by Karl Holton
Benedict noticed Rowe’s small facial movements. He’s scared.
Watkins reached down and pulled Rowe’s chair away from the table. “Get out of here, Rowe … but stay in London because I’ll speak to you later at Scotland Yard.”
As Rowe stood up he stared at Wallace, who retaliated by stepping towards him. Behind him, Benedict took Rowe’s jacket off the back of his chair and watched the officers duel. Rowe didn’t see Benedict placing something in his jacket pocket. Wallace let her glare slide away shaking her head. Rowe gave them all a scornful smile as he left the room.
Benedict turned to Grant. “Did Shafir dig the bullet out of the van?”
Grant sniggered at him. “Yes but it’s in pieces. We’re not going to get anything from it. We know the calibre because of the shell casing you found on the roof; and before you ask, yes I suppose it has all the same signs as the Curt Garrett shot. But there’s no way we can say it with certainty.”
Benedict looked at Wallace. “We need to look at all potential sources of a gun that fires this bullet; any thefts, missing weapons from clubs, anything.”
“I’ve set Scott off on this task already.”
He nodded at her just as the phone on the table rang.
Watkins reached out and pressed the speaker button. “Yes.”
“Sir, it’s Scott. I have a call to put through. The caller wants to speak to DI Wallace and … it’s important. It’s Tommy Gibbs.”
Wallace glanced at Benedict. “Put him through, Scott.”
The phone clicked. “DI Wallace.”
“Tommy, this is DI Wallace.”
“I think we need to meet and have a chat,” Tommy said. “But you need to tell me something. Was Johnnie the person killed outside Holborn Police Station? It’s all over the news that someone has been shot by a sniper outside the police station … is it Johnnie?”
Wallace watched Watkins nodding at her. “Yes it was. Do you know who did this, Tommy?”
They could hear Tommy swearing away from the receiver before coming back to the call. They heard him breathing heavily on the speaker. “I think I know.”
“Can you tell us now?”
“I don’t think so. These guys are fucking crazy. I want you to give me some assurances before I do that …”
“Ok,” Wallace said. “How do you want —”
“We’re doing that with solicitors. I want protection for everyone in my family. So you need to get me in; safely. I’ll tell you what you want to know if you get me in.”
Wallace remained calm. “Ok, how do you want to do this?”
“I’m going to pick the meeting place … it’ll be public and you’ve got to secure it.”
Wallace put both hands on the table. “Fine; tell us where you want to meet.”
“I don’t trust everyone in the police.”
“That’s sensible, neither do I,” she said, looking around at the faces in the room. “I have someone here; he isn’t police … and I trust him.”
“Who is it?”
“His name is Danny Benedict. He’s —”
“The ex-detective? I’ve heard of him,” Tommy said, before pausing to think. There were a few seconds of silence. “Alright, he’s fine.”
“Where is it?” she said.
“We’ll meet at 8.30 a.m. tomorrow morning where the goddess lies beside the snake’s lake,” Tommy said. “You two keep that between just you and whoever you trust to make sure I get in safe. Understand?”
Benedict smiled at Wallace, raising his palm to her. He wrote on a piece of paper on the table ‘I know it’. “Tommy, this is Benedict; will you tell us why you don’t trust the police?”
“Not until I’m safe.”
“It’s a very public place you’ve chosen … it’ll be difficult to keep everyone safe at it if we have an issue within the force,” Benedict said.
“That’s your problem,” Tommy said.
Benedict sat up in his chair. “Not if you end up dead, Tommy.”
There was silence on the phone. Wallace glared at Benedict. Watkins shook his head.
“Will your wife be with you?” Wallace asked.
“No; she’s gone away … until this is all settled,” he said. “You need to get my kids and the family into hiding. Every one of them; this must happen now.”
Wallace realised Benedict was right to push the point about the meeting place. “What do we do if we think we need to change where we meet?”
