Hot Revenge Box Set 2

Richard

James and Klempner, heads close, voices low; they stand together at the end of the hall discussing something… I assume Finchby…

The bell rings. I don’t feel quite comfortable answering the door in someone else’s home, but James waves me on, his eyes flicking between me and Klempner.

I open the door to find myself face to thunderous face with Will Stanton.

For a second or two, I hesitate, blocking the view down the hall. Deliberately raising my voice, “Will… Good to see you.” I glance back. Klempner exchanges an alarmed look with James.

“Richard...” Will Stanton's voice booms through the house. “May I come in?”

In the hallway, Will stands, legs akimbo, hands clasped before him, holding his hat, eyes darting in all directions. James, all casual good manners, strolls down, hand proffered. “Will, thank you for calling by. What can we do for you?”

Will awards him an old look. “Nice eye patch, James. How did you come by it?”

James sucks at his teeth. “Why don’t you come into the lounge. We can talk there.”

James takes his armchair. Will accepts the seat offered him on the couch, but his face is set. “The eye, James. What happened?”

“We received a ransom demand for Charlotte. Richard here provided the money. I delivered it. The kidnappers weren’t gentle in their handling of me.”

Will absorbs this. “You have Charlotte back?”

“Yes. She’s safe upstairs, along with my new daughter.”

“Congratulations.” It’s a happy word, but thunder rolls over Will’s upper reaches. He turns to me. “And what were you doing last night, Richard? While this was going on.”

“I had my own difficulties. Elizabeth went into premature labour… The upset, you know. The stress. She and Charlotte are very close.”

“Ahhh…” Will nods slowly, scratching at an ear. “Is everything…?”

“Elizabeth is fine now. The doctors halted the contractions. But she is resting. I trust you are not going to ask me to disturb her? The doctors were very clear that she must be free from stress over the next few weeks. Would you like some coffee? Tea?”

“No, thank you, Richard.” He clasps his hands, winding thumbs one around another. “I have to ask you both what you know about events at one Club Electric last night. Down by the old docks.”

James takes a moment to reply. “Charlotte’s kidnapper was the owner of that establishment; Finchby.”

“Is that right? And you went there… Why?”

“To deliver the ransom money and get Charlotte back.”

“You realise that I cannot condone paying ransom. It’s playing into the hands of…”

Fire blazes in James’ eyes. “I do understand that. It wasn’t your wife in labour and puking her guts up…” Abruptly, as if by the flick of a switch, his calm returns. “As it emerged, they had no intention of releasing Charlotte. And they were planning to sell the baby for organs…”

Will’s mouth works. He swallows. In a calmer tone, “You said they, not he. Was Finchby working with someone else?”

“Yes. A man called Baxter.”

“So, what can you tell me about the fire which has gutted the building and the escape of some forty or so apparently trafficked women and boys from the premises?”

So does his voice.

I don’t have all the details. Most

the others we found imprisoned. Given Charlotte’s background, I’m sure you understand where we, both of us, stand on the subject of human trafficking and slavery. As to the fire… I don’t imagine Finchby had too many

Michael was with

“He was.”

mention that

that point of the conversation

“Anyone else with you?”

“Such as?”

“I couldn’t say.”

a face as blank of

he

James

been a cat in

cracks first. “You should know James…. You too Richard… The Mayor is giving me hell. That end of

An organised crime ring has been taken apart. I would have thought Mayor Vandervoort would be delighted about

cheeks, but the ghost of a smile haunts there. “I'll suggest

policies.

sits back too, inhales deeply, then harrumphs. “Richard, on a complete change of subject, you asked me to look into the situation in Thailand, with a view to a holiday there I believe? With

Oh, Good Lord…

Now what?

“That's right.”

across his chin… “… when you first mentioned this to me,

“So it does.”

I made some enquiries for you.” A

“And…?”

my opposite number over there, Thailand has been a busy place over the last several months.” That smile isn’t a ghost

“Busy? In what way?”

has launched a crusade against organised crime

James leans forward, intent.

been against the traders in human traffic. Although it's in the nature of things that the trade in illegal drugs, protection rackets

trying hard to keep his

makes a winding motion with his fingers. “Do go

in his seat. “It began with a number of… of the more unpleasant variety of

for the sort of entertainment they can’t legally

… In each case, the bodies were deposited in some highly public place,

lies folded, waiting to be read. "I don't recall seeing anything about this in the papers or

with foreign news. But in Thailand

third such incident, the ripples were damaging the trade. It was

“At that point, our... vigilante... turned

me. “Really? Don’t

to hide his grin. “Over a period of months, the heads of several of the criminal families and rings have been assassinated. We can identify at least twelve such cases. There may be more. Whoever our assassin is…” He pauses again, holding eyes with James… “… he started

by piece, and systematically, someone has dismantled the Thai infrastructure in human

will

the Garcias family for example, first, the father was executed… in his own villa… by a marksman from a