Page 64 of Into the Fire

‘Well, I haven’t got time.And, besides, I’ve got nothing to say to you.You tricked your way into my apartment, claiming that you were a police officer, when actually you’re nothing of the sort.’

Firth had hoped this would land, but to her annoyance, the former police officer seemed unmoved.

‘A necessary subterfuge,’ she replied coldly.‘Especially when the odds are so weighted in your favour.’

‘That’s a bloody joke,’ Firth hissed back.‘Fifteen years I’vespent building up this company, fifteen years without a single peep of complaint from anyone.And yet one phone call to your pal Garanita and suddenly I’m the crook?’

‘If the cap fits …’

‘Don’t you dare,’ Firth responded fiercely, jabbing a finger in Grace’s face.‘I’m not the law-breaker here,youare.Impersonating a police officer, trespass, libel.I’m going to make sure they throw the bloody book at you.’

‘Be my guest.I’ve got plenty of good stuff to share with them, about your operations, about your workforce …’

‘No, no, not another word.I’ve done nothing wrong,wehave done nothing wrong, and the evidence will prove that.I don’t know why you’ve got a particular vendetta against me, against my company, but time will show that your disgusting allegations are utterly baseless.’

‘So how do you explain this?’

To her surprise, Helen Grace now stepped forward, shoving her phone into the executive’s hand.Part of her was tempted to tell the ex-copper where to go, but the other part had to see.Peering at the footage that now played on her accuser’s phone, she saw Helen being pushed roughly up against a brick wall, a brutish, shaven-headed man shoving a gun in her face.Firth stared at it, aghast, the victim now providing a running commentary.

‘That was earlier today.I was followed to the newspaper’s offices and afterwards these two thugs jumped me.This is from H.Samuel’s own feed, logged at ten fifteen this morning.’

‘So you got mugged,’ Firth blustered, trying to muster a response.‘I’m obviously sorry about that, but I don’t see what that has to do with me.’

‘These are the same thugs I saw loading your workers into the van outside the hospital last night.The same guys …’

Firth felt sweat prickle on her neck, her heart racing now.

‘They’re not my workers, I’ve already told you that …’ she insisted weakly, shocked at how swiftly things were spiralling.

‘Don’t think that contractual niceties and legal loopholes will get you of this, Rachel.These people ultimately work for Regus, they are your responsibility.Besides, if you’re so innocent, why was I targeted this morning?I take ityousent them?’

‘Of course not,’ Firth replied, panicked, her mind racing.‘I would never do something like that.It’s an outrageous suggestion.’

‘But you must have spoken to your sub-contractor, right?Must have warned them that I was onto you?’

‘No, no, I never called anyone,’ Firth insisted, hesitating just too long to earn a bitter smile from her accuser.

‘So, if I was to look at your phone log, I wouldn’t find any numbers connecting you to whoever employs these thugs?’

‘Of course not.’

‘Give me your phone then.Show me.’

For a moment, caught in the tractor beam of Helen’s fierce determination, Firth was about to comply, before she came to her senses.

‘No, no, you have no right to demand anything of me.You are an ordinary citizen with no authority to ask me for a goddamn thing …’

Right on cue, the door opened and two towering security guards entered, their expressions earnest and intimidating.

‘You took your bloody time,’ she fired angrily at them.‘Get her out of here.’

Annoyed, her adversary scowled as one of the guards grabbed her by the arm.

‘This isn’t over, Rachel.’

‘Get out.Just get out!’Firth screamed.

Helen allowed herself to be frog-marched to the door, pausing briefly before she departed to add:

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