The Crescendo Read Free Page B

the bed and reached for the drugs. Once he’d swallowed them, he glanced at the patch on his shoulder. ‘How long have I been out?’
    â€˜All yesterday and a bit this morning.’
    Ryan looked at his clock. It was eleven-thirty. ‘Goddamn I’m starving.’
    â€˜Thought you’d say that. Come on, I’ve made up mac and cheese for lunch, should be warm enough by now. Doesn’t look like you want to wait any longer.’
    Tilly was still wearing his torn black jeans from yesterday and Ryan knew he would have slept in the spare room down the hallway. Tilly had crashed here on a few occasions, usually when his medical expertise was needed.
    â€˜You right?’ Tilly asked as he helped him get up.
    â€˜Yep, am now.’ Ryan didn’t bother with a shirt, too hard to get on with one arm out of action. Instead he headed to the kitchen where the smell of coffee called to him.
    â€˜Is Jaz …’ he said, glancing around his house.
    â€˜No, I sent her home. Said I’ll let her know when you woke up.’
    Ryan nodded. It was probably a good thing. Now he could talk to Tilly with ease.
    They took their full bowls to the table, Tilly carried Ryan’s strong coffee for him and they got comfortable. Well, he tried. Ryan found that all the muscles affected by the bullet hole stretched across his chest to places he never thought possible. Everything ached but the painkillers would help. Until then, he scoffed down his meal.
    â€˜So,’ said Tilly, clearing his throat after he cleared his bowl. Ryan had finished his second lot already and was enjoying his coffee.
    â€˜So I guess you want to know how it’s going with the Shesha Serpents?’
    â€˜Yup. Got in good with the daughter?’
    Ryan nodded. ‘Yes, seems all good and solid for the moment. But I need something to happen to get the attention of her dad. Jamison is who I need to get into bed with.’ Sleeping with Annaliese was just a part of his cover, his mission, it helped that she was a looker, but it was still just a job. Jaz flashed into his mind. Her hair swept across his body, her nakedness pressed against his. Quickly he picked up his coffee and took a gulp, only to choke on it. Served him right for letting his thoughts wander where they shouldn’t.
    What had they been talking about? The mission, right.
    Ryan’s mission was to try and infiltrate the Shesha Serpents, who were an organised gang that Jaz had actually helped link to Jamison. They were working on a hunch that Jamison was behind the gang, plus a prostitution ring, drug running and other sordid things happening in their city.
    â€˜So as far as we know, Salvatore isn’t involved with the SS?’ asked Tilly.
    â€˜No, can’t find anything to link them both as yet. Maybe they work separately, maybe they don’t even talk. They are possibly competition to each other. Salvatore only seems to be in the drug trade, my focus has all gone towards Jamison and the SS. Especially after they manipulated Taylor’s dad.’
    â€˜Getting to someone that high up in the police force isn’t uncommon,’ added Tilly.
    â€˜Yeah, but usually they just offer a bribe. They resorted to blackmail and even harmed Taylor to get his dad onside. Just shows that they won’t let anything stop them getting what they want. That makes them dangerous.’
    Tilly scratched the dark stubble along his chin. ‘That makes Jamison a very dangerous man. What are you planning?’
    â€˜I might need your help. I need to force a situation that makes me look good in her dad’s eyes.’
    â€˜I’m sure we can do that,’ Tilly said with a conniving smile. ‘I’ve also gathered some more information. I’ve been following each of the bodyguards you marked, seems they all like to hang out at a bar on Charles street, not far from Jamison’s place. Some of them even live together at a nearby flat, all