The Thames-Tigris Connection (Vance And Shepherd Mysteries Book 4)

Book summary

In "The Thames-Tigris Connection," Metropolitan Police Detectives Vance and Shepherd tackle a high-stakes case in Central London involving a series of murders of Iranian exiles. As tensions simmer and MI-6 gets involved, Shepherd's exceptional marksmanship becomes a crucial asset. Their mission takes them across Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and eastern Iran, as they strive to dismantle a fanatical anti-Zoroastrian movement while seeking justice for unsolved cases. A gripping tale of intrigue and justice on an international scale unfolds in this gripping crime thriller.

Excerpt from The Thames-Tigris Connection (Vance And Shepherd Mysteries Book 4)

Leabank Square, Hackney Wick, and New Scotland Yard, London, March 2023

Amaya Ahmadi stepped out of the shower to stand and admire her naked body in front of a full-length mirror. She cupped and raised the dark nipples of her heavy breasts, immortalised in oil self-portraits in her studio through the door. At twenty-six years old, the Iranian woman’s physique was as near perfect as the Creator had intended, yet she sighed as she stared at herself, knowing the price she paid to maintain this perfection—a rigid diet and daily run. Her splendid figure was in no way due to her DNA. She smiled at the thought of her rotund mother at home in Tabriz, Iran, daily forcing her comfortable body out of bed to go to the carpet-weaving factory.

Instead, she frowned when she thought of her father: many thanks to her billionaire father that she was here and owned this palatial purpose-built flat in a block on Leabank Square, next to the picturesque banks of the River Lea with views across to the Olympic Park along with Westfields with its array of shops, bars, restaurants, and entertainment spots. The frown was due to his damned work! Why couldn’t he understand that she was right to be terrified; his platitudes were no help. Had she stood in his shoes at the other end of the phone last night, she’d have already bought the train ticket and would be at Euston station right now. She hated to criticise him, as he was the perfect Muslim father. However, as things stood, he wouldn’t be here for a whole week!

Her studio apartment was perfectly situated for transport links with Hackney Wick Station (London Overground) only a short distance away, whilst by car, she could also gain swift access to the Docklands and out of London to Stratford and the M11. Perhaps I ought to consider going to him or am I overreacting?

She smiled at the thought of her father; Manny Ahmadi had left school at fourteen to work in a souk, selling spices, dried fruit, and nuts. Within three years, he had created his own export business and by the age of twenty-one, had arrived in Britain to study at the Manchester Business School, where he excelled and went on to found a chain of clothing, footwear, and homewares stores throughout the northwest region. At one stage, he was briefly ranked as Britain’s richest man. Amaya smiled as she reached for and slipped on her sports bra; undoubtedly, his subsequent lifestyle of expensive restaurants and single malt whiskies had robbed him of his athletic youthful figure. Now, to her, he was dear old cuddly daddy. She pulled a pale-blue designer fleece top over her luxuriant raven-black hair and hauled up a pair of grey leggings, slipped on running socks and grey trainers. Finally, she adjusted her locks with a severe brushing before cramming on a blue woolly hat. She smiled at her reflection; no need for makeup on a routine Monday morning jog on this 7th of March 2023. She had run the same route through Victoria Park in Hackney, East London, many times. The UK had been her home since 2015 when she moved from Iran to study at the Slade School of Fine Art, part of University College London.

Amaya closed her front door, as usual, at precisely 8 am, put the key into her leather bag, and slung the strap over her shoulder so that the bag rested against her right hip. She sped past the People’s Park Tavern and the cricket nets, occasionally smiling at a familiar face, straight down the path towards the Old English Garden and the Victoria Park kids’ Main Playground beyond. With the noise of her pounding feet, she did not hear other shoes behind her also hitting the ground at speed. She knew something was amiss when an atrocious pain speared between her shoulder blades as a steel blade buried into her back. Again and again, the assailant struck as Amaya screamed for help. Some people, including two oncoming joggers heard her and found her slumped in a pool of blood on the path between the rose garden on one side and the children’s play area on the other. She died shortly afterwards despite their attempts to provide first aid. Meanwhile, the assailant had fled, running off, described as a petite female wearing a black tracksuit with the hood pulled up. The joggers phoned the police at 8:40 am and reported the killer sprinting out of the park through the Queen’s Gate and running towards the Gascoyne Estate.

***

Aalia Phadkar, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, renowned for her statuesque presence and impassive marble-bust face, for once betrayed her emotions. At the opposite side of her desk sat one of her favourite officers: ‘Big Mal’ Ridgeway, so nicknamed because of his uncanny resemblance to a larger-than-life erstwhile football coach who had once steered Manchester City to glory when they boasted little money but immense talent. Malcolm Ridgeway had just delivered his unexpected resignation from the force, and, unremarkably, this bolt from the blue had rocked her Greek goddess equanimity. He was trying to sweeten the blow with his undoubted charm.

“I don’t know how you do it, Ma’am, I really don’t! You have to take so much in your stride, being in charge and commanding the respect of the Met’s thirty-three thousand police officers, including racists, sexists, and homophobes. It’s all so political nowadays with the police watchdog and woke politicians ready to pounce on your every word. Not that you’ve given them much to get their fangs into.”

