Here we go Chapter 2
Chapter 2
"I aint goin' in there again, I may do somethin' to that little punk you'd regret" said Dempsey popping a chip into his mouth.
Dempsey and Harry were sitting in Dempsey's car watching a rundown car dealership from the other side of the road. Jimmy MacKintosh had to return at some point to lock up...or at least that was theory. A week before they had posed as customers interested in buying a little Metro for Harry as a run around. On that day Jimmy wasn't there and they had been given the sales spiel by a spotty youth dressed in a cheap suit. After enduring two hours of the 'hard sell' Aurther Daly fashion, they had come to the conclusion that Jimmy wasn't coming back until much later that day. They had tried to make their excuses to the spotty salesman and escape, but he had them firmly trapped and continued to bore them about finance packages and how he'd even throw in the deal some snazzy wheel trims courtesy of his cousin Rick. The final straw came when he held up some pink furry dice and declared he'd happily fit them for free for the little lady and there was a set of luminous pink seat covers to match.
Now loathed to set foot back in the grubby showroom as returning potential mugs, they sat waiting for the main man to show his face.
"He was only doing his job I suppose, but I know what you mean, I was on verge of throttling him myself. Why car salesman feel the need to talk to the man only is beyond me...it really gets my goat, it was like I wasn't in the room half the time...what's worse, him assuming you would know more about British cars than I do, you can barely remember which side the steering wheel is on!"
"I know a damn site more than you babe that's for sure, even I could tell that car was a pile of junk."
"Anyone with half a brain could see that car was a heap. The black exhaust smoke somewhat gave it away." Harry watched as Dempsey scooped up another chip, she suddenly realised she was hungry. Without asking she cheekily pinched a chip from the wrapper perched on his knee.
Dempsey looked at her disdainfully "Since when do you eat fries?"
"I don't eat fries, I eat chips occasionally just not in the same quantities as you."
"I asked you if you wanted anything from the burger van, you said no."
"I wasn't hungry then...go on give me another."
"Luckily for you I'm happy to share." Dempsey used the chip fork, stabbed a number of chips and fed them to her. Harry accepted with a grin. "Next time get your own, I may not be so generous."
There was a moment silence while they were both deep in thought.
Dempsey, obviously with something playing on his mind finally said "The boss can't be serious, can he? Y'know about this inquiry business?"
"Inquest," she corrected him "He is, deadly serious." Harry suddenly looked worried, it had been playing on her mind too from the minute they had left Spikings's office "He has to prove that we acted with justification."
"What more justification do they need? Monica was trying to kill you, no question about it...it was her or you."
Harry pursed her lips "We know that, problem is, there are no witnesses, it's just our word."
"and I guess it happening in Spain don't help either. So, what do they do at these inquest things? Do we have to stand up in front of a board and plead our case?
"I'm not sure really, never been in this situation before...I'm surprised who haven't with your track record."
"Whass that supposed to mean?" he snapped "You think I like killing people for the hell of it?"
Harry hadn't realised what she had just implied, she quickly backtracked "Oh no, I didn't mean that.."
"What did you mean then?" he scowled
"I mean, in New York, you have probably experienced more situations where people question deaths at the hands of the Police simply because in America you're, erm, well more likely to use a gun then over here."
"I aint never shot anyone who didn't deserve it. In New York the public respect we have a job to do, if that means killing someone then that's the way it gotta be. The law is an ass in this stoopid country, have they forgotten we're the good guys?"
"Seems that way." Conceded Harry ruefully "I guess they have to investigate if a complaint has been made, as long as we can prove Monica was a hit woman, we'll be fine...I'm sure of it." She said although she wasn't entirely convinced herself. It had struck her as very odd that Chapman had decided to open and enquiry and even odder the Coroner had agreed, it had seemed a straight forward case, Jeremy Chapman was a criminal and Monica was his accomplice who deliberately went off to Spain to finish David Hughes.
She couldn't help the feeling of unease which welled in the pit of her stomach, something did not smell right and she could sense Dempsey felt it too. All they could do was carryon regardless...after all, in the light of recent events, wasn't that what they doing already?
Across the Atlantic a stunningly attractive woman lounged on an elegant couch being attended to by her Philipino manicurist. Her hair styled in sensuous thick brown curls, her clothes expensive designer labels and her jewellery hailed from only the most exclusive jewellers. This woman was Mara Giardino, wife of one of the most revered Mafia heads in New York. While her husband languished in jail, she ran the family's operations and was proving herself more than capable.
She sat sipping a Martini while the girl tended to her fingernails on her other hand, a Jackie Collins novel in her lap. The serene picture was disturbed by a member of the house staff entering the room. The young athletic man of unknown origin, quietly, but efficiently brought Mara a phone, "A call for you Ms Mara. Mr Coltrane"
"Thank you Oscar," she put her Martini down and placed the phone to her ear "What news? I heard another one of your little problems has turned up."
