’
‘The NCA must have overheard us talking about her,’ Poe said.
Susan shook her head. ‘That’s not it. You only ever referred to Océane by name, never by her relationship to the child.
Neither the NCA nor the Red Chamber knew who Esmerée was.
We both knew she was your client, but we couldn’t work out why she was looking for Océane.
It didn’t make sense. To the best of our knowledge, Océane couldn’t have children.
It wasn’t until Poe asked that FBI agent to check if Vincent du Buk had paid for Océane to have her sterilisation reversed that we realised they’d had a kid together. ’
Estelle closed her eyes. ‘Then it’s my fault. I asked you to do that, Poe. It’s my fault she’s gone.’ She began to weep.
Towler finished his call. He said, ‘Is it bollocks.’ He waved his hand in Susan’s direction.
‘It’s that fuckhead’s fault. And it’s the soon-to-be-dead fuckhead triad’s fault.
It sure as sugar isn’t yours, Doc.’ He faced Susan.
‘And you, you’re not getting shit.’ He threw a thumb in Gilliard’s direction.
‘I don’t care what this prick says, you aren’t getting a deal. ’
‘Who are you?’ Gilliard said.
‘Mind your own business, you incompetent prick.’
‘I beg your pardon!’
‘You heard me. This treacherous bitch was doing this under your nose for fifteen years. If you want respect, you’re out of luck.
In fact, I don’t even know why you’re here.
You’re certainly not arresting her. Not until this is resolved.
’ He faced Hawksworth again. ‘And you’d better pray the resolution includes Wednesday Addams being reunited with my friends. ’
‘I’m not scared of prison,’ she said through gritted teeth.
‘Good, because prison isn’t an option. Not with the Irish Sea so close.’
‘Sir! Are you going to let him talk to me this way? Until I’m told otherwise, I’m still an NCA agent.’
‘Poe, I really think you should let me deal with—’
‘Not a chance, mate,’ Towler said, shaking his head. ‘Miss Bradshaw, you know what I do – what I’ve done. Please tell Miss My-Days-Are-Numbered that I never bluff.’
Bradshaw shook her head. ‘He doesn’t, Susan Hawksworth. And he won’t go to prison. I doubt he’ll even get into trouble.’
‘I definitely won’t.’
‘But … that’s murder!’ screeched Susan. ‘Sir, he’s threatening murder. You cannot allow this.’
Gilliard said, ‘Perhaps I’d better …’ He took a step towards Towler. Towler took two towards him, twice as fast, twice as menacing.
Poe stepped between them. ‘This might be better done outside.’ He led them into the corridor.
As soon as he’d shut the door, he said, ‘Do you think she bought it?’
‘Do I think she bought it?’ Gilliard said. ‘I bloody bought it.’
‘Leave it with us?’
‘I was never here.’ He faced Towler. ‘Oh, and I will need that gun.’
Towler grinned. ‘Fight you for it,’ he said.