Death Run Read Online Free PDF

him if she got the opportunity. Though Ralph had helped them before, she knew only too well that the man was a criminal – he’d told them himself that whatever he did was for his own good, in his own interests. For his own survival.
    She edged her way carefully back towards the stairs. As she went, she dialled Dad on her mobile. He answered at once and she whispered urgently into the phone – telling him as best she could where she was.
    â€œI’m on it,” Dad told her. “I’ll find you. Just sit tight and wait till I get there, right?”
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Jade asked quietly. “You spoke to Ralph – what’s he after?”
    â€œHe said he wanted to talk. I told him I was on holiday. End of story.”
    â€œExcept they got Rich,” Jade pointed out. “I’ll tryand get closer. I’ll leave the phone on so you can hear. But, Dad…” Her voice tailed off as she headed down a corridor that ran along the back of the circle, leading – she hoped – closer to the stage.
    â€œDon’t worry,” he said. “I’ll hurry.”
    The first door that Jade tried opened into a box almost alongside the stage. It was so close that the curtain that hung down at the side of the stage almost touched the side of the box. It was faded, torn and filthy.
    Jade crept forward, keeping low, hidden by the front wall of the box and shadowed by the way the curtain hung. The seats were worn and the fabric ripped. Jade perched on the front of the cleanest-looking and stared down at the stage. She could see Rich’s profile and Ralph standing talking to him.
    The men had all taken their masks off now. Ralph was the shortest of them, but standing with his hands clasped in front of him as he spoke to Rich, he was easily the most impressive and powerful figure on the stage. Obviously in charge.
    â€œSo what’s with the masks and the Doctor Plague stuff?” Rich was asking.
    â€œThey are costumes for Carnival,” Ralph explained. “Some are just for decoration, to look pretty.”He gestured to the Harlequin man at the edge of the stage. “Others, like Harlequin, are from the Commedia Dell’Arte. Characters from the plays.”
    â€œAnd what about you?” Rich asked. “Doctor Plague, who’s that?”
    â€œWhen the plague came to Venice, in medieval times, the doctors wore a black gown and a mask like this to protect them from the disease.”
    Forget dying of the plague , Jade thought as she crouched in the box above the stage. He probably scared his patients to death . She was focused on Ralph as he nodded to one of the Italians. “Family” he had said – Mafia. Jade leaned forward, keeping in the shadows cast by the dusty ragged curtain.
    â€œThe business of crime is a business of money,” Ralph said. “Large amounts of money, one hopes. And like any business, it has to be accounted for.”
    â€œSo?” Rich asked.
    â€œSo the actual accountancy is quite involved. There are so many expenses, so many people on the payroll. Pension schemes, of a sort. Profit and, sadly, loss.”
    â€œSo get an accountant.”
    â€œOh I have an accountant. The very best accountant. A man who is both accountant andbanker. He is Swiss, of course. The very best in his business. He borrows my money and lends it to others at a good rate of interest. He is a very clever man. Banker to so very many people in my line of work as well as dozens of more legitimate businesses. I really cannot afford to do without him…”
    â€œAnd why are you telling me this?”
    Ralph walked quickly across to Rich. He put his hand on Rich’s shoulder and leaned down to look at him closely. “Because several days ago, I heard rumours that my banker was planning to defect. To give himself up to the authorities and hand over access to a large number of accounts he controls. In return for