Page 51 of Savage Justice

We all spare a glance in Borys’s direction. He’s showing signs of stirring.

I check my watch. “Stanley Park is only about twenty minutes from here. We’ve still time to re-educate our friend here. Teach him not to mess with innocent women and children.”

“Fair enough. Have your fun, but make sure you’re at the Lake Bridge five minutes before the hour. And bring him with you. Alive. But keep him out of sight until I say different.”

“Will do. Are you staying to watch?”

“No. I’ll leave him in your capable hands. I’ve got shit to see to before I take on Kristian. First order of business, pick up a couple of Kevlar vests. I trust you have yours handy?”

We do. Never leave home without them. We make sure we’re wearing them when we arrive at the meeting place. We’re there ten minutes early. There’s no sign yet of Ethan and Aaron, but we park within sight of the bridge. Borys is in the boot, semi-conscious. Every so often there’s a loud groan from behind us and a bit of a thump as he shifts about. We’ll leave him where he is until he’s needed.

“I wonder what’s going on. There was no love lost between Borys and his brother-in-law, from what he was saying earlier.” I’m recalling his obvious resentment of his brother-in-law, and his initial assumption that Kristian had paid us to abduct him.

“That’s what I was thinking,” Tony concurs. “Families, eh?”

“There’s Ethan.” I point to the dark-grey Audi pulling up on the opposite side of the lake.

Ethan and Aaron get out and stroll in the direction of the bridge, looking for all the world as though this is an everyday gentle meander through the municipal gardens. They even pause to admire the ducks before walking halfway across the bridge and halting to lean on the stone parapet.

Jack is in the back seat of our SUV. He gets his phone out and calls Ethan on speed dial.

“We’re here,” he growls. He listens in silence for a few moments before hanging up. “He’s seen us. We’re to wait here until Kristian arrives, then you and I move in, Nico. Tony, you’re to wait here with him.” He jerks a thumb backwards over his shoulder. “When Aaron gives you the call, bring him out and dump him somewhere in view, near the bridge.”

Seems straightforward enough. We leave Tony with the vehicle while Jack and I make our way across the expanse of grass to join Ethan and Aaron. Our boss gives us a nod but says nothing.

“Is that him?” Jack asks a few minutes later.

A dark-grey Land Rover Discovery is making its way slowly down the main drive through the park. It draws up right behind Ethan’s Audi, and a man alights from the passenger door.

Tall, dark-blond hair. Slim build, but athletic rather than scrawny, he’s dressed for the boardroom in a charcoal suit, silk tie, and expensive black leather shoes. Italian, I’d say, and handmade.

Clearly, crime pays in Poland.

I can make out three more men in the Discovery, the driver and two in the rear seat. Despite being outnumbered by us, he signals his companions to stay where they are. He marches towards us, hand outstretched.

“Mr Savage. Thank you for agreeing to meet me at such short notice.”

So, we’re playing nicely, then. At least for now.

Ethan dips his head and steps forward to greet him and accept the handshake. “I confess, your request came as a surprise. I had no idea you were even in the UK.”

“I find I have business interests which require my presence in your country, though I normally restrict myself to London.” He shivers and gazes about him. “It is unusual that I should venture this far north.”

“Well, let’s hope the trip is worthwhile, for both of us. You have an interest in my prisoner, I gather.”

“He is my brother-in-law.” He lets out an exaggerated sigh. “A worthless pile of slime in my view, as you have doubtless already concluded. But my sister is inordinately fond of him and desires him to be returned. She is most insistent.”

“I see. You are aware, I daresay, of the reasons for him being… detained.”

“I am, though it is not entirely clear to me, Mr Savage, what your interest in this matter might be.”

Ethan turns to me. “Perhaps you can explain?”

“Molly Lowe is my…” I break off, uncertain how exactly to describe my embryonic relationship with her. “I care about Molly,” is the best I can come up with.

It seems to be sufficient. “I understand.” Kristian inclines his head. “Please convey my apologies for the inconvenience and distress caused to her. I shall see to it that there is no further trouble.”

“We could do that ourselves,” Ethan points out. “We were about to do just that. Why should we turn him over to you?”

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