was willing to bet none of the people in the room right now, herself included, would be inclined to cook any kind of decent tasty or nutritious meal for Harry Sanford. Whatever he was served as food would come in a plastic tray and be ready when the microwave went ‘ding.’
He shook his head and picked out what he presumed to be the most comfortable seat in the room. “You’re asking a lot for your money.”
Hazel didn’t think they’d get their money’s worth. Whatever this operation was costing it wasn’t going to show any kind of information profit. “Well if it’s all right with you I better get back to Caneston. I’m sure there’s some real police work that needs doing.” She raised her voice slightly and looked at Sanford. He ignored her completely.
Inspector Fenner said, “Yes, I’d like a word with you about that, Sergeant Vernon.”
Hazel. Very suddenly, had a sinking feeling. She was starting to understand things and hoped, desperately, that she was wrong.
She wasn’t wrong.
“Temporary Detective Constable Price,” Fenner said, speaking the words Hazel had feared, “will be leaving with you.”
Price looked happy and hopeful, like a puppy in the animal shelter.
“I don’t think….”
“I know this is a Caneston operation, Sergeant.” Fenner said pleasantly. Hazel thought of it was Michelle’s operation, but kept that to herself. “But this is my patch here and I am supplying both the protection and housing for our friend here.”
“Cheap housing.” Harry Sanford said, his eyes closed. He sat back with a big smile of his face. “How come there’s no tv set here?”
“In return,” Fenner said, leaving Harry to work out for himself why a holiday cottage wouldn’t have a tv set, “I want one of my men to act as a liaison with you.”
They all looked at Price.
“Why?” Hazel couldn’t stop herself asking, “Sorry, Sir.”
“No, it’s a valid question.” Fenner said, “It’s a case of needing to be informed of what is happening. TDC Price is….” He faltered a bit when it came to establishing exactly what Price was, “…..in need of experience.” That sounded ominous. Fenner smiled at Hazel, “I’m sure he will benefit from your experience, Sergeant.”
Hazel’s inner confidence sank lower. She desperately sought a bright side to this stupid situation. She supposed it would be over soon enough. It wouldn’t take long for Jimmy, or more likely, Michelle, to conclude Harry Sanford had nothing of any practical use to give them. Then Price could go back to Dransfield, put on his uniform and do whatever it was the police did here. Set up speed traps and pick up drunks, she presumed.
She put a very obviously false smile on her face.
“I’m sure he will.” She said through gritted teeth.
Chapter Four
“Eddie, I want you to stay where you are.” Dean Hudson said into his smart phone. “Don’t send any of your men out until I call you and tell you it’s ok.” Hudson was parked up in his car, but, while on the phone, he was carefully looking up and down the street.
“Why would I do that?” Eddie’s slightly irritated voice came back at him, and not for the first time Hudson wondered if Tony was really the only stupid one in the family. Having looked the street over, it was near empty and wet with the recent rain, he sighed inwardly.
“The police, Eddie. They are interested in you now.”
“You deal with the police.” Eddie Symes said, dismissing the whole thing. “Why aren’t you here?”
“I’m not there, Eddie, because I’m trying to get you out of the….” He had wanted to use the word, mess, but settled, instead, for the more neutral word, “…situation, that your brother got you into.”
“Deal with it.” Eddie liked to give out orders like that. Hudson had quickly learned Eddie Symes wasn’t a very hands on kind of boss. He liked to sit in the big chair and he liked to tell people how things should be according to him. But, in reality, Eddie didn’t really know how to make things happen and he expected others to interpret his orders in their own way, yet to his satisfaction.
“It’s going to cost you, Eddie.” He said, knowing that wouldn’t go down at all well with his client.
“I don’t like the sound of that.” Eddie, as predictable as ever, said. “Why does everything you do end up costing me?”
“I’m a solicitor, Eddie.” Hudson said, expecting any reasonable person to understand that was explanation enough, “Or would you like me to sit on my hands until the clear-up fairies come along and do the job for free?”
“What…fairies? What are you on about?”
“Never mind, Eddie. You’re going to be looking at a minimum of ten thousand euros. But, if I were you, I’d budget for fifteen.”
“Fifteen? You think I have fifteen thousand in my back pocket?”
“No, Eddie, you have it, and more, in your safe in the office where you are now. Getting you out of the hole your brother just dropped you in is going to come at a price. Think of that price as a lesson for the future.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Eddie, keep your brother under control in the future. If you don’t he’ll cost you a lot more money and probably time in prison. I can fix this for you, but it will cost you more than you wanted to pay.” While he’d been talking on the phone, Hudson was checking the dashboard camera. It had recorded his journey here to this narrow side street, and he ran it back, looking for anyone or anything that was out of the ordinary. He knew most undercover police vehicles quite well and none showed up on the screen.
There had been one marked police car, but that had been travelling in the opposite direction. He’d watched it in his rear view mirror. The police car had driven down the street and turned left at the traffic lights. It had nothing to do with him.
“Just do as I say, Eddie, please. The police will have someone watching your place and probably photographing anyone who comes in or goes out. Lay low and keep quiet. They’re not a sophisticated bunch and we should be able to clear this whole thing up in a very short time.”
“Hang on, I’ll check…”
“You don’t have to…oh never mind.” Hudson shook his head.
“Yes.” Eddie’s voice came back, “There’s a car outside, don’t recognise it, looks like a couple of men in it.”
“Just leave them Eddie. They can’t do you any harm if you sit in your office and do what you do all day.”
“I need you to fix this. I’m not sitting in here for the rest of my life.”
“You
