The Dragon's Tale: A Jack Lauder Thriller Read Online Free Page B
Author: Clive Hindle
comrades.”
“It’s like that thing about China, isn’t it?” Jack said, “It’s their land. It’s not our land.”
The Russian nodded agreement. “I am glad that I got you on this duty solicitor thing, Jack. Do you mind if I call you that?”
“Be my guest. I will call you Peter.”
The claim that Peter couldn’t understand the language had enabled him to play for time. Now Jack was on his side, he wasted no time in saying he had been framed. The back story was someone wanted to get rid of the dead man, a notorious local smuggler, and, at the same time, whoever it was had taken the opportunity of getting even with the Russian. “Two birds with one stone, isn’t this what you English say?”
Everyone has a conspiracy theory of course, so Jack didn’t succumb easily. “Why should anyone from Tyneside bear you a grudge?” Peter couldn’t answer that but he told Jack something new: the local fishermen would not have a grudge against him merely because he was fishing their grounds, no more, at least, than the usual xenophobia. The factory ship system provided East Coast fishermen with a service: they sold their fish to him at sea and this meant they stayed out longer and earned more than if they returned to market after each catch and then had to await the tide again. No, it was the big fish processors who lost out, in particular a North East coast multi-trawler and market owner who went by the name of Albert Abel.
“Don’t think I’ve heard of him,” Jack replied.
“I’ve come across him further down the coast. Hull, Grimsby?”
Jack nodded. Peter continued with his tale and it turned out he’d had more than one threat from this man’s henchmen; he knew that, if he ever landed in the U.K, he could be in trouble. He normally stayed at least two miles out and let the local fleet come to him but engine problems had meant he had no choice but to put into port for repairs.
“What would this Abel guy have against Armstrong?”
“I don’t know,” the Russian admitted. “I never heard of him before this case.”
Jack nodded. “I know a lot of the fishermen round here. Armstrong’s got a reputation locally as a petty smuggler. Drugs, usually. MDMA or cannabis brought across from Holland, booze, cigarettes from France. Basically anything he could pick up at sea and drop off on a quiet coast.”
“Oh my God!” The Russian leaned across and grabbed Jack’s arm like he was a saviour. “I was indeed fortunate to find you the duty solicitor, Jack.”
Jack was touched by the man’s sincerity. He was a tough sea-captain but he was obviously frightened out of his wits and this interview had lightened the gloom for him, let him see a chink of light. “From what you know of Albert Abel would he have been interested in any of that?”
The Russian shrugged, “You know more than me, Jack, but from what I know of Mr. Abel there is not much happens on this coast he doesn’t have a hand in. I come across people like these everywhere I go, down every coast on every ocean. There is always a strong man, someone who runs the business. If he doesn’t run it he will tax it, if you see what I mean.”
Jack saw only too clearly, so there was a possibility that Albert Abel or his men were evening up an old score and chalking up a new one at the same time. He came away from the interview believing the Russian and determined to help, just as he always did when he thought his clients were getting a raw deal. It wasn’t easy, though. In accordance with the new procedure for cases which could only be tried at the Crown Court, the case was sent up from the Magistrates and the prosecution applied for an expedited hearing because of the international repercussions. As it turned out, they needn’t have worried
“It’s like that thing about China, isn’t it?” Jack said, “It’s their land. It’s not our land.”
The Russian nodded agreement. “I am glad that I got you on this duty solicitor thing, Jack. Do you mind if I call you that?”
“Be my guest. I will call you Peter.”
The claim that Peter couldn’t understand the language had enabled him to play for time. Now Jack was on his side, he wasted no time in saying he had been framed. The back story was someone wanted to get rid of the dead man, a notorious local smuggler, and, at the same time, whoever it was had taken the opportunity of getting even with the Russian. “Two birds with one stone, isn’t this what you English say?”
Everyone has a conspiracy theory of course, so Jack didn’t succumb easily. “Why should anyone from Tyneside bear you a grudge?” Peter couldn’t answer that but he told Jack something new: the local fishermen would not have a grudge against him merely because he was fishing their grounds, no more, at least, than the usual xenophobia. The factory ship system provided East Coast fishermen with a service: they sold their fish to him at sea and this meant they stayed out longer and earned more than if they returned to market after each catch and then had to await the tide again. No, it was the big fish processors who lost out, in particular a North East coast multi-trawler and market owner who went by the name of Albert Abel.
“Don’t think I’ve heard of him,” Jack replied.
“I’ve come across him further down the coast. Hull, Grimsby?”
Jack nodded. Peter continued with his tale and it turned out he’d had more than one threat from this man’s henchmen; he knew that, if he ever landed in the U.K, he could be in trouble. He normally stayed at least two miles out and let the local fleet come to him but engine problems had meant he had no choice but to put into port for repairs.
“What would this Abel guy have against Armstrong?”
“I don’t know,” the Russian admitted. “I never heard of him before this case.”
Jack nodded. “I know a lot of the fishermen round here. Armstrong’s got a reputation locally as a petty smuggler. Drugs, usually. MDMA or cannabis brought across from Holland, booze, cigarettes from France. Basically anything he could pick up at sea and drop off on a quiet coast.”
“Oh my God!” The Russian leaned across and grabbed Jack’s arm like he was a saviour. “I was indeed fortunate to find you the duty solicitor, Jack.”
Jack was touched by the man’s sincerity. He was a tough sea-captain but he was obviously frightened out of his wits and this interview had lightened the gloom for him, let him see a chink of light. “From what you know of Albert Abel would he have been interested in any of that?”
The Russian shrugged, “You know more than me, Jack, but from what I know of Mr. Abel there is not much happens on this coast he doesn’t have a hand in. I come across people like these everywhere I go, down every coast on every ocean. There is always a strong man, someone who runs the business. If he doesn’t run it he will tax it, if you see what I mean.”
Jack saw only too clearly, so there was a possibility that Albert Abel or his men were evening up an old score and chalking up a new one at the same time. He came away from the interview believing the Russian and determined to help, just as he always did when he thought his clients were getting a raw deal. It wasn’t easy, though. In accordance with the new procedure for cases which could only be tried at the Crown Court, the case was sent up from the Magistrates and the prosecution applied for an expedited hearing because of the international repercussions. As it turned out, they needn’t have worried
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