Spoiler Alert
Welcome to the Blake Langford Novel Previews page. In this section, you will be able to access the opening prologue or chapter of each full length novel in the Blake Langford Adventures series.
This will therefore lead to spoilers from each story being shared but it will also give you the opportunity to see if that particular adventure is for you. The full versions of each of these adventures can be purchased through Amazon and most popular bookshops worldwide.
Where No One Stands Alone
Originally written in 2007 under the title, Lost Love, Where No One Stands Alone is the first full length Blake Langford Adventures novel that began the entire series.
After being stored away in the attic of John Roberts' family home for 13 years, the Covid lockdown of 2020 gave John the opportunity to revisit his old manuscript.
After heavy editing and partial rewriting, John released Where No One Stands Alone in 2021, launching the character arcs of several characters who feature throughout the series as well as setting up Blake's journey through the years at Special Branch.
Blake Langford works for the special intelligence branch of the British Government. In 1999, he was assigned to a case in Italy regarding some smuggling of blood diamonds into the country from Africa.
Rachael Evans, Blake’s fiancée for two years, said goodbye to him at Heathrow Airport and then vanished with no explanation.
Eight years later whilst Blake is taking some long overdue leave from the Service, Rachael’s sister Paula, pays him a visit at his holiday home in southern England with a message that Rachael is in trouble and needs his help.
Blake had never let go of the love he had for Rachael but had learned to live with the reality that she had gone. Now reopening long forgotten deep wounds, Blake travels across America and into Mexico to crack a diamond smuggling ring that he had stumbled upon in Italy all those years ago but this time, for Blake, the stakes are much higher.
Where No One Stands Alone
Preview
Prologue
August 1999
“Mr Langford, you have an urgent telephone call from London!”
Blake Langford was just finishing his drink at the hotel bar when a young blonde receptionist called him over.
“Same again?” Mo asked.
“It’s your round right?” Blake replied before following the receptionist away from the bar and into the main lobby.
“Langford.”
“Blake, it’s Jen. We need you home. I doubt he’ll last much longer.”
“What did the doctor have to say?”
“Just that we need to keep him comfortable. You know how stubborn he is. He won’t go back to the hospital so they’ve upped his morphine but he’s getting worse.”
“I’ll be back on the next plane out.”
“Please get here soon. He needs to see you.”
Blake hung up the phone and took a moment to refocus himself before returning to the bar. Mo and Peter sat at the corner table with a glass of Guinness awaiting his return. Special Branch had sent them to Ireland on a routine training exercise. Now, just after 7.30pm on Friday night, the time had finally arrived where Blake needed to make the decision he had hoped to avoid for as long as possible.
“I need to get back to London.”
Both Mo and Peter nodded noncommittally.
“How is he?” Peter eventually asked.
“They doubt he’ll last the weekend.”
“There’s a flight leaving Dublin at 23.45”
“I need to be on that. You guys stay here, I’ll clear it with Gordon.”
“I’ll make the call,” Mo interrupted. “You need to be with your family now.”
***
“Olivia! Where’s my Goddamn slippers!”
“Where you left them Dad!” Rachael snapped back at him as she watched him stumble through the front door knocking over the old wooden coat stand in the process.
“Where’s your mother?”
“She’s upstairs having a rest. She’s not feeling well and as you never help her, I decided to cook for us tonight.”
“You just listen here young lady…”
“No, you listen dad. Mum is sick. She needs help. She doesn’t need you getting drunk every night and shouting at her!”
Graham Evans forced himself into the armchair and began aimlessly flicking through the TV channels in an attempt to ignore Rachael’s last statement. Reluctantly, Rachael placed the evening meals onto the dining room table before heading upstairs to the main bedroom to check on her mother. When she returned, Graham was sitting at his place at the head of the table.
“Mum’s asleep, I’ll reheat it later for her,” she said before sitting alongside him at the table.
“Bloody lazy cow! All she does all day is sleep!”
Rachael glared at him. “At least she’s here for us!”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I spend five days a week locked up inside that factory to bring money into this house! To keep a roof over our heads…”
“And seven nights in the pub! Haven’t you ever thought we’d like you to be here, sober for once. That mum may actually need your support?”
With that, Graham ripped the table cloth away from the old mahogany dining table. Dinner plates and condiments smashed against the wall. He headed towards the stairs. Rachael quickly moved in front of him to block his path.
“Move out of the way!” he fumed.
“No!”
“I won’t ask again, move!”
“No dad, she doesn’t need this!”
In one quick movement, Graham struck Rachael across the face. The force caused her head to collide with the bannister, knocking her unconscious for several minutes. When she finally came around again, she felt a cool breeze coming through the house. She pulled herself slowly to her feet and wiped away the blood from a cut on her forehead. The back door was open and the house was deathly silent. She carefully made her way upstairs and headed towards her parents bedroom. As she entered, she noticed all of her mother’s makeup and perfumes were scattered and smashed across the bedroom floor. She turned and saw blood stains on the sheets and then over in the corner, trembling with fear was her mother, Olivia.
***
Flight 728 from Dublin arrived at Gatwick Airport just before 1am on Saturday morning. Blake collected his bags and took the first available taxi to Kensington. He checked his phone for any messages, the lights of London passing by in a blur. A message from Rachael appeared with only the words “Call Me” written on it. He turned the phone on to silent mode and slid it back into his jacket pocket. He knew that if his father was as ill as Jenny had said then Rachael would just have to wait.
The driver stopped outside 124 Alfredson Road. Blake paid the fare including a generous tip, took a deep breath and headed back into the old family home.
“Mum?”
“He wants to see you,” Blake heard his mum reply.
She sat in the armchair in the lounge gazing out of the front window.
“Where’s Jenny?”
“Asleep. Don’t wake her, just go and see him.”
Blake waited for a second for his mother to say something more but she didn’t. Her voice was almost monotone. It was as if the past few months had drained every bit of emotion from her body. She just couldn’t relate to anything that was happening around her anymore. Placing his bags by the shoe rack in the hall, Blake headed upstairs. He carefully pushed open the bedroom door and entered the room trying to be as quiet as possible.
“Thought you were in Ireland?” John asked.
“I was.”
“Why did you come back?”
“The course was over and I had things to do here.”
“At this time of morning?”
“You always taught me never to sleep on the firm’s time.”
John’s laugh ended in a blood curdling cough. Blake stood to help his father but John raised his hand as if to usher him away attempting to hide another handkerchief full of blood under the covers in the process.
“Blake, you’ve done with your life what I always wanted to do. You made it into Special Branch and I want you to know, I’m very proud of you. You’re a fine young man. Don’t let that girl of yours drag you down. Now it is time for me to hand all of this over to you.”
Blake knelt down on the floor next to his father’s bedside. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“We both know that I am…. Promise me something…”
As John cleared his throat, Blake looked deep into his father’s eyes and for the first time ever, he saw fear. John Langford was scared. He’d been a Police Detective for twenty-five years before retiring early due to ill health. He’d always been Blake’s role model but now, Blake could see his father’s strength slowly slipping away.
“…Promise me that you’ll look after your mother and your sister, and that no good brother of yours too. When I’m gone, they’ll need you more than ever.”
Blake bowed his head.
“You’re the oldest son, Blake. I need to know that I have your word on this.”
Blake nodded whilst trying to avoid his father’s eye contact. John squeezed his hand briefly then layed back in an attempt to get some sleep. Blake sat back in the chair in the corner of the room watching his father as he slept. A million questions and scenarios played through his mind, yet none of them came anywhere near to this sudden feeling of loneliness and hurt that cut him so deeply.
The glare from the early morning sunshine stung Blake’s eyes. He’d fallen asleep despite his attempt to stay awake. The sun gave the room a warm amber glow but it felt too quiet. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he leant over his father’s bed again. He placed his hand across John’s forehead and his cool waxy skin told Blake all that he needed to know. His father had waited until he had spoken to him and now John Langford had died.
Without a word, Blake quietly left the room and headed back downstairs. He picked up his bags on his way out of the house. He knew he should have spoken to his mother and Jenny but right now, he didn’t have the words and he needed to be alone.
***
Rachael continued to pace the hospital car park attempting to regain the signal on her mobile phone.
“Thought you could do with this?”
“You don’t need to stay James, go home,” she replied, taking the cup of coffee from his hands.
“I want to stay. Still nothing from Blake?”
“No. It’s not like him.”
“Come on Rach, you’ve been with him for over three years now. He’s always excluding you from his life and then he pulls you back in whenever he feels like it.”
“He’s a good man and a hard worker! He’s just busy at the moment, that’s all.”
“Aren’t we all.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“How many times have you told me you want to escape from here? You deserve so much better than this Rach. It won’t work if a relationship is just one sided.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then make me understand. Your families hate each other. He uses you as a pawn in his little game and every time he snaps his fingers, you come running.”
“I can’t do one of these right now James. My mother is in there fighting for her life and my father’s on the run. How am I supposed to feel?”
“I know, I’m sorry.”
“Just go James okay. I’ll call you later.”
“Do you want me to call Paula?”
“I’ve left her a voicemail, she’ll respond eventually.”
