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  Logan puffed his cheeks and blew out a breath.

  ‘I swear, Alex. Working with you is taking years off my life expectancy.’

  ‘But they were definitely interested when I mentioned the soldiers, did you see that?’

  ‘I did. I expect the water was an excuse to make them leaving look casual when they really wanted to talk about it before going any further with us.’

  ‘Yeah, no doubt.’

  Hunter and Collins came back with cardboard cups for Logan and Cahill and sat at the table sipping at their own drinks.

  ‘So what are you guys working on?’ Cahill asked. ‘Anything with a military connection?’

  ‘You know that I can’t say much about an ongoing investigation.’

  ‘So that’s a yes. The Feds would be interested.’

  Hunter smiled for the first time. It changed his face, made him look much younger.

  ‘We represent the family of a victim possibly connected to your investigation,’ Logan said. ‘I mean, leaving aside how you feel about lawyers, you’d normally keep the family advised. Am I right?’

  ‘Tenuous,’ Collins said.

  ‘If there is something in this,’ Hunter added, ‘we will need to speak to the FBI. Even if I’d rather we kept it all here.’

  ‘You said you’ve dealt with the FBI in the past,’ Logan said. ‘I take it that didn’t work out so well?’

  Hunter rubbed absently at the scar on his right arm, caught himself doing it and tugged at his shirt cuff as if wanting to pull the sleeve down and cover the scar.

  ‘I have the highest respect for some people in the Bureau. One of my closest friends works out of Quantico. It’s just that…’

  Collins looked at his partner.

  ‘We all have our scars to bear?’ Cahill asked.

  Hunter held his gaze.

  ‘Yes, we do.’

  11

  ‘We’ve had a number of deaths in the city recently from drug overdoses,’ Hunter said.

  ‘Not our regular gig,’ Collins added.

  ‘You’re homicide, right?’ Logan asked.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Anyway,’ Hunter added, ‘we had a relatively large number of overdose deaths. Concentrated in the park over at the Capitol Building.’

  ‘How many?’

  ‘Three to start with. Two more in the last week.’

  ‘Doesn’t sound so big.’

  ‘It was also noticeable for the type of drug. A heroin derivative. Fentanyl and heroin, to be exact. Definitely not run of the mill.’

  Logan recalled hearing about something similar recently but couldn’t quite remember what it was.

  ‘Why was that so noticeable?’ Logan asked Hunter.

  ‘Heroin is not a product of desire in the US. We don’t get so much of it here. Crack cocaine is the big thing.’

  ‘So a sudden increase in heroin-related deaths means what? That you’ve got someone new in the area trying to make his mark with a new product?’

  ‘Most likely, yes.’

  ‘What does this have to do with soldiers?’ Cahill asked.

  ‘We checked in with the DEA,’ Collins said. ‘To see if they had anything going on in Metro Denver or in our vicinity.’

  ‘I take it that you got a hit?’ Cahill asked. ‘Something with a military angle.’

  ‘We did.’

  ‘Can you tell us about it?’

  Hunter stood and paced to the door and back.

  ‘Guys, this is getting kind of to the point where I think it’s best handled between law enforcement agencies. No offence, but I don’t feel comfortable saying too much more.’

  Logan knew that wouldn’t sit well with Cahill. Hunter must have seen that in Cahill’s face.

  ‘I appreciate your background, Mr Cahill, I really do. And that this agent was a friend of yours. But we’re getting into potentially very sensitive areas here. Beyond law enforcement confidentiality.’

  ‘You mean national security?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I’ve still got clearance. You can check that out as well.’

  Hunter sat back down and stared at Cahill.

  ‘I’ve got permanent clearance. Comes with the job.’

  ‘From the Secret Service?’ Collins asked, frowning. ‘I never heard that one before.’

  ‘Another agency.’

  Collins’s eyes widened a little. ‘You get around some.’

  ‘I’ve seen and done a lot in my time, gentlemen. Let’s leave it at that.’

