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DCI James Hardy Series Boxset

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by Jay Gill




  The DCI James Hardy Box Set

  Books 1-4

  Jay Gill

  Copyright © Jay Gill 2019

  Hardy Thrillers Edition, Published 04 2019

  The right of Jay Gill to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or transmitted into any retrieval system, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  BOOKS BY JAY GILL

  Knife & Death

  Walk in the Park

  (A Short Thriller)

  Angels

  Hard Truth

  Inferno

  A free bonus chapter is available for each book.

  For more information visit, www.jaygill.net

  Contents

  Knife & Death

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Walk in the Park

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Angels

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Hard Truth

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

&n
bsp; Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Chapter 82

  Chapter 83

  Chapter 84

  Chapter 85

  DCI Hardy returns in…

  Spread the Word

  About the Author

  Enjoy James Hardy bonus reading

  Knife & Death

  Book 1

  Chapter One

  Strictly speaking, this wasn’t my case, and I was only there because Detective Inspector Rayner had called in a favour. He needed backup, and I owed him.

  We had arrived at the home of Simon Baker just after 7 p.m. It was a warm summer’s evening and I was meant to be home. I definitely wasn’t in the mood for the bluster coming out of Baker’s mouth. Another team was meant to be handling this search, but it had been dropped in my lap at the last minute.

  Baker stood in his doorway, his hands pressed deep in his pockets and his face like thunder.

  “What the hell is this all about? I’m just off for a dinner engagement, an awards ceremony. Whatever it is it’ll have to wait, so if you’ll excuse me, officers,” he boomed.

  “Could we speak with your wife, please, Mr Baker?” asked Rayner.

  “She’s not well; she’s sleeping. I really am in a hurry, officers. I’m already running late, so if you can call back at a more convenient time, and perhaps phone ahead next time—”

  “It’s Detective Inspector Rayner and Detective Chief Inspector Hardy. And this won’t wait,” barked Rayner.

  “You could be the King of England for all I care,” Baker shot back. “Turning up out of the blue is very inconvenient. We can’t all work to a police timetable; most of us plan our days. So, as I have already said, I’m afraid whatever it is will simply have to wait. I have to be at this ceremony, and you’re making me late.”

  “We have a warrant to search the premises,” said Rayner, passing him a sheet of paper.

  “What are you talking about?” said Baker. “Why would you need a warrant?”

  Rayner had now had enough of standing on the doorstep trying to ask politely. I suspected he wouldn’t be applying for a position as hostage negotiator anytime soon, and he definitely didn’t have the temperament today. He was through with Baker’s waffling and so pushed the front door open. He breezed past Baker, who was now incandescent. And to my mind, Baker was showing signs of a man who was more than just furious at being made late for a party.

  “How about you take a seat, Mr Baker?” I insisted. “Detective Inspector Rayner is going to take a look around. If you have any questions about the warrant, feel free to ask. Otherwise, we’ll be out of your way quicker than you can say ‘Vincent van Gogh.’”

  Baker looked unimpressed. He was watching and listening for Rayner as he began moving from room to room.

  “Which room is your wife in?” I asked. Baker looked at me but didn’t answer; his attention was still on Rayner. “Your wife,” I repeated. “Which room?” Baker sat in dumb silence.

  Rayner moved upstairs. I could hear drawers and doors opening and closing. After a while Rayner came back down and stood at the foot of the stairs. He peered around as though looking for something or trying to find his bearings. He glanced at me and then turned and hurried along the hall to the kitchen. A few moments later he came back and stood in the doorway.

  “The door in the kitchen,” he said to Baker. “The one on the right. It’s padlocked. Where do you keep the key?”

  Baker looked at Rayner, then at me, then back at Rayner.

  “The key?” repeated Rayner. “Either that or I crowbar it off. It makes no difference to me. In fact, I’d enjoy using a crowbar.”

  Baker got to his feet as he patted himself down and, without a word, passed me the key from his shirt pocket. I handed it to Rayner, who then disappeared back into the kitchen. Baker was leaning forward in his chair as though he was just as interested as I was to learn what Rayner might find. For several moments it was quiet, and then I heard voices followed by sobbing.

  “Hardy, I’ve found Mrs Baker,” called Rayner. “You ought to take a look at this. Cuff him first. We’re going to want to take him with us for questioning.”

  Baker jumped to his feet and ran for the front door. I moved quickly and, with a forceful push, redirected him so he hit the door frame face first. He fell backwards and landed on his backside. I turned him over onto his stomach and, with my knee pressed firmly into his back, cuffed his hands behind him.

  “I don’t think you’ll be making it to your party tonight, Mr Baker. Still, I’m sure back at Scotland Yard they’ll rustle up some canapés for you, if you ask nicely. Though I think we’re all out of champagne.” As much as I dislike sarcasm, I couldn’t help myself. I hauled Baker to his feet, dragged him to the kitchen and sat him in a chair.

  “Through here,” called Rayner.

  I went through the unlocked door and found Rayner comforting a woman who I guessed to be Mrs Baker. I looked around the room, which was full of art; there were canvasses everywhere. There was also a bed and a small table. An area had been partitioned off, and this contained a sink, shower and toilet. Mrs Baker looked pale, and though she was trembling, she’d stopped crying. Instead, she was sitting upright and was trying to be strong.

  “I won’t let that man see me crying. You know it was my art that kept me going. My art, not his. Mine. I prayed every day and had faith that eventually the truth would come out,” said Mrs Baker.

  “What are you telling us?” asked Rayner.

  “I’m telling you my husband has kept me here,” she gestured around the room. “He kept me a prisoner in my own home. If I didn’t produce art for him, he would stop feeding me. He sometimes turned off the water for days so I couldn’t drink. He beat me and threatened me. Said he would kill me and no one would ever know.”

  “You’re safe now,” I said. “When you’re ready we’re going to get you out of here. You need never worry about your husband again, I assure you.”

  “Where is he?” said Mrs Baker.

  “He’s just outside in the kitchen. He’s handcuffed. But don’t worry – I’ll take him away and you won’t need to see him. Just give me a few—”

  Mrs Baker interrupted me. “No. I want him to see me as I walk out of here. I want that talentless coward to see me. I want to look him in the eye.”

 

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