A Shot In The Night (John Harper Series Book 2)

by Edward Holmes

  “Happens all the time, moving on weapons with a history. In fact one of the men in that armed gang is serving his time due to selling guns. When they raided his house, they found over forty different firearms and an assortment of knives that would put a five star restaurant to shame.”

  I stood up and ran my hand through my hair, “Looks like you’ve got a good lead right there.”

  “I’ve been given the opportunity to go speak to him tomorrow, since we only got the lab work back late. Speaking of that, your bullets didn’t show up on anything we have.”

  Throwing down my free hand in frustration, I sat back on the bed, “It’s ok,” rubbing my eyes I continued, “Spencer, if you would be so kind as to keep me informed as to what you learn from this prisoner, I’m sure it would be of help.”

  “How goes your investigation?” there was a tone in his voice that suggested more than he was letting on.

  I had an inkling as to what his smugness was about and I wasn’t in the mood to play around, “Well it would be easier if people would trust me. I mean, having a police tail for the day wasn’t the best way of garnering support from Saul.”

  Spencer let out a short laugh, “You’re not saying you saw them?”

  I smiled, “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t, but Saul sure as hell felt their presence. I take it they knew where he was going?”

  “The drugs unit think that he is involved in all of this. Having him in the country whilst all this is going on has convinced them that he is pulling the strings. They wanted to come down hard on him but they couldn’t convince the top brass he was behind the shootings. The last thing they want to do is arrest someone without the evidence and Saul is the sort of guy that would happily smile as he sued the arse off us for wrongful arrest.”

  “Yeah, I get the feeling that he would definitely use the system to his own ends.”

  “So are you going to tell me about it then or has the life of a private eye corrupted you enough to fraternise with known criminals?”

  Grinning, I looked at my reflection in the mirror, “Some would say that I fraternised with them before I even left the force. I would also say that corrupting me was impossible since I was already corrupted. My meeting was illuminating. Saul seems to think that I can help him and he has made his men pledge their support to that cause. Some are reluctant but I think that the threat to their own lives is enough to convince them into listening to me.”

  “Are they circling the wagons already?”

  “Not yet. I’ve just got the feeling that this is about to turn into something a lot more dangerous.”

  “If you’re right, then having Big Saul in the country means there will be much more bloodshed. His reputation is for one of cleaning house. The longer this madman is free to attack at whim, the greater the chance that other innocents will be caught in the crossfire.”

  I nodded, “You’re right. Having him in the country is dangerous. It’s dangerous for him as well,” I said as a thought crossed my mind and I mentally cursed myself for not realising it sooner, “Spencer, I think I know the next target for our shooter.”

  It was as if I could hear the man sit upright in his chair at my words, “Where?” he asked with a mix of excitement and incredulousness in his voice.

  “When I tell you, you’re not going to like it, especially when I say that I should and can be the only one to try and stop him. If we send the boys in blue to protect him then everything I’ve worked towards is gone and things could escalate even further.”

  “Get to it, man!” Spencer ordered

  “He’s going to attack Big Saul himself and I’m the only man who can save him.”

  Chapter Forty Four

  It’s a strange feeling; waking up knowing you have saved someone’s life, especially when you know that the person you rescued is responsible for the suffering of hundreds of people. When I had raced to Saul’s gaudy home and helped fend off the attempt on his life I had been acting mainly on instinct. I can rationalise what I did as another part of the ‘greater good’ argument but there’s only so many times you can repeat that to yourself before it starts to sound hollow.

  After the firing had stopped and we had waited a considerable amount of time, essentially cowering behind the perforated car, I went over to where I suspected the shooter had been. I approached timidly with the pistol still raised, aware that I was out in the open and that there was only the one bullet left at my disposal. Luckily I would not need to use it again as the shooter had left.

  I doubted he would have wanted to leave any evidence of his location but during the firefight it would have been too dangerous to remove all of his shell casings, especially since I seemed to be rather accurate in my assessment of where he had been shooting from. Walking into the tree line with a torch in my left hand and the pistol in my right, I saw the damage my shots had made. Wood had splintered off a number of trees bracketing a flattened piece of grass. Dotted around the grass, three cartridges reflected the light from my torch back at me. I knelt gently down next to them, the pistol still raised, slowly sweeping around and trying to see into the woodland, wondering where the rifleman had gone.

  Back when I was on the force, I would have left the crime scene for the more scientific minded individuals to comb over. Luckily I had experience of working without such help and I was certain that Saul would not be calling the police to report that there had been an attempt on his life. Part of me was wondering what would happen to the men that had lost their lives and the others that had been wounded in his service but that really wasn’t any of my concern. If he wanted to inform me then I’m sure he would.

  I picked up the evidence of the shooter and used my trusty plastic bags to preserve them. Considering what I knew of the assailant, I doubted there would be any fingerprints on the metal casings but everyone made mistakes and many a dangerous serial killer had tripped up over small details leading to their eventual arrests, so it was worth the precautions. I would have to tell Spencer about some of what had happened to get him to do another check on the rifle casings but I was certain I could find out what weapon they had been fired from myself.

