Tom rang through to Jean MacDonald and updated her with the plan. It was all looking good, although there were variables, as always. The girl sounded pretty fragile, so he couldn’t be sure how she’d react when they got to the office. As always on undercover meetings, he’d have to be flexible. The key was to keep on his toes throughout, always think of the evidence, and stick to the rules.

Tom smiled at the prospect of deploying right into the heart of the conspiracy, right under their noses.

*

Tom saw Jeta as soon as he pulled up outside Hackney Central. She was tiny and almost child-like, but Tom guessed she was about twenty. She had short, choppy, dark hair that framed an elfin face, with a slight, waif-like body in a short, floral sun dress and pink Converse trainers. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought she was waiting to go to a youth club disco. Tom pressed the record button on the car fob and said quietly, his lips barely moving, ‘My name, for this operation, is Tomo. I’m an undercover police officer and I’m about to meet Jeta and take her to Adebayo Associates Solicitors. The time is 1830 hours.’ That effectively began the undercover deployment; everything from then on would be recorded and evidential.

Tom waved and she walked over, smiling shyly as she opened the car door. ‘Tomo?’ she said in a light voice, a hint of nervousness in her pretty face. She had very dark eyes and an equally dark complexion, and Tom recognised some Roma in her features.

Tom smiled and said in Serb, ‘Yes. Get in, we’re going to be late.’

‘Wow! I love your car! I’ve never been in a BMW before,’ she said as she got in. ‘Where is Mira? Do you have my passport? I really want to go home as soon as this is done.’

‘How long have you been over here, Jeta?’

‘A few weeks. Mira flew me over. I’m a hairdresser in Sarajevo but I’m not making enough money. Mira told me I would get good job over here, but nothing so far. She wants me to be a prostitute, but I don’t want that.’ Sadness tinged with fear was etched over her face.

That was often the trick with traffickers: exploit vulnerable young girls with false promises, make them totally dependent on you, then force them into the trades of misery, be it prostitution or unpaid work of some type. Tom shook away his rising anger. He had to look at the bigger picture; taking out this group would benefit many girls and keep them from the situation Jeta had found herself in.