She laughs. ‘Okay, but be quick, we’re closing soon.’
As I close my phone I feel a sense of sadness, I know things can't last forever, then I start thinking about James, his life was taken from him so quickly. It makes you realize how precious life is, we’re only here once.
I start thinking about what happened when I returned to the UK from Athens last September. I hate thinking about it, I think I've forgotten and then something reminds me of it. Helen and Mum say I should see a shrink like most people do but the thought of it makes me feel worse, I just want to forget about it and move on. Going to the gym helped and then I just kept busy. I now have a Glock, I hide it in the safe in my bedroom, just in case. I still wonder what happened to Nick, nobody seems to know, the police said they think he boarded a boat in Malaga heading for Morocco or Algiers and that's the last they heard of him.
I start walking around the kitchen feeling angry with myself. Why the hell am I thinking about this shit when our dear friend James was murdered in Athens just a few weeks ago. I walk out onto our small kitchen balcony and look at the people in the street below. Life is short and as John Lennon said, this is not a dress rehearsal, it’s the real thing. A few weeks in Spain will do us all the world of good.
I’m soon dressed and ready to leave to meet Dev. I leave Jamie a note telling him I’ve gone to the Royal Garden Hotel, be back soon. Then I give Mum a quick call, tell her that Dev's in town and that Jamie and I might be going to Spain for Easter with Helen.
It’s a lovely spring day, shall I take the bus to Kensington or walk across the park? I decide to walk, it only takes ten minutes. The hotels on the corner of the park in Kensington.
2
DEV & KATIA
Kensington, London
Katia’s instantly recognizable on the London high street, long black hair, tight jeans, high leather boots. I suppose it’s the make-up that makes her stand out or rather the lack of it. She loves bright red lipstick, her skin is olive and smooth, naturally defined black eyebrows which she never plucks, she’s told him this many times. She considers herself a natural beauty but likes a splash of colour on her lips. But it's her eyes they are dark, almost black, very intelligent eyes. They were lovers for a while, Dev thought she was separated from her husband, but it turned out they went back together, she just didn’t let him know.
He sighs watching her walk towards him.
'Dev,' she calls, hurrying over. 'I saw the terror alert on TV.’ She laughs, throws an arm around him, and hugs him tight. ‘I thought you were coming here for a break not to get caught up in a bloody attempted bombing campaign on the Tube.' Grabbing him by the arm she walks with him to the hotel. 'What luck for us both to be in London isn't it?'
Dev looks amazed. 'I thought you were going to Paris for the weekend with your husband?'
She shrugs. 'Seems he had other more important things to do, so now I'm here.'
He glances at her and immediately knows she’s lying. Is she following him? It seems a bit of a coincidence her being here. He on the other hand is not on a 'break' as she calls it but following instructions regarding a high security alert in London. Trouble is the security alert turned out to be what he experienced first-hand on the train he was on yesterday.
He drains the takeaway coffee he’d bought from PRET in Kensington station, then tosses it into a nearby bin. Katia’s still hanging onto his arm.
He makes his way to the Royal Garden Hotel and glances at his phone. Beth will be arriving soon. He hasn't seen her since she left Athens, he often wanted to call her but…
He turns and Katia’s looking at him.
‘Well, what do you think?’
‘Sorry, I was miles away, I…’
‘Are you staying at the Royal Garden Hotel?’
He nods. ‘Yes, Katia that's why I'm walking up the steps to the hotel.’
She smiles slyly. ‘What a surprise! I’m staying here also.’ She gives him a sideways glance as they walk into the hotel entrance. ‘So, give me a run down on what's happened since you arrived, or do you want to tell me when we’re in your room.’
Dev grunts, knowing full well what she wants, and it’s not a run down on what happened, that will come later, after…
‘I was going to get a cab but thought the train would be faster.’
She grins. ‘Not what you expected!’
They’re at reception, Katia's given a room just three doors down from his, both are facing the park.