  Soon I was joined by more of Saul’s goons and then the man himself. I insisted it wasn’t safe for him but he had wanted to see for himself where the shooter had waited for him. The drug kingpin looked ruffled and there was blood covering his shirt and jacket as well as a slight tear in his trousers but he seemed more aggressive than worried. It took considerable coaxing and the not so subtle use of my command voice to get him to go back to the well lit area of his driveway and into a new car which had arrived, apparently filled with men on his payroll.

  Luckily his protectors wanted to move him to safety as much as I wanted him to leave. They drove off without giving me any indication of where they would be taking him and considering the looks I was the subject to from Saul’s men, I quickly returned to my own car.

  Even at a cursory glance I could see the damage the bodyguards had done in trying to stop me. I made a mental note to make sure that Saul paid for the repairs since I doubted that my insurance would cover bullet holes. That being said, I have never really paid attention to what my insurance policies say since I know that I’m being robbed blind no matter how much I might complain.

  I drove slowly and carefully out of the grounds and passed what was unmistakably to my keen trained eye an unmarked police car. The two gentlemen stared at me and I offered them a little nod.

  Once I got back to my hotel, I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Falling asleep as quickly as possible has always been one of my greatest assets. Waking with the moral dilemma and even more physical injuries didn’t make for a comfortable morning. I was however feeling rather excited and invigorated and even strong enough to go for my morning run. I wanted to feel strong and refreshed for my visit to Fraser’s Gym. Something in me wanted to show that I was a strong fighter, that after a night of being shot at I wasn't going to shirk my responsibilities. I was working on the
assumption that things were about to get messy in the area. An attack on Saul would not remain quiet even if he had ordered it to be. The noise of the shots and the amount of witnesses would lead to people knowing. If that happened then it wouldn't take long for the fact that I was there to get out.

  The gym seemed to be a focal point, a place on the border of the two warring gangs that coalesced information and feelings. I knew there was more to the shootings now, so did the leaders of the gangs, but the men on the street, the young boys that had seen their friends shot and killed still wanted vengeance. Attempting to kill Saul would only make matters worse and I was under the impression that he would be involving some people that would make things even more bloody for the area. When I rescued him he muttered as much.

  My other reason for visiting was a suspect. There were hundreds of people that could have carried out the attacks, hell I hadn't completely ruled out more than one shooter, but I had a feeling that there was something about that place and one individual in particular that could end all of this.

  On my drive to the Fraser's gym I tried to remain calm. I knew that around that time in the early morning Spencer would be making his way through high security so as to meet with the man he thought had sold the deadly weapon that had ended the lives of two innocent people. What information he could find would be of no help to me at that moment.

  My focus was so complete I nearly missed the phone call that informed me that Ellies Legs would be running the next day at Belle Vue and would definitely be trying. The prospect of making a great deal of money and hurting the profits of a bookmaker did cheer my spirits and I just hoped I could find a way to stay alive long enough to see it all come to fruition.

  I parked up and was greeted with the sight of two young men stood either side of the doors to the gym. They stood resolute, their faces half hidden by their hooded jumpers. I was surprised that Fraser would have guards on his gym, especially ones that were not armed in any visible way. If someone did take a pop at them, there was minimal protection. Walking up to the doorway, the two lads looked at each other briefly and then at me; my first thought of them being unarmed was quickly dismissed as I saw their hands shuffling in their front pockets which bulged with the unusual but distinctive shape of handguns under cloth. My eyes narrowed and I pulled both of my hands from their respective trouser pockets opening the palms to show I was not carrying a weapon.

  Momentarily I thought of how ridiculous I looked; a cross between a businessman and a dancer out of a jazz musical, my hands waving at my side. Biting my lip to stop the smile that was in danger of creeping across my face, I walked straight past the guards. Both look startled and they turned ever so slightly but I was inside by then. One of the rules I live by when it comes to investigations and life in general is that if you walk and act like you belong somewhere people generally believe it. In not showing hesitation to the two lads I didn’t acknowledge their apparent authority that was supposed to exist because of the weapons they owned.

  My unannounced appearance seemed to shock the residents as every eye in the place turned towards me, as did a number of guns. The distinctive sound of the weapons cocking echoed throughout the gym. I tilted my head slightly and raised my hands even higher.

  “Easy, gentlemen, he’s on our side,” Saul said standing from the chair placed in the centre of the room. His words led to the guns in front of me being lowered by the ten suited men and ten casually dressed people. It didn’t stop two men from behind me grabbing and then frisking my person. One of them found and took out my trusty knife which he clicked open. I stared at his grey eyes till he closed it and handed it back to me.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here, Saul,” I said pocketing the knife and walking slowly through the crowd of men that parted before me. Three of the suits I recognised from the night before as his bodyguards. The rest, I assumed, also worked for the man. Tony and Fraser stood to one side, their gym commandeered by the drug kingpin.

