Chapter 9

We drove to Hereford and picked up the keys to the house and I signed all the paperwork. The estate agent gave us a bunch of flowers and a bottle of prosecco, it was not my cup of tea, but I was sure the girls might like it. They had become very westernised and enjoyed the odd glass of wine.

When we got to the house, I tossed the keys to the girls and let them open up. We spent all day unloading the van and setting up the house. Then we made a list of the stuff we needed to buy as we waited for pizza to be delivered.

That night we sleep in the same bed, all three of us. We were all naked, but nothing happened. They had a thing about not having sex in the same bed. I would have loved a threesome, but I knew in my heart it would never happen.

The next day I took a huge wedge of cash, and we went shopping.

We went to a white goods shop and bought a new washing machine, dishwasher, and fridge. The new house had a built-in cooker and hob.

We ordered a new TV and Blu-ray player.

Then we went to a furniture shop and ordered new sofas and stuff. On the way home we popped into a pub and had a meal.

It was on the way out of the pub, that I saw a face I knew. As I drove back to the house, I did some anti-surveillance stuff without being too obvious. When we got back to the house I got changed into some running gear and went for a jog. The girls were used to me going out and jogging, in the SAS we prided ourselves on our fitness and I liked to go for a run whenever and wherever possible.

One mile in and I knew I was being followed. I led them on a merry dance. I worked out they were working in two teams of four. I ran into some woods on the edge of town.

Then I sprinted for five minutes to lose them before I ducked into a stand of shrubs and waited to see who was following me. The first man ran past me and then another, I waited for a few minutes but no one else came along. They had split up and that would be their downfall.

I stepped out of the shrubs. I walked slowly along the track, ensuring I did not tread on twigs and give away my position.

I came across the first man. He had his back to me, and he was scanning the track. He had a Browning Hi-Power pistol in his hand. I knew they came with a magazine that could hold 10, 13, 15 or 17 rounds of 9mm.

I crept up behind him and smashed a karate chop into his neck and at the same time, I grabbed his right wrist and twisted. The gun fell to the ground at the same time as the man dropped to his knees.

I used both hands and twisted his head. I heard his spinal cord break and the lad slumped forward. I quickly searched for him, I found a wallet and phone. There was also a spare mag for the Browning.

I pocketed the gear and dragged the body into the woods. Once he was hidden, I went to track down the second man. I saw him before he saw me, and I ducked behind a huge oak tree. He was walking back down the track I guessed he was looking for his mate.

As he walked past me, I stepped out from behind the tree and smacked my fist into his face. He was on his knees a millisecond later. Three more punches left him dazed, I spun the man’s head and again the sound of his neck breaking told me he was now out of the game for good.

I searched him and again I found a spare mag, wallet, and phone. The wallet had an address in Birmingham. That told me all I needed to know. He was wearing a pair of tracksuit trousers and a hoodie. He was about my build and size.

I stripped them off him and slipped them over my shorts and t-shirt. Then I walked back the way they had come. There was a car part at the entrance to the woods.

I saw the car there and the front seats were occupied. I slid the hood up over my head and walked across to the car. The two lads inside were not the sharpest tools in the box.

One of them waved as I walked toward them, and he wound down his window. I did not ask any questions; I just emptied the Browning’s mag into the car.

When I glanced into the car, I knew both men were dead. I opened the driver’s door and searched the men. Again, I stripped them of their guns, phones, and wallets. I searched the rest of the car. I found some spare mags for the Browning pistols. I replaced the one I had fired out and took all the spares.

There was a small rucksack in the boot, and I took it to carry my stash.

Then I headed back into the woods and carried each body one at a time. I put them in the back seats. Then I opened the fuel cap and tore some material off the t-shirt of the first lad I had killed. I stuffed it into the fuel tank leaving a fair old tail to give me enough time to get away.

I found a cigarette lighter in the driver’s pocket.

I lit the material, turned, and sprinted into the woods. I heard the explosion less than a minute later. I sprinted for five minutes before settling down into a jog.

I took the long route home and did not see the other car at all.

When I got home the girls did not mention that I had come home dressed in more than I left in. I got undressed had a shower and then bagged up the clothes I had worn. I would dump them somewhere.

The wallets were all owned by lads from Birmingham, I took the cash divided it 50/50 and gave the cash to the girls. It added up to a tidy sum.

I hid the rucksack with the guns and stuff in the loft and checked the phones. They all had one number in the memory, and I checked it against the number I had stored for Crumble, and it was the same.

The bastard ... he was ex-SAS and Ex para, and it looked like he had set me up.

We ordered a takeaway. Until the new fridge and stuff turned up, we would have to live in takeaways and stuff.

That night I let the girls sleep upstairs and I snoozed downstairs with the Browning close to hand. No one came to visit that night.

I made plans and sent a few texts the following morning before the girls had even woken.

I had a shower after the girls and then took them to MacDonald’s for breakfast. After we had eaten, I dropped them back at the house. I put some walking boots and waterproofs in the boot of the car. I also took a fair chunk of money and the rucksack full of stash and told them I would be back in a couple of days.