A Choice of Evils by Joe Thompson-Swift Read Free Book Online Page A

outline of what I wanted as soon as Danny the dip could get me an original pass. It would cost me £150 as there was a lot of work involved, he told me. I had no argument with that price and would ring him when ready, we agreed.
    Danny was a different proposition. When he answered the phone he thought I was a court bailiff chasing him for a fine. But on recognising my voice he soon got his act together and became very business-like. How much is the pass worth to me? He asked. I boxed with him until he agreed on £200 and arranged to meet him outside the Tropical Research Lab’ this afternoon at 3.30.pm. I would go over the rudiments of my observations with him there. With the phone calls done, I was itching to look through all the photos now in my possession.
    I laid them out in a line on my carpet. For a few moments I concentrated on the ones I had taken at the zoo entrance. Then I looked at the ones Terry had taken of Ahmed and myself. It proved interesting. There was one gentleman who seemed to pop up quite often in the background which showed Ahmed and me doing walkabouts. He also showed up fifth in the queue behind Ahmed in the entrance photos. Given his demeanour, instinct told me he was Ahmed’s shadow man. So I had presumed rightly he would not be alone.
    When next I looked at the sisters photos, I saw the two photos they had taken of Ahmed going into the Iranian Embassy. This confirmed my suspicions. For there in the photos, was the same man going into the Embassy with him.
    This told me two things. That Ahmed was a liar and I was being watched. I felt uncomfortable about this. It meant somebody outside of Ahmed knew what I was doing. But there was no backing out now as I had taken the first payment. Then I tried to be rational about what I had learnt. Did it really matter? Somebody had to sanction him giving me the money? Of course it made sense. Surely it was only the formula they were interested in and not my criminal activates? To get it with the help of a thief for £100.000.00 was a cheap price to pay for scientific, economic and social benefits, wasn’t it?
    I answered my own questions in hope that I was right. The show had to go on. Dr Ahmed’s words came back to me. ‘There can be no reward for failure Jack.’ Failure! I baulked a little at myself. The money! Just think of the money!
    A cup of coffee soothed my anxiety. The thought of Sharon calling this evening cheered me up some and I was looking forward to a therapy session with her. Now the time was creeping around to 3.pm. I had to meet Danny the dipper outside Dr Bruce’s Lab in Blackfriars Road, so within minutes, I was out the door and into my car. It took me twenty minutes to get there.
    Danny stood beside a telephone box as arranged. I stopped to let him into my passenger side. We had a good view of the Tropical Research Lab. As usual, he was smartly dressed in a dark designer suit. His neat college boy haircut and manicured nails stamped his respectability. At least, that’s the impression he liked to give. An olive tan from a sun lamp gave him the lie of a continental traveller. Lighter spots beneath his mischievous blue eyes betrayed the instant bottle sun tan cream. But for Danny, it was all part of the image as a successful pickpocket.
    He rubbed his hands together as a grin spread over his face. After telling him exactly what I wanted, I left it up to him to acquire the pass. ‘I’ll give you a ring later tonight,’ he told me. A £100 down payment soon had him out the car to watch the mechanics of the pass security system. I knew it would not take long before he was walking on the heels of his victim. Danny looked back with a smile as I pulled away on my journey home. I only hoped his phone call would not disturb Sharon’s therapy session, or mine!
    The London rush hour traffic was beginning to thicken as I weaved my way home. It was that time of evening now when everyone thought they owned the road. It was almost 7 o’clock by