“Well if you need anything…”
“I’ll call!” Rachael snapped before turning and heading back inside the emergency department.
James walked back towards his car and sat in the driving seat. He looked back over at the hospital. Rachael was still standing in the doorway talking to one of the nurses. He pulled out his mobile and zoomed in on the hospital door before taking a photo and placing it into a text message. He scrolled through his contacts and sent the message before tossing the phone onto the passenger seat and driving away.
***
Dusk began filtering through the dusty metal blinds that covered the lounge window of Blake’s flat in Portman Terrace in Kensington. The last few drops of whiskey sat in the bottom of the tall brown bottle hanging loosely from Blake’s hand as he slouched in the armchair of his lounge. Apart from the faint sound of children playing in the car park three floors below, he sat in complete silence staring at the curtains that had been closed since he travelled to Ireland last weekend.
The whiskey had begun to take effect and he could feel his eyes becoming heavy but he fought it so he didn’t have to revisit his father’s death once again. His eyes briefly flicked towards the clock on the wall. 19:45. Fourteen hours ago, he had left his father’s bedside and still the last conversation they had was running through his mind over and over again.
As his mind wandered off once again, Blake heard a key enter the lock of the front door. The door opened quietly. He didn’t bother turning around, Rachael was the only one who had a spare key.
“You’re back then?”
He didn’t answer.
“You’re not answering your phone.”
“I needed some time alone.”
“Away from me right?”
He didn’t reply.
“I don’t need this right now, I’ve been…”
“Then go!”
Rachael fell silent. Within a few seconds, Blake heard the front door slam.
“Maybe you were right, dad. Maybe you were right all along.”
***
“Turner.”
“James, it’s me. Please don’t hang up. I know I was a right cow earlier but I need to talk to you.”
“Hey, slow down Rach, what’s happened?”
“I’m getting into a taxi now, can I meet you at your place?”
“Yeh I’ll be home in about ten minutes.”
“Great, thanks.”
Rachael cut off the phone before directing the driver to 54 Mirren Street. James was waiting outside the front gate of the student house that he shared with three others as they arrived. He handed the driver the fare before ushering Rachael inside and upstairs to his room to avoid any embarrassment from the lack of cleanliness of the house.
As he closed the door behind them, Rachael sat on the bottom of the double bed and placed her head in her hands. James sat beside her placing his arm around her shoulders and she let herself fall into his arms.
“Is it your mum? What have the doctors said?”
She shook her head before wrapping her arms around him.
“I need to know what it is, Rach, so I can try to find a solution.”
“Just hold me for a minute.”
James looked down at her and saw a tear escaping from her eye. He held her close to him hoping that she would finally open up again. He wanted to help her but until she decided what she wanted, he didn’t know how.
***
“Blake! Open up! I know you’re in there!”
The constant hammering on the front door made Blake feel like his head would implode. Reluctantly, he opened the door and staggered back to his armchair without saying a word. Hearing the door close, he swore loudly as his intruder switched on the light which was so bright, he had to shield his eyes.
“You sure know how to live don’t ya.”
“What do you want Paula? Rachael’s not here.”
“I dunno, someone to talk to I guess. As my sister’s not here then you’ll have to do.”
Blake rubbed his eyes with the backs of his hands before refocusing and it was then that he noticed the state of Paula standing in front of him. As she came closer, cuts and bruising were visible on her face. He quickly stood from his chair before having to place his hand back onto it to regain his balance.
“Easy tiger, it looks worse than it is.”
“Did Andy do that to you?”
“Physical scars heal, the mental ones don’t.”
“Meaning?”
“Have you seen Rachael today?” she asked.
“Briefly.”
“So she told you.”
“Told me what?”
“Dad put mum in hospital again.”
“No, she didn’t mention it.”
“What I’m trying to say, Blake, is that she needs you to be there for her.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“I just can’t, all right!”
Paula placed her hand on his cheek. He could feel the tears stinging the backs of his eyes and quickly pulled away from her. As he moved away he kicked the bottle of whiskey against the wooden leg of the chair cracking the top half of the bottle. He attempted to pick it up but Paula got there first and helped steady his balance at the same time.
“I don’t need your help Paula!”
She followed him into the kitchen where he placed his hands on the edge of the sink and looked out at the night sky. She dropped the empty bottle into the bin before walking towards him and placing her hands on his shoulders.
“You may not need me Blake, but what if I need you?”
Blake turned to face her and in that moment, Paula leant towards him and softly pressed her lips against his. She pulled back and looked into his eyes before kissing him again. His head was so mixed up with emotion and the alcohol that he struggled to even contemplate what was happening. Within a few minutes, he found himself slowly following Paula into the bedroom and closing the door behind them.
***
“Here, you’re trembling,” James said as he placed a mug of hot chocolate onto the bedside table next to them.
“You remembered,” Rachael smiled.
“The marshmallows only come out on special occasions.”
“Were you serious when you said you might possibly move back to the States with your sister?”
“Yeah, eventually.”
“What would you do for work? What about your college course?”
“Third year is optional and I can pick it up in Miami if I need to. Since dad’s accident, Gabby’s pretty much ran the family home as he left it and the inheritance covers all of the outgoings so she can concentrate on her art.”
Rachael took a mouthful of her hot chocolate. Her focus drifted to the faded green carpet. It seemed way too small to fit the bedroom floor.
“Why did you ask anyway?” James pushed.
“If something happens to mum, I haven’t really got anything left here.”
“What did the hospital say?”
“She has internal bleeding which they’ve dealt with but she’s still unconscious. Just a matter of waiting now.”
“Are you going back there tonight?”
“Paula’s with her tonight. I said I’d go back in the morning. It’s just…”
“Just… what?”
“Oh you don’t want to hear this, I should go.”
James took hold of her hand as she stood from the bed. “Try me. I wanna help Rach but you’ve got to let me in.”
“It’s Blake.”
“What about him?”
“He just… He just doesn’t talk to me anymore.”
“You’ve told me that before. Is it his work?”
“No, it’s something more. I can feel it but he just won’t talk to me about it. It seems like he can’t even bear for me to be near him lately.”
“Then you need to have it out with him tonight. Make or break. It’ll only eat away at you if you don’t.”
“But what if I’m right?”
“What if you’re wrong?”
Rachael thought about that for a second. “How did I get into this mess James?”
“Only you know the answer to that. You need to focus on what is important and that is yourself. If Blake wants to have his little tantrum then let him. Eventually, he’ll let you back in. It’s up to you though if you still want to keep the fire burning or not?”
She nodded. “Can I stay here for a while?
“Stay as long as you like. I just need to go and lock up downstairs and make a phone call, will you be alright for a few minutes?”
“Don’t worry I’m not about to throw myself out of the window or anything.”
James half smiled before leaving the room. The thought had rallied around in her mind for some time now. How different would life be away from here? She knew that she needed to make a difficult decision sooner or later. The family friction and the pressure of her relationship was becoming too much. The question was, when?
***
“I have to go,” Paula said as she attempted to straighten out her skirt.
Blake pulled his trousers back on and finished re-buttoning his shirt.
“You won’t…”
“I won’t,” he interrupted before she managed to finish the sentence.
Paula quickly collected her handbag from the kitchen whilst Blake remade the bed. He heard the front door close as she left the flat and he returned to the armchair in the lounge. The clock read 01:00. He had been awake for the best part of two days however, the tiredness had yet to hit him, or if it had, then it had passed as quickly as it had come.
Around half an hour later, Blake heard the front door open. The old wooden frame creaked. He focused on the curtains in front of him as he heard the door close. Two warm arms pressed down onto his shoulders. He could smell Rachael’s perfume as she softly kissed his cheek. A tear escaped from his eye. He attempted to wipe it away before she noticed it but was unsuccessful.
“I’m here for you,” she whispered as she pulled up a chair from the dining table and sat beside him.
Blake finally opened up to her. He told her about his father’s death and they talked for most of the night. After snatching a few hours sleep, Blake called his Aunt Mary in Southampton and arranged for them to stay with her for a few days until the funeral. Rachael was reluctant to leave her mother whilst she was ill in hospital but after a discussion with Paula who reassured her that she would call if needed, Rachael finally agreed to go with him and they headed south that afternoon.
Although she was happy to finally spend time alone with Blake, Rachael couldn’t shake the feeling of light-headedness and nausea within her. On the Thursday afternoon, after they had walked for a couple of hours down the unspoilt pebbled beach that was the backdrop to Aunt Mary’s holiday home, Blake settled into a deckchair and began baiting his fish hooks. Rachael used the opportunity to take a walk to the local shops whilst he was distracted for a few hours. She had her own suspicions and after completing the test, it was confirmed. She was pregnant. After sitting for a while in the old bathroom, attempting to collect her thoughts, nothing had become any clearer. What happens now? One thing she did know for sure was, until she knew what she wanted, Blake could not find out. The past three days away had been just what their relationship needed. The hassles of family life in the city were miles away from here and finally, they could be together and be happy. She wasn’t going to ruin that now.
Blake reeled in another fish as she approached him on the beach. In only a few hours he’d already managed to catch a small Bass and two others that she struggled to identify.
