Settling the Score Chapter 18
Sorry for the ages between updates, laziness took hold of me, but I'm back, hopefully updating semi-regularly.
thanks to Vikki, sn0zb0z, beccy, abi and starfish saver for reviewing the last chapter.
Zain felt like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He'd left Kristen and no amount of complaining from Neil could bring him down today. He and Kristen had argued, talked then argued a bit more before they split. However in the end, he'd managed to convince her that he was corrupt, he just didn't want a relationship with her. He was planning on getting her arrested in a fortnight's time.
The phone rang on his desk and he picked it up,
"Yeah?" he answered. A voice from reception replied,
"There's a man in reception looking for you,"
"Who?" he asked impatiently, now recognising the voice. It was his sister, who had recently gotten a job at Sunhill, working at reception. He'd never really understood Phil's pain of having a younger sibling at the station before now. She kept telling his mum about every little thing he'd done wrong. He heard muffled voices in the background before
"Mickey Stone" his sister finally replied. Zain just hung up. He didn't feel like tarnishing his good mood any further by speaking to her for any longer. He glanced around the room for any sign of Sam or Phil, but it appeared they weren't back from speaking to Phil's informant yet. Looked like he'd have to take control of the case then.
As he came down the stairs, he beckoned to the conman and walked into one of the soft interview rooms. He heard his sister's voice screeching after him,
"You're welcome by the way!"
"Ignore her," Zain said to Mickey, slamming the door, "She's a temperamental cow."
"Okay…" Mickey replied, looking surprised,
"She's my sister," Zain explained hurriedly. The last thing he needed was a complaint on his conduct coming from a conman.
"Oh" The conman replied, in a knowing tone.
"So you wanted to see me?"
"I just wanted to make sure you hadn't left yet," he said. Zain frowned at him. What was he talking about? He wasn't planning on going anywhere, and he told him so.
"Then where's Danny?" the conman asked
"Danny Blue?" Zain asked, wondering how he expected him to know, "I haven't seen him since I was at the hospital,"
"He said he was coming down here. Something about an undercover operation…"
"There's no operation going on," Zain frowned. If there had been, Phil surely would have told him. He was the undercover guy after all.
"What about the other one?" the conman asked, looking a little desperate
"Other what?"
"Copper. I think he said his name was Phil."
"I don't know where he is either," Zain replied, "He left half an hour ago,"
"Was Danny with him?"
"Maybe, I don't know" Zain said, growing increasingly bored with the man and his questions that he couldn't possibly know the answer to, "Why does it matter so much?"
"Because Danny's going to get himself killed," that got Zain's attention, but he soon brushed it off. Nothing could really happen while he was with Phil anyway.
"He'll be fine. But if you're that worried, I'll call Phil," the conman nodded, and Zain sighed, swiftly dialling Phil's number. However, he got voice mail. He'd probably sent Danny home and he and Sam were using the opportunity to have some alone time, however, he left a message,
"Serge, it's Zain. Mickey Stone's down at the station, we need to know if Danny's with you. Call me when you get this message." He hung up, and decided he'd wasted enough time on this.
"Leave your number with my delightful sister. I'll call you back when I hear from Phil." And he left the room without another word.
Sam watched from a table in a smoky bar as Phil tried his best to convince Matthew Hendon that he too was a drug dealer. He seemed to be doing well, and the conman, who made a living out of doing things like this was clutching at his pint glass so tight that if he squeezed a little tighter, Sam was convinced it would shatter in his hand. She knew that if anything where to go wrong in this operation, it would be Danny's fault, not Phil's. She'd never seen a conman look more nervous. Finally, Phil and Hendon both stood and started to walk towards Danny. She held her breath as Hendon spoke to Danny for the first time, but he now seemed like a new man. He was speaking with confidence, and Sam grew convinced that he wouldn't screw this up.
She watched as they finally reached an agreement, and Danny stood to leave the pub. He walked past her table, giving her a shaky smile, all previous confidence disappearing. Then Hendon, who Phil and several other officers were trying to control shouted,
"You're going down for this! I'll kill you and your family!" Danny spun, looking increasingly pale. Sam caught hold of his arm and pulled him slightly,
"Come on Danny…" she urged, but he stayed rooted to the spot
"Go outside Danny!" Phil shouted
"Danny?" Hendon instantly said, "Danny Blue? Didn't you learn your lesson after your little girlfriend was involved in that dreadful… accident." Sam felt Danny start to move back towards Hendon and tugged on his arm harder, pulling him outside.
"What now?" Danny asked shortly, though he seemed more relaxed once away from Hendon
"We'll stop him getting a phone call. He can't get anyone to hurt you if he can't tell anyone it was you,"
"Do I need to give a statement?" he asked. Sam considered this for a second. A statement from him would be useful, but not necessary. She decided to leave it,
"I'll call you if we need one," she replied
"Personally, I'd be glad if I never saw you again," he said. Sam secretly agreed.
"We'll drop the investigation into you and your friends for now. You've helped a lot," Sam said, knowing she'd convince Neil somehow.
"Thanks" Danny started to walk away, and Sam watched him go, before she realised something.
"Danny! We need that money back"
"Okay" he said, with a grin, throwing it to her, hailing a taxi and waving as it drove off.
Sam sighed, and went back inside to help Phil with the arrest.
one chapter to go.