  Hunter clasped his hands on the table and leaned forward.

  ‘That never showed up on your records when I checked before. The other agency thing, I mean.’

  ‘It’s not supposed to. That’s kind of the point.’

  ‘So how do we know that you’re cleared for this kind of thing?’

  ‘I can tell you who to call.’

  Collins took a pen and a small notepad from inside his jacket.

  ‘Go ahead,’ he said.

  ‘You checked out,’ Collins said to Cahill when he came back into the room five minutes later. ‘But what about him?’

  He pointed at Logan.

  ‘He’s my lawyer.’

  Collins looked at Hunter who turned to Cahill.

  ‘We’re going to have to talk to the FBI after this,’ Hunter said, ignoring Collins’s question about Logan.

  ‘I’ll make the introductions personally,’ Cahill replied.

  Collins sat at the table.

  ‘You know that the cocaine trade originates in Colombia?’ Hunter asked.

  Logan and Cahill nodded.

  ‘Well, the Mexicans have also got in on the act. In fact, most of the US drug trade comes through there now, not Colombia. And one drug lord in particular has taken to hiring ex-soldiers as security.’

  ‘The DEA told you this?’

  ‘Yes. Turns out that one of these soldiers is now a high-ranking lieutenant in a Mexican cartel and he’s been tracked entering the US three times in the last six months.’

  ‘Entering here, in Denver?’

  ‘Correct. The DEA has a watch list on known or suspected cartel members and footsoldiers. So they can track their movements if they come into the US. Sometimes it’s better to see where they go and who they talk to rather than arresting them on entry.’

  ‘I can see how that would work,’ Cahill said. ‘Do they know why this guy has been in the US?’

  ‘Nothing concrete. Snatches of intel gathered from intercepted communications.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘They think that the cartel is trying to establish links with a group here in the US.’

  ‘Let me guess,’ Logan said. ‘Also ex-military?’

  ‘You win the watch.’

  ‘But you said that the overdoses here have been from heroin. What’s the connection to Mexico if they deal in cocaine? Expanding their product lines or something else?’

  ‘That part we don’t know for sure. And neither does the DEA. But heroin trade does also come in via Mexico.’

  ‘Sounds like you only have pieces of the puzzle and can’t see the whole picture yet.’

  ‘That’s about right, yes.’

  ‘Did the DEA get any names of the people here that the Mexican was in contact with?’

  ‘No. They traced some calls but they were to illegal, cloned mobiles. Nothing they could use.’

  ‘You know,’ Logan said, stretching his arms above his head, ‘I can see why the FBI would be focused on terrorism since nine eleven and I have no doubt that’s what they thought Stark was working on. They as much as told us that. But what if this group that Stark was trying to infiltrate had nothing to do with anything like that? I mean, maybe they’re just good old-fashioned capitalists.’

  ‘Drug dealers,’ Cahill said.

  ‘Yeah. Maybe Stark was getting close to the truth and they got suspicious. If he’d seen the stories about the overdoses and finally joined the dots to the crew he was with it would explain why he wanted to s
peak to you, Detective.’

  Hunter folded his arms.

  ‘It makes some kind of sense. But right now it’s just a theory. Nothing more.’

  ‘I think you need to talk to the FBI,’ Cahill said.

  Hunter looked at his watch, saw that it was now almost six.

  ‘Those FBI types work late?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh, yeah,’ Cahill said.

  ‘I got a date,’ Collins said, looking almost crestfallen.

  Hunter turned his head to look at his partner.

  ‘What?’ Collins said. ‘It’s the blonde. You remember?’

  Hunter shook his head and raised his left hand, waggling his wedding ring.

  ‘Doesn’t mean you don’t remember what it was like.’

  ‘You go if you want. I’m going to see if we can set something up with the local Bureau guys tonight. Sounds like we have a lot to talk about.’ He looked at Cahill who nodded.

  ‘Crap,’ Collins said. ‘Count me in.’