“Not much out there today,” he complained as he tossed the latest fish into the bucket beside him. “You ok?”
“Yeah, just a little tired. Have you spoken to Jenny?”
“Briefly. The Funeral’s planned for next Wednesday but she’ll let me know more closer to the time.”
“Don’t you want to be part of it?”
“I’ve said my goodbyes, I need some time away now. Have you heard from Paula?”
“No, nothing. I might give her a call later to check.”
“I’m sure she’d have called if she needed you or anything was wrong,” he reassured her before forcing a fish hook into the body of a small crab.
“That’s disgusting!”
“Aww don’t say that, you’ll hurt it’s feelings.”
“Not as much as you’ve just hurt its backside!” she laughed.
Blake pulled back the rod and sent the crab flying through the air and into the deep blue water. Rachael sat by his side as the midsummer sun began to set. Eventually, Blake finally conceded defeat and packed away his fishing rods and baits. She helped him carry his boxes of hooks back into the house. He handed aunt Mary the fish that were ready to be gutted and prepared. As he finished putting the rods away in the garage, his mobile phone rang.
“Langford.”
“The boss needs you in Rome with us, 23:00 hours tomorrow.”
“Mo, you know I can’t do that.”
“Had an anonymous tip from the jewellers. He wants Fernandez brought down.”
“How long?”
“Weekend, Monday tops. I know it’s a big ask but…”
Blake sighed. “I’ll be there.”
“You’re sure about that?”
“I’ll be there,” he confirmed, closing his eyes in frustration before ending the call.
Underneath The Covers
In 2019, after many years of pushing writing aside, John began working alongside his friend, Steve Boyce, co-authoring the children's series; The New Adventures Of Cornelius Cone And Friends. During the Covid lockdown of 2020, John rediscovered the original manuscript for the first Blake Langford Adventure, Where No One Stands Alone which was then published in 2021 but after its publication, there was still a lot more of Blake's story to tell. After watching the new year's Hogmanay Celebrations on TV, John found out some photos of a family holiday to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, from a few years before and suddenly, an idea occurred that would continue Blake's story in a unique and intriguing way.
As the countdown to new year echoes around the streets of Edinburgh, Blake Langford is seeking comfort in a bottle of whiskey. His life torn apart by his previous assignment, Blake has shut himself off from the world.
When a police spotlight shines on a body hanging from the top of Edinburgh Castle however, Blake discovers that the past still has many unanswered questions.
As he travels up to the Scottish Capital, nothing is as it seems and Blake has to fight against his own demons to unravel a murder that happened ten years ago. The only connection being a message telling the victim that they will die.
Can one woman’s need for closure help catch a killer or has Blake been fooled again?
Underneath The Covers
Preview
Chapter One
Operation Undertow
New Year’s Eve 1998
Dark shadows on dusty underground dungeon walls created a menacing atmosphere in the candlelight underneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Sergeant John Grant sat on an old metal stool next to a rusting iron lantern that housed a half burnt out candle.
“So we have a deal?” Vladimir Shaubena asked.
“Anja will be placed in protective custody until she is needed.”
“Two more tonight.”
“Already assigned. Harrison knows what to do.”
Vladimir nodded as John held out his right hand which he shook before picking up a large rucksack off of the floor and walking away. A few minutes later, John followed him out of the dungeon and headed towards his car. His partner, Michael Rochester, was waiting in the driver’s seat.
“Where to?” Rochester asked.
“Wanderer’s Rest,” Grant replied.
Rochester started the car and began carefully driving along the icy snow covered roads that led up towards Edinburgh Castle. Meanwhile, in the dungeon below, James Harrison, a young police cadet, walked through the tunnels to where the lantern had been left illuminating the hexagonal clearing where Grant and Shaubena had just met. He noticed something on the floor. He knelt down and picked up two passport photos. He placed them in his pocket before noticing some rags in the corner of the dungeon. He picked up the lantern and smashed it on the floor causing the rags to catch fire. He watched it burn for a moment before heading towards the exit.
***
At the local Police Station, Detective Chief Inspector Alec Williamson climbed into his car and began heading towards the castle. He felt uneasy about what he had to do but he knew things needed to be this way. He ran his fingers through his greying brown hair before carefully driving out of the yard and onto Princes Street. Christmas lights hanging from decorations that had been tied to the fronts of the many shops lined this street giving a warm multicoloured glow as he drove by. A black armoured vehicle joined from a side street and began heading towards The Royal Mile. Williamson followed it slowly before turning off and heading towards the opposite side of the castle. He saw the police car belonging to Sergeant John Grant and his partner Michael Rochester parked at the bottom of the hill.
Williamson pulled over to the side of the road and waited. He began wringing his hands as he felt the adrenaline building inside of him. He had spoken at length with Eric Gordon, the head of Special Branch in London, about his suspicions that his Sergeant was involved in the ongoing investigation into missing students in the capital. Deep down he hoped that he was wrong but now was the moment of truth. His mobile phone rang loudly, cutting into his thoughts.
“Williamson.”
“Okoro in position,” came the reply.
“Harrison knows what to do. Keep it clean.”
“Done,” Okoro replied before cutting off the call.
As Alec went to place the phone back into its holder on the dashboard, a text message beeped through on the phone from an international phone number. He pressed the button to open the message. It read:
YOU WILL DIE!
***
Snow fell endlessly on the streets of Edinburgh as music boomed out from Wanderer’s Rest, the student bar situated on the famous Royal Mile. The media team at Scotland Today were setting up their cameras ready for the firework display that would light up the sky above the castle.
“Don’t you think we’d be better off further up the hill. Wanderer’s is drowning us out,” Howard Jenkins complained.
“The TV companies have already taken their position. Any closer we’ll be in their shot,” Sean Edwards replied as he struggled with the camera tripod.
“All this for the sake of technology,” Howard grumbled. “Who’s going to see this anyway?”
“Online videos are the future, trust me on this.”
“Trust, you’re two years out of university and think you know it all! Give me written media again anyday.
Sean looked at the cameraman who gave him the thumbs up before he turned towards Howard. “Ready in five, four, three, two…”
“Excitement builds in the Scottish capital tonight as the annual Hogmanay celebrations culminate in the huge firework display above Edinburgh castle,” Howard said before turning towards the castle.
The bright lights projected large white numbers against the castle wall counting down to midnight… 10, 9, 8, 7…
At that moment, a huge explosion echoed around The Royal Mile. Splinters of glass shattered across the road as Wanderer’s Rest erupted in flames.
“Shit! Move! Move! Move!” Howard gasped as they rushed towards the fire.
The cameraman continued to film as Sean and Howard rushed to help the students fleeing from the fire. Police cars, fire engines and ambulances immediately appeared on the scene as the fireworks erupted over Edinburgh Castle. Sergeant John Grant and his partner Michael Rochester stepped out of their car and began helping shocked and injured students to safety. Police cadet James Harrison came out of Wanderer’s Rest helping a young woman who was coughing due to the smoke. Grant noticed him and quickly moved towards them.
“Harrison, what the hell happened?”
“There was a fire and it caught one of the CO2 cylinders!” Harrison explained.
“Eliza!” Howard Jenkins shouted out as he rushed towards them.
John Grant blocked his path as paramedics helped the young woman towards one of the waiting ambulances.
“She’s my niece! Let me help her!” Howard insisted.
“No media!” Grant shouted. “She’s been involved in a traumatic incident. Back off!”
“I’m her uncle, let me go!”
“Rochester, restrain this man and get this camera crew out of here!”
Howard Jenkins spun around and punched Michael Rochester in the face as he tried to grab him. Rochester fell to the floor as Grant and Harrison grabbed Howard and pinned him to the floor before cuffing his hands behind his back.
“You have a right to remain silent so shut the fuck up!” Grant snapped pushing Howard’s head to the ground.
“Anja! I need to help Anja!” Eliza suddenly called out before running back towards the fire.
Michael Rochester got back to his feet to chase her with Sean Edwards following close behind.
“Anja! Anja!” Eliza shouted.
As they arrived at the entrance, another explosion boomed around The Royal Mile shattering the windows of the neighbouring buildings. DCI Alec Williamson had just arrived as the explosion happened. He saw John Grant and James Harrison wrestling a man to the ground and the blast sent all of the emergency team to the floor. A black armoured van was parked in a side road only a few metres from the entrance to Wanderer’s Rest. Harrison noticed DCI Williamson and quickly rushed over towards him.
“Do it!” Alec Williamson shouted.
James Harrison rushed inside the building as Sean Edwards helped Eliza and another woman stagger out of the flames. Harrison led them away from the building and down the side street towards the armoured van. A tall man dressed in black opened the back doors and the four of them climbed inside. The man closed the door behind them before looking over at Alec Williamson who nodded. He then moved around to the front and drove away into the night. Alec watched for a moment as police officers, firemen and paramedics helped the injured people away from the bar before stepping back into his car and driving away.
***
The following morning, DCI Alec Williamson arrived at the Police Station. He wandered over towards the front desk when a newspaper headline caught his eye:
POLICE COVER-UP BOTCHED INVESTIGATION INTO MISSING STUDENTS AFTER NIGHT OF ANARCHY IN THE CAPITAL
“Who wrote that?” Williamson asked.
