“Guys.” Henry’s voice from the other room. “Owen’s been taken into custody.”
My stomach drops out my arse.
“This is exactly what we thought would happen. Remember the plan,” he reassures.
“This part of the plan was a pile of shit.”
“Let’s let this play out. No deviation.” He points his finger at me, his voice firm. “I know you, don’t go rogue.”
“I won’t risk him.”
“He’s risked himself for this. Let him play his part, and we’ll play ours.”
“The story hasn’t broken yet,” Henry says as we drive towards the NCA headquarters, just down the road from Henry’sapartment near Vauxhall station. It’s ridiculous that we’re even driving, but we are. Roman behind the wheel, me in the passenger seat, and Henry in the back on his Toughbook.
“They will try and bury it for as long as possible. I wouldn’t be surprised if the National Crime Agency are already sending teams out to each media outlet with injunctions, telling them not to print,” Roman says.
“This is going to move quick,” I say, looking out the window.
“It won’t.”
“This could take years,” Henry adds.
And right there, the realisation finally sinks in. I flop back on my seat as the nausea and bile climb up my throat, and I have to swallow against the lump in my throat.
I won’t see him again.
I can’t see him again.
Owen needs to be squeaky clean.
He purposefully didn’t mention me on the news interview this morning, because the media didn’t know about me. Whoever had leaked the story on Owen kept me out of it, and I can only think that it was a safeguard of Andrews.
My burner phone rings, and I look at the unknown number, frowning.
No one has this number.
Well, only one.
Andrews.
But he’s dead.
“Hello,” I answer it, my voice hesitant, heart racing.
“Lucy Cook.”
“Sorry, wrong number.” I go to hang up.
“The M25 Junction 11 is a nightmare tonight.” I pause, as mine and Andrews’ safe phrase is said, but it is 100% not Andrews on the phone. “Kara Snow, I am calling on behalf of David Andrews.”
What. The. Fuck.
“I’m listening.”
“I’m sorry to say that David Andrews was found dead at his property in Surrey, suspected gas explosion.”
We both know that isn’t the case, but Apex will have already covered the fact that he was shot by Owen.
