‘In Poland,
‘Help yourself to more,’ says Chris. He’s always wanted to say something like that. The conversation is flowing, and the food really isn’t at all bad. Donna was right: you honestly wouldn’t know it was aubergines.
‘How are you getting on with the horse thefts?’ asks Joyce.
‘Our toughest case yet,’ says Donna. ‘We’ve been all over. No horses.’
‘Where’s the heroin now? Out of interest?’ says Chris.
‘Somewhere safe,’ says Joyce.
‘That usually means your kettle, Joyce,’ says Donna.
‘There was too much for the kettle,’ says Joyce. ‘So it’s in my microwave.’
‘Not still in that box?’ says Bogdan. ‘Was filthy.’
‘No, I gave the box a good scrub, and it’s perfect for all the bits and bobs I keep under my sink.’
‘Waste not, want not,’ says Ibrahim. ‘Chris, did you know that the aubergine is actually a fruit, and the Americans call it eggplant, because early varieties were white in colour and oval in shape?’
‘I didn’t know that, no,’ says Chris.
‘I’ll send you an article,’ says Ibrahim. ‘Donna, I need to update you on our Tatiana scheme too. I believe we have had a breakthrough.’
Again, various phones ping. A group message. Chris takes a look. It is from Ron, and it is, for no discernible reason, a picture of a panda wearing a hat. They see Ibrahim composing a reply, and it pings through.
‘How are you going to let them all know you have the heroin? How do you set the trap?’ asks Patrice.
Everyone really seems to be getting along, thinks Chris, conversation really flowing now. Could this be described as a success? He thinks it could.
‘It’s very simple,’ says Ibrahim. ‘Tomorrow I’m visiting Connie Johnson again. I will tell her that we have found the drugs, and I will tell her that she mustn’t tell a soul.’
‘And then we wait for her to tell everyone,’ says Joyce. ‘I wouldn’t say no to another drop of that wine, Patrice. We wait, and we see if anyone tries to kill us.’
This time Ibrahim has been a little more professional. He’s finished his hour with Connie, and given her full value for money. They have been talking about pain. The shapes we twist into when we try to avoid it.
As he leaves, Ibrahim drops the bombshell.
‘You just dug it up?’ Connie asks. ‘A hundred grand’s worth?’
‘I am told it’s worth a hundred thousand, yes,’ says Ibrahim. ‘I’m not as up on the market rate as I should be.’
‘What did it weigh?’ asks Connie.
‘1.2 kilos,’ says Ibrahim. ‘According to Joyce’s kitchen scales.’
‘1.2 kilos, straight from Afghanistan,’ says Connie, doing a mental calculation. ‘A hundred and ten thousand pounds or so. Is it uncut?’
‘I don’t know,’ says Ibrahim. ‘I could ask Pauline.’
‘How white is it?’ Connie asks.
‘Very white,’ says Ibrahim.
‘Probably pure, then,’ says Connie. ‘Might be worth about four hundred grand by the time they’re done with it.’
‘I thought you only knew about cocaine,’ says Ibrahim.
‘A fisherman needs to know the price of chips,’ says Connie. ‘What are you going to do with it?’
‘We don’t know,’ says Ibrahim. ‘What would you do?’
‘I’d sell it, Ibrahim,’ says Connie. ‘I’m a drug dealer.’
‘Well, yes,’ agrees Ibrahim. ‘But if you were us, what would you do?’
‘Ibrahim, the simplest thing to do is take it to the cops,’ says Connie. ‘But when have you lot ever done the simple thing?’
Ibrahim nods. ‘Yes, I think if we felt it would lead us to finding out who murdered Kuldesh, we would take it to the authorities. But I don’t believe Joyce and Elizabeth have a great deal of trust in SIO Regan, and they believe that we might be better placed to find that out.’
‘You any nearer to working it out?’ Connie asks.
‘Well, Mitch Maxwell and Luca Buttaci are still looking for the heroin,’ says Ibrahim. ‘They seem very keen.’
‘That’s heroin for you,’ says Connie.
‘And then Samantha Barnes has also been murdered. But her husband, Garth, is at large. Or possibly dead. Though he doesn’t seem the type to die, so probably at large.’
‘Do they know you have the heroin now?’
‘We haven’t told a soul,’ says Ibrahim. ‘We are plotting our next move.’
‘Well, they won’t hear it from me,’ says Connie.
‘I’m banking on that, Connie,’ says Ibrahim. ‘I think we trust each other.’
‘Can I make an observation though?’ asks Connie. ‘In my professional capacity?’
‘Please,’ says Ibrahim. ‘You know I encourage a frank exchange of views.’
‘1.2 kilos is not an awful lot of heroin,’ says Connie. ‘In the grand scheme of things.’
‘It looks a lot when you see it in Joyce’s microwave,’ says Ibrahim.
‘I’m just letting you know,’ says Connie. ‘Mitch and Luca wouldn’t be killing anyone over 1.2 kilos of heroin.’
‘And yet a lot of people are dying?’ says Ibrahim.
‘Too many,’ says Connie. ‘Everyone’s chasing ghosts, and one of the Afghans has come over. This is about something bigger. Or someone bigger, you mark my words.’
‘But none of it solves the question of who killed Kuldesh?’