The doors to the elevator open, it’s empty. Katia steps inside, Dev follows and hits the button for the fifth floor.
‘Look, I’ll tell you everything later Katia, but first I have some very urgent calls to make.’
For some reason he doesn’t want to tell her he’s meeting Beth, he knows how she feels.
‘No problem, I'll see you in the bar in an hour.’ She squeezes his arm and looks at him mischievously. ‘Or, I can come to your room.’
‘Actually Kat, I’m meeting someone.’ He quickly swipes his card over the pad and the door to his room opens. ‘I’ll give you a ring.’
‘Yes, you do that,’ she snaps, eyeing him reproachfully. ‘And don’t call me Kat, you know I hate it.’ She turns to go then swings round. ‘I’ll see you in the bar downstairs.’
He nods and disappears into his room.
Ten minutes later his phone rings, it’s Beth.
‘I’ll be down in two minutes.’ He grabs his jacket and opens the door. ‘Wait for me in the bar.’
3
BETH
Royal Garden Hotel
Kensington, London
How strange it feels, the last time I was here I was meeting my ex Alex. I’d also arranged to meet Dev later that evening at his hotel. He’d just arrived in London from Athens and was staying at the Venus Hotel in Park Lane, as were Helen and David. It seems such a long time ago. The day after my ex was arrested and flown back to Athens.
I’m just about to sit down at a table near the bar when I notice Katia, the woman who works with Dev. She’s sitting at the far end of the bar she hasn’t noticed me. Dev didn’t say he was here with her, but then why should he.
‘Beth, how lovely to see you.’
I look up, it’s Dev.
He suddenly grabs my arm. ‘Let’s get out of here and go somewhere a bit less crowded.’ He starts maneuvering me to the hotel entrance.
‘But I thought we were having a drink here.’
He gives me one of his sharp looks, then smiles. ‘No, we’re going somewhere much nicer.’
He mutters something to one of the waiting taxi drivers and within minutes, we’re speeding across London. It’s a lovely sunny April day, the trees are in blossom, and the park’s a blanket of daffodils and snowdrops. For a change I feel happy and strangely a little tense.
‘So, what did you want to ask me, Dev?’
‘Don’t be in such a hurry.’
The taxi pulls up suddenly outside a small restaurant just off Wigmore Street, it looks Italian, of course what else. Dev has a thing about Italian food. The last time he was here we went to a lovely restaurant in Charlotte Street.
A waiter rushes over to us as soon as we enter the small restaurant, he leads us to one of the small tables inside an alcove. Soft Italian music plays, the lights are dim.
After taking our order Dev turns and looks at me.
‘How are you Beth, and how is your mother and Jamie?’
‘Jamie’s settled into his new school, Mum still has her house in Oxford, but she wants to move back to Greece.’
‘And you?’
I could say I’m fed up with my job and a million other things, but don’t.
‘The same as usual!’
He sits looking at me with his piercing blue eyes, it’s as if he’s looking right inside me, for some reason I start to feel hot.
‘It’s warm in here isn’t it, do you want some water?’ I reach for the jug of iced water but before I can pick it up the waiter’s filling our gla
sses, then he disappears.
I take a sip, then look at Dev. ‘So, what’s this job.’
He’s just about to tell me when the waiter appears with our wine, he fills our glasses then disappears behind the bar probably to get our food.
‘Pinot Noir, just as you like it!’ He clicks my glass, takes a deep sip of his wine, then smiles. ‘You proved what you are capable of in Athens, Beth. I need someone to work with me, someone I can trust, someone with your qualities.’
My lips feel dry, I take a sip of the wine. Shit this is exactly what I would love to do, I’m so fed up working for this newspaper. ‘What sort of things will you expect me to do, Dev?’
He laughs and looks at me. ‘Well, a bit like when you were in Athens.’ He stops and his smile is gone. ‘But it could be a lot more dangerous. Are you up for it?’
‘Of course, when do I start?’
