A Nasty Case

HAIDEN CRAWFORD

There is a suspicion that drugs are being smuggled into the
country.

Check out imports that cross the channel by Ferry.

These drugs are worth millions of pounds so be careful and whatever you
do don't let anyone see you at work.

Dispose of this message.

As Haiden read the note that he had found hidden inside his jacket
pocket a frown spread across his face. "They're piling work onto me
like there's no tomorrow" he thought to himself. Haiden Crawford worked
for customs as an inspector. A man, Nathan Giles, ran his section of
the organisation, inspections of importations. Nathan was notorious for
being pushy and deceiving. At the present Haiden was not getting on
well with him. Haiden pulled out a lighter and lit up a cigarette, he
then set light to the note he had found. "Another tricky case landed on
me" he sighed to himself as he unlocked the door of his South London
flat.

The wind whipped Haiden's face as he sat at a park bench in Dover. He
was pondering on where to begin his search for the drugs. Since the
note he had only received one other message from head office confirming
that the drug was cocaine and was in sealed plastic packets. He had
also been told that lorries travelling across the channel to Dover were
smuggling it in. This is why he was huddled up in Dover dockyard
searching for something to lead him closer to the source. He watched
the lorries drive through customs, they stopped to show their contents
to the inspector then they moved on to the imports car park. Haiden
gazed aimlessly as the nuts in the wheels of one lorry jangled about;
he let it pass and went to buy a sandwich. When he came back the
drivers of these lorries were all huddled inside a bar just out of
view, the perfect time to check out the lorries thought Haiden. He
sidled over to them trying not to look suspicious; the car park was
completely empty so this wasn't too hard. Haiden spent a while
inspecting the lorries for a hiding place, he had already decided that
the drugs wouldn't be hidden in the main compartment of the lorry, that
would be too obvious. Haiden stepped backed from the lorries, puzzled
and frustrated. Then he had a brainwave. He found the lorry with the
loose nuts and began to yank them out. Much to his satisfaction he
found a couple of packets inside each wheel. He pulled out his camera
and took some snap shots of the lorries, then, replacing the wheel
caps, he walked back over to his car with the packets stuffed inside
his jacket.

Haiden pulled out his mobile phone when he was safely locked inside his
car. He phoned Nathan and told him that he had found the drugs.
"Shall I take them up to the station and&;#8230;" Haiden was cut
off.
"No, bring them to me," barked Nathan abruptly.
"But we always take evidence to the police," said Haiden.
"Just do as I ask," and Nathan hung up. That afternoon Haiden turned up
at the office.
"Where are they," asked Nathan.
"I'm not giving them to you until you tell me what you're going to do
with them." Nathan gave in.
"I have a friend," began Nathan.
"Yes, go on," urged Haiden.
"Well lets put it this way," said Nathan, "I have a friend that can
give me a very good price for them, better than the police
would."
"You mean you're going to sell them," Haiden was shocked; he knew
Nathan to be sneaky but not that sneaky. His only thought was to run
out the office, he needed some time to figure out what to do.

The next day Haiden felt no better. Sleeping on his problem had only
made it worse and he was forced to go into work the next morning with
the drugs locked safely in the glove box of his car. Nathan confronted
him in the lift on the way up to the office blocks.
"Just what do you think you're doing disobeying me like that?" Nathan
pulled Haiden up to the wall by the scruff of his collar and stared at
him menacingly. But Haiden was prepared. He wasn't going to be
manipulated by someone on the wrong side of the law. He silently
slipped his hand into his pocket and pressed the play button on his
tape recorder.
"I want to give the drugs to the police as evidence," said Haiden
firmly and clearly.
"Oh no you don't," began Nathan, "I need that stuff, I've promised
this, er friend of mine that he can have 'em for a decent price."
"I don't have them here," gabbled Haiden as he fumbled for the stop
button on his recorder. At that moment the lift door opened. Haiden
rushed out before his boss could get another word in edgeways.

* * *

Haiden leant back in his expensive leather chair. He closed down the
document he was working on and shut his briefcase. He strolled out of
his spacious office, then he shut the door. The old sign had finally
been replaced, Haiden Crawford, head of inspections of importations, it
now read. He was so glad now that the trial was over, Nathan was safely
out of his job and Haiden was the new manager. Haiden pulled out his
lighter and lit a cigarette, shouldn't think I'll be burning too many
more notes from Nathan, he chuckled to himself.