He collapsed to the floor. She went over to the replica Resolute Desk. She pulled out all the drawers and emptied the contents on the floor. Lisa's Walther PPK was among the contents.
She picked it up, admired the decorations on the gun then searched through everything else. One drawer had a large bundle of clear plastic pouches most of which contained drugs. She gathered up all the plastic pouches. She guessed there was ten grand worth of drugs in her hands.
"Bingo."
She eased the sliding door back an inch so she could look out onto the factory floor. She saw a few people moving about near the cannabis plants, girls, no worries. Two women prostitutes sat at the bench beside the kitchen, drinking tea, no worries. She saw Gavin Shawlens talking to a young girl. He kneeled down to look at the girl's foot.
She put on her jacket and stuffed Lisa's gun into the pocket. It tore through the lining. Her finger curled around the trigger. She pulled the sliding door open with her free hand. Just enough to get through then staggered a few steps towards Gavin Shawlens. A quick scan told her the coast was clear. She relaxed her grip on the gun.
"Hey mate. Ss'ure turn. Come an' get it while it's hot. Come on sonny," she called in her broad Melbourne accent.
She beckoned Gavin Shawlens to come on. He finished speaking to Lexy then he took his time to walk to the office. He planned to tell the woman to forget whatever Lisa had told her. He didn't want her services. When he reached the sliding door the woman reached forward and pulled him inside. When their faces met he looked horrified.
"Don't freak out on me."
"Is that you?"
"No it's The Lone Ranger!"
"Oh God I'm really glad to see you."
"Suitably impressed?"
"Absolutely but I prefer the original," Gavin said.
"Watch it Shawlens. I might get to like you," Zoe replied.
"Is he out cold?" Gavin asked when he saw Sidney McVickin on the floor.
"Permanently. Did you complete your assignment?"
"Yes who do you think?"
"The big bad Buzzwall."
"Yes. He allows them to order chemicals and equipment through the University purchase order system. For a hefty fee. It will be easy to audit purchases against his name. I've nicked a pile of paperwork bearing his signature. He's toast."
"Toast! You watch too many movies my boy."
"I thought that's what action people say."
"Look what I've got for you," Zoe said and beamed a big smile.
She held up the clear plastic pouch with the ring and knickers containing his blood. He took the bag from her and stuffed it into his trouser pocket.
"Thanks Zoe. I don't know what to say."
"I owe you a dinner will do fine."
"Done deal."
"Dinner for four. We can't forget Toni and Scott. Can you afford it? I'll help if it's a problem."
"No problem. We'll all have a great night. It'll be my treat."
"Okay Gavin my lovely boy. Are you ready to go?"
"How do we get out?"
"Simple, we stagger down to reception. I'll deal with the gorilla on the door. Toni is waiting in the car park. Out the side door, into the van, off we go."
"No I mean how do we all get out?" Gavin said.
"What do you mean?"
"The little girl I told you about Lexy. She was forced to do what she did. She's a victim."
"I thought you were the victim."
"All the people in here are victims. I want to get them all out."
"Fuck sake Shawlens I'm Special Forces not Social Services," she said with a strong hint of why bother me with this crap.
"I want to get them all out."
"Do you? Well it's not going to happen mate. Let's go."
"I'm not moving."
Gavin stood his ground in front of her and her hand wavered near his arm as if she was going to pull him into line. She looked at his face and saw despair. He was emotional about these people. Not thinking straight.
"I'll call in the cavalry once we're off the pitch," Zoe conceded.
"It won't work. One of them's a senior cop, they're protected."
"Enough of this crap. MOVE."
This time she grabbed his arm and yanked him forward. He braced his feet, twisted his arm around and she let it go. He stumbled a few steps backwards.
"I'm not leaving without them."
"If I have to drag you out by the fucking ears I'll do it."
Now she was angry with him. Her patience snapped. He thought she would knock him unconscious and carry him out fireman style over her back. He knew she could do it. He dropped down to his knees and looked up at her. She saw water welling up in his eyes.
"Zoe, please. I'm begging."