  Saul offered his hand to me as I walked forward which I shook as he replied, “I couldn’t think of any place more fortified, one door in and out and minimal windows. No one would ever try to get in here to attack me.”

  “No, you’re probably right,” I said, walking around the gym followed by every set of eyes in the place, “unless the shooter was already in here.”

  Now I know I said it nonchalantly and in a manner that may suggest that I was the shooter and I can see that with hindsight was rather stupid, considering I try my best to pick my words carefully but I didn’t expect the reception of all of the weapons being pointed at me again, and this time there seemed to be even more. I was close to the ring, maybe six yards away from Saul. Once again I raised my hands and this time placed them on the ropes, “Is this supposed to be a joke?” asked the drug dealer.

  “Not in the least bit. I’m just worried that someone close to you has been attempting to end your life,” I delivered, turning slowly with my arms still in the air and raising them even more when the pistols and submachine guns pointed at me twitched in a number of hands.

  Saul looked at me sternly, “You need to explain yourself Mister Harper before one of these men decides to be less friendly and start shooting.”

  “Well that wouldn’t be the best way to start the day off,” I said as flippantly as possible. I had to show strength in this situation. I was scared, but how often do you get to accuse someone of murder in a room with witnesses like that. I know it’s not all the people I had met or that there was some big reveal involving twins but I wanted my spotlight moment, “Saul, how many people knew that you were here? I mean in the country?”

  “A lot since I went to the fight. Most of the dealers knew that I was here as well but you know that. Come on Harper get to the point.”

  “Ok, let’s make it simpler. How many people know where your house is? I know that the police did but with the attacks I doubt it is one of them. I know that it was not land registered in your name or in any way connected to your business ventures. So who knew where you would be staying?”

  He looked at me, then towards the suited men and for a second he seemed to tense and I knew what he was going to say, “My security team.”

  It was my turn to stare at the men and, for the most part, they seemed to understand the implications of what Saul was saying. There was fear on some of their faces, others seemed to clench their jaws in anger as they stared at me through their sights, blaming me for worry they now faced, “Who else, Saul? Because I have a funny feeling that if it was one of them you would have noticed someone having a night off when the shootings went down.”

  “I hired some of these guys.”

  “And do you think that a contractor wants to risk your wrath by having one of their workers sell you down the river? I’ve heard the stories, Saul; the rumour that you have a hit squad paid in full to hunt down and kill whoever takes you out, do you think that sniper would be so stupid?” a couple eyes flicked from me to Saul, wondering if what I said was true.

  Saul, for the most part, just stared back at me, “No one else.”

  His words were whispered, the emotion, the pure threat dripped through them. I, however, wasn’t certain of his words, “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I am, one of my rivals must have paid one of these pricks to set me up,” he growled and in seconds things changed, the men not wearing suits turned as one on the ones that did. The street dealers may not have been trained in military techniques of the security personnel but they had the drop on them. That is, other than the men on the door who now levelled their guns on the dealers as a whole lot of yelling started.

  The commotion was ridiculous and for me it was rather funny, or would have been if I hadn’t been worried that there was a murderer in my presence and that if the shooting started I wasn’t wearing any sort of protection.

  The yelling at each other to drop weapons was unbelievably loud and the tension was rising every second. I positioned myself at the side of the ring and yelled
out for attention but no one bothered looking my way. I called for order again as Saul retreated behind two of his dealers. They made their living due to Saul but also respected and loved him enough to risk their lives protecting the man.

  I knew it was a risk that could start the shooting off but I took the decision to ring the old fashioned round bell that was at the side of the canvas. It startled people but no one pulled the trigger just yet, “Everyone, lower your weapons! Saul, tell them!”

  It was unusual having to use my command voice twice in one week but it had the effect of gaining all of their attention, especially since I had ordered the most dangerous man in the place to do something. Saul listened to my words and shouted, “Lower them, I pay you God damn enough, lower your guns!”

  The military training of the professionals kicked in and they lowered their weapons slowly. The dealers were more reluctant but they did as their boss told them as well, “Now gentlemen, can we all please have a little calm,” I said climbing into the ring so as best to see them all, “Saul, I never said it was one of your men. What I wanted to know was who else knew where you lived.”

  “And I told you there was no one else, Harper,” Saul was very close to losing his temper.

  “What about Max and Tony?”

  He looked up at me and then at the two of them. The old men had both stood by the doorway to the small office, no doubt hoping to seek shelter if the gunfire had started. They had their arms folded and stared at me as if I had just urinated on their shoes. Saul looked at them and just laughed, “Yeah, they knew and what?”

  “Then maybe we should have a chat with them.”

  Chapter Forty Five

  Spencer sat in the small interview room and waited as patiently as he could. The lack of sleep and amount of caffeine coursing through his system had him on edge, tapping his foot on the floor to no discernible rhythm. It wasn’t the first time in this investigation that he had been to a prison and he hoped it wouldn’t be the last. He hoped that he would have the pleasure of seeing the murdering scumbag inside one of Her Majesty’s high security facilities.