‘Don’t do it!’ the Colonel shouted.
‘Fuck you!’
O’Reilly pulled out a Luger handgun.
The Colonel lifted himself into a half sit-up position, then fired three rounds into O’Reilly’s chest before the Irishman could get off a shot of his own. O’Reilly was dead before he hit the ground.
Jane trudged up the threadbare stairs behind Teflon and knocked on the door of Carl Winter’s flat, but there was no answer. Teflon called Murphy, who told them to wait in the car for Winter to return.
Half an hour passed before they saw a forlorn-looking Carl shuffling up the road towards his flat, carrying a suitcase. As he got closer Jane could see his nose was swollen and he had a cut beside his left eye. Teflon said what Jane was thinking.
‘Looks like George took his anger out on Carl.’
‘And it’s my fault,’ she added.
‘Give him a minute to go up to his flat.’
Jane knocked on the door and Carl opened it. She held up her warrant card.
‘We need to speak to you, Carl.’
He looked at her in amazement. He seemed close to tears.
‘I’m sorry, Carl, I never meant to hurt you. Did George hit you because he found out I was a police officer?’
Carl didn’t say anything. He just kept looking at Jane.
‘We’ve arrested him,’ Teflon said.
‘Good. I hope he goes to prison forever.’
Teflon went to search the bedroom and let Jane be alone with Carl.
‘I had a job to do, Carl. But it turned out I enjoyed your company. You’re a nice guy.’
In the bedroom Teflon saw an empty suitcase on the bed and next to it Carl’s clothes, neatly folded and laid out ready to be packed. He noticed a brown A4 envelope by the pillow and looked inside.
‘Jane, have you got a second?’ he called out.
He held up two large wads of cash and whispered, ‘There’s two grand here, and he was about to pack his case.’
Jane felt her head spin, wondering if Carl was not the straightforward man he appeared to be.
‘I think he’s had you fooled. We need to arrest him,’ Teflon said.
‘No, there has to be an explanation. Let me talk to him first.’
She took the money from him.
‘Have it your way, but when I’ve finished searching this room, I’m nicking him.’
As Jane left the room, Teflon opened the door in the corner of the bedroom and saw that it led to a small bathroom, with a shower, basin and toilet. He closed the door and unzipped his pants.
‘Where did you get this money, Carl?’ she asked, showing it to him.
‘George gave it to me. He told me to get out of his flat and never come back.’
‘Is that the truth?’
She put the money on the table.
‘Look what he did to me,’ he said, taking off his shirt.
She gasped when she saw the red and blue welts all over his torso. He had been lashed so hard the belt and buckle had cut into his skin, leaving imprints of their shape.
Jane was so transfixed she wasn’t aware Tony Nichols had crept into the flat and was listening to the conversation from the kitchen. She put her hand to her mouth.
‘Oh my God, Carl. What have I done?’
‘It wasn’t your fault.’
‘Of course it was. Tony Nichols told him who I am and he took it out on you.’
Carl sniffed. ‘I know where George and Smudge hide things.’
‘What things?’
‘Stuff they steal.’
Nichols quietly picked up a large carving knife from the kitchen counter, then crept up behind Carl and plunged it hard into his back before Jane even knew what was happening. Carl fell to the floor, groaning and gasping for air as blood pooled around him. Jane instinctively moved forward to help him but Nichols pointed the knife at her, making her back off. She stopped herself from glancing towards the bedroom, hoping Nichols didn’t know Teflon was with her. Nichols picked the money up and put it in his coat pocket.
‘I couldn’t let him tell you where the money is — and I’m afraid I can’t let you tell anyone what I’ve done,’ he said menacingly, as he moved slowly towards her.
‘Don’t hurt her,’ Carl moaned, making a feeble attempt to get up, but he’d already lost too much blood.
Jane wondered why Teflon hadn’t come to her aid and then she heard the toilet flush. Nichols realized she wasn’t alone and raised the knife. She screamed for help as she kicked the small coffee table towards him, making him stumble. She lunged forward and grabbed his right hand with both of hers. She tried to pull him forward and down to the ground, but he was stronger than her and managed to regain his balance.
Teflon was just washing his hands when he heard Jane scream. He grabbed a large bottle of Brut aftershave off the bathroom shelf and ran into the lounge. Nichols had broken free of Jane’s grasp, and was about to stab her with the knife when Teflon smashed the bottle over his head, knocking him to the ground. He punched Nichols repeatedly in the face until he was totally subdued. Jane rushed to Carl’s aid as Teflon turned Nichols over and cuffed his hands behind his back.
‘Get an ambulance!’ she shouted.
Teflon ran to the car to use the radio. Jane knelt over Carl, who was still lying on his back, his face pale.
‘I’m going to try and stop the bleeding, so I’ll need to turn you over.’
There was a look of fear in his eyes.
‘Jane,’ he whispered, and she leaned closer to him. ‘It’s in the pit.’
His breathing was shallow and erratic, and he started to cough up blood.
‘All that doesn’t matter now. You need to stop talking and concentrate on your breathing.’
She rolled him over, grabbed a towel from the kitchen and applied pressure to the stab wound on his back. Teflon came back into the room.
‘An ambulance and uniform officers are on their way. How is he?’
‘Not good,’ Jane said. ‘His breathing’s getting shallower and he’s cold to the touch. Take over doing this, please.’
Jane moved around so she could see Carl’s face and try and keep him awake by talking to him. She got on her knees and leaned forward.
‘You’re going to be OK, Carl. You can use the money to buy a van and start your own business now.’
But there was no movement to suggest he could hear her. Teflon felt for a pulse, but it was weak. Jane could hardly hear him breathing and his eyes were fluttering. She held his hand.
‘We could go for another meal, Carl... maybe Italian this time. Do you like Italian?’
His eyes closed and his body went limp. Teflon felt for a pulse.
‘I’m sorry, Jane... he’s dead.’
Jane started to rock back and forth on her knees as the tears ran down her face.
‘No, no, no... What have I done?’
Teflon helped her up and held her as she wept on his shoulder.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Teflon used the radio to request CID from Stoke Newington and a lab liaison sergeant attend Carl’s flat as it was now a murder scene. He then called Murphy and told him what had happened. When he heard Jane was suffering from shock he told Teflon to take her home — or even better, to her parents’ or sister’s so they could look after her.
‘O’Reilly’s dead as well,’ he added.
A uniformed van took Nichols to Leytonstone Police Station, and when the local DI arrived Teflon filled him in.
‘Is she all right?’ the DI asked, looking at Jane.
She was sitting in the car with Carl’s blood on her hands and clothes, looking numb and staring into space.