Chapter 34
‘Thanks.’ Josh took the pint of beer from Don’s hand.
‘You could sound a bit more appreciative than that,’ Don said.
‘Sorry. Thank you,’ Josh replied quickly, wincing slightly at the pathetic tone of fear in his voice. He took a large swallow of beer as if to show how appreciative he was. He coughed loudly, his eyes watering as the beer went down the wrong way.
‘What’s wrong with you?’ Don asked, his disgust clear. He pushed himself back against the stained fabric of the booth that he’d squeezed his solid frame into, as Josh wiped the spittle from the corner of his mouth.
‘Nothing,’ Josh answered, taking another sip of beer to show that he wasn’t pathetic.
Josh felt out of place in this bar on Bermondsey Street.
The people around him, laughing and talking loudly about their latest deals and successes and couples sitting close together, knees touching as they talked intimately, overwhelmed him.
He was grateful he’d chosen a booth that was like a cocoon.
It was impossible for his neighbour to see that he was scared.
Don placed his thick fingers into the bowl of mixed nuts and picked out all the cashews. ‘You wanted to talk,’ he said.
‘Aren’t we going to wait for—’
‘No,’ Don cut him off. ‘Whatever you need to say, you can say it to me.’
Josh drank his beer and tried to settle his nerves. The last time he’d seen Don, his hands had been around his neck. When he touched the back of his head, he could feel the flaking scab, the flesh still tender.
‘I want out,’ said Josh. He waited for a response, but there was nothing, just the sound of cashew nuts being pulverised in Don’s mouth.
‘Don’t get me wrong. I agree with what we’re doing. 100 per cent I agree with the cause,’ he said. ‘Giving the people what the police and courts aren’t prepared to. Delivering justice.’
‘So, what’s your problem?’
Josh leaned on the table and put his left hand to his forehead. ‘I can’t do this,’ he whispered. ‘It was one thing, harassing people, putting shit through their door, exposing them on … but this—’
Josh caught Don’s cold eyes and quickly lowered his head.
He’d seen that look before – when Don had taken the sledgehammer to Nathan Hall’s pelvis.
Josh rubbed at his eyes. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept through the night.
He was constantly on edge, shouting at his children, sleeping in two-hour bursts.
The over the counter sleeping tablets didn’t work, neither did trying to silence the noise with alcohol.
He could still hear Nathan’s screams in his head as he slept, could still hear Graham Ashcroft hitting and smashing the windscreen.
Almost worse were Don’s shouts of delight.
‘It’s too much,’ Josh said. ‘I want to hold these arseholes accountable but not like this.’
‘You know longer support our cause?’ Don challenged.
‘Of course, I support it but it’s dangerous. The police… they came to my work.’
Don downed the remainder of his pint. ‘We’re going,’ he said. He wriggled from the booth and walked briskly out of the bar.
‘Who came?’ Don demanded once Josh had joined him in the churchyard opposite.
‘I picked it up from my boss’s desk,’ Josh said. He took a crumpled business card from his jeans pocket and handed it to Don.
‘Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley,’ Don read. ‘Serial Crimes Unit. When did she come by?’
‘Yesterday morning.’
‘And you’re only telling me now.’
‘I had … I had a lot on,’ Josh stuttered. ‘But I don’t—’
‘Shut the fuck up!’ Don placed his hand on his hip and watched a kid on an electric scooter making his way through the park exit. ‘Explain to me exactly what happened.’
‘I don’t know what was said but he gave them access to the Soteria network.’
‘Them, you said them.’
‘Yeah, she had this computer guy with her. Ezra Williams. I Googled him and found out that he was found guilty of fraud. He created phishing software for a gang that defrauded a bank. The prosecutor said that this Ezra kid was a prolific and highly skilled cyber-criminal.’
‘I suppose the police will take anybody,’ Don said, putting the business card in his pocket.
‘You can see why I want out right? They’re getting close,’ Josh’s voice rose in panic. ‘What if she comes back?’
Don said nothing.
‘I can’t go to prison. I just can’t. I’ve got my kids.’
‘Fine.’ Don slapped Josh hard on his shoulder. ‘Consider yourself out.’
‘What? Are … are you sure?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘You don’t know what this means,’ Josh said with relief. ‘You have my word. I won’t say—’
‘I understand,’ said Don, patting Josh’s arm. ‘Forget you ever met us.’
