‘We split it evenly … five hundred large in total.’

Stone pushed past. ‘Just make sure I get it.’

‘Whoa!’ O’Grady tottered out of his way. ‘Where are you going?’

‘Not decided yet. But if you don’t need me any more, what’s the point me hanging round?’

‘Bernie, we have to think this thing through.’

Stone turned in the doorway. ‘You need a gorilla for that?’

‘Come on …’

‘Nah, you’ve got it sorted, Miles. You’re the man with the plan, as you never cease to remind us. Just think on …’ He lumbered back a few yards, squaring up close to his former colleague. ‘I want my money from the Chesham gig. And if I don’t get it, the next pair of nads I’ll be kicking are yours.’

‘Yeah?’ O’Grady reached under his jacket. ‘Any time …’

Stone snorted. ‘You and that fucking toy gun. You’re nobody, mate. When you were back in the job, you spent most of your time pawing the secretaries. When you weren’t doing that, you were investigating white-collar crime. You barely mixed it with the heavy mob. Pull it out if you want. Just make sure you don’t shoot your fucking toes off while you’re doing it.’

Then he too left the building, leaving O’Grady alone amid the ruins of his firm.

‘Nobody, eh?’ the ex-DCI said with cold, tight-mouthed fury. ‘Nobody? We’ll see about that.’

Chapter 20

Officially, cars belonging to members of the public weren’t allowed anywhere near the Fairview Waste Management Site, but Lucy got past the barrier by showing her warrant card to the watchman. Such security wouldn’t have made any difference to the likes of Sister Cassie, of course. Neither the ex-nun nor any of her acolytes had access to a vehicle, and so they would enter the desert of compacted refuse by any one of several dozen footpaths penetrating its flimsy perimeters.

When Lucy got down to the edge of the landfill, Malcolm Peabody was waiting for her alongside his red Ford Fiesta, a somewhat incongruous figure in his suit and tie, given that the parking area was nothing but dust and the only staff quarters a few prefab shacks standing alongside several massive pieces of static machinery so encrusted with dirt that their purpose was unidentifiable.

Lucy parked and got out, but there was no sign of any staff. She was in a rush to get this thing sorted; other calls had come in, other things needed attending to, and it was already mid-afternoon. And now there were no site personnel to offer assistance. She swore under her breath.

‘What are we doing here, for Christ’s sake?’ Peabody asked.