The waiter suddenly arrives with our food – Saltimbocca alla Romana with chicken, prosciutto, and sage for Dev, stuffed courgettes for me, a plate of French fries and a bowl of salad.
‘How much notice do you have to give at work?’
‘I’ll have to check, can I let you know tomorrow.’
He nods.
Shit. I sit sipping my wine watching him eat, I feel so excited, I’ve totally lost my appetite.
‘Stop thinking Beth and eat.’ He takes a sip of his wine and looks at me. ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’
I nod and raise my glass. ‘Here’s to us, now tell me all about it.’
‘As you know I work for the government, it takes a few months to train you in counter-terrorism work. You might have access to a wide range of sensitive information so you’ll have to pass the security clearance which can take up to three months.’
My mind’s buzzing - do I really want to do this? I think of it more like a private investigator but what Dev has just said…
He’s watching me closely. ‘Is this what you’d like to do, Beth?’
I feel strangely drawn to Dev. I feel I can trust him, and if I’m honest with myself I’d like to do more than just work with him.
Dev's phone lights up, he reads the text and frowns. ‘Sorry Beth, I have an urgent message, I have to go.’ He calls the waiter over and hands him his card. ‘I’ll drop you off then I have to go back to my hotel.’
It’s just like in Athens, he’s always on call. I nod and finish off my wine. ‘Something to do with yesterday?’
He nods. ‘I’ll call you later, we need to talk about this but in a more private place, maybe I can come to your apartment later?’
4
DEV
LONDON
After dropping Beth off, Dev goes straight back to the hotel and stands waiting for the elevator.
His phone lights up, it’s a message, Tom’s outside.
The elevator comes, it’s empty. He hits the button for his floor, walks quickly to his room and changes. He slips his Glock 19 semi-automatic 9 mm lightweight pistol into the holster under his arm, puts on his jacket then makes his way downstairs to the waiting car.
The driver looks at him in the mirror, Dev nods. The car speeds away from the hotel entrance, turns left towards Knightsbridge, then onto Piccadilly.
Soon they’re racing along London Embankment. Dev glances out of the window at the River Thames so dark and sinister. The Tower of London’s all lit up and stands majestic against the early evening sky. The car turns swiftly down into Victoria. A text comes through on his phone.
Why the fuck didn't you wait for me, why didn't you let me know, I saw you from the window!
Katia! He smiles to himself, then his phone rings, it’s Beth.
‘I've been thinking about that job, Dev, I really want it.’
‘Great, can I call you tomorrow, I’m a bit busy at the moment.’
‘Okay, take care with whatever you're doing.’
He closes his phone and glances at the driver. He’s worked with him before, his name is Tom and he lives in London, he’s a special agent working for covert operations.
Tom glances at Dev in the mirror. ‘The police had a tip-off regarding people trafficking, it seems these people buy or rent cheap flats all over the UK. We’re watching a property in Victoria at the moment. It’s not one of your regular Airbnb’s, always young men from places like Syria, Iran, and lately China. They stay for a few weeks then disappear. A couple of tough looking guys often go to the house, they drive expensive looking cars.’
He turns to look at Dev to see if he’s taking it in, Dev nods, he carries on. ‘Seems the woman who bought the property these people stay in has never lived there. We think it’s used as a safe house to keep the people they bring from wherever into the UK. They stay for a while. They’re probably waiting for somewhere else to be moved to. The thugs keep coming round to check on them, nasty business.’
Tom pulls up quickly to let a woman with a pram cross at the crossing. Dev says nothing, Tom carries on. ‘There was a case recently of Chinese migrants being locked in a refrigerated lorry, they never made it to their destination. Lots of similar cases that nobody knows of as they receive little media coverage. It’s criminal, they’re seen as commodities. They are abused and often killed if they’re injured and slow the smugglers down. People who used to smuggle drugs into the UK have found something more lucrative in human trafficking.’
