John’s apology was not something Sam had been expecting, but then again, not much that had happened lately had been expected either.
‘I should have supported you immediately, rather than allow my disappointment over not taking the reins make things difficult,’ John continued, the force needed to stop him from scowling making his face feel like it would crack. ‘But I’m here now and I’ll do everything in my power to make this work for you. For all of us. We’re family, after all.’ More’s the pity…
Sam smiled, although she was not entirely convinced. Although appreciating John’s apology, she couldn’t help but question his genuineness.
John sensed Sam’s mind ticking. He had to play this smart in order to turn it around. ‘I should start by filling you in with how everything is run around here.’ The edited version – the one that will leave gaping holes in your ability to do anything competently.
‘Thank you. I’ll jot down anything that might prove useful.’ Flipping the top of a notepad over, Sam’s pen poised over the paper. ‘So, in addition to the shared patches with the Stokers and the ones we singularly hold, can you confirm which ones of ours have had runners threatened on?’ She pulled out a small version of the map she’d recreated from the one Seb Stoker had shown her and laid it in front of John. ‘I’d also like to know how much coke is shifted on average. Particularly in these two patches.’ Her pen pointed to the areas on the map.
John almost choked. How the fuck? Where had she got this information from?
Instead of immediately punching Sam in the face for catching him off guard, John had to think and think fast. So, Liam was right with what he’d said earlier. Sam had run to the opposition and met with Seb Stoker last night?
Well, he’d nip that in the bud. Stoker was a major contender and a big fly in the ointment. He had to wreck any credibility the man had scraped together in Sam’s eyes and he had to do it quickly.
He feigned interest in the areas Sam had outlined. ‘Hmm, this isn’t quite right.’ John tapped his thick finger on the map. ‘What patches did you say these are?’
Sam frowned. ‘Our two areas here. Have we had threats to those?’
John shrugged. This would be fun. ‘I wouldn’t know because those patches are Stoker territory. Nothing to do with us.’
Sam peered at the map. Had she copied something incorrectly? She’d meticulously checked she’d outlined this map exactly as Seb’s. ‘Are you sure? I…’
‘I’ve been doing this long enough to know which areas we own,’ John laughed. Picking up a pen, he drew a shaky outline around the adjacent areas. ‘These are ours and it’s this one in the middle that’s a shared territory.’
Sam’s heart pounded. Perspiration formed on the back of her neck as she berated herself for the wine she’d consumed before copying the map last night.
John ignored Sam’s obvious discomfort. ‘Where did you get this from?’ Like he didn’t know…
‘I… erm…’ Sam fidgeted. ‘I was discussing the shared areas with Seb Stoker. I felt it important to continue the arrangement my father had with his father.’ She looked at John pointedly. ‘And I appreciated someone giving me the heads-up with how everything worked.’
John folded his arms and sighed dramatically. Oh, he was enjoying this. ‘I suppose Stoker marked these areas out?’ He paused for effect. ‘God, Sam. That fucker is setting you up! His whole business depends on ours failing. He’s a ruthless bastard.’
Fear ignited in the pit of Sam’s stomach. ‘That can’t be right. Despite my initial reticence to deal with him, he was very helpful.’
‘Yeah, I bet he was,’ John sneered. ‘Seriously, be careful. If you insist on dealing with him, then please double-check with me.’ Was the doubt creeping in yet?
Sam faltered, stuck between defensiveness and panic. Liam had said similar. Had she ballsed up? Had she allowed herself to be set up with the oldest trick in the book? ‘I don’t understand how I could have copied it incorrectly.’
Because you’re stupid? John thought. ‘I don’t expect you did. I suspect Stoker purposefully gave you the incorrect information.’ He folded his arms. ‘I expected him to try something, but he’d have never got away with this one with me. He knows damn well I know where our patches are!’ He laughed, then pretended to look contrite. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean that to come across as patronising.’
Irritation and disappointment ballooned inside Sam. Had her instincts to trust Seb Stoker been wrong after all? Was her unease with John down to personal annoyance, rather than genuine mistrust? After all, her father had trusted him.
Confusion swirled. This was awful. Sam fumbled with her glass of water, not knowing which way to turn. Sighing resignedly, she looked at John. ‘Why would Seb go out of his way to mislead me?’
‘It’s simple! Had you been left believing those patches were ours, that would give his patches extra protection – until you found out, that is.’ A trace of a sneer moved across John’s face. ‘But by then, it would just be passed off as incompetence on your part by everyone.’
Sam’s heart plummeted. John was right. How could the firm take her seriously for glibly accepting Seb Stoker’s words? How could she have been so stupid?
John smiled triumphantly. He could see he’d thrown a spanner in this stupid little girl’s theory. She’d thought she was one up on him for a minute, but now her confidence was crumbling. It was perfect.
He glanced at the map in derision. By the time she worked out this map was actually correct, she’d have already given up and passed everything back to him.
John leant further back in his chair. ‘No offence, but Stoker is aware you know fuck all. You also should know he’s been arranging drops in our shared territories with the Irish.’ He shrugged. ‘I mean, I’m guessing you know Len refused any part of Irish deals. He refused to fund the IRA, as he put it. The further Stoker deflects you to concentrate on the wrong territories, the less you’ll notice and the more they’ll gain.’
Sam swallowed uncomfortably. She’d have been a laughing stock within the firm. She’d let her father down already.
Damn Seb Stoker. But could he really have lied to her? He’d seemed on the level last night and she found it difficult to believe that her instincts were wrong.
Her eyebrows knitted together. Whereas John…
Sam looked at her cousin, sure she’d just seen a glint of smug satisfaction behind his eyes, and quietly gritted her teeth.
She may be new to all of this, but she was learning and learning fast. Gone was the old Samantha Reynold. The new version was tired of all the cloak and dagger bollocks. It stopped here. She was not a sad little girl who could be messed about. She was Len Reynold’s daughter and it was high time she acted like it.
‘I have to take a certain amount of responsibility for this, Samantha,’ John said, capitalising on Sam’s confusion. ‘Had I not reacted so badly to your decision to run the place, I could have saved you from this embarrassment, so I’m sorry.’
Sam smiled thinly, knowing if what John had just said was true, then she should be grateful to learn the score before it was too late, but mistrust still jangled and that could not easily be quashed.
‘Leave Stoker to me,’ John pressed. ‘He obviously thinks he can manipulate you, so I’ll deal with him from now on.’
Sam tensed. Something was still telling her not to be hasty. She momentarily thought about mentioning the theory about Jimmy to John, but again something stopped her. She’d work this out herself. ‘I understand what you’re saying, but I’ll keep things as they are. If Stoker is trying to manipulate me, then instead of allowing him to realise I know, I suggest we let him believe I’m none the wiser. That could prove beneficial.’
John shrugged. Damn, so she was digging her heels in? Samantha wasn’t going to be as easy to sideswipe as he’d presumed. Never mind. It would happen soon enough. ‘As you wish. Just keep me updated with anything Stoker says from now on.’
‘Of course.’ Sam watched John rise from his seat. ‘And thank you.’
‘That’s what family is for,’ John said, his smile evading his eyes.
Closing the office door behind him, he continued walking down the corridor to the main reception area. Now he’d go and check in with the lads to see what drops were due tonight. That and pick up the money lifted last night, of course.