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

“Much better.”

“Again, your team should be able find this, although it’ll be a bit trickier to detect.”

“You mean some unregulated vendor?”

“That’s right … But the shop concerned is next to a CCTV camera.”

Pole switched off his burner phone, replaced it in his pocket and picked up a second one. He had just missed a call from Nancy.

* * *

Cora had gone for a walk with DS Branning. She had never thought she would enjoy the company of a copper, but Branning had become a comforting presence.

She just wanted to think things through without interruption.

Pole was right. The only way to flush out the people behind the savage attacks on Ollie was to lie about his medical condition. She had agreed. She would do it. But the prospect of having to look excited and happy about a positive development when there was none had made her stomach churn.

They were walking along the canal, away from the flat, away from the lock where she had been followed and intimidated.

The weather was cold but windless. The sun had started to set and yet there was still enough light for the towpath to look peaceful, almost pleasant.

Branning was quietly smoking his cigarette,.

“I presume the hospital will have to agree to the plan.”

“Yes. Inspector Pole will speak to the registrar. But it won’t be disclosed to many more people. The fewer the better.”

“What about the nurse I noticed?”

“She isn’t on the staff, as I mentioned. That was well done, you know.” Branning nodded in rhythm with his pace.

“How soon will it happen?” Cora shivered.

“If it all stacks up … tomorrow.” Branning stopped to step on his cigarette butt. “You know … you can always say no. There is nothing wrong with not wanting to lie about a loved one’s condition.”

Cora was taken aback by the comment. She thought she needed to comply. She could see Pole’s plan had some real merits. But her heart was still in so much in pain, that she wasn’t sure she could act the part convincingly.

She stopped as they approached a bench sheltered by some evergreen bushes, and slumped onto it. Branning took his cigarette pack out of his pocket, had second thoughts and replaced it.

“I’m not sure I have the … strength to go ahead with it.” Cora let her head fall into her hands, elbows on knees.

“Inspector Pole will understand … it’s possible that he can do this without your input.”

Branning sat down next to Cora, not too close, but close enough she felt he understood the emotional turmoil she was going through.

Her eyes felt sore with tears and she stayed still, face hidden for a long moment. Branning simply waited, not impatient, just a companionable presence.

“No … Ollie deserves the truth. If I don’t do it, Inspector Pole’s plan won’t work so well.”

Branning pulled out a small packet of Kleenex from his jacket pocket. She noticed it had a floral design. He handed it to her.

“Nothing wrong about being sad.”

“But everything wrong about allowing sadness to get in the way of justice.” Cora had spoken.

Chapter Thirty-Four

“Suffering from jet lag?” Pole teased Nancy.

“Wide awake as I should be fast asleep.” Nancy was glad Pole hadn’t asked about her evening.

“How is Hong Kong?”

“Just as I remembered it. Some places never change and yet, I can feel a different energy … I can’t quite put my finger on it yet.” Nancy would have ventured an explanation but not now when all she needed was to hear Pole’s voice.

“Central has always been a packed island. Just as well that Hong Kong decided long ago to create acres of National Park to preserve the forest.” Nancy stretched over the sofa. “Perhaps a few new buildings to replace the old … And yet, the House of 1000 Assholes is still standing.”

Pole chuckled. “Is that a joke?”

“Not at all … it’s called Jardine House. Almost opposite the Mandarin Oriental. It’s the first skyscraper built on the island back in the 1970s. I had a client there once. It looks very much like any other tall building, but the windows are round. It was supposed to be a distinct feature that would make it more attractive for prospective tenants.”

“Who gave it the nickname … the Chinese?”

“No, pretty much everybody, visitors, expats … it’s a little crude but affectionate nevertheless.”

“Round windows … Is that a little Feng Shui?”

“Bien vu, Jonathan.” Nancy chuckled. “The round windows were meant to resemble portholes, and the sun or moon … so wealth and heaven if we’re talking Feng Shui.”

They continued chatting for a little while. Nancy felt her tense back gradually easing. Pole’s reassuring voice was working its magic.

Nancy stifled a yawn. She had almost forgotten why she was calling him.

“I had an email from Cora. She sounded pleased that she had spoken to you about a person she noticed at the hospital.”

“The nurse that is not a nurse … a good observation. She noticed the woman and decided she should mention it.”

Pole ran through the information Andy and Mandy had gathered. Nancy looked around, wide awake again. She needed her yellow pad.

“It’s time to turn the tables on those bastards.”

“The trap is a good idea, but …” Nancy was thinking. “Is Cora okay with this? I don’t mean to say she doesn’t approve, but she needs to be ready to pull it off.”

Pole remained silent for a moment. “I should have thought about that. I won’t press her. I can manage without her if she decides it’s too much.”

“Perhaps you need to give her a little more time to get used to the idea.”

“That’s why I miss you not being around. No one to bounce ideas off.”

“I miss that too, Jonathan. I miss all of it in fact.” Nancy tightened the bathrobe closer around her.

“But we need to see this through.” Pole’s focus on actions rather than recriminations made her miss him even more.

She was about to tell him about Professor Licot, but Pole beat her to it with more news.

“The agencies have