“Howard Jenkins, Sir,” Officer Karl Josephs replied as he began sorting through some files on his desk.
“I thought he was in custody?”
“He was. They had to let him go without charge as Officer Rochester ended the night in hospital.”
“Where’s Sergeant Grant?”
“He’s giving a statement to the Chief right now.”
Alec Williamson looked at him. “Eric Gordon is here?”
“He arrived a couple of hours ago.”
“I’ll be in my office,” Williamson replied as he wandered through the station without saying another word.
An hour later, DCI Williamson’s office door opened and Eric Gordon walked in.
“I take it this isn’t a social call,” Alec said as he placed his pen on the desk.
“You have Officer Rochester in hospital with serious facial burns, Sergeant Grant has given a full disclosure of a Russian arms deal implicating Rochester’s involvement, five students in the morgue and the lead reporter of one of Scotland’s biggest newspapers calling for your head! What have you done Al?” Eric Gordon snapped as he closed the door behind him.
“I did what needed to be done. Pastor Okoro took the necessary steps to save the undercover operation.”
“You almost exposed us. One of the girls was Jenkins’ niece, Eliza Lewis.”
“That was unfortunate but we had just cause,” Williamson replied.
“Where did you go when everything calmed down?”
“I was at Tallon Castle.”
“That’s the safe house?”
“No, that’s where they left from. In two years, Okoro will bring them back with new identities and we will find out what Grant is up to.”
“They’re going to need a scapegoat. Jenkins won’t let this go.”
“So be it,” Williamson replied before handing Gordon a sheet of paper that he had just signed.
“Your resignation? You know this will make Grant the new DCI.”
“The only way we can find out what is happening is to give Grant what he wants.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“So do I, Eric. So do I,” Williamson replied before picking up his jacket and walking out of the station.
***
“After the recent resignation of Detective Chief Inspector Alec Williamson, I am proud to take on the responsibility of his position. The chaos that ensued after the gas explosion on New Year’s Eve will not be brushed under the carpet. I promise to bring those responsible to justice…” John Grant announced to the team of police officers who had gathered inside the station.
“What about the position of Officer Rochester?” Officer Karl Josephs called out.
“Regrettably, Officer Rochester is currently receiving medical attention and will be out of action for a while.”
“Howard Jenkins from Scotland Today seems to think that there was some kind of cover-up. Like Rochester is involved in some kind of conspiracy to help with the student trafficking.”
“Mr Jenkins has a very vivid imagination, Officer Josephs. We must all know that nothing the media says should be taken at face value without a thorough investigation being concluded,” Grant replied.
“And will there be?”
“Will there be, what?”
“A thorough independent investigation into what happened on New Year’s Eve?”
“The investigation is ongoing and when I receive any updates I will let you all know. In the meantime, you have the mugshots of the man suspected of being the ringleader. Any leads, please inform Sergeant Guy Harper,” Grant concluded before heading back inside his office.
After the rest of the officers went back to work, Sergeant Guy Harper wandered inside DCI John Grant’s office.
“Well, how did that go?” Grant asked.
“As well as could be expected.”
“Meaning?”
“Williamson has been here a long time…”
“Too long. The wee jessie’s have gotten too comfortable. It’s about time we shook things up a little.”
“Jenkins isn’t going away and Officer Rochester still isn’t…”
“Rochester will no longer be involved in the operation.”
Sergeant Harper looked at him.
“His negligence on that night allowed the killer to strike again. He rushed into the night club and to hell with the consequences. If he’d stood back and watched things develop, he would’ve seen the getaway vehicle at the side of the club and been able to react. Williamson knows that and that’s why he’s gone. When Rochester is well enough, he will stand trial. He’ll never pull on the uniform again.”
“And what about Jenkins?”
“His niece was one of the victims. With Rochester taking the fall for the operation, Jenkins will hopefully see it as justice being done.”
“And if he doesn’t?” Sergeant Harper asked.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
***
Sean Edwards and James Harrison woke up in a dimly lit room. They had been changed into grey trousers with white vests and grey overshirts before being laid on two single beds on opposite sides of a dingy bedroom.
“What the hell happened? Where are we?” Sean asked as he opened the curtains.
James swore loudly as the light filled the room. His eyes suddenly stinging from the assault. Sean closed the curtains once again. Both of them suffered headaches from their ordeal.
“We’re in the safe house,” James finally replied.
“What?”
“We’re in a safe house.”
“Safe from what?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Harrison, what aren’t you telling me?”
“What do you remember?”
“Helping those girls out of the night club. The explosion and then being bundled into a van,” Sean replied.
“Nothing more than that?”
“There was a guy. A tall man dressed in black. It was dark. I couldn’t see him properly. James, tell me what’s going on!”
“The man was Pastor Luther Okoro?”
“Who?”
“I can’t tell you anything more than that, you’ve just got to trust me on this.”
“Trust, you’re a police cadet. How do I know you’re not just setting me up here?”
“And how do I know you’re not just some journalist upstart looking for a news story to break into mass media?”
“Fair,” Sean sighed.
At that moment, the door to their room creaked open and a tall man with a large frame stood in the doorway. “Come with me,” he said.
James and Sean looked at each other.
“Where the hell are we?” Sean asked.
“You will find out, follow me,” the man replied before disappearing down a dark corridor.
James staggered to his feet before heading out of the door with Sean following a few steps behind. As they approached another wooden door, they could see small cracks of light escaping from the door frame. The man opened the door and stood aside beckoning for them to enter. Inside the room was a large dining table with plates, glasses, bottles of wine and a freshly carved roasted turkey with potatoes and vegetables set out on metal platters.
“You must be hungry after your ordeal, please join us,” Alec Williamson called out.
“Williamson, what the…” Sean began.
“It would be a shame to let the food go cold,” Alec interrupted before sitting at the table with the man who led them to the room taking a seat opposite him. “This is Pastor Donald French. He will look after you during your stay here. Ask him whatever you want.”
“The next bus outta here,” Sean quipped as he sat at the table alongside James.
“Is this part of Operation Undertow?” James asked.
“What do you know about Undertow?” Alec asked.
“An undercover operation where people are taken away into protective custody for a certain amount of time before being released back into civilisation with new identities to report on criminal activity.”
“Something like that, yes. Although you both were caught up in an operation that didn’t concern you.”
“So why keep us here? Where are the two girls that we helped out of the club?” Sean asked.
“They’re no longer your concern,” Alec replied.
“Like hell they’re not, I risked my life to save them!”
“Yes and I thank you for doing that Sean but they are not here. You are in a safe house for a period of two years before you can return to your previous job roles in Edinburgh,” Alec explained.
“Two years, like hell I’m…”
“You stay or you die,” Donald spoke this time. His deep thunderous voice caught Sean off guard.
“At the end of the programme, you will be free to go. In the meantime, enjoy the food and your stay on the island,” Alec replied.
“What island? Where are we?” Sean asked.
“You’re on Fidra Island,” Donald replied.
No one spoke again as the four men ate the roast dinner in silence. After finishing their meal, Sean stood from his seat and headed towards the door.
“Where are you going?” James asked.
“Are we confined to whatever this building is?” Sean asked.
“You have access to the whole east side of the island. Go wherever you wish,” Donald replied.
“And what about the rest of the island?”
“You stay on the east side of the island,” Donald replied.
Sean shook his head before heading out of the door closely followed by James.
“If he thinks I’m being kept here as a prisoner, he’s got another thing coming,” Sean said before heading outside.
“What are you planning to do?”
“I don’t know yet. That Pastor was not the guy from the club.”
“I know, I’ve never seen him before. We need to find Okoro.”
Alec and Donald watched from the window as the two men disappeared into the woods.
“They won’t get far,” Donald reassured.
“Okoro is looking after Eliza and Anja. They cannot be seen by these two. When their new identities are confirmed, we need to keep a close watch on them,” Alec replied.
“I’ll make the calls.”
Alec stood by the window as the wooden door closed behind him. Sean Edwards was not part of the plan and he was a loose cannon. He had to be dealt with fast. Alec just hoped that it wasn’t a risk that he would later regret.
In The Shadow Of My Life
The third Blake Langford Adventure was inspired when John visited London with his family. As they travelled across the capital, switching between multiple tube lines, John wondered if he could build upon the family tension that had been built up in the first two Blake Langford novels and create an adventure that would span across the city. After taking a trip to Paris on the Eurostar and seeing first hand the security, the high fences and the high speed of the trains, as well as the labyrinth of tunnels that snake across the city, the idea for In The Shadow Of My Life was born.
When a London Underground Train makes an unscheduled stop at a disused station, Blake Langford realises that something is not quite right.
As he follows the abandoned staircase up into a rundown building above the station, he discovers the body of a young girl.
As Blake pursues the case, London’s cruel streets provide little explanation of who the girl was or how she was killed until a surprise confession from his sister changes the case completely.
When blood runs thicker than water, Blake is left with two women wanting answers and a brother in need of an alibi, but who can he trust?
