The Need for Fear by Oisin McGann Read Free Book Online Page A

than yours, so behave yourself and answer my questions.”
    â€œHe’s an intelligence officer, okay? I don’t know his name— agh! He … agh! … he didn’t tell me. I swear! He’s burned out … he’s an operations guy who works a desk now. He found out what his bosses have planned for the future, some mad police state deal, and he doesn’t like it. He came across something I’d written, saw a … a chance to expose what was going on without risking his own skin, gave me information on the story and told me to … to … to talk to Sharon. Agh! Will you stop that, for God’s sake! It’s the truth! ”
    â€œAnd you don’t know his name?”
    â€œNo. He didn’t give me one, and it wouldn’t have been his real one even if he had.”
    She eased off on his fingers, but kept her grip, ready to put the pressure back on.
    â€œWhat does he look like?” she demanded.
    â€œHe’s an old guy, late fifties or early sixties, maybe. White, with gray hair. Wears, like, antique square glasses. Face made up of these deep, straight lines, like that actor, whatshisname … eh, Scott Glenn. Looks pretty fit still, and hard as nails.”
    Caul released Chi’s hand and leaned back in her chair, her expression still chilly, but no longer aimed at him. He flexed his aching fingers, glaring at her, but decided he wasn’t going to make a big thing of it. He’d just had his balls handed to him by a woman half his size. It wasn’t a story he’d be spreading around. This was his second bout of violence in one day; he definitely needed to start doing some martial arts or something.
    â€œSo how about it?” he said to her. “Will you let me talk to Sharon?”
    â€œWhat?” she grunted, looking at him with faint surprise, as if she’d forgotten he was there.
    â€œSharon,” he repeated. “Will you let me talk to her?”
    â€œForget it, Goldilocks. You won’t be getting anywhere near her. There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell.”
    Chi’s mouth dropped open slowly and he frowned uncertainly.
    â€œWhat did you just say?” he asked.
    Harriet Caul leaned in close, so that her face filled his vision, in case he might be in any doubt about her assertion.
    â€œYou will never get to talk to Sharon Monk. Don’t call her, don’t text or email, and definitely don’t come anywhere near her or you’re going to learn the true meaning of ‘police harassment.’ And tell your bloody handler the same thing.” She eyed him for a moment, her expression softening slightly. “Listen, I’d get clear of this if you still can, kid. People like you don’t last long around people like him. He’ll just use you until you’re ruined and then he’ll dispose of you.
    â€œOh and tell him this is our favorite café, too. And you can piss off out of it.”

Chapter 9: Going Public
    The local library wasn’t far from Sharon Monk’s flat, so Chi decided to use the computers there. It was time to look at Robert’s thumb drive. If there was malware on it, he’d rather let it loose on a public computer than his own, even if it did make him feel a bit guilty.
    On his way there, Chi made no attempt to sneak around or evade detection. He had no wish to look a fool again. If someone wanted to follow him, let him. He was done hiding—for the simple reason that he didn’t seem to be much good at it.
    He booked time on a computer and sat down, leaving the laptop in its bag on the floor. Slotting the key into the front of the PC tower, he opened the folder. There were dozens of documents, all of which looked innocent enough until you saw that some were sales invoices for surplus military supplies bought in Eastern Europe as well as large quantities of ammonium nitrate and diesel. So this was the stuff, according to Robert, that Sharon