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Chapters (124)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Acclaim for Frank Gardner’s Luke Carlton thrillers
  4. Also by Frank Gardner
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. 85
  92. 86
  93. 87
  94. 88
  95. 89
  96. 90
  97. 91
  98. 92
  99. 93
  100. 94
  101. 95
  102. 96
  103. 97
  104. 98
  105. 99
  106. 100
  107. 101
  108. 102
  109. 103
  110. 104
  111. 105
  112. 106
  113. 107
  114. 108
  115. 109
  116. 110
  117. 111
  118. 112
  119. 113
  120. 114
  121. 115
  122. Epilogue
  123. Acknowledgements
  124. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

Luke was no stranger to being offered drugs in clubs. It used to happen to him and his mates all the time in Plymouth, back in his days with the Royal Marines, although he had never partaken. But this, right now, felt altogether more dangerous. He wanted the girl to leave them alone, to get out of their space as quickly as possible. This was an annoying distraction when they just needed to get on with the exchange with Janulis and be gone.

‘We’re all good, thanks,’ he told her firmly, edging slightly away from her. The girl shrugged, then gave him an odd look as she was getting up. To Luke, it seemed almost like pity.

‘What was that about?’ Jenny asked, still scanning the crowd for their absent contact.

‘Just someone offering us drugs,’ he replied. ‘She’s gone.’

‘Right. I’m going to the Ladies,’ Jenny announced, getting up and straightening her dress. ‘Keep watching. I won’t be long.’

Sitting alone on the sofa, Luke leaned forward, arms folded, resting them on his knees as his eyes kept scanning the faces in front of him. As the place grew busier and more people came in he was starting to get jostled. A girl spilled some of her drink on his shoulder and apologized profusely. The DJ, sitting above them in his tiny booth, had jacked up the volume and now the music was irritating him. In hindsight, Luke realized, this had been a mistake, coming to this noisy, crowded place for the handover. Why the hell couldn’t Janulis have agreed to meet at that discreet little café by their hotel?

The music was thumping louder than ever when Luke saw the crowd part to make way for a pair of large, grim-faced men in black leather jackets, accompanied by a uniformed police officer in a dark blue tunic. Girls were staggering backwards on high heels, clutching their drinks, as the men pushed rudely past. Someone, he guessed, was about to get arrested. Perhaps it was the pusher in the blue dress. With a jolt, Luke realized they were coming straight towards him. In the moment they spotted him they surged forward, elbowing the last few people out of the way. Luke rose half up and out of his seat just as two of them grabbed his arms from either side, pinning them behind his back. Another was straight in, searching his pockets, while the uniformed officer addressed him sternly, shouting at him above the music: ‘Policija. Organized Crime Investigation Unit.’