"Christ! Shawlens get on your feet."
"This place is hell. Most of them are kids."
"So what? A life on the streets is worse."
"I have to get them out," he pleaded.
"There's nothing I can do about it for God's sake. Get real you idiot."
"Zoe, you told me you saw the dead zone in Martin's eyes. I understand you now. I've seen it Lexy's eyes. Her childhood is dead and gone forever. She's not an adult yet and she doesn't know where she's supposed to be in this life."
She grabbed his head by the hair and forced his head to look at the body of Sidney McVickin lying on the floor.
"Do you SEE that? Call the good guys and I'm going to jail. Is that what you want? Wake up stupid. Do you want ME to go to jail?"
She pushed him hard toward the body and he fell down on his hands and knees.
"No. I don't want that," he said quietly as he pushed up onto his feet.
"Look, I'll think of something once we're out of here."
Gavin turned toward the door and saw the glint from small eyes looking through the edge of the sliding door. He went over and pulled the door open. Lexy was waiting for him. Lexy took his hand and tried to pull him out into the hall. He pulled her to his side, put his arm around her and brought her into the office. Lexy hugged him as if he was her real father. She wanted her father. Gavin ran his hand through her hair and the lumps on her skull made his stomach turn. He kneeled down so their eyes met.
"I'm very sorry Thao. I can't take you with me. I promise. I promise you I'll come back. I will come back for you."
His heart melted as tears ran down Lexy's face and they hugged for the last time. Lexy had told Gavin her real name was Thao and that it means sweet flower that blooms at night.
The Manager and two young girls came running over to the open door. Zoe pulled the gun from her jacket and aimed it at the Manager's head. Gavin raised his hand and told her he was okay. A small crowd gathered, craning their necks, looking at Zoe with inquisitive faces. Desperate faces, looking for hope, looking at Lisa's gun in her hand. Zoe pulled Gavin to one side.
"I'm telling you Shawlens. If this goes tits up. I swear to God I'll have your guts for garters," she said under her breath.
Gavin ushered everyone out of the office and away from the dead body.
"How many hostiles still to be neutralised?" Zoe asked the Manager.
"Only the doorman," he replied.
Zoe pulled the blonde wig off her head and gave it to one of the young girls. She put the wig on her head and the other girls ran after her, excited, playing, having fun. Zoe pressed the communications bud in her ear.
"Toni. Report."
"Boss. Ready when you are."
"Change of plan. We've got a bunch of captive adults and kids. Lecturer-boy here wants to set them free. How many?" Zoe asked Gavin.
"About twenty people in total."
"No can do with this van boss. Have I got time to get, I dunno … a bus?"
Zoe looked back at Sidney McVickin's lifeless body.
"Negative on time."
"Roger that boss."
"We need to go now."
Zoe ran her hand back and forward over her hair to get rid of itchiness left by the tight-fitting wi
g. Her pageboy hair style ruffled up and she looked like she had just got out of bed. Her new dishevelled look was quite eye-catching.
"What's the plan boss?"
"Thinking deeply," Zoe replied.
"Listening intensely," Toni added.
"Remember Mozambique?" Zoe asked.
"Roger that boss. Will that be the whole enchilada?"
"Of course."
"Nice one boss. One Mozambique to go. Coming up."
***
Quietly and calmly Gavin, Zoe and the Manager gathered all the men, women and children together near the kitchen area. They were used to doing what the Manager told them to do without question.
There was no noise and no discussion, as they stood in two rows with shortest at front and tallest at the back. Zoe took care of Big Eric in the reception room. When Toni told Zoe that everything was in place Zoe told everyone to cover their ears and close their eyes. For the first time ever a couple of the kids giggled to each other as if they were going to take part in a big game.
"Hit it."
A huge blast blew a ten-metre diameter hole in the wall of the office that backed onto the car park. Concrete dust filled the air as Zoe, Gavin and the Manager ushered the men, women and children out through the hole in the wall onto the car park. Gavin smiled as he hurried past Lisa's desk and saw that it was badly damaged.
