Cold Killers (40 page)

‘I didn’t push him on it,’ said Bowie. ‘He’s stressed enough. He’s got a bulging safe full of diamonds, too. They will all have to be moved somewhere that
Della is able to access for when the time comes. Do we have any more intelligence on Tony? Do have an inkling of how Della intends to lure him over?’

‘No, I’m afraid I don’t. She won’t share that with me. But I think I should stay with her now, till the end. It can’t be long. She needs a lot of support to get
through this. I can help her with the plan she has.’

‘I agree.’

‘We have had a lot more contact with the OCC in the last five days,’ said Carter. ‘They’re tracking various container ships, hoping that the stop in Valencia will narrow
it down for us. The new cartel may have a completely different way of bringing in the cocaine than we’ve been looking at. I think we still have to go with one of Manson’s companies.
Something made Manson top himself.’

‘Do we know what his last twenty-four hours were like?’

‘We have confirmation that Laurence Butcher went to him at his house.’

‘Do we know what they discussed?’

‘I presume he must have told him he was taking over. Maybe Manson realised he wasn’t going to be able to continue importing the cocaine if Laurence was going to be taking on Paradise
Villas full time, living here as well. No way Manson would be able to continue helping out the cartels or Tony.’

‘But we won’t truly be able to investigate any of the Butchers or the movement of the cocaine in previous shipments while we still hope to catch Tony red-handed. We just have to sit
on it for a few more days. The minute it’s done we can expose all we know about Manson’s dealings.’

‘Has family liaison got anywhere with Jo Manson yet?’ asked Bowie.

‘Nothing so far,’ answered Carter. ‘She’s staying in Plymouth. She has family there, so we are still examining the contents of Manson’s computer hard drive and all
the paperwork in his office.’

‘How is DS Willis?’

‘I think she’s okay. She seems to be fighting through whatever it was. She’s interviewing witnesses in the Melvin Pratt case. Which, I’m glad I don’t have to
handle. I feel completely to blame for putting Melvin in harm’s way.’

‘Why was he killed do you think?’

‘Has to be because they knew he was a snitch.’

‘But he took a few photos, you said. Why did it warrant that and not just a beating at best?’

‘I don’t know. I’m hoping Willis will find out something different, but I feel responsible. The community know more than they are saying. Chrissie, from the Blind Beggar, was
given one of my cards to contact me and send me round to find Melvin. I’ve only handed them out to a few people round there. But I’ll lie low. I don’t want any connection to Della
made.’

‘How is Della holding up?’ asked Bowie.

‘She’s getting progressively more terrified. But she’s still in this till the end. She doesn’t see any other way forward for herself.’

‘If nothing else comes out of this, we should still be able to seize a massive shipment of cocaine and we will definitely close down one way of them importing it.’

‘I’m still hoping for more. I’m still hoping for Tony and the end to murders like Melvin’s. I want this to be the end and not the beginning of cartels and Colombian death
squads on our streets.’

Bowie nodded. ‘Have we heard anything about Inspector Ross?’

‘Nothing. Willis went round to see his ex-wife. Apparently, she was expecting to see him. She’s heard nothing, either. But I am sure we will hear when the OCC want us to. Something
tells me he’s always got his own agenda going on. The OCC are not declaring him missing. They must have their reasons. I’m going to see Maxi now,’ said Carter as he stood and
grabbed his coat. ‘I’ll keep you informed.’

Della hadn’t seen anyone for three days. She’d been staring out at the cold sleet that slashed across the windows and she’d watched the seagulls that had made
their home in the city, and she missed the warm sunshine and the smell of the sea.

She left a message for Carter that she needed to see him, but heard nothing back. Carter was busy, she understood, but now all her anxieties had come to the surface. Della had handed over most
of the diamonds, at least the ones she was prepared to lose. The last ones were in Shoreditch. She needed to go back there but she was dreading it; she’d been ignoring angry messages left on
her phone for days. Marco had the big rough diamond still and she had stashed another few smaller-cut, high-carat ones in the kitchen cupboard. She got herself ready to go, put on her make-up, told
herself she had started the job and she would finish it.

She messaged Marco that she wanted to come to the flat and that she needed the stone back now.

As she walked up the stairs she smelled him. He had a pungent aftershave, a mix of fresh sweat on stale.