In The Shadow Of My Life
Preview
Prologue
“So you’ll be there?,” Jenny asked.
“On my way, just make sure Paula doesn’t suspect anything,” came the reply as the phone call ended.
Jenny Langford took a deep breath before heading into the lounge. It was a cold Friday evening in January and snowflakes were falling softly outside 124 Alfredson Road in Kensington, the family home of Blake Langford’s mother, Emily Langford. Blake’s sister, Jenny and Paula, his partner, were there whilst Emily played games with her grandson, Michael. After returning from his previous assignment in Edinburgh, Blake had some business to attend to in the city before returning to the family home.
Michael was sitting at the dining table painting a sword and shield cut out of a cardboard box alongside his grandmother. Emily was glad to have the family back home again after they had been caught up in Blake’s recent investigation involving a corrupt Scottish Police Detective.
“Are you two okay whilst Paula and I nip out for a bit?” Jenny asked.
“Of course,” Emily replied as she helped Michael wash off one of the paint brushes.
“Only if you bring some donuts back!” Michael replied.
“Deal!” Jenny laughed before leading Paula out towards the hall.
“Where are we going? I thought Blake wanted us to stay here until he gets back,” Paula asked as they slipped on their coats.
“Come on Paula, we need to relax and have a bit of fun. I know this really nice bar near Waterloo Station.”
Paula looked back at Michael happily painting at the dining table.
“He’ll be fine. Mum will look after him,” Jenny continued before opening the front door.
“Okay, one drink,” Paula sighed before heading out of the door.
They wandered down towards the London Underground station and took the Circle Line towards Embankment before emerging near Westminster on the opposite side of the River Thames from Waterloo Station. The London Eye lit up the night sky and reflected off of the river as they crossed Westminster Bridge.
“I forgot how magical the city could be at night time,” Paula said as they looked across the river.
“Do you regret moving away?” Jenny asked.
“Sometimes. It’s hard to build any friendships when you’re isolated in the countryside. My judgement of character is obviously floored too as proven by Simone.”
Simone Shaubena had been involved in Blake’s recent investigation which led to Paula, Jenny and Michael being held captive in the dungeons of Tallon Castle.
“That was an exceptional circumstance. Blake has a lot of enemies and they used his family ties to get to him.”
“And that’s just it. I’m constantly having to look over my shoulder. Constantly having to vet everyone I come into contact with in case there’s an ulterior motive to their interest in me.”
“Blake will never let anything happen to you or Michael.”
“I know.”
“I feel there’s a “but” there.”
“When Andy was taken away, I vowed that I would never let a man dictate my life again. My writing and my art were my escape from that world. I always wanted to be the hero of the story. Live happily ever after. I often would come out at night and look at the lights and people rushing from place to place in the city. I wondered what their lives would be like. Their worries, their ambitions, their relationships, I craved to be out of my bubble and to see the world.”
“Then Rachael changed that.”
“I love my sister but I hated what she did to Blake. He’s a good man and he loved her with all of his heart. Mum and dad would never agree to their relationship. Thought Blake’s job was too dangerous and she was too young for him to be involved with.”
“They didn’t trust him?”
“We all made mistakes when we were younger.”
“I know what it’s like to have a father that disapproves of everything you do,” Jenny admitted. “Steven moved away to escape Dad’s judgement. Blake was always out on missions with Special Branch and I was left to be the dutiful daughter tending to our parents’ needs.”
“Your Mum seems to have things under control now.”
“When Dad became ill, things were hard for her. She turned to alcohol to block things out but she worked her way through it and rebuilt her life after he died.”
“Did you ever want a relationship or your own little family?” Paula asked.
“I’m too close to forty for all of that now.”
“That’s not a no.”
“There was this one guy, Tom.”
“What happened?”
“He was in the forces and was killed in Afghanistan.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t…”
“It’s okay. We were only together for six months but in that time I felt like I’d never felt in my life before. I can’t even describe the feeling.”
“It’s just special.”
“Yes, special,” Jenny smiled as she began leading them along the path towards the London Eye. “Is that how Blake makes you feel?”
“That’s deep.”
“It’s honest.”
“We have history…”
“I know.”
“For so long I’ve been in Rachael’s shadow. Her disappearance and reappearance in America. Her relationship, if you could call it that with James Turner. She always was adamant that her and Blake would be together in the end.”
“You gave them both that opportunity when you asked Blake to go to Miami and save her.”
“And when he couldn’t, he was destroyed.”
“Even the roughest of diamonds can still shine.”
“Meaning?”
“If you were on your deathbed, would you rather have regrets for not doing something or the knowledge that even if it didn’t work out, you gave it your best shot.”
Paula looked up at the London Eye.
“Rachael has gone Paula. No matter what we do or the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can’t change that. Michael looks upon you as the mother figure in his life now. Blake is his father. You have the chance to create something beautiful here,” Jenny continued.
At that moment, Paula looked at the metal platform in front of The London Eye and saw Blake dressed in a suit holding a bouquet of roses. He beckoned for her to join him. Paula turned to Jenny who gently pushed her forwards. A crowd of people had gathered nearby as Paula walked up the steps to join Blake on the platform. He led Paula onto one of the glass capsules and the operator closed the door before they began to slowly rise up into the night sky.
“I’m sorry Jenny had to lead you astray,” Blake smiled as he handed the flowers to Paula.
“You certainly are full of surprises,” Paula smiled.
“I remember one time when I was working and I saw you sat on the opposite side of this river looking up at the eye and the lights. It’s amazing to think that we’re so busy in our everyday lives that we forget to notice the beauty of who and what is around us.”
“London lights used to be my escape from reality. My hope for a better life…”
“I’ve made many mistakes over the years. I’ve gone head first into situations that I shouldn’t have. I’ve been reckless and stubborn. I guess I get that from my parents. In my job, a split-second decision often is the difference between life and death. I’ve been running for too long. Running away from things that scare me. Things that force me into making rash decisions. I’m not going to run away anymore…”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that I want to write a new chapter, build a new future, with you…”
Blake placed his hand inside his pocket and pulled out a navy blue box. He knelt down on one knee and opened the box to reveal a sapphire and diamond ring.
“Paula Evans, will you marry me?”
Tears stung her eyes as she looked at the ring and then at Blake.
“Yes, of course, yes!”
Blake stood up and wrapped his arms around her. Paula held him close for what felt like an eternity. She had found the love and security that she had craved for so long. When they parted, Blake slipped the ring on her finger.
“Why now?”
“I had a lot of time to think when we were in Scotland. When I thought I was going to lose you both again, it ripped me apart. I’ve made so many mistakes Paula and now I need to start making choices that I’ve been too afraid to make in the past. That’s starting with commitment, to you and to Michael. No matter what, you two are my life now.”
As the glass capsule arrived back at the platform and both Paula and Blake stepped out, a small group of people applauded as they walked down the exit ramp hand in hand.
Jenny rushed over and hugged them both. “Congratulations to you both! Sorry for misleading you.”
“I’ll forgive you just this once,” Paula teased. “So what now?”
“Well I know a place in Leicester Square that we can go to,” Blake suggested.
“I’ll head back, I don’t want to be a third wheel…” Jenny began.
“No, no, come with us, we’re family now,” Paula insisted.
They wandered over towards Waterloo Station together before heading down the escalators towards the tube. The train whooshed into the station and they climbed aboard before the doors closed and they were on their way again. Three other passengers glanced in their direction as they sat near one of the doors. They passed through Embankment and Charing Cross underground stations before heading off towards Leicester Square. As the train left Charing Cross station, they heard a loud screeching metal against metal sound before the train came to an abrupt stop.
“What’s going on?” Paula asked.
“I don’t know but I’m sure we’re better off out than in,” Blake replied as he walked over towards the door and used the emergency exit release to open the door.
“Hey man! What are you doin’?” one of the passengers called out. “That’s suicide stepping out there!”
“Blake! What are you doing?” Jenny gasped.
“It’s an old disused station. There’s no point waiting an hour for the rescue team to come down here. Come on!”
Blake jumped down from the train before helping Paula and Jenny down.
“Are you sure this is safe?” Paula asked.
Blake held his phone torch out in front of him and headed towards the back of the platform. “This is the old freight line that used to be in service during the war. Come on, this way!”
“This is not the romantic evening I had planned for you two,” Jenny sighed.
Blake found the staircase and began climbing up. “This will get your steps in for the day.”
“Seriously?” Jenny complained.
“It’s only about two hundred steps to the top,” Blake laughed.
The metal stairs spiralled round and round from the depths of the underground network all the way back up to the streets of London above them. After a couple of stops and some swearing, Jenny and Paula finally caught up with Blake at the top of the stairs.
“Don’t… ever… make… me… do… that… again!” Jenny snapped.
“Haven’t you had enough of running around underground lately?” Paula asked.
“I think we’ve got bigger problems than a huge staircase,” Blake replied.
As Blake shined the light from his torch at the far corner of the room, Jenny and Paula both screamed. Staring back at them was the dead body of a young girl.
