Code of Silence (Detective Inspector Taylor Crime Thriller, Book 1) by Phillip Jordan
About Code of Silence:
Detective Inspector Veronica Taylor has staked her all in bringing down the corrupt magnate and paramilitary godfather, Gordon 'Monster' Beattie and the prosecution has ended in failure.
For Beattie, his exoneration has come at a price, indebted to a shadowy global organisation seeking to exploit his insidious criminal empire for their own gain.
When the murder of a ruthless criminal plunges the two opponents again into conflict, Taylor comes under increasing pressure from superiors in how to direct her case and Beattie is forced to face the consequences of his newly secured freedom.
As it becomes clear the killers thirst for murder may not be randomly orientated but an organised and brutal retribution, Beattie confronts the lie that built his empire and Taylor is forced to face her demons.
Caught between her duty to intervene and her desire to let vengeance run its bloody course she finds herself trapped between exposing a revelation that could shatter the fragile peace and plunge her city back to violence or complict in the CODE OF SILENCE.
CODE OF SILENCE is the first novel in the gripping Belfast Crime Series.
Explore the historic yet infamous city of Belfast in this lightning-fast police procedural from a new voice in British and Irish crime fiction that will keep you hooked until its explosive conclusion.
Excerpt:
CHAPTER ONE
“…reports of a shooting in East Belfast earlier this evening. There are limited details at the minute, but the PSNI have cordoned off Risky’s Nightclub. Initial accounts of the incident suggest one dead and one seriously injured. We’ll update the information as it comes in…”
Tyres squealed in the semi-darkness, echoing off bare and scored concrete walls as the lone vehicle descended into the underground garage. Overhead strip lighting strobed across the darkened windshield of the Vauxhall pool car overwhelmed by the mute blue flash of the internal strobe light.
“…narrowly averting tragedy in a horrific collision and car fire following a high-speed pursuit in the city centre. The unnamed police officer has been hailed for their quick and selfless actions in rescuing a woman and her child trapped in the burning wreckage. A forty-one-year-old man has been arrested. Sources at the scene report that…”
“…from Section Eight had the scene under control and signed me off… Thank you, sir. I appreciate that. I’m just glad they were okay.”
The Vauxhall bottomed out as it descended into the lower parking area, a crash and grind of undercarriage sending sparks dancing under the chassis.
“I’m pulling into the car park now. Yes, Chief Inspector. Nothing on a motive for this one as yet and no one has stepped up to claim it… No. We have a witness being treated at the scene and they’ll be brought to the Royal once deemed fit for travel. I’ll do an initial interview there asap… Sir, I can assure you none of that will influence my investigation and I’ll keep the DCI up to speed… No problem. Night, sir.”
The car pulled in with a final screech of rubber on wet painted concrete and the whine of the electronic handbrake. The driver’s door clunked open, the ping of a warning tone emitting from the dashboard, the engine ticking over as it cooled.
“Evening, boss.”
Detective Inspector Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Taylor eased out of the driver’s seat, bleary-eyed, a pen clamped between her teeth, and juggling an iPhone, car keys, parking ticket and a handful of loose change.
“Hi, Doc. Sorry, got here as quick as I could,” Taylor mumbled through gritted teeth, offering a handshake.
“No bother. It’s not like our boys got anywhere else to be. Good job up the road.”
Detective Sergeant Doc Macpherson had the grip of a bear with a bone and the paws to match. Which was odd considering his moniker derived from his uncanny likeness to one of Snow White’s famous friends. He reached past her, noticing body armour strewn on the back parcel shelf, a crumpled set of clothes stuffed in a Tesco bag for life in the footwell, and the stink of burning plastic. He shoved the door closed with a solid thump.
Taylor jangled the keys and change into her pockets and checked the screen of her phone. Missed calls and notifications. It followed the keys and change into the depths of her smart but wrinkled jacket. She pulled out a small tin of Clove Rock.
“Cheers. Here brought you a present.”
“You shouldn’t have.” Macpherson accepted the token with a wide grin and clicked them open, offering her the first, which she accepted.
“ME here and all?”
“I think the creepy bugger hangs upside down in one of those lockers, to be honest.”
Taylor delivered a tired but conspiratorial smile. She swept her chestnut hair up into a high messy bun and secured it with the pen. The movement releasing Eau de Burning Car Wreck into the surrounding air. She brushed a loose lock from her eyes.
“Who’s holding the scene at the club?”
“Waller is SLO. He’ll be fine,” the DS assured her, noticing the sudden uptick of her chin at the mention of the new detective constable. “SOCOs are still there and half the night shift have the place cordoned off, but the punters are up for a riot. MSU are on standby to deploy and break it up. Reilly is accompanying the witness as soon as the paramedics give a fit to travel.”
Taylor nodded, confirming she had received that brief.
Macpherson glanced at his watch.
“Last ETA one hour. We need to hold off until the doctor confirms capacity and consent.”
Taylor raised an eyebrow in query.
“If this is who we think, we need to tick the boxes and make sure any testimony we get is solid.”
“If it gets us our way back into the Firm, maybe I’ll not end up in uniform after all,” said Taylor.
Macpherson grunted and gestured to the nearby doors with their innocuous but ominous blue printed signage.
“We’ll know soon enough. Don’t be getting ahead of yourself. For one, this character’s not in the position to be offering Queen’s Evidence any time soon. After you.”
Veronica Taylor blipped the Vauxhall’s locks and led the way towards the underground entrance to the Royal Belfast Hospital Regional Forensic Mortuary.
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