The Crooked Beat Read Online Free PDF Page A

company ever existing. Within a couple of weeks, another business would be in – accountants, IT support, solicitors – it could be anything. Time moved on.
    ‘How did it go?’ Sarah asked me.
    ‘You first,’ I said.
    She passed me a folder full of print-outs. ‘Have a look at this.’
    I waved it away. ‘The highlights will be fine.’
    ‘Kath Millfield’s an interesting character. Married to Roger for almost thirty years. She’s now head of a charity which works with children to improve their literacy skills outside of school. It seems like she started it as something to occupy herself when her husband was working long hours and it just snowballed. She came from nothing as a child, brought up in a rough part of Hull with few opportunities. You know the drill. She worked hard to improve herself and the charity became a big success. Inspirational, you might say.’
    ‘I wouldn’t disagree.’
    Sarah smiled. ‘That’s not what you wanted to know about her.’
    ‘Not really.’
    ‘It seems there are plenty of people who don’t like her.’ She pointed to her laptop, which was switched on and displaying a photograph of Kath Millfield. ‘She’s in her mid-fifties, but she’s still glamorous and likes people to know it. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that men are threatened by women with beauty and brains.’
    I feigned mock outrage. Sarah slapped me on the arm before continuing. ‘But seriously, you don’t achieve what she has without ruffling a few feathers.’
    ‘How so?’
    ‘I don’t think she’s got many friends in the world of education.’
    ‘No?’
    ‘Think about it. She’s more or less accusing the schools of not doing their jobs properly. She’s well liked in the local media, and she knows how to play the game, but she has plenty of detractors.’
    I entered Kath Millfield into Google and flicked through the photographs it brought up of her. The majority had been taken at social and charity functions. One man constantly appeared alongside the Millfields. I pointed to the man and asked Sarah if she knew him.
    ‘Neil Farr,’ she said.
    ‘Who’s he?’
    ‘A local solicitor.’
    ‘Right.’ It was all useful background. I clicked off the Internet.
    ‘Your turn,’ Sarah said.
    I repeated what Peter Hill had told me. I was beginning to feel guilty about the way I’d spoken to him.
    ‘Heavy stuff,’ she said.
    I knew it was never going to be pleasant, but hearing Hill’s story had brought it home to me. Niall had a serious problem, and that meant I had, too. I was dealing with organised criminals. ‘I’ve got the telephone number of one of the people threatening Hill.’
    ‘What are you going to do?’ she asked me.
    ‘I’m not sure.’
    ‘You’ve no idea who this guy is, or who he’s working for?’
    ‘None at all.’
    Sarah stood up. ‘I’ll tell you what you’re going to do.’ She picked up her bag and rummaged around inside it. She held out a SIM card to me and smiled.
     
     

CHAPTER THREE
     
    I put the old SIM into my mobile and entered the number. A man answered.
    ‘Who’s this?’ I said.
    He laughed. ‘Who the fuck are you?’
    ‘I asked first.’
    ‘Don’t waste my time.’
    Before he had chance to finish the call, I told him I had the cigarettes. I glanced at Sarah and waited for the man to say something. He eventually said I should give them back.
    ‘We need to talk, then,’ I said. ‘Top of the path which leads to the Lord Line Building.’ It was next to St Andrews Quay Retail Park which would be busy enough for our purposes. It was the best place I could think of quickly. Now derelict and long abandoned, it had once been a thriving office at the heart of the dock, sitting there proudly overseeing the fishing fleet and the River Humber.
    ‘How will I recognise you?’ he said.
    ‘I’ll recognise you.’ I said he had half an hour to get there and terminated the call.
     
    We left Sarah’s house and headed for the meeting. Next to