One minute later the air was full with the sound of all types of sirens, blues and twos, and horns as police, fire and rescue brigades, ambulance crews, emergency doctors, paramedics, and support services converged on the Club. Men and women in uniforms swarmed over the car park, running between cars and through the Club and factory. They were searching for injured and trapped.
Toni had contacted Alan Cairn to obtain the Home Office response code for a major accident involving injury or loss of life. Toni calculated the response time to be four minutes before first responders would arrive on the scene. She raised the alarm and gave the code to all emergency channels then waited three minutes before she set off the explosive on the wall. While she waited Toni called Scott and told him the gig had gone down. Scott had control of Tyler Wattsin to make sure he didn't double cross Zoe. Scott let Tyler go.
As Gavin, Zoe and the Manager slipped away in Toni's van they looked back to watch the children being carried and cared for by paramedics. The adults wrapped in blankets were questioned by police and paramedics. With two dead bodies, a huge haul of drugs and people trafficking to sort out. It was going to be a long night at the Old Bards Club in Southsea.
Gavin told the Manager he should go back to his family. The Manager said his name was Bob McSwann. Gavin said his dues to the McVickins were cancelled. Bob thanked Gavin and Zoe but said he couldn't face his family after what he done to them. He said he would go to his parents.
Gavin insisted he see his wife first so they drove Bob McSwann to his house. Before he got out of the van Gavin told him Laraine was one of his students and she told him about Jess. He told Bob to listen carefully to what Laraine had to say about Jess, to believe her and work with her to help Jess.
Bob hesitated to get out of the van. He was ashamed, nervous and unsure. He'd walked out on his family. He left them to fend for themselves. Laraine had every right to keep her door shut. Why would she have me back in her life after all the trouble I've caused her? He thought and he knew he was right.
He stepped out of the van and stared at the front door. He edged sideways along the side of the van, away from the front door. He turned his back ready to run down the street. His front door swung open wide and an excited six-year-old girl in her pyjamas threw up her arms and shouted at the top of her voice.
"Mauumm! My daddy's come home."
She skipped over and leapt up into his arms. Laraine followed and the three hugged and cried together. Jess broke loose when she saw Gavin's face in the window of the van as it drove off. She blew a kiss to him then ran back to her dad.
"Are you happy now?" Zoe asked Gavin.
"Yes I am."
"You know we've created an almighty shit-storm for Alan Cairn. His neck is in a noose. He'll be seriously hacked off."
"He can sack me. I don't care."
"I was only following orders, by the way," Toni piped up.
"The McVickins will scatter to the four winds for now. When the dust settles they'll be back and they'll be looking for you. Just so you know. It's not finished," Zoe said to Gavin.
"Question is will they want to tear you apart limb by limb or just slit your throat as you walk along the street?" Toni said to Gavin and Zoe smiled at her.
"Well they'll need to get in line behind Barscadden's people."
37
Reagal Close, Cosham
Somehow it always seems to happen this way when you're waiting for a knock on the door. If you want the knock, it's a long time coming. If you don't want the knock, it arrives before you know it. At least that's how it seemed to Gavin Shawlens and Zoe Tampin.
She wanted the knock so she could face her punishment; get it over and done, move on. He didn't want the knock ever. He knew he'd caused trouble for others. He felt intense guilt and worry that he'd ended Zoe's career. He didn't want it confirmed.
When the doorbell rang Zoe leapt up from the settee and hurried to open the door. She walked back to the living room followed by Alan Cairn and his driver, Steve. They looked an odd couple. You always expect a bodyguard to be the same height or taller than the subject.
Steve was a full three inches shorter than Alan. Still he was armed, mean looking and capable. The mood from Alan Cairn was sombre as he took off his leather gloves, silk scarf, and warm looking dark blue cashmere coat.
Steve stood at the entrance to the hall as if he was there to stop anyone leaving. His stance irritated Zoe and worried Gavin. Alan followed Zoe and sat down opposite her in an armchair. She sat forward, knees together, eyes alight, hands clasped as she waited for the verdict. She couldn't wait.
