Lethal Instincts (8 page)

She made her way across the port, passing containers towering over her casting shadows. She found her way to an admin-like building in search of a manager of the docks. Finally, she noticed a man in a hard hat who looked like he was in charge.

“No trespassing,” he said when he saw her.

Lexi smiled, ignoring his comment even though she had clearly read the sign upon entry. If they really didn’t care for trespassers they ought to have put a lock on the gate.

“Sorry about that, I’m just looking for the person in charge of this port; I have a couple of questions.”
 

“You safety control?”

“No,” she said.

“Who are you?”

“I’m working on a story on the benefits of this port for the city of London,” Lexi lied.

“Yeah, you work for The Guardian?”

“Among others,” she said.
 

It wasn’t a complete lie. She had written an article or two for them in the past, it was likely that she would again in the future, but there was no plan to write any stories relating to the port unless there was an involvement in the trafficking of young women.
 

“What do you need to know?” he said, dropping the folder against his side and slipping a pen in his shirt pocket.
 

“How does the port operate? How much employment does it offer? What’s the traffic within a twenty-four hour period? What are your quiet periods?”

She listened as he responded in more detail than she had expected, but regardless she made an attempt to take notes, while she tried sneaking glances at the containers.

The port was great for the local economy. With hundreds of people employed, it was easier for things to be missed. Every business had their protocols but it was human nature to make mistakes, to not see what was right in front of them, or for the right amount of money turn a blind eye.
 

“What about security issues? Do you have security here? Any breaches?” Lexi asked once he had finished talking fifteen minutes later.
 

“A couple of dogs. Four security guards on split shifts. Cameras at the entry points, near the buildings and random spots around the port.”

“Do you keep a record of all the cargo that comes and goes in the containers?”

“Why?”

“Gives an idea of how much work is involved in running the port,” Lexi quickly said.
 

“Right, yeah, we try to keep records. Customs and such to go through. We have regular checks.”

“For each container?”

He shook his head.

“The inspectors come in and choose random ones for checking. There’s no pattern. At least not one I’ve noticed.”
 

“So you could have anyone transporting anything?”
 

“It’s a little more complicated than that. There are forms to fill, scans to pass. If not here thenn at the arriving destination.”

“Have you ever had any issues with trafficking?”

“What’s that got to do with the economy?”

“Credibility.”

“Are you suggesting we allow illegal activity?”

“There have been allegations. I’d like your take on the topic.”

His phone beeped. He looked at it then told Lexi the conversation was finished and she had to get off the property. He didn’t walk her to the exit so she took her time and tried to open a few containers. She edged her way, trying to stay out of sight, she tried opening the doors but they were locked. She shouldn’t have expected anything else.

Was that growling she just heard? She stood still, quiet.
 

A bark. The guy did say there were several dogs. Lexi assumed they hung out at night and slept during the day.
 

Fuck. There was a dog. Maybe fifty metres away, he was growling. She saw the teeth, the saliva drooling down its jaw. It was a mutt she didn’t recognise and did not want to come in contact with.
 

Lexi inched backwards, keeping her gaze fixed on the dog. Lose eye contact and he was going to start the chase.
 

She guessed there was maybe two hundred metres to the exit. Far too long to outrun the dog. It’d be on her within seconds. His four paws versus her two feet. She didn’t stand a chance, even if she had been blessed with Bolt’s speed.

Lexi continued to inch backwards, the dog continued to growl. Would this be her demise? Then she remembered the sandwich in her bag. Would this nice little doggy like the sandwich? Would it buy her enough time to get the hell out of there?
 

As she reached into her bag, the dog must have sensed something he didn’t like as he inched forward. What was she to do with the sandwich? Hold it out for him to eat or leave it on the ground and run? But running, she imagined the dog jumping on her back, digging his claws into her skin and pushing her to the ground.
 

Lexi wasn’t afraid of dogs. But she didn’t go out of her way to befriend vicious-looking growling ones either.
 

She took half the sandwich out of the wrapper and threw it towards the dog. Her throw wasn’t a champion shot, the sandwich landed maybe twenty metres ahead. The dog went for it and she slowly continued easing her way back. But the sandwich was gone in seconds and the dog was growling again. No doubt it could easily have her for breakfast.
 

Lexi still had the other half of the sandwich in her hand. She saw the gate ahead. Could she make it? Was she willing to risk it? How long was she supposed to have this dance with this dog that did not look like he was going to stand down?

She threw the other half of the sandwich towards it and made quicker steps backwards. Her instincts told her to run but her logic won over and she didn’t turn around. Then, with one step, she felt her back walking into something or someone.
 

She finally turned to see a man, six feet tall, staring down at her.

“No trespassing,” he said, pointing to the sign.

He looked fierce, his face didn’t break out in a smile. Grease covered his tanned cheeks and arm, he wore overalls with oil on the front and he was wearing an orange hard hat.
 

“Can you call off the dog?” Lexi asked, not certain whether she was more afraid of the man or the dog.
 

“He has you pinned for a trouble maker. I’d have to agree with him,” the man said.
 

Lexi held her hands up to her chest. “I’m not looking for trouble. I just got lost on the way out.”
 

The man whistled, the dog bolted towards them. Lexi’s stomach turned, she almost closed her eyes and waited for the moment when the dog ripped into her flesh, but it never came. The dog obediently sat down next to the burly man and continued growling at Lexi.

“This is no place for a young woman. Unless she’s looking for trouble,” he said, the tone of his voice changing to a suggestive one.
 

“I just got lost on my way out after a chat with the port manager. Call him if you must,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t. She had been snooping and it had been over half an hour since she had spoken to him.

