Blood Money by Julian Page Page B

you’ve seen a ghost!”
    â€œYeah, yeah. Don’t worry about me. Everything’s fine. No probs. What can I do for you?”
    â€œThe briefing just now…. I like the change in direction. This could be like a new start for us, don’t you think?” But Rebecca doesn’t pause long enough for her boss to answer, “Hillary’s certainly grasping the nettle, isn’t she!? And I think once we get some more success, preferably with some higher profile cases, we’ll really be sending some shockwaves across the City.”
    Rebecca can tell that something’s not right; her manager is twitching like a nervous cat. He’s a timid little bureaucrat at the best of times, but right at this moment he has fear painted all over his face despite trying to act normally.
    â€œYes I agree, and considering that she’s only been in the job a short while she’s shaping-up to be a really strong leader. Though I wouldn’t want to be married to a woman that fierce, she’s probably just what the FSA needs right now. It’s early days but at long last I can see we’ve a positive future ahead of us. So, I can tell there’s something on your mind. What is it?”
    â€œWell…” she’s anticipates Tom won’t want to hear this, but following the Director of Enforcement’s strong message Rebecca owes it to herself to try. “It’s clear Hillary wants to use publicity as a deterrent. How’s about we target something really big to set the cat amongst the pigeons?”
    â€œAnd what’s your suggestion this time?”
    â€œAs I’ve said before; the biggest offender out there is the Kronos hedge fund.” At the mention ‘Kronos hedge fund’, Tom’s face hardens and a little colour returns to his pallid cheeks.
    â€œCome on Tom, it’s the obvious target, we…” But before she can get any further, her superior loudly and firmly cuts her off. “STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT!”
    She freezes; alarmed by his reaction.
    â€œThis is a topic of conversation that I’m getting very tired of young lady! You would do well to remember who runs this department. And when it comes to deciding where to focus our limited resources it is I who calls the shots, not you.”
    Tom holds his hand up, yet again dismissing her persistent requests to go after Kronos. He knows that as soon as he makes a move in their direction, he’ll get another bullet, but next time (as it quite clearly states on the note) it’ll be delivered at 1,400 feet per second directly into his skull.
    For several moments neither of them speaks. The silence in the office is heavy with tension, but Rebecca is no shrinking violet, after all, she’s just doing her job. And anyway, this is getting to be a matter of principle. Surely he can be swayed; all it needs is a subtler approach, maybe from a different angle.
    â€œIf you factor in the masking techniques they’ll be throwing-in they are clearly the number one offender. Also I’ve been checking…”
    â€œSTOP!” -Again, he blocks her in mid-sentence. Now he’s getting really angry with her. “Get out of my office before I…”
    Seeing him clenching his fists tightly, she reacts without hesitating. Turning on her heels, she storms out, shutting the door as firmly as she dare without it actually slamming behind her.
    Returning to her desk, Rebecca’s head is full of confusion. ‘What the hell is he doing? He couldn’t even answer me properly and never seems to explain his refusal to target Kronos!
The guy’s a total waste of space.
His incompetence and gutlessness is actually working against the goals of the department.’
    Tom Vaughan counts to ten and then gets up from his desk.
    Leaving his office he approaches Rebecca’s workstation with the intention of talking a little more rationally to her and finally drawing a line under