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

with Abi and Michael. Rose happily tidied up in the kitchen so the three older siblings could work out their plan of attack in peace without their mother preaching to them.

“I think the most important thing we need to decide,” said Faith. “Is where we’re going to confront the firefighters. It needs to be somewhere we can control.”

“But what are we going to do to them?” said Caleb. “Are we going to be carrying…” He looked around before continuing, although they were the only three in the room. “Bodies out of there.”

“No. If all four vanish there will be an investigation and we have no idea what trail they’ve left. When the police search their homes – which they inevitably would – they might find something leading back to us and I am not going to prison for them. We need to make sure we scare the shit out of them so much they leave us alone.”

“From what Matthew said that shouldn’t be difficult with two of them. But Ben and Amanda won’t give up so easily.”

“Then we have to persuade them and we need to figure out a way to lure them in. They mustn’t suspect it’s a trap.”

“I’ve had an idea,” said Vance, eyes glittering with excitement. “If they think they’re attending a routine fire, they won’t suspect anything.”

“That’s a bloody good idea,” said Caleb. “The only problem is that if we do start a fire it might get out of control and they could leave us there to burn.”

“We’d make sure it was a false alarm. We don’t need to set an actual fire, we just need them to think there’s one.”

“I like the sound of that more.”

“But where would we stage it?” said Faith. “It can’t be anywhere connected to us or they’ll know it’s a trap.”

“It would help if we could work out what sort of venue we’re looking for,” said Caleb. “Somewhere big or small, one room or lots of small rooms.”

“Lots of small rooms I think,” said Vance. “That would mean they’d split into two teams.”

“But not so many rooms that we lose control of the situation,” said Faith. “And it needs to be somewhere quiet, where we won’t be disturbed, away from the centre of town.”

They brought up maps on their phones, made some calls but they couldn’t come up with a suitable venue to set their trap. Rose, knowing they were discussing more things she didn’t want to know about, had decided to give the entire kitchen a clean and was noisily banging pots and pans about as she dragged them out of the cupboards. Faith cringed at the irritating sound.

“Oh this is just great,” sighed Caleb. “We finally come up with a plan to end this and we can’t find anywhere suitable to stage it.”

Faith’s phone, which rested on the coffee table, started to ring.

“It’s Jason,” she said, picking it up. “I hope they’ve not had any trouble at the hotel.”

“Abi’s probably thrown one of her prima donna hissy fits because they said she’s not allowed to release a hundred white doves in the hotel and got them chucked out.”

“She doesn’t want to do that, does she?” Vance asked him as Faith answered the call.

He shrugged. “Probably.”

“Really?” Faith said into the phone. “When? Okay, no. Stay with Abi and Michael. We’ll handle it.” She hung up and looked to Vance and Caleb. “Jason’s been keeping an eye on Amanda’s car. Apparently she pulled up outside Mickey Gunning’s house five minutes ago.”

“Gunning?” frowned Caleb. “Has he been in on it with them?”

“We can’t be sure but I’d say it’s very likely.”

“It makes sense though,” said Vance. “He was friends with Dillon, they worked on a few jobs together and he was Mickey’s route into our business. Mickey’s always been jealous of what we have. This could be his way of taking it from us.”

“You’re right,” said Faith. “Let’s get over there before she leaves.”

“And do what?” said Caleb as they all rushed for the door.

“I don’t know yet,” she replied.

“We’re off out Mum,” Caleb called over his shoulder, who was the last out the door.

Vance drove them to Mickey’s house, which they watched from further down the street. Parked outside was Amanda’s burnt orange Dacia.

“You think she’d get a less obvious car,” said Caleb.

“It probably hasn’t occurred to her because she’s an amateur,” said Vance.

“I wonder if she’s in there alone or if her friends are with her.”

“I’m sure she can handle Mickey on her own.”

“I’m sure Mickey has stashed some cash that the taxman doesn’t know about but he wouldn’t have enough to buy the drugs.”

“I don’t think he is the buyer,” said Faith. “I reckon he was the one who was going to move it on for them. He has contacts in Liverpool and Nottingham.”

“But the Maguires own Liverpool.”

“They’d sell it to lower level street dealers. With the purity of the product they’d get a much higher price by making a lot of smaller sales rather than one big sale. It would be less likely to be noticed that way.”

“I wonder what the connection is between Mickey and Dillon and the firefighters?” said Vance. “They don’t exactly move in the same circles.”

“Did Mickey or Dillon have a fire at their homes?” said Faith.

“Not that I heard.”

“Someone’s coming out,” said Caleb from the backseat.

They watched a thunderous Amanda get into her car and slam the door shut. She spent a few seconds yelling at the steering wheel and banging her fist off it before setting off. The three of them ducked as she passed by.

“Should we follow her?” said Caleb.

“No need,” said Faith. “Jason can track her.”

“Should we talk to Mickey?”

“Let’s work out how best to use this advantage before we go bursting in.