“You can’t,” Tommy said. “We’re meeting there and that’s it.” Tommy put the phone down and the call ended.
Benedict turned to Watkins. “Sir, you need to trust me. We have to keep this quiet and I think we should … well I think we should involve Dawson.”
Watkins shook his head. “MI5 … fuck. You think there’s something to what he said about the police? Shit!”
“There’s no way the sniper could have been that precise with killing Johnnie without insider knowledge,” Wallace said. “It’s too accurate in such a short period of time.”
Watkins pushed his fist into the table. “Yes, yes, I know. I’d already thought it myself … fuck!”
Benedict stood up and walked to the door. “I suggest we run a decoy. I’ll speak to Dawson and get it sorted with MI5. I’ll let you know what we agree and I think the police involvement should be minimal. I’ve got an idea what to do so don’t mention what we’ve discussed with Tommy to anyone. Is that ok?”
“Sure, let’s do it.” Watkins played with his wedding ring for a moment. “Will you contact me about the other subject?”
Benedict nodded at his old boss. “Come on, Wallace … we’ve got to go somewhere to meet someone who’s going to help us.”
Wallace stood up and walked to the door beside him.
“Hold on,” Watkins said. “Where’s the meeting place?”
Benedict scratched his head. “For now, let’s just say that we’ll need to secure Hyde Park.”
Chapter 50
Day 11
Narrow Street, Limehouse, London
5.07 p.m.
Wallace pressed on the break, bringing the car to a halt. “Do you want to explain to me why we’re here again?”
“Do you remember Paddy?”
She removed the car keys. “He’s hard to forget.”
Benedict smiled, sensing something. “Well he’s rather good at protecting people. We’re going to ask Hanson if we can use him to help us.”
Wallace put the keys in her pocket. “Why would he do that?”
Benedict got out of the car and started walking towards the front door. She was right behind him. He turned to her. “Because I’ll ask him to help.” He knocked on the door and Paddy opened it. “Hi, Paddy, did you get my message?” he said, walking into the house.
“Yes. We were here anyway,” he said, turning to Wallace. “Alright, Wallace; all ok? I saw you on Sky News coming out of that building on High Holborn.”
Wallace touched his arm. They smiled at each other. “I’m good, Paddy.” They both followed Benedict into the house. Everyone was in the downstairs room.
“Benedict, it’s good you’re here; we have a few things to discuss,” said Pip. “Hi, Wallace, I take it he’s been a pain the arse today?”
Paddy laughed beside her. “Yeah, I bet he ran into that building without a gun; fucking idiot.”
Wallace looked up at Paddy, whose laugh she found infectious. Everyone chuckled together. Wallace only stopped when she noticed Pip’s amazing shoes.
Benedict put his hands in his pockets. “Ray, we need to discuss Tommy Gibbs. Do you know who he is?”
Hanson was seated on a large sofa against the clean brick wall with Pip beside him. A large rectangular coffee table in front of them had a bunch of papers spread over it with various financial analysis. “DI Wallace, it’s good to see you again so soon,” he said, leaning back on the sofa. “I don’t think I know anyone named Tommy Gibbs.”
“The killer of Curt Garrett and Billy Hor
ne has just killed a man named Johnnie Garrett.” Benedict said. “He was a dealer in Tommy Gibbs’s drugs gang. The killer’s a sniper. An excellent one, and he has acquired the sort of rifle with which he could kill almost anyone from a mile away. I think Tommy Gibbs knows who has done all of this and it would be very interesting to hear what he knows.”
Wallace listened to Benedict’s last words with interest. The inflection in his voice said they both knew this was true. “Tommy has agreed to come into custody and tell us what he knows. But he wants to feel safe. We think they might have an informant in the police; someone who is telling this sniper where people are going to be.”
Ray smiled at them. “That sounds right … given this sniper knew he could kill Johnnie outside Holborn Police Station? I’m sure the circle who knew your plan was small.”