Wheel Of Deception
Wheel Of Deception was the most challenging and most enjoyable story to write in the series so far. John was inspired by looking at some old family photos as well researching some of his extended family tree online which in turn, led to the idea of creating two stories in one that came together spectacularly in a gripping finale. Wheel Of Deception not only focuses on Blake's life and his challenges going forward from the events in the previous novel, In The Shadow Of My Life, but it also tracks his family history. Taking us through a timeline from 1939 when the second world war broke out, through to the present day, we learn of Blake's parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends from years ago whose choices and decisions have a devastating impact on Blake and his family in the present day. For fans of the series so far, this is a fascinating look at the characterisations of the Langford family.
Blake Langford returns to his family home in London after the death of his mother. As he sorts through her possessions, he discovers an old photo of her with a man he does not recognise from many years ago.
As he begins to dig deeper into his family’s past, conflicting stories lead to a young couple who went missing over 70 years ago.
When a dog walker discovers a body of a young woman half way out of a grave, Blake has many unanswered questions for an undertaker who is not willing to cooperate and a corpse that may link back to his own family in ways he never expected.
When the body count continues to climb, Blake needs to find closure in a world of death and violence but who can he trust?
Wheel Of Deception
Preview
Chapter One
A Mother’s Love
Thursday 2nd October 2008
Blake Langford breathlessly crossed the finish line and glugged a mouthful of water down as his team completed the assault course at RAF Upper Heyford. The cool liquid provided welcome relief as the former air force base provided the ideal facilities for Special Branch to push their agents through endurance tests that would serve them well as they travelled around the world.
“You improved your time from last year,” Alison Pearce smiled as she showed him the times for their team.
Samir and Joe eventually caught up a few moments later. The training facility was just what Blake needed after taking some long overdue leave from Special Branch. His last case, investigating the trafficking of students in and out of London, had taken its toll on him. Having the break allowed him to come back refreshed and ready to take on a new challenge.
“I see you can move your ass when you want to,” Joe laughed.
“Kicking a football around a field with my son keeps me young. Anyway, you’re not doing too bad yourself for being three months out of hospital.”
“It’ll take more than an exploding shed to keep me down.”
“Speaking of which, have you found any leads from Zodiac or Reaper?”
“We’re still looking into it but nothing so far,” Samir replied.
“What about The Crystal?” Blake asked.
“All major operations have been shut down but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be any streams going in from the dark web,” Joe replied.
“Keep me posted if you find anything,” Blake said before picking up his towel and heading towards the changing rooms.
Joe and Samir watched him as he left.
“Do you think he’s ready to come back?” Samir asked.
“Grief can change a lot of people but I’ve known Blake for a long time. He’s like a dog with a bone. As soon as he grabs hold, he won’t let go. Come on, two more circuits then we’ll go for a beer,” Joe replied before running back to the start line.
Samir watched Blake and Alison leave before following Joe to the start line. He felt uneasy about their alliance but knew he had to keep them close if he was to find out how much they knew about his involvement in The Crystal.
Alison met Blake outside after he had changed his clothes and returned to the car park. They walked from the main entrance together. “I didn’t want to mention it in front of the other two but I think Joe is pushing himself too hard,” she said as they arrived at Blake’s car.
“In what way?”
“Trying to prove himself again. Samir led him into a dangerous situation that almost cost him his life.”
“You don’t trust Samir?”
Alison sighed. “It’s not that, it’s just…”
“We all have skeletons in our past that we’d rather hide away from. Samir admitted his mistakes. It takes a lot to admit to bribes in front of Eric and not be concerned for your future in Special Branch.”
“Joe told me that Samir and Zodiac were friends. He was willing to cut Zodiac a deal in exchange for information. That deal led them to the house where Joe was almost killed.”
“Do you think it was deliberate or did Zodiac lead them into a trap?” Blake asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m reading too much into this but something is off. I’m not sure what it is but I just have this feeling.”
“Personally or professionally?”
“What do you mean?”
“Samir and you were close for a while.”
“That was a long time ago, Blake. He’s changed.”
“In what way?”
“The job makes us all a lot harder. It takes a lot longer to let people in.”
“Does having Samir in the team make you feel uneasy?”
“I loved him once. Now he’s more like a brother. He’s good at his job and can be a valuable asset. I just don’t know if I’d trust him to have my back if I was in trouble. He led Joe into that garden and the explosion left him severely burnt. We split when I realised that he’d rather save his own skin than mine.”
Blake thought about that for a moment. “What are you doing this afternoon?”
“I have to visit my mother in Basingstoke. It’s her birthday tomorrow and I promised I’d go and see her.”
Blake thought of his own mother who had died from a stroke only six months ago.
Alison noticed his demeanour change. “I’m sorry Blake, I didn’t…”
“It’s okay, it just doesn’t seem real sometimes.”
“A mother’s love is never forgotten.”
Blake pulled out a photo from his jacket pocket and showed it to Alison. There were two men and two women in the photo which looked like it had been taken on Lepe Beach many years ago. There were also three children playing in the sand in front of them, two boys and a girl. “Soon after Mum’s death, I received a key to a safe deposit box in London. This photo was inside the box.”
“I didn’t realise anyone still used safe deposit boxes anymore,” Alison replied as she looked at the photo. “Is this your grandparents with their children?”
“The two boys are my father John and his brother Fred. The girl is Edith Wise, my mum’s older sister who died in 1956. My father’s parents are there and so is my grandmother on Mum’s side but nobody seems to be able to identify the man with his arm around my grandmother,” Blake explained.
“Could’ve been a family friend?”
“Family friends didn’t hold each other like that in 1948.”
“How do you know when it was taken?”
Blake turned the photo over and showed the date on the back.
“Do you think there’s more to it than that?” Alison asked.
“The family solicitor has asked to see Jenny, Steven and myself tomorrow for the reading of Mum’s will. Apparently, there was a delay due to the contents of the will and the need to find out everyone who is due to inherit from it.”
“Surely it should just be you three as Emily’s children.”
“Apparently not but none of us ever knew the contents of my parents’ wills when they wrote them around the time of their marriage in 1977. Anyway, Steven can’t make it so it’ll just be Jenny and me going.”
“I’m sure it’s just a formality. You know how these solicitors like to drag things out for maximum fees.”
Blake nodded. “If you’re concerned about Samir, I could ask Eric Gordon to consider moving him off of the team.”
“If he can keep the partnership professional then so can I.”
“Trusting your team can be the difference between life and death.”
“Then I hope I can trust all three of you when it counts,” Alison smiled.
Blake replaced the photo in his pocket. “I guess you’re right. I’ll see you soon.”
Alison headed over towards her car as Blake climbed inside his. He knew what Alison was saying was logical but something was still eating away at him. He just wasn’t sure what.
***
The following day, Blake and his sister Jenny, arrived at Cartwright And Sons Solicitors on Bond Street, London. After a short wait, they were ushered inside one of the offices and sat opposite a large mahogany desk.
“Here we have the last will and testament of Emily Avis Jane Langford along with a scroll that was given to Cartwright Solicitors when the will was made,” Julia Cartwight explained as she handed Blake the scroll.
Blake unrolled the scroll to reveal a letter dated August 12th 1977. A crumpled piece of yellow paper fell out of it and landed next to Jenny’s foot. She carefully picked it up and noticed that it seemed to form part of a map.
“This was written the day before our parents were married,” Jenny said as she read the scroll.
“Yes, your father, John Langford, was also present at the time. Your mother thought it important that the exact details of her will were kept quiet until she had passed away. Obviously, other interested parties will have been contacted after her death,” Julia confirmed.
“What other parties? Us two and our brother Steven are her only living relatives!” Blake replied.
“That’s not strictly true Mr Langford. You see, the will includes a benefaction that came from her late father. She was entitled to just over sixteen and a half percent of this benefaction if it was ever claimed.”
“I don’t understand. When our grandfather, William Handanowicz, died, the estate was split between the family.”
“William Handanowicz was not Emily’s father. The will contains a HM25 clause in it.”
“What’s a HM25 clause?”
“Harvey Matchbox twenty-five is a clause where a large benefaction is split through several members of the extended family. The benefaction comes from a sum of money that was written off in 1940. That money, if found, would be split six ways between the surviving relatives of your mother, Emily Handanowicz, now Langford, Evelyn Handanowicz, Victor Wise, Frederick Langford, Mary Langford and Patricia Hughes.”
Blake sat back in his chair struggling to piece the information together. “Who put the benefaction in place?”
“Someone by the name of Jack Walter Smith, who died August 21st 1948.”
“Does this mean Jack Smith was our grandfather?” Jenny asked.
“That scroll confirms that when Jack Smith died in 1948, the gold that was robbed from a bank in Portsmouth in 1938 and then written off two years later, was left as inheritance to his children. The problem was, the gold was buried and eight pieces of the map were given to relatives to keep safe. You have the first piece of the map. If you find the other seven pieces, it will give you the location of the gold.”
Blake laughed. “I’m sorry but I’m not buying this treasure map fairytale. What the hell is going on here and even if this is true, how come nobody else has uncovered this in the past seventy years?”
“You’re right to be sceptical Mr Langford but I have been doing some digging myself and it all seems to line up,” Julia confirmed.
“How much gold is there?” Jenny asked.