Her large brown eyes bored into his, seeking any sign of insincerity and finding none.

“I’ve never pretended that mine’s an easy job, Malcolm. I wouldn’t change it for anything, but the Almighty knows how hard certain – ahem – malfunctions can be to bear. Only last week, the watchdog found disgraceful examples of bullying and sexual harassment in a central London police station. This is 2023, Malcolm, not 1973.”

“Life on Mars!” DCI Ridgeway murmured.

“Eh? Oh yes,” her divine features illuminated with a forced laugh, but her countenance reverted to anxious mode as a frown creased her brow. “Which is why I need high-calibre senior officers like yourself, Malcolm. You know how much I appreciate and need you.”

He wasn’t going to be turned, as his mind was made up, and he had no intention of letting this meeting become an ineffectual kind of mutual love-in.

“That’s a moot point, Ma’am,” he growled. “I’d say that a certain lack of appreciation and support swayed my decision.”

“On my part? But that’s impossible!”

He met her wide-eyed outrage with unwavering eyes, “Is it, though? Let me spell it out, then, so we know where we stand. At the end of the year, Detective Inspector Shepherd had one of her flashes of intuition and solved the crossbow case, which you’ll remember, Ma’am,” he explained. “Brittany is a damned good cop, and she had been right to follow her instincts, but in the national interests, I was compelled to warn her off. She was right to call it a grave miscarriage of justice. You, Ma’am, insisted that I kowtowed to Vauxhall Gardens and let the matter of Bethany Tibbet drop.”

“I remember we had this conversation, when was it? Back in November? When you accepted that with a higher rank in the police force comes greater complications and, indeed, as in that case, unwelcome compromise.” Her perfectly-formed mouth curled at the corner into an I-know-I’m-in-the-right smile—one she tended to rely on in difficult situations like this. But this meeting was more obdurate than she imagined.

“You’re quite right, Commissioner,” Ridgeway said, “I even told poor Brittany that she had to learn a few hard facts of life. I even threatened the poor lassie with a transfer to Greater Manchester Police to whip her into line—something I bitterly regret.”

“Surely not!”

“Oh, indeed! And I’ve had since November to think things through. This is no impulsive decision, Ma’am. When the Secret Service takes precedence over the Metropolitan Police, in the national interest, I cannot do my job as I conceive it. Oh, I’m not stupid, I understand realpolitik, but it doesn’t sit easily with me. I joined the police with ideals of justice and to make our great city a safer place for its inhabitants. In this case, leaving Bethany Tibbet at large to continue on a psychopathic high, hardly does that. So, I decided that the only way to fulfil my ambition would be to enter politics,” he chuckled and looked pointedly at his commanding officer, “since I’m never likely to dethrone you, Your Ladyship!”

“Watch your tongue, Mal, or I’ll have you arrested!”

“Would you have me lose my pension? I don’t deserve that. I haven’t finished yet, Ma’am. You should know that I’ve been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the upcoming 2024 Mayor of London elections. I can’t go back on my word now. I entered the nomination papers to stand, back in December. Yesterday, three months later, I received confirmation that I’d been selected.”

Aalia Phadkar’s face lit up and her flashing white teeth endowed her with matchless beauty. Ridgeway wondered what the commissioner was smiling at—he had faith he could do the job! He had some smart ideas for the capital. However, she reassured him,

“I was thinking, what a damned good Mayor you’d make. The blond booby did a half-decent job, so—”

“Ah, but he was a Conservative—”

“True, it’s harder for a Liberal to be elected. But I’m sure your words will carry the necessary conviction, ha-ha! to persuade Josie and Joe Voter. Rest assured, I’ll vote for you and help your campaign. But now, you must help me.”

“What can I do?”

“Suggest your successor.”

“That’s easy; no need for an external appointment. There are two internal candidates of the highest order. It depends only on whether you want a man or a woman.”

“Vance and Shepherd,” she spoke with a confidential tone. “I meant it when I said I need your help. Of course, I’d already thought of one of those two. Vance has more experience of policing, but Shepherd has her formidable intuition.”

“That’s true, but you need a DCI who is thoughtful, can lead a process of change, and has political acumen and the gravitas to command support from across the political spectrum. We’re dealing with London and its diverse communities and police officers.”

Phadkar smiled winningly, “Which is why you’ll leave such a large gap, Malcolm.”

“Well, thank you, Ma’am, but given those requisites, intuition alone isn’t enough.”

“Quite; it has to be Jacob Vance! A shame in some ways, I have a soft spot for Brittany Shepherd.”

“Don’t we all? She’s so much prettier than Jake the Rake!”

“Don’t let him hear you call him that!”

“It’s unfair—I can’t think of a better family man.”

“You and Vance go back a long way. If you agree,” her hand strayed to the office phone, “I’ll give him a buzz and break the news to him in your presence.”

“Thank you, Ma’am! I’d appreciate that.”

A curt nod of the divine profile, and she tapped out Jacob’s office number, then fired off instructions. “If you’re not too busy, that is,” she concluded and replaced the handset in its cradle. “He’s on his way. Just as well for him, if he’d been too busy, I’d have given Brittany the promotion,” she smiled cattily.