The Inspector Walter Darriteau Murder Mysteries - Books 1-4 by David Carter (best finance books of all time .txt) 📕

she fell from grace, was removed and slipped into a plastic bag and filed away. Her clothes were changed and she was provided cheap used Chinese garments. Jeans, blouse, bra, knickers, and worn-out trainers.

She now at least looked the part. But when she spoke or walked or laughed, she did not. She was still the confident city girl.

They yelled at her. They bullied her. They pleaded with her.

‘Slouch more!’

‘Slur your speech!’

‘Don’t answer so quickly!’

‘Act dumb, you’re not top of the class, you’re bottom, in the basement, with the rats... Act like it.’

‘Eat quickly!’

‘Burp!’

‘Fart!’

‘Act like a slut!’

‘Act like you’ve had every man in Hunan province, and want them all again!’

‘Speak loudly. Shout more!’

‘Bully your colleagues!’

‘Laugh like a lorry driver!’

‘Tell filthy jokes!’

‘Curse and swear.’

‘Get a chip on you shoulder.’

‘Act mean. Look mean!’

‘Glower more... and fucking mean it!’

IT WAS THE HARDEST thing she had ever done, but after three weeks intensive training she was a changed being. She was promoted to acting Inspector, and if she were to turn up on the Woo doorstep it was doubtful her parents would have recognised her. She was scruffy, smelly, uncouth, and just about the least desirable person anyone would ever wish to meet. She had totally changed into Lily Sang, and was nearly ready.

She was warned time and again to trust no one. Her handlers said, behind her back, that Lily Sang was perfect, as good as it gets, the best undercover officer they had ever attempted to put into the field, but Jun Woo’s card had been marked from the outset. Her superiors were not surprised. They had expected it all along. Nothing less.

It would be in everyone’s interest if she were to pass all examinations.

HER FINAL BRIEFING consisted of being given a telephone number that she must commit to memory. She could ring that number on call-free from anywhere on earth. Her instructions were to call when she arrived at her destination, should the chance ever arise. She was offered a credit card that she must secret upon her. It was a big risk carrying such a thing, and everyone knew it, a risk that could cost her her life. She weighed up the chances, and accepted the card.

Previously, undercover officers had been working for more than eighteen months making contacts in backstreet harbour bars. Her uncle had slowly infiltrated a known trafficking group. It turned out they might be interested in taking a look at the girl, though a thousand dollars, US, seemed a high price to them. They’d consider it, but no promises, and an arrangement was made to bring her to the bar at half past midnight in two day’s time. The undercover team had forty-eight hours to go over everything again. It would be their last opportunity. The officer formerly known as Jun Woo; now Lily Sang, was about to be launched on the world.

AT THE FINAL BRIEFING with her handlers, Lily Sang glowered at her superiors through crooked teeth and bloodshot eyes, and swore at them, calling them cocksuckers and motherfuckers, and far worse besides, and spat in their faces for good measure.

For a second, she thought she might have overdone it.

They loved it. Everything about it. They loved her.

Lily Sang was their creation, something of a monster, it was true, but she was theirs, and she was truly ready.

Thirty-Eight

Walter and Karen arrived back in the office after seeing Mrs Cresswell at Lion Loans. On the way back Walter had said, ‘First thing you do is get on to the banks and check all the balances. Freeze them as quickly as you can, even if the balance is zero. And send Gibbons and Browne to see them to get copies of all ID documentation used to open the accounts in the first place, assuming the banks are local, that is.’

‘They are Guv,’ said Karen. ‘I checked the list.’

‘So he must have gone to some banks more than once?’

‘He did.’

‘Bit risky.’

‘Maybe he got a buzz out of it.’

Walter frowned. ‘Possibly.’

They entered the office and Gibbons caught the Guv’s eye and said, ‘The Rushnells?’

‘What about them?’

‘They are in interview room three.’

‘Good. Have they seen the pics?’

‘They have.’

‘And?’

‘Positive ID.’

‘Only to be expected. Do they know about the missing cash?’

‘Nope. Thought you might like to talk to them about that.’

Walter bobbed his head. Gibbons thought he looked happy, and the Guv said, ‘Karen’s got a job for you and Hector, and tell her to join me when she’s free.’

‘Sure, Guv,’ said Gibbons, and he went to find Karen and see what was going down.

Walter limped toward the interview room. Went inside and said hello and sat down. There were two empty polystyrene cups before them. Chrissie looked hopeful.

‘Any news, Inspector?’

‘You’ve seen the video?’

‘Yes.’

‘And?’

‘It’s definitely him.’

Walter bobbed his head and reeled off the stations the train was visiting. ‘Does he know anyone there? Do you have any idea why he might be going to any of these towns?’

Chrissie and Colin glanced at one another and shook their heads and mumbled, ‘No.’

In Walter’s opinion, they were telling the truth.

Karen came in and joined the party.

Walter said, ‘Has he given you any cash in the past, say the last twelve months?’

‘Cash?’ said Colin, as if not understanding the question.

‘Yes, money – that hard-earned thing we would all like a great deal more of.’

‘You can say that again,’ muttered Colin.

‘Only his keep,’ said Chrissie. ‘He gives us £350 every month like clockwork, though I think he’s a bit embarrassed about it, handing it over, that is, so when I am out he always leaves it on my dressing table, sort of spreads it out as if it were a prize on some TV game show, as if I’ve won the jackpot. The first of the month, or thereabouts. It’s lovely to see it there. We couldn’t live without it.’

Karen thought: You’re going to have to live without it now, but didn’t say.

‘No little presents, no extra bonuses at Christmas, an extra thousand pounds here or there, think carefully