“I am the manager,” he said, glaring at her.

“Well then who was the guy I was speaking with?”

“Just get out of here,” he said, bending down to hold on to the dog’s collar.

Lexi didn’t need to be told twice. She stopped herself from running but walked very fast towards the exit and the nearest bus or Tube stop or whichever came first.

Chapter 14

She shivered at the thought that a dog could have mauled her to death only a few hours ago. But it hadn’t. And in the process she had managed to obtain some information on the port and its business. Enough to make her suspect that something sinister was going down. Those instincts again. What in the world was it that made her sense the nastiness around her?
 

But what had she expected to find at the port? Women being packed into containers in broad daylight? Stranger things had happened but she had seen none of that. That wasn’t proof that the port was not being used as an entry and exit point, in and out of London, playing Russian roulette with the officials.
 

She spent the late afternoon filling up on buttered toast and multiple cups of tea, hungry and motivated she finished off a quick evergreen piece for a women’s magazine. They’d send payment through which would cover the week’s rent and had only taken her two hours to write. The perks of being a freelancer. The investigative pieces were her heart, and the evergreens her bread and butter. She didn’t need them but they gave her a break from all the heavy investigating and writing in between. Within minutes she got an email back offering another article assignment.
She politely declined and recommended another writer for the piece.
 

Fifteen minutes later she was showered, dressed and leaving her apartment with a picture of Tatiana in her back pocket. She made sure to look around her when she left the apartment but saw no one suspicious. Her first stop was a cafe for a sandwich and a strong coffee. As she ate she considered her plan. The reality was she had none. She would wander around and see if anything pricked.
 

Breaking and entering while someone was inside the house was a risk he didn’t want to take. Sometimes a situation arose that left him with no choice but that didn’t mean he had to like it. There was too much that could go wrong for both parties. Knowing the layout of the flat beforehand helped him but there was no certainty that she wouldn’t wake up when he was inside. It would only lead to violence and one of them getting hurt or killed. Most likely her, given her lack of fighting skill. The self-defence classes would do little against his boxing background. But the job wasn’t to terminate. At least not yet.

He felt drawn to Lexi. There was something about her that intrigued him like no one had before. He had to remind himself that getting emotionally involved in the assignment was not an option, so any personal thoughts towards the woman were removed immediately from his mind.
 

She was a job. An attractive one, but a job nonetheless.
 

Finally, the lights in her flat switched off. He was going to give it an hour before he made his way up, drive around the block and then park a few flats down the road so that no one would notice the same vehicle parked in the street. No doubt a nosy neighbour might notice and call the police. He didn’t need the attention.
 

Just as he was about to start the engine the lights in the foyer turned on, behind the glass window panes of the door he saw the outline of a person, a woman. He slid down the seat a little further so he wouldn’t be easily seen and watched. A few seconds later the door opened and Lexi Ryder walked out.
 

Where was she headed so late at night?
 

Now he had a choice. Stay and turn her flat upside down out or follow her. It didn’t take more than a moment to make a decision. His job was to observe. And so he did.
 

He slipped out of the car and locked the door. He pulled the hood on his head and stayed behind Lexi, following her to wherever she went, and making sure he didn’t lose sight of her.

By the time Lexi hit the red-light district for the second time in three days, it was night-time and the area was buzzing with sex. Lexi kept an eye around her to see if there was anyone who seemed to be watching her, but all eyes were on the next job. She wore jeans and a T-shirt and jacket, so no one could mistake her for a pro as she made her way down the street. But it didn’t stop the random hoots and call outs which she ignored, and carried on with what she came to do.

The women had already started coming out from the safety of their flats or rooms, or from wherever. Lexi noticed the disparity in ages. From those who looked far underage to those who should have known better were hustling on the streets trying to make a few quid. Their eyes glazed over from either drugs or alcohol, or simply the allure of making some quick and easy cash. Although Lexi would not consider it easy money. The price of dignity and self-respect were too high. But everyone had their own reasoning, she wasn’t there to judge.
 

“Have you seen this person?” Lexi asked a girl who looked barely legal. Her blond hair curled to look like one of Charlie’s Angels, her tiny body covered by a tight mid-riff sparkling top and an even shorter mini skirt, her stilettos making her at least two inches taller than Lexi.
 

“How much you gonna pay if I say yes?” she said, her words slurring.
 

Her eyes were glazed over more than Lexi had first noticed. She was high on something and there was nothing Lexi could do about it. She wanted to help her but how did you help someone who wasn’t prepared to help themselves?

She thanked the girl, gave her ten pounds and told her to go and get something to eat. Lexi heard swearing behind her and saw that the girl did not move away from her corner. Instead a pimp came by, took the money and left the girl standing there waiting for the next score to come by and use her expertise, whatever that may be.
 

Lexi shook her head. It made her sad, the way people destroyed their lives. So much potential ruined by stupid choices.
 

Lexi was going to approach another girl, just twenty yards in front of her, when a car pulled up and the girl leaned in to the window. Lexi didn’t catch what she was saying but she guessed that a transaction was being made. Twenty seconds later, the door opened, the girl got in and the car sped off to an unknown destination. Either way the client would be satisfied and the girl would make her dough for the night before a pimp took it away from her. She hadn’t spotted any pimps out in the open but they were there, watching, observing, making sure their business performed.
 

Lexi carried on, she had spoken to a dozen women who had given her the same response. For fifty pounds they’d tell her anything she wanted to hear. That wasn’t the information she was chasing. She moved on checking the bars and clubs without yielding a result.