The Conspiracy 4

by Jack Probyn

  ‘It’s simple,’ Bridger continued after Michael’s silence. ‘If you want it to be.’

  ‘Leave my brothers out of this.’

  ‘Where are they?’ Bridger asked, snapping to the point.

  ‘Gone.’

  ‘Where?’

  ‘Neverland.’

  ‘With Captain Hook?’

  ‘Tinkerbell,’ Michael corrected. ‘You can always rely on Danny to sprinkle some magic dust on everything and make it better.’

  ‘And you believe that, do you?’ The words came out of Jake’s mouth before he had a chance to process them. It looked like he’d taken his opportunity to strike without realising it. ‘You think he’s got the special powder to fix this situation you’re in?’

  Michael shrugged.

  ‘He knows people—’

  ‘So do I. We meet a lot of people in our line of work,’ Jake said sarcastically.

  ‘I’m willing to bet Danny knows the same people you do. If not more. And if not better.’ The same wry smile grew on Michael’s face again, this time filling Jake with incipient rage. ‘Shocking, isn’t it? That there’s still bent coppers looking for the next pay cheque.’

  ‘I imagine every copper looks for the next pay cheque.’

  ‘You’ll never find him,’ Michael said, wiping his nose.

  ‘Just the one brother? You have two.’

  ‘I don’t need reminding.’

  Jake straightened his tie and flattened it against his shirt.

  ‘So, what happened with you guys?’ he asked. ‘How come you separated?’

  Michael remained silent.

  ‘Tell us about Luke,’ Bridger said, budging his way back into the conversation. ‘Where is he?’

  ‘Alone and scared, no doubt,’ Jake added.

  Michael’s breathing increased. The steady rise and fall of his chest turned into a heaving balloon that was nearing its limit.

  ‘Luke’s fine,’ Michael said eventually, avoiding their gaze for the first time. ‘He’ll be fine.’

  ‘You were the one looking after him, weren’t you?’ Jake asked, tilting his head to the side. ‘You were the middle child. No mum. No dad. You were the one getting him ready for school. Feeding him. Making his breakfasts, lunches, dinners. Making sure he didn’t miss the bus or turn up late. But Danny’s role was different – Danny protected Luke when there was any sign of danger, and he left you lurking in the background. Luke never appreciated your help. At least, he never told you he did. So, Danny became the big brother that would always protect Luke, the one he looked up to, and you were cast to the side.’

  ‘Do you have brothers or sisters, detective?’ Michael asked, keeping his arms folded. A fire of aggression smouldered behind the curtain of his eyes, ready and waiting to burn the stage down and unleash hell.

  Jake nodded. ‘Younger brother. Older sister.’

  ‘Similar to me. Do you love them?’

  ‘For the most part,’ Jake said, his thoughts turning to his siblings, and how they had grown distant in recent years.

  ‘Have you ever taught them anything?’

  Jake paused a moment to think. ‘I’ve taught them many things.’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘Respect one another. Work hard. Accomplish anything you want. I’d say that qualifies me as a good brother.’

  Michael leant forward, wrapping his fingers round the edge of the desk.

  ‘Have you ever taught your brother how to steal so he doesn’t starve that night? Have you ever taught him how to look out for number one? Have you ever told him never to let anyone else tread all over him? Have you ever told him that, if anything happens to him, he must fight, and he must fight, and he must fight until the other person gets knocked down and never gets back up again?’

  Jake hesitated. ‘I can’t say we ever needed to have that conversation.’

  ‘Well, we did. Luke and I. I taught him to punch back twice as hard as he got. So don’t underestimate him. He’s smart. Always was. The brightest out of all of us—’

  ‘Then why didn’t you keep him at school?’

  ‘Danny decided to get involved. He always told Luke he needed to stay with us and continue what we were doing, so Luke was always by our sides. He never left them. He would always wait to be told exactly what to do. He lost his independence. That’s Danny’s fault. Danny made him that way.’

  Jake nodded, absorbing everything Michael told him. ‘So, he’s going to be left all alone, with no one to help?’

  Michael shrugged.

  ‘Your actions now will determine what happens next,’ Bridger said in an authoritative yet calm voice. ‘The past is where it needs to be: left behind. We’ve all got things we’d like to bury, but right now you should be concerned about your future. Tell us where your brothers are, and things can be made easier for you.’

  Michael looked at his lap, exhaled deeply and then lifted his head. ‘You know, I read something once. I can’t remember where from. Might have been from a book somewhere. But there was one sentence that jumped out at me. It said: “All men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.” What do you think that means?’

  Jake glanced over at Bridger, whose expression was as confused as Jake felt.

  ‘That you’re going to give yourself up for your brothers?’

  ‘It means that I’m not going to give you what you want unless I get what I want.’