Don held the citrus vapour in his mouth for a few seconds as he read the witness statement. He could almost feel the pain of the victim, imagining how she felt as the liquid burned the skin on her face. She’d had no doubt about the identity of her attacker.
‘Are you sure this is the one, Mika?’ he asked, taking another inhale, desperate for the nicotine hit. He’d been careful not to use her name – not that he was even sure if it was her real name – when Josh had been around but now it was just the two of them, it was safe.
‘Positive,’ Mika confirmed as she adjusted the sleeves of her oversized cardigan. The heating was malfunctioning in the garden office and the night chill had settled in the room. ‘Obviously this is a redundant discussion if the jury do the right thing, but we need to be prepared.’
‘I think it would be better if we prepared for someone a little bit less high profile. Someone who hasn’t been splashed all over the home page of Sky News.’
Don returned the witness statement back to the file and picked up the well-thumbed list from the table. He picked up a red sharpie and crossed out Nathan Hall’s name.
‘You’re probably right, said Mika. ‘It might throw the police off a bit. Speaking of the police, have you heard anything from Larry?’
‘No,’ Don replied. He tapped his pen against the list of names. ‘Radio silence. I’m thinking that we scared him off.’
Mika snorted. ‘I’d rather have him out than in if he can’t handle the reality of what we do. You scream about wanting justice and then cry when we deliver it. Tea or coffee?’
‘Tea, please. I’ve been thinking that it might be a good time to recruit another member, maybe two. I’m not saying I can’t handle things myself, but two pairs of hands are better than one. I know a guy—’
‘I’m not too keen on dragging anyone new into our business,’ said Mika. She opened the fridge, pushing aside the Ziplock bags containing the scalps to get the milk.
‘It wouldn’t be anyone new, not really,’ Don said. ‘You already know him. His name’s Frank, and he was a member of the Crawley Hunters. I met up with him last week and he’s keen.’
Mika handed Don his tea. ‘What’s his background like and do you trust him?’
‘I do. And he’s clean. He’s got a new job working security and he had to have an enhanced DBS check as part of the application,’ said Don.
He put his tea down and took out his phone.
‘He’s got an incentive to do what we do.
His brother was robbed three years ago and had a knife put to his throat.
The guy only got an eighteen-month sentence but was out in six.
Frank showed him what he thought of that. ’
Mika took the phone from Don and smiled at the photo of a man tied to a chair, his face bloody and bruised. The crutch of his blue jeans darkened from when he’d pissed himself.
‘We can have a chat,’ she said. ‘We probably need someone to replace Josh.’
‘That cunt,’ Don said his face darkening with anger.
‘I’ve been thinking about him a lot,’ said Mika, taking a seat at the table. ‘He didn’t tell us about the police visiting Soteria and talking to his boss. Now all of a sudden he’s out. I don’t like it.’
‘You thinking that he’s talking to the police?’
‘I wouldn’t be surprised. We need to keep an eye on him. I want you to follow him.’
‘Follow him. Mika, how am I supposed to do that?’
‘You’ve shared locations with each other in the past. You shared yours with me when you came to Manchester.’
Don sighed and took out his phone.
‘Well?’ Mika asked as the motion sensor lights in the garden turned on. She smiled when she saw what was in her husband’s hand. A fan heater and a file. She opened the door.
‘You all right, Elliot?’ asked Don.
‘Not bad,’ Elliot replied as he handed the heater to his wife. ‘Don’t stay out here too long – its freezing.’
‘We won’t be much longer. Is that the case you were telling me about?’ Mika asked, pointing at the file in her husband’s hand.
‘Yeah. One to keep your eye on. I’ll see you inside.’
‘Thank you so much, darling.’ Mika closed the door behind him.
‘We could get your other half to join us.’
‘Oh, no. He doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. So, how did you get on?’
Don held up his phone, showing a map on his screen. A red pin had been placed on Cannon Street. ‘Looks like he went back to the office.’
‘Keep an eye on him and, if you can, follow him.’
‘Mika, I’ve got work. Clients. I can’t just take time off.’
Mika picked up a paring knife from the table and ran it along Don’s cheek. ‘I don’t want to hear excuses. You need to think about the bigger picture.’
‘You’re right. Sorry, I wasn’t … I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be sorry, just do it and if it turns out that Josh is talking to the police, then you know what to do.’
Don smiled. ‘I’ll bring you his scalp.’