The Stretch (Stephen Leather Thrillers) Read Online Free Page A

about it?’
    ‘He mentioned it. It’s with Micky Fox, yeah?’
    Asher nodded. ‘Micky Fox and a few other like-minded individuals. It’s been a big drain, cashflow wise. They had to buy the land, grease a few Spanish palms, pay the architects and the builders . . .’
    ‘I get the picture, Richard.’
    ‘Money’s been poured into the development. Millions. And I have to say, Samantha, it was against my best advice. I did tell Terry that this was a long-term investment and that he should only use money he didn’t have tied up elsewhere. It was his idea to leverage against his portfolio.’
    Sam tossed the file on to a chrome and glass coffee table. ‘Can’t we sell out now? Pay back the banks. Then sell the shares.’
    ‘They’re timeshares, Samantha. No one’s going to pay for them until the building work’s finished. The days of punters buying off-plan in Spain are long gone. Too many horror stories.’
    ‘Okay, so we sell off some of the other businesses. The model agency’s got to be making money, right? And there’s his stake in the football club. That’s got to be worth something.’
    ‘Neither is showing much in the way of profits, and, realistically, they’re not going to, not in the near future.’ He pulled another pained face. ‘Frankly, Samantha, the model agency and the football club weren’t much more than hobbies for Terry. He wasn’t over-concerned whether they made money or not.’
    Sam flicked ash and crossed her legs. ‘Terrific,’ she said. ‘What about the courier company? That’s got to be a real business, right? And he told me he’d invested in a couple of West London taxi firms.’
    Asher and Patterson exchanged a quick look. Sam was becoming fed up with their little looks, as if they were working to a script, telling her only what they wanted her to know. They were manipulating her, and Sam hated being manipulated. ‘What?’ she said sharply. ‘What’s going on?’
    ‘Terry does have extensive business interests, Samantha,’ said Asher, ‘but many were acquired for their cashflows rather than profits.’
    Sam frowned. ‘You’re not making sense, Richard. Just spit it out, why don’t you?’
    Asher took a deep breath. ‘In a word, Samantha. Money laundering.’
    Patterson walked over to the window as if trying to distance himself from the conversation.
    Sam smiled tightly. ‘That’s two words, Richard.’ She took a long pull on her cigarette and blew smoke up at the ceiling.
    Asher smiled back but his eyes were ice cold. It was the smile of a predator, and Sam realised for the first time that Asher didn’t really like her. ‘Terry uses the cash-rich companies to clean his profits from his less than legal operations,’ said Asher. ‘On their own, profits are minimal.’
    ‘This is getting better and better,’ said Sam bitterly.
    Asher rubbed the paperweight between the palms of his hands. ‘Terry does have a solution,’ he said. ‘He put together two . . . business deals . . . shortly before he was arrested.’
    Sam raised an eyebrow. ‘Business deals?’
    ‘Terry has arranged for a consignment of cannabis resin to be imported from Spain. He’s already paid for it, there’s just the delivery to be organised.’
    For a moment Sam thought that she’d misheard. She put up a hand as if warding him off and shook her head in disbelief. ‘What? What are you saying?’
    ‘Terry has paid for four tons of cannabis resin. It’s arriving in three days.’
    ‘Cannabis? Drugs? A drugs deal?’
    ‘Terry has also invested in a currency deal in Spain. The notes are going to have to be brought back to the UK in the very near future.’
    ‘Currency? You mean counterfeit notes? A drugs deal and counterfeit money?’
    Asher stared up at the ceiling. Patterson was looking out of the window, his hands clasped behind his back.
    ‘Terry expects me to do his dirty work?’
    ‘He’s handed over all aspects of his business to you, legitimate and otherwise,’