Wallace’s head tipped to one side, impressed by Ray’s quick understanding. “Exactly.”
“What do you want from me?” Hanson asked, looking at both of them. “I’m sure you can come up with a plan to capture your mole.”
“Yes, we’ve already thought about that. What we need is support at the pick-up point.” Benedict looked at Paddy. “I was hoping the big man might help us … well in fact your whole team, Paddy. We need to secure a certain place in Hyde Park and then secure the safety of Tommy Gibbs.”
Paddy was leaning against the kitchen island listening. He popped a sunflower seed into his mouth. “Sounds like fun.”
Wallace stared at Hanson. “You say you don’t know Tommy Gibbs, Ray. I think I believe you. But why do I get the sense that you might have some knowledge of the person behind all of this?”
Hanson looked at Benedict, who was facing downwards. “Have you told Wallace about what we’re trying to do? About the person we’re going after and why we think there might be a connection.”
Benedict looked up, shaking his head. “I thought it better that she doesn’t know. If she doesn’t know she can walk away. I’d prefer it if she walked away.”
Wallace looked at both men. “I’m right here, you know.”
Pip pushed her glasses back up on her nose. “Wallace, don’t take what’s happening here badly. I promise what these two are doing is looking for your best interest.”
“My best interest … I’m the only person in this room who officially represents the law,” Wallace stated. “And as far as I’m concerned this whole damn set up of yours looks wrong.”
Hanson placed a pen on the table. “The person we’re going after has no respect for the law. He’ll arrange your murder just as quick as he would decide what to have for breakfast. We know for certain that he’s connected to Curt Garrett’s death.”
Wallace placed a hand on her hip. “You sound like you know who it is.”
“I do … but only by reputation,” Hanson replied. “So this means nothing when we’re talking about the predator at the top of the food chain in the jungle who no one can find. He will devour us if we let him.” Hanson stood up and walked around the table and stood beside Wallace. “If we don’t work together to do this he’ll be dining on our bones. I would prefer it if I don’t see the carcass of anyone in this room lying in front of me.”
Wallace felt her legs weaken as she grabbed the back of a chair.
Benedict moved so he was looking straight at her. “We think what’s happened has been arranged by this person, Wallace. The drugs heist, the sniper, the murders … everything. If there’s a connection to the art theft we haven’t found it yet but it’s possible.”
Wallace dropped her face towards the floor then looked back at Hanson. “So what do we do?”
Hanson touched her elbow. “We can’t use the law to win a battle with the king of the jungle. We need an ambush, great camouflage and very big teeth.”
Chapter 51
Day 11
New Scotland Yard, Victoria, London
7.10 p.m.
Rowe expected that this wouldn’t be a pleasant meeting. He was imagining Watkins’ office like a paddling pool with a great white shark twisting around within it just as the boss arrived.
“Get inside,” Watkins said, pointing to the office.
Watkins made his way to the chair and sat. Rowe remained standing.
“We’ve heard from Tommy Gibbs,” Watkins said, glaring at him. “He wants to come in but given what happened to Johnnie he has an issue with the police.”
“I can —”
Watkins raged. “You’re not going near him … in fact you’re fucking lucky I’m even telling you this. I’m only doing it out of a courtesy to your boss.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re going to watch from a distance with me, here in this office. Do you understand?”
Rowe pushed away a grin from forming. “Of course, sir.”
“I want you here at no later than 7.30 a.m. is that understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You and I will act as control making all tactical decisions. We’ll monitor and watch what’s happening. He’s given us a meeting place.”
Rowe took a breath. “Very good, sir.”
“This one is going to go like clockwork, get it?”
“Absolutely, sir,” Rowe said, forcing out his politeness. “Can I ask, sir … will Benedict and Wallace be anywhere near this; I mean, are they going to meet Tommy?”
Watkins opened up his notebook without looking. “No. I’ve told them that they cannot be involved in this. I have another officer who will meet Tommy. Someone unconnected that will not threaten him.”