Dev’s used to this happening in Greece, people smugglers from Turkey make a fortune out of the lives of people desperate to reach Northern European countries, they all have different ways of getting there. When the EU made a deal with Turkey, there was a drop in the amount of migrants crossing to the Greek Islands. Nonetheless, still thousands made the perilous boat journey to the islands of Lesbos and Samos or via the inland route from Turkey to Greece. Those with money might have a chance of making it, those without, are rounded up and put in camps from which there is no escape. Conditions are bad just like in Italy who are also bearing the brunt of the migrant crisis.
Dev nods. ‘Yes, a colleague of mine in Libya said things are very grim over there. Boats leave from the port not fit for the perilous journey ahead to Italy resulting in many people drowning. Unfortunately, it’s a world-wide problem and happens in many countries.’
‘Yes, desperate people pay a lot of money to reach Europe, even in broad daylight they’re doing it.’ He turns and looks at Dev. ‘Did you see that video of migrants landing in a boat on the beach in southern Spain and then making a run for it. Tourists stood gaping at them with their mouths open.’
Dev shakes his head. ‘Yes, I know I’ve seen it.’
They drive along in silence then Tom slows down. ‘We’re here.’
Dev looks at him. ‘Any idea who these people are or where they’re from?’
Tom looks over to the house, raises his eyebrows and gives a cynical laugh. ‘Not yet!’ He runs his hand through his dark brown hair and snorts. ‘But we soon will.’
5
DEV
Victoria, London
Tom turns off the lights and they sit watching the Victorian terraced house that has obviously seen better days, it’s not just a paint job that’s required but a total renovation.
Dev glances around, most of the houses are in a similar condition of disrepair, a few are okay. It’s like this all over London, run down houses sit cheek by jowl too expensive looking houses. London’s an expensive place to live so it’s hardly surprising many houses look like this; lack of money is the prime reason.
Dev stares at the large Victorian house, there must be four floors at least. ‘Which floor are they on?’
‘They’re in the basement. The police are set up in a safe house on the second-floor surveying what goes on.’ Tom points to the house next door. ‘It’s the one with the green door, it looks like the rest.’
Dev slides out of the car. The place looks empty, there are no lights on, but what did they expect? Nobody puts lights on if they're in hiding, do they? The ones that do make sure the blinds or curtai
ns are drawn tightly.
‘Are you staying here?’ Dev asks, peering into the car.
Tom nods. ‘Yes, I’ll make sure nobody's noticed us, then I'll be joining you. The front door doesn’t lock so just give it a shove, it’s the flat on the second floor.’
‘How long have you been here?’ Dev asks, looking around the second floor flat.
‘A couple of days,’ replies the young Scottish Detective. He points to a couple of tiny cameras in the Victorian bay window. ‘We have these, they give us coverage of what they’re up to, we're not sure how many are in there, they seem to go out in turns, probably to get fags or food.’
‘Anything else?’
‘A woman drove up, parked outside, dropped something off at the house, then drove away quickly.’
‘She's being followed?’
The other detective looks up. ‘Too right! She was driving an old Rover. We followed her to a hotel near the station in Victoria. She parked the car then disappeared into a 5-star hotel. She didn’t come out till the following morning. Then she drove to Luton, parked the car and took a plane to Ireland.
‘Have you found out who she is and what she’s doing?’
‘We're onto it, there’s something going on alright - we’re not sure what but we’ve a good idea. Our plain clothes guys have been talking to the locals who live along this street.’ He shrugs. ‘People aren’t stupid, they know what's going on.’
Dev sits on one of the plain wooden chairs in the living room and glances around, what was once a beautiful Victorian house now looks run down and sad. Half of the rose in the center of the ceiling is missing, cornices have been left to gather dust and are now gray instead of white, cheap chipboard wallpaper clings to the damp looking walls.
‘Tell me about the people they bring here?’ he asks, taking out his phone.
The Beth Papadakis Thriller Box Set Page 33