Jack leaned heavily on the edge of the sink in the men’s loo, water dripping from his face. He stared at his reflection; his eyebrows were down, the furrow between his eyes was deep, his cheek muscles flinched. Who was this angry man? Jack tried to change his expression, but he couldn’t. Anik’s betrayal was impossible to forget. Ridley’s pathetic, thoughtless, disrespectful decision to leave an immature prick like Anik to contact Jack with such vitally important information as a change of time to the raid was unforgivable. Jack didn’t know how to feel about this side of the law anymore. Were they really worth his time, his skills, his dedication?
Behind Jack, a stall door opened and Anik emerged. He knew enough to freeze as Jack’s eyes stared him down in the mirror. Jack said nothing. Anik said nothing. Jack stood statue-still, his prey in his sights, toying with the poor defenseless weasel. Anik sidestepped out of his stall and left without washing his hands.
Jack’s demeanor on entering the interview room had not yet improved. Gareth sat alone, back from the table, legs crossed, sipping a cup of coffee. He was still waiting for his solicitor, so there was no camera or tape on yet. Gareth scowled at the sight of Jack.
“You! You got a whole heap of shit coming down on you, copper,” Gareth growled.
Jack was unfazed.
“Your old man’s dead, meaning you’re suddenly very rich. You want to stay free to spend your money? Or am I gonna put you away for aiding and abetting four of the UK’s most wanted, and for nicking the other £45 k that I know was in that chair? Your choice. ’Cos this is all just a game, Gareth—you run with your gang, I run with mine, and every now and then we cross paths. Sometimes there has to be a winner and a loser, but not today. Today, you get to go home if you do the smart thing.”
As the blood drained from Gareth’s face, he swore blind that he didn’t know what his dad had been up to.
“Doesn’t matter,” Jack said. “All that matters is what my boss believes.”
And, right now, Jack could tell Ridley that the sky was green and he’d believe it.
Jack’s mobile rang. He left the room to answer it.
The warden from the secure children’s home, which was the temporary stopgap for Darren, said that Darren had just received a call from abroad and he’d thought Jack might like to know. Even if the phone was a burner, they’d still be able to trace the country of origin. So now, Jack not only knew the aliases of the women, he could also find out exactly which country Julia was in right now. He thanked the warden for his vigilance and hung up.
Once again, Jack was in possession of information vital to Ridley’s tracking of the women, especially as he knew they were about to get nothing of use out of Gareth. But he felt so betrayed by those who should be on the side of justice that he just couldn’t bring himself to hand over more key information for no reward, no appreciation and no acknowledgment. Ridley shaking his hand meant nothing! He’d been kept out of the raid, and he was being treated like a dog that you pat on the head every now and then, placate and keep in line. He still wasn’t being taken seriously. And he wasn’t going to stand for it any longer.
Jack left the station and headed home, leaving his car in the car park. He’d jump on the Underground eventually, but right now, he needed to walk. He needed fresh air. And he needed to think.