She felt her stomach churn.

‘Della! Princessa!’

She walked into the sitting room.

‘Yes, why shouldn’t I be?’

‘You got our diamonds?’

‘You need to go and have a shower, Marco. You stink,’ Della said, and waited until he’d gone away before she walked into the kitchen and opened the cupboard. She reached into
the back to the packet of cereal she’d put the diamonds in. She pulled the bag quickly from the box.

Della froze. She closed the cupboard as she heard Marco come into the kitchen.

‘Laurence and I had a little chat this afternoon.’

‘Nice. Now get out of my way.’ She turned and went to go past him. ‘Go and get the diamond I gave you. I need everything together now. I want to make sure everything is right
for your family.’

‘Ha-ha, you’re a funny woman. But I don’t think you’re a very honest one.’

‘That’s rich, coming from you.’ Della had her hand just settled on the zip of her bag. The gun was tucked inside the inner pocket.

‘Let me show you something,’ Marco said.

‘I want to go, let me pass!’ Marco knocked the bag out of her hand.

‘You . . .’ He pushed her back against the cupboard. ‘You haven’t been honest, have you?

‘Who is this?’ He turned his phone round and showed her the photo that Laurence had taken of her and Carter at the window in the flat in Holloway.

‘No idea.’ She tried to dismiss it and move away from the wall.

He held her against the wall, by the throat.

She stared at him and her fear turned to mockery as she smiled.

‘Do it, loser,’ she said with small, shallow breaths. ‘You kill me, there’s no deal and you look like the prick you are.’

He contemplated snapping her neck but then drew back slightly.

‘This man is a police officer.’

‘He was my boyfriend once, a long time ago, before I knew Eddie.’

‘Is that his flat you are in?’

‘Yes.’

‘You’re a dirty little slut.’

‘Eddie always provided for me. I felt empty,’ she said, trying to smile. Marco grinned, his eyes still hard-boiled, as he didn’t release her. ‘I missed it, okay?’
she added, feeling his grip lessen.

‘You’re working with this policeman?’

‘I’m handling stolen diamonds, what do you think? He’s just an old boyfriend. Do you still want the diamonds?’

‘Oh, yes, princess, I want them, but that’s not all I want.’ Della started to fight the hand that forced itself up between her thighs. ‘I want you to understand.’
Marco leaned back slightly and smiled at her. ‘You wet, princess?’ He squashed her further into the wall and she cried out in pain as she squirmed and fought him as he forced his
fingers inside her.

‘Now you just remember, princess, as fine as you think you are, you are nothing.’ Marco slowly withdrew his fingers at the sound of the door being opened. Della pushed him back as
she pulled down her dress. He kept her pinned to the wall. He blocked her movements.

‘But you have the diamonds, right?’

‘I’ve shown you a diamond, haven’t I? You can see it’s genuine. Now fuck off.’

He grabbed her arm. Laurence came up the stairs and shouted at Marco.

‘Let her go. I want to talk to her,’ said Laurence.

Marco did as he was told and pulled her across to sit at the dining table. Laurence sat down very close. Della was looking around for her bag. Marco had it in his hand and he was playing with
the gun.

‘Where did you get this?’ asked Laurence.

‘Eddie left it to me. He left it with some diamonds in a security box.’

‘What’s the deal with the policeman?’

‘No deal. He’s an old friend.’

‘You’re lying, Della,’ said Laurence. ‘He’s a colleague. Eddie told me who you were, he was proud of it. He was proud to have an ex-cop as his wife. He thought it
was funny. Have you all of the diamonds now? They must add up to more than a hundred million.’

‘I’m still looking for some of it. I think Tony needs to come over and help me. He understands things like Eddie did. Some of these numbers and places Eddie left me don’t make
any sense to me.’

Laurence was smiling at Marco, and Della turned to see why.

‘We think you’re lying. We’re pretty sure you’ve got the diamonds; you’re just stalling. Does your boyfriend know where they are? Did you tell him?’

Marco was poised with a can of hairspray and a lighter. A flame shot into the room as he pressed the nozzle and sparked the lighter.

‘Not here,’ said Laurence. ‘Harold will be back. Not sure what he’d say to this method. We’ll move her to the Albert.’

