‘You are?’

‘Anton Campbell, sir. Detective Constable.’

‘OK, Anton,’ Hale replied. ‘But can any of them really be called competitors? Ferris’s organisation may have started out as a gang and it may still have gang members working for it or associated with it. But it really became a full-on criminal organisation, didn’t it?’

The Trident team looked between themselves, searching for some consensus. Finally Campbell replied.

‘That’s a fair assessment, I guess.’

‘And if we use that as a filter? Who’s left who could really be called a competitor? An organisation, rather than a gang? Who would actually benefit from the vacuum Ferris would leave?’

‘There are a few, sir,’ Campbell explained. ‘But I think everyone would agree that the obvious candidate is Ed Burrell.’

‘Tell me about Burrell.’

‘Burrell’s an up-and-comer.’ This answer came from an older Trident officer, who Hale recognised as George Dixon. ‘He started like everyone else. Like Ferris. Small-time gang violence. Petty crime. A few years ago he stepped up. We have him fingered for armed robberies, drug supply, gun trafficking, extortion. Moving up fast.’

‘Compared to Ferris’s set-up?’

‘Nothing like it, sir. A fifth of the size.’

‘So a full-on war doesn’t go well for Burrell?’

‘No. If he takes on Ferris man-for-man, he loses. Badly.’

‘But if he has Ferris and his top men killed? Cuts the head off the snake. What about then?’

‘Then he becomes the biggest name in the area by a margin. Burrell doesn’t come close to Ferris, but everyone else is just as far behind him.’

Hale nodded his head. The assessment of Ed Burrell made the man a candidate. A good one. But Hale was well trained. He had learned from Levy.

Burrell could not be the only option.

‘What about what’s left? Are there any others who’ve made the jump from gang to proper gangster? We can’t assume that one of the smaller fry hasn’t let his ambition get away from him.’

‘I can think of three.’ Campbell again. Building on his earlier answer. ‘None in Burrell’s league, but still a step above the usual. Maybe ambitious enough to think they could gain out of this.’

‘OK.’ Hale pushed his backside away from the table and drew himself to his full height. ‘Then I need you on the smaller fry, Campbell. The three you’ve identified and any others that get suggested as possibles. Choose two of your team and two from MIT One to assist.’

Hale surveyed the room and picked out another Trident officer, Dean King. King was probably more familiar with Ferris and his organisation than anyone else. It had made him the most reluctant to accept the one-man theory. But it also made him the perfect man to investigate Ferris’s main rival.

‘And I want you taking the lead on Burrell. Get your ear to the ground. Chase down contacts. Grasses. Ferris’s men moving across. Anyone and anything that could indicate Burrell being behind this. Choose four from Trident to help you.’

Hale then turned to Detective Sergeant Pat Tucker. One of his own.