Blood Whispers by John Gordon Sinclair Read Free Book Online Page A

believe the girl’s life is in any danger. Abazi’s a bad bastard, no one’s denying it, but there has been no indication that anything like that would happen at all.’
    ‘I’ve received information from a reliable source that there is already a contract out on her.’
    Keira paused for a moment to let that one sink in.
    ‘Then I’m confused. Why would you want her out on the streets if you believe her life to be in danger? If she’s locked up, she’s contained and out of harm’s way.’
    ‘I didn’t say I wanted her out on the streets, I said I wanted the charges dropped. I also think that rather than being stuck in jail, she should be put in the witness protection programme. Then everyone gets what they want. You get your witness and I get some degree of safety for my client.’
    ‘I take your point, but it’s an expensive process and at this moment in time I’m not entirely sure it’s necessary.’ Sellar let out a snort. ‘As it stands she’s a defendant, not a witness. And we can’t put her in the programme until Abazi is under arrest. Technically there is no case against him, therefore no such thing as witnesses.’
    Sellar was being an arse. He could just as easily have agreed that the witness protection programme was a good way forward, and – given Abazi’s reputation for violence – probably necessary, but instead, he was choosing to play the power game.
    Sellar noticed Keira start to rub her wrists together. It was a small subconscious gesture, but one that made him smile inwardly. Over the years he’d made a habit of researching anyone who might have any bearing on the outcome of a case he was involved in. Judges, fellow solicitors, defendants; it didn’t really matter to him. Something always turned up that gave him a slight advantage over them. It was usually a small and seemingly inconsequential fact, or story, but even just a few hours spent panning the Internet would usually produce a golden nugget. And here, once again, his rigour was paying off right before his eyes. The one little nugget he had found out about Keira Lynch from a casual conversation with her boss, John McKay, was that she rubbed her wrists together when she was on the back foot, unsure of her ground or nervous about something. That one small involuntary action gave her away. He wanted to ask her if she ever played poker; maybe challenge her to a game and then sit back and smile benevolently as she marvelled at how well he could read her. But that would just be toying with the poor girl.
    ‘One other thing I should mention.’ He paused as if he was still deciding whether it was a good idea to continue, then started shaking his head as if, despite his reservations, he simply had to.
    It was all an act, and not a very good one; nowhere near as good as Keira’s. She had already decided that no matter what he said she would make no response.
    ‘There is a small additional complication with regards to the case for deportation.’ This would give Miss Lynch something else to worry about on her way back to the office, thought Sellar as he delivered the body blow. ‘They’re looking at the possibility of citing Part II Section 15(3) of the 1971 Immigration Act as one of the grounds.’
    Sellar turned his hands to the ceiling and gave a little shrug of his shoulders as if to say ‘I’m sorry’.
    He watched her closely for a response, but she wasn’t giving anything away. After a few seconds he said, ‘I’ll write it down for you so that you can look it up when you get back to your office.’
    Keira sat for a moment weighing her options. She had all the ammunition she needed to blast Sellar into the air and keep him bouncing around like a tin can in a cowboy movie. But that would almost be too easy. The professional option was to thank him for his time, then walk out and tear him apart in court. But she was going to do that anyway.
    Stillness descended over her as she sat quietly collecting her thoughts. Her wrist