“Where is the meeting spot, sir?” Rowe asked.
Watkins picked up his pen. “Speaker’s Corner, Hyde Park … 8.30 a.m. tomorrow morning.”
“Do we have to plan anything now, sir?”
“I’m going to do this myself tonight … you can go home,” Watkins said, looking up. “But be here in the morning like I said.”
“Thank you, sir,” Rowe said, before turning and leaving the room.
Watkins watched him leave and listened to him walk down the silent corridor to the lift. He stood up, walked over to his office door and closed it. He returned to his chair and took out his mobile and found Benedict’s contact details to send him a message. He typed ‘it’s done’.
Chapter 52
Day 11
Thames House, Millbank, London
9.13 p.m.
Dawson leaned back in his large black leather chair. “Tell me that’s a bloody joke.”
Benedict smiled at the way Dawson’s lips twisted around the semi-swear word as his face contorted in anguish. “I’m afraid not. We’re going to meet a drug dealer near the Lady Diana fountain and there’s a good chance that a sniper will be shooting live rounds at us from the east … which may have the ability to go beyond that point —”
“Towards Kensington Palace,” said Paddy, unable to curb his desire to finish the sentence.
Dawson shook his head. “You two are special. You get me to leave Swan Lake by the Bolshoi at Covent Garden to tell me that someone will be shooting towards William and Kate’s house tomorrow morning.”
Benedict suppressed his laugh.
Paddy raised a finger. “Only if he is a really bad shot … which we don’t think he is.”
“Oh, you don’t think,” snapped Dawson. “Well on that basis I’ll leave the royal family in their beds and let them finish their breakfast in peace, shall I?”
Paddy tipped his head. “Well, personally I would —”
“Shut up … please explain rhetorical to him, Benedict.” Dawson sighed, his head seemingly unable to stop shaking.
“I’m afraid it gets worse,” Benedict said, similar to the admittance of the naughty schoolboy. “There are two more factors that we need to consider.”
Dawson stood up and walked to his office window and stared across the Thames. “Go on.”
“We think the organisation that wants to get to this guy could … well the only way to put it is to send in ‘boots on the ground’,”
Benedict said, watching Dawson’s head continue to shake. “They may be willing to take the chance even though they know we’ll be there.”
Dawson pushed a finger-tip into the bridge of his nose. “And secondly?”
Benedict had convinced Watkins that Rowe was bad. He’d pickpocketed Rowe’s phones when they returned to Holborn Police Station after Johnnie’s murder. He arranged for the forensic team to record every text message, proving that Rowe was the informant. He’d put both phones back into Rowe’s pocket during their meeting. Once Watkins calmed down after learning the facts, he agreed to create the trap.
Benedict sat down. “We’re going to create a decoy meeting place at Speaker’s Corner to try and fool them. We know they have an informant in the police and we’re going to use this opportunity to catch the sniper.”
Dawson rubbed his forehead. “If this wasn’t so serious, it would be a classic black comedy … what are you expecting me to do?”
Benedict had already worked out the answer to that question. “We need your help securing the park perimeter and local buildings because if we want this guy to turn up we can’t close the park. That means the public will be around so your men will need to safeguard any that get too close. I’d like Paddy and his team to be point on this with me to try and secure Tommy Gibbs. We’ll try and find the sniper and get them out early then we can avoid any confrontation completely.”
“Do you think the sniper will buy it?”
Benedict looked up at Paddy. “We think the informant will pass on the decoy without knowing the truth. But there’s no way of being certain. It’s why we think we should take the risk and keep the decoy site relatively close to the actual meeting point. He’ll spot the undercover police and your men … that’s certain. This means he’ll expect to see them and we can use them to push him where we want him to go. He’ll also be expecting somewhere public. So by doing it this way we think we’ve got a better chance of herding him into a certain place and securing the target somewhere else.”
“That’s a huge risk, Benedict,” Dawson said.