Read Spider Shepherd 11 - White Lies for Free Online Page A

Coatsworth’s gang was armed so they decided to do it without an armed police presence.’
    ‘They’re blaming me? Are you serious?’
    ‘Not exactly blaming you, just pointing out that you hadn’t mentioned firearms so they didn’t consider it necessary to ask for armed police support.’ She grimaced. ‘But I think you know as well as I do that it’s probably more that they wanted to keep the arrests in-house. Once they call in the armed police it becomes a police operation.’
    ‘Yeah, well, there’s a reason they call it Border Farce,’ said Shepherd. ‘You know, these days it’s more likely that it’ll be law enforcement hurting me than villains. It wasn’t that long ago that I was tasered by cops, remember?’
    ‘I remember. It was regrettable. As was what happened tonight.’
    ‘Regrettable? Armed cops tasered me while I was doused in petrol. I could have gone up like a Roman candle. And tonight I got walloped over the head when I was in the process of surrendering.’
    ‘Luckily you’ve got a thick skull.’ She smiled. ‘I’m sorry, I know it’s not a laughing matter.’
    ‘Damn right it’s not. Charlie, even if I was a bad guy, he was still out of order belting me the way he did. I had my hands up. I was no threat to him.’
    ‘You can make an official complaint if you want,’ said Button.
    ‘What’s the point?’
    ‘Exactly,’ she said. She looked at her watch. ‘Look, I’m sure you’re tired. I’ve got us rooms booked at a local hotel. Nothing fancy but I’m told they do a good breakfast. You should get some sleep and we’ll do a debrief later.’
    The hotel was surprisingly good considering it was well away from any main road and had only a dozen rooms. Shepherd showered and then slipped naked under a duvet and was asleep within seconds. He woke to the sound of the phone ringing next to the bed. He groped for it. ‘It’s a quarter to ten and they stop serving breakfast at ten,’ said Button. ‘What would you like?’
    ‘Coffee. Eggs and bacon.’ He ran a hand through his hair and winced as he touched the dressing.
    ‘They do a wonderful full English, I’m told.’
    ‘OK, fine. Thanks.’
    ‘I’ll order it now,’ she said.
    Shepherd rolled out of bed and pulled on his clothes from the previous night. There was a small washbag by the sink containing a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, a disposable razor and a small can of shaving foam. He shaved, brushed his teeth and hurried downstairs. Button was sitting at a table by the window. Two other tables were occupied – a suited businessman reading the
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sat at one and a middle-aged couple sat silently at another. Button had changed into a grey suit and had her chestnut hair clipped up at the back, and she smiled at him over her cup of tea. ‘Sleep well?’
    He dropped down on to the seat opposite her and picked up his coffee. ‘I was dog-tired,’ he said.
    ‘Can’t be easy, driving one of those ribs.’ She raised her cup in salute. ‘Anyway, job well done. You’ve closed down a people-trafficking route and a drug-trafficking route in one fell swoop. Two birds with one stone, to complete the avian theme. Plus you saved that young boy’s life.’
    ‘Rainey was panicking, I don’t think he would’ve killed the kid.’
    ‘Spider, he held a knife to the boy’s throat. Anyway, you didn’t give him the chance. How’s the head?’
    ‘Still hurts,’ said Shepherd.
    ‘Worse than before? Do you want to swing by the hospital?’
    ‘It’ll be OK,’ said Shepherd. ‘Like I said, I’ve been hit before.’
    A waitress arrived and put a plate of eggs, bacon, sausage, tomato, black pudding and beans in front of Shepherd, along with a full toast rack, before serving Button with a small portion of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. She caught him looking at her food and smiled. ‘I’m on a bit of a diet,’ she said.
    ‘You don’t need to be,’ he said. He laughed and picked up his knife and fork. ‘And I’m