looking at my BMW and the mother is cut-and-shut.’
Michael’s voice was so stressed that Leon didn’t recognise it. ‘Why don’t you calm down and start at the beginning, chum? Who am I speaking to?’
‘It’s me, Leon, and I just became your worst nightmare.’
‘Mike, is that you? What the hell’s the matter?’
‘Like you don’t know. That BMW you sold me is junk. The mechanic ripped up the carpet in the back and it’s full of red paint. The other end’s been resprayed and there’s botched welds all over the shop.’
‘Mike, do you think I’d be stupid enough to sell a cut-and-shut car to a cop? The Auto Club guy must have been a trainee or something. I got that car out of a BMW dealership that had too much stock on its hands. Corporate owner, full service history. The only reason I didn’t have it for my own wife was because I knew you were on the lookout for a five-three-five.’
‘Don’t lie to me, Leon. I have eyes in my head. I want my seventeen grand back.’
‘Are you in debt again, Mike? Because if this is some dumb attempt to shake me down, you can go and shove your thumb up your butthole. I ain’t buying it.’
‘Don’t wind me up, Leon. You charged me seventeen grand for a heap of crap and you damn well know it.’
Leon couldn’t believe the bizarre turn his day had taken, as he sat with his trousers around his ankles, grinding a palm against his head. ‘Look Mike, I haven’t got a clue what the problem is. So why don’t you calm yourself down and talk me through it.’
‘I told you twice already. The Auto Club guy showed me inside the engine bay. He tore up the carpet and showed me red paint in the boot.’
‘Mike, I don’t know what you’ve seen, but I swear on my kids’ lives that I didn’t sell you a cut-and-shut car. Now calm yourself down and let’s try to sort this out. How long have you had the car?’
‘Just under seven months.’
‘Have you had it serviced?’
‘It’s due, but I haven’t got around to booking it.’
‘Right,’ Leon said, trying to keep himself from blowing his stack. ‘Technically you’re out of warranty, but seeing as you’re a mate I’ll try and sort this out. I know a good guy who used to work for a main dealer. I’ll send him over to look at your car and I’ll even cover the labour and towing charges. You’ll just have to pay for the parts.’
‘Have you heard one word, Leon? You can’t pull the wool over my eyes. You’ve sold me two bits of junk welded together to make a death trap. My wife and my kid could have been killed. If it was anyone but you, I’d already have had the law out tearing apart every car on your lot.
‘I’ve got to go to a meeting at the community centre this morning. When I come out, I’m gonna head straight to your cabin. I expect my seventeen grand back and after that I never want to see you again. And don’t go expecting any more favours from me, or any other cops at Palm Hill from now on.’
‘Seriously Mike, are you having mental problems?’ Leon yelled, finally losing his cool. ‘You’re a cop. You’ve got a wife and a kid and you’re acting like a complete nut. I thought you were gonna straighten yourself out after the casino deal.’
‘You’d better have my money when I come through that door Leon, or I’m not gonna be accountable for what I do.’
10:54
James was supposed to be on standby for any eventuality that arose, but Hannah’s parents were at work and he couldn’t turn her down when she arrived on the doorstep with freshly painted toenails and a tight black T-shirt. Hannah wanted to go swimming, but James said he was waiting for a call, so they ended up snogging on his bed while they listened to Dave’s Rolling Stones CD.
‘Don’t answer,’ Hannah begged, when James’ mobile rang.
‘Got to,’ James said, as he untangled himself from Hannah. ‘It’s probably my social worker. I’m a millimetre from getting busted back into a children’s home after I got arrested the other week.’
James snatched the ringing phone and walked out into the hallway.
‘John,’ he whispered. ‘How’s it going?’
‘Really good,’ John said happily. ‘Patel made a call to Tarasov. They’re at each other’s throats and we’ve already got mentions of the casino and a virtual admission of corruption on tape.