Dead Cold Mysteries Box Set #3: Books 9-12 (A Dead Cold Box Set) Blake Banner (best books to read ever txt) š
- Author: Blake Banner
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I laughed. āThe whole thing, Hastingsācalling you to the Ritz, Chiddesterās call to me when you showed up, as you had toāthe whole thing was planned. And you walked right in.ā
Chiddester looked gray and exhausted. He said suddenly, āAll right, Green. You may as well come in now. I think we have everything we need.ā
Hastingsā eyes bulged. He scrambled to his feet and ran for the door. Chiddester was quick for a man his size, and strong. He stood, laid the flat of his left hand on Hastingsā chest and stopped him dead in his track. Then he delivered a right hook to his jaw that sent him reeling back across the room, laid him flat on his back, groaning like Sunday morning after Saturday night.
āThereāll be no Queenās evidence in this case. Youāre all going to the fucking wall!ā
The doorbell rang and the guys whoād brought Sadiq in went to open in. There was a murmuring of voices and a rustling of feet and after a moment, the door opened again and Harry came in with two constables.
āEvening, all. Where is he?ā
Chiddester pointed and said, āHe tried to get away. Had to stop him.ā The constables crossed the room and dragged Nigel Hastings to his feet. He was still having trouble focusing his eyes, and he had an ugly, swollen bruise covering the lower left side of his face. The constables cuffed him and Harry intoned, āNigel Hastings, I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Katie Ellison, and conspiring in the attempted murder of Detectives John Stone and Carmen Dehan. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence against you.ā He nodded at the constables. āAll right, take him away.ā
As they walked him past me, Harry said, āOh, by the way, Stone, the DNA results came in last minute. It was Hastingsā DNA, like you thought.ā
He stopped and stared at me with crazy eyes. āYou tricked me! Youāre all the same! Lying, cheatingā¦ā
The rest of it was lost as he was bundled out into the hall. Chiddester frowned down at Dehan, who was still sitting in her chair in her sinful black dress. āIām sorry you had to witness that, my dear.ā
I smiled down at her, wondering if sheād give him a taste of her attitude. But there was only humor in her eyes. She stood and grinned at him and said, āDonāt apologize, Chiddie. I just wish Iād filmed it so I could watch it again.ā
She winked and his cheeks flushed. Harry made a ācrazy Yanksā face and said, āRight, weād better be making a move. Lord Chiddester, Iāll leave a car outside and an armed officer inside. Any problem at allā¦ā
āAnd Iāll shoot the bastard, Green, donāt worry about that.ā
I smiled and before Harry could reprimand him, I asked, āWhere is your wife, Chiddester?ā
āUpstairs in bed. Weāll be fine, now go and do whatever you have to do.ā
We stepped out into the balmy night and crossed the garden toward Harryās car. The street was oddly peaceful, with the ancient, wrought iron streetlamps casting a gentle, green light through the leaves of the giant chestnuts. His car bleeped and flashed and we pulled open the doors. Then he leaned on the roof a moment and looked at me. āTough old goat, isnāt he? Lost his daughter, obviously shattered by it, and yet there he is, in the thick of it, not flinching, and even decks the fellow who did it.ā
I nodded. āA few more like him, huh, Harry?ā
He shrugged. āMaybe. Maybe youāre right.ā
EIGHTEEN
The radio crackled in the darkness of the car:
āSubject moving north along Ladbroke Grove. Over.ā
We pulled away and headed toward Holland Park Avenue. Harry took the radio and spoke. āBravo team, what is the status of your subject? Over.ā
āBound west along the Acton Vale Sir, seems to be headed home to Ealing Common. Over.ā
We reached the intersection with Holland Park Avenue and stopped. It was late and there was no traffic. The road was quiet and still.
I said, āCaulfield has gone home. Sadiq is on his way to Villiers Road, in Willesden.ā
He looked at me sharply. āHow do you know that?ā
I sighed. I could explain, but it wouldnāt convince him. I said, āBelieve me. Leave the tail on Caulfield, there is an outside chance heās not involved. We know for a fact Sadiq is. Even if Iām wrong, which, you know, Iām not, we should stay with him.ā
He sighed and turned north toward Notting Hill Gate. āCouldnāt you be wrong just sometimes?ā he said, with not much humor. He turned left then and we started accelerating down Ladbroke Grove, toward the Harrow Road. It is long and straight, and at that time of night, there were few people about. The luminous shop fronts and kebab parlors gave the street a depressing air of hopelessness. We passed under the metro bridge and the radio crackled again.
āSubject headed for Kensal Rise Station. There is no traffic, sir, we are falling back in case he spots us. Over.ā
āRoger that, Sergeant.ā
I turned to him. āKensal Rise is on the way to Willesden, isnāt it?ā
He nodded and gave a glance in the mirror. I heard Dehan laugh.
āLeft onto Stavertonā¦ Heās doing another left onto Willesden Lane, sir. Over.ā
Harry sighed. āBe advised, he is probably headed for Villiers Road. Alpha One, stay behind him. Alpha Two, take Belton Road and intercept at the junction with Villiers. Over.ā
āRoger that, sir.ā
It crackled again almost immediately. āBravo team, sir. Subject has stopped at the Guilded Lilly on Ealing Broadway. All night bar, sir. Over.ā
āStay with him, Bravo Team, and stay in
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