Page 154 of Lethal Torture

“We’ll train a whole private army, if you like,” Bryan is saying. “I guarantee you won’t find better operational security anywhere. And we’ll cover our tracks well enough to keep the NCA off your trail.”

“Half of London’s brass will be at the Quartier tonight.” Rhys Stewart frowns. “It’s not the wisest place for a takeover.”

“Unless,” Sophie begins. Then, biting her lip, she ducks her head as if aware she’s spoken out of turn.

Kozlov glares at her, but Stewart nods. “Go ahead,” he says. “If you have an idea, Sophie, I’d like to hear it.”

She takes a deep breath, as if she’s reaching deep for courage. I can’t help but admire her act.

“What if we could make the whole thing look like a government operation?” She glances up shyly, then looks downagain. “Zinaida and the home secretary meet regularly—it’s in her schedule. If the home secretary asked Zinaida for an invitation to tonight’s ball, I’m sure Zinaida will give her one.” She looks nervously around at the assembled men. “By now, Niamh O’Connell will have told the home secretary the story I told her, about Zinaida being a trafficker and Simon being innocent.” She turns to Rhys. “I could call Niamh and suggest the idea to her. Guests at the ball are all allowed to bring a plus-one. If the home secretary attends, she can bring Simon.”

Kozlov frowns in confusion. “How does that help us?”

Luke, beside me, shakes his head. “How the hell has this fucker survived so long?” He shoots me a wry look that makes me smile again.

Sophie,I think, watching my cousin with a mixture of admiration and sadness.That’s how.

Rhys gives him an impatient look. “Because the minute Melikov is taken down,” he says, “and we’ve made sure anyone who matters is safely several miles away, a hundred uniforms from Scotland Yard will show up, along with the press, and the home secretary and the minister for business and trade will stand in front of the cameras and talk about how, after a long and difficult covert operation, they just managed to shut down England’s darkest human trafficking operation. The government will claim it as the biggest political coup of the decade.”

“And they’ll have me,” Sophie says, and now there’s a glimmer of the underlying steel in her face. “I will tell a great story of blackmail and torture that will keep the press happy for weeks.”

“What about the other girls?” Bryan asks. “The ones at Sophie’s House now?”

Sophie looks up at him, her eyes cold and dead. “I guess,” she says flatly, “that we’ll just have to kill them all. You don’t have a problem with that, boys—do you?”

She, Kozlov, and Rhys all turn hard faces toward the special forces men.

“No, ma’am,” Bryan says slowly, staring back at them. “No problem here.”

The rest of the troop nod coldly.

To their credit, none of them so much as flinch.

“Let me understand this correctly.”The home secretary pins me down with steely gray eyes. “I am to spend this evening at London’s most infamous club. A club, I should add, that I’ve repeatedly told the media doesn’t exist at all, or at least, not to my knowledge.” Her glare deepens. “Not only am I to attend your Winter Ball—which, I believe, culminates in debauchery that would shame a Roman emperor—but I am also expected to invite Simon Lowbridge, of all the despicable creatures, to accompany me. Please tell me if I’ve missed anything, Miss Melikov.”

“Quite a bit, actually, Agatha.” Ignoring her raised eyebrows at the familiarity, I pour an enormous shot of whiskey into her coffee and raise my cup to her with a wink. “I’m about to hand you Simon Lowbridge on a silver platter. Along with Rhys Stewart—who, if you weren’t aware, has been working hand in fist with Lowbridge for some time.”

“Stewart!” Agatha grimaces. “I should have known that seedy little spy had his hands in this. He was ambassador to Romania back in the day, you know.”

“I do know.” I slide a manila folder across the table to her. “This is a complete brief on everything we know about Lowbridge’s trafficking operations, Rhys Stewart’s involvement, and Minos, their cover company here in England.”

Bogdan Kozlov is a name you don’t need to know, since after tonight, he has no future to consider anyway.

“There’s enough in the file to have both Stewart and Lowbridge locked away for the rest of their lives.” I tap the folder. “It’s the kind of scandal which, should it be made public, would bring down the government—you included, despite the fact that you’ve done nothing wrong.”

Eyeing the manila folder like it’s a poisonous snake, Agatha takes a gulp of whiskey-infused coffee, then another. “A hard copy.” Her eyes flicker to mine. “I assume you have a reason for handing this over to me, Miss Melikov?”

I smile. “Consider it an act of goodwill. I have a digital copy, of course, but it’s safely stored somewhere it won’t ever be found, and I have no intention of sharing it.” I take a measured sip of coffee, eyeing her over the cup. “We both need Simon Lowbridge brought to heel, Agatha, but I can’t see how bringing down the entire government is of use to either of us. I see far more value in a careful process of coercion, followed by the quiet withdrawal of Simon Lowbridge from the political scene.”

Her eyes narrow. “Somehow, I doubt the press will swallow another story about a major London figure falling from a yacht, Zinaida.”

I hide my smile at her use of my first name.

“Simon Lowbridge and Rhys Stewart are assets I believe we can continue to use to our advantage when this is done. Some of their associates are another matter, but they don’t need to concern you.” My smile this time is a lot colder. Bogdan Kozlov is a dead man, regardless of how this night unfolds.

“Using men like Lowbridge and Stewart is dangerous, Zinaida.” Not even Agatha’s dignity can hide the concerned lines on her forehead. “They fight dirty. How can you be certain you can keep them under control?”

“Oh, I’m certain.” I give her a smooth, slightly chilling smile that effectively cuts her protests short. “What I need to know is if you are prepared to play your part in tonight’s little performance. I guarantee that if you do, your own reputation will remain completely free of stain—and that tonight will be the last time you will ever need worry about Simon Lowbridge.”