  ‘Make the call,’ Hunter told Cahill.

  12

  Irvine got home at six, made pasta with tomato sauce and ate it with her son at the kitchen table while he regaled her with his adventures from the childminders. She listened patiently as he tried to express himself using his limited vocabulary and wiped his face every minute or so as the sauce spread ever outward. She felt numb all over.

  After Connor was asleep, she went down to the living room and sat on the couch with her feet curled up under her. She couldn’t get rid of the smell from Marshall’s house, not sure if it was real or just a sensory memory. A few hours of TV didn’t help.

  Irvine grabbed the phone and dialled Logan’s mobile number. It rang once and went straight to voicemail. She left a short message telling him that everything was fine and that he should call her when he got the chance.

  She hung up and reached down to the floor to pick up the remote control for the TV. As she did, she thought that she saw a shadow flit across the blinds of the window that looked out on to the street. She froze, her hand hovering above the remote. Images from Marshall’s house flashed in her head. She saw Connor’s face on Marshall’s dead son, shook her head to wipe the image from her brain.

  She strained to listen for movement outside.

  She heard a car door open and shut not far from her house then low male voices. She couldn’t tell if they were moving towards her or away.

  Standing up, she padded quietly out to the hall where she grabbed her extending baton. There was no light on in the hall and Irvine stood there, listening for any sound from outside. She heard the male voices again. This time there was no doubt that they were coming closer.

  The voices grew louder until they were outside Irvine’s door. She looked upstairs, knowing that her son was up there alone. Thought about pulling the door open and going out to meet them head-on. Catch them by surprise.

  She almost jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang. Irvine caught sight of herself in the full-length mirror in the hall, standing in a pink velour tracksuit with her hair up and a steel baton in her hand.

  The bell rang again.

  Irvine hesitated, then went to the door and looked through the peephole. Frank Parker was standing there with one of his bodyguards.

  ‘I only want to talk,’ Parker said loudly.

  Irvine hesitated, then dropped the baton and kicked it to the side where it clattered into the skirting, taking a chunk of paint off. She opened the door.

  Parker was dressed in another immaculately tailored suit. One of the big men from the restaurant was standing behind him.

  ‘Detective,’ Parker said.

  Irvine felt anger begin to bubble. Parker must have seen it in her face and held his hands up.

  ‘Look,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry that I had to come here. I didn’t mean to upset you or anything. It’s just that-’

  ‘You’re crossing the line, Mr Parker. I think you know that fine well. In fact, I think you’re doing it deliberately.’

  Parker dropped his hands and turned to the man behind him.

  ‘Wait for me in the car.’

  The man looked from Parker to Irvine before turning and walking towards the car parked not far along the street. Irvine watched him until he was in the car.

  ‘What’s this about?’ Irvine asked.

  ‘Can I come in?’

  Irvine stared at him. Parker’s face was difficult to read.

  ‘You’re pushing it.’

  ‘If you get to know me, and I’m a helpful guy to know, you’ll understand that I’m a little bit old school, Detective.’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘It means that I like to conduct business on a personal basis. You might not believe it, but trust and honour go a long way with me.’

  ‘Honour amongst thieves,’ Irvine said.

  Parker looked disappointed.

  ‘If that’s how you want to play it, I’ll leave you alone. But we won’t speak any further about Russell Hall’s murder.’

  Irvine hated having to deal with Parker on his terms, but she had backed herself into a corner now and regretted the cheap jibe at him.

  ‘Let’s get this straight,’ she said. ‘I’m a police officer and you

  …’ Parker watched her closely. ‘You seem like a gentleman on the face of it, I’ll give you that.’

  ‘But…’

  ‘But, you’re also a person of interest to the police authorities in this city.’

  ‘That’s a nice euphemism.’

  ‘So any contact we have will be strictly business.’

  ‘Understood. That’s my intention.’

  ‘Why not call me first? Or set up a meeting somewhere in town. We don’t have to conduct business at Pitt Street, you know. This is… inappropriate.’

