The Chinaman by Stephen Leather Read Free Book Online

slowly.
    Bromley continued with the speech he’d rehearsed in his mind while travelling down in the lift. ‘The men are members of the IRA, we think they are living in London, probably moving from place to place, perhaps living in bedsitters or cheap boarding houses. They will be using false names and they will be experts at blending into the background. What I am trying to say to you, Mr Nguyen, is that it will be very difficult to find them. Do you understand?’
    Nguyen nodded again.
    â€˜In fact, it might well be that we never find them. That is a possibility that you must come to terms with. Sometimes the IRA will mount a bombing campaign and then the political climate changes and the bombing stops. If that were to happen, we might never catch the men. But at least the killing will stop. Do you understand?’
    Nguyen nodded. ‘No,’ he said quietly. ‘That cannot be so.’
    â€˜It is so,’ said Bromley.
    â€˜It is not something I can accept, Detective Chief Inspector Bromley,’ the old man said, still smiling as if he was afraid to offend the policeman. ‘You must catch these men.’
    â€˜If it is possible, we will, Mr Nguyen. That I can promise. But if it is impossible . . .’ He shrugged and put his pipe back into his mouth.
    â€˜These men in London. They are doing this because they are told to, yes?’
    â€˜We believe they are members of the IRA, yes.’
    â€˜But this IRA is not a secret organisation. You know who is in it, you know where they are.’
    â€˜Yes,’ said Bromley doubtfully, not sure where the man was heading.
    â€˜Then why cannot you arrest someone else who you know is in the IRA and make them tell you who is doing the killing?’
    Bromley smiled ruefully, knowing that there were a good many men in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and even his own squad who would be more than happy to do just that, to pick them up off the streets and take them to an underground cell and attach electrodes to their private parts and squeeze every bit of information out of them. And there were others who’d welcome a shoot-to-kill policy, official or unofficial, so that they could blow them away without bothering about the niceties of evidence and procedure and witnesses.
    â€˜That is not how we do things in this country,’ said Bromley.
    â€˜What I do not understand is why the Government allows this IRA to be,’ said Nguyen.
    â€˜To be what?’ said Bromley, frowning.
    â€˜To exist, to be,’ Nguyen said. ‘Why does the Government not arrest everybody who is in the IRA. Lock them up. Then there will be no more killing. And perhaps then you find who murdered my family.’
    Bromley held his hands up in surrender. ‘Life is not so simple, Mr Nguyen. It is a question of politics, not policing. You should speak to your MP.’
    â€˜MP?’ said Nguyen, his brow creased.
    â€˜Member of Parliament,’ explained the policeman. ‘Perhaps he can help you.’
    Bromley got to his feet. ‘Mr Nguyen, there is nothing else I can tell you, I am afraid. I don’t want to offend you, but you must not keep coming here. I am very sorry about what happened to your family, but your coming here is not helping. It makes it more difficult for us. Do you understand?’
    Nguyen pushed back his chair slowly and stood in front of Bromley, still smiling. ‘I understand, Detective Chief Inspector Bromley. And I thank you for talking to me.’ He held out his hand and Bromley shook it. The small, wrinkled hand was surprisingly strong, as if there were steel rods under the old skin. Nguyen turned and walked out, leaving Bromley alone with his pipe.
    Tempers were flaring on the football pitch. It wasn’t that there was anything at stake other than the game itself, it was just that the army team hated to lose and they were two goals down with less than ten minutes to go before half-time. Their