Dead of Winter

Chapter 28

That morning Carmichael watched Tyrone shuffle his way between the tables over to where he sat with a double espresso in the busy café. He grated a chair out opposite Carmichael and sat down. ‘Got your message. Have to be honest wid you, I don’t really understand what you want from me. . as much as I appreciate the offer of ten G, I ain’t figured out how I earned it.’

‘You will.’ Carmichael pushed an envelope across the table to him. ‘Sonny is dead. I am taking over.’

Tyrone looked momentarily shocked until the feel of the wad inside the envelope calmed him. He stuffed it inside the pocket of his jacket and looked pleased with himself.

‘You’ll get a lot more money if you co-operate. I want a list of all Sonny’s contacts. I want to know everyone he deals with. You know Digger Cain?’ Tyrone nodded. ‘Digger gets no more women. None of these women leave your care. I expect you to look after the women till I say I’m ready. You tell them I’m the man to deal with. No one — I repeat, no one — takes any of those women out of that house. . understood?’

Carmichael waited as Tyrone shuffled in his chair, dug his hands in his pocket and then settled down again. He looked across at Carmichael.

‘No can do.’ He shook his head, wiped his mouth. ‘There’s outstanding deals. Sonny set them up. They got to be honoured.’ Tyrone was chewing the inside of his cheek.

‘What deals?’

‘Digger wants most of these girls I got: six, two young ones.’

‘Stall him for a few days. I’ll cover it by then. What else?’

‘Sonny told me to find a special girl.’ Tyrone looked nervously at Carmichael. He was looking squeezed. ‘It happened a while ago, the same thing. . I have to test the girl. If it comes up with what they’re looking for then they pay. Just the one pays the same as ten girls-’

‘What’s the test?’

‘Starts with blood.’ He shrugged. ‘If she’s got the right blood she has more tests.’

‘What for?’

‘I don’t know what for; I never asked.’

‘When was the last time you found the right girl?’

‘A few hours ago. They made a match. Girl named Tanya, dances in Cain’s. Digger said someone paid a lot of money.’

‘Have you been asked to test again for another match?’

‘No. Might not happen again, who knows?’

Carmichael looked away angrily. ‘Where did he take her. . do you know?’

‘No.’ Tyrone shook his head nervously. He pulled up the hood of his parka. ‘Listen. . I ain’t looking for trouble. He already paid for the girl. He took her. I couldn’t do nothing ’bout it. How do I know Sonny is dead?’

‘Look out for it on the news. Then spread the word with all Sonny’s agents. I will pay big money to whoever comes on board with me now. I have contacts all around the world. I will shut down anyone else.’

After he watched Tyrone shuffle away Carmichael dug out the ‘pay as you go’ mobile phone that he’d picked up on his way down from Yorkshire. Then he sent a text voice recording to the local police in Whitechapel, telling them what to look for. He kept it simple. .

Dead man in red Ferrari down slipway on Isle of Dogs.