Read Online The Crime Trade by Simon Kernick - Free Book Online Page B

saw Vokes shift uncomfortably in his seat.
'PLAAAAYYYSSE!'
Stegs tried to shut out the sound but couldn't; it seemed to be coming from everywhere. Tried to concentrate on anything other than the events being played out before him, tried to tell himself that they wouldn't kill them (it'd be too much hassle). Knowing he'd made a mistake. Knowing he shouldn't have been so specific about- when he'd done his supposed time. Cursing his bad luck. And bad planning. They should have done a better job of checking out Rentners' associates.
The screams stopped.
The room fell silent.
Stegs would have given both his bollocks to have got out of there then.
Don't burn me, you fucks. Please do not fucking burn me.
Alan the bucket man went to get some more water. Rentners smiled at them both. 'If you both admit to me you're coppers, and you tell me what evidence you've got, and give me details of who you are and where you live, then I'll let you walk as soon as I've checked them out. You don't fucking talk, then you're going to get the same treatment as this cunt. Understand? I've got a business to protect, and I'm going to fucking protect it. From grasses and undercover coppers. You understand me? Yeah, I think you do now, dontcha?'
More water splashed over Brewster, and slowly he came round again. This time, Rentners lifted him up by his hair and shoved his gun against his head. Brewster's eyes were vacant. He looked drugged up.
'Are these two coppers?' Rentners demanded, pushing him round so he was facing Stegs and Vokes. For a couple of
seconds, Brewster didn't answer, his eyes struggling to focus. Rentners repeated the question, pushing the barrel harder against his head. 'Answer me or I'll blow your fucking head off.'
Stegs heard himself praying that Brewster, who could surely have no fucking idea that they were SO10, didn't simply say yes to deflect attention from himself. Don't say it. Don't fucking say it!
'No,' Brewster croaked. 'Course not.'
Once again a sudden flash of doubt crossed Rentners' features but was gone just as quickly. He let go of Brewster's hair and let him fall onto the wet floor, then he walked purposefully over to the sofa and pulled the tape from Vokes's mouth. 'Last chance not to burn,' he said. 'Just admit it, tell me what you know, and you'll be out of here inside an hour with your back in the same condition it's in now.'
Vokes was sweating profusely, but he held Rentners' gaze. 'I am not a fucking undercover copper,' he spat. 'I am a fucking businessman. I was here looking to make a deal, now I'm just looking to get the fuck out of here.'
'What about him, then? How come he fucked up about doing time in Parkhurst?'
'Fuck knows. Ask him.'
Rentners ripped off Stegs's duct tape and started to speak, but Stegs knew he was going to get only one chance to turn the tables, so he cut him off straight away. 'Is that what this is all about? Are you putting us through this just because of something I'm meant to have fucking said? Because I tell you this, I was fucking there, and I was on B wing, you deaf cunt! Not D! And if he doesn't fucking recognize me, then he obviously wasn't looking very hard! Or maybe he's the fucking undercover copper, because I'll tell you something, I don't fucking recognize him either, the cunt!'
His words spilt out so fast that Rentners didn't get even half
chance to interrupt. When he'd finished, the ex-boxer's
expression had changed. He looked thoughtful now. Stegs and
Vokes both glared at him, letting it be known that they were not
best pleased with the way serious liberties had been taken with
them. Rentners appeared at last to realize he'd made a mistake and
placed the gun back in his waistband. 'Listen, I'm sorry about that, boys,' he said. 'You just can't be too careful, though, can you? We've been hearing bad reports about Brewster for a while now, and then he gets all keen to introduce youse two to me. I put two and two together and it looks like I come up with five. Let me get you a