Read Online For the Sake of the Children: The first Chloe Webster thriller (Chloe Webster Thrillers Book 1) by Alex Highcliffe - Free Book Online

guest mate.’
    ‘Thanks Mickey. See you later, yeah? Maybe we’ll have a game?’
    ‘Yeah, great.’
    The strengthened wooden door behind the bar led to an office which was where Drabble would usually be found. The Timer knocked once and went straight in.
    ‘Mr T, you looking for Drabble?’ The man sat behind the desk was slim and smart and had an air of confidence about him; much more professional looking than Mickey, who tended to look scruffy regardless of what he wore. The Timer knew them both pretty well. He certainly knew that Jez was reliable and had some authority in the family. Mickey, on the other hand, was treated like the village idiot.
    ‘Yeah. Mickey says he’s out. I wanted to talk about the new contact at that law firm he sent me to this morning. I was under the impression she was a sure thing.’
    ‘She’d better be. That’s what I was told,’ said Jez with a sigh and a look of annoyance on his face. He pushed the papers he had been working on to one side and sat back in his chair.
    ‘I took the money in this morning…’ began the Timer.
    ‘Oh yeah, I heard you’d got it. Why the fuck did you kill the delivery boy?’
    ‘He had it coming. The little shit pulled a gun on me. Can you believe that? I had no choice but to teach him a lesson or two.’
    ‘A lesson or two? I heard you cracked his skull wide open. Drabble’s not happy about it; he’s trying to get in with the Kirklands and you go and kill one of their lackeys. Luckily they weren’t too bothered – seems they thought he was a pain in the arse too.’
    ‘Well I’ve saved them a job then haven’t I? I guess they found the drugs I left behind?’
    ‘They did.’
    ‘Good. Anyway, about the money, the girl at the lawyers wouldn’t take it. She said they had rules about that kind of thing and she seemed very keen to stay within those rules.’
    ‘Oh sweet Jesus, not another one.’ Jez puffed his cheeks with irritation again. ‘What the fuck are they doing down there? I’ll give my contact a call. It sounds like this bitch hasn’t got the full picture yet.’
    ‘Okay Jez. The cash is safe; let me know what to do with it. I’ll expect full payment for the work I’ve done so far of course.’
    Jez looked at him for a moment and the Timer started to think there was going to be a row.
    ‘Yeah, yeah, I’m sure Drabble’ll be fine with that. You got the drugs and all that, didn’t you? I’ll have a word with him.’
    ‘And the girl?’
    ‘Leave her to me. She’ll come round to our way of thinking, one way or another.’
     

23                  
     
    Chloe had been back at her desk for a while as lunchtime approached. She tried to work on a couple of other files but found it hard to concentrate and knew that it was essential that she should speak to someone. She looked over at Drake’s office and through the glass she could see him at his desk, working but alone and not on the phone either. She took a deep breath and hurried over, knocking just a little too hard on the door, which she put down to nerves.
    ‘Yes?’ came the rather weary reply.
    Chloe walked in somewhat more confidently than she felt and didn’t sit down.
    ‘Mr Drake, have you got a minute?’
    ‘What is it Chloe?’
    ‘There’s something I need to talk to you about. It follows on from a meeting I had this morning with Mr Crawford. He’s a client of ours…’
    ‘Yes I’m aware of Mr Crawford thank you Chloe. He’s been a client here for some time now. What is it?’
    ‘Well, he tried to give me a large sum of cash and I refused to take it…’
    ‘Oh he’s done that before. I’m not keen on it but we’ve known him a long time. I suggest you have a word with Ray about it. He tends to deal with Mr Crawford.’
    ‘It was one hundred thousand pounds.’ She expected this to get his full attention.
    ‘That sounds about right.’ He really didn’t sound that bothered at all.
    ‘Mr Drake, I’m sure you know the rules as