Stealth by Margaret Duffy Read Free Book Online

had some kind of perfectly legal business dealings with him. Hamlyn, or whoever, is really short of cash right now and it goes through his mind that the old buddy, who now swans around in an expensive boat, might be a soft touch, or even give way under threats, to a request for funds. That’s not a bad plot, is it?’
    He carried on staring at me and I suddenly wished that Patrick was not too far away. Then Danny said, ‘No, it’s quite good. Are you going to do it?’
    â€˜I might.’
    â€˜No names, mind.’
    â€˜You can’t, or people can sue you for libel. But a bit of background would help.’
    He knew exactly what I was asking of him. ‘You hate this bloke, don’t you?’
    â€˜I don’t like being sworn at.’
    â€˜What will you really do with the info if I tell it to you straight?’
    â€˜I’ll write the book – a work of fiction but make sure people know exactly who I’m talking about.’ I was beginning to sweat now. Would he swallow this?
    â€˜No names then. Especially mine.’
    â€˜No. I promise, all different names. Fiction. Straight out of my head, based on what you tell me.’
    He got up to refill his glass, his hands a little shaky and then started to pace around. I kept him right in my field of view.
    â€˜He’s a real bastard,’ Danny burst out with. ‘He’s only been writing books for a few years, based on his time inside and when he knocked around rough in London, Leytonstone. I used to run a garage in East Ham and he worked for me for a while valeting the motors and stuff like that. At nights he used to act as a heavy for some gang boss or other and also used to do a bit for himself on the side.’
    â€˜Did he tell you this himself?’ I asked, making my tone incredulous, when he paused for a gulp of his drink, and knowing it was not a good idea to enquire who that gang boss was.
    â€˜Bragged about it. How many rival mobsters he’d put in hospital. I got rid of him in the end. It wasn’t good for business as he used to give the evil eye to the punters. And that was before he was in a car crash. Now he’s posing around as a famous writer – well, I suppose he is in a way – but hasn’t the money for the high life he’s after and is hooked on booze and gambling so what dosh he has goes nowhere. And yeah, he thought I might like to help him out.’
    â€˜He could be posing around with high-life gangsters and that’s why he can’t make ends meet from writing,’ I said thoughtfully.
    â€˜He is. He said he was big chums with some bod who knows how to make a penny or two the easy way and has a posh house in Richmond, bragging again – just the same as ever – about how he could ask him to send out a hit man to get me if I didn’t give him the dosh – some dosh, rather.’
    â€˜Did you?’
    â€˜What the bloody hell would you have done with this ugly great bastard towering over you? Yes, I did – to get rid of him. But not as much as he wanted.’
    I suddenly remembered what Alan had told me, how Hamlyn used the threat of rape, either sex, not fussy. I did not have the courage to ask, saying instead, ‘You said he’d been drinking.’
    â€˜The man was always half canned.’
    â€˜Will you be safe now?’
    â€˜I might just head for St Tropez. You just have to stay one step ahead, don’t you?’
    For one nanosecond I actually felt sorry for him. ‘Richmond, though!’ I exclaimed. ‘That’s a very upmarket area of London.’
    â€˜Apparently this bloke’s living a whiter than white lifestyle giving to charity and all that crap. But really he’s involved in a mega-business with drug-running plus money laundering through other schemes.’
    â€˜Did you get this man’s name?’
    â€˜Nah. Better not to know.’
    Concerned that he might be seriously regretting