BLOOD DRAGON by Freddie Peters (books to get back into reading .TXT) 📕

This time Pole picked up. He sounded distracted, perhaps too busy to listen to what she had to say. “I hope I’m not troubling you.”

“Of course not … what can I do for you?” His tone changed, more focused and considerate. He wanted to hear what she had to say.

Cora explained in as much detail as she could about her encounters. It sounded feeble when she told the story and she felt embarrassed. But she could hear the rustle of paper. Inspector Pole was taking notes. When she finished, he confirmed the times of the encounters with her.

“I’ll make sure someone in my team checks the CCTV cameras at UCH and in the surrounding area outside.”

Cora thanked him. Branning grimaced and moved his hand to encourage her to keep talking. “Go on,” he mouthed as she hesitated.

Pole was no longer in a hurry. He seemed to hear the hesitation and gave her time to gather her thoughts.

“I was wondering … I know it’s evidence and the lab still need to finish their work in my apartment …”

“But …” Pole’s voice sounded amused. “… you’d like to get something out of there.”

Cora blinked. Branning gave her an approving smile.

“That would be really brilliant.”

“OK … and how are you proposing to get in there with a large gaping hole in the middle of the floor.”

“Well … you know I am a performance artist.”

“I know that very well … I’ve been to a few of your shows.”

“Oh …” Cora was not sure whether she was pleased or concerned. “Then you will know that I could … use my ropes and abseil down the window at the back of the flat. I’ve done that before.” It sounded worse than it was. “When I was rehearsing that is.”

“What does DS Branning say?”

Cora handed the phone to him. He cleared his throat and gave Pole his considered opinion. “I believe she can do it, Sir.”

Branning handed the phone back to Cora.

“I want to know the details of how you are going to go about it. All of it. And I’ll speak to the builders too. I want to know whether it is safe to stand at the far end of the room.” Pole was not indulging her. He must have gathered there was something that she felt it was important to retrieve.

Cora leaped out of the chair. She no longer had to sit on her hands and do nothing. “I’ll get a detailed plan to you ASAP. Jonathan …” She stopped herself … Had she been too friendly?

“Good to hear it … and I mean it … all the details, step-by-step.”

* * *

“I’m fine.” The voice reverberated across the empty space. Jack had not heard the door open. Perhaps he had dozed off. “I’m sorry I haven’t call you for a while … but I’m good. I’m really busy at work you know.”

Randy Zhang slid his rucksack from his shoulder and dumped it onto his sleeping bag. From the bathroom, Jack could hear the shuffling of feet. Randy had crossed to the far end of the room.

Jack cast a quick glance through the crack created by the bathroom door opening. He couldn’t see Randy but could hear his end of the conversation. He must have called his parents to reassure them.

Jack slid through the opening of the bathroom door. He reached the corner that the corridor wall made with the main room and waited.

Randy hung up but stayed where he was. The entire length of the room separated them. If there had to be a fight Jack would rather maximise the surprise effect.

After a short moment, Randy walked back to the corner of the room where his small calor gas stood. He was rifling through the bag of food he had brought with him. This was close enough.

Jack stepped out from his hiding place into the open.

“Randy … I just want to talk about Ollie Wilson.”

Randy had been crouching to start cooking some food. He muffled a cry and fell backwards, pushing himself up to move as fast as he could out of Jack’s reach. He lunged towards his sleeping bag and retrieved a kitchen knife from underneath it.

Jack opened his hands wide and lifted them at the level of his shoulders.

“I’m not armed … I am the person Ollie contacted about his suspicions regarding Viro-Tech.”

Randy moved in a semi-circle, slowly, hoping to reach the door.

“I saw the documents Ollie was trying to send to you. They never reached you, because you had left your flat by that time.”

“What were they?” Randy’s voice shook as he asked the question.

“Four documents, two papers written by Ollie, one on AMR bacteria. The others on the impact of deforestation on the spread of viruses. One paper from the Gates Foundation and Turner’s meeting schedule in China.”

“That just means you’ve intercepted his mail.”

“That’s true, but Ollie told me about his suspicions regarding the technology Viro-Tech was selling to China.” It was not exactly what had happened, but Jack needed Randy to drop his knife.

“Why should I trust you … look where that led Ollie.”

“Because I’m CIA and your best chance of getting out of Hong Kong alive.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

The water was getting a little tepid. Nancy stretched out her arm, opened the tap and let the heat spread around her body. She had switched off the light in the bathroom, enjoying the breathtaking view from the window.

The glass extended from floor to ceiling, three panels that overlooked Victoria Pier and beyond it the Harbour. It was almost impossible for anyone to see into the bathroom, but she still felt a little self-conscious to be walking around completely naked.

The call with Pole had been much easier than she thought it would be. There was a job to do, and their common interest in achieving that, had brought them together again. The time for a conversation about trust would come later. She was glad Pole had not