Ash & Bone

47

St Ann's was one of those areas in the inner city which had, amidst much protest, been largely demolished in the sixties at the expense of new, more modern housing; now some of it was being knocked down and replaced again. The flat which Summers had fingered as a dealer's safe house was on the upper floor of a block of twelve, six and six. Only one of the lights in the central stairway was still functioning; the narrow walkway stank of sour piss and sick and excrement. More than half of the flats were boarded up and several of the others had old sheets or blankets draped across the windows in place of curtains. One, close to the head of the stairs, had a small light shining above the bell-push at the centre of the door, artificial flowers inside a plastic holder alongside, a sticker proclaiming Jesus Loves You, a mat on the ground, worn but clean.

Bland came up the stairs first, Eaglin behind him. Both men were wearing leather jackets, black and brown respectively, jeans and trainers. For heavy men they were soft upon the stairs. Bland's Audi was parked a street away. Both men were armed. Eaglin was holding a heavy-duty torch in his left hand.

The flat they were looking for was at the far end, black material taped across the windows.

Hip-hop beats drifted up from the floor below.

Bland stood with his ear pressed to the door, listening, before stepping back.

'Police,' he shouted through the letter-box. 'Open up!'

No response.

With a look at his partner, Bland took one pace back and then another, swung his leg and drove the underside of his foot against the side of the door, close to the lock. As the door splintered open and swung back, Eaglin ducked inside, Bland following, both with pistols drawn.

'Police!' Eaglin shouted in the darkness. 'Armed police.'

And switched on the torch.

The room was bare, save for a few posters still remaining on the walls; save for Resnick sitting in a lopsided easy chair, trying not to smile.

'What the fuck!' Eaglin said, rooted to the floor.

'Ricky,' Resnick said pleasantly. 'Dave.'

'Charlie,' Bland said, recovering, 'what are you doing here?' But inside he already knew.

Eaglin also. Dropping the torch, weapon at his side, he spun round and went back fast through the door and as he did a searchlight hit him full on. Two armed officers were on the walkway opposite the stairs, one kneeling, one standing with legs slightly apart. Both were aiming their MP5 rifles at Eaglin's chest.

'Drop the gun,' came the instruction. 'Drop it now.'

Eaglin dropped the gun.

'Now kick it away. Over here. Over here.'

Resnick and Bland were still staring at one another inside the flat.

'We got a tip-off,' Bland said. 'Some scum using this as a safe house. Drugs stashed. Money too.'

'This is official?' Resnick said.

'Of course. What else?'

'You'll have a warrant then?'

'Charlie, come on. We just got word, less than an hour ago. There wasn't time.'

'I know just when you got word,' Resnick said. 'And who from. What you promised him, too, his share of what you took down. I'll play you the tape later, Ricky. Refresh your mind.'

Outside, Eaglin was face down on the concrete, arms cuffed at his back.

When the call came, Elder was sitting with a glass of Jameson's, reading, the radio doodling in the background.

'It's done,' Maureen said. 'Safe in custody, both of them.'

'Talking?'

'Not yet. But they will.'

'Okay, Maureen. Thanks.'

Elder walked to the window and looked out, not really seeing anything, thinking about Katherine. Relieved that it was over, that part of it at least.

Rob's got friends up Hull way. Family too.

Wondering if she were truly safe, for now at least.

You're old enough to make your own decisions.

Make my own mistakes, that's what you mean.

Happy even, what chance was there of that?

Framlingham woke him at a little after six thirty.

'Coffee on, Frank? I'll bring the croissants. My treat.'

Elder was only just out of the shower, still towelling himself down, when the buzzer sounded. He let Framlingham in, switched on the kettle, and went into the bedroom to get dressed.

'Knew if I didn't get to talk to you first thing,' Framlingham called after him, 'we'd likely be looking at day's end. Maybe even tomorrow.'

'Busy, then?'

'Meetings, Frank. Forward planning. Position papers. Targets. Bloody government's target mad.' He got two plates out of the cupboard. 'When this country finally goes under, it's not going to be invasion or revolution or even some God-forsaken plague, it's going to be paper, the sheer weight of bloody paper, committee after committee, report after report, commission after commission. It'll sink us, Frank, between the North Sea and the bloody Atlantic, you mark my words.'

Elder came back into the kitchen wearing dark trousers and a faded blue shirt.

'Hard to get better than these,' Framlingham said, setting down two fat croissants, one on each plate. 'Picked them up in Hampstead on the way through. Bakers in South End Green. Bloody marvellous.'

'How strong?' Elder asked, before spooning coffee into the jug.

'Strong.'

Elder switched off the kettle and waited a few moments before pouring in the water. What Framlingham, with a wife and house the other side of London, was doing this far north in the relatively early hours of the morning, he didn't ask.

'So,' Framlingham said, 'something important, you said in your message.'

Barely touching coffee or croissant, Elder recounted in detail his conversation with Lynette Drury, while Framlingham ate, drank and listened. When Elder had finished, he sat a short while longer, thinking.

'Any chance she'd stand up in court?'

'Doubtful.'

'Not even to shop Mallory?'

'I really don't know. No love lost between them, that's pretty clear. Maybe if there was a way she could shop him without taking down Slater at the same time, but who knows?'

Framlingham reached across and appropriated a piece of Elder's croissant. 'Shame you weren't wearing a wire.'

'Likely inadmissible anyway.'

'Stick with it, Frank. Something about Grant put the wind up him and whatever it was, it hasn't gone away. And we need to find out what it was. Could haul him in, of course, face him with some of those allegations, but I'm not sure that's the best way to go.'

He steepled his fingers together and pressed hard enough for the blood to drain from the tips.

'Keep pushing, Frank. We're getting close.'