Read Online One Dead Witness by Nick Oldham - Free Book Online Page B

cursed her big brown
eyes.
    Although technically he could have made any damned decision he
wanted - after all, it was his company - the reality was that he
needed the backing of the board on any controversial issues. Which
is what this was.
    ‘ We have agreed time and time again that we will never become
involved in any way in any sort of investigation or work which
smells remotely of the mob. And Steve,’ Myrna said patronisingly,
‘you of all people should know why.’
    Kruger winced. The memory of the slug tearing into his thigh
just above his right knee jolted him vividly. Yes, he should know
why - because he almost got himself killed once over. But he had
good reason for going against company policy on this
one.
    ‘ I understand what you’re saying, honey,’ Kruger responded,
‘but we’re talking about my ex-wife here, a woman I still have deep
feelings for.’
    ‘ Not what you once told me,’ Myrna rumbled.
    ‘ Well, I do - and when I saw her yesterday I realised I’d been
hiding those feelings from myself.’ Kruger reddened, feeling
idiotic, saying words which were a complete lie. ‘I figured that if
we do a good job and find Bussola cheatin’ on her, she might just
come back to me.’ He almost choked to death on the words, but kept
a straight face.
    ‘ So, for the sake of your ex-wife,’ Myrna said, outraged,
‘you’re suggestin’ we mount a surveillance on a mobster, when even
the joint forces of the Feds, local cops, DEA and AFT haven’t
managed to sniff him out, despite their resources?’ She looked
around at each of the board members. ‘I suggest we all say no.’
There was a general nodding of heads, though no one made direct eye
contact with Kruger who was, after all, the boss man. ‘Bussola is a
dangerous guy,’ Myrna boomed in conclusion. ‘If he finds out we’re
tailing him, he’ll react in his usual way. I don’t believe any of
our operatives should be put into such danger.’
    Kruger leaned forwards. His face was thunderous.
    ‘ Okay, okay,’ he breathed angrily. ‘I won’t overrule you,
though I really want to, but I will tell you something you should
know.’ He took a deep breath, wondering how he should phrase the
bombshell. ‘If we don’t take on this assignment - and this is the
truth - everyone in this room, everybody sat out there in those
offices, every one of our teams out on the streets will be out of a
job tomorrow.’
     
     
    Trent was disturbed a short time later by Coysh who was
wearing a loose-fitting blouson jacket zipped up to the neck. He
was holding the hem tightly. He stepped into Trent’s cell, found
him to be alone and unzipped the jacket. Almost a hundred Styrofoam
cups fell out onto the floor. He emptied all his pockets and
produced another fifteen, crushed and broken.
    Trent gathered them up delightedly and began to stuff them
underneath his mattress.
    ‘ I’ll probably need another load - maybe more,’ he told Coysh.
‘Can you do it?’
    Coysh nodded but eyed Trent uncertainly. ‘What d’you want them
for?’ He was completely befuddled. ‘I thought you wanted to sort
Blake out, not give him a tea party.’
    ‘ I do - and I will. You’ll see.’
    ‘ What, with Styrofoam cups?’
    Trent winked. ‘Method in my madness. Now, there is something
else you can do for me ...’
     
     
    ‘ You bastard, Steve Kruger.’
    Myrna’s countenance was set hard as granite as she faced him
across the office. The others had left, cowed by Kruger’s shock
announcement and the brief conversation afterwards. Myrna wasn’t to
be railroaded though. When they were alone together she powered
into him like a prize-fighter.
    ‘ You cannot make a statement like that, then say no more,
refuse to give us the “why”. That’s treatin’ us all like imbeciles,
Steve. How in hell are we even supposed to believe a word of what
you said - that we’d all lose our jobs? It’s
preposterous.’
    She was a very fine-looking woman, Kruger had to admit.
Standing