The Devil Among Us by Ramsay Sinclair (easy books to read txt) 📗

“This isn’t how a conversation works, Cooper,” he replied matter-of-factly. “You’ve asked me a question, now, I get to ask you one. Hand over the phone.”

“That isn’t a question, that’s an order,” I sneered and held onto the phone with all my might.

DCI Reid pretended to think about it. “So it is, but I suggest you don’t fight it, Cooper. I’m quite a bit bigger than you.”

“It’s DI Cooper to you,” I spat and reluctantly handed over the phone, paying that the video had finally been sent to McCall. In one smooth movement, DCI Reid had thrown it to the floor and smashed it to pieces as I’d done with the CCTV footage. My flimsy phone was no match for his heavy weight. “Now that you’ve got nothing on me that’ll ruin my reputation, we can talk properly.”

“You lied to me. You lied to us all. You set this entire thing up,” I started slowly. It was as though a vacuum sucked all the energy from my body and I was trapped inside of a waking nightmare.

“Yes,” he said again. “I won’t deny it. I had my reasons.”

“But you killed people. Flynn Jones. Sam and Robin, too. What about Ryan Shaw? He was next, wasn’t he?” I made eye contact with his piercing silver ones.

“I can’t take all the credit, there were others involved as you already know. I never planned to kill Ryan Shaw, I didn’t need to.” He cocked his head at me, those putrid lips grinned. He was waiting for me to piece this together. “He did as we asked him to.”

“As you threatened him to, you mean?” I said factually. “He was petrified for his life.”

“Aren’t we all? I’m a gambling man, Cooper. Life is the same as cards, it’s all a game. We live one day to find out we could be dead the next. It’s all about how you play the game that counts in the end.” He shrugged and scratched his double chin.

None of this made sense.

“McCall wasn’t much help,” DCI Reid confessed ashamedly. “She nearly worked it out right away. She nearly stopped me from earning my rightful money before the job was anywhere near done. Let this be an example for you, Cooper. An important life lesson that we all have to learn at CID.”

“A lesson in what?” I yelled in dislike, wanting nothing more than to strangle him with my bare hands. The echoes that bounced from the bare walls made the night seem sinister.

“It’s a lesson that anyone can be a criminal, no matter how well you think you know them. If anything, it will make you a better DI, or who knows? A better DCI one day,” he suggested and thrust both hands collectively into his pockets.

How dare he.

“I will never be a DCI. Not after you--” I broke off and wiped my face in hopes that I’d wake up from this enduring nightmare. “When did you know we were onto you?” I pressured him equally.

“Since I caught you snooping around our home. You don’t half enjoy prying into people's private things, Cooper. I’m just surprised that you didn’t figure out that the decorators were a front sooner than that.” My head pounded, threatening to burst. “My wife was very accommodating to you two. It’s a shame you’ve snubbed us like this.”

“No,” I said with certainty, “None of this is on me. You’re the despicable one here. Does Iona know anything about this?”

“She won't ever find out,” DCI Reid said confidently. “Because you won’t tell her and neither will I. The drugs have gone and the sum of money will be transferred into our bank in a few days time.” Those large nostrils of his flared in enjoyment. The sick, twisted bastard. If he wasn’t such a hefty man, I would’ve punched him already.

“Don’t count on it. Everyone will know what you’ve done, sooner or later. You’ll be in prison for a long time you piece of rotten scum,” I spat at him.

“That’s where you’re wrong again, I’m afraid, Cooper. We’re a little past that.” He chortled and rolled his shoulders back. His heavily built body paced to a nook hidden within the walls and he dragged out a red can that was full to its brim with flammable liquid. It didn’t take a genius to work out what he wanted to do. It struck a chord between us and the atmosphere became even denser than before.

“Because Judge Ramsey will get you out of it? The judge that’ll help you worm your way out of any consequence you guys will face?” I questioned, frowning at the can.

“No. Because I’m not going to prison at all. Dead men don’t need to,” he grunted and began to unscrew the lid. DCI Reid must be insane to some capacity to even consider taking this option out.

“I didn’t put you down as a coward,” I hissed and feared what would become of us if he was being genuine. Was this some sort of test?

“It’s not cowardice,” he replied and stood himself opposite me. “It’s the only way out of this. Cowards don’t spend their half of their life-saving people and solving cases.”

“Does Iona know that you plan on doing this?” I whispered, and it must’ve struck a pang of humanity somewhere deep down in DCI Reid’s soul, for his eyes softened and his shoulders relaxed at the very mention of her name.

“No. Of course, she doesn’t. Her and her big mouth. This is for her. She’ll understand eventually,” he convinced himself until he was satisfied that this was the right option to pursue.

“What’s it all for?” I halted his movements with words and tried to inject some reasoning into his actions. “Tell me before you set this place on fire because I'm struggling to understand.”

“It’s for her life, the one that she gave up for my sake. It’s so that Iona can move on and live well,” he admitted and stooped next to the