Chapter 1 Present Day
Present day
Zara tried to get comfortable in her seat, preparing herself for the two and half hour train journey from Manchester to London. She looked out at the morning drizzle and sighed as she leaned her forehead against the train window. She was tired. She closed her eyes and willed the train to get her to London fast. The train doors signalled they were closing. Zara hugged her bag closer to her and stretched her neck peeping over the other seats to make sure no one had stolen her suitcase from the luggage area. Satisfied the train was soon on it’s way and there was nothing to worry about, she leaned her forehead against the window again and closed her eyes. She’d be back in London soon.
In his large home office, Charlie sat low in his leather chair, becoming increasingly annoyed. He stared at the expensive phone on his expensive oak desk and was tempted to pick it up and throw it across his expensively decorated office. His shipping container, full last night and miraculously empty this morning defied belief. “I’ll be at the warehouse in an hour. Call everyone in for a meeting” Charlie’s voice was tight and low into the phone’s speaker. He was thinking about how he was going to smooth this over with the Greeks and who he was going to kill - everyone knew you didn’t steal from him and get away with it. He looked up from his desk and saw the nanny walking past his door carrying his young son towards the kitchen. Charlie put on his best smile ready for breakfast.
Jamie leaned into the seat of his black Range Rover whilst he drove through London. The January cold was messing with Jamie’s mood and he felt irritable. Although the streets were quiet of traffic, he was relieved to reach the “Horseman’s Cat” pub and expertly parked across the street. Jamie unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the car door. Out of habit, he reached at his wrists and pulled up his blackleather gloves as though they were slipping off his hands, and then pulled on the lapels of his black long fitted overcoat. He walked around to the boot of his car and took out the metal wrench he was going to need. Money collection was not all glamour. He sighed knowing it was going to be a long day.