  Jake shook his head in disbelief. ‘I don’t see the correlation, but I’m starting to think maybe you’re the smart one. What is it that you want?’

  ‘I was born with one brother, and I’m going to end it with one. I’ll give you Danny if you let Luke go. He’s had nothing to do with any of this. Detective,’ he said, addressing Jake directly, ‘this is my act of retribution – I’m wiping Luke’s slate clean instead of mine.’

  ‘You realise it doesn’t work that way?’ Bridger added, checking his watch.

  ‘Yes, but you haven’t got long. Time is of the essence for you lot. You need me, whether you like it or not. Otherwise this has been a complete waste of time.’

  Jake smirked. ‘You’re loving this, aren’t you? Middle child… sidelined by the elder and younger brother. Craving the attention you never had. We don’t need you as much as you think we do. We’ll find Danny, and we’ll find Luke – and when we do, none of you will remember what life was like before prison.’ He hesitated a moment. ‘Do you remember Freddy?’

  Michael’s pupils dilated, like giant black holes swallowing the rest of his eyes.

  ‘I met with him earlier. He was thrilled to see me. He said that he’d tried to make contact with you boys, but he’d heard nothing back. And do you know the most disheartening thing he said to me? He said, more than anything else, he was disappointed in you. You, Michael. He expected more from you. I think he even likes me more than he does you and your brothers. But imagine – a few years down the line, you’re in prison. You attempt to reach Luke, and he doesn’t respond. He’s forgotten about you. Nothing but a stain in his memory that he regrets, trying to make his life better without you. If you tell us now what we want to know, we can work something out for you. We can work on something suitable. Perhaps the two of you could share a cell.’

  Michael descended into a deep state of reflection. He lowered his head and twiddled his thumbs. After what felt like a long time, he opened his mouth.

  ‘Southampton Port. He’ll be there by now. If I could tell you where Luke was, I would. But you saw him – he ran off, so he could be anywhere by now.’

  ‘It’s fine,’ Jake said, rising out of his chair and straightening his tie. ‘We already know where Danny is – you just confirmed it for us. And now we’ve got a pretty good idea of where Luke is going to be as well.’

  ———————————————

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  Also in The CID Case Series

  The Conspiracy (June 2020)

  Organised crime group, The Crimsons, commit their final jewellery heist before they try to escape the country. One man stands in their way. But with a bent copper working against him, can Jake Tanner stop them in time? Or will it be too late?

  The Community (July 2020)

  When bodies start turning up with similar limbs dismembered under similar circumstances, Jake and the rest of the Major Crime team suspect they’ve got a serial killer on their hands. But when enemies from Jake’s past come back to haunt him, he’s distracted. How many more bodies will appear before Jake realises his priorities?

  The Confession (September 2020)

  The body of an old enemy is found buried beneath a tonne of concrete in the middle of the Olympic Stadium construction site in London. Who did it and how did they get there? Jake Tanner makes it his mission to find out. But what he uncovers will change his life — and career — for ever. In The Confession, the stakes have never been higher.

  The Cadre (October 2020)

  Henry Matheson runs east London. Especially when it comes to drugs. Untouchable, formidable, he thinks he can get away with everything — even burning a man alive on a lamppost. But, then again, he’s never met Jake Tanner. Until now.

  The Company (December 2020)

  When Jake is the victim of a fraudulent attack that leaves him with nothing, he makes it his mission to find the people responsible. What he discovers is something more harrowing than he could have ever imagined: a company that runs on the local currency of human bodies and flesh.

  The Cabal (Feb 2021)

  Famous criminal lawyer, Rupert Haversham, and his family, are killed in their stately London home. But something isn’t right. Jake thought he’d put The Cabal saga behind him… Are his worst fears about to come true?

  ABOUT JACK PROBYN

  Jack Probyn hasn’t experienced the world. He’s never even owned a pet. But he’d like to; there’s still time. His twenty-two years on the planet have been spent in the United Kingdom, with a few excursions overseas — a particular favourite of his was Amsterdam. Or Norway. Both of which were lovely.

  But what Jack lacks in life-experience, he more than makes up for in creative ingenuity. His Jake Tanner series is the birth child of a sinister and twisted mind, and a propensity to assume the worst will happen in even the most mediocre situation.

  Finding himself pigeon-holed as a millennial, Jack decided to stick with the stereotype and do things his own way. After all, he felt entitled and he wanted to destroy industries.

  Enter: writing.

  The love of writing was rekindled in Jack’s life when he (briefly) entered the corporate world, and the passion snowballed from there. No more will the millennial writer find himself working 9-5, indulging in the complexities of business life, or wearing a M&S suit.

  He will take the world by storm with his pen(keyboard) and his ability to entertain and enthral readers.

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