CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Leah knew the interview was a trap because David Renn had booked a room with windows.
Senior officers liked windows.
They gave the impression of openness while keeping everybody several floors away from an exit.
Professional Standards had summoned her for ten the next morning to a police building she had worked in for six years.
Calder told her not to go.
Leah went.
Drew told her it was stupid.
That had made her more determined.
"You do realise that's a personality defect," he had said.
"One of several."
"Fair."
She had threatened to leave him in the car.
He stayed two streets away with Daniel and Ben instead.
Leah entered without a warrant card.
That felt stranger than entering North End with a false name had ever done.
The receptionist recognised her and looked away too quickly.
Second floor.
Room 2.14.
David Renn sat at the end of a polished table with two Professional Standards investigators and a Police Federation representative Leah had not requested.
Renn stood.
"Detective Sergeant Quinn."
Back to the surname.
Interesting.
"Sir."
"Sit down."
She did not.
"Am I under arrest?"
One investigator frowned.
"No."
"Then I choose the chair."
Leah took the seat nearest the door.
Renn smiled faintly.
"Still theatrical."
"Still kidnapping witnesses?"
The room froze.
The Federation representative slowly removed his glasses.
Renn said, "Perhaps we should begin formally."
"Perhaps you should tell me where my father is."
"I have no knowledge of Michael Quinn's location."
Leah watched his hands.
Still no watch.
"You signed the transfer authority for Hale."
"A forged electronic approval was issued in my name."
"Convenient."
"This is precisely the problem. You have become personally invested to the point of paranoia."
One of the investigators opened a folder.
"DS Quinn, there are allegations concerning your conduct during Operation Lattice. Unauthorised contact with criminal subjects. Failure to maintain handler contact. Unlawful possession and discharge of firearms. Destruction of evidence--"
"Which evidence?"
"The cocaine recovered from North End."
Leah leaned forward.
"No cocaine was recovered from North End."
The investigator checked the page.
"Six kilograms."
"Wrong. The Yard load was moved before police arrival. The damaged brick went to a club lock-up, then disappeared during the attack. If your report says six kilograms were recovered, somebody has invented an exhibit."
Renn's jaw moved.
Small.
Enough.
Leah smiled.
"That's why I'm here."
The investigator looked at Renn.
"Sir?"
Renn said, "Administrative error."
"With an exhibit number?"
Leah reached into her coat.
Every person in the room tensed.
She took out a cheap audio recorder and placed it on the table.
"Relax. Suspended officers shop at Argos."
Renn stared at it.
"This meeting is already recorded."
"Excellent. Two copies."
She pressed play.
Venn's voice filled the room.
The recording from above the warehouse office.
The one where Hale said he expected Sayer dead.
Then another voice.
Renn.
Not from the warehouse.
A different recording.
Older.
"If Venn can't control the clubs, replace him. I don't care which patch survives. I care that the port stays quiet."
Renn went white.
The Professional Standards investigators both looked at him.
Leah stopped the recording.
"Rotterdam. Daniel recorded it two years ago."
Renn recovered quickly.
"An unauthenticated recording supplied by a criminal."
"True."
"Then you know it proves nothing."
"It proves enough to make this room uncomfortable."
The Federation representative stood.
"I think this meeting should stop."
Renn ignored him.
"Where did you get that file?"
Leah smiled.
There.
Not is it real.
Where did you get it.
"Thank you."
She reached for the recorder.
Renn's hand slammed over it first.
"Sit down."
The two investigators stared at him.
Leah did not move.
Renn's voice changed.
The careful senior-officer tone disappeared.
"You have no idea what you're interfering with. Hale built a system that kept bodies off streets for fifteen years. Venn was going to replace it with chaos. I prevented that."
"By buying Redmile?"
His eyes sharpened.
"You think clubs disappear because you arrest six men? Someone controls the routes. Someone controls the violence. The choice is whether that person is predictable."
Leah thought of Venn calling corruption confidence and stationery.
Same disease.
Different tie.
"Where's Michael?"
Renn looked at the recorder under his hand.
"Safe."
"That's not a location."
"He will remain alive as long as Daniel Sayer does not release the Rotterdam material."
One investigator whispered, "Jesus Christ."
Renn looked at him.
"You heard nothing."
The man stood.
"Sir--"
Renn drew a pistol from beneath the table.
Leah had wondered why his jacket sat badly.
Now she knew.
The weapon pointed at the investigator's chest.
The room went silent.
Renn said, "Phones on the table."
Nobody moved.
"Now."
Leah placed hers down.
The others followed.
Renn took the recorder.
"This is what happens when people become sentimental about process."
Leah looked at the windows.
Fourth floor.
Not useful.
Door behind her.
Renn between her and the investigators.
"What's the plan? Shoot four people in police headquarters?"
"No."
He smiled.
"Only you."
The fire alarm started.
Renn looked toward the ceiling.
Leah did not.
Drew had promised not to enter the building.
Drew lied badly when the lie bored him.
Sprinklers exploded overhead.
Water hammered the room.
The lights flickered.
Renn turned toward the door.
Leah threw the ceramic water jug at his face.
It hit his wrist instead.
The pistol fired into the ceiling.
The first Professional Standards investigator tackled him.
Renn slammed the man's head into the table.
Leah grabbed the gun wrist with both hands.
Renn was stronger than he looked.
He drove her backward into the glass wall.
Pain shot through her shoulder.
"Your father should have stayed dead," he hissed.
Leah headbutted him.
His nose broke with a wet crack.
"Family sensitivity."
The door burst open.
Drew came through first carrying a fire extinguisher.
Daniel behind him.
Ben behind Daniel looking furious.
"You said alarm only," Ben shouted.
"Plans evolve," Drew said.
Renn dragged Leah against him and put the pistol beneath her jaw.
Everything stopped.
Drew's face emptied.
That frightened Leah more than anger would have.
Renn backed toward the internal door.
"Nobody follows."
Drew lowered the extinguisher.
"Let her go."
"You people have been remarkably expensive."
Daniel moved half a step.
Renn pressed the gun harder.
"Daniel. Don't."
Daniel froze.
Renn reached the door.
Leah could feel his breath beside her ear.
"Tell your brother to bring the Rotterdam originals tonight," Renn said. "Rigg will send the place."
Drew stared at Leah.
"And Michael?"
"Alive until midnight."
"Hale?"
Renn smiled with blood running from his nose.
"Less useful every hour."
Leah felt his grip shift.
He was looking at Drew.
Not her.
Mistake.
She stamped backward onto Renn's foot and dropped her full weight.
The gun moved away from her jaw.
Drew threw the extinguisher.
It hit Renn in the chest.
Leah twisted free.
Daniel hit him before he recovered.
One punch.
Then another.
Renn crashed into the door.
Ben kicked the pistol away.
The Professional Standards investigator reached for handcuffs.
A shot came through the glass wall.
The investigator dropped.
Everybody went down.
A second shot shattered the remaining pane.
Sniper.
From the building opposite.
Renn crawled through the internal door.
Drew lunged after him.
Leah grabbed Drew's coat.
"No."
Another round hit the frame where his head had been.
Renn disappeared into the stairwell.
By the time armed officers reached the opposite building, the shooter was gone.
So was Renn.
The recorder was gone with him.
But Leah's phone was still on the table.
She picked it up.
Drew looked at her.
"You recorded it twice."
"Three times."
"Where's the third?"
Leah looked at Ben.
Ben checked his pocket.
His phone was still connected to a call.
Ruth Calder's name glowed on the screen.
Leah smiled.
"Different chain."
Drew shook his head.
"You are terrifying."
"Fair."
She hated that word slightly less now.