"Am I burned?"
"Ordinarily this would have been a high profile bust and the celebrations would last for weeks. But since no one can take the credit it has lapsed into a kind of limbo. That does make it a tad easier for me to manage," Alan said.
"The Home Office should take all the credit."
"Believe me Gavin I've thought about it. But the media are all over the story. I can't risk any publicity drawing attention to this Lambeth Group investigation," Alan said ruefully.
"Please sir I'd rather have it straight."
"Fortunately Zoe you didn't use a weapon. People like Sidney McVickin fall over and break their necks every day. Mind you the doorman is a bit of a medical mystery. Massive heart attack, massive stroke and massive pulmonary embolism all at once. Interesting possibilities but I've ordered the pathologist to record the death as a heart attack. None of the rescued people saw anything. So there's no murder to investigate," Alan said and his expression reassured Zoe.
"Thank God!" she let out a huge sigh of relief and threw herself back in her chair.
"The fire and rescue bods are willing to call the blast a gas explosion. They'll write up faulty gas cylinders, even though they blew in rather than out. Again lucky no one was killed by the explosion. There is a question over who called the major accident response using my authority code but I can deal with that."
"What about the police?" Zoe asked.
"Oh the police have no option but to play ball. Jim McVickin had the locals by the balls for some time. Apart from the extensive corruption it's now clear the McVickins were getting away with murder. They're in no position to make waves. They've got plenty to keep them busy with all these bodies in the sewer."
"Bodies!" both Gavin and Zoe said simultaneously.
"Tokai took police officers to the cellar to show them where the drug stuff was stored. Tokai also showed them an access cover to the sewer. In the sewer they found eight adult skeletons and three teenage skeletons. One of the poor souls was no more than thirteen years old. Obviously it's only th
e remains after sewer rats. Eleven bodies so police have got a lot of catching up on their plate."
"Tokai will be able to give them all their details."
"Unfortunately Gavin he won't," Alan said sadly.
"What happened to Tokai?" Zoe asked.
"After the sewer he seemed to have some kind of seizure. Hyperventilating, sweating, shaking, it looked bad. The medics were quick to stabilise him but sadly he died in the ambulance. His frail body was too badly damaged. Given the number of old and new broken bones he had it's incredible he was still alive. Pathologist looking at the x-rays told me he was literally a bag of broken bones. He must have been in severe chronic pain."
"At least he'll not end up in the sewer," Gavin said.
"There is that I suppose."
"Any sign of the McVickins?" Zoe asked.
"There's an all-points out. Media is getting full access to the victim stories. The whole evil story will run in the press. Journalists are after them. They'll find they can't hide their faces anywhere. Good news is their sudden departure means we have seized almost £12 million in cash accounts with another £36 million identified in investment accounts. The largest amount we've ever seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act."
"That'll keep the politicians happy for a minute."
"Quite so Gavin. Our political masters in the Home Office are beside themselves with glee. Happy times."
"Looks like you might be the least of their worries," Zoe said to Gavin.
"What's happening to the kids?" Gavin asked Alan.
"Ah the children. I contacted Barnado's as you suggested. They do have experience with trafficked children. But with massive press interest and Social Services tripping over themselves I am certain they'll get well looked after."
"Thanks."
"Quite frankly Gavin. I have to admit. I thought you were mistaken but apparently not. Children as young as twelve, caught by drug squads during raids, have been charged, convicted and sent to young offenders. Please be reassured. That will not happen to these children. You have my word."
"What about their families back in Vietnam?" Gavin asked.
"I invited officials from the Vietnamese Embassy to support the police interviews and the collaboration is very effective. All of the victim statements have been passed to the National Police in Hanoi. I understand they moved quickly to arrest nine agents and their families. The British Embassy in Hanoi will handle resettlement and clear all overhanging debt in Vietnam. They'll also provide start-up funds for the families from the Proceeds of Crime seizures. A joint UK-Vietnam task force will examine how to stop this evil trade."
Everything to Lose Page 21