Coltrane, as confident as ever replied "Forget it, he's no longer a problem, he should've taken swimming lessons."
"Can it be traced back to you?" she asked with some concern.
"Course not, I've made sure Banks is put in the frame, he's disappeared so that would make him look guilty." There was a hint of smugness in Coltrane's voice "Don't you go worrying about my end, they got nothing on me, I'm untouchable."
"If you're sure?... Are your London connections up to it?"
"Sure, sure. I've taken on Daly's monkeys to do the job. He couldn't complain...he's in no position to, they're just waiting for your word Mara."
Mara smiled a satisfied smiled "All in good time, Carl is going over to London soon to find the muscle, He's looking for top men, somehow I don't think Daly's 'monkeys' are quite up to the mark for that side of the operation."
" Agreed, they can do the donkey work, Carl's boys can do the rest."
"and for your other little problem?"
"I'll take care of Dempsey, Dan is going to flush him out."
"Good, just make sure he does, but don't do anything further until we have the go ahead from the supplier, it's taken months to get this far, we don't want to blow it now."
"Yeah, I getcha, softly, softly." Coltrane reassured her. He knew all too well how much time, work and negotiation it had taken to get to this point. The heroine suppliers in the middle East were suspicious of everyone and they had gotten cold feet when they had heard that Mara's husband had been sent down. Alarm bells had started to ring as to whether the Giardino's and their associates could be trusted with such a big deal, thus it had taken Mara the best part of six months to win back their trust and re-negotiate terms. To be on the safe side it had been decided to carry out the transaction in England, far from the gaze of the American authorities. They had already tested the water by using Daly as middle man, the fact Daly had been caught due his own greed and stupidity, hadn't deterred them at all. What Daly had given them was access to a readymade crime network in London
What Coltrane hadn't banked on was that Dempsey, who knew more about the assistant commissioner than any other cop, would turn up in London. Coltrane, however, hadn't viewed this as a problem, more like an opportunity. He could kill two birds with one stone. A plan was forming in his mind...
Harry checked her watch and sighed despondently, there was still no sign of Jimmy MacKintosh, or the spotty Herbert of an excuse of a car salesman. An hour had passed since they last saw the youth chain the front gates up (a full hour before the dealership was officially supposed to close according to the open times on the gate) and disappear around the back of the building.
"Shall we call in?" she huffed
Dempsey pursed his lips together in thought before saying more out of boredom than curiosity "Nah, not yet, fancy a look around?"
Harry shrugged "S'pose. May as well since we're here. Really can't face calling in with zero info again."
"Me neither, let's do some diggin' partner. There might be something juicy happening."
"Like what?" Harry said as she got out the car.
"Who knows, we could find out that pizza face is some sort of criminal mastermind and he's got a basement full of nuclear warheads all aimed at the Ruskies." He said with a smirk.
"Hmmm, and they're all painted pink with fluffy dice tied to the tails and a great big sticker across them saying 'Wayne and Sharon'" She gestured with her hands indicating a sign.
"I bet he makes a mint on the finance on one of those things.." Dempsey grinned as they walked over to the gate.
"Can you get finance on missiles?" she carried on the joke, absentmindedly rattling the metalwork.
"Sure, the Pentagon buys all its missiles on 'buy now pay later', must be the same for you guys."
"Nah, pay for everything up front, probably in green shield stamps and postal orders."
"and knowing this country, when you've bought enough they give you a voucher thingy to claim a free decanter and a stuffed tiger."
"Cut glass, of course." They both knew they were having a ridiculous conversation, but as the caught each other's glance they couldn't help but laugh. When the laughter died away they were left standing gazing at each other, their eyes locked. Something had changed between them, they were always becoming more in tune with each other, but it was almost like a switch had been flicked on. A constant current now ran permanently between them and it fizzed and crackled with electricity.
They suddenly became aware of their fixation and a stab of embarrassment travelled up their bodies making their cheeks flush red, they would have to have that talk soon.
A scream from the back of garage snapped them back into reality.
They reacted quickly "This way" motioned Dempsey pointing to a side passage which ran the length of the property. She raced after him, her heels click clacking on the concrete. They reached the end of the passage and found a high wooden gate topped with roles of angry barbed wire. Dempsey tried the handle, but it was locked from the other side. Dempsey looked at Makepeace for approval, she nodded in agreement. He put his shoulder to the gate and tested it's strength, it was flimsy. There was another scream, He wasted no time and rammed his shoulder against the lock. The gate flew open with very little resistance. Dempsey reached for his gun and they headed in the direction of sound which was coming from the garage.
"ANDY!" the girl yelped again.
Makepeace, fearing there was a rape in progress reached for her gun also. They charged through the service door expecting the worst "Freeze" yelled Dempsey, but they stopped dead in their tracks when they were greeted by the site of Andy's , the spotty salesman, bare, white bum poking out of the back of a Cortina. It soon became apparent that Andy was completely naked apart from his Hush Puppy shoes and his socks.
