Dead Of Winter (Willis/Carter #1)(47)

Tanya’s eyes were struggling to stay open. ‘What are you doing?’ She saw a nurse walk around the bed and then start undressing her. She felt the cool air in the room flow over her body as the nurse drew back the covers and began to wash her. She took her time – long, slow, warm strokes that soon turned cold on Tanya’s skin. But Tanya didn’t mind as the warm flannel stroked her tired limbs. Her mind wandered back to being in a bath with Jakub; the first time he had laughed. Then she thought she could hear his breathing as he lay beside her sleeping. Feeling heavy now. Her arm was being pulled out straight. In her dream it was her son Jakub pulling it. What did he want? Mama? Mama? Tanya felt a sting in her hand but still she could hear the rhythmical breathing of someone asleep. She felt another’s body next to hers.

‘Jakub?’

She struggled to open her eyes and turn her head to see her son. A woman’s face was inches from her own, watching her.





Chapter 28


That morning Carmichael watched Tyrone shuffle his way between the tables over to where he sat with a double espresso in the busy café. He grated a chair out opposite Carmichael and sat down. ‘Got your message. Have to be honest wid you, I don’t really understand what you want from me . . . as much as I appreciate the offer of ten G, I ain’t figured out how I earned it.’

‘You will.’ Carmichael pushed an envelope across the table to him. ‘Sonny is dead. I am taking over.’

Tyrone looked momentarily shocked until the feel of the wad inside the envelope calmed him. He stuffed it inside the pocket of his jacket and looked pleased with himself.

‘You’ll get a lot more money if you co-operate. I want a list of all Sonny’s contacts. I want to know everyone he deals with. You know Digger Cain?’ Tyrone nodded. ‘Digger gets no more women. None of these women leave your care. I expect you to look after the women till I say I’m ready. You tell them I’m the man to deal with. No one – I repeat, no one – takes any of those women out of that house . . . understood?’

Carmichael waited as Tyrone shuffled in his chair, dug his hands in his pocket and then settled down again. He looked across at Carmichael.

‘No can do.’ He shook his head, wiped his mouth. ‘There’s outstanding deals. Sonny set them up. They got to be honoured.’ Tyrone was chewing the inside of his cheek.

‘What deals?’

‘Digger wants most of these girls I got: six, two young ones.’

‘Stall him for a few days. I’ll cover it by then. What else?’

‘Sonny told me to find a special girl.’ Tyrone looked nervously at Carmichael. He was looking squeezed. ‘It happened a while ago, the same thing . . . I have to test the girl. If it comes up with what they’re looking for then they pay. Just the one pays the same as ten girls—’

‘What’s the test?’

‘Starts with blood.’ He shrugged. ‘If she’s got the right blood she has more tests.’

‘What for?’

‘I don’t know what for; I never asked.’

‘When was the last time you found the right girl?’

‘A few hours ago. They made a match. Girl named Tanya, dances in Cain’s. Digger said someone paid a lot of money.’

‘Have you been asked to test again for another match?’

‘No. Might not happen again, who knows?’

Carmichael looked away angrily. ‘Where did he take her . . . do you know?’

‘No.’ Tyrone shook his head nervously. He pulled up the hood of his parka. ‘Listen . . . I ain’t looking for trouble. He already paid for the girl. He took her. I couldn’t do nothing ’bout it. How do I know Sonny is dead?’

‘Look out for it on the news. Then spread the word with all Sonny’s agents. I will pay big money to whoever comes on board with me now. I have contacts all around the world. I will shut down anyone else.’

After he watched Tyrone shuffle away Carmichael dug out the ‘pay as you go’ mobile phone that he’d picked up on his way down from Yorkshire. Then he sent a text voice recording to the local police in Whitechapel, telling them what to look for. He kept it simple . . .

Dead man in red Ferrari down slipway on Isle of Dogs.





Chapter 29


Ebony didn’t bother to switch on the sat nav this time. She left the train station in the hire car and kept her eyes peeled for the junctions. The snow was starting to melt from the fields now, glossy and bright like wet icing on a wedding cake.

As she neared Carmichael’s farm the sun was bouncing bright off the top of the buildings. The cockerel weather vane glinted as it tilted and caught the sun. Bridget heard the car approach and stopped to listen. She knew it would be Ebony; Carmichael had told her to expect another visit. Bridget stood at the entrance to the stable and watched Ebony drive in and park. Rosie went over to say hello. Bridget locked the stable and wheeled the barrow across to the dung heap past the farmhouse. Tor came to stand with his head over the stable door and watch the proceedings.

‘Hello, Bridget. Is Callum in?’ Ebony screwed up her eyes against the low winter sun as she got out of the car.

‘No.’ Bridget tipped out the contents of the barrow and wheeled it back to stand against the woodshed wall.