Read Online Serious People by James A. Shea - Free Book Online

they step over the line, we tax them. Balance in their world creates balance in ours; sustainable leadership ensures the public are safe and secure.” Hawkins finished.
    Khan nodded.
    “We have many on-going operations and as soon as the next major one starts, I will look to involve you, in some minor capacity or other,” Hawkins said sitting back down in his seat. “Have you got anything you want to look at yourself over the next few weeks? You must have some outstanding paperwork or such?” he said. He was expecting an answer along the lines of some suggestion that she needed a couple of weeks to get used to her new surroundings, meet the rest of the team, and to familiarise herself with the area.
    “Yes sir, I would like to look into the Charlie O’Neil syndicate,” Khan said, sitting up.
    Hawkins scowled. Had this young woman not been listening to a word he had said? Charlie O’Neil was exactly the type of criminal he was trying to refer to; he knew the rules and played the game.
    “O’Neil?”
    “Yes sir, there are a few interesting leads I have been looking at, I believe could connect him with significant criminal activity,” Khan replied.
    “I think, D.I. Khan, that you need to spend some more time looking at how organised crime operates in its essential elements, and to develop an understanding of what it truly is,” Hawkins said, still scowling. “Then you will know better who to target.”
    “Do we not look to arrest crime lords in SOCA, sir?” Khan asked innocently.
    Hawkins looked at the woman. He was angry now. He suddenly had the feeling that the new D.I. had painted him into a corner, the jumped up little bitch! He was the bloody king of this team.
    “It’s so easy to get over awed when you first walk into these offices, to think you’re something between Elliot Ness and the caped crusader,” Hawkins said, impressing himself on how he’d kept his calm during the course of the young woman’s challenge. “As I said, most of my team is committed to on-going operations."
    “Are we not here to take down crime lords then sir?”
    Hawkins gripped his armrests with frustration. He had given up biting his tongue. Had this contemptuous young woman no end?
    “Because I was having this very discussion with my Uncle Freddy at Sunday lunch yesterday…”
    “Young lady, I don’t give a damn what your Uncle bloody Freddy thinks!”
    “Oh sorry, I keep doing that. I must remember, when at work, that he’s not my Uncle Freddy. He’s Chief Constable Fredrick Campbell.” Khan said, resisting the temptation to grin. “He is still the head of Scotland Yard, isn’t he?”
    A lesser man would explode at this point; but Hawkins was made of stronger stuff. He could always see the bigger picture — that is after all what Kings do.
    “One Detective Sergeant would be suitable for me, sir, to start my investigation,” Khan smiled.
    Hawkins looked at the woman as he reached across and pressed his intercom. The cheeky bitch.
    “Where’s that bloody coffee!”
     
    Hawkins had taken some pleasure in leaving Khan to wait for over thirty minutes before announcing which Detective Sergeant he was going to assign to work under her, as she had requested. He hoped that in that time that she would have thought about her previous actions in his office, and was now willing to do some listening and not be so headstrong.
    Hawkins walked into the D.I.’s room. He was sure that Khan scowled back at him but hoped he was wrong. He held the door for the other man who entered the room.
    “D.I. Khan this is D.S. Early,” Hawkins said, introducing the detective.
    D.S. Early was a short man, with a large gut hanging over his trousers. His cropped white hair and unshaven face aged the man to his sixties. He was Hawkins perfect trump card. Thanks to Uncle Freddy, Hawkins had accepted that it was best to play along with the spoilt brat, who had arrived earlier in his office. But this didn’t prevent him from setting up a