Harry became transfixed by the site of the skinny naked salesman, not that he was attractive, but more that she had noticed his back was just as spotty as his face. Slowly Andy got out of the car and turned round terrified, astonished to see two policemen standing there aiming guns at him he lifted his hands in surrender.
"Don't shoot me...please " he whimpered
Dempsey and Harry didn't quite know what to do, they were even more baffled when a scared girl emerged from the back seat of the car, half wearing her knickers and nothing else. She too stood up slowly, shaking with terror she lifted her hands up.
"We were only having some fun." Andy whimpered again.
"I am of age y'know...I can show ya me driving license, it's only provisional, but it proves me age" Squeaked the girl, thinking that they thought she was underage.
"Er..." stuttered Harry "That won't be necessary, will it leftennant?"
"Errrrr, no...I think we've seen enough already, sergeant." said Dempsey as he shouldered his Magnum.
"We heard screaming..." Harry tried to explain, looking anywhere but at Andy.
"I was only tickling Sharon...she's very ticklish" Andy explained
"Yeah, I'm very ticklish." agreed Sharon, nodding enthusiastically.
"You won't tell me Guvnor? Please don't tell 'im, I can't afford to lose this job." Andy whined.
"No, we won't tell your Guvnor." reassured Harry.
"Speaking of your Guvnor," Dempsey began "Where is he, we want to speak to him?" Andy's eyes widened with fear.
Harry said tactfully "Dempsey, I don't think now is the right time somehow."
Dempsey had to think for a couple seconds to process what Harry was saying "Ooooh, right, yeah, another time, You carry on Pal," He patted the hapless Andy on the shoulder "Sorry for interrupting, you two young folks have a nice evening." Dempsey winked and started backing out of the garage.
"Sorry to have disturbed you." Harry grimaced with embarrassment as she too backed away through the door.
Back out in the street Harry turned to Dempsey and said. "Not a criminal genius who's building nuclear missiles then? But certainly up to something juicy."
"Nope, but he was fully loaded and was about to fire. " he grinned childishly at her.
She groaned "I am trying so hard not to think about it, thank you. So, what are we going to report this time?"
"Nothing, we can't say anythin' bout that one, we'll bring the house down, be the butt of everyone's jokes."
"That's if we aren't already."
Dr Max Andrews waited patiently in the up market restaurant just off Whigmore Street. Dr Andrews was quite an unremarkable looking man in is late fifties. With his grey hair, his pale complexion and grey ill fitting suit, he easily blended into the background no matter where he was. He felt decidedly uncomfortable sat in such a prestigious eatery all by himself and would much prefer to be down his local with a pint of best ale or a finest malt whiskey. He peered at the menu over his black rimmed glasses, but couldn't decide on anything he wanted to eat due to the exorbitant prices. For the third time he waved the waiter away. To him the snooty waiting staff seemed like vultures circling to peck at his wallet. In a huff he put down the menu and started cleaning his glasses with the starched white table cloth, attracting disgusted stares from his neighbouring diners. Once satisfied his spectacles were clean, he put them back on and picked up a brown folder marked 'Monica Grey Private and Confidential'
Although he had read the file many times before, he still had to re-read it to keep telling himself it was real. He nervously put the file down and started his glass cleaning ritual again. He didn't get very far as in walked the lawyer he was waiting to meet. Thomas's employer greeted Dr Andrews with a cheerful firm handshake "Max, how lovely to see you again."
"Hullo Robert, yes it is good to see you again too." Dr Andrews stuttered nervously, he had been dreading this meeting ever since his office received the call.
Robert took his seat opposite Dr Andrews, noting the absence of any drink on the table said "I see you haven't order yet...allow me." With charm he elegantly clicked his fingers at the waiter and placed his order. " I see you got Thomas's file?" he nodded towards the brown file on the table.
"Yes, yes..I did." Dr Andrews seemed to be avoiding eye contact with Robert.
Robert cocked an eyebrow "Well? Strong isn't it?"
"Where did you get this information from? Do you realise this could cause a scandal." He said he hushed tones.
"Nonsense, my dear Max...nobody is really interested in the bloody Yank and I don't think Harriet really commands that much attention these days...hardly a Deb is she?"
"She is Lord Winfields daughter." Dr Andrews narrowed his eyes at Robert.
"I know that." He said sarcastically "and she is my wife and while she remains so, I can do what the bloody hell I like. Now are you going to play ball Max or do I tell the court you're incompetent and demand a Coroner be brought in from outside? The choice is yours." Robert's friendly demeanour slipped and was replaced with a coldness which made Dr Andrews shiver.
"What choice?" Dr Andrews said bitterly "I have to protect my pension."
"Good man, you know it makes sense...let's order, I'm famished."
Hmmm I think Robert needs a slap!
Please review..thank you QQ