“Nobody knows for sure, but the estimated value of what was taken by my calculations would be in the region of three million pounds.”
Blake shook his head. “My family come from a long line of law-abiding people, Miss Cartwright. I worked my way through the police force, so did my father, my grandfather and my great-grandfather. Are you saying that they covered this all up? And if so, why?”
“All I have is what Emily Handanowicz placed on file in August 1977 right before her marriage to your father, John Langford.”
“Why was this all contained in our mother’s will?” Jenny asked. “Why haven’t the other beneficiaries had the same information that we have?”
“Emily was very protective of her family. She took on the burden to protect not just her three children but the entire family. Now that her secret is out, it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the beneficiaries will come knocking. Until then, the estate will be held in trust until everybody’s whereabouts and connection to this benefaction have been accounted for.”
“But my mother, Emily, my uncle Fred and aunt Mary are all dead,” Blake explained.
“That may be so but the remaining few are still alive. Mary and Fred had no children. You are Emily’s children hence the benefaction was triggered after her death and you stand to inherit her share.”
“So what do we do now?” Jenny asked.
“If I were you, I’d speak to as many family members and friends of the family that you can and try to figure out what really happened in 1938 which led to Jack Smith leaving his fortune to your family ten years later,” Julia replied.
***
In a rundown two bedroom basement flat in south-east London, Tom Gibson walked out into the back garden as rain fell heavily. He wandered over to a brick shed and unlocked a silver padlock. He opened the door and tossed a carrier bag of food into the dimly lit space. Pleading eyes came from a young woman caged behind steel bars at the back of the shed. She quickly gathered the food out of the bag and began to eat the stale bread he had given her. Her eyes bloodshot from crying and a combination of sedatives gave her a vacant appearance. Tom closed the door and locked the padlock once again before heading back inside the flat.
He began tapping away on a laptop, connecting investors to crypto-currency in a program known as The Crystal as the front door slammed shut.
A blonde haired woman appeared in the doorway of the lounge. “Any news from Andrea?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Tom lied. “I’m sure she’ll let us know when she’s back.”
“You have a letter here.”
He turned to face her as she handed him the brown envelope with Cartwright And Sons Solicitors printed on it. He opened it and smiled as he read the letter.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Of course,” Tom smiled as he quickly searched for obituaries on his laptop. He turned the screen to face her.
“Emily Langford?”
“Don’t you see what this means Jade?”
She shook her head.
“Emily Langford was the missing piece. She held the second piece of the map. With her death, the inheritance moves to Blake. It was only a matter of time. When he discovers his whole life was built on a lie, it’ll finish him!”
Jade moved towards him. “Don’t you think this obsession with the Langfords is going too far?”
Tom glared at her. “I was never good enough in John Langford’s eyes for his precious daughter. They stole what was rightfully ours. Our inheritance, our futures! How the hell can you defend them?”
“Jenny Langford was my friend in Uni. She’d never deliberately go out and hurt anybody.”
“Yet she failed to tell you that she was your cousin.”
“She probably didn’t know.”
“Probably,” Tom huffed. “That family covers up more than a corrupt politician!”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Money changes people.”
“No, it changed you. If it wasn’t for Samir letting Zodiac go, he’d have taken you down with him.”
“Zodiac knows what to do. If Emily had the declaration in her will then her brother James must have the next piece.”
“Aren’t you getting too old for all this Indiana Jones stuff? How do you know if there really is treasure to be found?” Jade asked.
“Jack Smith was my grandfather. He robbed a bank in 1938 and got away with it. After the war, he planned to give it all to my mother Patricia but he died before he had the chance to. She had to grow up in foster care because Blake Langford’s great-grandfather couldn’t keep his nose out of her business. Those bastards have been corrupting the police force for four generations. Playing the self-righteous detectives and sergeants throughout whilst their wives were sleeping around. My grandfather survived the war, he had his fun and then the Langfords killed him to make sure his secret remained hidden. Not anymore.”
“Your mother was in foster care from when she was a baby. How the hell do you know if she was even telling the truth?”
Tom reached inside a drawer under his desk and pulled out an old metal cigarette case. He opened it and inside was a lock of light brown hair. “When my mother was given up for adoption, Jack gave her a lock of his hair in this cigarette box. It was proof that she was his daughter. It has since been DNA tested. It is our blood line Jade! He planned to come back for her. Then the bombing started. He went off to fight in the war and my grandmother, Ada, was killed in one of the blasts near Portsmouth. When he returned, injured from battle, he found out that she had been killed. He slept with two of the nurses who cared for him before deserting. When he returned to the south coast, he found out what really happened the night his daughter, Patricia, was given up and it cost him his life. It was the talk of the city for many years after. That’s why she came back to London and I vowed to make amends one day.”
Jade watched as Tom held a photo of his mother in his hands and traced the outline of her face with his finger. She turned and left him heading towards the bedroom. She had also received a letter in the mail. She had recognised her grandfather’s writing immediately. She opened it and read the letter before picking up her phone and scrolling through her contacts until she arrived at Victor (Grandad). Her finger hovered over the call button for a moment before she closed it down again. She knew she needed to get close to Tom to find out how much he knew about the family legacy but visiting her grandad would open up a lot of deep wounds from her past that she wasn’t ready to face.
She slipped the letter back into the envelope and hid it in the bottom drawer of the cabinet in the corner of the room. Thousands of questions flooded her mind. If the money really was hidden somewhere, how could they find it and how could she stop Tom from blowing it all on crypto-currency. She opened her laptop and began searching for significant dates from 1938. She needed to go back in time
Everything
Everything is the 5th Blake Langford novel in the series and is due to be released towards the end of 2025. Shown below is the warts and all first draft of the opening chapter which may be subject to a few tweaks before publishing. Preorders will be available soon from Amazon and most bookshops worldwide.
How can you protect your child from themselves?
When Michael Langford posted a live video on social media, he never knew who was watching. After agreeing to meet the new girl in class, Michael disappears.
Blake Langford is arrested during a routine training exercise and accused of compromising Her Majesty’s Government by using a new spyware known as The Crystal.
When secrets from the past bring new developments into the investigation, Blake and Paula have to risk everything to discover what happened to Michael.
When everything you thought was true turns out to be a lie, where do you turn next?
Everything
Exclusive First Draft Preview - Subject To Change Before Publication
Chapter One
The Edge Of Reality
The school bell rang out loud at the same time as it had done everyday of term since the end of the summer holidays. A man sat in his navy BMW at the end of Roughdown Lane. He had a clear view of the gate where the students would exit from. He placed his phone in the holder on the dashboard and waited…
He was used to waiting. He had counted the years passing by since he had fled these shores and now, just like an evening shadow, he lingered closely to his target, waiting, just waiting and observing. Waiting for the right time to strike.
“Hey Michael, do you wanna join us at Marchlands later?” Tristan, one of the students, asked as they approached the school gate.
“I can’t tonight, maybe next time.”
“Oh come on, it’ll be great. Emma’s gonna be there too.”
“I’m going to be where?” Emma asked as she approached them with her friend, Melody, a few steps behind.
“Marchlands,” Michael replied.
“Urgh, who would wanna go there?”
“You don’t know what you’re missing. Come on, don’t be lame,” Tristan insisted.
Michael’s phone rang out as they arrived at the gate. He pulled it out of his pocket and he rolled his eyes as he saw Paula’s name on the ID. As he cut off the call, Tristan grabbed the phone and began to run on ahead.
“Hey! Give it back!” Michael shouted as he began to chase him with Emma close behind.
“Don’t be such an idiot Tris!” Emma shouted.
Tristan began recording them on Michael’s phone. “Two lovebirds running away together!” he laughed as he ran into the woods.
Michael eventually caught up with him and grabbed the phone back. “Why did you do that?”
“You were never gonna ask her were you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. You’ve been making eyes at each other for weeks.”
“She’s not interested,” Michael sighed.
“She will be when she finds out your dad’s a spy.”
“No he’s not.”
Tristan pulled his own phone out and showed Michael a newspaper report from six years ago. “Then why was he in the news when that missing woman was found in Miami.”
Michael felt an anger rise up inside him when he saw a photo of his mother, Rachael Evans, on the newspaper report alongside slanderous reports of her life with millionaire James Turner. Next to the report was a younger photo of his father, Blake Langford. It detailed his failed attempt to be reunited with Rachael after a tragic accident in the Florida Keys had taken her life. “Where did you find this?”
“My father likes to know who I’m hanging out with.”
“And what’s his opinion of me?”
“He says you’re damaged goods and I should keep away from you.”
“Then why did you invite me to Marchlands tonight?”
“To prove to him that he was wrong. That you are actually a decent guy to be around.”
Michael smiled briefly. “I’ll see ya Tris,” he replied before heading off through the woods.
“What about tonight?” Tristan called out.
“Some other time!”
Tristan watched Michael disappear into the woods before pulling out his phone and logging onto his Social Arena Messenger account or SAM for short. He found the video he had just uploaded from Michael’s phone as the likes and emojis began flooding in. He smiled and placed his phone into his pocket before heading home.