Carter met Maxi in the same bar as last time. Maxi couldn’t see him till after eight. Carter looked at the time on his phone: it was nearly nine. Maxi still hadn’t
appeared. It was getting late. He’d heard nothing more from Della; he’d go over there later. Willis wanted to see him, too. He had a million things to do and people to see. He texted
Della under the code name Danielle.

‘It will have to be a late takeaway, I’m sorry. I’ll see you at about eleven.’

As he sent it he wished he hadn’t.

Maxi walked in looking a lot less happy than the last time they’d met in the bar.

‘I can only spare you ten minutes. I need to meet up with a man about some more stones.’

‘Okay. Well, I appreciate it, Maxi. Have a drink at least.’

He sat down, still keeping his eyes on the door.

‘It’s not been a barrel of laughs, you know. Waiting, all the waiting.’

‘In a five-star luxury hotel?’ said Carter.

‘Yeah, you can ponce it up all you like but it still feels like any minute the Mafia could burst in and shoot me to buggery. I haven’t been able to enjoy the hotel; I’ve been
back and forth like a bloody yo-yo. I still have a business to run, you know.’

‘So you didn’t use any of the cash he left you?’

‘I ordered room service a couple of times.’

‘Maxi, we need you to see this through. I’ll see about you keeping that cash.’

‘Huh, don’t think that’s going to do it for me. I left the force because I couldn’t handle the stress; I still can’t handle it. I thought this would be fun; it
isn’t.’

‘Have you got all the stones together now? How’s it all looking?’

‘I’m waiting for the last few to be delivered from Contact X; they’re the big ones. I haven’t heard when that’s happening. I’ve got a bucketload of ones that
look worth more than they are already. I need the extra uncut ones to make it look convincing.’

‘So you’re still in this?’

‘Look, I can’t promise I won’t bottle it. I’ve been getting panic attacks. I can’t face any drugs cartel.’

‘So, I’ll make it that you don’t have to. I’ll make sure this is all done and dusted in private, just you and the diamonds. Would that be okay?’

Maxi nodded reluctantly. ‘When will it happen, then?’

‘The shipment will come in and Contact X will collect them and take them to Marco. Marco will bring them to you here. You’ll okay them. I’ll make sure you’re safe.
I’ll have officers standing by.’

Willis was in Robbo’s office. They were going over the statements they had collected so far about Melvin’s last hours. Pam had gone home.

‘Did Melvin elaborate about who had scared him off working?’ asked Willis.

‘No, he didn’t say who it was.’

Robbo had loaded all the photos that came from Melvin’s phone and they were studying them.

‘Maybe he didn’t, but the other tour guide, Janice from East End Lives, she described Marco to a T,’ said Willis.

‘Did he threaten her?’ asked Robbo.

‘He said he’d kill her daughter. He knew all about her and her daily routines.’

‘Why go to so much trouble to scare off the tour guides?’

‘I’ve emailed Janice and asked her for an exact breakdown of all the places she went on her tour and all the people she regularly spoke to. She’s absolutely terrified; she
doesn’t want to lodge any police complaint against Marco.’

‘I can understand.’

‘Harold Butcher came by the crime scene.’

‘Guilty conscience, do you think?’ asked Robbo.

‘Not something you would normally associate with a Butcher,’ Willis replied, ‘but, yes, maybe guilty because he knew it was unnecessary and he might have prevented
it.’

‘I still don’t think this had anything to do with him. This was committed by one man and we’ll have the first set of DNA results back tomorrow.’

Harold got in and walked upstairs; the television had been left on. He was expecting to find someone watching it but there was no one. He knocked on Della’s door. He
could smell her perfume in the air. There was no reply. He went to the drinks cabinet and took out the bottle of thirty-year-old Famous Grouse and a glass and came to sit. He poured himself a
generous drink and sat down to wait for the others to return. An hour later he phoned Marco.

‘Where are you? Have you seen Della? Was she here?’

‘Della is with us.’

‘Who is us?’

‘Laurence and me. She’s been lying to us. She’s been fucking an old boyfriend, a policeman.’

‘Does she have all the diamonds?’

‘She says not. She says she wants Tony over here to help her look for them.’ Harold could hear the sound of someone in pain, a woman’s voice.

‘Don’t kill her, then, you stupid bastard. Where are you? It sounds like you’re in a warehouse.’