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‘I’ the past month,’ said Hawksby as he took his seat at the top of the table ‘No doubt you’ve all read about the drugs haul in Southampton last week Two hundred pounds of cocaine and six arrests’

They all banged on the table with the palms of their hands

‘It’s hardly worth that,’ said Hawksby ‘The six we arrested were justtheest shark of all never leaves his estate in Colombia, where even the police are on his payroll All we can do is try to intercept the next shipment and net another shoal ofthrough Be thankful none of you are attached to the drug squad’

The Hawk sat back, turned to his right and said, ‘So what have you been up to in my absence, Bruce?’

‘I’ve had e drugs for dia shipped to Dubai, before being sent on to Bombay where they’re sold for cash That way they avoid i up house prices in Mayfair’

‘Cri country,’ said Hawksby ‘It makes it easier for them to carry on with their business’

‘And like you, sir,’ continued Laard a few years in jail as no more than part of the deal’

‘No wonder crirowing,’ co else, Bruce?’

‘Yes, sir I think it’s just possible that DC WarwickRembrandt case, but I’ll leave him to fill in the details’

‘After further investigation, we—’ began William

‘We?’ interrupted Hawksby

‘Thanks to the help of a research assistant at the Fitzmolean, we’ve identified an artist who I think may have painted the copy of the Rembrandt’

‘Name?’

‘Eddie Leigh,’ said Laallery I was in charge of that case, and he’s been banged up in Pentonville for the past two years’

‘What h was responsible for the copy of the Rembrandt, DC Warwick?’ asked Hawksby