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Back The Dead Line
Chapters (87)
  1. Cover
  2. By the Same Author
  3. Dedication Page
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. Acknowledgements
  86. Also Available by Holly Watt
  87. The Hunt and the Kill

‘We need to work as fast as possible.’ Dash concentrated on the new problem. ‘If they do work out that you’re journalists, and who you are, you could be in serious danger, even in England.’

In the squash of the room, Hessa had her feet up on her suitcase. ‘Why don’t we start by getting Poppy to the Burton-Smiths? Then at least that is done.’

‘I’ve already tried ringing,’ said Casey. ‘They didn’t answer.’

Hessa gave her a quick glance. ‘Isn’t that a bit odd?’

‘They’ll call,’ said Casey. ‘We told them to get out of the house in Surrey, just in case.’

‘Leaving everything else aside, we have to get on with publishing, Casey,’ said Dash. ‘Miranda’s got the film of Greystone in his office. You’ve got info on the team out in Bangladesh. It’s more than enough to be going on with.’

‘No,’ said Casey. ‘You’re going too fast. There’s someone tying it all together.’

‘This Dylan character.’ Miranda spoke to Casey. ‘He seemed to be in charge of operations in Bangladesh?’

‘But what links Dylan and Greystone?’ said Casey. ‘How would they ever have come across each other? A Harley Street doctor and an Asia-based drug dealer. It doesn’t make sense.’

‘Maybe Greystone decided that he needed a contact in Bangladesh.’ Dash thought it out. ‘When his arrangements in Nepal – and wherever else he was operating before that – fell through. He put out feelers and came up with Dylan. We know that Vivienne Hargreaves had let it slip that her father was a diplomat out there, so Bangladesh became the obvious choice.’

‘There’s someone else.’ Casey felt the certainty grow.

‘You haven’t even met Greystone,’ said Dash. ‘You don’t know him.’

‘Miranda?’ said Casey. ‘What did you make of him? From your memo, he didn’t strike me as the sort of person who would be going out to these countries, to make these deals. He’s far too urbane.’

Miranda shrugged. ‘You can’t tell from a few minutes.’

‘You can tell a lot,’ said Casey flatly. ‘Especially you.’

‘OK.’ Miranda bit her lip. ‘Probably not then. But Greystone could have any number of contacts who put him in touch with Dylan.’

‘We have to start publishing as soon as possible,’ Dash repeated. ‘You know that, Casey. Especially with this story.’

Casey glowered at him. Stay ahead of the story. It was always crucial. Tell the story, own the story. Journalists got blindsided all the time. They climbed on the roller coaster, not knowing where it would end. Pandora’s Box, wide open.

‘We don’t have it all yet,’ Casey said again.

‘You’ve got enough. Maybe it’s not the whole story, but it’s enough to publish. Get up to north London to see Greystone, and then we can get started.’