Takedown by Heather Atkinson (latest books to read txt) 📕

“No, that’s it.”

“Thank you for your time Warren,” said Faith. “I’m sorry we had to get rough with you.”

“No worries. Happens all the time in this pub.”

They exited the back room into the main bar area.

“Going so soon?” Lil purred across the room at Caleb.

“Sorry gorgeous,” he replied. “We’ve got a lot on.”

“Come back when you’ve got some free time. You look like you could use some loosening up.”

“I will,” he smiled as he followed his brother and sister outside.

“I thought you were distancing yourself from Lil,” Faith asked Caleb once they were back in the car.

“I tried but I keep getting drawn back to her. I’ve got a plan though – I’m going to ask her out on a date to the cinema and if she says no then I’ll end it for good.”

“You’ve said that before.”

“I know but I mean it this time. I’m tired of being used as her personal sex toy.”

“You need to find someone else to take your mind off her,” said Vance as he drove.

“I’ve tried with lots of women at the club but they’re all so shallow and boring. Lil’s got so much personality and life in her. No one else can compete. But I’m determined to stick to what I’ve decided this time. Abi getting engaged was a bit of a wake-up call. I want something more.”

“You’ll find it,” said Faith. “Once you’ve cut yourself loose from Lil. It won’t happen until then.”

“I know. Anyway, what are we going to do now?”

“Dillon was an ungrateful bastard,” said Vance. “We paid him good money and all the time he was calling us behind our backs.”

“It’s not a surprise really,” said Faith. “We knew our position put a lot of backs up.”

“How many more people who work for us are bad-mouthing us behind our backs?” muttered Caleb. “Ungrateful twats.”

“Who gives a shit what they think,” said Faith. “But that makes it even more important that we make an example of whoever stole from us. If we don’t then all those people who feel about us like Dillon did will hit us too.”

“So no pressure then,” sighed Caleb.

“What is it?” Faith asked Vance when his body went rigid.

“I’ve just had a thought,” he said, pulling the car up at the kerb and tugging his phone out of his pocket.

“About what?”

“Who we’re dealing with. What everyone said about no one new in the area with the capability to pull this off. If they were out of town someone somewhere would know because strangers would need local contacts but no one does. All the usual faces are as clueless as we are and that’s because they’re not the usual faces.”

“What the hell are you banging on about?” said Caleb.

Vance played the footage of the robbery at the vault and turned it round for them to see. “They used an hydraulic door breacher because they’re police officers. They used police techniques to restrain our men because they’re police officers.”

Faith shook her head. “No, not again.”

“I don’t think the police rooted out all their bad apples. Who are you calling?” he said when she took out her phone. Vance noted her hands were shaking as she dialled.

“Matthew,” she said when he answered. “Some of Marlow’s men are still in your station. They stole the product.”

Matthew received Faith’s call when he was shut away in his office at the station, sifting through the evidence into Dillon’s murder. He was glad he was alone when he answered because what she had to tell him knocked him sideways.

“What evidence do you have?” he asked her.

“None but we’re sure we’re right. I’ll send you the footage of the vault being breached. Vance said they used police techniques and equipment and he should know. I’ve also felt like I’ve been being watched.”

“Why did you never say?” he exclaimed, thinking of all the times they’d met to talk.

“Because I thought it was my imagination after what Marlow did to me. I never thought the danger was real because nothing happened.”

“Christ Faith,” he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I’m sorry but whoever did this works with you. Be careful Matthew. You were instrumental in bringing down Marlow. Whoever it is might want revenge.”

“They’ve had time to take it and never bothered.”

“It doesn’t mean they won’t. Have you any idea who it could be?”

“No. All my officers are good people.”

“But they’re not all your officers. The ones responsible might be in a different unit.”

He sighed heavily, feeling a bit sick. God he hoped it wasn’t happening again. “Counter-Corruption went through this station with a fine-tooth comb. If there was anyone else they would have found them. Marlow’s accomplices grassed on each other.”

“What if there were some officers Marlow’s own people didn’t know about? What if Marlow kept their identities a secret from the rest?”

“Why would he do that?”

“God knows but it’s something he would do.”

Matthew knew she was right but he didn’t want to believe it. “Maybe.”

“How has your investigation into Dillon’s death been going? Has there been any interference?”

“No, none at all. The case is going swimmingly. The only problem is that we haven’t caught who did it yet.”

“Someone could be stopping you from finding the guilty party.”

“I’ve seen absolutely no sign of that and all my officers are putting a hundred and ten percent into it. You could be wrong Faith.”

“Perhaps but you still need to be careful.”

“I will be. I’ll see what I can find out, okay?”

“Yes. Thank you,” she replied, sounding a little relieved that he was taking her seriously.

He hung up, tossed his phone onto the desk and went to the window to think. Was it possible some