Read Online Death in Dark Waters by Patricia Hall - Free Book Online

Outside the narrow street was deserted.
    â€œThere was a gang of Asian lads out there when I arrived,” Laura said, gazing at the smouldering mess on the pavement in horror.
    â€œSurprise me,” Dizzy B said, standing aside to let Darryl douse the last of the fire in foam. “Darryl was just telling me that the Asians have been trying to get him closed down for months.”
    â€œWhy should they want to do that?” Laura asked.
    Darryl shrugged.
    â€œThere’s no love lost between the two communities, you should know that if you live in Bradfield,” he said. “And we’re the wrong side of town here. The premises are cheap but we’re very close to the mosque. A bad influence, the old men in white pyjamas think. Might give their little girls the wrong idea entirely.”
    â€œJust because we all have dark skin you think we all the same …” Dizzy B mocked Laura. “But if this place is anything like London, you’ve probably got the Asian gangs just as deep into drugs as anyone else - buying and selling.”
    â€œSo who’s your friend in the police then?” she asked waspishly. “Kevin Mower, I bet. He was in the Met.”
    â€œYo, you’re well informed,” the DJ said.
    â€œHe’s a friend of mine.”
    â€œClose friend or just friend?”
    â€œJust friend,” Laura said.
    â€œAh,” Dizzy B said. “And was the amazing Rita a friend of yours too?”
    â€œI never met her,” Laura said. “But it was a big thing when she was shot, front page story in the nationals, the lot. She was very beautiful. Kevin was devastated.”

    â€œSo I’m told, so I’m told,” Dizzy B said, glancing away.
    As the club’s cleaner appeared with his broom and began to sweep away the debris of the fire into the running water of the gutter, a car cruised slowly down the street and stopped beside them. Laura was surprised to recognise DC Val Ridley with DC Mohammed Sharif - universally known to colleagues as Omar, an alternative he seemed to approve of - beside her.
    â€œDid you call the police?” she asked Darryl.
    â€œNo point,” the club proprietor said, surprised.
    â€œWell, you’ve got them anyway,” Laura said as the two officers got out of their car and crossed the road.
    Val nodded at Laura without much warmth.
    â€œJust leaving, are you?” she asked.
    â€œLooks as though I’ll have to,” Laura said, realising she would get no further now. “Some kids just lit a fire here. Dangerous that.”
    Ridley and her companion looked at the still smoking rubbish.
    â€œDid you see who it was,” Sharif asked.
    â€œThere was a gang of lads outside when I arrived,” Laura said. “Asian lads.”
    â€œMost of them are round here,” Sharif said without acrimony. “Could you identify any of them again?”
    â€œI doubt it,” Laura said. “I wasn’t taking much notice. They just seemed to be larking about at that stage.”
    â€œIt’s not the first time it’s happened,” Darryl Redmond broke in. “We don’t seem to get much protection.”
    â€œI’ll get one of my crime protection colleagues to call,” Val Ridley, the sarcasm heavy. “In the meantime, can we get on?”
    â€œThe guest list seems to be wide open this morning,” the club proprietor said, following the two officers and Dizzy B inside and leaving Laura facing the doors again, frustrated in her morning’s work.
    But when she got back to the office it did not seem to matter. Ted Grant waved her into his office with an unusually benign look on his face.

    â€œOwt or nowt in that?” he asked, barely giving her time to reply before pointing at his flickering computer screen where Laura could half see a front-page layout. “Bob Baker came up with the goods any road,” Grant said and she knew that the editor had used