  ‘I apologise. But, like I said, I find business relationships work best if there’s an element of trust.’

  ‘So why are you here?’

  ‘To demonstrate that I am not a threat to you. We can have a pleasant, professional communication in your home and you’ll see that I am a man to be trusted. I show the police due courtesy and respect.’

  ‘What about Kenny?’

  ‘It’s Mr Armstrong who has a problem with me.’

  Irvine wanted to hear what he had to say, but still found it difficult to come to terms with the notion of letting the man in her house at this time of night.

  ‘I saw some things today I’d prefer not to have ever seen. What people can do to one another.’

  Parker pursed his lips.

  ‘I saw that on the news. You were on TV.’

  ‘I’ve got used to that.’

  ‘It wasn’t me,’ he said finally.

  ‘I know that.’

  ‘That’s not who I am.’

  ‘I can’t comment on who you are.’

  Parker sighed. ‘Let me offer this,’ he said. ‘If you allow me to come in and we have a conversation, we can put that in the favour bank in your credit. I mean, I have information that will be of interest to you as regards Russell’s employer, so ordinarily that would put you in my debt.’

  Irvine raised an eyebrow. She knew that having contacts in the criminal world was all part of the game, but this guy was too slick for his own good. She hesitated and stepped back to allow Parker to come in.

  ‘You’ve got a nice home,’ he said as he sat on the couch in her living room.

  She got the impression that he meant it.

  ‘I understand that these relationships can be beneficial,’ Irvine said. ‘But I want to be clear that next time we arrange a meeting in advance, okay?’

  Parker nodded.

  ‘And any future meetings will not be at my home. In fact, I don’t want you anywhere near here again.’

  He paused to look at her and nodded.

  ‘What’s this about, Mr Parker?’

  ‘You want to get right to it?’

  Irvine nodded.

  ‘Well, I asked around like I said I would.
Regarding Russell Hall’s current employment status.’

  ‘Uh-huh. And?’

  ‘I heard a name mentioned in passing.’

  ‘You heard it, or you knew it already but kept it to yourself until now?’

  ‘I thought that we agreed to be courteous?’

  She said nothing, not prepared to apologise to him.

  ‘Do you want the name?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Butler.’

  ‘That’s it?’ she asked. ‘No first name?’

  Parker shook his head.

  ‘Do you know any more than that? His background or where I can find him?’

  ‘There’s a limit to how much I can say. I mean, you understand that, don’t you?’

  ‘The favour bank has strict withdrawal limits, obviously.’

  Parker stood and laughed.

  ‘That’s a good way of putting it, yes.’ He turned and went to the door. ‘Don’t get up,’ he told her.

  Irvine hadn’t moved.

  ‘Oh,’ Parker said, turning to her as he opened the door to the hall. ‘I think that this Butler may have worked with Johnson before. That both of them were soldiers or something in a past life.’

  Irvine stared after him as he closed the door softly.

  13

  ‘It’s been a while, Jack,’ Seth Raines told the man on the other end of the telephone line when his call was answered.

  Jack Butler grunted.

  ‘How are things over there? Business is good?’

  ‘Uh…’

  ‘Are you drunk?’

  ‘No, I’m not drunk. I’m tired. It’s been a rough few days and it’s nearly three in the morning here.’

  Raines looked at his watch which showed that it wasn’t quite eight at night. He always forgot about the size of the time difference.

  ‘Sorry.’

  ‘Never mind. What do you want?’

  ‘We’re getting out of the business.’

  Raines felt like it would be best to tell Butler straight up. No preamble. He knew that Butler would not take it well. Not after Raines had ordered Butler to kill Johnson.

  ‘What?’ Butler asked, sounding more confused than angry.

  ‘We got an offer we couldn’t refuse from the Mexicans. We’re cashing out.’

  ‘You mean you got scared of them. The competition. They threatened you and you chickened out.’