The Deadly Game(40)

‘This is just about books?’ said Ronnie, disbelief in her tone.

‘It’s about what the books mean,’ explained Jake. ‘Money to some, power to others, the good of the whole world to people like me and Lauren.’

Ronnie shook her head.

‘But it’s still about books!’ she repeated, incredulous.

‘For which these people will kill,’ Jake reminded her.

‘Why ain’t you got no friends can help you?’ asked Jez. ‘You say there’s people on your side, like this reporter woman . . .’

‘Michelle,’ nodded Jake.

‘Why don’t you call her?’ Jez asked.

‘Because I daren’t use my mobile,’ said Jake. He explained about being able to be tracked by the signal from a mobile phone. Jez and Ronnie exchanged interested looks.

‘Even when it’s off?’ asked Jez.

‘Even when it’s off,’ confirmed Jake. ‘I need to get hold of another phone.’

‘No problem,’ said Jez. ‘What sort you want? One where you can get movies and games and stuff?’

‘No, just one I can use to make phone calls.’

‘No problem,’ said Ronnie. ‘We’ll fix you up tomorrow. Jez knows a guy who does the best deals.’

‘I just need a pay-as-you-go with a new number,’ said Jake. ‘One they don’t know is me.’

‘Leave it to me,’ said Jez confidently. ‘You got a cash card?’

Jake hesitated. Was this their way of getting his card off him to take his money. Then he remembered what they’d done for him already and felt guilty for even thinking that.

‘Yes,’ he said.

‘OK. Right now, we’ll stay here the night. Then first thing tomorrow you get some cash, then we’ll get you a phone.’





Chapter 22




As night came, more and more people, most of them in their teens, came into the flat. The kitchen was in constant use, the microwave being especially busy. No one seemed to take much notice of Jake. A few times Jake noticed some of the kids murmuring to Jez or Ronnie as they cast a suspicious look in his direction, but whatever Jez or Ronnie said obviously quelled any suspicions about him.

All the time, the music from next door carried on. Then, on the stroke of ten o’ clock, the music stopped. Or, rather, it was replaced by music that could barely be heard through the walls.

‘They know the law,’ explained Jez. ‘Loud during the day, quiet at night. That way they don’t get busted.’

‘So they’re really a law-abiding couple, Gran and Grandad next door,’ said Jake.

Ronnie grinned.

‘No,’ she said. ‘They just like annoyin’ people. She grinned. ‘We call it music wars.’



That night, Jake joined Jez and Ronnie in the smallest room in the flat, bunking down on sleeping bags laid out on the floor. It wasn’t the most comfortable place that he had ever slept in, and he was aware that the flat was full of strangers, but he felt safer here than he had done for quite a while. He was pretty sure that Gareth’s people, and Alex Munro’s, hadn’t traced him to here. Nor had anyone else.

Tomorrow, he’d get himself a new phone and call Michelle. Then he’d make contact with Lauren. He wouldn’t be able to tell her all the things that had happened, especially what had happened to Robert, but he could at least reassure her that things were moving forward. That they were on the right lines.

Just before he fell asleep, his thoughts went to Robert in hospital, and the dreadful question: who had done that to him?



Next morning, Jake left the flat with Jez and Ronnie, and within a short while he’d got his new phone and £20 worth of credit. He looked at the small piece of equipment he held in his hand and felt a sense of relief. He was connected again. He could talk to people. He could even call Lauren, although his credit would likely just buy him a few seconds to New Zealand. No, the first person he’d call would be Michelle; he would arrange for her to set up the story about the book. He was just about to put in her number, when Jez stopped him, putting his hand over Jake’s. Jez had a worried look on his face.

‘I bin thinkin’,’ he said, frowning. ‘What you said about them tracing you with your phone.’

‘Yes, but that’s why I’ve got this one,’ said Jake. ‘They don’t know this number.’

‘But they will do once you start using it,’ said Jez. ‘Ronnie said it to me just now.’

Jake looked questioningly at Ronnie.

‘You make a call, that number gonna register, right?’ she said. ‘Say these people, these agents or whatever, are listening into whoever you might be callin’. Like this Michelle woman. Once you make that call and they listen and find out it’s you, they got your number.’