Tropic of Death Read Online Free Page B

all going to get off my back?’ snapped Freddy.
    ‘I developed the virus as a test program. Its release was an accident.
    One day you’ll all realise your mistake.’
    ‘Careful, Freddy. That sounds like a threat.’
    They were interrupted by a detective constable knocking and entering the room.
    ‘The monks confirm Freddy’s story,’ the officer said. ‘He arrived late afternoon, fixed their website and was caught on the island by the high tide. They put him up for the night in one of their monastic cells, would you believe?’ The officer gave a grunt of admiration. ‘I think that’s what you call a perfect alibi.’
    Freddy stood up. ‘Can I go now?’
    ‘Okay.’ Jarrett nodded. ‘But I know you’re lying about something
    - and I’ll find out what.’
    ‘Whatever.’
    Freddy blew out a sigh of relief as he walked out of the police station and crossed the street. He was relieved to be away from the stifling interview room and out from under the penetrating gaze of the detective sergeant.
    As he dodged between pavement cafe tables in the shade of palm trees, Freddy pulled out his mobile phone and fired off a text to someone with special connections. It was a dealer who claimed he could get his hands on a military code-breaker, something Freddy was in the market for. With that sort of technology at his disposal, beating the Whitley Sands firewall became a real possibility. He was determined now to pull off a revenge mission against the research base. In the meantime, he planned a free fall into forgetfulness.

8
Rita was sitting in the squad room doing nothing in particular when Detective Inspector Jack Loftus called her into his office.
    She hoped it meant a decision had finally been made about her new role as a criminal profiler. She found Loftus watering the potted fern by his window.
    ‘Make yourself comfortable,’ he told her.
    She sat down and watched him remove a dying frond then check the moisture around the plant’s roots, before placing his china watering can on a shelf beside a framed photo of his grandchildren. His meditative ritual over, the head of Sex Crimes glanced at the clouds accumulating over the city skyline, sat down behind his desk and looked at her squarely.
    ‘The good news is they’ve created a new position for you, complete with a new title and a higher pay grade,’ he said.
    ‘Thank God, at last!’ said Rita with relief. ‘I was starting to doubt it would ever happen.’
    ‘You’ll be appointed the force’s Special Police Investigative Resources Officer.’
    ‘That’s a mouthful.’
    ‘Yes,’ Loftus agreed. ‘Not my choice, by the way.’
    ‘And it spells SPIRO,’ she observed. ‘Bit of a dubious honour.
    Which bureaucratic genius came up with that? No, let me guess.
    Nash.’
    ‘As a matter of fact it was Superintendent Nash.’
    ‘That figures,’ said Rita. ‘Does a big new office come with the title?’
    ‘Sadly, no. Nor will your new post come under the umbrella of the Intelligence Data Centre or the Behavioural Analysis Unit.
    Essentially, you’ll be on your own.’
    ‘Is that the bad news?’
    ‘Partly. And it means you’ll no longer have a desk in the squad room. There was even a suggestion of shifting you to another building in the city.’
    ‘Nash again,’ she said. ‘He’d like to sideline me, Jack.’
    ‘Well, I’ve forestalled him. The room you use for research is now our Criminal Profiling Archive. So you stay where you are. Nash isn’t the only one who can play with formalities,’ Loftus added with a rueful smile. ‘The announcement of your new appointment will be made tomorrow and you’ll start in the job six weeks from now.’
    Rita couldn’t help smiling broadly. ‘I can’t believe it’s really happening. All the hard work and study was worth it.’
    ‘You can be proud of what you’ve achieved. You’ve broken new ground at a difficult time for the force.’
    ‘I have, haven’t I?’ But as she relaxed she noticed he