Contents ( 83)
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- Acknowledgements
- OUT NOW IN PAPERBACK
Three fingers.
Christ, we could use Levy right about now.
Two fingers.
Deep breaths
One finger.
Calm. Calm.
None.
‘GO GO GO GO!’
The shout came as the left-hand giant lowered his last finger. At the same moment the right-hand giant swung the Big Key. It impacted the door at the top of the stairs and ripped through it like paper.
The signal to move.
Hale was second through the door with his pistol raised, sweeping the room. Ahead of him was the left-hand giant. Just behind was King.
Within moments the room was filled. Eight armed police officers. Highly trained and ready for anything. Eight more had continued moving up, climbing the second staircase. A safety sweep of the floors above.
Ed Burrell sat at the far end of the room, behind a desk near identical to the one Hale had seen in Ferris’s office. A crude attempt to match his rival.
It’ll take more than a table, Hale thought. You’d need to grow eight inches for one thing.
The raid had not been expected. That much was clear. Burrell and the room’s four other occupants had frozen at the sight of the first weapons. Just three sets – Hale and King’s pistols, plus the first giant’s MP5 – had been enough. No one had moved. That was not going to change as five more MP5s entered the room.
Hale moved forward, towards Burrell and ignoring the other four. His pistol remained up, aimed squarely at Burrell’s chest. Hale had heard stories about the man in the last twenty-four hours. Stories of irrational violence. He would not be taking any risks.
‘Edward Burrell.’ Hale spoke with authority. ‘I am arresting you for the murders of Leon Ferris, Kevin Tennant, Harvey Ellis and Tyrone Leach. You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you fail to mention when questioned something that you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be used in evidence against you. Do you understand this caution as I have explained it to you?’
Burrell did not answer. Nor did he take his eyes from the pistol that was aimed at his chest. The man was suffering from shock. Hale could see that and it made him wary of getting too close. Shock can have many different effects; most common is inaction, but it depends upon the man. Burrell had a reputation. A tendency to erupt. There was no telling how he might react when taken by surprise.
Hale’s pistol remained steady as he moved around the desk. Burrell’s men were being dealt with by others. They were already on the floor. Already being cuffed. Burrell, though, was still in his seat.
‘Get to your feet.’
Hale’s voice was steady. Firm. And backed up by the weapon still aimed at Burrell’s heart.
Burrell did as instructed, slowly and deliberately. The shock seemed to be fading, replaced with an expression of fury. Hale tightened his grip on his pistol and took a step back, well out of Burrell’s range.