The man in the car had seen it all unfold just as he hoped it would. He saw everything and said nothing. As Michael disappeared from sight, he started the car and drove away.
***
Metal scraping against metal alerted Blake Langford as he entered the underground lift several floors beneath an imposing tower block that housed Special Branch Headquarters in Vauxhall near London. As the lift began its journey, lights began flickering and gunshots fired somewhere inside the building.
Instinctively, Blake removed his gun from its holster under his left arm and pulled back the hammer. As the doors opened, a putrid smell attacked his senses. As he looked down, he noticed two agents laying bleeding on the floor with bullet holes punctuating the walls. He backed himself against the wall, feeling a cold sweat run through him. Cautiously, he moved forward, listening for any sound of intruders inside the maze of corridors.
Blake shifted left, shifted right, kicked open doors, checking all angles as he wandered further along the corridor. The clatter of an air vent above his head caught his attention and he immediately fired up through the vent. The body of a man fell to the ground beside him with bloodstained clothes packed with ammunition. The attacker had been wearing night vision goggles that had shattered on impact. A mobile phone had fallen out of the man’s pocket as he landed.
Blake picked up the phone and looked at the screen. As he pressed it, a voicemail played out loud. “It’s too late, take the money and go.”
Blake recognised the voice. “Alison?” he gasped.
Before he had a chance to respond, the door, second from the end of the left hand side of the corridor burst open. A man held Alison in a headlock with a gun pointed at her head.
“Drop the weapon Langford!” the man shouted.
Blake took two steps closer towards them.
“Drop it!” he shouted again.
Blake threw the gun aside before dropping to his knees, removing a smaller handgun from inside his left sleeve and firing, firstly at the man’s knee, causing him to release Alison before firing again with a shot to his head to complete the kill.
“You okay?” Blake asked.
Alison nodded before picking up her attacker’s gun and joining Blake as they approached Eric Gordon’s office. She nodded her intention and kicked open the door. A machine gun opened fire with several bullets hitting her body as she fell to the floor. Blake crouched beside the wall looking down at his colleague’s lifeless body in front of him. He felt tense as the anxiety built up inside him and he struggled to control his breathing. He took two deep breaths before taking a partial look into the office. He could hear muffled voices. He knew Eric Gordon kept a fire extinguisher on the right wall just inside the room.
Blake counted to ten before stepping forwards and firing a bullet at the fire extinguisher. Its contents exploded into the room filling it with a smoke screen. He stepped into the doorway and saw two men by the desk and a third man holding a gun at Eric Gordon’s head. The two men began firing aimlessly. Blake shot the man holding the gun at Eric’s head before shooting a fire hydrant in the ceiling above the two men. In the confusion, he was able to fire off two more shots to kill the remaining two attackers in the room.
“I have to say Langford, you’re a thorn tree in a whirlwind,” Joe Knight sighed as he turned the lights back on.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that a perfect marksman doesn’t allow his colleague to be killed or ambushed in a straightforward mission!”
Blake and Alison removed their virtual reality headsets and handed over their plastic weapons.
“Occupational hazard. She went in too soon,” Blake replied as he adjusted his wavy black hair in the reflection of the glass panel at this side of the room.
“I see you weren’t in a rush to save the day!” Alison protested.
“Just biding my time.”
“I’ll remember that when we’re out in the field and it’s your ass on the line.”
“Give me the old firing range any day,” Blake sighed.
“Unfortunately, it’s called the future so get used to it,” Joe replied.
“Playing with blanks can never prepare you for the real thing. When you’re out in the field, your adrenaline gives you an edge. You can’t recreate that in a computer game,” Alison explained.
“Artificial intelligence,” Joe corrected.
“What we need is more real intelligence,” Blake replied. “Come on Joe, what is all this?”
“Health and safety, straight from the top. For some reason, Westminster seems to get edgy when we use real life targets for practice in the shooting range.”
“A politician with a conscience, now there’s a thing,” Alison smirked.
At that moment, Samir burst into the room. “We’ve got trouble,” he said as three people followed him in.
“Blake William Langford?” the first man asked.
“That’s what’s on the birth certificate, who wants to know?” Blake responded.
“I’m Superintendent Mark Jones, this is Detective Sergeant Scott McDowall and this is Detective Constable India Jacobs. We’re here from the anti-corruption unit at Scotland Yard.”
Blake half smirked. “You’ve lost me, why are you here?”
“Mr Langford, we are arresting you in connection with a computer software program known as The Crystal,” D.C. India Jacobs added.
“The Crystal? That was shut down four years ago during a Special Branch operation involving Russian money changing hands in exchange for trafficking students out of London!”
“Our records show that transactions totalling twenty-five million pounds have continued to be laundered through the system over a period of six years. Blake William Langford, I am arresting you in connection with an ongoing case that compromises Her Majesty’s Government. You do not have to say anything but anything you do say may be used in evidence against you. Are you going to make this easy or hard?” D.S. Scott McDowall asked.
“This is bullshit!” Blake protested as he looked over at Alison, Joe and Samir.
“Go with them Blake. We’ll find a way out of this,” Alison reassured him.
Blake looked at each member of the Anti-Corruption Unit team individually before bowing his head and following Superintendent Mark Jones out of the room. McDowall and Jacobs followed closely behind.
Joe let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding as they left. “Do you think he’s involved in it?” he asked.
“Of course not!” Alison snapped. “What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t know. There’s been nothing on record since The Crystal was shut down after the Gibson/Reaper/Zodiac case four years ago,” Samir replied.
“Joe, I need you to go through everything with a fine toothed comb. Anything you can find on the dark web. Any connections to Tom Gibson, the Langford family, anything,” Alison replied.
“I’m on it,” Joe said before rushing out of the room.
“What about his wife and son? If ACU has their claws into Blake, it’s only a matter of time before they go after the family,” Samir replied.
“I need to go to Paula and warn her about what is going on. Tom Gibson had managed to hack into Michael Langford’s account when he was building his crystal before. That might be our connection. Check it out and let me know what you find.”
“Gibson’s dead. There’s no way anyone could still gain access to the dark web or the old program.”
“You know as well as I do that it’s not always that cut and dry. There’s obviously someone we missed that is still pissed about the inheritance. The legacy of Jack Smith may still have some loose ends. Check everything and everyone. Start with Dmitri Vasilievich at Dartmoor. He may still have some kind of knowledge or information that could be crucial.”
Samir felt a shiver run down his spine when Alison mentioned Dartmoor Prison. He spent three nights there fifteen years ago after being wrongly implicated in a fraud crime that he didn’t commit. A lot of the prisoners who were there then were still there now and he vowed never to return to that place again.
“Something wrong?” Alison asked.
Samir shook his head nervously. “No, no, I’m on it,” he replied before leaving the room.
Alison removed her phone from her pocket and scrolled through her contacts to find Paula Langford’s number. It rang into her voicemail. Alison cut the call off and headed out of the room, tying her shoulder length brown hair into a hair clip as she left. She knew she needed to find Paula fast before news of Blake’s arrest leaked out to anyone.
***
Meanwhile, a man driving a navy BMW entered the car park for The Swan Shopping Centre in Eastleigh near Southampton. As he parked on the ground floor level, he removed his phone from inside his suit jacket pocket. He opened a text message from an unknown number that read;
MEETING MOVED, TARGET 5
He checked his watch. It was 4.15pm. He knew he needed to move fast. He stepped out of his car and casually walked over towards the ticket machine. As he reached into his pocket to retrieve some loose change, he heard someone shout out from behind him. As he turned, he saw a couple in a green Ford Fiesta holding a ticket out of the passenger window.
“We still have an hour and a half on it if you want it?” the woman in the passenger seat called out.
The man took a subtle look left and right to ensure that nobody else was watching before approaching them. He reached out and took the ticket. “Thank you, much appreciated,” he said as they drove away.
He returned to his BMW and placed the ticket on the dashboard, cursing his luck that he had attracted unnecessary attention to himself before closing the driver’s door and locking the car once again. He walked towards the back of the car park and noticed a red Ford Focus parked four spaces away from the corner. Its registration number read; QZ60TWN. The man took one more cautious look around to ensure that no one was watching before trying the door handle of the driver’s door. To his surprise, it opened. He sat inside and began to work the wires underneath the steering column. He looked up and saw a woman with her two children struggling with several shopping bags heading towards her car. He finally managed to start the engine before adjusting the mirrors and driving away. The woman with her two children gave him a cautionary stare as he drove past. The man dismissed it. He had a job to do and he knew he had a very small window of time to do it in. He left the car park and headed towards Fareham.
A Deal With The Devil
The first Alison Pearce adventure arrives in 2026 taking us back to when Alison became a junior police cadet at the age of 12 and her journey to becoming a Special Branch agent. Check this website for more details as they arrive.
Alison Pearce, a recent graduate from the Police Academy, grapples with tragedy when her father is killed in a devastating earthquake in central London.
Amidst ridicule from her colleagues, Alison takes on an undercover mission to unveil a Special Branch double agent collaborating with the Chinese government.
As she navigates a world where every choice carries a perilous outcome, Alison confronts the daunting question: how far must she push herself to carve out her place in a male-dominated world?
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